Police comb waterways, others to free abducted retired general in Lagos (Punch)
Five police teams have been set up to rescue Air Vice Marshal Sikiru Smith (retd) who was abducted on Monday by masked gunmen at a site in the Ajah area of Lagos State.
A senior police source, who spoke to PUNCH Metro, said the team consisted of two marine special operatives and three special land operatives.
She stated that the team had been given a timeline to rescue the retired officer, adding that efforts were on to mobilise operatives from the Force headquarters, Abuja, to assist in the operation.
“The team is being coordinated by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, and they have been given a timeline to rescue him,” the source said. Read more
Lagos empowers residents with N100m to check poverty (Guardian)
Lagos State government, yesterday, kicked off distribution of N100 million worth of working equipment to over 1,000 indigent residents.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Cecilia Bolaji Dada, who disclosed this at the kick-off of the equipment at Mile 12, said the empowerment materials would be distributed across five locations.
She said residents of Isogun, and others were beneficiaries in the first of the five locations that the empowerment equipment would be distributed. Read more
I’ve been through hell, says Annie Idibia (DailyTrust)
Nigerian actress, Annie Idibia, says she went through hell while growing up.
The wife of Nigeria’s singer, 2baba, said this as she shared a video collage of her pictures on her Instagram page.
She recounted that while she was in Senior Secondary School One (SS1), she didn’t know what it means to be on break time like other students because she was always busy running market errands for her mother.
“Looking at the beautiful young Annie in these pictures is lovely. I am so proud of you. I want to give you a big warm hug. You have been through all sorts of hell from a very young age, with so many responsibilities from so young. That girl never gave up (never will still).”
“From SS 1, she never knew what it felt like to go on ‘break time’ like other kids in school because that was when she sneaks out of school to rush to the market (the very old gateman, he was definitely in his 50s, became her friend), to buy her mother’s pepper soup ingredients that she would have to cook after school and sell in front of their Boys Quarters in Mobil, VI. Read more
Sanwo-Olu vows to hunt killers of Police chief (Punch)
The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday said that the killers of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Kazeem Abonde, attached to the Police Command of Lagos State would not escape justice.
Recall that CSP Abonde, while on official duties on Sept. 23 in Ajao Estate in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos, was killed by yet-to-be-identified hoodlums.
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement from the Lagos State Governor’s Press Centre, said that the state government had noted with deep concern attacks on law enforcement agents by hoodlums.
He said that such attacks, which he described as senseless, were attempts to trample on law and order by those who were desperate to turn the society upside down. Read more
Court declares CBN lodgement, withdrawal levies discriminatory, unreasonable (Punch)
A Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, and presided over by Justice N.O. Dimgba, has ruled as discriminatory the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria on six states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
The states are Anambra, Abia, Lagos, Ogun, Kano and Rivers
This followed a suit instituted by an Anambra-based legal practitioner, Chijioke Ifediora, against the apex court, describing the policy as discriminatory and offending section 42 of the 1999 Constitution.
Ifediora told the court, “On the January 7, 2020, I visited a branch of the Bank in Amawbia Awka, to make payments into my bank account with the sum N600,000 but I was told by a staff of the bank that I would be charged three per cent of the cash amount I had. Read more
Family of Nigerian lady allegedly killed by Italian husband seeks justice (Vanguard)
The family of Rita Amenze, the woman killed by her Italian husband, has appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Italian Government to ensure that justice was served in the case.
Members of the family made the call on Tuesday in Benin when a delegation of the Edo National Association in Italy (ENAI) and the National Union of Nigerian Associations in Italy (NUNAI) paid them a condolence visit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation led by Mr Mike Oputteh, the Welfare Officer of NUNAI, arrived the family house to meet the three children of the deceased sent out of school for failure to pay school fees.
Amenze, 31-year-old mother of three, was on Sept. 10 shot dead by 61-year-old Pierangelo Pellizar for reportedly filing for divorce. Read more
77 oil firms owe Nigeria $6.48b amid continuous borrowing (Guardian)
Finance, energy and tax experts, yesterday, raised concerns over the inability of the Federal Government to harness existing opportunities in the country before resorting to borrowing as oil companies operating in Nigeria are currently owing the country over $6.48 billion.
Apart from the oil and gas industry, many of the stakeholders insisted that borrowing may have appeared as the easier option for the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration instead of the difficult work of exhausting all other options.
In fact, the stakeholders are worried about widening budget deficits, warning that the nation may have normalised the template for loans acquisition, which easily receive approvals of the National Assembly. Read more
BBNaija: Pere wins brand new car (DailyTrust)
Pere Egbi, BBNaija housemate, better known as Pere, has won himself a brand new car.
He won the car after emerging top in a challenge organised by Innoson Vehicle Manufacturers.
Pere beat five other finalists in the game which ends on Sunday.
The car was parked in the arena ahead of the game and the housemates obviously admired it as it was decorated with balloons and ribbons.
After presenting the key of the IVM Caris to him, Pere was allowed to sit in his car. Read more
Command arraigns 25-year-old farmer for killing mother over food (Punch)
The Oyo State Police Command has arraigned a 25-year-old farmer, Solomon Ochadi, before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ibadan for allegedly killing his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Ochadi.
The police prosecutor, Opeyemi Olagunju, told the court that the accused person pushed his 50-year-old mother to a wall in their house, which led to her death.
Olagunju said following this, the defendant was arrested around the Jerusalem area in Ojoo, Ibadan.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 316 and was punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000. Read more
The search for Daniel Craig’s James Bond replacement won’t start until next year, so everyone can calm down (Metro)
We’ve already been dissecting who will replace Daniel Craig as James Bond for years, but we’re a long way off finding out who will be stepping into that tuxedo.
Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has revealed the search for a new James Bond not only hasn’t started, but it won’t begin until 2022.
The iconic spy movie franchise’s producer has insisted they will be holding off finding a new 007 to replace Daniel, who will take his Aston Martin for one more spin in No Time To Die, until at least next year.
Barbara told Radio 4’s Today show: ‘We’re not thinking about it at all. Read more
Country singer Alan Jackson reveals ‘no cure’ neurological disease (NYPost)
Alan Jackson is opening up to fans about a disease he’s been battling for years.
The 62-year-old country singer told the “Today” show that he’s been battling a “no cure” degenerative neurological condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease for the better part of a decade.
“It’s not going to kill me. It’s not deadly,” Jackson said about the disease he inherited from his father.
“But it’s related (to) muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease,” he added, detailing how CMT has cut into the “Chattahoochee” musician’s ability to perform live. Read more
Despite transition, oil will remain largest source of energy by 2045, says OPEC (Guardian)
Hinging its argument on a world population that is set to expand to 9.5 billion by 2045 and huge potential for socio-economic development in terms of expanding access to modern energy services for the under-served, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has said oil will retain its number one position in the energy mix, providing 28 per cent of global energy needs.
With the exception of coal which will remain stunted, the cartel stated that renewables’ global fuel share will rise over 10% by 2045, followed by gas, driven in part by higher urbanization rates, industrial demand and its competitiveness over coal in power generation.
OPEC in its latest World Oil Outlook, predicted that global oil demand will rise from a pandemic stricken 90.6 million b/d in 2020 to 108.2 million b/d in 2045, from which it will remain largely flat. Read more
Italy: Statue of scantily-clad woman sparks sexism row (BBC)
A bronze statue of a scantily-clad woman to honour a 19th Century poem has sparked a sexism row in Italy, with politicians calling for its removal.
The sculpture in the southern town of Sapri is a tribute to La Spigolatrice di Sapri (The Gleaner of Sapri), written by Luigi Mercantini in 1857.
It portrays a woman in a transparent dress with one arm over her breasts.
Congresswoman Laura Boldrini said the statue was “an offense to Read more
France slashes visas for Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco in row over illegal migration (RFI)
France says it will drastically cut the number of visas granted to people from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, accusing the former French colonies of not doing enough to allow illegal immigrants to return.
But while the government talks tough on immigration, it is not clear the policy will achieve the desired effect.
Macron has reportedly ordered the number of visa deliveries to Algeria and Morocco to be halved from 2020 levels, and by a third for Tunisia ater diplomatic efforts with the three North African countries failed.
“It’s a drastic decision, and unprecedented, but one made necessary by the fact that these countries are refusing to take back nationals who we do not want or cannot keep in France,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal told Europe 1 radio on Tuesday. Read more
Japan’s Princess Mako and ‘commoner’ husband to be ‘The new Meghan and Harry’ (PageSix)
We can’t wait for their Oprah interview.
Japanese media is in a frenzy that Princess Mako, the 29-year-old niece of Emperor Naruhito, is marrying her “commoner” sweetheart, Kei Komuro, who graduated in May from New York’s Fordham Law School and now works for an NYC law firm.
Komuro, 29, returned to Japan on Monday for their wedding. According to Japanese news outlets they are expected to marry in the next two months, and they will both return to NYC to live full time.
Insiders say the pair will be “the Meghan and Harry of Japan, controversially leaving behind a royal life to start a new life in the States.” Read more
Amuneke wants reform of international match calendar (Punch)
Former Super Eagles assistant coach Emmanuel Amuneke is keen to see a reform of the international match calendar to allow more players from Nigeria – and across Africa – to play on the highest stage.
Players have been asked for their input to a wide-ranging review on football’s future, with expertise also being sought from other stakeholders across the sport. While nothing is decided for the schedule after 2024, FIFA has welcomed diverse views and a debate in order to optimise the calendar for all involved, giving a broader cross-section of the world’s talent the chance to shine.
Amuneke was a member of Nigeria’s golden generation that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations title in Tunisia and qualified Nigeria for a first-ever World Cup in USA.
The former Barcelona winger was also part of the squad clinched a historic Gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He believes the only way African football can develop and equip its players with more knowledge of the game like the Europeans
“Football is continuously evolving and changing,” Amuneke told FIFA. Read more
Emma Raducanu: US Open champion given Indian Wells wildcard more (BBC)
Britain’s US Open champion Emma Raducanu has been given a wildcard into the Indian Wells main draw.
It will be the 18-year-old’s first tournament since her stunning victory in New York earlier this month.
Although she is now ranked 22 in the world, the entry list for Indian Wells was published during the US Open, when she was outside the top 100.
The tournament, one of the biggest outside of the Grand Slams, takes place in California from 4-17 October.
Raducanu has also entered tournaments in Russia and Romania in October. Read more
LeBron confirms vaccinated but ‘not my job’ to persuade others (France24)
LeBron James confirmed he had been vaccinated against Covid-19 on Tuesday but said it was “not my job” to convince other NBA players to follow suit.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar had previously to say whether he had been vaccinated, saying it was a “private” matter for him and his family.
However he told reporters on Tuesday he had now been vaccinated, part of a Lakers drive to ensure that 100 percent of the squad and staff had taken the vaccine.
“At the end of the day you’re always trying to figure out ways that you can be available and protect one another and put yourself in the best possible chance where you are available to your team-mates, available to do what we need to do on the floor,” James said. Read more
Tottenham bid to bounce back as free-scoring Roma head to Ukraine (Guardian)
Tottenham host Slovenians Mura in the Europa Conference League on Thursday looking for a confidence boost after a worrying slump in form, while their former manager Jose Mourinho takes his free-scoring Roma side to Zorya Luhansk.
Spurs kicked off the Premier League season under Nuno Espirito Santo with three straight 1-0 wins, but have since suffered three successive defeats, shipping nine goals in the process.
Their tame defeats by London rivals Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal have raised questions about new manager Nuno.
Harry Kane is yet to score in five league games since failing to force through a close-season move to Manchester City. Read more
Messi scores maiden goal for PSG in win over Man City (DailyTrust)
Lionel Messi scored his first goal for Paris St Germain when he put his team 2-0 ahead in their Champions League Group A game against Manchester City in the 74th minute on Tuesday.
On his fourth appearance for PSG, who Messi joined on a two-year contract during the close season, the Argentine forward fired into the top corner after a one-two with Kylian Mbappe for his 121st goal in Europe’s premium club competition. Read more
Kyrie Irving shows up to training camp with Nets status in flux (NYPost)
The Nets opened training camp Tuesday, and Kyrie Irving was present and practicing.
When he will play a home game is still anybody’s guess.
With Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden all healthy, the Nets will be a championship favorite. But they’ve already hit the first speed bump in that title chase, because New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates — and Irving’s purported refusal to get vaccinated — mean he could be barred from playing and practicing at home, and possibly lose pay in the process, according to the collective bargaining agreement.
“That’s not really something I’m focusing on right now,” head coach Steve Nash said when asked by The Post about his level of concern over Irving possibly missing home games. “I’m trying to have a great camp. Things could change day-to-day in so many ways, as we saw last year. Right now, we are just focused on camp.” Read more