Order your appointee to apologise for slapping my daughter, Okorocha tells Ihedioha (Punch)
The immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has told his successor, Emeka Ihedioha, to order a member of a committee on recovery of stolen state government assets to tender public apology for allegedly slapping his (Okorocha’s) daughter, Uloma Rochas Nwosu. Okorocha noted that, “On Friday, July 26, 2019, a member of the Committee on Recovery of Government Property set up by Governor Emeka Ihedioha and led by Mr. Jasper Ndubuaku, slapped the daughter of the former governor of Imo State, Mrs. Uloma Rochas Okorocha, when she went to the All-In Furniture Store owned by her mother, to know why members of the committee invaded the store and began to tamper with items, including the ones inside the containers, especially when the EFCC had marked the shop for investigation also following their petitions to that effect.” Read more
NCAA audits Air Peace over landing incident (Nation)
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said Sunday it has concluded a technical audit of Air Peace Airlines and its fleet. The audit, which comprised a thorough examination of the airline’s operational, technical and safety performance in the last twelve months according to NCAA spokesman, Sam Adurogboye provided the window for the regulator to scrutinise the books of the carrier in line with extant regulations. Read more
South-West traditional rulers accused of selling land to foreign herdsmen (Punch)
Some traditional rulers in the South-West have been accused of inviting herdsmen from foreign countries to settle in their domains. They allegedly harboured herdsmen from West African countries in the Oke Ogun area of Oyo State and other parts of Yorubaland. A former Director, Directorate of Military Intelligence, Col. Kunle Toogun (retd.), said a monarch in Oke Ogun brought four trucksloads of herdsmen to his domain about three months ago. Read more
Soldiers kill 5 bandits, rescue 2 kidnap victims in Kaduna (Nation)
Men of the Nigerian Army in Operation Thunder Strike and Operation Harbin Kunama III have killed five suspected bandits and arrested four others during two separate operations in Chikun and Igabi Local Government Areas of Kaduna State. Deputy Director, Army Public Relations 1 Division Nigerian Army, Colonel Ezindu Idima, who disclosed this in a statement in Kaduna on Sunday, said the troops also rescued two kidnap victims. Read more
Jonathan should have implemented executive orders in 2014 confab –Osoba (Punch)
A former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, said ex-President Goodluck Jonathan had enough time to implement some aspects of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference before he left office in 2015. Osoba, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said some recommendations of the conference required executive orders to implement, adding that Jonathan had nine months after the report of the conference was presented to him before he left office. Read more
No going back on Ruga in Zamfara, says Gov (Nation)
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle at the weekend insisted that there is no going back on establishment of Ruga settlements in the state. He spoke with State House correspondents after the Presidential Policy Retreat at the Presidential Villa. On what to expect from his administration in terms of agricultural transformation, he said: “In zamfara we will adopt Ruga in our strategy to address the herders/farmers crisis; it is a developmental project on ranch and we are ready for it.” Read more
NNPC warns against violation of pipeline Right-of-Way (Guardian)
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has raised the red flag on the violation of its pipeline right-of-way by some individuals and communities along the corridor of the system 2E pipeline network. The Corporation gave the warning in a statement by Mr Ndu Ughamadu, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, in Abuja on Sunday. Read more
Insecurity: Poverty is fighting back in hard way, says Bamidele (Nation)
The Senator representing Ekiti Central, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, has said the prevailing high rate of poverty and unemployment in the country was responsible for the current security challenges afflicting Nigeria. Bamidele said many people indulged in criminal activities to satisfy their immediate basic needs since they have no means of livelihood. In a telephone chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, the former Lagos Commissioner disabused the mind of those having the erroneous impression that the seemingly lenient nature of the senators in the ongoing screening at the Senate, was a compromise of the exercise. Read more
Safety expert urges NAFDAC to ensure traders obey time lag for sale of sniper (Guardian)
The Nigerian Chapter of the World Safety Organisation (WSO) has urged NAFDAC to ensure that traders comply with the time lag given to them to stop the sale of Sniper and other hazardous chemical substances in the open market. Mr Sean Nwaogu, the Lagos State Head of Operations and Head Trainer of the organization, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos that traders would obey and stop the sale of such substances when NAFDAC began enforcement. Read more
Pilgrims pray for Nigeria at the Prophet’s graveside in Medinah (Punch)
Thousands of Nigerian pilgrims in Madinah on Sunday trooped to the section of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, where his grave is located, to offer special prayers for Nigeria. News Agency of Nigeria correspondent in Madinah reports that the pilgrims were seen beside the grave offering two rakat prayers. According to an Islamic scholar, Dr. Alhassan Yaaub, one prayer offered at the Prophet’s mosque in Madinah is equivalent to one thousand prayers anywhere else in the world except in Masjid Haram in Makkah. Read more
Air strike on Libya hospital kills five doctors (BBC)
An air strike has killed five doctors in a hospital in the southern outskirts of Libya’s capital Tripoli, an official from the UN-backed government says. A warplane belonging to Khalifa Hafta, the rogue general who commands the Libyan National Army, carried out the attack, the health ministry spokesman added. The LNA has not commented. Libya has been roiled in conflict since the fall of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Read more
WHO hails new DRC aid in fight against Ebola (Punch)
The head of the WHO on Saturday said a shortage in funding to halt the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo was finally being filled. Tedrus Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, said that several countries had renewed pledges of financial aid after the Ebola outbreak was declared an international emergency earlier this month. “Especially in the last couple of weeks there is renewed commitment to finance the shortages we were facing,” Ghebreyesus told AFP at a summit in Nigeria’s capital Abuja. Read more
HK police and protesters clash near China office (BBC)
Hong Kong has seen a second day of violent clashes between police and pro-democracy demonstrators who are also angry at alleged police brutality. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters trying to reach the Chinese government’s office. Tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken over streets near Sai Wan and Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong has seen eight consecutive weekends of anti-government and pro-democracy protests. Read more
Trump defends attack on black US lawmaker (Guardian)
US President Donald Trump defended Sunday his latest attack on a prominent African-American lawmaker in comments that drew more accusations of racism. In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump took aim at Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings a high-profile critic of Trump’s administration whose district covers much of the majority black city of Baltimore, Maryland. “Cumming (sic) District is a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess,” the president wrote, calling it “the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States.” Read more
Brazil’s indigenous people: Miners kill one in invasion of protected reserve (BBC)
Dozens of armed miners have invaded a remote indigenous reserve in northern Brazil and stabbed to death at least one of its leaders, officials say. Residents of a village in Amapá state fled in fear but a community leader said they could try to reclaim it, warning of the risk of violent clashes. Police have been sent to the area. Tensions in the Amazon region are on the rise as far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has vowed to open some of the protected areas to mining. Read more
Alexei Navalny: Jailed Russian opposition head develops ‘allergy’ (BBC)
Russia’s most prominent opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, has been taken from jail to a hospital in Moscow. Officials gave no details of his condition but Mr Navalny’s spokeswoman said he had had an allergic reaction with severe facial swelling – something she said he had not experienced before. A hospital source told Russian media his condition was satisfactory. Read more
Man threatens to rape woman selling iPhone when she refuses to meet at her home (Metro)
A pervert told a woman selling her smartphone she’d ‘want to be raped’ when she refused to give him her address. Amber J received the shocking message after trying to sell her iPhone on Facebook. A man responded to the post and at first he seemed reasonable. But things took a dark turn when he started to insist he they meet at her home to make the exchange. Read more
British woman arrested over ‘false rape claim’ in Ayia Napa (BBC)
A British woman who alleged she was raped in Cyprus has been arrested on suspicion of making a false allegation, according to news agencies. The 12 Israelis arrested over the alleged attack, which was said to have taken place on 17 July in Ayia Napa, have all been released. Reuters and AFP said the 19-year-old woman was arrested on Sunday. The Foreign Office said it was supporting a British woman and her family following her arrest in Cyprus. Read more
Thugs yell ‘gays should be strung up’ then attack man as he tries to leave Tube (Metro)
A group who verbally abused a gay couple on the Tube before knocking one of the men unconscious in a brutal homophobic attack are being hunted by police. Officers have issued CCTV images of the suspects following the shocking assault on a late night train from London Liverpool Street to Shoeburyness in Essex. They say the victim was hit several times in the head in the ‘unprovoked’ attack as he went to leave the train at Upminster station in east London. Read more
British soldier Sgt Matt Tonroe ‘killed by American friendly fire’ (BBC)
A UK soldier who died in Syria fighting the Islamic State group was killed by friendly fire, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said. It was previously reported by US officials that Sgt Matt Tonroe was killed by a roadside bomb in 2018.However, the MoD said the 33-year-old died as a result of “explosives” carried by allied American forces. Sgt Tonroe was the only British soldier killed in active duty during operations against IS. Read more
We’re still investigating the kidnap of Siasia’s mother —Police (Punch)
The Police Command in Bayelsa State has said that its personnel are working round the clock to ensure that the kidnapped mother of Samson Siasia, Nigeria’s former Super Eagles player, is rescued from her captors. SP Asinim Butswat, the spokesperson of the Command, made this known in a text message with the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa on Sunday. NAN reports that Mrs. Beauty Siasia, who was kidnapped on July 15 with two others in Odoni community, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has spent 14 days in the kidnappers’ den. Read more
Gareth Bale: Real Madrid call off Wales forward’s China move (BBC)
Gareth Bale’s move to China is off after Real Madrid cancelled the deal, with the Wales winger now set to stay at the Spanish club. Bale, 30, had been expected to join Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning on a three-year deal, earning a reported £1m a week. Last week Real boss Zinedine Zidane said Bale was “very close to leaving” having fallen out of favour. Zidane added his exit would be “best for everyone”. Read more
Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac left out of Arsenal friendly after conversation with Unai Emery (Metro)
Unai Emery has decided to afford Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac more time to recover from their midweek ordeal, leaving both men out of the Arsenal squad for Sunday’s friendly against Lyon. The pair were attacked by a metal-pole wielding scooter gang in north London on Thursday afternoon. Both escaped without sustaining injury after Kolasinac bravely confronted the attackers, while Ozil sped away with the wives of the two players understood to have been in the passenger seats of the German’s car. Read more
Neymar to miss PSG’s final Asian matches (Punch)
Neymar will not feature in Paris Saint-Germain’s last two games of their pre-season tour of Asia, French media reported on Sunday. PSG play Sydney FC in Suzhou on Tuesday but, sports daily L’Equipe reported, Neymar, who missed Brazil’s victorious Copa America campaign with an ankle injury, and defender Presnel Kimpembe will stay behind in Shenzhen to work on their fitness. The world’s most expensive player sat out the defeat on penalties to Inter Milan in Macao on Saturday. Read more
Kompany loses first game as Anderlecht boss (BBC)
Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany lost his first Belgian First Division A match as player-manager of RSC Anderlecht. The centre-back named himself in the starting XI but could do nothing to stop a late winner in a 2-1 defeat at home by KV Oostende. Michel Vlap gave Anderlecht the lead but Ronald Vargas and Fashion Sakala scored in each half for Oostende. It was Kompany’s first competitive game since leaving Man City in May. Read more
Liverpool sign teen record-breaker Harvey Elliott (Guardian)
Liverpool have completed the signing of 16-year-old winger Harvey Elliott from Fulham, the European champions announced on Sunday. “To have joined the club that I supported as a boy is a dream come true for me and all of my family and it’s an incredible feeling to now officially be able to call myself a Red!” Elliott wrote on Instagram. Read more
Hamburg Open: Nikoloz Basilashvili beats Andrey Rublev in ATP 500 final (BBC)
Georgian world number 16 Nikoloz Basilashvili became the first player to defend the Hamburg Open title since Roger Federer in 2005 with a three-set win over Russian Andrey Rublev. Basilashvili, 27, hit 26 forehand winners in a 7-5 4-6 6-3 victory. Rublev’s serve came under pressure in the first and third sets, Basilashvili converting four of 15 break points. Read more
Max Verstappen wins German Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton crashes (BBC)
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took his second win of the year in a chaotic and incident-strewn German Grand Prix held in intermittent rain. The Dutchman led a topsy-turvey result in which Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took second from the back of the grid and Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat was third. Lewis Hamilton had a day to forget, finishing 11th after two mistakes. Read more
Tyson Fury’s family don’t want re-match with Deontay Wilder to go ahead, claims Bronze Bomber (Metro)
Deontay Wilder claims Tyson Fury’s family do not want their eagerly anticipated re-match to go ahead amid fears over the British heavyweight’s safety. Fury announced his return to boxing’s top table by securing a controversial draw against the unbeaten American back in December 2018. Despite twice being sent crashing to the canvas, most experts and pundits felt he had comfortably outpointed Wilder. Read more
Gervonta Davis beats Ricardo Nunez to defend WBA super-featherweight title (BBC)
Gervonta Davis defended his WBA super-featherweight title with a knockout win over Ricardo Nunez on Saturday. The American, 24, caught Nunez with a left hook midway through the second round and the Panamanian was stopped on the ropes shortly after. Victory in Davis’ hometown of Baltimore ensured the Floyd Mayweather protege remains unbeaten and takes his record to 22 wins with 21 knockouts. Read more