Irate passengers damage Dana Air counters in Lagos (Nation)
There was commotion in the early hours of Thursday at the new domestic terminal of the Lagos Airport aka MMA2 when passengers booked on Dana Air engaged in wanton destruction of facilities.
The passengers were miffed over poor communication on the part of Dana Air on indefinite suspension of its operations by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The passengers, numbering 100, expressed reservations on the absence of personnel of the suspended carrier at the departure hall to brief them on the next line of action over possible transfer to other partner airlines or refund of their ticket fares.
While security officials of the terminal manager : Bi- Courtney Aviation Services Limited made frantic efforts to calm some of the passengers , others snatched the glass windows of the airline’s counters. Read more
4 men gang-rape Lagos schoolgirl for 5 days (Punch)
A 15-year-old teenager, who was allegedly abducted, drugged and raped by four men in the Igando area of Lagos State, has been found.
She was found last Friday, five days after she went missing and a search party was raised by her family.
The victim’s father, Tony, who spoke to PUNCH Metro, said his daughter had just finished sitting her West African Senior Secondary School Examination and was on her way to church when she was abducted.
He said the victim was going to the Saint John Catholic Church, Igando, when four men in a Toyota Camry, who pretended to give her a lift, drove her away. Read more
One Million Boys: Portable will be arrested after investigation – police (DailyTrust)
The Lagos State Police Command has said it is still investigating music star, Habeeb Okikiola well known as Portable, noting that the artiste will be arrested after investigation if he fails to turn himself in.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had on Monday ordered Portable’s probe over his alleged ties to One Million Boys, a notorious gang terrorising Lagos and parts of Ogun State.
The controversial musician had in a video, which went viral on Monday, boasted of forming the gang and another notorious group known as Ajah Boys.
“Open your ears and hear me, Have you heard about Ajah Boys, One Million Boys, I’m their founder. Go and ask Sammy larry,” he spoke in Yoruba in the video which he eventually deleted. Read more
Upcoming bishops attended Shettima’s unveiling – Tinubu support organisation (Punch)
The Tinubu Support Organisation on Thursday described the attack on the clergypersons who attended the unveiling of the Vice-Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kashim Shettima, as “unwarranted”.
The group also clarified that the clergymen who attended the event were not known in Christendom yet and were still building their missions.
In a statement by the group’s Director of Media and Public relations, Bayo Onanuga, the group maintained that the “clergymen were not fake, not mechanics or yam sellers” as been rumoured online.
The statement read, “Tinubu Campaign Organisation has described as unwarranted distractions the viral pictures and videos of some Christian clergymen and women at the unveiling of the All Progressives Congress Vice presidential candidate, Senator KASHIM SHETTIMA, on Wednesday in Abuja. Read more
Group gets court backing to file perjury case against Tinubu (Sun)
The legal moves to commence a perjury case against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have received the blessings of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
Justice Inyang Ekwo has granted the request of a civil society group, the Incorporated Trustees of Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), for an order of mandamus compelling the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, to initiate a perjury case against the APC presidential flag-bearer.
The request is in line with Sections 31 and 32 of the Police Act and Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which prefer charges against the APC flag-bearer, following an allegation that he lied on oath.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that an ex-parte application the group brought before the court on Thursday, was meritorious.
Justice Ekwo has, however, ordered service of all the relevant processes in the substantive suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1058/2022, on the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, and the IGP, who were cited as 1st and 2nd respondents, respectively. Read more
Ohanaeze Ikorodu unite behind Ossai (Independent)
Eze Okechukwu Anorue, the Eze-Igbo I of Igbogbo/Baiyeku Kingdom in Lagos State, has said the members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the Ikorodu Division of the state are behind the leadership of Chief Sunday Ossai as president of the organization.
Speaking after a meeting of the Ohanaeze members in the division, he stated that all the members in the six local council development areas have pledged their loyalty and support to Ossai as president of the organization in Lagos State.
Anorue, who is also the Babaloja Tejuosho Ultra-modern Market Phase 2, Yaba, Lagos, said that the term of office of Chief Solomon Ogbonna has ended, and called on him to vacate the office and stop parading himself as the president of Ohanaeze in Lagos State.
He added that all peace-loving and law-abiding people of Igbo extraction are behind Ossai as president of the organization in Lagos State. Read more
Gunmen ambush bus, abduct passengers on Abuja-Lokoja road (DailyTrust)
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have ambushed an 18-seater bus at Ochonyi -Omoko village, along Abuja-Lokoja highway and abducted passengers on board.
A passenger, who narrowly escaped the attack, Benjamin Isaac, said the incident happened around 8:03pm on Wednesday, when some gunmen suddenly emerged from the bush and flagged down the bus.
He said the gunmen opened fire and deflated one of the tyres of the bus, which he said forced the driver to veer into the bush.
He said, “They opened fire on the back tyres which forced the driver to lose control before the gunmen suddenly came out from the bush and ordered all the passengers to come out. They led us into the bush at gunpoint.” Read more
APGA leadership crisis: Njoku honours Police invitation (Vanguard)
The battle for the soul of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, between Victor Oye and Edozie Njoku took a new twist on Thursday, as the latter visited the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Abuja on the invitation of the Nigerian Police.
The two men have been engulfed in a leadership tussle, each laying claim to the national chairmanship of the party.
Vanguard reports that Oye had earlier in the week called on security agencies to pick up Njoku for questioning, accusing him of doctoring the ruling of the Supreme Court on a case brought before the lower court by one Jude Okeke.
The Police promptly invited him (Njoku) in a letter dated July 19, 2022 and signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Garba Ahmed. Read more
Insecurity: FG mulls ban on motorcycles, mining (ThisDay)
The federal government is looking at the possibility of banning motorcycles and mining as a way of addressing the myriad of security challenges facing the country.
Briefing newsmen Thursday at the end of the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the ban was one of the resolutions arrived at during the security meeting.
According to him, one of the measures being considered to impede terrorist activities include a nationwide ban on motocycles and mining to cut off their sources of funds.
Malami, flanked by his Interior and Police Affairs counterparts, Rauf Aregbesola and Mohammed Dingyadi, respectively, said the ban is targetted at the logistics used by the terrorists. Read more
Jordan Peele rejects suggestion he’s the best horror director of all-time (FilmNews)
Jordan Peele has shut down the suggestion he’s the best horror director of all-time.
The comedian made his feature directorial debut with the Oscar-winning horror Get Out in 2017 and followed it up with two more movies in the genre – the doppelgänger story Us in 2019 and his new UFO tale Nope.
On Wednesday, comic book creator Adam Ellis shared the Rotten Tomatoes ratings for all three of Peele’s movies – ranging from 88 per cent fresh to 98 per cent – and wondered if any other horror director had achieved such a feat.
“I know this is a hot take but at what point do we declare Jordan Peele the best horror director of all time? Can you think of another horror director that had 3 great films, let alone 3 in a row? I can’t,” he tweeted. Read more
George Clooney, U2, Gladys Knight and more to receive 2022 Kennedy Center Honours (USAToday)
It’s going to be a “Beautiful Day” for the band U2 and four other artistes when they receive this year’s Kennedy Center Honors in December.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced Thursday that the Irish rock band along with actor George Clooney, singers Gladys Knight and Amy Grant and composer Tania León are being honoured this year.
The center generally honours five people annually for influencing American culture through the arts. But bands and other groups sometimes get honours, too. Disco-funk band Earth, Wind & Fire was the most recent, in 2019, the year the long-running children’s TV show “Sesame Street” was honoured. The Eagles were honored in 2016 and Led Zeppelin in 2012.
Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter said in an interview that her group has “worked really hard to think about ‘Are we including all of the performing arts?’” as it hands out its awards. She singled out Grant’s music in particular as a different genre being represented in the honours this year. Read more
Tom Cruise becomes 2022’s highest paid actor with $100m salary for Top Gun: Maverick (Standard)
Tom Cruise is this year’s highest-paid Hollywood actor, with reports suggesting he will be paid a whopping $100 million salary for Top Gun: Maverick.
According to Variety, Cruise has been able to wangle such a figure due to a package which means the actor and Top Gun: Maverick producer gets a cut of streaming revenues and ticket sales as well as his upfront fee.
The entire budget for Top Gun: Maverick was $170 million, making Cruise’s final pay all the more remarkable.
And to show Cruise’s meteoric rise since the 1986 release of Tony Scott’s Top Gun film, the budget for the first instalment was $15 million. This means that – while not adjusting for inflation – Cruise has now earnt over six times the entire budget of the first film. Read more
Eddie Vedder cancels Pearl Jam concert due to throat damage from extreme weather (Guardian)
Eddie Vedder, frontman with rock band Pearl Jam, has suffered damage to his throat and attributed it to extreme weather conditions in France this week.
Pearl Jam performed at the Lollapalooza Paris festival on Sunday, where temperatures reached a mid-afternoon high of 36C (96.8F).
They cancelled a concert in Vienna on Wednesday, stating: “Due to the extreme circumstances at the last outdoor site, outside of Paris (heat, dust, and smoke from the fires) our singer Ed Vedder’s throat was left damaged. He has seen doctors and had treatment but as of yet, his vocal cords have not recovered. This is brutal news and horrible timing … for everyone involved.”
They added that they were “deeply sorry” and that refunds would be offered. Read more
Ricky Martin to testify in court today over claims of sexual relations with nephew (Mirror)
Ricky Martin is set to virtually appear in court today where he will officially respond to allegations made by his nephew.
The singer’s lawyer says Ricky plans to “directly address the judge at the hearing” held at a Puerto Rico court over whether to extend a restraining order taken against him.
Ricky’s lawyer told NBC News on Wednesday, the Livin’ La Vida Loca star, 51, will deny he had any romantic or sexual relationship with his nephew and will challenge allegations that he stalked and harassed him.
The singer has strenuously denied the “completely false” accusations and said he will respond with “dignity” to the judicial process. Read more
Report slams UK’s handling of migrant and asylum seeker arrivals (Aljazeera)
The United Kingdom’s handling of migrants and asylum seekers who arrive by small boats via the English Channel has been unacceptable, ineffective and inefficient, an independent inspection has concluded.
The inspection, led by Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration David Neal, focused on the initial processing of people at two government centres in Dover, southeastern England, between December 2021 and January 2022.
Its report, published on Thursday after months of delay, concluded the UK government’s response to an increasing number of arrivals on its shores since the beginning of last year was “poor, particularly in terms of systems, processes, resources, data collection and accurate record keeping”.
“These migrants crossed the Channel in dire circumstances. Many were vulnerable and at risk, including children and women on their own, and when they arrived in Dover the way they were dealt with was unacceptable,” Neal said. Read more
3 ‘killed in helicopter crash before being dragged away and eaten by bears’ (Metro)
Two Russian tourists and a sports star were killed in a helicopter crash before being ‘dragged away and gnawed by brown bears’.
World junior biathlon champion Igor Malinovsky, 25, died alongside Zoya Kaygorodova, a businesswoman in her mid-30s who had organised the £4,250 trip, and mobile phone company boss Sergey Kolesnyak, 39.
Mr Malinovsky was piloting the helicopter in the Kamchatka peninsula in far east Siberia when it crashed on Saturday.
The trio lost communication due to bad weather, before the Robinson chopper, named Nadezhda or Hope, caught fire, according to reports. Read more
Wike rewards Rivers United players with N12m each for winning NPFL (Vanguard)
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike has rewarded players of state owned club, Rivers United with the sum of $20,000, over 12 million naira, each for winning the Nigerian Professional Football League, NPFL.
The win which was the club’s first in its history follows a league season where they led the league table for most part of the season and finished with 77 points, ten points better than second placed team Plateau United.
The ceremony took place at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt and had the governor personally in attendance where he took photos with the team. Wike also conferred on each member of the team the Governor’s Medal Service Award (GMSA).
The team, as part of the reward, will also embark on two weeks pre-season training in Madrid, Spain. Read more
Ben Mee set to join Brentford on free transfer as Thomas Frank continues busy summer (Standard)
Brentford are close to agreeing a deal to sign former Burnley captain Ben Mee on a free transfer.
Mee left Burnley when his contract expired following Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season, having spent more than a decade at the club.
The centre-back made 376 appearances for the Clarets and after seeing his season curtailed by injury, finished his Burnley career working on the coaching staff of interim boss Mike Jackson after Sean Dyche was sacked midway through the campaign.
Brentford already have four senior centre-backs on their books, but Thomas Frank regularly employs a back three and with injury concerns over Ethan Pinnock and Kristoffer Ajer, is keen to bolster his options. Read more
Aaron Ramsey absent from Juventus squad for pre-season tour of US (IrishIndependent)
Uncertainty over Aaron Ramsey’s future grew on Thursday when he was left out of Juventus’ squad for the Serie A club’s pre-season tour to the United States.
The 31-year-old Wales midfielder, who spent the second half of the 2021-22 campaign on loan at cinch Premiership Rangers, has been omitted from Massimiliano Allegri’s travelling party along with Federico Chiesa, Mattia De Sciglio, Kaio Jorge, Arthur Melo, Marko Pjaca and Adrien Rabiot.
Ramsey is in the final year of his lucrative contract at Juve, for whom he made just five appearances last season, and has been linked with a return to former club Cardiff.
The ex-Arsenal player’s career has been blighted by injury, but he remains a key member of the national team as they prepare for their first World Cup since 1958 later this year. Read more
Covid sends Froome crashing out of Tour de France (France24)
Four-time champion Chris Froome was one of three riders to drop out of the Tour de France after testing positive for Covid ahead of Thursday’s 18th stage from Lourdes to the High Pyrenees.
Spain’s Imanol Erviti of Movistar and Italian Damiano Caruso of Bahrain Victorious also withdrew.
“Tests taken just before Thursday’s start showed that Chris has Covid,” Froome’s Israel Premier-Tech team said.
Froome has never shown the same form as before his terrible accident at the 2019 Criterium du Dauphine. Read more
Wolff stresses Mercedes W13 is ‘sub par’, not Hamilton (PlanetF1)
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was clear in stating that the W13 is the problem, not Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel.
The Silver Arrows have collected a record eight Constructors’ Championships in succession, but without a win so far in 2022, their chances of stretching that streak to nine are already looking slim.
Their seven-time World Champion Hamilton is also in a battle to recover lost ground as he looks to usurp new team-mate George Russell.
After Russell opened up a comfortable buffer over Hamilton in the earlier rounds, Hamilton has now delivered a trio of successive podium finishes to slash that deficit to 19 points, a run which has gone some way to dull the criticism which was mounting. Read more
Naomi Osaka splits with coach ahead of North American hardcourt swing (TennisWorld)
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has split with her coach Wim Fissette. Osaka, 24, and Fissette started working at the end of 2019 and the Japanese won two Grand Slams under the guidance of the Belgian tennis coach.
Osaka and Fissette got off to a strong start as the Japanese won the US Open title in 2020 and then also made it all the way at the Australian Open in 2021 January. A year and a half has passed since Osaka’s last title and the Japanese seems to feel that she needs to make some changes.
“It has been a privilege to coach Naomi since 2019 and see her grow into the Champion she has become. She has inspired a whole new generation to fall in love with the game & to speak up for what they believe in and it’s been incredible to play a part in that journey.
Thank you, Naomi Osaka. I wish you all the best and looking forward to my next chapter,” Fissette wrote on Instagram. Read more
NSF, Frigate National Squash Open begins July 26 (Guardian)
The 2022 Frigate National Squash Open Championship will hold from July 26 to 30, 2022 at the Ikoyi Club 1938 Squash Section, Lagos, the organisers have announced.
According to Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF) President, Boye Oyerinde, the championship, sponsored by Frigate Group, will attract over 50 players from across the country in Junior U-16, Senior Men’s and Ladies categories.
Oyerinde said the championship is also a ranking tournament sanctioned by the sport’s world governing body, adding that the NSF has started programmes that would groom more talents from the grassroots.
The NSF boss said: “The number of players expected at the Frigate National Championship depends on the amount of registration by players.” ` Read more