IPOB attack on Ekweremadu, warning to others —Nnamdi Kanu (Punch)
Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has said that the weekend attack on the immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, was a warning to “those engaged in selling (Igbo) collective interest to Fulani caliphate.” Ekweremadu was attacked by some IPOB members in Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday. Ekweremadu, who confirmed the attack in a statement released by his Media Assistant, Uche Anichukwu in Abuja late Saturday, said, “I attended the Second Annual Cultural Festival and Convention organised by Ndi-Igbo Germany in Nuremberg today, where I was billed to give a keynote address along with the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who, however, could not make it eventually. Read more
Sanwo-Olu to inaugurate cabinet on Tuesday (Nation)
Lagos State Executive Council will be fully inaugurated on Tuesday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said. The Governor said he would not delay the swearing-in of Commissioner- and Special Adviser-designates already cleared by the State House of Assembly. Sanwo-Olu spoke on Sunday while receiving a body of retired top civil servants under the aegis of the Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries (ALARHOSPS). Read more
Allegations against El-Zakzaky meant to cover FG’s intervention in India —IMN (Punch)
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria has described as “a campaign of calumny” claims by the Federal Government that its leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, wanted to seek asylum in India before his repatriation to Nigeria last Friday. The group said the allegation was made by the government “to cover its own gross misconduct in a foreign land.” Responding to the issue in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, the President, Media Forum of the IMN, Ibrahim Musa, alleged that the FG went beyond its role of supervision to interfering in the medical process, dictating which doctors the Sheikh and his wife must see, while refusing to allow them to access their own doctors at Medenta Hospital, New Delhi. Read more
Buhari, APC urge tribunal to dismiss Atiku, PDP petition on technicalities, evidential grounds (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC have urged the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Candidate Atiku Abubakar challenging the Feb.23 general election on technicalities and evidential grounds. The prayers formed the gamut of other requests contained in both Buhari and APC final addresses to be adopted on Aug.23 made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. The respondents had described Abubakars address that urged the tribunal to sack Buhari and affirm him (Abubakar) president, as a “wild goose chase prayer’’. Read more
Ekweremadu: IPOB spanked the wrong horse —Shehu Sani (Punch)
Senator Shehu Sani has described the attack on ex-Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by members of the proscribed IPOB, as “spanking the wrong horse with the wrong whip on the wrong track.” Ekweremadu was attacked by some members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra in Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday. Read more
Ekweremadu: ‘IPOB making an empty threat’ -Southeast Governors Forum (Nation)
The South-East Governors Forum on Sunday said IPOB’s order to its member to attack the governors and other Igbo Leaders was an empty threat. It also argued that attacking the governors would not solve the problem of their agitation for Biafra. The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, stated this in a reaction through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Uzo on the attack on Mr Ekeremadu. Read more
Ihedioha calls for peace between NAF, communities over land (Guardian)
Gov. Emeka Ihedioha of Imo has called for peace between the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and its host communities over a land dispute, according to Mr Chibuike Onyeukwu, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, in a statement. In the statement issued in Owerri on Saturday, Ihedioha noted that the dispute between Obube and Umuowa communities in Owerri North and Ngor Okpala local government areas respectively and NAF Regiment 211 had lingered. Read more
I have no plan to dump APC, says Ondo Deputy Governor (Nation)
The Ondo state Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi on Sunday denied the report that he wanted to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest the next year’s governorship election in the state. Besides, he said he never thought of contesting against his boss, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, stressing that the reports were the handiwork of attention seekers who are well known within the political circle in the State. Read more
Insecurity: We will extend sensitisation to other Southeast states -Miyetti Allah (Nation)
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), South East zone says it will extend the shutdown of cattle markets and settlement in other states in the zone in the bid to purge itself of the violent elements. Alhj. Gidado Siddiki, Southeast Zonal Vice President of MACBAN disclosed this while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Sunday. Read more
Death toll rises to 9 in attacks on Benue communities (Guardian)
The Police Command in Benue on Sunday said the death toll from Saturday’s gunmen attack on mourners in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state has risen to nine. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Catherine Anene, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi that the police were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack and its aftermath. Read more
Police found decomposing body of farm worker on mango tree (Nation)
The Police in Ogun State have discovered the decomposing remains of a farm worker, who was allegedly murdered by his boss, over allegation of stealing. The family of Isamaila Mukaila had called on the Police to carry out a thorough investigation into the alleged murder. The Nation gathered that the boy was murdered on August 11 in a farm along Adejunrin road Owode Egba area of Abeokuta in Ogun state and his remains kept in sitting position on a branch of a mango tree within the farm. Read more
Police arrest eight ‘cultists’ at initiation venue (Nation)
Eight suspected new initiates of the One Million Boys cult group were on Sunday arrested by the police in Lagos. The suspects comprising six males and two females were arrested at 15, Alado Street, Shibiri, where they were being initiated into the cult by one Yusuf Abu, 20. According to a statement by spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) those arrested were Sunday Gabriel, 20, Rilwan Dauda, 18, Mohammed Sikiru, 23, Oladimeji Abayomi, 18, Rasheed Alabi, 20, Habeeb Idowu, 18, Olaiya Bisola, 18 and Hazzan Hawawu. Read more
Police ban another protest over economic woes in Zimbabwe (Guardian)
Zimbabwean police on Sunday banned a planned march by the main opposition in the second city of Bulawayo, days after brutally dispersing protesters who defied a similar order in the capital. “A prohibition order has been issued in Bulawayo today due to security concerns,” police spokesperson Paul Nyathi told reporters. “Various business groups had also appealed to the high court not to allow the march to proceed as a number of these organisations lost their properties in January when similar protests were held.” Read more
Hong Kong protests: Huge crowds rally peacefully (BBC)
Hundreds of thousands are holding another day of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, amid increasingly severe warnings by Beijing. Activists and police have clashed over the past 10 weeks, but this weekend’s rallies have so far been peaceful. The protests were sparked by an extradition bill, which has since been suspended by the Hong Kong government. China, which has built up security forces in nearby Shenzhen, has likened the protests to terrorist activity. Read more
Iran tanker row: Gibraltar rejects US request to detain ship (BBC)
Gibraltar has rejected a request by the US to again seize an Iranian tanker that it has been holding since July on suspicion of transporting oil to Syria. The US made the last-minute request on Friday, a day after Gibraltar lifted its detention order against Grace 1. Gibraltar said it could not comply with Washington’s request to issue a new detention order because US sanctions against Iran did not apply in the EU. The Grace 1 is due to leave Gibraltar later on Sunday, Iran’s UK envoy says. Read more
Murder probe after woman stabbed to death at house in Birmingham (Metro)
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman was found with fatal stab injuries in a house. West Midlands Police launched a murder investigation after the woman was found dead at a house in Pendragon Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, yesteday. Officers arrived at 1.50pm, and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. A 52-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Read more
Argentina’s economy minister resigns as peso sheds value (BBC)
Argentina’s economy minister Nicolas Dujovne has resigned amid a financial crisis exacerbated by the president’s defeat in a primary poll. The country’s peso shed 20% of its value against the US dollar after President Mauricio Macri suffered the resounding loss last Sunday. In a letter to the president, Mr Dujovne said he had given his all. Mr Macri was beaten in the primary elections by his left-wing rival Alberto Fernández. Read more
Box full of live snakes dumped in road outside vet’s (Metro)
A box of nine live snakes was dumped outside a vet’s surgery. The plastic box full of corn snakes was left in the heat, putting the animals at risk of dehydration. Two police officers responded to a call and found the box of corn snakes in Frome yesterday morning. The reptiles were in ‘reasonable condition despite being dehydrated’, according to RSPCA inspector Hayley Lawrence, and have been placed in temporary homes. Read more
Prince Charles’ mentor was a ‘homosexual with lust for young boys’ FBI files say (Metro)
Prince Charles’ mentor Lord Mountbatten was a ‘homosexual with a perversion for young boys’, according to unearthed FBI files. The celebrated war hero, who was the last Viceroy of India, and his wife Edwina Mountbatten were described as ‘persons of extremely low morals’ in intelligence files, which claim both frequently had extramarital affairs. The 75-year-old FBI documents came out after being obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by British historian Andrew Lownie for his new biography The Mountbattens: their Lives and Loves. Read more
Pastor Taribo confesses: We sneaked girls into Eagles camp (Punch)
Former Super Eagles hard-as-nails defender Taribo West has sensationally revealed how he and his national teammates sneaked women – both local and foreign – into camp during national assignments. The former AC Milan centre-back turned pastor on retirement from football said it was rampant during his era as a footballer but added he could only talk about it because he was now a born-again Christian. Read more
Ashley Cole calls time on trophy-laden career (Guardian)
Former England, Arsenal and Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole announced his retirement at 38 on Sunday and plans to forge a career on coaching. Cole won 13 major trophies, including three Premier League titles, and, with 107 caps, is one of just nine men to have made more than 100 appearances for England. After leaving Chelsea in 2014, he had short spells with Roma, LA Galaxy and most recently Derby County, under the management of former teammate Frank Lampard last season. Read more
Ramsey makes Juventus debut in final pre-season friendly (Punch)
Aaron Ramsey made his debut for Italian champions Juventus on Saturday in their final pre-season friendly, a 1-0 win over Serie C side Triestina. The Welsh international midfielder and former Arsenal star, who signed a four-year deal in February worth a reported seven million euros ($7.9 million) a season, came on for Federico Bernardeschi in the 70th minute of the game in Trieste. Read more
Sheffield United earn first win back in the Premier League (Guardian)
Sheffield United made a winning return to the Premier League at Bramall Lane as John Lundstram scored the only goal for a deserved 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday. Lundstram, who has spent the majority of his career on loan spells in England’s lower leagues, blasted into an unguarded net after Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita could only parry a low cross into the box two minutes into the second-half. Read more
Kuznetsova denies Barty’s bid to return to World No. 1 (Punch)
Resurgent Svetlana Kuznetsova denied Ashleigh Barty a chance to reclaim the world number one ranking Saturday as the Russian veteran thrashed the Australian 6-2, 6-4 in the WTA Cincinnati Masters semi-finals. Barty could have re-taken the top ranking she lost last week to Japan’s Naomi Osaka had she reached the final. The shutdown triumph by the 34-year-old double Grand Slam winner leaves injured Osaka atop the rankings with the US Open starting a week from Monday. Read more
Tyson Fury ridicules ‘p****’ Anthony Joshua after rival mocks Gypsy King for Otto Wallin fight (Metro)
Tyson Fury has hit back at Anthony Joshua after his rival ridiculed him for fighting Otto Wallin. The Gypsy King takes on little-known Swedish fighter Wallin in Las Vegas in September in another tune-up fight ahead of his rematch with Deontay Wilder next year, but Joshua wasn’t impressed with the opponent selection. Joshua said he would never fight ‘lower-tier heavyweights’. After hearing the comments, Fury responded by questioning the caliber of Andy Ruiz Jr – AJ’s next opponent. Read more
Dana White reveals Conor McGregor ‘probably’ texted him asking for Nate Diaz trilogy fight (Metro)
Nate Diaz made a victorious comeback to the octagon on Saturday with a dominant performance against Anthony Pettis, and Dana White thinks the display will have convinced Conor McGregor to fight his rival again. McGregor are tied one win each in their bitter rivalry, with Diaz’s defeat to the Irishman in their rematch in 2016 leading to a near three-year hiatus. Diaz ended his exile in style by beating former lightweight champion Pettis on points and UFC president White is expecting a message from McGregor. Read more
Honduras football rioting: Three killed ahead of Tegucigalpa derby (BBC)
Three people have been killed and about 10 injured in rioting between fans of rival football clubs in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa. The violence broke out ahead of a planned game between the Motagua and Olimpia clubs on Saturday evening. It began when crowds threw stones at the Motagua team bus, injuring three players with shards of broken glass. Read more
Archie Bruce: Batley Bulldogs player found dead in hotel after debut against Toulouse (BBC)
A rugby league player has been found dead in his hotel room the morning after making his debut for Championship side Batley Bulldogs at Toulouse. The club said it was “greatly saddened to announce the passing” of scrum-half Archie Bruce, 20. Inquiries are being conducted in France and the club’s players have delayed their return home. Club chairman Kevin Nicholas said: “The Bruce family have requested privacy during this most difficult of times.” Read more