Notorious bandit bags traditional title in Zamfara (Tribune)
The Emir of Yandoto in Zamfara State, Alhaji Garba Marafa, has conferred the traditional title of Sarki Fulani to one of the most notorious bandits operating in Zamfara and Katsina states.
It was gathered that the emir conferred the traditional title on the bandit, Ada Aleru, on Saturday afternoon.
According to reports, the emirate decided to give the bandit the traditional title because he recently had shown his willingness to embrace peace in the emirate.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Aleru was in the forefront of the recent peace efforts in the two emirates of Yandoto and Tsafe.” Read more
NDLEA arrests 27-year-old drug queen with narcotics in fetish bowls at Lagos Airport (DailyTrust)
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 27-year-old drug queen, Mrs Opoola Mujidat, for planting drugs concealed in fetish bowls, containing scary native black soap and sponge on two Oman-bound male passengers at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja (MMIA), Lagos.
The passengers, Raji Babatunde Kazeem and Akinbobola Omoniyi were travelling together to Oman, the Middle East, on an Ethiopian Airlines flight on Monday 11th July when they were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the airport.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that a search of their luggage revealed wraps of cannabis Sativa hidden in bowls of native black soap and sponges packed into a bag containing food items, which Kazeem was carrying.
Both Kazeem and Omoniyi immediately alerted the anti-narcotic officers that Mujidat who was still within the vicinity gave the bag containing the illicit substance to them at the airport and she was promptly arrested. Read more
Again, Lagos at the mercy of flash floods (Guardian)
For the umpteenth time, it was another season of gnashing of teeth for some residents of Lagos State, who had the misfortune of losing their valuables as well as loved ones to flash flood.
Indeed, the last couple of weeks has proven to be the most concerning for residents of low-lying areas, especially those with poor drainage networks, as well as those with clogged drains where nature’s fury was witnessed in full force.
According to experts, one of the biggest factors that facilitate the perennial flooding that parts of the state are witnessing is its topography, as the state is essentially made up of low-lying terrain, which is up to 0.4 per cent below the sea level. This in itself constitutes a drainage challenge for any city, anywhere in the world.
The “extended rains of three to eight days for areas in and around Adamawa, Ogun, Edo, Niger Delta and low-lying areas such as Lagos,” in other words, the intensity of this year’s rains, which the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) earlier predicted, is also a major factor in the scenario that is currently playing out. Read more
Choice of Funke Akindele unsettles Lagos APC – PDP (Nation)
The Peoples’ Democratic Party(PDP) in Lagos State has claimed the choice of Funke Akindele, running mate to its governorship candidate is already unsettling the All Progressives Congress(APC).
The actress’ choice was made public last Tuesday at the Ikorodu area of Lagos.
The announcement has however attracted several reactions.
While some have commended her choice, others criticised it. Read more
Tinubu’s ally Kemi Nelson dies at 66 (Vanguard)
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, Mrs kemi Nelson is dead. She was aged 66.
Nelson was said to have died after a brief illness.
APC Spokesman in Lagos, Mr. Seye Oladejo, who confirmed the death, described it as, “tragic and very sad.”
She was one of the close loyalists of APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Read more
Osun poll: Aregbesola breaks silence after Oyetola’s defeat (Punch)
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Sunday, reacted to the Osun State governorship election with a bible verse.
The former Osun State Governor reacted to the election in a post titled, ‘Osun Le Tente’ (Osun excelled), which was later deleted.
The post was shared on his social media pages around 08 am.
He posted a bible verse, Daniel 4:17, exalting God’s power to place control in the hands of whoever He wishes. Read more
The Place opens new outlet in Egbeda (ThisDay)
The Place Nigeria, one of Nigeria’s leading quick-service restaurants, is set to open a new outlet in Egbeda.
This announcement was made during a press briefing at their head office in Lekki on Friday.
According to the head of marketing, Susan Izenegu, the Egbeda outlet which is located along Idimu-Egbeda Road, would be launched on Monday, July 18 as an addition to the already existing 22 outlets presently in Nigeria.
Izenegu explained that The Place was poised to provide its customers with premium dining experience and exceptional customer service they don’t get in other restaurants. Read more
Osun poll: Omisore faults vote-buying claims (Punch)
The All Progressives Congress National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, has faulted claims that the ongoing Osun State governorship election was characterised by voter inducement at some polling units.
He made the clarification after voting at his unit, Moore 003, Ife Ward 1 in Ile Ife in Ife East Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.
Omisore arrived at the polling unit at about 1.30 pm amid cheers from the party members and loyalists who had stayed back after casting their votes to witness the APC chieftain perform his civic responsibility.
Asked about alleged vote-buying and voter intimidation in the election in the area, Omisore said, “I am not aware and I did not see anybody engaged in such. I can see how free people are now. Read more
Gunmen abduct NDDC official in Imo (Vanguard)
Gunmen, early hours of Saturday kidnapped a top official of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Kingsley Okorafor close to his residence in Umuadara Umulogho autonomous community in Obowo local government area of Imo state.
The Traditional Ruler of the community Eze Patrick Uwalaka confirmed the incident to newsmen in Owerri.
Vanguard gathered that Okorafor was abducted while he was returning home from the vigil of the Traditional Ruler of Ndihu autonomous community in Obowo LGA late Eze Innocent Anyawu on Friday night, whose burial is slated for Saturday, July 16 2022.
He was said to have been trailed by the kidnappers from the vigil to his home and he was abducted and his car abandoned. Read more
Community begs Nasarawa gov over abandoned road project (Independent)
Ome community in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Saturday called on Governor Abdullahi Sule to direct the contractor handling the Gude-Shupe/Ome Atabula Obi Road to return to the site in order to complete the abandoned road project.
Comrade James Elisha, the Youth Chairman of Ome Community, disclosed this in an interview with SATURDAY INDEPENDENT shortly after the community road work exercise.
Mr James said if the government did not come to their aid they would be cut off from the rest of the nearest towns.
He said, “This Gude-hupe Ome-Atabula Obi road is one of the major roads that we depend on when we want to convey our farm products to the market. Read more
‘The Office’ star Craig Robinson evacuated from comedy club due to ‘active shooter’ incident (Variety)
Craig Robinson, the star of “The Office” and “Hot Tub Time Machine,” was evacuated from the Charlotte, N.C. comedy club where he was scheduled to perform on Saturday night after a man brandished a gun and demanded everyone leave the venue. He later discharged the firearm, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which reports that there were no injuries and the suspect is in custody. The club was evacuated before the gun was fired, police said.
Robinson shared the experience on social media. “I’m safe,” he said in a video message on Instagram. “I’m cool. It was wild I was in the green room and they’re like ‘everybody get out.’ It was a moment for sure.”
Robinson posted the video while watching a Big Time Rush concert at the Metro Credit Union Amphitheater, saying that he had been told to go to the nearby theater while police handled the “active shooter” situation.
Robinson’s show at the Comedy Zone was canceled. Police said the incident occurred “shortly after 9 p.m.” Read more
‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ drops to $45m 2nd weekend (TheWrap)
Another Marvel film has taken a sharp second weekend drop as “Thor: Love and Thunder” is estimated to earn $45 million, a 68% drop from its $144 million opening.
The estimate comes after “Love and Thunder” earned $13.8 million on Friday, which is 66% down from the $40.5 million that it grossed on its opening Friday minus Thursday previews. By comparison, “Jurassic World: Dominion,” which opened to $145 million in June, had a 59% drop and a second weekend total of $59.1 million, and the 68% weekend drop would be roughly the same to what “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Eternals” earned in their second frames.
Despite the drop, “Thor: Love and Thunder” will easily hold on to the No. 1 spot with a domestic estimated total of $232.8 million through Sunday.
Paramount’s “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank” is opening below pre-weekend projections and outside the top 5 with $2.4 million grossed from 3,475 theaters on Friday and an estimated $6.2 million opening. Family audiences have given the “Blazing Saddles” adaptation an A- on CinemaScore but Rotten Tomatoes scores are mixed at 51% critics and 62% audience.
Among new releases, Sony/TriStar’s “Where the Crawdads Sing” is in third on the box office charts with $7.2 million gross on Friday from 3,650 theaters and an estimated opening of $15.5 million, beating pre-weekend projections for a $10 million start. The Reese Witherspoon-produced drama has a budget of $24 million before marketing and has been embraced by fans of Delia Owens’ novel with an A- on CinemaScore and a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes despite a 35% score from critics. Read more
Doctor Who and Holby City star lands next movie role (DigitalSpy)
Doctor Who and Holby City star Sharon D Clarke has landed her next movie role.
The actress, who played the late Grace O’Brien in the BBC’s long-running sci-fi show and Lola Griffin in the recently-ended medical drama, is to join the cast of Amazon Prime Video’s romantic comedy Red, White & Royal Blue.
As reported by Variety, Clarke has signed up for the film alongside Bridgerton’s Thomas Flynn and Death in Paradise’s Malcolm Atobrah. The film has already announced Kill Bill and Hollywood Stargirl’s Uma Thurman, The Kissing Booth’s Taylor Zakhar Perez and Cinderella’s Nicholas Galitzine.
Two male leads will be playing the US President’s son and royal counterpart, respectively. The pair will get into an altercation that is papped by the tabloids, forcing them to fake a friendship to ease international relations. But not only will they become real friends, but something more than that. Read more
UK heatwave: Cinema chain offers free entry to red-haired people (Independent)
UK cinema chain Showcase has offered free entry to red-haired people during the heatwave.
The Met Office has warned that temperatures could reach 40 C next week for the first time in UK history.
On Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July, red-haired people – who studies have found to be more sensitive to the sun than others – will be able to see a film at any Showcase cinema for free.
One ticket per red-haired person can be claimed per day, at local box offices, and there will be no reimbursements for previously purchased tickets. Read more
Sam Fender thanks fans for ‘magic’ evening at Finsbury Park concert (MusicNews)
Sam Fender thanked his fans for a “magic” evening as he performed in Finsbury Park in London on Friday night (15.07.22).
The 28-year-old singer played his biggest headline show to date as the sun shone down in the UK capital and he admitted the concert would live long in the memory.
He said: “This is the first time we’ve ever done anything like this, it’s our biggest headline show we’ve ever played.
“Thank you so much for coming out, I’m gonna remember this one for a long time I think.” Read more
Rapper Kodak Black arrested on drug charges in Florida (ABC)
Rapper Kodak Black was arrested in South Florida on charges of trafficking in oxycodone and possession of a controlled substance.
The rapper, whose legal name is Bill Kapri, was booked Friday into jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he awaits a bond hearing.
The Florida Highway Patrol said in a release that troopers pulled Black over because he was driving a purple SUV with window tints that appeared darker than the legal limit.
They detected a marijuana smell and then searched the SUV and found a small clear bag with 31 white tablets and almost $75,000 in cash. The tablets were later identified as oxycodone. Read more
Russians visited Iran twice in June to assess combat drones for Ukraine, US says (TimesOfIsrael)
Russian officials have recently visited Iran twice to assess combat drones, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Saturday, as Moscow looks to bolster its arsenal for the war in Ukraine.
Iran’s military hosted two showcases for Russian delegations at the Kashan airfield, on June 8 and again on July 5, Sullivan said in a statement.
Satellite imagery released by the White House shows Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 drones at or flying near the site.
The White House said earlier this week that it believes Moscow is looking to acquire hundreds of the drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — and that Tehran is set to train Russian forces to use them as soon as this month. Read more
Pillars relegated after losing appeal (Punch)
Kano Pillars’ bid to avoid relegation from the Nigeria Professional Football League has been dealt a huge as the Nigerian Football Federation on Saturday turned down the club’s appeal against the three points deduction sanctioned by the federation’s Disciplinary Committee, SUNDAY PUNCH reports.
The verdict sees Pillars drop to 19th in the NPFL log with 42 points, five points from safety with a game (against Shooting Stars in Kano) left to play this season.
The four-time NPFL champions were docked three points by the League Management Company for their unprofessional conduct in a match day 31 fixture against Dakadda at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano where match officials were assaulted and media equipment of the visiting teams destroyed.
The Decision of the Appeals Committee read, “Finding No.5 of the Disciplinary Committee, which was not appealed against by the Appellant, was what the Committee found as the main crux of the disruption of the match by the attack of the Kano Pillars’ former Chairman on Asst. Referee 1, as shown in the pictorial evidence presented before the Committee. In view of the above, the appeal fails. Read more
WAFCON 2022: Waldrum sets trophy target for Super Falcons (Sun)
Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum has sensationally revealed that his target is to win the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations currently going on in Morocco.
The Nigerian girls push for a 10th continental title with a nail-biting 1-0 victory against Cameroon. As the championship kicked off, The Super Falcons started on the wrong foot, losing their opening match to South Africa.
They have, however, picked themselves up since that defeat, securing emphatic wins against Botswana and Burundi in the group stage.
The team continued with its brilliance in the quarter-finals played on Thursday, beating one of the tournament’s favourite Cameroon. Read more
Mount lifts Chelsea to 2-1 win over Club America in Vegas friendly (Guardian)
Chelsea, prepping for their first Premier League season since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the club, beat Mexico’s Club America 2-1 in an international club friendly in Las Vegas.
Mason Mount sealed the victory in the 83rd minute with a sensational right-footed shot from outside the box.
Timo Werner had given Chelsea a momentary lead in the 55th but a sloppy backpass from Reece James resulted in an own-goal five minutes later that gifted Club America the equalizer.
The 47,223 who turned out at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, watched both teams struggle to finish in the first half.
Chelsea’s Brazilian international Kenedy fired wide in the 24th, Kai Havertz shot over the crossbar in the 29th and in the 40th substitute America’s keeper Oscar Jimenez blocked Thiago Silva’s header from the center of the box. Read more
Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson tells Jurgen Klopp “good luck” against Erling Haaland (DailyStar)
Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has joked “good luck” to Jurgen Klopp after Manchester City signed Erling Haaland over the summer.
City and Liverpool have locked horns at the top of the table over the past five years – with the Blues generally coming out on top. And City have added more reinforcement to their ranks with Haaland, one of the most potent attackers in Europe.
Liverpool have responded by signing highly-touted Darwin Nunez from Benfica for £85million. “Both Erling Haaland and Darwin Núñez are goal scorers but they’re both completely different players,” Lawro told Paddy Power.
“It shows that you don’t have to have a stereotypical player in that position. They can be different. Read more
Aston Martin ‘in talks’ with Sebastian Vettel as team boss provides 2023 contract update (Formula1News)
Sebastian Vettel and Aston Martin are currently discussing extending his stay at the Silverstone-based side beyond the end of 2022, team principal Mike Krack has said.
The German joined Aston Martin with high hopes from Ferrari in 2021, but aside from his podium at last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the relationship hasn’t seen much success.
And, with Aston Martin’s 2022 challenger being one of the most uncompetitive cars on the Formula 1 grid, there arguably isn’t much incentive for Vettel to extend his stay with the team into 2023.
However, Krack has revealed that the four-time world champion is in active talks with Aston Martin about signing a new deal that will keep him at the team next year and potentially beyond 2023. Read more
Matthews wins Tour de France Stage 14 after solo ride (DailyMail)
Michael Matthews of Australia posted a solo win on the 14th stage of the Tour de France after a long breakaway and a tremendous effort in the last climb on Saturday.
It was Matthews’ fourth stage win at cycling’s biggest race.
The Australian was part of a group of 23 riders who broke from the pack after a frenetic start to the stage punctuated by a flurry of attacks on hilly ground from Saint-Etienne to Mende.
Matthews, from the BikeExchange-Jayco team, launched a solo effort about 50 kilometers from the finish and reduced the leading group to just four men. Read more
John McEnroe reveals how he honestly feels about Novak Djokovic’s vaccine stance (TennisWorld)
John McEnroe says he doesn’t agree with Novak Djokovic’s decision not to get vaccinated but adds he respects the Serb’s decision. Djokovic, 35, hasn’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 and that cost him his participation at the Australian Open.
Now, Djokovic is likely to miss out on the US Open as unvaccinated individuals aren’t allowed to enter the country under the current US vaccine laws. “Novak hasn’t gotten the credit he deserves, he is a class act,” McEnroe told Tennis365.
“I don’t agree with his decision not to get vaccinated, but I respect it. He is one of the fittest guys in the world and everything he puts into his body, he is watching carefully. It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this situation where it has been a train wreck for him.
A total debacle. To the point where he way he was thrown out of Australia, are you kidding me? The way that all played out was just horrible, so I respect him even more that he has overcome these things. He has to be the most mentally tough player I’ve ever seen on a tennis court. Read more