Police officers gunned down as kidnappers abduct Indians in Kogi (DailyTrust)
Gunmen have attacked the Ajaokuta Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi state, killing some policemen and abducting 14 Indians.
At least two police officers were killed in the attack which happened on Friday night.
Reacting to the incident, the Kogi state government said they were working diligently with security agencies to secure the release of those abducted.
Kogi police command spokesman, Willaim Ovye Aya, said security had been beefed up in the state are in progress as gunmen have attacked several communities. Read more
Police arrest man for drugging, robbing 6 women in Lagos (Guardian)
The police in Lagos have arrested a 36-year-old applicant, Ifeanyi Ezennaya, for allegedly drugging and robbing six women of six iPhones valued at N4 million.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident happened on Tuesday at Falolu Street, Surulere, Lagos.
Ezennaya, whose residential address is unknown, lured the young ladies (names withheld) to a hotel, laced their drinks with an unknown substance, and dispossessed them of their phones and other valuables.
One of the victims who spoke on behalf of others told NAN that they met the suspect a few days ago while celebrating the birthday of one of them in a bar.
“We met him at a bar, he approached us and introduced himself as Emeka, he claimed he is just back from Switzerland and he wants to be our friend. Read more
Man beats pregnant wife to death in Delta (Punch)
A man popularly known as M.O.B. in Sapele community, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, has reportedly beaten his pregnant wife, Beatrice, to death.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident occurred on Friday evening in the vicinity of a new generation church, Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, on New Road, Awolowo Road Extension, in Sapele.
It was gathered that the man was sighted interrogating his wife on why she had left home for the church without doing the necessary house chores and making an arrangement for his dinner.
Witnesses said the impatient man did not wait for the heavily pregnant wife to give an explanation before he slapped her and dealt blows on her several times, causing her to collapse on the spot. Read more
One million man March: Peter Obi supporters shut Nasarawa (Vanguard)
Traders, Youths sympathisers and supporters of Peter Obi presidential candidacy Saturday shut commercial activities in Nasarawa as Labour party organised one million man March to register their support for the Labour party and it’s candidate, peter Obi in Lafia.
Speaking, State Chairman of the Party, Alexander Emmanuel said the One-million-man march was to sensitise, conscentise the people of the state on the need to elect credible leaders in the 2023 as well as sending signal to other political parties who claimed Labour party does not have a structure.
He expressed confidence that the party will win the 2023 presidential election and all elective positions in Nasarawa state, adding that, the residents were tired of bad governance and were ready to vote for the party’s candidates in the coming elections.
“I accepted the request of the support groups, business class, the youth and members from other parties to embark on this sensitisation rally because I want the people to understand the need why they should elect credible leaders into office in 2023, and it is also to prove a point to other political parties who always say that our supporters are only on the social media. Read more
Court remands businessman for allegedly chaining housewife for 2 weeks (Leadership)
An Ilorin Magistrates Court has ordered that a 40-year-old businessman, Usman Baba, be remanded at the correctional facility for allegedly using a chain to tie the legs of one Mrs Aishat Ibrahim for two weeks.
The police First Information Report (FIR) stated that the suspect carried out the act with his wife under the impression that the victim possessed the spirit of witchcraft.
The police report added that Baba and his wife who is at large, forcefully collected N100,000 from the victim’s parents as ransom before releasing her from captivity.
The prosecutor, Zacchaeus Folorunsho, prayed the court to remand the suspect and grant prayers as contained in the motion exparte.
Magistrate Ibrahim Dasuki, who presided over the matter, granted the prosecutor’s demand and adjourned the matter to August 22, 2022 for further mention. Read more
“I’ll defend my mandate at tribunal,” Osun’s governor-elect (Guardian)
Osun’s governor-elect, People Democratic Party’s (PDP) Sen. Ademola Adeleke, has said that he is ready to defend his victory at the election petition tribunal and retain his mandate.
Adeleke said his emergence as governor-elect was entrenched in total compliance with the law and in the will of the people.
His declaration is contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Osogbo by his spokesman, Malam Olawale Rasheed.
Sitting Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was defeated at the July 16 election and his party, filed a petition before an election tribunal on Friday challenging the election’s outcome. Read more
2023: Tinubu/Shetima youth support group inaugurates executives (Sun)
The National Coalition Group (NCG) has inaugurated newly elected national executives to oversee the youth wing of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential campaign team to fruition come 2023.
The Director of Media and Publicity, NCG, Aminat Aminu-Isah, made this known in a statement on Saturday, in Abuja.
Aminu-Isah said the new executive members were sworn in by a representative of the NCG Board of Trustees (BOT), Mr Francis Shoga, at Tinubu campaign office in Abuja.
She said NCG had its elections after receiving other groups on the grounds of merger for the purpose of ensuring that the Tinubu-Shetimma presidential ticket sailed to victory.
The BOT representative, Shoga urged the newly elected executives drawn from all walks of life, to use their wealth of experience to strategise towards victory for the APC presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu come 2023. Read more
Amosun suffering from ‘out-of-office loneliness’, deserves pity — Ogun APC (Vanguard)
The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State, on Saturday, lampooned former governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, saying he suffers “political amnesia and out-of-office loneliness.”
The APC, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, faulted the comment reportedly credited to Senator Amosun that the incumbent governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, did not win the 2019 governorship election.
The party described the former governor’s claim as “an after-lunch belching of a man suffering from political amnesia and loneliness.”
The statement reads: “The attention of our party has been drawn to a statement reportedly credited to the immediate past governor of Ogun State and the Chief Promoter of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Read more
Entrepreneur apologises for naming candle ‘Soro Soke’ (Punch)
An American-born Nigerian beauty and lifestyle YouTuber, Jacquelyn Aina, popularly known as Jackie Aina has apologised for naming candle product after the #EndSARS protest slogan, Sòrò Sókè.
Aina had been slammed by netizens especially on Twitter for using the slogan of the #EndSARS protest ’Sòrò Sókè’ for her gain.
The founder of FORVR Mood on Thursday released a line of scented candles with four different fragrances one of which was called ‘Sòrò Sókè’.
Nigerians called her out, saying it was insensitive and the slogan was not to be used for business purposes. Read more
Inside Angelina Jolie’s ‘constant stream of attacks on Brad’ Pitt (PageSix)
Next month will mark the six-year anniversary of Angelina Jolie shocking the world by filing for divorce from Brad Pitt.
But despite being declared legally single in 2019, the exes are still no further in coming to a custody agreement for their kids — even as they reach college age.
“It appears that Angelina is determined that Brad should never get 50/50 custody,” one source familiar with the legal battle told The Post. “And there are some who say that she won’t rest until the kids are legally adults, so Brad will never have shared custody.”
It’s just the latest salvo in a seemingly never-ending war. “Angelina makes a constant stream of attacks on Brad. And she deliberately sold her disputed share of their vineyard to a buyer she knew he didn’t want,” a friend of Pitt believes. Read more
Seekers lead singer Judith Durham dies aged 79 (BBC)
Australian musician Judith Durham, best known as the lead singer of folk music group The Seekers, has died aged 79.
Her band sold more than 50 million records and had hits including I’ll Never Find Another You, I Am Australian and Georgy Girl.
She left the group to go solo in 1968 and went on to release a number of studio albums.
Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, paid tribute to Durham, calling her “a national treasure”.
“Judith Durham gave voice to a new strand of our identity and helped blaze a trail for a new generation of Aussie artists,” he wrote on social media. “Her kindness will be missed by many, the anthems she gave to our nation will never be forgotten.” Read more
Keke Palmer speaks out on life as a child star: ‘What you later envision as a memory is actually trauma’ (Metro)
Keke Palmer has spoken out about her experiences as a child star, saying that her experiences were ‘really exploitative’.
The actress, 28, won several NAACP awards for her breakout role as True Jackson on the Nickelodeon teen sitcom True Jackson, VP between 2009 and 2012.
She then went on to appear in the Ice Age animated film franchise and hosted her own talk show, Just Keke, at just 20 years old.
Ahead of her appearance in Jordan Peele’s latest horror film Nope, Palmer looked back on her career as a child star and gave an honest assessment.
‘I think performing, in general, is exploitative. I think that being a child entertainer is really exploitative because you don’t even know your limits yourself.’ Read more
Dozen pilgrims dead after Croatia bus crash (BBC)
Twelve people have been killed after a bus carrying Polish pilgrims veered off a road in Croatia on Saturday and ended up in a ditch.
All 32 surviving passengers are said to be injured, 19 of them seriously.
The trip, organised by the Brotherhood of St Joseph Catholic group, included three priests and six nuns. They were travelling to Medjugorje, a Catholic shrine in Bosnia.
The passengers were all Polish adults, said the Polish Foreign Ministry.
They were all pilgrims mainly from Radom and Sokolow in Masovian province, which is also home to the Polish capital Warsaw. Read more
Selena Gomez hopes to eventually quit acting to get married, be a mum (PageSix)
Selena Gomez is ready to wave goodbye to Hollywood.
The singer/actress revealed she eventually wants to get married and become a mom — and she’s prepared to step away from acting to focus on her personal life.
The “Only Murders in the Building” star made the revelation on Friday’s episode of the TaTaTu video podcast “Giving Back Generation.”
“I hope to be married and to be a mom,” the 30-year-old told hosts Raquelle Stevens and Ashley Cook, who also happen to be her longtime friends.
“Eventually, I’m going to be tired of all of this, so I’m probably just going to devote most of my life to philanthropy before I peace out.” Read more
No Time To Die star Lashana Lynch to play Bob Marley’s wife Rita in new biopic (Metro)
Lashana Lynch is set to star as Bob Marley’s wife Rita in an upcoming Paramount biopic about the reggae legend’s life and career.
The actress, 34, recently appeared alongside Daniel Craig in No Time to Die and opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in the latest Dr. Strange film.
The movie is currently untitled, but Reinaldo Marcus Green, director of Will Smith’s Oscar-winning King Richard, is attached to oversee the project.
Zach Baylin, who worked with Green on the Oscar-nominated screenplay for King Richard, is attached to write the story.
As for the starring role of Bob Marley himself, that particular honour has fallen to Kingsley Ben-Adir, who is best known for starring in Peaky Blinders and The OA. Read more
US fireman finds 10 dead in house blaze are his family (BBC)
Three children and seven adults have died in a house fire in the US state of Pennsylvania, and a firefighter called to the scene was horrified to find the victims were his own family.
Pennsylvania State Police confirmed the names of six of the victims, but have yet to identify the youngest children, ages five, six and seven.
A criminal investigation has been launched into the fire’s cause.
The blaze is thought to have begun on the porch early on Friday morning.
Harold Baker, a Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Company firefighter, told the Associated Press news agency that the dead were his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives. Read more
Confident Tottenham recover to thrash Southampton (BBC)
Tottenham came from a goal down to get their Premier League campaign off to a flying start with a comfortable home victory against Southampton.
Spurs fell behind in the 12th minute to James Ward-Prowse’s volley, driving the ball into the ground and watching the bounce beat Hugo Lloris, but Antonio Conte’s side’s response was swift and ruthless.
Ryan Sessegnon headed in his first Premier League goal for the club from an inviting Dejan Kulusevski cross to draw the hosts level and by the half-hour mark they were in front.
Eric Dier had not scored in three years but met a whipped Son Heung-min delivery with a low, flicked header into the far corner. Read more
Commonwealth Games: Nigeria women’s 4x100m relay team qualifies for final (Leadership)
The Nigerian Women’s 4x100m relay quartet of Joy Udo-Gabriel, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nzubechi Nwokocha moved a step closer to making history as the first women’s relay team to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal after sealing a place in Sunday’s final at the ongoing 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Fresh from the Team’s Nigeria and African record-setting 42.22 seconds run in Oregon, USA at the World Athletics Championships last month, the quartet broke 43 seconds again, running 42.59 seconds to qualify for the final.
The time is the fastest in the semifinals ahead of England (42.72), who ran without 100m bronze medalist, Daryl Neita and Jamaica, who won the other semifinal in 43.66 seconds without Tokyo Olympics double sprint champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah.
The Nwokocha-led quartet will now be seeking to become the first Nigerian women’s relay team (women’s 4x100m and 4x400m) to win a Commonwealth Games title.
Super Falcons suffer biggest drop in latest FIFA ranking (Guardian)
The Super Falcons of Nigeria has recorded the biggest drop by points in the current FIFA rankings. The former African champions dropped a whopping 69.33 points, which is adjudged the biggest ever.
Though they remain the first in Africa, their global ranking slumped from 39 in on 17 June to 47 on 5 August. Their slump could be linked to the performances at the last month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where they played six matches and won just three, a far cry from their previous outings.
They could not also make a podium appearance. Their conquerors in the bronze medal match, Zambia are adjudged to have both the biggest move by points and also by rank when they moved 23 places up the ladder to 80th position
Winners of WAFCON, South Africa also have impressive move from 58th in the world to 54th. Read more
Why I joined Atalanta – Lookman (Punch)
Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman, has explained why it was ‘an easy decision’ to join Atalanta from RB Leipzig.
The 24-year-old completed his transfer on Thursday at a cost of €9m plus performance-related bonuses, having spent last season on loan at Leicester City.
“I am explosive, exciting, like to score goals, set up goals, make things happen,” Lookman told the official Atalanta YouTube channel.
“I’m happy to be here, it’s been a long time in terms of knowing the interest of the club, how interested they were in me and now I’m just ready to get to work. Read more
Nunez inspires Liverpool comeback at Fulham (BBC)
Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score one and create another as Liverpool were forced to twice battle back to salvage a point in a chaotic game at newly promoted Fulham.
The Reds, who pushed champions Manchester City all the way in the title race last season, fell behind when Aleksandar Mitrovic got the better of Trent Alexander-Arnold to head Fulham ahead after meeting a superb cross by Kenny Tete.
Luis Diaz had a goal ruled out for offside at 0-0 before curling a shot against the post after Fulham had taken the lead.
In a thrilling match, substitute Nunez marked his Premier League debut by equalising with a close-range flick before Fulham restored the lead from the penalty spot after Mitrovic was fouled by Virgil van Dijk. Read more
Atletico friendly against Juventus in Israel cancelled over security (Guardian)
The pre-season friendly between Spanish side Atletico Madrid and Italian giants Juventus which was scheduled to take place in Israel this weekend has been cancelled because of “security” concerns, the two teams announced on Saturday.
The match was due to take place at the Bloomfield stadium in Tel Aviv on Sunday but a renewed surge in hostilities in the region prompted the promoters Comtec Group to call it off.
“Due to the latest developments, the friendly between Atletico Madrid and Juventus, scheduled in Israel, has been cancelled,” said Juventus in a statement.
“Due to the current security situation, Comtec Group announces that the match between Atletico Madrid and Juventus, scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday 7 August at Bloomfield Stadium, will not be played.” Read more
Mikel Arteta drops exciting transfer hint after Crystal Palace victory (Metro)
Mikel Arteta has hinted Arsenal are far from done in that transfer market this summer by admitting the club are still working on further deals.
The Gunners have been the biggest spenders of the window so far, signing the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira.
Jesus and Zinchenko both impressed on their debuts as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Selhurst Park on Friday night, while William Saliba made his long-awaited debut for the club.
Arteta is happy with his squad and many are agreement that the Gunners have had an impressive transfer window.
But the Gunners still appear light at centre forward, while Arteta is keen on signing Leicester City ace Youri Tielemans. Read more