Rape allegation: Lawyers want Fatoyinbo tried in Lagos (Punch)
A civil rights organisation under the aegis of Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates, on Monday opened a fresh chapter in the allegation of rape against Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of Commonwealth Zion Assembly. The organisation specifically said information at its disposal suggested that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, was planning to transfer the case to Abuja. The convener of COPA, Pelumi Olajengbesi, in a statement in Abuja, said the case would be diligently monitored with a view to checking the abuse of the process by parties. Read more
El-Rufai, deputy warn against impostors (Guardian)
Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, and his deputy, Hadiza Balarabe, have warned the general public to be conscious of impostors using their names for extortion. In a statement by the Commissioner-designate of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the governor informed the general public that he and his deputy had no connection with El-Rufai Better Life Foundation and Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe Foundation. “The criminals behind these foundations have been extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public by selling them registration forms with the promise of providing them financial empowerment. Read more
Reintroduction of Ruga will disintegrate Nigeria, Clark warns (Punch)
The convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Edwin Clark, has warned the Federal Government against reintroducing the suspended controversial Ruga scheme. He said the reintroduction could lead to the disintegration of Nigeria. While saying that it was good to diversity Nigeria’s revenue base from oil to other sources of income such as agriculture, he warned that policies to be introduced to boost agriculture must not offend the sensibilities of host communities or other parts of the country. Read more
Buhari’s delay in appointing ministers affecting economy — PDP BoT (Punch)
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Walid Jibrin, has said the delay in appointing ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari is not good for the country. Speaking with our correspondent in Abuja on Monday, Jibrin urged the President to hasten the appointment of his ministers. According to him, the appointment of competent persons as ministers will quicken governance and move the nation forward. Read more
Restructuring: Send El-Rufai panel report to NASS, Osoba advises APC (Punch)
A former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, on Monday urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to send the report of the Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s committee on restructuring to the National Assembly for implementation. Osoba argued that this was the way to achieve the restructuring of the country rather than mounting pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari. According to him, under a democratic dispensation, the task of restructuring the country is beyond the President. Read more
Protests rock APC as 20 Kogi gov aspirants reject indirect primary (Punch)
Police averted a major crisis on Monday as protests rocked the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja. Some political thugs loyal to the Kogi State Governor, Yahya Bello, stormed the place in the early morning and harassed journalists at the scene. The thugs, who came on the information that some people were coming to stage a protest against the governor’s interest, got agitated on sighting journalists. Read more
Nigeria still among world’s poorest nations, UN insists (Guardian)
The introduction of social safety net programmes by the Federal Government and development agencies to alleviate poverty in the country notwithstanding, the 2019 global multidimensional poverty index has yet again ranked Nigeria among poorest nations in the world. This comes as the Save the Children (SC) said 300,000 internally displaced persons and host communities benefited from its N4,000 monthly stipends under the Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme in the last five years. Read more
Lagos seizes truckload of toxic ponmo (Punch)
The Lagos State Government on Monday said it had confiscated a truckload of poisonous cowhide (ponmo) at Ijegun, a suburb of Lagos, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Olayiwole Onasanya, who described the cowhide as Ebola ponmo said the item was imported into the country by some ‘unscrupulous individuals’. Onasanya, in a statement by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Jide Lawal, noted that officials of the state government were informed about the matter after the police from the Iktoun division intercepted the truck. Read more
Customs officer faces medical test for promoting self to CG (Punch)
An Assistant Superintendent of Customs, Nura Dahiru, who wore the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs to the headquarters of the Nigerian Customs Service, has been made to face a medical examination. Dahiru, who had reported to office on Monday morning with the rank of DCG, caused a stir at the customs headquarters. Men of the service who witnessed Dahiru’s action told one of our correspondents that he claimed he was acting on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to assume the office of Comptroller-General. Read more
Corps member, who washed hair with Sniper, dies 10 days to birthday (Punch)
A member of the National Youth Service Corps scheme serving in Osun State, Ayomikun Ademorayo, on Sunday died after she reportedly washed her hair with an insecticide, Sniper, to eliminate lice. Some colleagues of the deceased told our correspondent that Ayomikun, an orphan, discovered lice in her hair while preparing for a new hairdo in preparation for her birthday on July 18. They added that Ayomikun, a prominent member of the state NYSC volleyball team, applied the insecticide to her hair on Sunday afternoon and became unconscious few minutes later. Read more
South African teens fly from Cape to Cairo in homemade plane (BBC)
An aircraft built by South African teenagers has successfully landed in Egypt six weeks after it set off from Cape Town. The four-seater Sling 4 plane was assembled by a group of 20 students from vastly different backgrounds. The crew landed in Namibia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Tanzania and Uganda during the 12,000km (7,455 mile) trip. Read more
Hong Kong extradition bill ‘is dead’ says Carrie Lam (BBC)
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said the controversial bill that would have allowed extradition to the Chinese mainland “is dead”. In a press conference on Tuesday, Ms Lam said the government’s work on the bill had been a “total failure”. But she stopped short of saying it had been withdrawn completely, as protesters have been demanding. The bill sparked weeks of unrest in the city and the government had already suspended it indefinitely. Read more
Trio jailed for pouring detergent down pregnant teen’s throat to force abortion (Metro)
A dad-to-be who tried to force his teenage girlfriend to miscarry by forcing detergent down her mouth has been jailed for 11 years. Harief Pearson, 22, googled ‘how to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy’ and ‘what can heroin do to an unborn baby?’ after his then 17-year-old girlfriend refused to have an abortion. He enlisted the help of his cousin Kydie McKenna, 22, and a 16-year-old girl who cannot be named for legal reasons. Read more
Ambassador ‘has PM’s full support’ despite Trump criticism (BBC)
Downing Street says the UK’s ambassador to the US has the prime minister’s “full support”, despite Donald Trump saying he will no longer work with him. The US president was responding after leaked emails revealed Sir Kim Darroch had called his administration inept. In a series of tweets, Mr Trump also criticised Theresa May’s handling of Brexit saying she had created “a mess”. Read more
Dozens of arrests in Copenhagen for drunk scooter driving (BBC)
Danish police have arrested 28 people in Copenhagen for riding electric scooters while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Over the weekend 24 people were caught drink-driving scooters while four were intoxicated from recreational drugs. The force announced the arrests on Twitter following a crackdown on the unsafe use of scooters in the Danish capital earlier this year. Read more
Instagram now asks bullies: ‘Are you sure?’ (BBC)
Instagram believes its new anti-bullying tool, which prompts users to pause and consider what they are saying, could help curb abuse on the platform. It will also soon offer the targets of bullying the ability to restrict interactions with users who are causing them distress. Instagram has been under pressure to deal with its bullying problem after high profile cases, including the suicide of British teenager Molly Russell. Read more
Whoopi Goldberg blames herself for her three marriages not working out because she was ‘never really in love’ (Metro)
Whoopi Goldberg says she is to blame for her marriages not working out because she doesn’t think she was ever in love. The Academy Award winner, 63, has been married three times and has now said in a new interview with New York Times magazine that she only tied the knot because she thought it was ‘expected’ of her. ‘Look, people expect you to have a boyfriend. They expect you to get married,’ she said. Read more
Winning Olympic gold after drugs ban was tough – Ajunwa (Punch)
Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medallist Chioma Ajunwa-Opara, at a conference held recently to sensitise athletes and youths against drug abuse and tobacco, tells SODIQ OYELEKE about her rise to Olympic podium in 1996 after serving a four-year ban. You have embarked on a drive to curb drugs among Nigerian athletes. Why did you decide to take the initiative? Read more
Mikel wants last AFCON hurray in Egypt (Guardian)
Captain John Mikel Obi has vowed to make his last Africa Cup of Nations one to remember for Nigeria and believes his presence in the squad could be a crucial factor in their bid for success, reports BBC. The midfielder, 32, concedes this will certainly be his last appearance on the continental showpiece event and possibly for his country. “It’s been an amazing ride for me in the national team,” Mikel told BBC Sport. Obviously winning the Nations Cup in South Africa was the high point, that’s why I want to help this young team to hopefully achieve their dreams. Read more
I’ll sack Rohr if I were NFF boss – Odegbami (Punch)
Former national team captain, Segun Odegbami, says he would have sacked Gernot Rohr after Nigeria’s 2-0 defeat to Madagascar at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations if he were the Nigeria Football Federation boss. Odegbami, a guest on Channels TV programme, Sunrise Daily, on Monday faulted Rohr’s attitude during Nigeria’s matches, saying the coach was “too relaxed” even when the Nigerian team were losing. The ‘Mathematical’ Odegbami advised the NFF to consider a vocal coach in their next appointment. Read more
Tanzania part ways with Amuneke after AFCON exit (Punch)
The Tanzania Football Federation has parted company with the Nigerian coach Emmanuel Amuneke 11 months after he was appointed by the TFF, Sports Extra reports. He becomes the third coach to be relieved of his job after his side’s elimination from the AFCON. Egypt and Uganda had earlier terminated the contracts of Javier Aguirre and Sebastien Desabre. Read more
Tunisia beat Ghana on penalties (BBC)
Tunisia beat Ghana on penalties to set up an Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final with Madagascar. Goalkeeper Farouk Ben Mustapha was the hero, coming on for the shootout and saving Caleb Ekuban’s penalty. Tunisia had been seconds away from winning in 90 minutes, but substitute Rami Bedoui headed into his own net in injury time, with his first touch. Read more
Zaha goal put Ivory Coast in last eight (BBC)
Wilfried Zaha scored the winner as the Ivory Coast beat Mali 1-0 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. The Crystal Palace forward, who has been linked with a summer move to Arsenal, raced on to Sylvain Gbohouo’s deep free-kick and got to the ball before Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra. Mali had been wasteful with Moussa Marega and Moussa Djenepo both missing good opportunities when well placed. Read more
PSG’s sporting director Leonardo confirms Neymar can leave amid Barcelona interest (Metro)
PSG’s sporting director Leonardo has admitted that Neymar could leave the club this summer amid speculation linking the Brazilian with an incredible return to Barcelona. The 27-year-old is desperate to move back to Spain following two seasons in France and failed to report for PSG’s first day of pre-season training on Monday, much to the club’s annoyance. After Neymar’s no-show, the club released a statement in which they vowed to take ‘appropriate action’ against the Brazilian over his unauthorised absence. Read more
James to remain in Madrid amidst rumoured move to Atletico (Guardian)
James, 27, is set to leave Real Madrid after Bayern Munich opted against exercising their purchase option for the playmaker at the conclusion of his two-year loan deal.It seemed the Colombia international was likely to move to Napoli, but interest from Atletico has, at least, slowed down that potential switch. According to Gol Caracol, James is enjoying the interest from Atletico Madrid.The report says Atletico would be ready to invest the €120million they are expected to receive from Barcelona for Antoine Griezmann on James. Read more
Filippo Magnini: Italian Olympic swimming star saves drowning newly-wed (BBC)
If you venture too far out of your depth it helps to have an Olympic swimmer nearby. Italian Filippo Magnini rescued Andrea Benedetto who was drowning off a Sardinian beach on Sunday. The former world champion plunged in after friends of the man shouted to sunbathers on Cala Sinzias beach, just east of Cagliari. Magnini kept Mr Benedetto’s head above water until lifeguards arrived with a raft. Read more
John McEnroe explains why Federer is the GOAT over Nadal – but is backing Djokovic to win Wimbledon (Metro)
John McEnroe believes Roger Federer’s remarkable consistency is the reason why he will go down as the greatest player of all time ahead of Rafael Nadal as the pair cruised into the Wimbledon quarter-finals. The Swiss, who has won 20 Grand Slams, beat Matteo Berrettini in straight sets on Monday, dropping just five games the process, while Rafael Nadal, who has won 18 Slams, won in similarly emphatic fashion against Joao Sousa – dropping just a single game more. Read more