Nigerian family faces deportation from Canada over fake admission letter (Leadership)
Nigerian student Lola Akinlade has been ordered to leave Canada by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) due to a fraudulent acceptance letter used to obtain her study visa and work permit.
Akinlade, who graduated with a diploma in Social Services from Nova Scotia Community College in 2019, revealed her distressing experience to CBC News.
She was unaware that the acceptance letter, provided by an agent for the University of Regina in 2016, was fake until IRCC contacted her just weeks before her graduation from the new institution. Read more
Lagos dissociates self from rumour calling on Igbos to leave state (ThisDay)
As the hunger protest enters its second day, the Lagos State government has dissociated itself from post trending on X calling on residents of Igbo extraction to leave Lagos immediately or be ready to face attacks.
The government, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr Gboyega Akosile, distanced the government from the call.
The government’s statement read: “The attention of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been drawn to a post by LagosPedia, a social media handle on X (formerly Twitter) that calls on the Igbo to vacate Lagos and South-west of Nigeria and brace up for a massive hashtag #Igbomustgo protest from 20th to 30th August, 2024. Read more
House help admits killing Justice Ajumogobia’s daughter – Police source (Punch)
One of the domestic workers of Aribemchukwu, the slain daughter of Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, has owned up to being involved in the murder of her boss, a police source exclusively disclosed on Thursday.
PUNCH Metro reported that the deceased, popularly called Chuchu, was reportedly killed in her Parkview Estate residence in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
Although a family source said she was killed Tuesday night, her lifeless body was discovered on Wednesday morning outside the gate of her residence. Read more
Taiwo Akinkunmi: Makinde releases funds for burial of national flag designer – Family (Nation)
The family of the designer of Nigeria’s flag, the late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, has announced that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has released funds for their patriarch’s burial.
In a statement released on Friday, August 2, the family confirmed the governor’s support.
Pa Akinkunmi, a native of Abeokuta in Ogun State, who resided in Ibadan, Oyo State, passed away on August 29, 2023. Read more
MURIC: Nationwide protest hijacked, organisers have lost control (DailyTrust)
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) says the ongoing nationwide protest has been hijacked.
In a statement Friday, the Founder and Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola. called on the conveners to stop the protest.
The statement reads, “The hunger protest took place in several states of Nigeria yesterday, Thursday, 1st August, 2023. Although it was peaceful in some states, it became violent along the line in others with some lives allegedly lost and several buildings and vehicles torched and destroyed. Read more
Kaduna Electric Company disconnects Govt House over N2.9b debt (Vanguard)
The Kaduna Electric Company ( KAEDCO) has cut off electricity supply to the Kaduna State Government House and other state government accounts due to unpaid bills.
Kaduna Electric Head, Corporation Communication, Abdulazeez Abdullahi,announced the disconnection after extensive efforts to resolve the issue through consultations and reconciliations.
“The outstanding balance for electricity consumed from January 2024 to July 2024 alone amounts to a staggering One Billion, One Hundred and Sixty-Six Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety-One Naira, Eighty-Seven Kobo (N1,166,856,991.87).” Read more
Gunmen attack military checkpoint in Ebonyi (Leadership)
The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the attack by gunmen on a military checkpoint along the Amangwu axis of the Amasiri-Owutu Road in Edda local government area of Ebonyi State.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Joshua Ukandu said the command received information from Owutu Police Division that some hoodlums attacked the military checkpoint in the early hours of Friday, shooting sporadically.
Ukandu said the Command was yet to be briefed if there was casualties, but affirmed that “the attack was carried out by yet-to-be-identified gunmen operating on a motorcycle.” Read more
Protests: Police arrest 81 suspected vandals in Sokoto (Channels)
Eighty-one suspected hoodlums have been arrested by Sokoto State Police Command in connection to the violence and vandalism that followed the nationwide protest against hunger in the state.
The Sokoto State Police Command spokesman Ahmed Rufai in a statement said the suspected hoodlums were arrested while unleashing violence on innocent citizens and vandalising government infrastructure in Sokoto metropolis.
According to him, the timely intervention of the police and other security agencies halted the further spread of violence and escalation of looting in the metropolis. Read more
Riot Rose turns 1! Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s youngest son receives sweet tribute from rap star dad (DailyMail)
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s youngest son — Riot Rose Mayers — celebrated his first birthday on Thursday.
Riot Rose’s rap superstar dad, 35, took to Instagram to pay tribute to the tot on his special day.
He included a slideshow of his favorite photos and videos of the little boy, including several shots with his big brother RZA, two.
A$AP Rocky — real name Rakim Athelaston Mayers — shares both boys with billionaire Rihanna, 36. Read more
Rwanda: 30 years later, the chilling story of genocide survivors (AfricaNews)
Thirty years ago, while hiding from the machetes that killed his father, two of his brothers and an estimated 800,000 others during the genocide against Rwanda’s Tutsi minority, Pascal Kanyemera made a deal with God. “Please, if I survive one more week, I will give you 100 Rwandan francs.”
God listened, and the 16-year-old prayed again. And again. And again, until the killings stopped in July 1994.
“At the end of the genocide, I owed God 400 Rwandan francs ,” Kanyemera, now 46, says from his home in Ottawa, the Canadian capital. “That shows you how much I have always put my life and survival in his hands.” Read more
Police dog hungrily accepts invitation from gobby rioter who offered cops his bum (Metro)
Swift justice has been meted out for a second time during riots by racists, bigots and Neanderthal-types.
First we had the painter and decorator who was hit in the balls by a brick, and now we bring you dog ass guy.
The aggressor in this instance does a little jig for police in Hartlepool before turning around and offering them his bum which he spanks. Read more
Masked assailants ransack Venezuela opposition leader’s headquarters as post-election tensions mount (ABC)
A half-dozen masked assailants ransacked the headquarters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Friday in the latest escalation of violence against opponents of Nicolás Maduro following the country’s disputed presidential election.
The raid occurred at around 3 a.m., Machado’s party said, adding that the assailants broke down doors and hauled away valuable documents and equipment. Images published by Machado’s party on social media show several walls covered in black spray paint.
The assault comes as top officials, including Maduro himself, have threatened to arrest the opposition leader, who has gone into hiding as she seeks to rally Venezuelans and the international community to challenge last Sunday’s election results. Read more
Plane crashes into busy motorway and explodes into fireball killing pilot (DailyStar)
A pilot has died after a plane was seen plummeting towards a busy motorway before crashing on a busy motorway and exploding into a fireball.
Breda Aviation Flight School confirmed the death of one of its pilots who was understood to have been training when tragedy struck. The “tragic accident” happened in the Netherlands at around 12.45pm on Tuesday.
Footage taken by motorists show thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the burned-out wreckage, bringing traffic to a standstill. Read more
Tory sacked by Boris Johnson after scandal launches bid to become party leader (Mirror)
Robert Jenrick admitted the Tories have a ‘mountain to climb’ after their general election drubbing as he launched his campaign to become Conservative Party leader
A former Cabinet minister who was sacked by Boris Johnson after he became engulfed in scandal has launched his bid to become Tory leader.
Robert Jenrick claimed he could lead the Conservatives to victory by winning back the youth vote as he began his campaign at an event in his Newark constituency. Read more
Drunk driver was going 78mph when he crashed into nail salon and killed 4, prosecutors say (NBC)
A drunk driver who killed four people and injured nine more when he crashed his SUV into a Long Island nail salon was driving 78 mph at the time of the crash, prosecutors said Thursday as the driver pleaded not guilty to a multitude of charges that include murder and vehicular manslaughter.
Steven Schwally, 64, entered the pleas to a 38-count indictment for the deadly June 28 crash at the Hawaii Nail & Spa store in Deer Park.
The Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, which is representing Schwally, had no comment on the charges. Read more
Abdallah, others jostle for Pillars coaching job (Punch)
Former Enyimba and Super Eagles assistant coach Usman Abdallah is among the frontrunners to take up the vacant role of Kano Pillars head coach as the former Nigerian champions intensify preparation for the 2024/25 season scheduled to begin on August 31, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Abdallah, who has worked as an assistant coach with Kano Pillars before, was among those that were interviewed on Wednesday as Pillars hope to replace Paul Offor.
Kano Pillars hired former Sporting Lagos gaffer Offor some weeks ago, but both parties parted ways mutually on Tuesday after a change in the club’s leadership. Read more
Iheanacho: I learned a lot from Pep, Aguero, others (CompleteSports)
Kelechi Iheanacho has revealed Pep Guardiola played a crucial role in his development as a player.
Iheanacho played for one season under Guardiola during his stint at Manchester City.
The Nigeria international also had the opportunity of learning from top towards like; Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo during the period.
The 27-year-old will spend the next two seasons at Sevilla after leaving Leicester Read more
Conor Gallagher told of Chelsea squad role under Enzo Maresca with his future in balance after Atletico Madrid agreement (SkySports)
Conor Gallagher has been told he will be a squad player under Enzo Maresca’s possession-heavy style of play at Chelsea – but the midfielder remains open to agreeing a new long-term contract with his boyhood club.
Gallagher turned down a new three-year contract offer from Chelsea on Wednesday, with this latest deal – made up of two years plus the option of another – following another extension offer he rejected in June.
The salary Chelsea have offered him is comparable to the highest earners in their midfield and is believed to be comparable to other salary offers he has received. Read more
Slovakian swimmer Tamara Potocka collapses after Olympic qualifier (UPI)
Medical personnel swarmed poolside Friday at La Defense Arena, tending to Slovakian Tamara Potocka, who collapsed after swimming in a qualifying heat for the women’s 200-meter individual medley at Paris 2024.
Potocka, 21, clocked a 2:14.20 to finish seventh in the third heat. She finished 23rd overall, with only the Top 16 qualifying for the semifinals. The Slovakian was then taken away on a stretcher and given an oxygen mask.
“Tamara has asthma,” Slovakia’s team leader, Ivana Lange, said in a statement. “This whole combination of nervous and physical tension while she did not have her inhaler immediately available to use contributed to the creation of this problem. Read more
Simone Biles trolls Trump after making Olympic history: ‘I love my Black job’ (Independent)
Simone Biles has taken a swipe at Donald Trump declaring she loves her “Black job” after she swept the board at the Paris Olympics this week.
The 27-year-old star had already earned the title of Team USA’s most decorated gymnast of all time before she touched down in France. This week, she then made further history by winning her sixth Olympic gold medal and her second in this year’s games.
After taking gold in the all-round competition on Thursday – becoming only the third and oldest woman to take the top medal twice – Biles took to social media to troll Trump, following his shocking remarks about Kamala Harris’ racial heritage at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) conference. Read more
IOC defends Algerian boxer Imane Khelif after gender row (AfricaNews)
A spokesman for the International Olympic Committee said Friday two boxers at the centre of a controversy after one of them pulled out of a bout shortly after it had started, were eligible to fight as women.
“I think the question you have to ask yourself is, are these athletes women? The answer is yes according to eligibility, according to passports, according to their history,” Mark Adams told a news conference in Paris.
Imane Khelif of Algeria won her opening Olympic boxing bout when opponent Angela Carini of Italy quit after just 46 seconds. Read more