Kidnappers to Victim: We’re in Lagos because wealthy Igbos are shunning home (Vanguard)
A Lagos businessman who was abducted in Ago Palace Way, Lagos two weeks ago has been released after paying N30 million as ransom. He was kidnapped by four hooded men who cornered him, midnight, as he was going to enter his car, packed in the garage.
His abductors called a day after, demanding a ransom of N100 million but family members and friends were able to raise N30 million before he was released.
The middle-aged Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of his company who pleaded passionately that his name should not be used because the kidnappers threatened to come back for him if he spoke on the incident told Crime Guard that he was taking a big risk by narrating what he suffered throughout the two weeks he spent with his abductors. Read more
Murder in BRT: Bamise’s death caused by bleeding inside brain, pathologist tells court (ThisDay)
A pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Professor Sunday Shoyemi, yesterday told a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, that the death of a 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, was as a result of bleedings from her brain.
Shoyemi while giving evidence in the ongoing trial of a Bus Rapid Transit driver, Andrew Nice Ominnikoron, charged with rape and murder of Ayanwole, told Justice Sherifat Sonaike that after his external and internal findings, the victim’s death was as a result of craniocerebral injury (Brain dysfunction caused by an outside force, usually a violent blow to the head).
Ominnikoron is facing five counts bordering on rape, conspiracy, felony, sexual assault, and murder preferred against him by the Lagos State Government. Read more
FG: We’re struggling to pay salaries, there’s no money anywhere (DailyTrust)
The Federal Government has admitted that it is facing enormous challenges and revenue deficit amid a growing population.
This is as it lamented that it was struggling to pay salaries because “there is no money”.
Speaking in Abuja, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, urged non-governmental organisations to help the government to cover the spaces it could not. Read more
Gbenga Adeyinka, Alibaba, 2Baba, others storm Lagos for Laffmattazz (Independent)
Legendary comedian cum compere, Gbenga Adeyinka D’1st, is set to stage the grand finale of ‘Laffmattazz; the Unity Tour’ in Lagos come November 26, at Balmoral, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The show, tagged ‘Lagos Again’ will feature a star-studded lineup of comedians, musicians, and other entertainers, including Alibaba and 2Baba.
Laffmattazz is one of the most popular comedy shows in Nigeria, and it has been running for over a decade. The show is known for its hilarious and topical comedy, as well as its high-energy performances. Read more
Gambari: How Obasanjo lost chance to become UN Secretary-General (DailyTrust)
Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has opened up on how ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was edged out in the race to become the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1991.
Gambari said this in Lagos at the public presentation of the biography of the first African UN Secretary-General, the late Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
The book, ‘Boutros Boutros-Ghali: Afro-Arab Prophet, Pharaoh, and Pope’, was authored by Prof. Adekeye Adebajo. Read more
Tinubu names new Auditor-General, confirms Customs CG (Punch)
President Bola Tinubu on Friday approved the appointment of Mr Shaakaa Chira as the substantive Auditor-General of the Federation, as recommended by the Federal Civil Service Commission.
Chira replaces the director overseeing the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, Andrew Onwudili.
“By powers vested in him by Section 86 of the 1999 Constitution (Amended), the President approved Mr. Chira’s appointment after the Federal Civil Service Commission conducted a screening exercise that identified Mr. Chira as the most qualified candidate who had also scored the highest in the examination amongst all qualified candidates for the office,” a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, read Friday. Read more
Tinubu orders payment of salaries owed lecturers over ASUU strike (Guardian)
President Bola Tinubu has approved a partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order on striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and ordered the release of four months of withheld salary.
Tinubu’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying that the waiver was granted invoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, and in recognition of the faithful implementation of terms that were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Ngelale stated that the waiver “will allow for the previously striking members of ASUU to receive four months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary which was withheld during the eight-month industrial action undertaken by the union.” Read more
Tinubu waives ‘no work, no pay’ order for resident doctors (Channels)
President Bola Tinubu has granted the waiver of ‘no work, no pay’ preferred against the members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The doctors had commenced a 17-day industrial action on July 26 after the Federal Government failed to meet their demands. Responding, the government instituted a ‘no work, no pay’ order on August 1 to compel the professionals to return to work.
After a series of consultations between NARD leadership and government representatives, the resident doctors called off their strike on August 12. Read more
Melissa Gilbert delivers unhappy Halloween message to SAG-AFTRA costume edict; guild clarifies guidelines (Deadline)
Former SAG president Melissa Gilbert has blasted a SAG-AFTRA message that urged its members not to dress up as characters from struck companies this Halloween.
SAG-AFTRA published a post on its website encouraging members to “celebrate Halloween this year while also staying in solidarity.” The guild recommended striking actors “choose costumes inspired by generalized characters and figures,” including a “ghost, zombie, spider, etc.,” or “characters from non-struck content, like an animated TV show.”
Gilbert was incensed at the suggestions. Read more
Bradley Cooper seen wearing Ellen DeGeneres-branded boxers on rainy day outing with Gigi Hadid (People)
Bradley Cooper is seemingly a fan of boxer-briefs.
On Friday, the Maestro star, 48, was photographed taking a stroll in New York City with Gigi Hadid and his choice of athleisure and underwear made a sporty style statement.
In new photos, the Oscar-nominated actor is seen wearing a pair of low-slung black sweatpants which revealed the top of his Ellen DeGeneres Show-branded boxers. His neon green briefs featured the name “Ellen” printed along the blue waistband. Read more
Dengue fever kills hundreds in Burkina Faso as cases spike (VOA)
Burkina Faso’s health ministry has declared a dengue fever epidemic amid the deadliest outbreak in years. More than 200 people have died, and new cases are rising sharply.
There have been 50,478 suspected cases and 214 deaths of the mosquito-borne illness this year, the ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday, mostly in the urban centers of the capital, Ouagadougou, and Bobo Dioulasso. It said about 20% of the cases and deaths were recorded last week alone.
Dengue kills an estimated 20,000 people worldwide each year. Rates of the disease have risen eightfold since 2000, driven largely by climate change, the increased movement of people and urbanization. Read more
‘‘Nun II’’ sets Max debut before Halloween (Deadline)
New Line’s The Nun II, one of the few bright spots at the fall box office rocked by the actors’ strikes, will hit Max on Oct. 27. That premiere date is after the pic’s 50-day theatrical window.
The Michael Chaves directed sequel in the Conjuring universe opened to $32.6M and through yesterday counts $84.4M at the domestic box office and over $258M worldwide. The movie ruled the top of the box office for three weekends in a row and returned Warner Bros to the post-Labor Day horror launchpad they first made rich with the 2017 feature take of Stephen King’s It ($123.4M opening, $328.8M domestic B.O.). Read more
The Crown actress Haydn Gwynne dies aged 66 (DailyRecord)
Actress Haydn Gwynne has died aged 66 following a recent cancer diagnosis.
Gwynne was best known for her roles as Camilla in British sitcom The Windsors and in comedy series Drop The Dead Donkey.
A statement from her representatives said: “It is with great sadness we are sharing with you that, following her recent diagnosis with cancer, the star of stage and screen Haydn Gwynne died in hospital in the small hours of Friday October 20, surrounded by her beloved sons, close family and friends. Read more
Dutch court convicts man who projected antisemitic message on Anne Frank museum (ABC)
A court in Amsterdam sentenced a Polish-Canadian national to two months in prison on Thursday for projecting a message alluding to an antisemitic conspiracy theory onto the Anne Frank House museum.
Robert Wilson was charged with insulting a group and inciting discrimination for using a laser projector in February to display the words “Ann (sic) Frank invented the ballpoint pen” on the side of the canal house where the Jewish teenager hid with her family during the Holocaust.
The text refers to a debunked claim that Frank’s famed diary is a forgery. Read more
Judith and Natalie Raanan: Hamas frees 2 US hostages (BBC)
Hamas has released two US hostages who were abducted during the Palestinian group’s deadly raid on Israel this month.
Israel confirmed they had received mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan from Hamas at the Gaza boundary.
The pair were freed for “humanitarian reasons”, Hamas said.
They were the first captives released since the gunmen raided Israel on 7 October, killing 1,400 people and taking around 200 hostages. Read more
Nigeria to face Equatorial Guinea in opening game, as CAF releases AFCON match schedule (Vanguard)
The Confederation of African Football, (CAF), Friday, released the official match schedule for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The draw for the biennial competition took place in Abidjan last week.
The 34th edition of Africa’s biggest sports event will take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024, in Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Bouake, San Pedro, and Korhogo. Read more
Eddie Howe: Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali “available for selection” (ITV)
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has not ruled out playing Sandro Tonali in Saturday’s match against Crystal Palace.
He is awaiting the outcome of an investigation in relation to alleged illegal betting activity.
The Premier League player is under investigation by the Italian Prosecutors Office and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for allegedly breaching betting rules. Read more
UEFA make decision on Belgium vs Sweden after match abandoned amid shootings in Brussels (Mirror)
The Belgium v Sweden Euro 2024 qualifier will not be replayed after UEFA confirmed their decision on Thursday.
Last Monday’s game in Brussels was poised at 1-1 at half-time when the decision was taken to abandon proceedings, as news of an attack in the city spread to the King Baudouin Stadium. Two Swedish people were killed just hours before the game, with the alleged attacker still on the loose before later being shot dead by police.
Sweden captain Victor Lindelof was vociferous about not continuing, with their opponents in full agreement. And in a released statement, UEFA said that the 1-1 scoreline at the interval will now stand as the final score. Read more
Ramos set for Real Madrid reunion as Sevilla start new era (France24)
Sergio Ramos has not played against Real Madrid since 2005 but on Saturday, his Sevilla team welcome the Spanish league leaders to the Sanchez-Pizjuan for a reunion.
New Sevilla coach Diego Alonso faces a stern test in his first game at the helm and in experienced veteran centre-back Ramos he has a player who can offer plenty of insight into Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid side.
Ramos controversially left Seville for the Spanish capital at the age of 19, which some fans have never forgotten, even though the majority welcomed him back with open arms this summer. Read more
Boris Becker will coach Holger Rune for the rest of the season (Fox)
Boris Becker is returning to coaching for the first time since the six-time Grand Slam tennis winner’s release from a British prison last year, with sixth-ranked Holger Rune.
Becker told broadcaster Eurosport on a podcast published on Thursday that he will work with the 20-year-old Danish player for the rest of the season, starting at the Swiss Indoors next week.
“It makes me a little proud that he asked me. The contact has existed for a long time. Now it was a very good fit,” Becker said. “My calendar allows it and I have always been interested in Holger because he is on the tennis court with so much commitment and temperament.” Read more
Liberty fined $25k after players skip interviews following WNBA Finals loss (NYPost)
The WNBA fined the New York Liberty $25,000 after some of their players declined media interviews following the team’s loss to the Las Vegas Aces in the clinching game of the league finals.
Liberty players Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Laney also were fined $2,000 each by the WNBA for turning down media requests for interviews.
According to WNBA rules, each team’s coach and two players must attend the postgame news conference and additional players requested by the media are required to be available in a different location. Read more