Police to dismiss two officers for working with Wadume (Guardian)
Nigeria Police authorities may dismiss two of its officers after allegedly working with a suspected kidnap kingpin Hamisu Bala Wadume. A top police source told The Guardian that the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Aondonna Iorbee, and Inspector Aliyu attached to Ibi police division might be dismissed for allegedly colluding with the criminal. Wadume was rearrested by the police last Monday at his hideout in Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano State. The police had earlier arrested Wadume on August 6 in Taraba State. Read more
FG dismisses report of execution of Nigerians in Saudi (Punch)
The Federal Government has dismissed reports that 23 Nigerians convicted for drug offences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had been executed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was in contact with the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia “and it has been confirmed that the story is false and should be disregarded.” The media had been awash with the names of the convicts awaiting execution in various Saudi prisons for drug offences. Read more
I never stole Abia State’s N7.2bn, says Kalu (Nation)
A former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday said he never stole N7.2 billion while at the helm between 1999 and 2007. He stated this during his tenure, Abia State had no such fund. Kalu made the denial while continuing his testimony before Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos to prove his innocence of the allegation level against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Read more
FBI list: We’ve found N486m, arrested 28 —EFCC (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said that it has recovered $314,000 and N373m (N486m in all) from suspects in connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into the list of nearly 80 Nigerians indicted for fraud. The acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, further stated that the collaboration between the commission and the FBI, led to the recovery of the funds. Read more
INTERPOL best agency to track criminal activities – Minister (Nation)
The Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi says the International Criminal Police Investigation (INTERPOL) is the best agency to track criminal activities in view of its global outreach. Dingyadi disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the Nigeria INTERPOL week. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the INTERPOL is the world’s largest police organisation with 194 member countries. Read more
NECO releases 2019 results (Guardian)
The National Examinations Council (NECO) Tuesday released the results of the 2019 June/July Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). NECO acting registrar, Abubakar Gana, announced the release at the council headquarters in Minna, Niger State. He said 71 per cent of the candidates obtained five credits including English and mathematics. The SSCE is conducted for secondary school students in their final year. Read more
Missing Federal judge found in FCT satellite town (Punch)
A Federal High Court judge, Idrissa Saleh, declared missing since Saturday, has been found at a filling station in Nyanya, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. FCT police spokesman, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, confirmed to our Correspondent that Saleh was found on Tuesday (today). He said, “The missing judge has been found; he was located at a filling station in Nyanya.” Read more
EFCC arrests Kwara director for ‘fraudulent’ sale of land (Nation)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Executive Director of Kwara State Harmony Holdings, Adebayo Sanni, for alleged fraudulent sale of some landed properties belonging to the state government. Sanni was also accused of converting some landed property belonging to the state for his personal use. The said the properties are located in Harmony Reserved Area of Ilorin, the state capital and Galadima area of Abuja. Read more
Reps member denounces Akeredolu’s wife over Idanre Hills’ post (Punch)
Mr Tajudeen Adefisoye, a member of the House of Representatives, has frowned at a statement credited to the wife of the Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, rating her pet project over the ancient Idanre Hills. This was contained in a statement signed by Adefisoye, a member of the Social Democratic Party, representing Idanre/Ifedore Constituency, and made available to newsmen by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Oluyemi Fasipe, on Tuesday in Akure. Read more
Court dissolves 20-year-old marriage over husband’s laziness (Guardian)
A Customary Court in Ile-Tuntun, Ibadan, on Tuesday dissolved a 20-year-old marriage between Rofiat Sabitu and Wasiu, over husband’s laziness. Delivering judgment, Chief Henry Agbaje, the President of the court, held that any man who wants to earn respect and happiness in a marriage, must not be jobless. He counseled spouses to learn from the story of Rofiat and Wasiu who cannot cater for their children. Read more
Police arrest pastor over alleged rape in Oyo (Nation)
The Oyo State Police Command says it has arrested a self- acclaimed pastor who lures his female victims to his hideout and rapes them after dispossessing them of their belongings. The suspect was one of the 29 paraded by the command on Monday in Ibadan. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Shina Olukolu, said information about the suspect got to the office of the State Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) in Oyo on Aug. 15. Read more
Police arrest officer who beat FUTA student (Punch)
The Ondo State Police Command on Tuesday said it had arrested one of its men, who allegedly beat and injured a female student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure. Some students of the institution were said to have had an encounter with some policemen attached to the ‘A’ Division Police Station, Akure, Ondo State capital, on Sunday night leading to one of them being injured by a policeman. Read more
Five migrants dead, 20 missing in Libya boat accident (Punch)
The bodies of five migrants including a Moroccan child were recovered off Libya’s coast Tuesday while up to 20 others were missing after a Europe-bound boat sank, the navy said. Navy spokesman Ayoub Kacem told reporters 65 migrants, mostly from Sudan, were rescued off Khoms, a town 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Tripoli. The vessel was believed to have been carrying up to 90 people, he said, based on survivors’ accounts. Read more
Brexit: Opposition MPs agree strategy to block no deal (BBC)
Opposition MPs say they have agreed to work together to find a way to block a no-deal Brexit by passing legislation in Parliament. In a statement after a meeting called by Jeremy Corbyn, the MPs did not say how or when an attempt would be made. They also said using a vote of no confidence to bring down the government remained an option. Read more
Two children stabbed in street as they played with water balloons (Metro)
Two schoolboys were rushed to hospital after they were attacked with knives while playing with water balloons on one of the hottest days of the year. The two children, aged 14 and 15, suffered serious injuries after they were stabbed in the street in Anfield, Liverpool, on Saturday afternoon. Relatives of one of the boys, 15, released pictures of him lying in hospital after undergoing a blood transfusion. Read more
Bangladesh: Court removes ‘virgin’ word from marriage form (BBC)
Women in Bangladesh are no longer required to declare if they are virgins on marriage registration forms, the country’s top court has ruled. The high court ordered that “virgin” be replaced with “unmarried”. The other two options on the form – “widow” and “divorced” – remain unchanged. Women’s rights groups – who had argued the word “virgin” was humiliating – welcomed Sunday’s verdict. Read more
British woman, 19, denies falsely claiming she was raped by 12 Israelis (Metro)
A British woman, 19, has denied making a false rape claim against 12 Israelis. She woman said she had been gang-raped at the holiday resort of Ayia Napa in Cyprus. Prosecutors claim it was false, and she faces a trial on October 2 for public mischief. The woman was released on bail today after having spent nearly two months in police detention. Read more
Magnitsky wins Russian rights battle 10 years after his death (BBC)
Russia has been condemned for “multiple violations” by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, who died in jail in November 2009. The case was taken up by Magnitsky himself and his death prompted a US law enabling sanctions against Russians suspected of rights violations. He was detained in 2008 after reporting fraud by Russian tax officials. Read more
Mother ‘kidnapped son, 6, from ex, murdered him and then killed herself’ (Metro)
A mother kidnapped her 6-year-old son from his father then murdered the boy and killed herself, police said. Candace Harbin, 46, allegedly abducted her son, Phillip ‘Ollie’ Wiedemann, on Thursday, sparking a frantic search for the boy who was in ‘grave or immediate danger,’ authorities said. The search ended on Friday night when police found Harbin and her son dead in her minivan in a parking garage in Waxahachie, Texas. Read more
Wife’s evidence on rapist husband helps jail him for 16 years (Metro)
A brave wife has opened up about how she gave evidence to jail her ‘dream’ husband for 16 years after he turned into an abusive rapist. Kelly Penny, 36, of Bridgend, South Wales, testified against her husband Gareth Rainbow, 36, after years of abuse and sexual assault. The couple’s whirlwind romance started after mechanic Rainbow did some work on Ms Penny’s car. Read more
Rosa Parks: Mattel releases doll in honour of activist (BBC)
Mattel has released a Barbie doll of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. The company revealed Ms Parks is the latest addition to the Barbie’s Inspiring Women’s series. It comes with educational material about her life. Ms Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in 1955 prompted a mass black boycott of buses, organised by Martin Luther King Jr. Read more
50 Cent responds to the fan backlash over Power’s theme song change (Metro)
That’s the message that fans of the rapper’s TV series Power have been delivering in their droves over the weekend after the crime drama decided to freshen up its theme song for its sixth and final season. Power’s last-ever season opener premiered in the US on Sunday (25 August), but it got off to a rocky start when it quickly became clear that the show’s theme, Big Rich Town, had been remixed. Read more
Nigerian National Youth and Sports Award to start 2020 —Minister of Sports (Punch)
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has said that the ministry will collaborate with the stakeholders for effective Nigerian youths’ development. In his keynote address at the launch of the 2019 Future Awards Africa in Abuja, Dare said that the ministry will push for the establishment and institutionalisation of the Nigerian National Youth and Sports Award. Read more
Paul Pogba to Real Madrid transfer still possible, claims Man Utd star’s brother (Metro)
Paul Pogba ‘would be great for Real Madrid’ and his brother Mathias reckons he could still end up signing for the club before the end of the European transfer window. Manchester United are no longer able to sign players thanks to the Premier League window slamming shut before the start of the season but that does not mean they cannot sell. Read more
Tottenham’s Lucas Moura delighted David Luiz signed for Arsenal so he can hang out at his house more (Metro)
Tottenham’s Lucas Moura is very pleased that David Luiz arrived at north London rivals Arsenal, because now they can spend more time together. Luiz signed for the Gunners this month in a surprise £8m transfer from Chelsea after Blues boss Frank Lampard deemed him surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge. The Brazilian centre-back has already come in for criticism in his short Arsenal career so far after some questionable defending in his side’s 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday. Read more
Aaron Ramsey withdraws from Wales squad for Euro qualifier (BBC)
Aaron Ramsey has withdrawn from the Wales squad for the Euro 2020 qualifying match against Azerbaijan next month. Ramsey, 28, has not played a full match since injuring a hamstring playing for Arsenal in April. He has made only one appearance off the bench since his transfer to Juventus, in a friendly against Triestina when he played 20 minutes. Read more
Manchester United full-back Luke Shaw set for at least five weeks out with hamstring injury (Metro)
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw is set for at least five weeks on the sidelines due to the hamstring injury he picked up against Crystal Palace on Saturday. The 24-year-old hobbled out of the game against the Eagles during the first half at Old Trafford, being replaced by Ashley Young at left-back. He is now likely to miss at least United’s next four Premier League games as he is ruled out of trips to Southampton and West Ham and home matches against Leicester City and Arsenal, reports the Guardian. Read more
Eden Hazard cannot match Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, claims Predrag Mijatovic (Metro)
Eden Hazard is a ‘very good player’ but former player and director of football at Real Madrid Predrag Mijatovic does not believe he will be able to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo. Madrid struggled to replace the Portuguese striker when he left for Juventus last summer having scored 450 goals in 438 appearances for Los Blancos over a nine-season spell at the club. Read more
Gary Neville warns Man Utd are three years from challenging Liverpool and Man City (Metro)
Manchester United need ‘four or five transfer windows’ to get back to a Premier League-challenging outfit, according to Gary Neville. United have been a club in decline since they last won the Premier League title back in 2013 and while they did finish second under Jose Mourinho in 2018, they were still 19 points behind champions Manchester City. Neville won eight league titles during his time at Old Trafford but does not foresee the current crop reaching those heights for several years. Read more
Carli Lloyd: NFL team asks Women’s World Cup winner to play in pre-season (BBC)
United States international Carli Lloyd has been asked by an NFL team to kick in their final pre-season game, her trainer James Galanis has said. The two-time World Cup winner, 37, was invited to an NFL training session last week and a clip of her kicking a 55-yard field goal went viral. The 2015 World Player of the Year was then approached by several NFL teams. Read more