Passport: FG moves NIMC to Ministry of Interior (DailyTrust)
The federal government has moved the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to the Ministry of Interior as part of efforts to resolve issues around passport processing in the country.
On assumption of office, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, promised to work towards having the NIMC in the ministry for proper coordination of identity data of Nigerians.
This process is now being accelerated in line with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s directive to remove all impediments and bottlenecks from obtaining passports. Read more
1 feared killed as flood wreaks havoc in Lagos estate (Punch)
One person was feared killed as flood wreaked havoc at Gate House, Gold Crescent, Lagos State Development and Property Corporation Bungalow Scheme, Oke Afa, Isolo, Lagos.
The residents expressed fear over flooding that continually threatened the safety of lives and property within the estate.
Some of the residents, who spoke in separate interviews with PUNCH Metro, said the flood was further worsened after the downpour on Tuesday. Read more
VMA Awards 2023: Davido hails Rema for winning Best Afrobeats Song (Leadership)
Famous Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, a.k.a Davido, has congratulated his fellow singer, Rema, for winning the maiden “Best Afrobeats Song” category at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in New Jersey, USA, on Tuesday night.
Leadership reports that Rema defeated Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr and others to clinch the award.
While receiving his award, Rema acknowledged the contributions of Nigerian music legends such as Davido, Burna Boy and Wizkid to afrobeats, which made it possible for the genre to be on the global stage.
Davido, who attended the event, described Rema’s victory as “well deserved.” Read more
Bulls resurface at NGX as Equities investors gain N358.05b (Tribune)
Equities trading at the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) bounced back on Wednesday after previous session losses, as the benchmark Index of the local bourse surged 0.98 per cent to close at 67,414.40 basis points.
Basically, renewed investor interests in Tier-1 bank, Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and Access Holdings pushed the broader index into positive terrain as these banking stocks enjoyed rally to appreciat in share prices by 0.74 per cent, 6.00 per cent and 9.77 per cent, respectively.
Consequently, the Month-to-Date and Year-to-Date returns increased to +1.3 per cent and +31.5 per cent, respectively. Read more
Mile 2-Apapa expressway: Hold LASTMA, Police, others accountable — Truck drivers (Vanguard)
Tankers and trucks for about a week running have blocked the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway from Second Rainbow bus stop to Tin Port following the inability of the joint task force on Apapa-Oshodi traffic gridlock, comprising Nigeria Police Force, Lagos Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA; and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, to manage the traffic situation.
The drivers claimed that they have paid all the agencies concerned but the development has led to a total collapse of business activities along the stretch of the road.
Vanguard observed that the joint task force had completely failed to curb the excesses of the tanker drivers for over one week running as the chaotic traffic situation worsened. Read more
Student union kicks as OAU increases fees by 300% (Nation)
The student union of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun State has kicked against the management after increment of tuition fee by 300 per cent.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Abiodun Olarewaju, in a release stated that the decision was taken by the Senate of the University at its emergency meeting on Tuesday.
According to him: “For those in the faculties of Arts, Law and Humanities, the ‘freshers’ will pay N151, 200 while returning students of the same faculties will pay N89,200. Read more
Nigerians to begin cleaning goods from Cotonou, says Adeniyi (Guardian)
Acting Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, on Tuesday, said that Nigerian importers willing to use the ports in Benin, will soon begin to clear their goods from Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Customs boss stated this in Abuja, at the end of a two-day working visit of the Director-General of Benin Republic Customs, said that the collaboration is to eliminate barriers, and promote legitimate trade within the West African region.
Adeniyi said: “If there are people in the Benin Republic who want to use our ports, we try to build trust in our systems. And by virtue of this agreement, what it means is that Nigerian importers willing to use the ports in Cotonou can have their goods cleared in those ports because there would be an opportunity for them to pay duties on goods that are liable for payment of duties. Read more
Insecurity: Niger to reopen some shut public schools (ThisDay)
Not less than 11 out of the 42 public schools shut across Niger State as a result of insecurity and banditry might be reopened from the next academic year.
The 42 schools were shut way back in 2021 following frequent kidnappings of students, especially girls. The highest point was the kidnapping of 99 girls from Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area, where the students spent close to 88 days in the den of kidnappers.
The government, according to a reliable source close to the Ministry of Education, was still closely watching the security situation as it affects\ed the communities where the remaining 31 schools were located. Read more
Meryl Streep says she would “totally” return for ‘‘Mamma Mia! 3’’ as a reincarnated Donna (THR)
Meryl Streep would love to return as a dancing queen once more.
During a recently published Vogue oral history of Mamma Mia, the Oscar-winning actress and a few of her co-stars shared their thoughts on a third Mamma Mia movie.
“I’m up for anything,” Streep said. “I’ll have to schedule a knee scoping before we film, but if there’s an idea that excites me, I’m totally there.” Read more
Aquaman director says sequel ‘‘always’’ intended for less Amber Heard despite her claims from trial (People)
Director James Wan says the upcoming Aquaman sequel was never meant to focus on Amber Heard’s Mera.
The actress, 37, reprises her role as the sea princess in ‘‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’’, but during her Virginia defamation trial with ex-husband Johnny Depp last year, Heard testified that her role became “very pared down” amid negative attention on her personal life.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Wan, 46, said Mera was never intended to be a main character in the second installment. Instead, the new story focuses on Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson). Read more
At least 5,000 dead, thousands more missing after Libya storm (AfricaNews)
The eastern Libyan city of Derna on Wednesday counted its dead in the thousands, and feared a very heavy toll, after two dams broke under the pressure of torrential rains, releasing powerful floodwaters that swept away everything in their path.
Given the difficult access to this town of 100,000 inhabitants, uncertainties remain over the number of victims of the disaster, which could have left several thousand people dead or missing, according to the authorities.
Roads were cut off, landslides and floods prevented rescue services from reaching the population, who had to make do with rudimentary means to recover bodies buried by the dozen in mass graves, according to images broadcast on social networks. Read more
Blink-182 confirm the release date of brand new music after teasing fans (Standard)
American rock band Blink-182 have just announced the release date of new music – and there’s really not long to wait.
The band confirmed that something is happening on September 21 through a link posted on their Twitter. Titled “stall”, the link takes fans to a website of an illustration of a bathroom stall – urinals, decrepit wall and graffiti included. In the stall there’s a small TV, which is showing clips of the band on tour. Next to it is an ever smaller digital clock, which says 9:21 – the American way of writing September 21. Read more
“Killers Of The Flower Moon” trailer drops as October release date nears (Deadline)
Apple Original Films on Wednesday unveiled a new trailer for “Killers of the Flower Moon”, the upcoming Martin Scorsese movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone that is bearing down on its global theatrical release October 20.
The film, adapted from David Grann’s bestseller by Scorsese and Eric Roth and based on a true story, is set in Oklahoma in the 1920s, when oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder. Read more
Matthew McConaughey reveals new book came to him “in a dream” (FarOut)
Matthew McConaughey has revealed the idea behind his debut children’s book, “Just Because”, came to him “in a dream”. Paired with illustrations by Renee Kurilla, it features rhyming couplets that start with the words “Just because”.
An excerpt from the book, which was released on September 12th, reads: “Just because I forgive you, doesn’t mean that I still trust. There’s what you do, there’s what I do, and yours is not my must.”
“This book came to me in a dream,” McConaughey told USA Today. “It was like a folk song ditty. I woke up at 2:30 and just went and wrote it down,” the actor said. He added: “I thought it was a Bob Dylan ditty, which it kind of is.” Read more
Pennsylvania prison escapee Danelo Cavalcante recaptured after weeks-long manhunt (ABC)
A convicted murderer who escaped from a Pennsylvania jail was recaptured on Wednesday after eluding an expanding manhunt for two weeks and unnerving residents in the suburbs west of the US city of Philadelphia, police said.
Danelo Cavalcante, 34, broke out of Chester County Prison, about 50 kilometres west of Philadelphia, on August 31 by crab-walking up between two walls that formed a narrow corridor in the jail house yard, then scrambling onto the roof and dashing away.
Authorities used thermal imaging from aircraft to pinpoint a possible location and then used ground forces to capture Cavalcante in an operation that played out over several hours, a law-enforcement official told the Associated Press. Read more
Akinkunmi Amoo joins Omonia on 3-year deal (Guardian)
Nigerian international, Akinkunmi Amoo, has completed his transfer from F.C. Copenhagen to Omonia Nicosea of Cyprus on a three-year deal.
Omonia on Wednesday confirmed the signing of Amoo via a statement on their official website.
“We have reached an agreement with FC Copenhagen to sign 21-year-old Nigerian winger, Akinkunmi Amoo,” Omonia wrote.
“The cooperation contract is for three years. Read more
International Friendly: Super Eagles, Saudi Arabia to meet in Portugal (Vanguard)
Nigeria and Saudi Arabia will clash in a senior international friendly match in the city of Portimão, Portugal on Friday, 13th October 2023.
The clash comes barely a month before the three-time African champions, who lashed Sao Tome and Principe 6-0 in their 2023 AFCON final-day qualification game in Uyo on Sunday, set out on the race for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals with a home game against the Crocodiles of Lesotho.
Within the same FIFA window in November, the Eagles will play their second match of the qualification series, away to the Warriors of Zimbabwe. Read more
Richarlison: Tottenham striker says he will “seek psychological help” (BBC)
Tottenham striker Richarlison says he will “seek psychological help” when he returns to England after the international break.
Richarlison was pictured in tears after being substituted during Brazil’s 5-1 win over Bolivia on Saturday.
He said the reaction was down to “getting the things that were happening off the pitch out of my system”. Read more
Man Utd announce new shirt deal with US firm Qualcomm (France24)
Manchester United have announced a bumper sponsorship deal with US-based Qualcomm Technologies, whose Snapdragon brand will replace the TeamViewer logo on their shirts from next season.
The Premier League club, who did not reveal the financial details of the deal, were reportedly targeting an agreement worth £60 million ($75 million) per year.
It is understood the figure equals or even surpasses the previous biggest shirt deal in football history. Read more
Sebastian Vettel: 4-time F1 world champion refuses to rule out return to grid following 2022 retirement (Sky)
Sebastian Vettel says he “can’t exclude” the possibility of coming out of retirement to return to the Formula 1 grid.
The four-time world champion chose to exit the sport at the end of the 2022 season but has since been touted for a comeback.
Having only turned 36 in July, Vettel is almost a full six years younger than the oldest driver on the current grid, Fernando Alonso. Read more
Canelo opens up about contract, relationship with Al Haymon (BoxingScene)
Canelo Alvarez has controlled his own career ever since severing ties with Golden Boy Promotions in 2020.
Six out of Alvarez’s last seven fights were promoted by Matchroom Boxing, with the other presented by Premier Boxing Champions in 2021 when Alvarez knocked out Caleb Plant to become the undisputed super middleweight champion of the world.
After working closely with Eddie Hearn over the last three years, Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) opted to sign a three-fight contract this summer with PBC that will culminate with two more fights in 2024. Read more