Produce my husband’s killers, widow of Agege crime buster tells police boss (Guardian)
Widow of Emmanuel Olufemi-Peters, Oluchi Ikpeka, has urged the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the state’s Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, to fish out the killers of her husband, a former commander of Community Police Sector (CPS) in Lagos.
Olufemi-Peters was stabbed to death on June 19 while carrying out the COVID-19 lockdown order in company with some police officers and other paramilitary agents. The security agencies are yet to arrest the assailants who committed the dastardly act.
Oluchi, who was devastated while narrating how her husband was murdered, said it looked fishy that it could happen in the presence of policemen that he was assisting in crime-fighting. Read more
We don’t support school resumption – NUT Lagos (Punch)
The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Lagos State chapter, has said it does not support the idea of reopening schools in the state.
The Lagos NUT Chairman, Mr Adesina Adedoyin, while reacting to the decision of the South-West governors to commence the West African Senior Secondary Examinations in August said it was disheartening that the governors and the Federal Government could not take a uniform decision.
He said, “The Federal Government is saying no resumption and the South-West governors are saying pupils should resume. Read more
Lagos government vows to prosecute cartel behind fake building plan approvals (Guardian)
The Lagos State Government has vowed to unravel the cartel behind fake building plan approvals in the state and ensure their prosecution in line with the extant laws.
The state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, stated this during an enforcement operation in Pinnock Estate in the Osapa London axis of Lekki.
Salako, in a statement yesterday signed by Mukaila Sanusi, Assistant Director, Public Affairs in the ministry, also ordered the sealing of 42 buildings in the estate for unapproved and illegal construction. Read more
“10 cultists sleep with new female member during initiation” (Punch)
A 19-year-old girl and member of a cult known as the Marine Girls, Blessing David, on Thursday confessed to having slept with 10 men after she was initiated into the group.
The teenager, who was initiated along with other girls, said sleeping with the men was part of the initiation rites.
She said this at the headquarters of the Edo State Police Command in Benin City, when the Commissioner of Police, Mr Johnson Kokumo, paraded 15 armed robbery suspects, six cultists, three kidnappers and four murder suspects. Read more
FG warns VIPs, investigates Yari, Fintiri over breach of airport protocols (ThisDay)
The federal government has warned very important personalities (VIPs) and unruly passengers against breaching laid down airport protocols on COVID-19, stressing that it has escalated investigation into the unruly conduct and breaches of COVID-19 safety protocols at the airports by the Governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Ahmadu Fintiri and the former Governor of Zamfara State, Mr. Abdulaziz Yari.
Also, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) yesterday said that it has activated 54 testing centres across 30 states of the federation since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Read more
Arotile: Family demands probe, Afenifere rejects crash report (Punch)
The family of Tolulope Arotile, the late first Nigerian female combat pilot, and the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Thursday rejected the accident theory of the the Nigerian Air Force as the cause of the death, calling for a probe.
The late combat pilot died on Tuesday at the age of 24 after a car that was reversing hit her.
Tolulope’s elder sister, Damilola Adegboye, told journalists on Thursday that the family was devastated by her untimely death and had been wondering how a car that was reversing could kill her. Read more
Niger workers set for three-day warning strike (Independent)
Organised Labour in Niger State has said that it would commence three days warning strike effect from July 24, 2020 if government fails to reverse its resolve to pay June salaries of civil servants on percentage basis.
In the same vein, the workers have resolved to embark on fasting and prayers for divine intervention to press home their demand.
The Organised Labour in a letter with Ref No: OL/NS/040/GEN/Vol.2/91 dated 9th July, 2020 to the state government said workers remained resolute in their stand until government rescinds its decision. Read more
Court reverses order forfeiting Saraki’s houses to FG (Punch)
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday reversed its order forfeiting to the Federal Government two houses in Ilorin belonging to a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
The court, in a judgment by Justice Rilwan Aikawa, released the houses to Saraki, while delivering judgment on an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission seeking to permanently forfeit the houses to the Federal Government.
The EFCC had in December last year secured a court order for the interim forfeiture of the houses – Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State – after telling the court that they were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State governor between 2003 and 2011. Read more
Bizarre ‘fish with human teeth’ found in Malaysia (Metro)
If social media is to be believed, a fisherman in Malaysia recently made a catch with a surprisingly human-like set of chompers.
A photo was posted to Twitter by user @raff_nasir on July 2 and it swiftly picked up viral fame as more and more people commented on the lips and teeth of this particular specimen.
The beast has been identified as as a triggerfish by local media, of which there are 40 different types. Triggerfish are supposedly territorial and aggressive, charging at intruders and using those impressive teeth to battle with crabs and sea urchins, according to National Geographic. Read more
France presents draft law for returning colonial-era artifacts to African countries (France24)
The French government presented a draft law Wednesday that would enable France to return certain cultural artifacts taken from African countries during the colonial era.
The law, which will go to parliament for consideration, centers on the transfer of ownership of several African objects, including a saber loaned to Senegal last year.
Now-former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe presented the sword to Senegalese President Macky Sall in November in Dakar. French media have described the saber as a historically significant weapon that belonged to associates of El Hadj Omar Tall, a 19th century military leader and Muslim scholar who ruled a short-lived empire. Read more
Vatican publishes manual on dealing with sex abuse claims (Aljazeera)
The Vatican has released guidelines for bishops and other senior church officials on how to deal with clerical child sex abuse claims after Pope Francis called for the procedures to be laid out step-by-step.
The new 20-page “vademecum”, or manual, which includes a form to be filled out detailing the alleged crime against minors, does not include any new laws but aims to clarify the existing rules on tackling a scandal which has plagued the church for decades, it said
The Vatican said this was “Version 1.0”, which could be updated if and when necessary. Read more
Joanna Cole, author of ‘The Magic School Bus,’ dies age 75 (CNN)
Award-winning US author Joanna Cole, who wrote “The Magic School Bus” series and other children’s books, has died at the age of 75.
Cole lived in Sioux City, Iowa, and died on July 12, according to a statement from her publisher, Scholastic, sent to CNN Thursday.
She was best known for “The Magic School Bus,” a science series that she launched in 1986 with illustrator Bruce Degen.
“What Joanna has meant to the world, what there is in the world because of her, is well known,” said Degen. Read more
River Nile dam: Sudan blasts ‘unilateral’ move as Ethiopia dam fills (BBC)
Sudan says River Nile water levels have dropped as a reservoir behind Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance dam has filled up, hitting out at “any unilateral actions taken by any party”.
Egypt has also demanded “quick official clarification” from Ethiopia.
Both Sudan and Egypt are downstream, and fear the large dam will greatly reduce their access to water. Read more
Florida cops ‘arrest’ kangaroo in Fort Lauderdale (NYPost)
Police officers captured an unlikely suspect bouncing through a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood on Thursday morning.
After receiving a call about a kangaroo running loose in the area, officers managed to capture it and place it in a squad car. The agency posted a picture of the kangaroo on Twitter.
So far, police have few clues as to the origins of this misplaced marsupial. No one was injured in its capture. Read more
Dakota Fanning reflects on working with “Uptown Girls” co-star Brittany Murphy (Metro)
Dakota Fanning has looked back at her experience of working with late actress Brittany Murphy.
The actress paid tribute to her former Uptown Girls co-star during her appearance on Wednesday’s Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
The film saw Brittany play Dakota’s character’s nanny and just six years after the movie’s release, the actress died in 2009. Read more
Onuachu survives COVID-19, returns to action (Independent)
Racing Genk of Belgium striker, Paul Onuachu has received a clean bill of health from his recent corona virus infection and he is set to resume action with his club on Friday.
In contrast with initial worries over the Super Eagles’ lad’s health condition considering that COVID-19 has claimed many lives in Nigeria and several other countries across the world the former FC Midtjylland of Denmark hit man has come out unscathed.
This comes a week after Nigerian football fans were cast into anxious moments when news emerged that Onuachu sent shock waves after he tested positive for the disease following his return from a trip home to Lagos for the burial of Victor Osimhen’s father, despite staying in quarantine for a week on his return to Belgium. Read more
Eagles didn’t have my jersey size, jokes Akinfenwa (Punch)
Wycombe Wanderers big striker, Adebayo Akinfenwa, has jokingly said the unavailability of his kit size in the Nigerian national team may have played a role in his inability to get a call-up to the Super Eagles in 2003, but admitted that the country was blessed with a lot of talents.
Akinfenwa, who stands at 1.85m tall and weighs 102kg, admitted he made an effort to play for Nigeria when he was 21, but was overlooked.
In an interview with ESPN, the 38-year-old joked that his body size could have been the reason for his inability to make the Eagles team. Read more
Real Madrid beat Villarreal to win La Liga (BBC)
Zinedine Zidane says sealing a first La Liga title with Real Madrid in three years has made him happier than winning the Champions League.
Real wrapped up the title with a game to spare as they edged past Villarreal at an empty Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium.
Karim Benzema fired between the legs of Sergio Asenjo and added a controversial second from a retaken penalty.
In bizarre fashion, Sergio Ramos had rolled the first attempt for Benzema to smash in but the effort was disallowed. Read more
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi reacts to Real Madrid being crowned La Liga champions (Metro)
An irate Lionel Messi claimed that Barcelona had ‘helped Real Madrid a lot’ with their ‘erratic, weak and low-intensity’ performances across the season after Zinedine Zidane’s side were crowned La Liga champions.
Los Blancos won their first title in three years with a match to spare as they beat Villarreal 2-1 at an empty Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium on Thursday evening.
Karim Benzema broke the deadlock midway through the first half and the Frenchman completed his brace in the 77th minute, converting from the penalty spot to give Madrid a two-goal advantage on home soil. Read more
Rodgers wants Leicester to ‘make more history’ as they beat Sheff Utd to seal Europa League spot (BBC)
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers challenged his team to “make more history” after victory over Sheffield United secured European football for next season.
A first-half strike by Ayoze Perez and Demarai Gray’s counter-attacking goal ensured the Foxes stay fourth, a point behind third-placed Chelsea with two games remaining.
Their win also means they qualified for next season’s Europa League at least.
But Rodgers wants Leicester to secure Champions League football for a second time after becoming Premier League title-winners in 2016. Read more
B’ball: Diogu, Aminu make Africa’s best players list (Punch)
D’Tigers stars Ike Diogu and Al-Farouk Aminu have been named in FIBA Africa’s Top 10 Players of The Decade list.
FIBA Africa named the Nigerians in the first category of names released, which has five players. The second list of five names will be released soon with other Nigerian stars expected to make it.
The Nigerians were picked from an initial list of 55 top African players. The selection was based on their impact at club and national teams’ participation at FIBA competitions, which ran from 2010 to 2020. Read more