Prioritise completion of blue line –Fashola (Nation)
Former Minister of Power Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola on Thursday urged Lagos State government to prioritise completion of the blue rail line. He said the urgent delivery of the project will help decongest traffic and serve as template for the development of the remaining five lines aimed at taking the face of transportation planning in the state. He spoke at the fourth lecture series of the Lagos State Traffic Radio at the Radio House, Agidingbi, Ikeja, where he was the lead speaker. Read more
Senate hearing of CJN is evidence of leadership crisis- Ezekwesili (Punch)
A former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, says the confirmation hearing of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammad Tanko, has revealed the depth of leadership crisis in the country. Ezekwesili said on Twitter on Thursday that the leadership crisis cuts across all the tiers and arms of government across the country. She tweeted, “Do we need to be told that there’s a quality of leadership crisis in our country? It’s across board; the executive, legislature judiciary; federal, state and local. Read more
Okorocha’s ‘massive looting’ crippled Imo – Ihedioha (Guardian)
Imo State governor Emeka Ihedioha Thursday alleged that his predecessor Rochas Okorocha looted the state’s purse and left it in a “deep hole of corruption and mindless misappropriation.” Ihedioha, a former speaker and deputy of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, said Okorocha’s eight years as the governors of the state plunged Imo State into unsustainable debt. “Our interim findings show a consistent pattern of massive looting and stripping of public assets, dismantling and carting away of public property such as electric poles, vehicles, trucks, office equipment and furniture etc,” Ihedioha told a meeting of Imo State Stakeholders. Read more
Senate confirms Buhari’s nominee rejected in 2016 (Punch)
The Senate on Thursday, approved the appointment of Mr Aliyu Abubakar, as a non-executive commissioner on the board of the National Communications Commission Abubakar, from Bauchi State, was nominated to represent the North-East last week on the board by President Muhammadu Buhari for the same position despite his rejection by the eighth Senate because of low educational qualifications. Read more
APC upholds expulsion of Abdulkadir, North West Vice Chairman (Nation)
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expelled the North West zonal Vice Chairman, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir for anti-party activities. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja that the National Working Committee decided to uphold the disciplinary action imposed on Abdulkadir by his ward. Read more
Senate panel meets Oshiomhole-backed members-elect over Edo Assembly crisis (Punch)
The Senate ad hoc committee investigating the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly on Thursday met with the lawmakers being supported by the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress. At the meeting, which held at the Senate New Building, National Assembly Complex in Abuja, were 12 of the 14 members-elect loyal to APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. It will be recalled that on June 17, 2019, 10 out of the 24-member Assembly were inaugurated under controversial circumstances. Read more
Criminals cloning govt websites, DSS warns (Nation)
Increasingly audacious criminal elements are cloning websites of Federal Government agencies and using them to defraud innocent citizens, the Department of State Services (DSS) has declared. In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, DSS spokesman, Mr. Peter Afunanya, said that intense investigation is going on towards unmasking the criminals. Read more
Reps raise alarm over plight of IDPs (Punch)
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to commence construction of houses for Internally Displaced Persons and returnees in Borno State. This followed a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Zainab Gimba (APC-Borno) at plenary on Thursday. Moving the motion earlier, Gimba said that there had been an increase in a humanitarian crisis affecting the people of Bama, Ngala, Kala Balge areas of Borno State. Read more
Reps block move to include Almajiri system in basic education (Punch)
The House of Representatives at the plenary on Thursday unanimously rejected the prayer of a motion seeking to make the Federal Ministry of Education integrate the Almajiri education system into the Universal Basic Education programme. The motion, which had 10 prayers, was entitled, ‘Need to Eradicate Child Destitution and Remove Beggars from Nigerian Streets through Provision of Standardised Education System and Improved Livelihood.’ Read more
Reps to investigate non-remittance of funds to NSITF since 2010 (Punch)
The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate non-remittance of contributions to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund by governments, parastatals, public corporations and companies from 2010 till date. The resolution followed a motion by Rep. Zakaria Nyampa (PDP-Adamawa) and eight other lawmakers at the plenary on Thursday. Leading the debate Nyampa said the refusal of governments at all levels to pay the statutory contributions to NSITF is a violation of the law. Read more
Renault to build, sell autos in Nigeria (Guardian)
French car giant Renault plans to assemble two low-cost vehicles in Nigeria via a joint venture with the local conglomerate Coscharis, a Renault statement said Thursday. Renault, which claims an 18 percent share of the African auto market, wants to “respond to the demand of the new emerging middle class of the countries like Nigeria,” which has a population of more than 200 million people, the statement said. The Logan and Duster models are to “be assembled in the existing Coscharis assembly facility in Lagos starting October 2019,” Renault said. Read more
FG raises alarm over new cassava brown streak disease (Punch)
The Federal Government has raised an alarm over a recent virile disease, Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD), ravaging East and Central Africa now making its way to West Africa. Dr Muhammed Umar, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the 2019 Cassava Investment Forum. The Permanent Secretary represented by Mr Ayodeji Bobby, Head, Font and Tuber Crops in the ministry called for a collective effort in securing Nigeria and the West African region against the virus. Read more
I raped my daughter to protect her, 37-year-old guard tells court (Nation)
An Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Iwo-Road on Thursday ordered that a 37-year-old night guard, Wasiu Orilonise, be remanded in Agodi , Ibadan Prison custody after confessing, and telling the court that he raped his 15-year-old daughter in an attempt to protect her. The accused was arraigned on a one-count charge of having carnal knowledge of his daughter, with Charge No. Mi/271c/2019. Read more
Building collapse claims one, injures others in Douala, Cameroon (Punch)
At least one person died and several others injured when a building collapsed in Cameroon’s commercial capital Douala early Thursday, according to the police. More people were trapped under the debris of the building, senior police officer Jean Magloire told Xinhua. “The tragedy involved a four-storey building at New Bell Ngangue neighbourhood in Douala. The victim was identified as Talla Brice, 33 years of age,’’ Magloire said. Read more
Trump sparks condemnation after supporters chant ‘send her back’ (BBC)
The row between President Donald Trump and four Democratic congresswomen has escalated after his supporters chanted “send her back” at a campaign rally. The chant was directed at Somali-born lawmaker Ilhan Omar, though Mr Trump had also attacked three other non-white lawmakers during his speech. Ms Omar, who is a US citizen, responded on Twitter by quoting a poem by civil rights activist Maya Angelou. Read more
Iran Guards seize ‘foreign tanker’ accused of fuel smuggling (Guardian)
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Thursday they had detained a “foreign tanker” and its crew for allegedly smuggling fuel, in the latest incident to send tensions soaring in the Gulf. The announcement follows Iran saying it had come to the aid of a foreign tanker after receiving a distress call — making no mention of the vessel being seized. The Guards did not confirm whether the vessel they detained Sunday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz was the same ship as that mentioned Tuesday by the foreign ministry. Read more
Brexit: MPs back bid to block Parliament suspension (BBC)
MPs have backed a bid to stop a new prime minister suspending Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit. A majority of 41 approved an amendment that blocks suspension between 9 October and 18 December unless a Northern Ireland executive is formed. Four cabinet ministers, including Philip Hammond, abstained and 17 Tory MPs rebelled, including minister Margot James, who has resigned. Read more
Paris orders schools near Notre-Dame cleaned over lead fears (Guardian)
Local authorities in Paris have ordered a “deep clean” at schools around the fire-damaged Notre-Dame cathedral, a city official said on Thursday, following a media report claiming the extent of contamination had been covered up. Paris health official Arnaud Gauthier said that the cleaning had been ordered “to reassure us that the risk is minimal,” adding that the levels of lead pollution caused by the April fire at Notre-Dame were not a cause for alarm. Read more
Saravana Bhavan ‘dosa king’ dies after medical plea rejected (BBC)
The Indian owner of the global restaurant chain Saravana Bhavan, who was convicted of murder, has died at the age of 71, his lawyer says. P Rajagopal died in a hospital in the south Indian city of Chennai nine days after the Supreme Court rejected his plea seeking bail on medical grounds. He planned the murder of an employee because he wanted to marry the man’s wife. Read more
Extremists who murdered Scandinavian hikers sentenced to death by firing squad (Metro)
Three extremists who beheaded two women in the Atlas mountains, Morocco, have been sentenced to death by firing squad. Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, were both found dead on December 17 last year. The hikers had pitched up in a ‘remote mountainous region’ 6.2 miles away from the village of Imlil, at the foot of Mount Toubkal. Read more
Pope Francis appoints new Vatican spokesman (Guardian)
Pope Francis appointed a new Vatican spokesman on Thursday, tapping British-born Matteo Bruni for one of the most demanding PR jobs in the world. Bruni, who has worked in the Holy See Press Office since 2009 and coordinated the press on the pontiff’s international trips since 2013, takes over from interim spokesman Alessandro Gisotti. He will have his work cut out for him with Francis, whose schedule is packed full of audiences with world leaders and visits abroad. Read more
Message-in-a-bottle author found after 50 years (BBC)
The author of a message in a bottle has been located some 50 years after he threw it into the Indian Ocean. Paul Gilmore, then 13, dropped the bottle into the ocean while sailing with his family on a liner from the UK to Melbourne. On Tuesday, his note was found in South Australia by 13-year-old Jyah Ellott who was out fishing with his father. Read more
Rick And Morty creators confirm Kanye West episode could actually happen (Metro)
Kanye West hasn’t been shy about showing his love for Rick And Morty, and it seems his fandom might actually bag him a role in a future episode. Show creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon previously offered Kanye his own episode of the show, after the rapper expressed his love for Rick And Morty on numerous occasions. Read more
NFF President Amaju Pinnick removed as CAF vice president (Guardian)
Nigeria’s football governing body president, Amaju Pinnick, Thursday was removed as first Vice President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The decision was taken during the body’s Executive Committee meeting in Cairo. Pinnick’s removal came a day after CAF’s executive committee agreed to allow FIFA Secretary General take charge of the administration of the confederation for a period of six months. Read more
Algeria loss made us stronger, Cisse says ahead of final rematch (Guardian)
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse believes the Africa Cup of Nations group stage defeat by Algeria helped fuel their run to the final, where they will meet the same opponents Friday for the title in Cairo. Algeria beat Senegal 1-0 in their second game of the tournament in Egypt, but Cisse’s side has since won all four matches without conceding a goal, leaving the Teranga Lions on the cusp of a first Cup of Nations crown. Read more
Ex-Liverpool striker Sturridge banned for breaching betting rules (Punch)
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been fined and suspended for six weeks for breaching betting rules, the Football Association announced on Thursday. An independent regulatory commission found that 29-year-old Sturridge, capped 26 times by England, had instructed his brother to bet on a possible move to Sevilla during the January 2018 transfer window. The commission suspended Sturridge from participating in any domestic football for six weeks, with a further four weeks suspended, and fined him £75,000 ($94,000). Read more
Matthijs de Ligt: Juventus sign defender from Ajax in a £67.5m deal (BBC)
Italian champions Juventus have completed the £67.5m signing of 19-year-old Dutch international defender Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax. De Ligt, who had also been linked with Manchester United, Barcelona and Paris St-Germain, has signed a five-year contract with the Serie A side. Juventus said the fee was “payable in five financial years” with “additional costs of 10.5m euros (£9m)”. Read more
Alan Brazil can’t understand how Matthijs de Ligt is worth less than Harry Maguire (Metro)
Alan Brazil cannot get his head round how Matthijs de Ligt can be worth less than Harry Maguire in the transfer market this summer. The Dutch centre-back has completed his move to Juventus from Ajax for a fee in the region of £67.5m, although Juve confirmed there were additional costs of £9m, with the fee being paid over five years. Read more
Newcastle boss Bruce vows to give ‘everything’ for new club (Punch)
New Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce has vowed to win over the doubters after admitting he has always regretted turning down the job the first time he was offered it. The 58-year-old was installed as Rafael Benitez’s replacement on Wednesday as angry fans vented their displeasure at owner Mike Ashley’s running of the club. Bruce, born near Newcastle, never played for the club he supported as a boy and revealed the chance to step into the hot seat was one he could not refuse a second time. Read more
Coco Gauff set to gain controversial US Open wildcard (Metro)
The US Open is set to relax its eligibility rules and allow teenage sensation Coco Gauff a controversial wildcard entry to compete in next months final Grand Slam of the calendar year. Gauff shot to fame a fortnight ago at Wimbledon when the 15-year-old stunned her idol and five-time winner Venus Williams in the opening round, finally succumbing to eventual champions Simona Halep in a one-sided quarter final. Read more
Tour de France: Simon Yates claims maiden stage win (BBC)
Britain’s Simon Yates claimed his maiden Tour de France stage win with a shrewd victory on stage 12. Yates outsprinted Pello Bilbao and Gregor Muhlberger in a technical finish in Bagneres-de-Bigorre after the trio had broken clear with 32km remaining. He has now won stages at all three Grand Tours, having previously won at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana. Read more