Police beef up security in Lagos, Ogun over rumoured IPOB militants’ attack (Punch)
The Lagos and Ogun state police commands have beefed up security in different parts of the states to avert any possible attack by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its Eastern Security Network.
This followed a statement by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, during a security summit chaired by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that the command was investigating threats by IPOB to attack soft targets in the state.
While reacting to the CP’s revelation, the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, had refuted the claim in a tweet.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had also described the claim as a rumour aimed at causing division, crisis and conflict among Ndigbo and their host communities. Read more
Lagos Commodities Exchange to list N5b cashew nut contracts for Agvest (Vanguard)
Lagos Commodities and Futures Exchange, LCFE has recorded another milestone as it has successfully screened a frontline player in the agricultural value chain in Nigeria, Agvest Limited for listing of its N5 billion cashew nut contract through a diversified financial instruments.
Under the proposed listing, financial instruments worth N1.5 billion with cashew nut as the underline assets is scheduled to be offered to investing public through Commercial Papers (CP) and short term Exchange Traded Notes (ETN).
Addressing journalists in Lagos, Agvest’s Managing Director, Mr Olabode Abikoye explained that the proceeds of the offer would enable Agvest to get both plantation and factory up and running in West Africa at the first instance.
According to him, Agvest shall commence with cashew aggregation on the spot market, issue Exchange Traded Note in the medium term and add value. Read more
Analysts differ on Buhari’s quest for fresh N2.3t external loan (ThisDay)
Financial analysts and the organised private sector yesterday expressed mixed feelings over Nigeria’s rising public debt following a fresh request by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly to approve a $6.18 billion foreign loan.
Before the latest request, Nigeria’s total external debt stood at $33.348 billion, while total public debt stock as of December 30, 2021, which was released by the DMO in March 2021, stood at N32.915 trillion.
Buhari, in different letters to both chambers of the National Assembly urged the lawmakers to approve his request to borrow N2.3 trillion ($6.18billion) external loan to finance part of the 2021 budget deficit of N5.6 trillion. Read more
Suspended Abiodun’s aide faces 30 years in US prison for $350,000 fraud (Punch)
A Senior Special Assistant to the Ogun State Governor, Abidemi Rufai, faces up to 30 years in prison if he is convicted of wire fraud.
According to the United States Department of Justice, wire fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison when it relates to benefits paid in connection with a presidentially-declared disaster or emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rufai, who served as the Deputy Director-General of the Dapo Abiodun Campaign Organisation in the last governorship election in the state, was arrested on Friday at the JFK Airport in New York, United States of America, on a criminal complaint of wire fraud for his scheme to steal over $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department, the acting US Attorney, Tessa M. Gorman, announced.
Rufai, aka Sandy Tang, 42, of Lekki, Lagos, made his initial appearance in court on Saturday May 15, 2021, in New York. He is scheduled for a detention hearing today (Wednesday). Read more
Explosion in ex-gov Daniel’s hotel kills two in Ogun (Punch)
Less than a week after a gas explosion in Abeokuta, another explosion happened on Monday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, killing two persons and injured three others.
The incident which occurred in conference hotel owned by former governor Gbenga Daniel, reportedly happened around 12pm when a technician was filling an automatic door at the entrance of the hotel.
Our correspondent gathered that the technician and one other believed to be one of the workers died instantly, while three others reportedly sustained varying degrees of injury.
The injured were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, while the remains of the dead were deposited at the general hospital morgue in Abeokuta. The hotel’s facilities manager, Tunde Oshunnubi, said, “During the routine maintenance of the automatic revolving door at the hotel reception, the maintenance technician used gas to weld the door hinges. Read more
James Ibori: UK returns $5.8m stolen by ex-governor to Nigeria (BBC)
Some $5.8m (£4.2m) recovered by UK agencies that was stolen by a Nigerian former governor and laundered in Britain have now been returned to Nigeria, the Nigerian authorities say.
Former Delta state Governor James Ibori was convicted of money laundering in the UK in 2012.
Prosecutors say he stole an estimated $165m (£117m) from the oil-rich state.
A Bombardier Challenger jet is among the items listed in court documents for a confiscation order against Ibori. Read more
Ogun gov, Abiodun, suspends aide over alleged fraud in US (Vanguard)
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has suspended one of his political appointees, Mr Abidemi Rufai, who was arrested over alleged unemployment benefits fraud in the United States.
Mr Kunle Somorin, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, disclosed this in a statement in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
“Prince Dapo Abiodun has received the very disturbing news of the arrest of one of his political appointees, Mr Abidemi Rufai, in New York over alleged unemployment benefits fraud in the United States.
“In view of the gravity of this allegation, the governor has ordered the immediate suspension of the accused appointee. Read more
Emir of Kano, 230 others escape death as bird strike damages aircraft (Leadership)
The Emir of Kano and 230 other passengers on Max Air and Aero Contractor airlines were involved in bird strike incidents at the Aminu Kano International Airport (AKIA), Kano and Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Rivers State.
The Aero Contractor, Boeing 737-500 with the registration number 5N-BKR, was heading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja before the bird strike incident on Monday afternoon thereby damaging the aircraft blade in the process.
It was further gathered that the Aero Contractor aircraft had departed PHIA for Abuja with 91 souls onboard, i.e 85 passengers and six crew members at 2:06pm. Read more
New York prosecutor says Trump inquiry now ‘criminal’ (BBC)
The New York attorney general’s office says it is investigating the Trump Organization “in a criminal capacity”.
A spokesman for the state’s top prosecutor, Letitia James, said the inquiry into Mr Trump’s property company was “no longer purely civil”.
Ms James has been scrutinising the ex-Republican president’s financial dealings before he took office.
The Trumps deny wrongdoing and say the inquiry by a Democratic prosecutor is a political vendetta. Read more
US lawmakers ask Boeing and FAA for documents over production issues with 787 model and troubled 737 MAX (RT)
America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing have been asked by US lawmakers to hand over crucial documents relating to production issues in two models of the aerospace giant’s commercial airliners.
The head of the US House Committee on Transportation Peter DeFazio and his fellow Democrat, Representative Rick Larsen, have asked for information related to the Boeing 737 MAX and the 787.
In April, Boeing was forced to ground 100 of its 737 MAX planes due to electrical wiring issues, before the FAA, the US aviation regulator, approved the model’s return to service last week. Read more
Nicki Minaj recalls 2003 arrest with woman ‘leaking blood’ to reflect on growth 18 years later (Metro)
Nicki Minaj shared her mugshot from her 2003 arrest while reflecting on how she’s grown from the incident. The Starships rapper posted a photo of her mugshot taken 18 years ago to Twitter on Monday along with a message detailing the incident. It took place before Nicki, 38, found fame as a rapper, with the star not properly speaking about the arrest until now. In the now-deleted post, she wrote, as reported by HipHop DX and Hot New Hip Hop: ‘It took me years to be able to look at things like this. Read more
SEG Plaza evacuation: Shaking China skyscraper sends shoppers fleeing (BBC)
A skyscraper of more than 70 storeys has been evacuated after it started to shake, sending shoppers scrambling for safety in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Local authorities do not yet know what caused the 300m (980ft) SEG Plaza building to wobble on Tuesday afternoon.
No earthquakes were recorded at the time. An investigation is under way.
The 20-year-old building houses an electronics market and offices. Read more
FBI investigating alleged illegal payments to Sen. Susan Collins’ reelection campaign (RT)
The FBI has launched a probe into a Hawaii defense contractor and its former CEO, claiming he made $150,000 in illegal campaign contributions to Republican Senator Susan Collins during her reelection bid last year.
An unsealed search warrant application obtained by Axios on Tuesday revealed the ongoing FBI probe, with federal agents saying that Martin Kao, the former CEO of defense contractor Martin Defense Group, arranged a series of illegal payments to Collins’ super PAC in 2020, even enlisting family members in the scheme.
Federal agents say that Kao and his wife set up a shell company to make the $150,000 contribution, which they named the ‘Society for Young Women Scientists and Engineers.’ Kao’s defense firm, then known as Navatek, then allegedly reimbursed the ‘Society’ for the same amount of money. The FBI suspects the payments were made through the shell company to circumvent laws prohibiting donations from government contractors to federal political committees. Read more
John Boyega to return for “Attack the Block” sequel 10 years after original film (Metro)
John Boyega is set to return to the block that launched his career as he and Joe Cornish have confirmed that Attack the Block 2 is officially in the works. The sequel comes 10 years after the original, which has become a cult favourite despite not setting the box office alight at the time. It also scooped a number of industry gongs, including the audience awards at SXSW and the Los Angeles film festival. The south London-set alien invasion comedy starred Boyega as gang leader Moses alongside a pre-Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker, as well as Nick Frost and Luke Treadaway. Speaking to Deadline, Boyega said: ‘It’s been a decade since Attack the Block was released and so much has changed since then. Read more
Tyson Fury: ‘Deontay Wilder wants $20m to let Anthony Joshua fight happen’ (BBC)
Tyson Fury does not expect to face Anthony Joshua in his next fight after Deontay Wilder requested $20m to step aside and allow their bout to go ahead.
Fury, 32, agreed to face Joshua, 31, in a highly-anticipated fight in August.
But Wilder’s team forced an arbitration hearing which concluded he had a contractual right to face Fury for a third time and by 15 September.
Fury said Wilder “asked for $20m (£14m) to move over”, and added: “Looks like I will have to crack his skull again.” Read more
Okala at 70: Sports minister eulogises former Green Eagles goalkeeper (Vanguard)
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has described former Green Eagles goalkeeper Emmanuel Okala as one of the greatest goalkeepers Africa ever produced.
The minister said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja while congratulating the football legend as he clocked 70.
Dare heaped praises on him and thanked him for his services to his fatherland.
“On behalf of the Nigerian football family, let me sincerely congratulate Emmanuel Okala as he turns 70.
“On this your special day, I wish you God’s guidance, protection, mercy favour and good health, happy birthday,” Dare said. Read more
UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis ‘knocks out’ would-be car thief (RT)
It goes without saying that breaking into cars isn’t a good move to make, but doubly so if that car belongs to the next man in line to challenge for the UFC heavyweight title, Derrick ‘The Black Beast’ Lewis.
Lewis, the second-ranked fighter in the UFC’s heavyweight fold, is widely expected to fight Francis Ngannou later this year in what will be his second bid to claim a world title.
But according to footage posted to his Instagram account Tuesday, he came close to getting some early sparring in when he tackled a man who was allegedly attempting to break into his car.
The 36-year-old behemoth revealed online that Houston police had taken a man into custody – with the would-be thief appearing to have his head in a bandage. Read more
Manchester United stars Paul Pogba and Amad Diallo carry Palestine flag around Old Trafford (Metro)
Manchester United duo Paul Pogba and Amad Diallo carried a Palestine flag around Old Trafford during the club’s end-of-season lap of honour after Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Fulham. The Red Devils, who are set to finish second in the Premier League this season, played in front of 10,000 fans as the easing of lockdown restrictions in England allowed for the return of a small section of supporters to stadiums. United were playing their final home match of the season, though still travel to Wolves on Sunday in their final Premier League game and then Gdansk for the Europa League final against Villarreal. Read more
Chelsea beat Leicester City to boost Champions League hopes (BBC)
Chelsea beat Leicester City to boost their Champions League hopes – and leave the Foxes in danger of missing out.
Just three days after Leicester beat Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final, Chelsea got some measure of revenge to win thanks to Antonio Rudiger and Jorginho goals in front of 8,000 fans.
Kelechi Iheanacho gave the Foxes hope but they did not create enough chances to deserve anything out of the game.
Chelsea’s win takes them up to third place in the table, while Liverpool could knock Leicester down to fifth place if they win at Burnley on Wednesday. Read more
Man City owner Sheikh Mansour to fund fans’ trip to Porto for Champions League Final with Chelsea (RT)
Weeks after the club was pilloried by its support base for their involvement in the ill-fated European Super League project, Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour has opted to repay fans’ faith by funding their trip to Porto.Fans of both Manchester City and Chelsea will descend on the Portuguese city on May 29 to meet in the all-English final after original host city Istanbul missed out for a second year running due to a worsening Covid-19 situation in Turkey, and it seems that one half of the 12,000 English fans expected in Porto later this month may well have a little extra spending money after Sheikh Mansour, the billionaire owner of the Manchester club, revealed that he is to fund the trip for all 6,000 City fans who attend. Read more