Lagos: Police kill 2 ex-convicts in gun duel (DailyTrust)
Two members of a robbery gang involved in series of attacks on Ajegule, Lagos, and its environs were on Saturday shot dead during a gun battle with the police.
The killed robbers, identified as Sadiq alias Foreigner and Habeeb, aka Kiki, who were recently released from the Kirikiri Custodial Centre, had been on the wanted list of the police.
Lagos State police spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the robbers had both been wanted for terrorising Ajegunle and environs.
He said, “One Beretta pistol, one locally made revolver pistol with four rounds of 9mm live ammunition and one expended shell of ammunition were recovered from the robbers.” Read more
Lagos-Ibadan: Robbers strike again, escape, police make excuse (Punch)
There was panic on Wednesday on the Long bridge and Kara ends of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, as hoodlums attacked motorists again.
This is the second time within the space of 24 hours after the state police command described earlier reports of an attack on the bridge as fake news.
PUNCH Metro had reported that miscreants around 6am on Tuesday robbed motorists of their laptops, phones and other accessories, as many abandoned their vehicles and scampered for safety.
The state police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, had deployed policemen in the area to ensure hoodlums did not take advantage of the gridlock created by the ongoing reconstruction of the road. Read more
Lagos plans removal of RoW structures on Opebi-Mende link bridge (Guardian)
Lagos State Government, yesterday, said it had embarked on the construction of the Opebi-Mende Link Bridge and the approach roads in Ikeja Local Council for ease of commuting and social economic development.
It also said that it had commenced reconstruction and upgrading of Eleko Road in Ibeju-Lekki Local Council.
In a notice signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs. Abiola Kosegbe, the state said it would serve statutory notices on affected structures within the approved Right of Way (RoW). Read more
Army defends killer soldiers, police kick, widow abandoned (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday slammed the Nigerian Army after the immediate past General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Umar Musa, said the soldiers linked to the death of an Inspector, Monday Orukpe, reacted to a gunshot fired by the policeman.
Musa, a Major-General, was handing over to the new GOC, 81 Division, Obinna Ajunwa, when he made the statement at the division’s headquarters in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State.
While noting that investigations were still ongoing, Musa said preliminary findings revealed that the police officer shot at one of the soldiers during the altercation, adding that the bullet missed the soldier’s vital parts.
“The other soldiers reacted to the shot fired by the police officer and this led to their beating the policeman to death. We have paid a condolence visit to the Commissioner of Police to tell him that we will take necessary measures to prevent future occurrences of such nature. Read more
Buhari makes U-turn after regulator’s protest, reverses Seplat’s takeover of Exxon Mobil (DailyTrust)
President Muhammadu Buhari has rescinded his earlier decision, authorising the acquisition of Exxon Mobil shares in the United States of America by Seplat Energy Offshore Limited.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, confirmed this to Daily Trust.
Shehu said the President had decided to back the regulator, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which had on Tuesday insisted on its refusal of assent to the ExxonMobil/Seplat Energy share acquisition worth $1.3 billion.
The presidential spokesman said President Buhari now wanted NUPRC position be supported, and noted that the confusion set in because “various agencies involved in (the) decision had not coordinated well among themselves.” Read more
Osun APC faction blames Oyetola, party chairman for guber loss (Guardian)
A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State loyal to the Minister of Interior and former governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola, has refuted a report that aggrieved members of the party voted against Governor Gboyega Oyetola in the July 16 governorship election.
Rather, the faction said that Oyetola and state chairman of the party, Gboyega Famodun, cheaply delivered victory to the Peoples Democratic Party.
The factional chairman of the party, Rasaq Salinsile, while addressing a press conference in Osogbo, yesterday, said Oyetola and Famodun’s insensitivity and impunity over party issues led to the total collapse of the APC’s winning structures and eventual loss of the governorship election.
Salinsile accused Oyetola and Famodun of deliberately weakening the Osun APC by wishing away ‘dog-handlers’ and grassroots mobilisers who have been delivering a victory for the party since 2007. Read more
Tinubu, Peter Obi in war of words over fake news allegations (Vanguard)
The presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his counterpart on the platform of Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, were yesterday locked in verbal war over the former’s accusation of the latter’s supporters of mudslinging and spreading fake news against other candidates, especially him, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Tinubu’s campaign organisation had called on the LP candidate to rein in his supporters, who it accused of spreading fake news about its candidate but Obi’s camp in a swift reaction dismissed insinuations of his supporters spreading fake news about any candidate, saying it was in line with Tinubu camp’s plan to run a campaign based on issues.
Tinubu in a statement by his Campaign Organization yesterday, had urged Obi to caution his supporters and allow the election circle be about issues that will advance the growth, progress and stability of Nigeria. Read more
Owo massacre: Security agencies begin manhunt for financiers (Punch)
Security agencies have begun a manhunt for the financiers of the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack on the Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, in which 40 worshippers were killed and scores injured.
The Federal Government had earlier blamed the attack on the Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists, a claim the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu contested.
But The PUNCH gathered on Wednesday that the security operatives had identified the sponsors and directed all port and border authorities to watch out for them.
A security source told one of our correspondents that no fewer than nine of those involved in the bloody attack were in custody. The source also disclosed that security agencies were launched manhunt for five financiers. Read more
Mad Max: Furiosa director George Miller ‘tests positive for Covid’ shutting down production for a week (Metro)
Production on the latest Mad Max movie Furiosa has reportedly shut down after director George Miller tested positive for Covid.
The multi-million dollar blockbuster, which is the fifth instalment in the Mad Max franchise, sees Thor actor Chris Hemsworth play antagonist Immortan Joe as well, while War and Peace actor Tom Burke will star as Dr Dementus alongside The Queen’s Gambit actress Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role of Imperator Furiosa.
It’s both a spin-off and prequel to 2015’s Fury Road which starred Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron.
Filming has been well underway with Marvel star Hemsworth, 38, spotted in costume on set in the Kurnell area of Sydney, Australia last month after production started in June. Read more
Iraqi actress to sue Economist over ‘fat’ picture (BBC)
An Iraqi actress says she is suing the Economist newspaper for using a picture of her to illustrate an article about Arab women being “fatter” than men.
Enas Taleb said that the image was used out of context without her permission, and violated her privacy. She also claimed it had been photoshopped.
The well-known actress and talk show host said in an interview that she has begun legal action in the UK.
The Economist did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The article, entitled Why Women Are Fatter Than Men in the Arab World, was published in late July, using a picture of Ms Taleb taken nine months ago at the Babylon International Festival in Iraq. Read more
Sierra Leone imposes nationwide curfew amid deadly anti-government protests (VOA)
At least two police officers and one civilian died after a day of anti-government protests in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, staff at the city’s main mortuary said Wednesday.
Sierra Leone’s government previously said there had been deaths, but did not say how many, as protesters threw rocks and burned tires in the streets out of frustration at worsening economic hardship and other issues.
The West African country, which has been struggling with rising inflation and a fuel crisis, imposed a nationwide curfew from 3 p.m. local time in a bid to stem the violence.
“As a government, we have the responsibility to protect every citizen of Sierra Leone. What happened today was unfortunate and will be fully investigated,” President Julius Maada Bio said on Twitter. Read more
Dozens of homes destroyed, thousands evacuated as wildfires rage in southwestern France (France24)
A fire that destroyed thousands of hectares of tinder-dry forest in southwest France has flared again amid a fierce drought and the summer’s latest wave of extreme heat, officials said Wednesday.
Black-and-orange skies, darkened by the smoke billowing from forests and lit up by the flames, were seen across the area as the fires continued to burn out of control despite the efforts of firefighters backed by water-bombing aircraft.
Fires, which have razed about 6,200 hectares (15,320), have now crossed in the neighbouring Landes region.
France, like the rest of Europe, has been struggling this summer with successive heatwaves and its worst drought on record. Dozens of wildfires are ablaze across the country, including at least eight major ones. Read more
Alleged 4th member of brutal Islamic State execution cell ‘arrested in UK’ (Metro)
UK police have an alleged member of the Isis ‘Beatles’ terror cell in custody, according to a report.
Aine Davis is accused of being part of a notorious gang of extremists whose grotesque videos of brutal executions shocked the world.
Davis, now 38, travelled to the Middle East in 2013 as the radical group was sweeping across Iraq and Syria.
Born in west London, Davis has served a seven-and-a-half year sentence in a Turkish prison after being captured in Istanbul and convicted of membership of a terror group. Read more
Brazil woman and psychic con mum out of $140m in art and cash – police (BBC)
A woman in Brazil has been arrested on suspicion of using a psychic to swindle her mother out of more than $140m (£114m) in art, cash and jewellery.
The alleged victim is reportedly the widow of one of Brazil’s foremost art collectors.
Her daughter is accused of stealing her artwork by using a psychic to pretend it was cursed.
One painting – by one of Brazil’s most celebrated artists – was reportedly found stashed under a bed.
According to police in Rio de Janeiro and local media reports, the scam began in 2020 when the victim was told by a supposed psychic that her daughter was ill and was persuaded to pay for treatment. Read more
9 Russian warplanes destroyed at Crimean air base (VOA)
The Ukrainian air force says nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in massive explosions Tuesday at an air base in Crimea, the peninsula that Moscow seized in 2014. And shelling around a Ukrainian nuclear power plant has prompted an emergency meeting Thursday of the U.N. Security Council.
The Security Council is to address the shelling near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of shelling the power station, the biggest nuclear plant in Europe, and officials have been worrying about a nuclear catastrophe.
The U.N.’s atomic energy watchdog has sounded the alarm and the Group of Seven leading industrialized countries on Wednesday told Russia to hand back the plant to Ukraine.
Moscow has shown no signs of complying with that request. Read more
1st batch of athletes arrive to rousing reception in Abuja (Guardian)
The first batch of Team Nigeria athletes to the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham was yesterday, given a heroic welcome by the Federal Government on their return after a successful outing.
Receiving the athletes and their officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, applauded their excellent performance, which yielded 35 medals, lifting the country to the seventh position on the Games’ honours roll.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, the minister expressed joy on behalf of the country over their outstanding achievement, which was the first in the history of the nation. Read more
Real Madrid see off Frankfurt in UEFA Super Cup to tie Barcelona and AC Milan’s record (Metro)
Real Madrid have added yet another trophy to their collection courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Europa League winners Frankfurt in Helsinki on Wednesday night, tying the record in the process.
The Champions League holders dominated for large spells in Finland and opened the scoring shortly before half-time through an unlikely source: centre-back David Alaba.
Real increased their control of the match after the restart and yet another goal from Ballon d’Or favourite Karim Benzema wrapped up the Super Cup trophy for the fifth time – taking Los Blancos level with Barcelona and AC Milan for most titles in the competition.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side made a somewhat tame start to the contest and the first big chance fell to Daichi Kamada, who was played clean through on goal but fired straight at Thibaut Courtois. Read more
Costa Rica 2022: Falconets seek three points against France (Vanguard)
Two-time runners-up and one-time semi finalists Nigeria are upbeat about scooping the three points when they go up against one of Europe’s top teams, France in the opening match of Group C of this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in San Jose on Thursday night.
Head Coach Christopher Danjuma minces no words about his faith in the high-scoring Falconets delivering on Thursday and afterwards: “The World Cup stage is about players’ mentality; we have prepared the team very well in that area. You have to go out there, aim to be the best and work hard to be the best. It is not picnic. I believe that these girls will do Nigeria proud.
“Playing seven matches in the African qualifying series toughened the team very well, and we have also worked on their psyche. Read more
Manchester City star Benjamin Mendy to stand trial for rape Wednesday (France24)
Manchester City and France footballer Benjamin Mendy stands trial Wednesday for the alleged rape and assault of seven women, which could see his playing career end in prison if convicted.
Mendy, 28, is due at Chester Crown Court in northwest England to face eight counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape, relating to seven young women.
He pleaded not guilty in May to nine of the 10 charges, but was subsequently hit with the further rape count which has not yet been put to him in a court.
All the alleged offences are said to have taken place at Mendy’s home address in Prestbury near Macclesfield, also in northwest England, between October 2018 and August last year. Read more
Kyrgios beats Medvedev as Swiatek wins in Toronto (BBC)
Nick Kyrgios came from a set down to beat world number one Daniil Medvedev at the Canadian Open, as Iga Swiatek won comfortably.
Australian Kyrgios, 27, lost a first-set tie-break but fought back to win 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 6-2.
Women’s world number one Swiatek comfortably reached the last 16 with a straight-set win over Ajla Tomljanovic.
The 21-year-old Pole, a two-time Grand Slam winner, won 6-1 6-2 and will play Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia next.
American great Serena Williams will face Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic later in Toronto on Wednesday, in her first match since the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion suggested she will retire from tennis. Read more
How I discovered world champion Amusan – 68-year-old retiree (Punch)
Retired athletics coach Alaba Ogunde, has disclosed exclusively told The PUNCH how she discovered world and Commonwealth Games champion Tobi Amusan.
Amusan sent the social media into meltdown after she broke the women’s 100m hurdles record at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, US with a stunning semi-final time of 12.12secs to erase Kendra Harrison’s 2016 effort by 0.08secs. She ran faster in the final, but her 12.06secs was ruled ineligible by an illegal tailwind.
She continued her impressive 2022 season at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with another gold medal.
She clocked a blistering 12.30s to smash the Games’ record on Sunday morning at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. Read more
World Cup set to start one day earlier than planned (BBC)
The World Cup is set to start one day earlier than planned on Sunday, 20 November with hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador.
The Group A opener was due to be played on 21 November at 16:00 GMT, as the third match of the competition.
The opening match of the tournament was to be Senegal against the Netherlands at 10:00, earlier on the Monday.
However, the administrative arm of world governing body Fifa has submitted a proposal to move the Qatar game.
It followed discussions with Qatar and their opponents Ecuador, after receiving a request from the South American confederation Conmebol. Read more