Rape allegation: COZA declares seven-day fast (Punch)
Amid allegations of rape levelled against its Senior Pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo, the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly has declared seven days of fasting starting from Monday. This comes as protesters have vowed to continue to demand for justice following allegations by Busola Dakolo, wife of popular Musician, Timi Dakolo, that Fatoyinbo raped her 20 years ago. Addressing congregants on Sunday, Fatoyinbo said the yearly special programme titled, ‘Seven Days of Glory’, which usually takes place from July 1 to July 7, had been suspended. Read more
Atiku slams N2.5b suit against Buhari’s aide Lauretta Onochie (Guardian)
A former Nigerian vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on social media, Lauretta Onochie, over an alleged libel and defamation of character. “To say that the claimant is shopping for terrorists knowing same to be untrue and without any foundation is not only dishonest and reckless, but is calculated and politically designed to instigate security agents against him not only in the UAE, but across the world,” He mentioned filing the suit in the statement. Ozekhome (SAN), filed a N2.5bn suit against Onochie before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on June 26 after Onochie failed to apologise to the former VP over a tweet he said was libellous. Read more
INEC under pressure to tamper with Kaduna election materials – PDP alleges (Nation)
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) In Kaduna State on Sunday alleged that, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was under pressure to tamper with election materials in the March 9th, 2019 governorship elections in the state. The allegation was contained in a statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary in Kaduna State, Abraham Alberah Catoh. According to the opposition party, “We have received credible information that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is under intense pressure to tamper with election materials used for the conduct of governorship elections on 9th March, 2019 in the State. Read more
Ruga settlements not for Fulani alone, says Presidency (Punch)
The Presidency on Sunday defended the controversial Ruga settlements programme embarked on by the Federal Government in collaboration with state governments, saying that the initiative was not meant to serve the interest of the Fulani ethnic group alone. The Presidency also stated that Ruga was “voluntary”, saying that no state was forced to give up land for the project. It explained that the project was meant to serve everyone involved in animal husbandry, but more importantly, to “stop roaming of cattle herders with the attendant clashes with farmers.” Read more
Nigerian Army is determined to defeat all forms of security challenges – Buratai (Guardian)
Nigerian Army is more than ever determined to ensure total defeat of all forms of security challenges in various parts of Nigeria, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has said. Buratai gave the assurance on Sunday in Lagos at an inter-denominational church service held in commemoration of the 2019 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) at Ikeja Cantonment. Represented by Maj.-Gen. Adekunle Shodunke, the Chief of Army Standard and Evaluation, he said: “The Nigerian Army is more than ever determined to ensure total defeat of all forms of security challenges in various parts of the country. Read more
Ruga, an attempt to resettle terrorist herdsmen – Middle Belt Forum (Punch)
The Middle Belt Forum has described the Ruga settlement project as a plot by the Federal Government to resettle terrorist herdsmen in the middle belt region and other parts of the country. The MBF National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Isuwa Dogo, stated that the programme would precipitate grave humanitarian crisis in the affected areas if the FG went ahead with its plan. Read more
Maritime workers to begin nationwide strike (Guardian)
Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) will begin a nationwide strike on Wednesday, July 3, after the expiration of a two-week strike ultimatum issued by the union on June 13 over non-payment of stevedoring contractors. Mr Abdul-Waheed Adeyanju, the President-General of MWUN made this known in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday. According to him, the leadership of the union has directed that members of the union shall withdraw services throughout the nation’s seaports effective from 06.00 hours on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. Read more
Magu came to beg me for confirmation, Saraki tells CJ (Punch)
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki says the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, visited him in 2016 and begged him to ensure that he was confirmed by the Senate. Saraki added that he explained to Magu that the Department of State Services had written a letter to the upper chamber of the National Assembly accusing the EFCC boss of corruption and being unfit to hold the office and thus should not be confirmed. The former Senate President said this in a letter addressed to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati. Read more
TUC reads riot act to employers (Nation)
The new National President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Quadri Olaleye has said that for the trade union movement in the country to succeed in this new dispensation, it must be determined to tackle myriads of problems plaguing the labour movement and the nation at large. Olaleye who emerged President at the 11th triennial delegates conference of the Congress in Abuja at the weekend told employers of labour in the country that it will no longer be business as usual, but said his leadership was prepared to work in harmony with government and employers to ensure industrial peace in the country. Read more
North Korea media hail ‘amazing’ Trump visit (BBC)
North Korean state media has hailed the impromptu visit made by US President Donald Trump to the country as “an amazing event”. On Sunday, Mr Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea, accompanied by leader Kim Jong-un. Mr Trump had earlier tweeted asking Mr Kim if he would like to meet while the US president was in South Korea. Read more
Spain wildfire triggers more evacuations (Guardian)
Spanish authorities ordered the evacuation Sunday of around 40 people and closed four roads as a raging wildfire advanced in the centre of the country amid scorching temperatures. Police ordered residents to flee their homes outside the town of Villa del Prado some 65 kilometres (40 miles) southwest of Madrid as a precaution because of the approach of the flames, emergency services said. The locals were put up in a sports centre. Officials evacuated residents from around 40 homes in the nearby town of Cadalso de los Vidrios at dawn but they were allowed to return home in the afternoon. Read more
Texas plane crash: 10 killed after ‘aircraft veers into hangar’ (BBC)
A light aircraft has crashed into an airport hangar in Texas killing all 10 people on board. The plane, a twin-engine Beechcraft BE-350 King Air, crashed shortly after take-off at Addison Airport. It veered into the hangar before bursting into flames, a local fire department official said. Darci Neuzil, the airport’s deputy director, said it took off around 0900 local time (1500 GMT), bound for Florida. Read more
New York Pride: Bumper crowds expected at LGBT march (BBC)
Hundreds of thousands of people are attending WorldPride in New York, one of the largest LGBT celebrations in the world. Up to 150,000 people are expected to march, 50 years on from the Stonewall riots, with many more watching. The riots, after a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, helped to energise the fight for gay equality. This year’s march started outside the inn. Read more
Turkish police fire tear gas at banned Istanbul LGBT Pride parade (Metro)
Turkish police fired tear gas at protesters gathered for an LGBT pride march banned for the fifth year in a row. The activists had gathered in Istanbul to promote rights for gay and transgender people. The rally on a side street to Istanbul’s main pedestrian avenue drew at least several hundred people on Sunday, who cheered and waved rainbow flags. Read more
Italy migrant boat: Captain disobeyed orders due to suicide fears (BBC)
The German captain of a ship rescuing migrants said she disobeyed orders not to dock in Italy because she feared those on board would kill themselves. Sea-Watch-3 captain Carola Rackete apologised to the crew of a patrol boat her vessel trapped against a quayside. She denied Interior Minister Matteo Salvini’s accusation that she had tried to ram the boat in an “act of war”. Read more
Gran, 84, nearly died after two lamb bones got stuck in her throat (Metro)
A grandmother aged 84 almost died after somehow managing to swallow two 5cm lamb bones which became lodged in her throat. The bones punctured Joan Whitehorn’s oesophagus and were sliding dangerously down her throat. She had eaten the meal in Portimao, Portugal, where she was visiting her son Stephen. Read more
Venezuela crisis: Navy captain’s death in custody condemned by opposition (BBC)
Venezuela’s opposition has denounced the death of a navy captain held over an alleged plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro and called for an investigation. Rafael Acosta, 49, was among six policemen and soldiers arrested on Wednesday. They were detained weeks after a failed military uprising against Mr Maduro. Read more
Super Eagles win is real achievement for us – Madagascar coach (Punch)
Madagascar coach Nicolas Dupuis hailed his team’s shock 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations victory over continental giants Nigeria that secured a place in the knockout rounds as a “dream” for the nation. Goals from Lalaina Nomenjanahary and Charles Andriamatsinoro in Alexandria earned the Indian Ocean islanders a famous victory and saw Madagascar pip three-time winners Nigeria to top spot in Group B. Read more
Salah scores as Egypt beat Uganda (BBC)
Egypt maintained their perfect start to their Africa Cup of Nations campaign by beating Uganda in Cairo to advance into the last 16 as Group A winners. Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with a superb free-kick midway through the first half. Aston Villa’s Ahmed Elmohamady then doubled the Pharaohs’ lead before half-time with a powerful drive. Read more
Petr Cech says Frank Lampard one of ‘several candidates’ for Chelsea job (Metro)
Frank Lampard may reportedly been on the verge of becoming Chelsea manager, but Petr Cech claims the former Blue is one of several candidates for the job. Cech returned to Chelsea this summer as their new technical and performance advisor and is playing a key part in the appointment of their next manager. Chelsea have been granted permission by Derby to speak with Lampard, but Cech insisted his former team-mate is under consideration among other names. Read more
Rabiot arrives in Turin ahead of Juventus move (Guardian)
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot arrived in Turin on Sunday ahead of his move to Juventus, the Italian champions have confirmed. “Adrien Rabiot has arrived in Turin ahead of a proposed move to Juventus,” the Serie A club posted on Twitter along with a video and photos of the French player arriving at the northern Italian city’s airport by private jet. The 24-year-old is reported to have agreed a four-year deal worth seven million euros ($7.9 million) a year plus another 10 million euro ($11.3m) bonus on signing. Read more
Ivanisevic to help Djokovic at Wimbledon (Guardian)
Former Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic said Sunday he will be helping Novak Djokovic during the tournament after joining the world number one’s coaching team following a call out of the blue. “It’s all unusual, a rather unexpected call came a few days ago,” Ivanisevic told Serbian reporters at the All England Club, according to sports channel sportklub online. “I was a bit surprised, I travelled to Sweden. Nole (Djokovic) wanted me to come earlier but I had a senior tour agreed earlier. Read more
Serena Williams and Roger Federer excited to see 15-year-old Cori Gauff make Wimbledon bow (Metro)
Serena Williams and Roger Federer are both backing 15-year-old Cori Gauff to make an impression at Wimbledon after she became the youngest player to qualify for the main draw in the Open era. The American teenager belied her tender years to come through the qualifying rounds and now faces a first-round match against Venus Williams, who is 24 years her senior and 257 places higher in the WTA rankings. Read more