Pastor raises alarm over threats to life, seeks govt protection (Tribune)
A cleric, Pastor Michael Ogunyemi has cried out for government and security protection for him and his family from people threatening his life for preaching against killings of innocent people and burning of churches.
The Pastor of Shining Star Christian Assembly, Kaduna, was abducted alongside 11 other clergies from Redeemed Christian Church of God on March 26th, 2021 along Kachia road and spent 30 days at the kidnappers’ den before he was released with stern warnings to desist his preachings.
He ran away to Katsina State but narrowly escaped being kidnapped alongside two missionaries in August 2021, even as his host, Pastor Husseini Duze was killed.
Recounting his ordeal, Pastor Michael said, “I was one of the clergies that usually preached against the burning of churches, killing of innocent people and kidnapping of pastors in Southern Kaduna and parts of the country. Read more
Ikeja Electric customers to experience outage from Oct. 11 (Guardian)
Ikeja Electric Plc says some areas under its operational network will experience outages for a period of eight weeks to enable the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to re-conduct its 132KV lines.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Olajide Kumapayi, Chief Technical Officer, Ikeja Electric, made the announcement at a news briefing on Monday in Ikeja.
Kumapayi said the project which would begin on Oct. 11 was aimed at increasing the capacity of the transmission lines to wheel more power from the generation companies.
He noted that some of 132K lines installed over 50 years ago had become obsolete and degraded due to time and usage. Read more
2023: Badagry traditional rulers endorse Tinubu for president (Sun)
Traditional rulers in Badagry have jointly endorsed the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu for President in 2023.
The traditional rulers made the pronouncement at a town hall meeting organised by the South West Agenda (SWAGA’23) on Sunday in Lagos.
Oba Momodu Afolabi Asafa, Onijanikin of Ijanikin, commended both attendees to the event and the SWAGA’23 team. “I thank every one of us, especially those who are working tirelessly in order to achieve a greater Nigeria. When an individual walks aright, such a person will arrive his or her destination on time. Any group of persons that value the unique roles of traditional rulers towards national development will always succeed. I, therefore, commend the SWAGA’23 team for a job well done,” Oba Asafa said. Read more
NCS intercepts 1,014.5kg of pangolin scales worth N1.7b in Lagos (Guardian)
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 15 sacks of pangolin scales weighing 1,014.5kg with a Duty Paid Value of over N1.7 billion in Lagos.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) disclosed this in a media conference in Lagos, on Monday.
Ali who was represented by the National Public Relations Officer, NSC, DC Joseph Attah added that two suspects were arrested with the items.
He noted that “this criminality was not essentially a Nigerian thing, sadly some foreigners with active connivance of few Nigerians are bent on using our dear country as a transit route for illegal wild life trade.” Read more
Kidnappers’ middleman arrested in Enugu (DailyTrust)
A crime suspect, who confessed being a member of a Lagos-based kidnap gang, has been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Enugu.
Danny Manuel, spokesman of the NSCDC in Enugu, said three ATM cards, two mobile phones, a wrap of substance suspected to be cannabis and an improvised pistol hidden under other contents in a mini-bag, among other things, were recovered from the suspect.
He identified the suspect, who was picked up on September 30, 2021, as Oguchi Oguamanam, of 7, Monarch Avenue by Timber Junction, near Ugwu-Aji community in Enugu South Local Government Area.
According to Manuel, Oguamanam was arrested by the operatives on routine patrol duty at WTC Estate within Enugu at about 2 p.m. after students returning from school spotted him using the pistol to rob a resident. Read more
South South governors declare to Join VAT Supreme Court suit (Vanguard)
South South Governors Forum following a crucial Port Harcourt, Rivers state meeting Monday under the BRACED Commission have declared to join the Supreme Court suit by the Rivers State Government demanding that states and not the Federal Government, should collect Value Added Tax (TAX).
All the BRACED Governor except Cross Rivers state’s Prof Ben Ayade were present at the meeting presided over by the forum’s Chairman, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa with Chief Nyesom Wike as host and the Director-General, BRACED Commission, Joe Keshi, also present.
The BRACED commission comprising the six South-South states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta, is an initiative to foster integration, socio-economic and infrastructural development of the region. Read more
Nigerian women are failing in their responsibilities as mothers, wives – FOMWAN (Sun)
The Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) has said the socio-economic and political challenges militating against the progress of Nigeria stemmed from the fact that majority of Nigerian women are failing in their responsibilities as mothers and wives.
The Muslim women also expressed optimism that the nation would be a better place to live if women rise up to their God-given responsibilities of channeling a Godly and fruitful path for their children, apart from supporting their husbands by showing them love and making the home front a peaceful abode.
The National Amirah (President) of FOMWAN, Hajia Rafiah Idowu Sanni, stated this in a statement issued in Abuja to mark Nigeria’s 61st independence anniversary, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday.
She moted that the society has been experiencing moral, spiritual and intellectual bankruptcy because most women have failed in their divine duty as the first school for their children. Read more
UNIJOS resumes academic activities Oct 11 (Vanguard)
The Senate of the University of Jos has approved the resumption of the suspended academic activities in the University with effect from Monday 11th October, 2021.
Before arriving at its decision taken at its 7th Special Meeting for the 2019/2020 Academic Session, the Senate considered the report of the University Management on the provision of visible physical presence of security personnel in and around the University campuses and the proposal for the resumption of academic activities.
Similarly, there was a general review of the security situation in the University as regards easy identification of the University security personnel and the Senate saw the need for the provision of more uniforms for the personnel.
The institution’s Deputy Registrar, Information and Publications, Abdullahi Abdullahi in a statement issued in Jos on Monday noted that “After their deliberation, members of Senate unanimously agreed to make a voluntary donation of some amount of money to support the University Management in providing uniforms for all University Internal Security personnel.” Read more
Buhari calls for peace, stability in Ethiopia (DailyTrust)
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for peace and stability in Ethiopia, amid the many challenges facing the East African country.
The President made the call on Monday in his goodwill message in Addis Ababa at the inauguration ceremony of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for a second-five year term in office.
President Buhari promised that Nigeria would continue to support the unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia.
“We are well aware of the many challenges facing the people of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and we encourage all parties to come together in the interest of the unity, progress and wellbeing of Ethiopia. Read more
Billie Eilish is Glastonbury 2022’s first headliner (Dazed)
Glastonbury is back, baby! After cancelling two years in a row due to COVID, Glastonbury is officially making its main festival return this summer with pop icon Billie Eilish as headliner.
Eilish first teased the news on Instagram – posting a selfie on her story dressed in a “Glastonbury Festivals” hoodie with the caption “2022”. Hours later, Glastonbury’s official Instagram confirmed that she will headline the festival’s Pyramid stage on June 24.
“We couldn’t be happier to announce that the wondrous Billie Eilish is headlining… at next year’s Glastonbury Festival,” wrote Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis on Twitter. “This feels like the perfect way for us to return, and I cannot wait!”
At 19 years-old, the Happier Than Ever musician will become the youngest solo artist to headline the festival. Read more
Captain Kirk: Bezos’ Blue Origin to send William Shatner into space (BBC)
The actor who played Captain Kirk in the Star Trek series is set to embark on a real-life journey into space.
US tech billionaire Jeff Bezos’s space travel company Blue Origin confirmed that William Shatner would be blasting off from Texas on 12 October.
Aged 90, the actor will become the oldest person to have flown into space.
“I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle,” Shatner said in a statement. Read more
Whistleblower says Facebook put profit before reining in hate speech (CNBC)
A Facebook Inc whistleblower on Sunday accused the social media giant of repeatedly prioritising profit over clamping down on hate speech and misinformation, and said her lawyers have filed at least eight complaints with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Frances Haugen, who worked as a product manager on the civic misinformation team at Facebook, appeared on Sunday on the CBS television programme “60 Minutes,” revealing her identity as the whistleblower who provided the documents that underpinned a Wall Street Journal investigation and a Senate hearing on Instagram’s harm to teen girls.
Facebook has been under fire after the Journal published a series of stories based on Facebook internal presentations and emails that showed the social media company contributed to increased polarization online when it made changes to its content algorithm, failed to take steps to reduce vaccine hesitancy and was aware that Instagram harmed the mental health of teenage girls. Read more
Grace Mugabe challenges Zimbabwe order to exhume husband’s body (Guardian)
Grace Mugabe, the widow of Zimbabwe’s longtime former ruler Robert Mugabe, has challenged a court order to exhume her husband’s remains for reburial at a national shrine, court papers showed Monday.
Mugabe was buried in his rural home village of Kutama, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) west of the capital Harare, in September 2019 after weeks of wrangling over his final resting place.
His family had opposed the government’s plans to bury him at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare, where it had started constructing a special mausoleum for him.
But in May, a traditional leader fined Grace Mugabe five cows and two goats for improperly burying Mugabe and ordered his exhumation and reburial in Harare. Read more
Stats reveal how many serial killers went uncaught during the 20th century (IFLScience)
Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramaierz. Many of America’s most prolific serial killers have burned their name into popular culture. However, for all the murderers who saw justice for their crimes and gained infamy, how many have slipped under the radar and remained uncaught?
Using statistical analyses, two researchers have worked out how many serial killers in the US potentially went uncaught over the course of the 20th century.
Engineering in the University of California, Los Angeles, deduced that the 20th century likely saw approximately seven serial killers that managed to avoid being caught by authorities. Although they note “our estimate is on a lower side” in their yet-to-be peer-reviewed pre-print paper, they also surmise: “The most prolific of them likely committed over sixty murders.” Read more
Sense of touch and heat research wins Nobel Prize (BBC)
Scientists who discovered how our bodies feel the warmth of the sun or the hug of a loved one have won the Nobel Prize.
David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian, from the US, share the 2021 prize in Medicine or Physiology for their work on sensing touch and temperature.
They unpicked how our bodies convert physical sensations into electrical messages in the nervous system.
Their findings could lead to new ways of treating pain. Read more
Mbappe says he told PSG in July he wanted to leave (Guardian)
Kylian Mbappe on Monday confirmed that he told Paris Saint-Germain in July he wanted to leave the club.
“I said at the end of July that I wanted to leave,” Mbappe said in an interview with RMC radio.
“My position has been clear. I said I wanted to leave and I told them (PSG management) quite early on.”
The French World Cup winner has not extended his contract at PSG, fuelling speculation he will seek a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
The Spanish giants bid 180 million euros ($209 million) for Mbappe in August but PSG, who had just signed Lionel Messi from Barcelona, turned down the offer. Read more
World Cup Qualifiers: Awoniyi replaces injured Moffi (Vanguard)
Ahead of the double-header World Cup qualifiers against the Central African Republic, forward Taiwo Awoniyi had been called up to replace injured Lorient forward Terem Moffi.
Awoniyi who has been in fine form grabbed a brace over the weekend when his club Union Berlin beat Mainz 1-2 on the road. His call-up follows an injury sustained by Moffi in his side’s 1-1 draw with Clermont on Sunday in the French Ligue 1.
Moffi was also supposed to serve as a replacement for Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi who failed his fitness test just before the week 7 round of Premier League matches.
Awoniyi, 24, was part of the 2013 triumphant u-17 side that also had Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho. Read more
11 Borussia Dortmund players called up for international duty (BVBuzz)
Borussia Dortmund players have been called up by their respective national teams.
Club football is taking a break but a number of Borussia Dortmund players will be in action for their national teams over the next ten days. Some very exciting matches are in store, including the UEFA Nations League finals and a number of crunch World Cup qualifiers.
Marco Reus has been called up by Germany head coach Hansi Flick for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Romania and North Macedonia. Germany are in a great position in their qualifying group with five wins from their opening six games.
Axel Witsel, Thorgan Hazard and Thomas Meunier have all been named in Belgium’s squad for the UEFA Nations League finals. The Borussia Dortmund trio will go up against France in the semi-finals. And if they manage to beat France, they will face Italy or Spain in the UEFA Nations League final on Sunday. Read more
Pirates midfielder goes AWOL from Bafana camp (Citizen)
Orlando Pirates midfielder Goodman Mosele has absconded from the Bafana Bafana camp, ahead of back-to-back Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia.
South Africa will play Ethiopia in Addis Ababa on October 9 and in Johannesburg three days later, hoping to build on the four points they have already obtained in Group G. Mosele, however, will play no part and has been replaced in the squad by SuperSport United’s Jesse Donn.
“Sadly Goodman has absconded, we have tried reaching him to no avail and this is extremely disappointing. We are very happy that Jesse Donn has heeded the call and reported for duty almost immediately,” said Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, who will also be missing the injured Mamelodi Sundowns defender Mosa Lebusa. Read more
Cuban baseball players defect during tournament in Mexico (BBC)
At least nine young Cuban baseball players have defected during a tournament in Mexico, officials say, in the largest defection of Cuban athletes in years.
Cuban officials called the players’ actions during the World Cup for athletes under the age of 23 “vile abandonments”, state media report.
The rest of the team, which originally had 24 players, will return on Monday.
Cuban athletes have a long history of defecting while competing abroad. Read more
FIFA confirm decision on Manchester United and Man City’s Brazil players for international break (MENews)
A decision has been reached to allow Brazilian players from the Premier League to go on international duty this week after a farcial situation during the last international break.
Due to UK Government quarantine rules, players leaving to play in ‘red list’ countries had to isolate for 10 days on their return to England, prompting most Premier League clubs to block any affected players from representing their nations in September.
Only Tottenham and Aston Villa let their players go, with the Argentina internationals in question at the heart of a remarkable situation when Brazilian health officials marched onto the pitch shortly after kick-off during their World Cup qualifier to demand the game stopped, saying those players broke health rules. Read more