Lagos prophet arraigned over missing NOUN undergraduate (Punch)
A Lagos prophet, Ejiro Ologonla, has been arraigned before Justice O.H. Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court, Lagos State, over the alleged kidnap of an undergraduate of the National Open University of Nigeria, Anthony Olatunfe, 29, who went missing in December 2019.
PUNCH Metro had earlier reported that the student lived with the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Administration, Michael Ojomo, in the Victoria Island area of the state.
Ojomo had telephoned the missing student’s father, Augustine Ojomo on December 12, 2019, to ask if he knew the whereabouts of his son, who had yet to return from an errand.
The matter was reported at the Bar Beach Police Station as police operatives went into investigation and called the student’s phone number, which was answered by Ologonla, who claimed to have picked the phone at the bar beach. Read more
Poly Ibadan student dies, partner in coma over suspected sexual encounter (Guardian)
A student of the Polytechnic Ibadan has reportedly died during suspected sexual encounter with a female partner in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The deceased, Oromidayo Daniel died on Monday, while his unconscious partner, identified as Aramide Adeleke, was rushed to University College Hospital (UCH) for treatment.
The Guardian learnt that the deceased, a National Diploma II student, Civil Engineering department and his partner, Adeleke who is also a National Diploma II, Department of Business Administration allegedly took sexual enhancing drugs before engaging in the act.
A neighbour said she was horrified when she saw the lifeless body of the deceased on the floor and the female partner barely alive before being rushed to UCH. Read more
Cleric dismembers female customer, police recover body parts (Punch)
The Atiba Police Division, Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspect, Alfa Tiamiyu Abass, for allegedly dismembering a hairdresser, identified only as Barakat, in Oyetoro community, in the Oyo West Local Government Area of the state.
The police also recovered the victim’s body parts.
PUNCH Metro gathered that residents had been suspecting Abass’ suspicious activities after he moved into the community about two years ago.
On Sunday, May 15, members of the community were said to have perceived an offensive odour, which they traced to the suspect’s house.
The mutilated remains of Barakat were later found.
A resident, Mr Siyanbola Akinkunmi, told PUNCH Metro that the suspect, after he was caught, confessed to killing the hairdresser. Read more
JAMB disclaims error in its scoring system, says no plan to organise another UTME (Vanguard)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has debunked reports of error in the scoring of candidates in the just concluded 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board warned the public especially candidates of the last UTME to be wary of the guile and other unsavoury activities of fraudsters who were making false claims of errors in the scoring system.
Dr Fabian Benjamin, Head, Public Affairs and Protocol of the board made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
Benjamin said that the board was, therefore, maintaining for the umpteenth time, that the UTME was a Computer Based Test (CBT) that was scored electronically with no human mediation whatsoever. Read more
School driver bags life imprisonment for defiling five-year-old pupil (Punch)
Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Monday sentenced a school bus driver, Tony Akpan, to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a five-year-old pupil.
Akpan was charged with sexual assault, an offence that contravenes sections 137 and 415 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Five witnesses testified against the defendant.
Delivering judgment in the matter, Justice Soladoye held that the prosecution had overwhelming evidence which proved the charge of sexual assault against Akpan and his accomplice, Itoro Wilson, the school bus assistant. Read more
Davido hosts American Rapper, DaBaby, in Lagos (DailyTrust)
The famous rapper posted numerous videos on his Instagram page while exploring the city of Lagos. First, he visited a Nike shoe store where he bought a few sneakers, then, he shared a video of himself among a crowd of Lagosians, before entering his vehicle.
Also, he sprayed some amount of dollars to the crowd whereafter a man from the crowd warned him to hold his phone tight.
Some minutes later, the artist shared a video of him with Davido in his Lamborghini, DaBaby asked “where are we going” and Davido replied, saying “tonight, I will show you Lagos”.
Davido also posted on his social media platforms to confirm the arrival of DaBaby in Nigeria. He wrote: “My boy finna touch down the Motherland.” Read more.
Arrest of AGF: ASUU urges EFCC to investigate administration of IPPIS (Vanguard)
Following the arrest of the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged N80bn fraud, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has urged the EFCC to also beam its searchlight on the administration of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, managed by the embattled AGF.
The Chairperson of ASUU, Federal University Otuoke, FUO, Bayelsa State, Dr Socrates Ebo, who made the call in a statement in Yenagoa while reacting to the arrest of the AGF, said it is no longer news that both the Auditor General of the Federation and the Head of Service had separately decried the corruption in IPPIS.
His words: “Since the deployment of the payment platform, no lecturer can say for certain what his salary is. They deduct what they like from the salary and pay what they like to whom they like.
“It had been severally alleged that the payment platform sometimes generates “audio” personnel on the payroll. Someone who could allegedly pilfer N80 billion naira from public coffers cannot possibly pay Nigerian workers their due salaries with sincerity. Read more
Nollywood Actor Uche Odoputa reveals his father has been kidnapped (Gaurdian)
Uche Odoputa, a Nigerian actor, has appealed for assistance following the kidnapping of his father, Kenneth Odoputa.
The Nollywood celebrity revealed in an Instagram post on Monday that his father has been held captive for two weeks.
He encouraged his colleagues and admirers to join him in praying for his father’s safe return by sharing a photo of him.
“Friends, please join me in praying for my father’s safe return from the hands of kidnappers who have held him captive for almost two weeks now,” Uche wrote on Instagram. Mr Kenneth Odoputa.” Read more
Sylva lauds Seplat on ExxonMobil shares acquisition (Sun)
Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources has lauded Seplat Energy Plc on its recent acquisition of the entire share capital of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) from ExxonMobil Corporation, Delaware, United States of America.
Sylva said such investments, which were underpinned by responsible policies that could ensure achievement of net-zero carbon emission, were commendable and appreciated by the government and good people of Nigeria.
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The minister gave the commendation at the official launch of `Seplat Energy Tree 4 Life Initiative’ on Tuesday in Abuja.
The tree planting launch was performed by Sylva alongside Seplat’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Roger Brown, Senator (Mrs) Margrey Okadigbo, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Board Chairman and Dr ABC Orjiako, Chairman, Seplat, among others. He noted that the Tree for Life Initiative programme was aimed at reducing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Read more
Cannes Film Festival: Julianne Moore and Lashana Lynch lead arrivals (Metro)
Cannes Film Festival has officially kicked off, with stars including Julianne Moore, Eva Longoria, and Lashana Lynch leading arrivals on the red carpet.
The annual festival has returned to its full glitz and glamour this year after being cancelled in 2020 and being held under strict protocols in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The stars looked absolutely glorious, with actress Julianne looking entirely chic in an all-black gown.
Desperate Housewives star Eva dazzled in a plunging number, while No Time To Die star Lashana looked positively regal in a white gown.
Also posing on the red carpet were the likes of Knives Out actress Katherine Langford, Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Forest Whitaker. Read more
Netflix cuts 150 US-based jobs after losing subscribers (BBC)
Netflix has laid off about 150 staff, just a month after the entertainment giant said it was losing subscribers for the first time in a decade.
The redundancies, announced by the streaming service on Tuesday, will mainly affect its US office in California. They account for about 2% of its North American workforce.
Netflix said the job losses were due to the slump in the company’s revenue.
The streaming service is battling an exodus of viewers this year.
“These changes are primarily driven by business needs rather than individual performance, which makes them especially tough as none of us want to say goodbye to such great colleagues,” the company said in a statement. Read more
Robot hives in Israel kibbutz hope to keep bees buzzing (France24)
They function as normal hives, but apiaries built at a kibbutz in Israel’s Galilee are decked out with high-tech artificial intelligence systems set to ensure longevity for these vital pollinators.
“There are two million bees here,” said Shlomki Frankin as he walks into a 12-square-metre container in Kibbutz Beit Haemek in northern Israel.
Dubbed “Beehome”, the project is the brainchild of an Israeli startup and houses up to 24 hives, explained Frankin, clad in a hat and veil to protect himself from stings.
The 41-year-old told AFP that the hives feature a multi-purpose robot that does everything from monitor the bees to adjust the habitat and provide them with care. Read more
Britney Spears’ fiancé thanks fans for support following miscarriage (Gaurdian)
Britney Spears’ fiancé Sam Asghari has thanked fans for the support they received after they announced her miscarriage over the weekend.
In his post on Instagram, Asghari shared that he and Spears are still working on expanding their family despite the loss of their child.
He wrote “We have felt your support. We are taking things positively and moving forward with our future.”
“It’s hard but we are not alone. Thank you for respecting our privacy. We will be expanding our family soon ️.” Read more.
James Acaster reveals plans for music career amid comedy success (Metro)
James Acaster has revealed that he’s been turning his hand to music amid his successful comedy career, fulfilling a dream he’s had since he was a child.
The comedian revealed he’s got a record label on board for a music project he started during lockdown.
‘If I’m honest, what I’m most excited for career-wise is music projects I’ve done during lockdown,’ he told Metro.co.uk. I have a record label for them now and it’s going to be released next year, and I’m really excited about that. It’s been really fun.
I’m so proud of it. It’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid. I played drums on it,’ the comedian, who’s gearing up for the fourth season of Hypothetical on Dave, added. Read more
Michael Sussmann: Clinton lawyer ‘lied to manipulate FBI over Trump’ (BBC)
A lawyer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign lied to the FBI to “manipulate” the agency in order to win the election, a court has heard.
Arguments in the trial of Michael Sussmann have begun with prosecutors saying he hoped to create an “October surprise” in the race’s final weeks.
Mr Sussmann has pleaded not guilty.
He is the first defendant to go on trial in an investigation into the FBI’s original probe to find if Donald Trump was conspiring with Russia.
The charges arise from a meeting between Mr Sussmann, a cyber-security lawyer, and an FBI agent in 2016. Read more
Amber Heard’s abuse claims contradicts evidence (Gaurdian)
Jurors were shown images of Amber Heard’s unblemished back at a movie premiere the day after she testified that Johnny Depp kneeled on her back and severely abused her in a Tokyo hotel room.
“You agree there are no bruises or physical marks?” Camille Vasquez, Depp’s defense attorney, asked. She replied, “Not that I can see.”
Amber Heard was given a series of photos taken of her at an event the night before she testified that her ex-husband had assaulted her so hard that she may have broken her nose.
“Your nose doesn’t appear to be injured in any of these pictures, does it Ms. Heard?” asked Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez on cross-examination. “I’m wearing makup,” she replied. Read more.
Russian gymnast banned for wearing pro-war symbol (BBC)
Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak has been given a one-year ban for wearing a national war symbol on the podium at an event in Qatar in March.
Kuliak earned bronze in the parallel bars final of the Apparatus World Cup in Doha and displayed a letter ‘Z’ taped to his chest as he stood next to Ukraine’s Illia Kovtun, who won gold.
Kuliak must now return his medal, but has a right to appeal within 21 days.
The letter Z became symbolic with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It was painted on the side of tanks and military vehicles, as well as being worn by pro-war politicians in Russia. Read more
Akanbi’s feat at ISF Gymnasiade excites NSSF (Guardian)
The feat achieved by 17-year-old Ronke Akanbi has become a source of inspiration to Team Nigeria’s 10-man contingent at the ongoing 19th International School Sports Federation (ISF) Gymnasiade 2022 holding in Normandy, France.
Akanbi yesterday smashed Nigeria’s 3000m record after running 9.36.86 seconds to win the gold medal at the ISF Gymnasiade, which is the first medal to be won by any African team at the tournament.
An excited president of Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Olabisi Joseph, said Akanbi’s performance has brought vibrancy to the country’s camp in France.
Joseph, who led the team to the multi-sport fiesta, added: “For us at NSSF, this is a big feat and this is what we believe can restore the lost glory of Nigeria when we expose our young athletes to international competitions. Read more
Coach Musa blames Pillars’ poor performance on players (DailyTrust)
The Chief Coach of Kano Pillars football club, Ibrahim Musa, has blamed his side’s lacklustre performances in the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season on lack of quality players.
The gaffer who was reacting to Pillars 2-1 loss to relegation bound MFM in Ijebu-Ode said the players representing the former Nigerian champions have failed to live up to expectations.
He, however, said this is not the time to trade blame over the precarious situation Pillars have found themselves in the 2022 NPFL season.
Musa reiterated that instead of engaging in blame games, everyone in the club should join hands to rescue Pillars from the firm grip of relegation.
Despite massive government financial backing, Pillars who were deducted three points after irate fans believed to be their supporters attacked Katsina United in their MatchDay 23 fixture in Kano are presently second to the last on the table with 29 points from 27 matches. Read more
Butler brings heat as Miami sink Boston in series opener (France24)
Jimmy Butler scored 41 points as the Miami Heat produced a devastating comeback to defeat the Boston Celtics 118-107 in their opening Eastern Conference finals series clash on Tuesday.
Butler led a revitalized Miami second-half display as the Heat transformed an eight-point half-time deficit into a double-digit lead against a depleted Celtics side at Miami’s FTX Arena.
Trailing 62-54 at the break, Miami outscored the Celtics 39-14 in the third quarter to set up a victory that gives the Eastern Conference top seeds a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Butler received scoring support from Tyler Herro, with 18 points, and Gabe Vincent with 17 points. Read more
Mbappe agrees personal terms with Real Madrid -Report (Punch)
Kylian Mbappe has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid, reports The Athletic.
Mbappe’s contract with PSG runs out at the end of the season and he is able to move to Real for free.
However, no paperwork has yet been signed with PSG still trying to convince him to stay. Read more
Daley Blind urges Manchester United board to fully back Erik ten Hag (Metro)
Daley Blind has urged Manchester United’s board to give Erik ten Hag their full backing ahead of next season.
Ten Hag has begun his work with United this week after taking charge of his final game with Ajax on Sunday.
The 52-year-old, who guided Ajax to the Eredivisie title this month, faces a tough task at Old Trafford following United’s woeful season in which they failed to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
But Blind, who spent four seasons at United before he returned to Ajax in 2018, is adamant that Ten Hag will be a success in the Premier League if he is given time. Read more
Nadal Ready For Roland Garros Despite Injury Issues (DailyTrust)
Rafa Nadal has moved to ease concerns about his injury problems ahead of the French Open, posting a picture of himself training in full flow at his academy in Mallorca with the caption: “See you on Wednesday, Paris.”
The 13-time Roland Garros champion had said last week that daily training was a challenge and he would take a doctor with him to Paris after a chronic foot injury flared up during his defeat by Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open. Read more