Lockdown: LASTMA impounds 1,233 vehicles in May (Punch)
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on Saturday said it impounded 1,233 vehicles between May 4 and May 31 for various traffic actions in contravention to the new state guidelines on transportation due to the lockdown occasioned by the pandemic.
According to LASTMA General Manager, Olajide Oduyoye, 796 private vehicles and 437 commercial vehicles were impounded within the period.
Oduyoye said the Authority seized the vehicles from its 43 zones and the Bus Rapid Transit Lane Enforcement Unit. Read more
Lagos government charges religious centres on ”No face mask, No entry” guideline (Guardian)
The Lagos State Government has charged religious centres not to compromise on the ”No face mask, No entry” guideline in order to curb the spread of coronavirus disease.
Mr Lanre Mojola, Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC), gave the charge during a news briefing on Friday at Ikeja.
Mojola said that any worship centre that failed to observe the ”No face mask, No entry” and other guidelines would be shut. Read more
Lagos accredits three private hospitals for COVID-19 treatment (Punch)
Lagos State Government has accredited three private hospitals to manage COVID-19 cases in the state.
A statement from the Lagos State Ministry of Health quoted the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, as disclosing this at a news briefing to give situation report on COVID-19 management in the state.
Abayomi stressed that one of the accredited private hospitals is already admitting patients, adding that the other two will soon start admission and management of patients. Read more
Lottery commission fines operator N10m for failing to pay winners (Punch)
The National Lottery Regulatory Commission has slammed a N10m fine on a promotional lottery operator, Sponge Nigeria Limited, for failing to pay a total sum of N138m to its winners in its last promo titled, ‘Better Life Billionaire Promo’.
The NLRC also asked the company to pay, without further delay, all lucky winners in its concluded promotional lottery or face the full wrath of the law.
This was contained in a correspondence to Sponge Nigeria Limited, dated May 27, 2020 in which reasons for the fine were conveyed. Read more
Four men allegedly rape 13 year-old girl in Kaduna (Vanguard)
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, in Kaduna, has commenced investigation into a rape allegation against four men.
It was alleged that the four Kaduna men, drugged and took turns in raping a 13-year-old girl.
The girl, who was found in a parked vehicle, is currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
It was learned that the four men drugged the girl and after using her, dumped her in a parked car outside their home. Read more
Nigerian sailor emerges best student at Rwandan varsity (Punch)
A Nigerian sailor, Annabel Kemmy, has emerged as the best graduating student at the University of Rwanda.
She also presented the best research paper and emerged as third-best at the Senior Command and Staff Course 08.
Kemmy made this known via her Instagram handle, adding that she graduated with distinction.
While expressing her joy, the sailor said she was proud to be a good representative of Nigeria. Read more
IGP’s men arrest Anambra billionaire over illegal possession of gun (Vanguard)
Fresh facts have emerged on the arrest of an Anambra billionaire, Chief Pius Nweke, the chairman and chief executive of Best Aluminum Company Ltd in Onitsha by a special squad from the office of the Inspector General of Police, IGP.
Nweke’s community, Abba in Njikoka local government area had raised an alarm yesterday that he was abducted on his way to his office and his whereabouts unknown.
But Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. John Abang said yesterday that Nweke was arrested by policemen from the office of the Inspector general of Police, IGP, over illegal possession of an unlicensed pistol. Read more
No more mercy, bail for rapists in Ekiti – Fayemi (Nation)
Following incessant cases of sex abuse in Ekiti state in recent times, Gov. Kayode Fayemi, on Saturday, said no person convicted for sex offence, such as rape in any part of the state would enjoy his powers of prerogative of mercy.
The governor made the declaration in Ado Ekiti, while signing the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Child Victims of Sexual Violence Bill 2020 into law.
He directed the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Wale Fapohunda, to henceforth oppose bail or plea bargaining for rape offenders in the state. Read more
Powerful photograph of 3 childhood friends seen at Black Lives Matter protest goes viral (People)
A moving photograph featuring three friends protesting together has gone viral over social media amid the rallies being held around the world to call for and end against police brutality.
Kiitan Amao and Moyo Badun, who are both Black, were photographed with their friend, Sean Hill, who is white, while protesting in Dundalk, Ireland, earlier this week. In the picture — snapped by photographer Fra Lucchessi — Hill is seen holding a sign that reads, “I’m not black but I see U. I’m not black but I hear. I’m not black but I will Fight 4 u.”
The image went viral on Twitter after Amao posted it alongside a picture of the longtime friends when they were children in 2006. Read more
China urges citizens to shun Australia as virus dispute simmers (VOA)
China is advising its citizens not to visit Australia, citing racial discrimination and violence against Asians, in what appears to be Beijing’s latest attempt to punish the country for advocating an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic.
A notice issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism late Friday said there has “been an increase in words and deeds of racial discrimination and acts of violence against Chinese and Asians in Australia, due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The ministry advises Chinese tourists to raise their safety awareness and avoid traveling to Australia,” the notice said. Read more
Doctor says she’s seen a surge in men asking for penis injections to last longer in bed in lockdown (Metro)
Could time in lockdown be upping the pressure for men to last longer in bed and have rock-hard erections at a moment’s notice? A leading intimate health specialist and doctor, Dr Shirin Lakhani, says she’s seen a dramatic rise in enquiries for her P-shot procedure – a treatment that sees blood injected into the penis – since lockdown came into place. She reckons this may be down to all the stress of the pandemic – from lost income to health-related anxieties – causing erectile issues and other struggles in bed, along with dips in sex drives. Read more
French police under investigation for leaked racist comments (France24)
Leaked comments from a private Facebook group for police officers have fuelled outrage over racism among French law enforcement. Even as Black Lives Matter protests have swelled in France, alongside those taking place around the world, online media outlet SteetPress on Thursday published contents from a private Facebook group reserved for police officers.
Members of the group repeatedly used racist and sexist terms, and mocked victims of police brutality.
A black police officer filed a complaint against six white colleagues in December 2019 after discovering an abundance of racist messages on the private Whatsapp group, often concerning him. Read more
Snoop Dogg will be voting for the first time in November (NYPost)
Snoop Dogg says he’s never voted — but this year he plans on changing that.
“For many years it had me brainwashed thinking that you couldn’t vote because you had a criminal record,” the rapper — who has gun and drug convictions going back to his high school days, though he says his record’s been expunged — revealed on the Real 92.3.
But when asked if he plans on voting this November, Snoop — who has been a vocal critic of President Trump, even going so far as to pretend to shoot him in a video — said, “Definitely, ’cause we got to make a difference. I can’t talk about it and not be about it. Read more
Republic Records will no longer use the term ‘urban’ to define black music (Metro)
Republic Records announced they are banning the use of the term ‘urban’ in its company vocabulary. The term has generally been used to describe hip-hop and R&B music, generalising black artists as one category. Speaking of their decision, the label – home to artists including Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, The Jonas Brothers and Drake – stated on Instagram: ‘Effective immediately, Republic Records will remove “urban” from our verbiage in describing departments, employee titles and genres. ‘We encourage the rest of the music industry to follow suit as it is important to shape the future of what we want it to look like, and not adhere to the outdated structures of the past.’ Read more
I hated sex after I was raped – Oshonaike (Punch)
Veteran Nigerian women’s table tennis player, Funke Oshonaike, says she developed hatred for sex after she was raped as a young girl.
The six-time Olympian stated this while reacting to the rape and murder of Uwa Omozuwa, the 22-year-old 100 level student of the University of Benin, inside a church in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
“It’s my true life story. Terrible experience for me and it affected my sex life. I hated sex. I don’t want to tell my entire story for now because of my autobiography that’s coming soon,” Oshonaike stated. Read more
Nigeria’s Ujah ‘proud’ of Bundesliga anti-racism protests (DailyTrust)
.Union Berlin’s Nigerian striker Anthony Ujah said he is “proud” of Jadon Sancho and other Bundesliga players who staged on-pitch protests following the death of black American George Floyd, and pledged to do the same if he scores against Schalke this Sunday.
“I am proud of the players who are taking a stand. I am proud of Jadon Sancho. I am proud of Weston McKennie. I am proud of Marcus Thuram. I am proud of Achraf Hakimi. The whole world saw their message,” wrote Ujah in an article for German daily FAZ.
After scoring in Dortmund’s win at Paderborn on Sunday, England winger Sancho lifted his shirt to reveal the message “Justice for George Floyd”. He was booked, but for lifting his shirt over his head rather than for the message. Read more
International retirement: Odion Ighalo speaks on possible comeback (Vanguard)
Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo has failed to rule out a possible return to Super Eagles barely one year after announcing his retirement from the national team. The 30-year-old inspired the country to third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations competition staged in Egypt.
He finished as the tournament’s highest goals scorer and ended up winning the golden boot last year. And he also chose that moment to bow out of the national team.
After sealing an extension at Manchester United, the former Watford star reveals the national team coach Gernot Rohr called to congratulate him. Read more
Messi returns to Barcelona training, Suarez fit again (Guardian)
Lionel Messi returned to the Camp Nou on Saturday after missing two group training sessions with a slight leg injury, while Luis Suarez is set to be fit for the La Liga restart next week.
Messi trained alone indoors on Wednesday and Friday, but worked on the sidelines of a group session at Barca’s home stadium, according to the Spanish press.
La Liga leaders Barcelona play their first match since mid-March at Real Mallorca next Saturday. Read more
COVID-19: Lyon President Aulas, sues French Ligue 1 for cancellation of league (Vanguard)
As other top leagues in Europe are joining the German Bundesliga to resume, France’s Ligue 1 being the only one of Europe’s top five major leagues to cancel its season because of the coronavirus crisis may be embroiled in litigation.
President of Lyon’s Olympique Lyonnais club, Jean-Michel Aulas, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of the authority, has decided to seek justice.
On Thursday, the 71-year-old officially asked the Council of State, France’s highest administrative court, to overrule Ligue 1’s decision to terminate the current campaign.
“It was absurd to call the league off while other leagues reserved the right not to. Germany is already playing again, Spain will next week,” Aulas fumed at the hearing. “It’s the league which took the decision and can take the decision to resume… I’m shocked that we’re here debating whether we can play or not.” Read more
Deontay Wilder delivers powerful poem for Black Lives Matter movement (Metro)
Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has delivered a powerful poem in support of the Black Lives Matter movement as he calls for ‘justice for George Floyd and all of the others.’ The American boxer posted a video of him delivering the memorable message on social media, speaking out on the killing of Floyd last month in Minneapolis, and a string of other unnecessary deaths. The Bronze Bomber titled the post, ‘It isn’t about Blacks Vs Whites. It’s about Blacks Vs Racism.’ The poem began: ‘‘Til this day! As if 400 years of slavery wasn’t enough. Read more