Nigeria brings home 12,000 displaced people despite instability (Guardian)
Nigeria has brought home around 12,000 people who fled violence in the northwest of the country earlier this year, including from neighbouring Niger, an official and a returnee said Wednesday.
The official said improved security had prompted their return to Shimfida village in Katsina state near the Nigerien border, but criminal gangs known locally as bandits continue to terrorise communities in the wider region despite military operations against them.
On Monday, more than 8,000 people boarded buses outside a makeshift camp at a public school in Jibia to go home to Shimfida, after fleeing months earlier following raids by bandits, Jibia political administrator Bashir Sabi’u said.
More than 4,000 were being brought home to the same village from Maradi in Niger.
“We have returned more than 12,000… to Shimfida village following (the) return of relative peace in the area,” he said. Read more
Motorists, passengers attack armed robbers with stones on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Vanguard)
A four-man robbery gang was shocked into beating a retreat after road users heeded the rallying call of a motorist to attack the armed men — with stones.
There was apprehension on Long Bridge, inward Lagos State, opposite Mikano/Karameh City, along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, at about 5.55a.m., on Wednesday. Four gun-wielding men in black had taken advantage of the traffic jam and started robbing motorists.
However, some brave passengers and motorists disrupted their operations by pelting them with pebbles.
Narrating his experience to Vanguard, a passenger said he was in a Mazda car that took off from Mowe, Ogun State. Read more
NRC reduces Lagos-Ibadan trips due to rising diesel costs (Channels)
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says it has reduced the number of trips on the Lagos-Ibadan train service due to the hike in the price of automotive gas oil, better known as diesel.
Channels Television gathered that the move would hamper the revenue drive of the sector, as rail transport raked in N6 billion last year.
In an interview on Tuesday, NRC Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, said the corporation has cut down the number of return trips on the route from six to two every day.
“The Lagos-Ibadan train service is running, but we have reduced the number of trips on that route because of the diesel problem. We reduced the number of trips we are running because of the hike in diesel price,” Okhiria told The Punch. Read more
Wike: I’m in charge of Rivers, not electoral votes (ThisDay)
Governor Nyesom Wike has clarified his statement that alleged he claimed to be in charge of Rivers votes. According to him, he never claimed to be in charge of electoral votes but the administration of Rivers. Wike, reacting to comments after he made the statement on Monday, said some politicians in Rivers misconceived his assertion.
The governor made the observation yesterday at the inauguration of the dualised Ogbunuabali-Eastern Bypass Road performed by the ex-governor of Sokoto, Senator Aliyu Wamakko.
“Because some people went to school late, they don’t understand when somebody says I am in charge of this state. I never said I am in charge of votes in this state. But I know I can talk to my people, and my people will listen to me,” said Wike. “Some people say, I have only one vote, I agree. I can’t vote two times. I will only vote once. But because of the services I have rendered to the people of this state, the state will listen to me. Read more
Coroner indicts regulatory bodies over Ikoyi building collapse (Punch)
The Coroner, Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, on Tuesday attributed the November 1, 2021 Ikoyi 21-storey building collapse to negligence in adhering to the best practices by the relevant agencies responsible for approval and supervision of the project.
Komolafe disclosed this while delivering judgment at the Lagos Island Coroner Division, at Court 4, Surulere, after unravelling the circumstances that led to the November 1, 2021, 21-storey building collapse at 44, Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
He added that the building’s density and setback on the site showed gross violations of the Lagos State Building Regulations.
He mentioned that the project board which should have boldly shown the sensitive and important information of the names and addresses of the professionals who carried out the project were deliberately not provided. Read more
Tame your supporters, Tinubu warns Obi (Sun)
Crisis seems to be brewing in the camps of the 2023 presidential candidates, as APC standard bearer Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, to tame his supporters against falsehood and disinformation.
Making the appeal through his Campaign Organisation (TCO), Tinubu also charged the LP presidential candidate to allow the election circle to be specifically about issues that will advance the growth, progress and stability of Nigeria.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Communications, for the TSO, Bayo Onanuga, the APC candidate admonished the LP candidate to get his supporters to desist from spreading lies, malice and denigrating other candidates, especially Asiwaju Tinubu.
He also stated that Nigeria will be better for it and the electoral process enriched if the 2023 presidential campaign sticks to issues of good governance that will lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty rather than being dominated by the ravings of guttersnipes, who do not wish the country well. Read more
Terrorists release children abducted on Abuja-Kaduna train (DailyTrust)
Four of the children who were abducted on a Kaduna-bound train in March have been released.
The children were abducted alongside their parents and other passengers when the terrorists bombed the rail track and gunned down some persons.
Different captives were released over a period of four months.
In a statement on Wednesday, Tukur Mamur, Kaduna-based publisher who negotiated the release of some of the passengers, said the children and their parents were released after the intervention of Sheik Ahmad Gumi. Read more
Kizz Daniel apologises to fans, promises free make-up show (Nation)
Singer Kizz Daniel has apologised to his fans, especially those in Tanzania while promising a free show on Friday.
The “Buga” crooner was billed to perform at Summer Amplified Show, a well-publicised concert at Warehouse, Old Nextdoor Arena, Tanzania on Sunday but failed to show up, leading to his arrest.
In an Instagram Live session with Daddy Freeze after the news of the singer’s arrest by the Tanzanian police went viral, the show promoter, Steve Uwah claimed Vado refused to perform because the luggage containing his other gold chain was not delivered.
According to Uwah, although Kizz had a gold chain on his neck, he refused to perform because the airline had failed to deliver his luggage that contained his other gold chains, insisting he must wear all of it for the show. Read more
60-year-old well driller, son suffocate to death in Kano (Guardian)
A 60-year-old well driller, Malam Bala, has suffocated to death in a deep well alongside his 35-year-old son Sunusi Bala in Kano State.
The tragic incident occurred at Sabon Garin Bauchi in Wudil local government area of Kano, about 35 kilometers away from the metropolis, where the two local well diggers were trapped in the water well they both dug.
Confirming the sad development, the spokesman of Kano state Fire Service, Saminu Yusuf Abdullahi, revealed that men of the service who arrived at the scene could only rescue the lifeless bodies.
According to the fire service, Sunusi was in the well to clear the mud but got trapped in the water before the father entered the well to save him. Read more
Domino’s pulls out of the birthplace of pizza (BBC)
Domino’s Pizza’s last stores in Italy have been closed after the firm that operated its outlets in the country filed for bankruptcy, reports say.
Franchise holder ePizza SpA was hit by the pandemic, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the story.
Domino’s had struggled to win over customers in the birthplace of pizza since launching there in 2015.
News of the fast food giant’s exit from the country was celebrated by some social media users.
EPizza SpA first filed for bankruptcy in early April after it was impacted by coronavirus restrictions. Read more
Pro-gun activist who forced Music Midtown’s cancellation now set to “challenge” Georgia venues (NME)
A pro-gun activist who has repeatedly called on Live Nation to change its weapons policy, which prompted the recent cancellation of the Atlanta festival Music Midtown, has now said that he wishes to “challenge” the live music promoter’s firearms ban inside its Georgia venues.
The annual festival, which had been due to welcome the likes of My Chemical Romance, Jack White and Future from September 17-18, cancelled its 2022 edition earlier this month “due to circumstances beyond our control”.
Billboard subsequently reported that recent changes to Georgia’s gun laws, which prevented Music Midtown’s owner Live Nation from banning festival goers from bringing guns on to the publicly owned festival grounds at Piedmont Park, were “the likely cause” for the cancellation.
In a new interview with Billboard, Georgia IT worker, author and vocal gun rights activist Phillip Evans recalled how, in the weeks before the cancellation, he warned a contractor hired to handle security at Music Midtown that “should any member of your security team accost a legal carrier of weapons … [then] your company (and any involved individual) could be sued for damages”. Read more
Lady Gaga hit in the head during concert (Fox)
Lady Gaga was just trying to perform during her rescheduled “The Chromatica Ball” summer stadium tour, when things went haywire.
During her performance in Toronto this weekend, Gaga was singing “Hold My Hand” when she was hit in the head with an object thrown from the crowd.
Jo Shelton, who attended the concert and caught the incident on her phone, told Fox News Digital that a fan, likely in the pit, threw an object over the barrier placed between Gaga and the front of the crowd.
Shelton says that Gaga “was so passionately into that performance there was nothing that was going to stop her. She carried on like a complete professional.” Read more
Drake is secretly a billionaire, Nicki Minaj claims (HipHopDX)
Drake is hiding his status as a billionaire, according to Nicki Minaj.
In a video posted to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday (August 9), Nicki alluded to the OVO Sound hitmaker secretly being worth 10 figures while boarding a private jet.
“This is what happens when you got a rich — I’m sorry, a very rich, rich, rich, rich — Canadian friend… who is the only billionaire that I know that doesn’t want people to know he is a billionaire,” she said in the clip.
Eagle-eyed fans also noticed the Queen rapper liked a tweet that read, “Shoutout to @Drake for being a billionaire too, even though you ain’t want no one to know [crying face emojis].” Read more
TIFF: Tyler Perry, Film Academy CEO Bill Kramer join industry conference lineup (THR)
The Toronto Film Festival has unveiled the first wave of speakers for its Industry Conference lineup in September.
Veteran director and actor Tyler Perry; Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; and newly named Academy president Janet Yang lead the slate of Hollywood creative talent and executives taking part in keynotes and panels.
Besides premiering his new Netflix film, A Jazzman’s Blues, in Toronto, Perry will discuss his career as a film writer, director, producer, actor and studio owner. Kramer and Yang will share the stage at TIFF to possibly discuss Oscars drama and organizational reforms at the Film Academy.
Industry conference organizers have also invited representatives from the Academy, the Screen Actors Guild and other Hollywood stakeholders to discuss “The Future of Awards” as each organization has an evolving impact on the film industry. Read more
The Snowman author and illustrator Raymond Briggs dies aged 88 (Sky)
Author and illustrator Raymond Briggs, best known for the 1978 classic The Snowman, has died aged 88.
The announcement was made by his publisher, Penguin Random House.
The Snowman was first released as a picture book – and has sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide – before it was turned into a much-loved animation in 1982. The show was made for Channel 4 and has since become a festive staple and shown every Christmas since.
Briggs also created beloved children’s books Father Christmas and Fungus The Bogeyman. Read more
Kenya election: Provisional results show tight race amid low turnout (DW)
Official results have yet to be announced, but the two leading candidates are running neck and neck in results tallied by local media. Disappointingly, Tuesday’s election witnessed a low voter turnout compared with 2017.
Preliminary results from Kenya’s presidential election have shown a very tight race between the two main front-runners, Vice President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
At the time of publication, the Daily Nation, one of Kenya’s highest circulation newspapers, had Ruto leading with 51% and Odinga with 48%. The other two candidates — George Wajackoyah and David Waihiga — had not managed to get past 1%.
In a tweet, Odinga’s running mate Martha Karua urged supporters to remain patient. Read more
LIV Golf accuses Tiger Woods of attacking ‘younger golfers’ (DailyMail)
LIV Golf accused the PGA Tour of getting Tiger Woods to ‘publicly criticize’ players for joining the Saudi-backed breakaway.
The accusations were made in court documents submitted initially by 11 LIV Golf rebels, though Carlos Ortiz has since withdrawn his name, as part of an antitrust lawsuit filed against the PGA Tour last week.
The 10 remaining players, including Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Ian Poulter, were suspended by the PGA Tour for joining the controversial LIV Golf Series and have claimed they are being punished for playing in the breakaway’s tournaments.
In the lawsuit, filed August 3, the plaintiffs accused the PGA Tour of getting the 46-year-old to ‘do its bidding’ by publicly attacking his fellow professionals. Read more
Commonwealth Games: Team Nigeria’s athletes return home to a heroic welcome (Leadership)
The first batch of record-breaking Team Nigeria’s athletes that won 12 gold, nine silver and 14 bronze medals at the just-concluded Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in the early hours of Wednesday.
They were received by scores of well-wishers, who sang and danced to welcome them.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare and top management staff of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, members of the Supporters club, the sporting press, and family members, were also on hand to welcome the athletes.
At a brief reception held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Sports Minister represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, thanked the athletes for representing and making Nigeria proud at the Birmingham Games. Read more
CAF: Rivers, Plateau, Kwara handed tricky ties (Punch)
Following the conclusion of the draws for the CAF competitions, Nigerian clubs have been handed tough fixtures as they hope to make it to the group stages of the continental competitions, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
At a draw conducted on Tuesday in Cairo, the 2022/23 CAF Champions League draw had Nigeria Professional Football League champions, Rivers United, pitted against Liberia’s Watanga FC over two legs in the first round of the preliminary stage.
While the Liberian champions are no pushovers, Rivers United are favourites to go through as they hope to make their first appearance in the group stage of the continent’s premier club competition.
The Pride of Rivers, as they are fondly called, saw their chances of making it to the group stage of the competition halted last season by Sudan’s Al Hilal, having defeated Tanzania’s Young Africans on aggregate in the opening round. Read more
World Cup 2022: Tournament set to start 1 day early with Qatar v Ecuador (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 Monday.
However, the administrative arm of world governing body Fifa has submitted a proposal to move the Qatar game. Read more
Ryan Giggs’ ex-girlfriend Kate Greville tells trial she was ‘a slave to his every need’ (ITV)
The ex-girlfriend of former Wales manager and Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs has told a court she became “a slave to his every need and every demand”.
Giving evidence under cross-examination, Kate Greville told Chris Daw QC that when Giggs told her to do something she would do it.
The PR executive said: “He made me feel like I had to do what he said otherwise there were consequences.”
Giggs, 48, denies using controlling and coercive behaviour against Ms Greville, 36, between August 2017 and November 2020, assaulting her, causing actual bodily harm and the common assault of her younger sister. Read more
Aston Martin admit Fernando Alonso will ‘demand a lot’ (Formula1News)
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack is looking forward to his working relationship with Fernando Alonso when the Spaniard joins the team next season.
Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement from Formula 1 at the end of the season ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix and, just a few days later, Alonso was announced as his replacement.
It was thought that the 41-year-old had already made an agreement with billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll in advance even of this season; all he had to do was say yes.
He signed the paperwork over the weekend in Budapest, and the Monday morning after the race saw the British side issue a press release announcing that they had swapped one world champion out for another. Read more
Open champion Cameron Smith refuses to deny LIV Golf deal as $100m rumours persist (Standard)
Open champion Cameron Smith has again refused to confirm he has agreed to join LIV Golf, amid reports he has signed a $100million-plus deal to defect to the Saudi-backed rebel series.
Just a month after Smith won the Claret Jug at St Andrews, the world No2 is expected to join LIV in what would be a major coup for the controversial breakaway series.
Fellow Australian player Cameron Percy said yesterday that Smith has agreed to join up.
But speaking ahead of the FedEx Cup St Jude Championship, Smith said: “My goal here is to win the FedEx play-offs. Read more