Police nab 185 suspected cultists in Ikorodu, recover arms (Guardian)
Fresh onslaught against cultism and gang violence in Lagos State has led to arrest of no fewer than 185 suspects by special forces attached to Lagos State police command.
Two weeks ago, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, had ordered the deployment of Special Forces from the command’s tactical units to Ikorodu and environs to tackle the menace of cultism and gang violence.
It was gathered that operatives of the Special Strike Force on Social Miscreants took the battle to the cultist’s dens at Ikorodu, Ipakodo, Igbogbo, Ibeshe, Shagamu Road, Agbowa and other outskirts of the area. Read more
Command nabs Lagos traffic robber (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested one Mayowa Adedoyin for allegedly attempting to rob a man in traffic.
The 19-year-old was arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad around 9pm on Saturday in the Oshodi area of the state.
According to a statement by the RRS, Adedoyin was arrested when he and his accomplice attempted to rob the victim inside traffic. Read more
Allegations of corruption: EFCC, not Lagos Assembly, should probe Obasa – HEDA (Vanguard)
Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), an anti-corruption advocacy group, has said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and not Lagos State House of Assembly, should probe allegations of corruption against Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa.
HEDA expressed lack of confidence in the composition of an ad hoc committee by Lagos State House of Assembly to probe the allegations against Obasa.
The group, in a statement by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, on Sunday, maintained that the Assembly’s ad hoc committee could not reach a just outcome, as it was allegedly composed of Obasa’s supporters, saying some of the members had already spoken in his defence. Read more
Lagos retools workforce as level 13 resumes today (Guardian)
As civil servants from grade level 13 resume work today after over two months of lockdown, the Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs. Ajibola Ponnle, has stated that the state government is committed to building a 21st workforce that will deliver the dividends of democracy to Lagosians across every area of human needs by directing its training and capacity development programmes to both generic and technical areas of competency.
The Commissioner disclosed this during the Year 2020 Ministerial Press Briefing organised as part of activities to commemorate the first year in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu… Read more
Fraudster fleeces Nigerians on Facebook with ponmo scheme (Punch)
Some Nigerians have lamented the reluctance of security agents to investigate and apprehend a suspected fraudster, who fleeced them of their hard-earned money while pretending to be selling ponmo (cow hide).
PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect operated under different names on Facebook, including Pastor Isaac Nwaizugbu and Pastor Confidence Ikegwuoha, claiming to be the resident pastor of a Pentecostal church in Kaduna. Read more
Women donate health equipment to Abuja hospital (DailyTrust)
Members of Soroptimist International, Gwarimpa, have donated medical equipment to health workers at the Federal Staff Hospital, Gwarinpa, Abuja. The group is an NGO aimed at empowering, enabling and educating women and girls in local communities. The group’s President, Magdalene Ottih-Uwadiale, who led her members to the hospital, said the donation was part of the group’s activities to celebrate the 2020 World Environment Day (WED). She said the donation was to emphasise the importance of keeping a germ-free environment that favoured the improvement of nature. Read more
Obaseki, Oshiomhole put Presidency in dilemma (Nation)
The mode of picking the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the September 19 governorship election remained contentious on Sunday night.
There is yet no final decision on whether the shadow poll billed for June 22 will be conducted using direct primary or indirect primary.
Both options are permitted by the party’s constitution. Read more
Oil marketers not allowed to fix fuel price – FG (DailyTrust)
The Federal Government Sunday denied removing fuel price cap, an action which would have given oil marketers the freedom to determine fuel pump price. Many media outlet (excluding Daily Trust) reported last week that fuel price cap had been removed.
Fuel subsidy regime is over in Nigeria – Kyari Marketers vow to comply as FG announces new fuel price However, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on Sunday said the government had not conferred on marketers the power to fix prices for petrol as they deem fit. Read more
Coronavirus: UK travel quarantine rules come into effect (BBC)
New rules requiring all people arriving in the UK to self-isolate for 14 days have come into effect.
Those arriving by plane, ferry or train – including UK nationals – will have to provide an address where they will self-isolate and face fines of up to £1,000 if they do not follow the rules.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said the laws are designed “to prevent a second wave” of coronavirus.
But some industries have warned they will be severely impacted by the rules. Read more
New York City reopens under Phase One on Monday (NYPost)
The Big Apple will enter Phase One of reopening Monday amid the coronavirus — with retail shops set to start curbside or in-store pickup service as construction and manufacturing rev up again.
“It’s a big day for New York City,’’ Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday, adding that the Apple “has met all the [health] metrics,’’ including the one involving its number of new infections, which dropped to 781 cases, or around 1 percent of those tested, Saturday — the lowest rate since March 16. Read more
Trump ‘drifted away’ from constitution, says ex-military chief Colin Powell (BBC)
Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has strongly criticised President Donald Trump’s handling of anti-racism protests, saying he has “drifted away” from the constitution.
The Republican, a former top military officer, is the latest to condemn Mr Trump’s response, including his threats to use the army to quell rallies.
He said he would vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden in November’s poll.
President Trump responded by calling Mr Powell “highly overrated”. Read more
Black Lives Matter protesters topple statue of British slave trader in Bristol (France24)
British protesters tore down the statue of a renowned slave trader Sunday and threw it in the harbour on the second day of weekend protests against George Floyd’s death.
Footage shot by a witness showed a few dozen people tie a rope around the neck of Edward Colston’s statue and bring it to the ground in the southwestern city of Bristol.
They then stamped on it for a few minutes before carrying it and heaving it into the harbour with a great cheer.
Colston’s face got splashed with red paint at one point. Read more
Spike Lee cycles along with George Floyd protesters in Brooklyn (PageSix)
He did the protest thing.
Spike Lee joined hundreds of George Floyd protesters in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon, telling The Post that he’s “gotta represent.”
“Fort Greene, Baby! Fort Greene! Gotta represent,” the “Do the Right Thing” director said as he rode with other cyclists in front of a crowd.
Lee, 63, was spotted around 4 p.m. heading down Flatbush Avenue, past Barclays Center, on a single-speed bike decked out in New York Knicks blue and orange, wearing a matching helmet. Read more
Lady Gaga lands number one spot on Billboard 200 chart with new album Chromatica (Metro)
Lady Gaga stormed to the top of the Billboard 200 chart with her new release Chromatica. The singer, 34, dropped her sixth studio album – and her first solo release since 2016 – at the end of May, with Chromatica debuting at number one in the music charts.
Billboard reports that Gaga has secured her sixth number one album with the new release, as Chromatica soared to the top of the Billboard 200 chart over in the US. And it’s chart-topping success has seen Gaga break records, with the global superstar now holding the records for the fastest time (nine years) a female star has claimed six number one albums. Read more
Pre-match formalities were waste of time for me – Sylvanus ‘Quicksilver’ Okpala (Vanguard)
Sylvanus Okpala, the man that was known as ‘Quicksilver’ in his playing days, wanted action so bad, pre-match formalities were a waste of time to him.
Going down memory lane with Vanguard, Quicksilver said once his was kitted up and left the tunnel, all he wanted was action.
Sylvanus Okpala was the first captain of the U-20 national team — Flying Eagles. He joined the Green Eagles (now Super Eagles) from secondary school and when Nigeria won the Nations Cup in 1980, Okpala was there alongside greats like Odegbami, Okala, Chukwu, Ogedegbe, Amiesimaka, Atuegbu, Owolabi, Muda Lawal, among others. Read more
Four years after, football world mourns Keshi (Punch)
Tributes poured in on Sunday for the late Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, who died June 7, 2016, aged 54.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winning coach, died of heart attack in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
World football governing body, FIFA, Confederation of African Football, Nigeria Football Federation and Eagles assistant coach, Joseph Yobo, were among those who paid tributes to the ex-Eagles coach. Read more
Raheem Sterling: The only disease right now is racism (BBC)
England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has backed protests taking place across the UK, saying “the only disease right now is the racism that we are fighting”.
Thousands of people have taken part in Black Lives Matter marches in the UK, despite government warnings to avoid mass gatherings because of the threat of coronavirus.
“This is the most important thing at this moment in time because this is something that is happening for years and years,” Sterling, 25, said. Read more
Nadal, Djokovic and Federer should suck it up for US Open (NYPost)
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic each expressed little desire to come to New York for the U.S. Open, still slated to start Aug. 31 in Flushing Meadows, likely without fans.
According to a tennis source, Roger Federer is also on the fence about playing the Open if it is staged.
Your loss, Rafa, Roger and Djoker.
The USTA has reached out to several players and is aware of concerns from Europeans in their 30s about coming to New York under strict COVID-19 protocols. Read more
Taylor Townsend says she gets mistaken for other black players (BBC)
American Taylor Townsend says she regularly gets mistaken for other female black players.
The 24-year-old spoke about her experiences in a Tennis United video as she discussed the anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd.
“Everybody sees a black person and they assume that it’s Venus or Serena (Williams) or Sloane (Stephens),” said world number 73 Townsend. Read more
McIlroy, Rahm head strong field at Colonial (DailyTrust)
World No 1 Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm of Spain will highlight a strong field in Fort Worth, Texas next week as the PGA Tour returns from a three-month break due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Americans Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas will also tee it up on Thursday at the Charles Schwab Challenge at the Colonial Country Club course. The 148-player Fort Worth field also includes world No 3 Brooks Koepka, defending champion Kevin Na and Phil Mickelson. Read more