Police arrest four women for abducting, trafficking 14 children (Vanguard)
Dania Detectives attached to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos State, have arrested four women and rescued 14 children from Benin Republic who were abducted by the women.
The women: Abike Shobowale, 72, Abiola Adeniyi, 57, Amusan Abike, 60, and Zainab Hamzat, 42, were suspected to be members of a syndicate who specialises in human trafficking, in Lagos. It was gathered that the suspects were arrested by the Anti-Human Trafficking Section of Force Criminal Intelligence Department (FCID), Annex Alagbon Lagos, at Oke Arin Market, in Lagos Island, last Tuesday, between 1:25 pm and 2:20 pm, following a tip-off. Read more
Man commits suicide after killing wife, son (Guardian)
In a series of shocking events that have thrown the family, friends and neighbours of the Enifa family residing at 12, Obafemi Eruja Street, behind Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos into a state of confusion and agony, Charles Enifa strangled his wife and son before taking his own life.
Narrating what must have led to this terrible incident, a neighbour who didn’t want to be named, said it was a result of jealousy amid accusations of infidelity and a dispute in the paternity of their last son (name withheld). Read more
LASPOTECH guard kills colleague for ritual (Independent)
The act, as confirmed by the institution’s management to INDEPENDENT ONLINE, was committed on Friday, May 24, 2019.
Mr Wilson was said to have attempted to escape shortly after committing the crime, but other security guards on the campus chased and caught him. Read more
Activists demand gradual phase-out of fossil fuel in Nigeria, Africa (Guardian)
Activists yesterday demanded a rapid phase out of fossil fuel energy in Nigeria and other parts of Africa to avoid further sinking of the country into a negative loop of poverty, lack of access to social and economic opportunities.
The call was contained in a message titled, “Our future is at stake. We demand a fossil- free Africa”, to commemorate Africa Day – Afrika Vuka celebrated on May 25. People from all walks of life gathered in more than 20 African countries in their thousands, to show their support in the continual fight against fossil fuels and advocate for climate justice. Read more
Bauchi students lament non-payment of scholarship for two years (ThisDay)
The National Union of Bauchi State Students (NUBASS) has lamented the non-payment of scholarship to the over 1 million indigent students of the state studying in various tertiary institutions across the country for two years.
National President of the union, Comrade Ahmed Shehu Hassan made the lamentation yesterday while addressing Journalists on the matter. Read more
Suspected Fulani herdsmen attack palace in Ondo (NewTelegraph)
Suspected Fulani herdsmen, numbering at least nine, have attacked the palace of Onigedegede of Gedegede in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, threatening to kill the monarch, Oba Walidu Sanni.
The monarch said the suspected herdsmen stormed his palace, harrassed and threatened him because he has reported the continued destruction of his subjects’ farm produce and farmlands to the police. Read more
Man, 33, docked for alleged theft of ex-girlfriend clothes of N25,000 (Independent)
A 33-year-old engineer Ayomide Ademola, was on Friday arraigned in a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, Nasarawa State, for allegedly breaking in and stealing his ex-girlfriend’s clothes worth N25, 000.
Ademola, a resident of Aso B, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, is also being accused of defrauding the defendant of the sum of N65, 000. Read more
Mona Lisa ‘brought to life’ with deepfake AI (BBC)
The subject of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa painting has been brought to life by AI researchers.
The video, achieved from a single photo, shows the model in the portrait moving her head, eyes and mouth.
The latest iteration of so-called deepfake technology came out of Samsung’s AI research laboratory in Moscow. Read more
China to open wider trade relations with Nigeria – Chinese (Leadership)
The Chinese government has promised to open wider trade relationship with Nigeria, in spite of the reported trade dispute it has with the United States.
China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Zhou Pingjian, gave the promise at a lecture organised by the Chinese Embassy which held in Abuja on Friday. Read more
Race to be new UK prime minister begins (BBC)
The race to become the next Conservative Party leader has begun, following Theresa May’s announcement that she will step down next month.
The contest will not only result in a new party leader, but also in the next prime minister of the UK.
Party bosses expect a new leader to be chosen by the end of July.
Mrs May confirmed on Friday that she will resign as party leader on 7 June, but will continue as PM while the leadership contest takes place. Read more
North Korea Places Its Hope in Science and Technology (Diplomat)
North Korea’s flagship Mirae Department Store has a special membership program: It gives away a huge discount to scientists working for government-backed organizations. They get to purchase up to $800 worth of products by paying just $30, according to South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute.
Since Kim Jong Un became leader in 2013, when North Korea laid out its plans to nurture a knowledge-based economy, the country has repeatedly stressed the importance of achieving that goal. Read more
Facebook: Another three billion fake profiles culled (BBC)
Facebook has published its latest “enforcement report”, which details how many posts and accounts it took action on between October 2018 and March 2019.
During that six-month period, Facebook removed more than three billion fake accounts – more than ever before.
More than seven million “hate speech” posts were removed, also a record high. Read more
Serena Williams to Introduce Jewellery Line (JCK)
If you don’t already recognize who this is, JCK can reveal the woman’s not-so-secret identity: tennis superstar Serena Williams. The ads are touting her new jewelry collection, which will be introduced at the show by Indian sightholder KP Sanghvi. Read more
Oshoala, Ebi, Oparanozie, 20 others in Super Falcons’ final squad (Vanguard)
Asisat Oshoala, Desire Oparanozie and Onome Ebi headline the 23-player list of Super Falcons players heading to the 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in France.
Ademola Olajire, the Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), in a statement on Friday said the team’s Head Coach, Thomas Dennerby, released the list in Austria on Friday. “Tochukwu Oluehi, Osinachi Ohale, Ngozi Ebere, Rita Chikwelu, Ngozi Okobi, Halimatu Ayinde, Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade and Francisca Ordega are all on the roster. “But defender Josephine Chukwunonye and England-based forward Ini-Abasi Umotong were axed. Read more
2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup: Nigeria in flying start, pummel Qatar 4-0 (ThisDay)
The Flying Eagles’ dream of winning the U-20 World Cup for the first time having been runners up twice (1989 and 2005) started on a splendid note as the Coach Paul Aigbogun tutored players defeated Asian representative Qatar 4-0 to place themselves in a good stead of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.
Two goals in each half before a scanty crowd inside the Mjieski Stadium, Tychy, was all the Flying Eagles needed against Qatar in the opening match of Group D of the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland. Read more
Balotelli sent off for Marseille (FootballItalia)
Mario Balotelli was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle during what was probably his last game for Olympique Marseille.
The Italy international had only come on as a substitute against Montpellier 29 minutes earlier when he lunged in from behind at defender Daniel Congré. Read more
Football coach Bob Higgins guilty of abusing trainees BBC)
A former youth football coach who held “supreme power” over the futures of budding players has been found guilty of indecently assaulting boys.
Bob Higgins sexually touched and groped 24 victims, most of them trainees at Southampton FC and Peterborough United, between 1971 and 1996.
Bournemouth Crown Court heard his status as a “God-like” figure enabled his decades-long campaign of abuse.
A jury found him guilty of 45 counts of indecent assault. Read more
Marquinhos to Juve denied (FootballItalia)
Marquinhos’ brother has denied a report in Gazzetta dello Sport that claimed the Paris Saint-Germain defender could join Juventus.
La Gazzetta bore on its Thursday front-page how Marquinhos had given the OK to a move to Juve, while Tuttosport even included the ex-Roma stopper in a hypothetical XI if Simone Inzaghi took charge of the Bianconeri.
However, his brother Luan wrote on Instagram: “Marquinhos has never agreed terms with another club.”
L’Equipe adds Luan told fans who contacted him, ‘Marquinhos will stay at PSG.’ Read more
Pinnick says NFF bill’ll move Nigeria football development to next level (ThisDay)
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick has described as ‘the real next level’ for Nigerian Football development, the passage by the Senate of the Federal Republic on Wednesday of the NFF Bill, which automatically repealed the long –standing NFA Act.
A delighted Pinnick told thenff.com that the NFF Bill’s passage is the biggest enabling environment for Nigerian Football to thrive provided by any Government over the decades, and applauded the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for consolidating on its numerous and credible moves that have provided lifeblood and impetus for the Nigeria game. Read more
Copa Del Rey Final: Messi driven by Champions League ouster (NewTelegraph)
Lionel Messi is on the spotlight as the Argentine genius spearheads Barcelona’s quest for the Copa del Rey against Valencia this evening at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, Seville.
The legendary Barca talisman came under barrage of criticisms for his inability to show his magic in the Catalans’ dumbfounding 4-0 defeat to Liverpool which saw them crash out in an astonishing fashion having won the first leg 3-0 at the Camp Nou, often regarded as slaughter ground of the Blaugrana. Read more