Kidnappers raped me daily, killed abductees in my presence – Woman (Punch)
A kidnap victim has taken to social media to narrate how she was allegedly abducted and sexually abused by some gunmen during her travel to Rivers State.
The woman, with the Twitter handle @Blessedcindy0, claimed that she was kidnapped along with five others on June 23, 2021.
She posted the thread with a picture of her battered face, saying she was admitted to a hospital after the ordeal.
According to her, she boarded a vehicle at a park in Enugu without any premonition of evil. Read more
Ladipo traders shut market, begin lawsuit against soldiers over alleged shooting of members (Guardian)
It was a sad moment yesterday for traders at the multi-billion naira Ladipo Spare Parts market, Mushin, Lagos, as they gathered to mourn Felix Nnana Onu, who lost his life during the traders clash with soldiers on Tuesday.
The leadership of the market also shut the market in memory of the 28-year-old Onu, aka Scatter, who lost his life when members of the Nigerian Air force stormed the market on Tuesday July 13.
Apart from Onu, Chidinma Okechukwu, Ifeanyi Enyi and Makuo Ekwuna were injured.
They are currently receiving treatment at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Onu, an indigene of Ebonyi State, until his death, was the Public Relations Officer of In God We Trust branch of the market. Read more
We suspect conspiracy in Super TV boss murder, says CP (Punch)
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has paraded no fewer than 1,320 suspects for allegedly terrorising and robbing residents of their valuables in various areas of the state.
Speaking at the command headquarters at Ikeja on Wednesday, Odumosu said the suspects were arrested with weapons and hard drugs, adding that the command was committed to reducing crime and social vices in the state.
He said, “Today, the command is parading a total number of 1,320 miscreants/hoodlums who were raided at various locations across the state and many weapons, suspected hard drugs and weeds, suspected to be Indian hemp, were recovered from them.
“In total, from the month of May 2021 till date, the command arrested 66 suspected armed robbers, 772 suspected cultists and 447 murder suspects, among others.” Read more
Ladipo traders disagree with police on casualty figure, blacklist military men (Tribune)
Traders at the popular Ladipo auto spare parts market in Lagos State have disagreed with the police in the state on the casualty figure in the Tuesday shooting incident at the market by men of the Nigerian Air Force.
This is just as the traders have threatened to blacklist military personnel from buying spare parts at the market following constant clashes.
The state police commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, while speaking with journalists on the incident said that “nobody died in the incident and the three injured persons are recuperating in the hospital.”
However, the traders insisted that one person died and four others were injured in the Tuesday shooting, which causes serious pandemonium at the market. Read more
Yoruba Nation rally: Falana takes over slain salesgirl’s case, Lagos pledges justice (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has said anyone found culpable in the death of Jumoke Oyeleke, the salesgirl who was allegedly killed by a stray bullet during the Yoruba Nation rally in Lagos on July 3, will be made to face the law.
Agitators for the Yoruba Nation gathered at the Gani Fawehinmi Park at Ojota amid the presence of armed policemen and soldiers.
Jumoke, 25, who displayed soft drinks at her boss’ shop in a compound close to the rally ground when security men chased some agitators into the premises, was hit by a stray bullet.
Speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, said a coroner inquest was ongoing and anyone found culpable after the process would be prosecuted. Read more
Man in court for allegedly defiling 14-year-old girl (Vanguard)
A Magistrates’ Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday ordered that a 21-year-old man, Jeremiah Aniede, be remanded in a correctional centre for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl.
The police charged Aniede with two counts of defilement and assault.
Magistrate O.A Ajibade, who did not take the plea of Aniede, ordered that he should be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Service centre in Kirikiri, Lagos, pending legal advice.
Ajibade ordered the police to send the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
The magistrate adjourned the case until July 26. Read more
4 nabbed in Edo for selling donkey meat (Guardian)
Four women were arrested yesterday in Benin City for selling donkey meat, known as ‘jaki,’ to unsuspecting buyers at the New Benin Market in Edo State.
Permanent Secretary, Edo State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Peter Aikhuomobhogbe, who led the team to effect the arrest, said the team was alerted that some persons were engaged in the sale of the meat despite its prohibition in the state.
He said: “This is an issue of food safety. In Edo State, donkey meat is not approved as one of the meats that we consume, but our people still indulge in it. We will take all necessary steps to ensure we eradicate its consumption in Edo State.
“We will continue to ensure that we pursue those involved in the business so that we will bring them to justice because it is not right for us to provide food that is not healthy for our people.” Read more
Man bags 6 years imprisonment for gross indecency (Vanguard)
A Kano State High Court on Wednesday sentenced a security guard, Ibrahim Sale, to six years in imprisonment for gross indecency in assaulting an 8-year-old girl.
Sale, who resides at Darmanawa Quarters, Kano, was arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, rape and act of gross indecency.
The presiding Judge, Justice Usman Na’abba, held that the prosecution did not prove their case beyond reasonable doubt on the allegation of rape.
“There was no evidence of penetration tendered before the court,” he said. Read more
Reps approve reduction of cable TV tariff (Tribune)
The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, approved the Pay-Per-View, Pay-As-You-Go and price reduction for Digital Satellite Television Service and other cable satellite services in Nigeria.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of the reports and recommendation of the Ad–hoc Committee on ‘Non–implementation of Pay–As–You–Go and sudden increment of tariff plans by Broadcast Digital Satellite Service Providers’, chaired by Hon Unyime Idem.
The House called on the Federal Government as matter of urgency to expedite action on implementing the content of the National Broadcasting Code and the Nigeria information Policy of 2014.
The House noted that this would trigger healthy competition in the industry, adding that the entertainment industry had a wider spectrum with limitless opportunities for the teeming youths. Read more
Britney Spears can hire own lawyer in conservatorship case, judge rules (BBC)
A Los Angeles judge has said US pop star Britney Spears can choose her own lawyer in the fight to end her controversial conservatorship.
The ruling came on Wednesday as Spears addressed a court for the second time in less than a month.
Spears demanded once again that her father, Jamie Spears, be removed from the legal agreement that has controlled her affairs for years.
In court last month, she made a dramatic plea to end the agreement. Read more
Meghan Markle working on new Netflix animated series about young girl ‘on a journey of self-discovery’ (Metro)
Meghan Markle is working on an upcoming animated series for Netflix that follows the story of an adventurous 12-year-old girl.
Archewell Productions, Meghan Markle’s and Prince Harry’s production company, revealed in a statement on Wednesday that it is currently working on the series.
Pearl (working title) is a family series that centres on a young girl who has been ‘inspired by influential women from history.’
‘Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges,’ Meghan, Duchess of Sussex said in a statement. Read more
NASA set for attempt to fix Hubble’s trouble (BBC)
NASA will attempt to fix a problem that has stopped the Hubble telescope from being used for astronomy.
It’s the worst glitch in years to hit the venerated observatory.
An onboard computer halted on 13 June, leading to the science instruments being put in “safe mode” – where all non-essential systems are shut down.
Now, the possible origin of the malfunction has been traced to a control unit that supplies electricity to the failed computer. Read more
Argentina surpasses 100,000 Covid-19 deaths (Guardian)
Argentina on Wednesday became the fifth Latin American country to record more than 100,000 deaths from Covid-19, according to data from the health ministry.
The South American country registered 614 new deaths over the last 24 hours taking its total to 100,250 among a population of 45 million.
It has now had more than 4.7 million cases although the rate of new infections has been slowing due to progress made in Argentina’s vaccination program over the last few weeks.
More than 5,000 people are in intensive care with Covid symptoms, meaning just over 62 percent of adult ICU beds are occupied.
During Argentina’s virus peak in April more than 80 percent of ICU beds were in use. Read more
Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro in hospital after battling hiccups for 10 days (Metro)
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been taken to hospital complaining of stomach pains after being plagued by a bout of hiccups for more than 10 days.
The 66-year-old was admitted to the Armed Forces Hospital in Braslia early in the morning and was ‘feeling well’, according to an initial statement that said doctors were examining his persistent hiccups.
But hours later, the president’s office said Dr Antonio Luiz Macedo, the surgeon who operated on him after he was stabbed in the abdomen during the 2018 presidential campaign, decided to transfer him to Sao Paulo, where he will undergo additional tests to see whether he might need emergency surgery. Read more
Swedish rapper Yasin jailed over plot to kidnap rival artist (BBC)
An award-winning Swedish rapper has been sentenced to 10 months in jail for conspiring to kidnap a rival artist.
Yasin Mahamoud, 23, was convicted of trying to lure the victim to a music studio in Stockholm in March last year.
The plot failed but the victim was kidnapped, beaten and robbed several weeks later without Yasin’s involvement.
The rapper denied the charges and his lawyer told local media he will appeal against the verdict. Read more
Phoebe Waller-Bridge dives into Indiana Jones 5 role amid Harrison Ford injury (Metro)
Work on Indiana Jones is apparently cracking on in Scotland, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge being spotted for the first time on set amid Harrison Ford’s injury.
The streets of Glasgow were transformed into 60s America for what is thought to be the latest sequel in the franchise in which Harrison plays the titular explorer and archaeologist.
New pictures from Cochrane Street in the city centre show actor Boyd Holbrook dressed in character and filming scenes, alongside Fleabag star Phoebe who rocked vintage clothes and huge sunnies.
The props department had been busy totally transforming the area, putting up stars and stripes flags, changing shop fronts and dressing up traffic lights in the yellow colour typically seen across the pond. Read more
I’ll be surprised if D’Tigers don’t win Olympic medal –Udezue (Punch)
Retired Nigerian basketball player Ugo Udezue has backed D’Tigers and D’Tigress to win medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, saying anything short “will be a surprise.”
Udezue left his lucrative job as an NBA agent to found AFA Sports, a Nigerian company engaged in the design, manufacturing and sales of athletic and leisure footwear, apparel and accessories, which is the official apparel of Team Nigeria at the Games.
The men’s team, ranked 22 in the world, has been electrifying in the last few days, beating world and Olympic champions USA and world No.4 Argentina in pre-Olympic friendlies he is convinced that with the quality of players in Mike Brown’s side, they were capable of holding their own against the best in Tokyo.
The former Nigeria international is also optimistic the women’s national team, current African champions have what it takes to go all the way at the Games. Read more
Tokyo 2020: AFA Sports makes Olympic history (Vanguard)
Africa’s first sports apparel brand, AFA Sports, is proud to announce that it is the official apparel provider for the Nigerian delegation to the Olympics.
The national apparels were displayed to the world on Monday by his Excellency, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as he bid the athletes farewell before they boarded their flights on Tuesday to Japan.
The historical deal makes AFA Sports the first indigenous African apparel partner to ever feature at the Olympics.
Announcing the partnership in Lekki, Lagos, Ugo Udezue, the CEO of AFA Sports said, “This is a golden opportunity and a golden moment not just for AFA Sports but also the Nigerian contingent. We are very passionate about the opportunity to represent our country and the African populace. Read more
Lionel Messi: Barcelona star agrees to stay on reduced wages (BBC)
Lionel Messi has agreed to stay at Barcelona on a deal until 2026 that includes reducing his wages to half of his previous salary.
The announcement is dependent on player departures that will allow Barca to fund the Argentina captain’s wages.
Messi, 34, was a free agent after his contract – that reportedly paid him £123m a season – expired on 30 June.
He is on holiday after winning the Copa America and the finer details of the contract are yet to be finalised. Read more
Italy goalkeeper Donnarumma joins PSG (Guardian)
Paris Saint-Germain said on Wednesday that they had completed the signing of Italy’s Euro 2020 goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on a five-year deal.
The 22-year-old, who saved two penalties in the Euro final and was named player of the tournament, heads to France on a free transfer from AC Milan.
Donnarumma will be in competition with the experienced Keylor Navas for the goalkeeeper’s jersey.
“I am delighted to be part of this huge club,” said Donnarumma in a statment released by PSG. Read more
Jadon Sancho: England forward says ‘hate will never win’ in response to racist abuse (BBC)
England forward Jadon Sancho says “hate will never win” after he received racist abuse following the Euro 2020 final defeat by Italy on Sunday.
Sancho, 21, Marcus Rashford, 23, and Bukayo Saka, 19, were targeted on social media after all three missed penalties in the 3-2 shootout loss.
England manager Gareth Southgate, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Football Association all condemned the abuse.
“As a society we need to do better,” said Sancho in a post on Instagram. Read more
Raphael Varane delivers huge transfer boost to Manchester United and allays contract fears (Metro)
Manchester United are inching closer to signing Raphael Varane and the defender has made it clear he is not using the club to land a bigger contract with Real Madrid, according to reports.
The Red Devils have already agreed a £72.9million deal with Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho this summer and have now turned their attention to bringing in a new centre-back to partner Harry Maguire.Varane – who is out of contract with Madrid next summer – has long been their top target, though there were significant concerns over the logistics of any deal. Read more