IPOB declares sit-at-home on May 30 (Nation)
The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared Thursday May, 30th sit-at-home in states under former Eastern and Middle Belt regions respectively. In a statement on Thursday by the spokesman of the group, Emma Powerful, the pro-biafra group said that the essence of the sit-at-home was in commemoration of Biafra fallen heroes. The IPOB leadership called on churches, mosques, synagogues and temples in Benue, Kaduna, Adamawa and other crisis areas to throw open their places of worship on the midnight of the 29th of May for special midnight prayers in remembrance of all that died as a result of violence and sponsored killings, adding that special vigil would be held at the homes of select Biafran heroes and heroines who were murdered in cold blood. Read more
How Buhari’s district head was abducted —Police (Punch)
The Police in Katsina State have described how the Magajin Garin Daura, Musa Umar, was abducted from his palace on Wednesday. Addressing newsmen in Katsina on Thursday, spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, in a statement described the efforts being made to rescue the district head. Isah said, “Yesterday, 1/05/2019 at about 19:10hrs, unknown bandits numbering about six, shooting into the air, stormed the residence of Magajin Garin Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar, in a Peugeot 405, unregistered, blue in colour and abducted him while sitting on a bench outside his residence, to unknown destination. Read more
9th N’Assembly: Fresh suit seeks reversal of APC’s zoning of leadership positions (Punch)
A fresh suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday is seeking an order upturning the All Progressives Congress’ zoning arrangement for the principal officers of the soon-to-be proclaimed 9th National Assembly. The suit filed by a group, Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, and a member of the APC, Kenneth Uzochukwu, described the party’s zoning arrangement which they claimed excluded the South-East geo-political zone as “unconstitutional, unjust, discriminatory and clannish.” The APC, which constitutes the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, had adopted Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe State in the North-East zone as its candidate for the position of the Senate President; and Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos State in the South-West zone as Speaker. Read more
Reps invite Buhari again over insecurity (Punch)
The House of Representatives on Thursday reinvited President Muhammadu Buhari to address the chamber on what his administration is doing about the high spate of insecurity across Nigeria. It was the second invitation by the lawmakers to the President within three weeks. The House had unanimously on April 11, 2019, adopted a motion with the mandate to issue a query to the President, asking him to explain the spate of insecurity under his administration within 48 hours. Read more
Illegal cattle market shut down in Ondo (Nation)
Ondo state Government has ordered the immediate closure of a Cattle market purportedly opened by a faction of Akure Cattles Dealers Association at Uso, in Owo Local Government Area of the state. The commissioner for Agriculture Otunba Adegboyega Adefarati who gave the order also directed the law enforcement officers to arrest anybody or cattle find in the vicinity of the illegal market. The commissioner spoke on Thursday at an interactive meeting with the warring factions of the cattle dealers’ association in his office. Read more
Police parades suspected serial killer, launch ‘Operation Puff Adder’ in Edo State (Guardian)
Edo State police commissioner, Dan-mallam Mohammed on Thursday officially launched the police tactical operation codenamed ‘Operation Puff Adder’ in the state. In his address during the event held at the command headquarters in Benin City, the CP disclosed that the exercise was initiated by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, on April 5, 2019, due to incessant kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes. Mohammed said that the launch in the state followed the IGP’s directive to zones and state command to eradicate crimes across the country. Read more
My motion inspired 10-year validity passport, Oyo Rep claims (Punch)
A member of the House of Representatives, representing Oluyole Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Mr. Olusunbo Olugbemi, has hailed the introduction of a new Nigeria passport with 10-year validity. Olugbemi, a member of the House Committee on Interior, while reacting to the introduction in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, said the move was in line with global best practices. The Nigeria Immigration Service had, on Monday, begun issuance of the travel document. Read more
Alleged gang-rape: Absence of defence counsel stalls trial of five UNILAG students (Punch)
The absence of defence counsel has stalled the trial of five students accused of gang-raping and blackmailing a fellow student. The five students, all of the University of Lagos, are arraigned at an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court. News Agency of Nigeria reports that Moboluwaji Omowole, 19, Chuka Chukwu, 19, Peace Nwakanma, 19, James Aguedu, 20 and Josephine Osemeka, 20, were arraigned over defilement of a child, permitting the defilement of a child in a premises, and procuration. Read more
Unemployment rate to hit 33.5 percent by 2020 – FG (Nation)
The unemployment rate may increase from 23.1 percent to 33.5 percent by 2020, the Federal Government announced on Thursday. The Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige disclosed this while declaring open a two-day workshop on breaking the resilience of high unemployment rate in the country in Abuja. He described the incessant increase of unemployment in the country was alarming. The Minister said the high unemployment rate of 23.1 per cent, and underemployment of 16.6 per cent presented by the National Bureau Statistics (NBS) in its 2019 report was alarming. Read more
EFCC arraigns man for allegedly spending $59,220 erroneously credited to his account (Punch)
A bank customer, Mr. James Olaoluwaniyi, has been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly converting to personal use the sum of $59,220 erroneously transferred into his account by the Sterling Bank where he is a customer. Olaoluwaniyi subsequently sued the EFCC, pleading unlawful detention; while he also asked for a cost of N50,000 against the commission. At the hearing in a Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday, however, the court awarded N20,000 in favour of the EFCC. Read more
2,000 medical workers move overseas yearly- NMA (Nation)
No fewer than 2,000 medical workers migrate to developed countries annually, The Nigerian Medical Association has declared. Its President, Dr Francis Adedayo Faduyile stated this in Abakaliki during the opening ceremony of the Annual General Conference/Delegates meeting of the Association in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. He said this necessitated the theme of the meeting which is ‘Skill Repatriation in the Health Sector: Turning Nigeria’s brain drain to brain gain’. Read more
Detained Ugandan popstar MP released on bail —Lawyer (Punch)
Ugandan rapper-turned-MP Bobi Wine was released from prison Thursday, his lawyer said, just days after the outspoken government critic was detained on charges his supporters said were politically motivated. A magistrate in Kampala granted bail to the 37-year-old opposition star, who told a courtroom packed with supporters he would remain in prison if it meant “standing for what is right”. “It is not we on trial, but the court. My business is the truth,” Wine said via video link — a first for Uganda — from a maximum security prison in the capital. Read more
Venezuela crisis: Defiant Maduro appears with soldiers (BBC)
In a show of defiance against his opponents, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro appeared flanked by soldiers at an army base in Caracas on Thursday. Mr Maduro called on the armed forces to oppose “any coup plotter”, as clashes between opposition supporters and pro-government forces continued. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó tried on Wednesday to spark a military defection and force Mr Maduro from office. Read more
Speaker Nancy Pelosi accuses Attorney General Barr of lying to Congress (BBC)
US Speaker Nancy Pelosi has accused the Attorney General William Barr of lying to Congress. Her comments came a day after Mr Barr’s testimony to a Senate panel about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russia’s alleged meddling in 2016. Mr Barr faced sharp questioning about his decision to clear President Donald Trump of obstruction of justice. The top US law official refused to testify to Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Read more
Mum ‘let paedophile rape daughters after he promised to marry her’ (Metro)
A single mother let a convicted paedophile rape her two daughters, aged one and four, after he promised to marry her, a court has heard. The alleged rapist, identified as Daniel P, 34, reportedly met the girls mum, only identified as Christin I, 32, on German dating app Knuddels and spoke for a short time before proposing. The abuse was allegedly carried out at home and on holidays, and he promised to move them to Dubai. Read more
Cyprus serial killer: Justice minister resigns over case (BBC)
Cyprus’s justice minister has resigned after a man admitted killing seven migrant women and girls, in a case that went undetected for nearly three years. Ionas Nicolaou said he was leaving his post for reasons of “political responsibility”, adding that he wasn’t personally involved in the case. A 35-year-old Greek-Cypriot army officer is in custody. Officials are accused of not properly investigating missing persons reports because the victims were migrants. Read more
Married teacher, 34, ‘raped’ schoolboy, 10 (Metro)
A married schoolteacher who is a mother of three raped a 10-year-old schoolboy who was one of her students, police say. Deidre R Smith, 34, is accused of striking up the abusive relationship with one of her students at Lake Charles Charter Academy in Lake Charles, Louisiana, at the end of 2018. Detectives began investigating her on Tuesday, and believe she had sexual intercourse with the underage child, KPLC reported. Read more
US military reports major spike in sex assaults (BBC)
The US military has reported a major spike in sexual assaults despite years of efforts to address the problem. Figures show 20,500 instances of unwanted sexual contact occurred in 2018, up from 14,900 in 2016 which is the last time a survey was conducted. Alcohol was involved in one third of cases, and female recruits ages 17 to 24 are at the highest risk of attack. On Thursday, Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan directed the military to “criminalise” sexual harassment. Read more
Scrabble have added 22 new words – including bae, genderqueer, and mansplaining (Metro)
Scrabble is a game for those who with wide vocabularies who know their words. Younger people who perhaps haven’t had as much time to hone their lexicon, however, are set to get a new advantage. 22 new words have been added to the game, and some are going to be completely unintelligible for those above the SnapChat generation. Collins Official Scrabble Words include a whole load of topical talking points, from antivaxxer to incel, and from shebagging to manspreading, giving you more and more chances to grab a triple word score. Read more
Justin Bieber admits ‘wallowing in sadness’ over people who have betrayed him: ‘I hang my head in shame’ (Metro)
Justin Bieber has shared a heartfelt Instagram post with his followers, opening up about feeling ‘vulnerable’ and being betrayed by people he thought were close friends. The What Do You Mean? singer has revealed his personal ‘struggles’ in the past and appears to still be going through a journey of recovery. In his latest Instagram post, the 25-year-old singer shared a black and white selfie with a lengthy message making several religious references. Read more
Refereeing not a profession, says retired FIFA referee (Punch)
Linus Mba, retired FIFA badged referee and adviser to FIFA on referee matters, on Thursday says refereeing is not a profession but a hobby. Mba told News Agency of Nigeria that referees ought to have defined professions outside refereeing. He said that Nigerian men and women who were referees must have a source of livelihood before doing well as referees. “In other climes, people go into refereeing out of passion and not for the money. Read more
Caster Semenya: Fans urge athlete not to quit after her cryptic tweet (BBC)
Fans urged Caster Semenya not to quit athletics after she posted a cryptic tweet following the loss of her appeal against regulations restricting testosterone levels in female runners. Semenya will have to take medication to reduce her testosterone level if she is to continue competing at 800m. The Olympic champion, 28, is confirmed for that distance in the Diamond League season opener in Doha on Friday. Read more
After ruling, Semenya to run in Doha Diamond League (Guardian)
Olympic champion Caster Semenya, who lost her legal challenge against new IAAF gender rules, will race in the 800 metres in Friday’s Doha Diamond League after making a late entry, organisers said Thursday. Semenya, the double Olympic champion, was added to the start list for Friday’s 800 metres on Thursday morning, a day after her appeal against the IAAF’s rule regulating testosterone levels for women athletes was rejected by the Court for Arbitration of Sport. Read more
FIFA ready to discuss temporary substitutions of players (Punch)
FIFA is open to having discussions about temporary substitutions if players suffer serious head injuries in matches, its medical committee head Michel D’Hooghe has told the Times newspaper. Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen tried to play on following a head clash in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg defeat by Ajax Amsterdam before going off, prompting brain injury charity Headway to call for changes to the rules. “Introducing substitutes specifically for concussion is a possibility and something worth discussing,” D’Hooghe told The Times newspaper. Read more
Tottenham announce Jan Vertonghen injury update ahead of Bournemouth clash (Metro)
Tottenham have confirmed that Jan Vertonghen did not suffer a concussion in Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to Ajax following examinations from the club’s medical staff and an independent neurologist. The 32-year-old had to substituted towards the end of the first half in Spurs’ eventual 1-0 defeat to the Dutch side after clashing heads with his teammate Toby Alderweireld and Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana. Read more
Pochettino open to change in football concussion rules (Punch)
Mauricio Pochettino said he was open to a change in football’s concussion protocols as Tottenham wait for an update on the health of defender Jan Vertonghen, who suffered a head injury against Ajax. Vertonghen saw a neurologist on Thursday after a clash of heads with teammate Toby Alderweireld during Tottenham’s Champions League defeat by Ajax this week. The 32-year-old Belgium international had to be helped from the pitch during Tuesday’s 1-0 semi-final, first-leg defeat after initially being allowed to play on following lengthy treatment. Read more
Atletico Madrid to face MLS best in July All-Star Game (Punch)
Ten-time La Liga champions Atletico Madrid will play against the best talent from Major League Soccer in this year’s MLS All-Star Game, the North American league announced Thursday. The Spanish club will face the MLS squad on July 31 at Orlando City Stadium. The MLS All-Stars have an 8-4 with three drawn records against elite clubs from England, Mexico, Germany, Italy, Scotland and Spain. The only other appearance by a Spanish squad was when Real Madrid won 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw with the MLS stars in 2017 at Chicago. Read more