Man, 30, charged with peddling 6.3kg hemp (Guardian)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has charged a 30-year-old man, Matthew Kolapo, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, with peddling restricted drugs.
The defendant is charged on one count of drug trafficking.
The charge is marked FHC/L/214c/2021.
The prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, alleged that the defendant committed the offence on Aug. 25.
Aernan said that the defendant was arrested at the Obalende area of Lagos for unlawfully dealing in hemp weighing 6.3kg. Read more
Prohibited routes: Taskforce impounds 410 okadas on Lagos roads (Tribune)
Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce), on Thursday, said it impounded 410 motorcycles popularly called okadas in the last one week, vowing that it would not rest on its oars until penchant disregard for traffic rules and regulations reduced drastically among commercial motorcyclists in the metropolis.
Taskforce boss, CSP Shola Jejeloye, gave this vow, in a statement made available to newsmen, emphasising that the agency would do all within its power to enforce the restriction of motorbikes on Lagos highways and bridges.
Giving the breakdown of the figure, Jejeloye stated that 300 okadas were impounded on prohibited routes last week while 110 were seized, on Wednesday.
According to him, officials of the agency carried out enforcement in Isolo, Ojodu – Berger, Ojota, Lagos Island and Surulere last week while the enforcement drive of the agency was also extended to 2nd Rainbow, where it seized 110 motorbikes, on Wednesday. Read more
Uncertainty as Lagos airport terminal project stalls, contractor abandons work (DailyTrust)
There is uncertainty over the completion date of the ultramodern new terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Daily Trust reports.
The project funded with the $500m loan sourced from the China Exim Bank has suffered delays, beating several completion deadlines.
The project is part of the passenger terminal development loan sourced in 2013 for the construction of ultramodern terminals in four of the major airports in the country.
The airports include the MMIA, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja; Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. Read more
No new political party on Oct 1, says Utomi (Nation)
Political economist Prof Pat Utomi has debunked rumours that he, alongside other prominent Nigerians, are planning to announce the formation of a new political party on October 1.
Utomi has recently been linked in the media with a “third force,” called Rescue Nigeria Project (RNP) to give the electorate an alternative platform to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Apart from Utomi, founders of RNP include former Kwara Governor Ahmed Abdulfatai; former Minister of Education Prof. Tunde Adeniran; former Cross River Governor Donald Duke; Senator Lee Maeba; former House of Representatives member Usman Bugaje; former National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega; Amb. Nkoyo Toyo, Yomi Awoniyi, Dr. Rose Idi Danladi and Dr. Sadiq Gombe among others. Read more
154 orphans graduate from Northeast Children’s Trust School (Punch)
One hundred and fifty-four orphans on Wednesday graduated from the Northeast Children’s Trust School, known as ‘the learning center,’ out of the over 500 orphans schooling in the specialised school.
The school, built specifically for vulnerable children orphaned by the Boko Haram insurgency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states of the Northeast subregion, was inaugurated by Vice -President Yemi Osinbajo in 2019 shortly after which it commenced operations, with 525 vulnerable children enrolled.
According to the headmaster of the learning center, Sikiru Olawoyin, the school was “structured and committed to providing sustainable, life-changing assistance, with facilities carefully tailored to reintegrate the children into society and equip them with the necessary skills to live successful lives.”
Sikiru disclosed that, of the 154 graduating pupils, about 80 of them were girls who were carefully selected, while the rest were boys. Read more
COVID-19: Nigeria’s infections hit 203,081 (Guardian)
The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC), says the country’s COVID-19 cases rose to 203,081 on Wednesday, recording additional 377 new infections.
The NCDC, via its official website, disclosed this on Thursday morning.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the additional 377 COVID-19 infections, on Wednesday, indicated a decrease from the 513 cases reported on Tuesday.
The NCDC added that the 377 new cases of the coronavirus, bring the total number of infections in the country to 203,081. Read more
3 ‘kidnappers’ of Bethel School students nabbed (DailyTrust)
The police have nabbed three kingpins involved in the kidnap of over 100 students of Bethel Baptist school, Kaduna.
The suspects, who dressed in military camouflage, were paraded by the Force Public Relations Officers, Frank Mba, at the headquarters of defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), in Abuja.
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The suspects – Adamu Bello, Isiaku Lawal and Muazu Abubakar – told newsmen that 25 of them abducted the students.
They said they carried out the operation in desperate bid to get money. Read more
Faith Aigbe: Police exonerates Edo traditional ruler from pregnant girlfriend’s death (Punch)
The Edo State Police Command on Wednesday released the autopsy of one Faith Aigbe whose corpse was found in the vehicle of Enogie of Uroho community in Edo State, Iguodala Ogieriakhi, on September 10.
The Police said that, based on the autopsy result, the traditional ruler is not culpable in his late girlfriend’s death.
The body of the 27-year-old pregnant Faith Aigbe was found locked in a Sports Utility Vehicle Toyota Lexus 330 belonging to Ogieriakhi within the premises of Edo Specialist Hospital. She was eight months pregnant.
Speaking on Wednesday, spokesman of the Edo State Command, Kontongs Bello, said, “Today, September 22, 2021, the Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the public that the autopsy of one Faith Aigbe who died in the house of his boyfriend, Enogie of Uroho, Iguodala Ogieriakhi, has been released. Read more
UK Covid vaccine rules cause hesitancy – Africa health chief (BBC) The head of Africa’s health agency has warned that the UK’s policy of not accepting Covid-19 vaccine certificates from the continent could increase vaccine hesitancy.
Dr John Nkegasong said the UK’s stance was confusing and had far-reaching implications for vaccination campaigns.
“We do not understand why the UK has taken this position,” he told a virtual news briefing.
Many Africans are furious, and have called the policy discriminatory. Read more
Linda Evangelista left ‘permanently deformed’ from fat-reducing procedure (Metro)
Linda Evangelista claims she has been left ‘permanently deformed’ and ‘brutally disfigured’ after undergoing a fat-reducing procedure five years ago.
The iconic supermodel, 56, shared a statement to Instagram that revealed she is now taking legal action, after she developed a rare side effect from the CoolSculpting procedure that she claims turned her into a ‘recluse’.
Linda explained that the treatment which should ‘decrease’ fat cells did the opposite to her and instead ‘increased’ her fat cells – a risk she claims she wasn’t warned of ahead of the procedure.
As a result, Linda says she developed Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH) – a rare side effect of cryolipolysis used in coolsculpting treatments which causes fatty tissue to thicken and fat cells to expand rather than breaking them down. Read more
EU rules to force USB-C chargers for all phones (BBC)
Manufacturers will be forced to create a universal charging solution for phones and small electronic devices, under a new rule proposed by the European Commission (EC).
The aim is to reduce waste by encouraging consumers to re-use existing chargers when buying a new device.
All smartphones sold in the EU must have USB-C chargers, the proposal said.
Apple has warned such a move would harm innovation. Read more
Nobel ceremonies marred by pandemic for second year (Metro)
Nobel Prize winners in science and literature will receive their awards in their home countries rather than Sweden for the second year running because of the pandemic, organisers said Thursday.
The Nobel Foundation said a decision on the Peace Prize, which is usually awarded in Norway, had not been made yet.
The winners are announced in early October and lavish ceremonies in the two Scandinavian capitals usually follow on December 10, the anniversary of the death of founder Alfred Nobel.
Last year, the foundation gave out the science and literature prizes in the laureates’ respective home countries because of virus travel restrictions. Read more
How scientists accidentally discovered hidden galaxies at the edge of time (VICE)
By pure chance, astronomers have discovered two galaxies at the edge of space and time that have remained hidden behind a thick veil of dust until now. The obscured galaxies formed more than 13 billion years ago, only about 800 million years after the birth of the universe itself, and could help scientists find other ancient objects that are clouded by dust.
Scientists led by Yoshinobu Fudamoto, an astronomer at the Research Institute for Science and Engineering at Waseda University, Japan, and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), spotted eerie spectral signals from the two galaxies completely by accident while studying neighboring galaxies that shine much brighter in ultraviolet (UV) light.
The team noted that the “serendipitous discovery of these two dusty galaxies” at the edge of the universe “shows that our current (UV-based) census of very early galaxies is still incomplete,” according to a study published on Wednesday in Nature. Read more
James Bond star Daniel Craig made honorary Commander in Royal Navy ahead of “No Time To Die” release (Metro)
Daniel Craig has been made an honorary Commander in the Royal Navy (Picture: Getty / Royal Navy)
Daniel Craig has another title to add to his CV after he was made an honorary Commander in the Royal Navy.
So that’s Commander Craig to all of us, now.
The James Bond actor, who is gearing up for the release of No Time To Die, revealed how ‘honoured’ he was by the new role.
Taking to Twitter, a post from the official 007 account shared a snap of the 53-year-old in uniform, with the London skyline behind him. Read more
Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk share intense stare down ahead of world title showdown (Metro)
Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk shared an intense stare-down at their final press conference ahead of Saturday’s world heavyweight title showdown.
IBF, WBO and WBA champion Joshua puts his titles on the line against the undefeated Ukrainian at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Dressed in a red suit, Usyk predicted a chess match between the two during their calm and respectful exchanges, dismissing suggestions that tJoshua carries a size and power advantage heading into the contest.
‘People talk a lot. They say the truth, or they don’t say the truth. It’s all talk,’ he said. Read more
Falcons loss to South Africa, blessing in disguise – Ogunjimi (Punch)
President of the Authentic Nigeria Football and Allied Sports Supporters Club, Abayomi Ogunjimi, believes the Super Falcons loss to Banyana Banyana of South Africa on the final day of the Aisha Buhari Cup will spur the Nigerian women’s team to achieve more in subsequent engagements.
Banyana spanked African champions Falcons 4-2 on Tuesday to emerge the best team at the invitational tourney.
Ogunjimi said that a lot of positives were recorded from the match.
He said,”The defeat is a blessing in disguise. It’s a wake-up call for us, it will ensure we prepare adequately for future engagements and put up a formidable team. Read more
Romelu Lukaku calls for players’ summit with social media companies to tackle racism (BBC)
Romelu Lukaku says footballers can do more to tackle racism than just taking the knee and wants social media companies to meet with players to help combat the issue of online abuse.
The Chelsea striker says the gesture alone is not enough as players are continuing to receive abuse.
“I think we can take stronger positions,” Lukaku told CNN.
“We are taking the knee, everybody’s clapping, but sometimes after the game you see another insult.” Read more
Ronaldo leapfrogs Messi in Forbes list of top-earning players (Guardian)
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has reclaimed top spot in the list of the world’s highest-paid soccer players from Lionel Messi, according to Forbes.
Ronaldo, 36, rejoined United from Juventus in August after 12 years away, while Messi has swapped boyhood club Barcelona to join Paris St Germain.
Forbes said Ronaldo, among the world’s most popular athletes with over 500 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, is set to make $125 million before taxes in the 2021-22 season, with $70 million coming from salary and bonuses at United.
The rest will come from endorsements and partnerships with brands including Nike, Herbalife, Clear and his CR7 brand. Read more
Max Verstappen rejects Lewis Hamilton’s pressure claim over title race (BBC)
Max Verstappen has rejected Lewis Hamilton’s suggestion that he could be feeling the pressure of their title fight.
Hamilton said he “remembers what it was like battling for my first championship and “knows the pressure that comes with it”.
But Verstappen replied sarcastically: “I am so nervous I can barely sleep! It is so horrible to fight for a title.”
He added: “If someone knows me, I am very relaxed about all those things.” Read more
Anthony Joshua predicts a dramatic upset in Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder III (Metro)
Anthony Joshua is backing Deontay Wilder to cause an upset in his trilogy fight with Tyson Fury and knock out the Gypsy King to regain the WBC world heavyweight title.
The pair meet for a third time in Las Vegas on 9 October after their first bout ended in a classic draw in December 2018 and their second in a dominant stoppage victory for Fury (30-0-1) in February 2020.
After his superb performance in their last fight, Fury is the hot favourite to win the third bout and keep hold of his world title belt, but Joshua sees a huge turnaround when they meet again. Read more