Lagos invests N20m in Naijabrand chick trade fair (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that it has invested N20m in the forthcoming Lagos State Tourism Naijabrand Chick Trade Fair to secure booths for traders.
According to a statement, the state government’s sponsorship, through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, is targeted at indigent vendors unable to secure exhibition spaces on their own due to the high cost.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Arts, Culture and Tourism, Idris Aregbe, said the trade fair initiative was about empowering every business, regardless of size, to participate and succeed and that it highlighted Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to investing in small and medium-scale businesses. Read more
I faked my kidnap to extort money from my mother —27-yr-old lady (Vanguard)
A Secondary School drop-out, Ruth Livinus, arrested for faking their kidnap, revealed yesterday that she did it to extort money from her widowed mother to establish a hairdressing salon.
The 27-year-old lady was arrested alongside her live-in-lover, Isaac Gabriel, whom she alleged sold the idea to her.
Parading the lovers alongside 21 other suspects arrested for various crimes at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, the Zonal Public Relations Officer, SP Ayuba Umma, said, “A case of kidnapping was reported to the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2 Command Headquarters, by one Jona Jumai, that sometime in May 2024, her sister, Ruth Livinus, who works as a domestic staff in the Ajah area of Lagos, went missing. Read more
Tinubu appoints Tanimu Yakubu as new Director-General of Budget Office (Channels)
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Tanimu Yakubu as the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, following the expiration of the tenure of Mr. Ben Akabueze.
Mr. Yabuku is an accomplished economist and was Chief Economic Adviser to a former President from 2007 to 2010; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria from 2003 to 2007, and Commissioner of Finance, Budget, and Economic Planning in Katsina State from 1999 to 2003.
The new Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from Wagner College, Staten Island, New York, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the same institution. Read more
Court to hear suit seeking Ganduje’s sack as APC chairman June 26 (Sun)
The Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, fixed June 26, to hear a suit seeking the removal of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after the plaintiff’s lawyer, Benjamin Davou, sought the leave of the court to allow time to reply to Ganduje’s preliminary objection.
The plaintiff, the North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, is in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, querying the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone. Read more
Ekiti gets new Head of Service (Nation)
Ekiti Governor Biodun Oyebanji has approved the appointment of Dr Olufolake Olomojobi as the new Head of Service in the State Civil Service.
Dr Olomojobi, until her new appointment, was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education. She takes over from Engr. Sunday Komolafe, who is billed to retire on July 1, 2024, upon attaining the mandatory 35 years in the service.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Yinka Oyebode, Dr Olomojobi’s appointment as Head of Service takes effect from Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Read more
Emirship tussle: Court affirms jurisdiction to hear Bayero’s rights suit (Punch)
A Federal High Court in Kano, on Thursday, ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the human rights violation case filed by the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, and senior councillor, Aminu Dan’agundi, following the reinstatement of Emir Muhammad Sanusi II.
The court issued an ex-parte order preventing Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano from reinstating Sanusi until a substantive suit against the reinstatement is resolved.
The order also opposed the abolishment of four emirates—Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano—under a bill previously passed by the state House of Assembly. Read more
Alleged N67.5m fraud: Eigbefoh denies allegations, vows not to take defamation lightly (Vanguard)
The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Capitalplus Investment Services Limited, Paul Demudia Eigbefoh, has denied allegations of fraudulent activities following reports of a manhunt launched by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Nigerian Police on him over N67.5 million financial transactions.
There were reports in some section of the media that Total Grace Oil and Gas Limited petitioned EFCC for recovery of N67.5 million alleged to have been fraudulently obtained by Eigbefoh.
The firm in a petition dated July 24, 2023 by its counsel, Bala Omar Yakubu and Co, and addressed to the EFCC Lagos Command, alleged that Eigbefoh and Capitalplus obtained the sum of N67.5 million, under false pretence. Read more
SZA honoured with award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony (People)
SZA has another award under her belt — this time for her songwriting!
The singer, 34, received the Hal David Starlight Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame 2024 Induction and Awards Gala on Thursday, June 13, which recognizes her impact on the music industry through her original songwriting.
“I’m just beyond all of my wildest dreams,” SZA said in her acceptance speech, later adding that the honor “basically validates” all aspects of her career, including songwriting. Read more
Taylor Swift announces when Eras Tour will finish (MusicNews)
Taylor Swift has officially announced when her Eras Tour will wrap up.
The singer confirmed the news at the tour’s 100th show, in Liverpool, UK on Thursday.
“This is the very first time I’ve ever acknowledged to myself and admitted that this tour is going to end in December,” she said. Read more
David Beckham shuts down rumours of Spice Girls reunion (RTE)
David Beckham has denied rumours that the Spice Girls will take up performing as a group again, after the British stars reunited on-stage during a birthday bash.
Former England footballer Beckham sparked a social media frenzy when he posted a video of the girl band singing and dancing on stage to their 1998 hit “Stop”, during his wife Victoria’s 50th birthday party.
The Spice Girls reunited in 2012 for the closing ceremony of the London Summer Olympics and in 2019 for their Spice World tour – which did not feature Victoria. Read more
Russell Crowe says actors shouldn’t expect too much from superhero movies (EW)
Russell Crowe is pulling no punches while discussing comic book movies.
In a new interview with British GQ, the Oscar-winning actor responded to Dakota Johnson’s recent criticisms of Madame Web and other superhero tentpoles, including her assertion that such movies feel like art “made by committee.”
“I don’t want to make any comments to what anybody else might have said or what their experience is, but… you’re bringing out the impish quality of my humor,” Crowe said. “You’re telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie, and some f—ing universe for cartoon characters… and you didn’t get enough pathos? Not quite sure how I can make this better for you.” Read more
UN Security Council demands end to El Fasher siege in Sudan’s Darfur (National)
The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted a UK-drafted resolution demanding an end to the siege of El Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region, where fighting between government and paramilitary forces has provoked a humanitarian crisis.
The measure, which won 14 votes in favour and an abstention from Russia, expresses “grave concern” over the spreading violence and reports that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are carrying out “ethnically motivated violence” in the area.
It also calls for “an immediate halt to the fighting and for de-escalation in and around El Fasher”. Read more
Childminder who shook baby to death because he was crying jailed for 12 years (Metro)
Childminder Karen Foster has been jailed for 12 years and seven months for the manslaughter of a nine-month-old boy who was in her care.
Foster, 63, was looking after nine-month-old Harlow Collinge at her home in Hapton, Lancashire, in March 2022 when the boy fell from his chair.
When he started crying, she picked him up and violently shook the boy so hard he ended up dying from his injuries. Read more
Ex-Spandau Ballet singer raped and filmed himself molesting sleeping women, court hears (Independent)
Former Spandau Ballet singer Ross William Wild raped three women and filmed himself molesting his victims as they slept, a court has heard.
Wild, whose real name is Ross Davidson, is accused of a series of sex offences against five women and raping three of them between 2013 and 2023.
The 36-year-old’s trial began at London’s Wood Green crown court on Tuesday, where it was heard he had a “darker” and “sinister” side with a fantasy to have sex with women while they were asleep. Read more
NFF to hire foreign technical adviser for Super Eagles (Punch)
The Nigeria Football Federation has decided to appoint an expatriate Technical Adviser to oversee the Super Eagles.
This move comes ahead of the upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifiers and the remaining 2026 World Cup qualifying matches, and is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
The decision was contained in a communiqué made available to newsmen on Thursday. Read more
Footballers’ union starts legal action against FIFA over Club World Cup (Guardian)
European member unions of Fifpro, which represents footballers across the world, have started legal action against Fifa over the expanded men’s Club World Cup.
Fifpro said the unions, led by England’s Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and its French counterpart, had on Thursday submitted a legal claim with the Brussels court of commerce.
It follows through on threats to take such action over the scheduling of a 32-team Club World Cup in the United States next June and July. Fifpro said it was “challenging the legality of Fifa’s decisions to unilaterally set the international match calendar and, in particular, the decision to create and schedule the Fifa Club World Cup 2025”. Read more
“Infinite” Pedri is Spain’s key against Modric’s Croatia (France24)
Spain’s Euro 2024 hopes have been bolstered by Pedri Gonzalez’s return to form and the Barcelona playmaker could prove crucial in their stern opening battle against Luka Modric’s dangerous Croatia.
The Real Madrid midfielder, 38, is still the standard-bearer for his country and his midfield duel with Pedri lends a Clasico feel to the heavyweight clash in Berlin on Saturday.
Spain, Croatia, Italy and Albania comprise Group B, the tournament’s toughest quartet, but a resurgent Pedri could give La Roja the edge they crave. Read more
Tiger Woods, who feels “strength” to win the US Open, starts with birdie (UPI)
Tiger Woods, who said he feels like he has the strength to win the 2024 U.S. Open, started his run with a birdie at the major tournament Thursday in Pinehurst, N.C.
Woods teed off alongside Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick at 7:29 a.m. EDT on hole No. 10. He hit a 317-yard drive into the middle of the fairway for his first tee shot of the tournament. Woods then hit a 257-yard approach shot on the 619-yard Par 5. Woods hit his next shot onto the green, running it about 12 feet from the hole.
He then stepped up and sank a left-to-right birdie putt to jump into a tie for the early lead with Seamus Power and amateur golfer Omar Morales. Read more
Osaka given green light to play at Paris Olympics, Nishikori also in the fray (GulfTimes)
Former world number one Naomi Osaka has been given the green light to compete for Japan at next month’s Paris Olympics, the country’s tennis association said on Thursday.
Former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori has also been cleared to play, the Japan Tennis Association said.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, where she went on to make the third round. Read more
Rafael Nadal to skip Wimbledon to prepare for Olympics (ABC)
Rafael Nadal will skip Wimbledon in July to prepare for the Olympic Games in Paris, which will be played on the clay courts at Roland Garros, the Spaniard posted on social media Thursday.
Nadal, a record 14-time winner of the French Open, has been far from his best after returning from injuries, and he exited the tournament at Roland Garros in the first round this year, losing in straight sets to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev.
The 38-year-old missed almost all of 2023 with a hip problem, and his comeback earlier this year was stalled by a muscle tear before minor injuries affected his preparation for the clay-court major. Read more