Retired Customs officer chops off 10-year-old girl’s finger over missing N50 that was later found (Vanguard)
A retired Customs officer has reportedly chopped off the middle finger of a 10-year-old girl, who was living with her at their Oko-Afo home, along Badagry Road.
It was gathered that the woman sent the victim, Hawau, to take N200 from the N250 she kept on the fridge, to get a certain drug for her.
However, trouble started when Hawau returned from the errand and her guardian asked her for the N50 that should have been left.
Vanguard learned that the woman immediately dragged the 10-year-old girl inside her room, brought out a matchete and chopped off one of her fingers.
Crying for justice, Hawau’s mother said the painful part is that the said missing N50 were later found. Read more
Absence of EFCC counsel stalls N675m spiritual cleansing fraud trial (Guardian)
The absence of prosecution counsel, on Thursday, stalled the trial of Abayomi Alaka, an alleged kingpin of a cultist group, Badoo, charged with N675 million spiritual cleansing fraud.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Alaka was arraigned alongside Morufu Yahaya, Omitogun Ajayi and Ajisegiri Abiodun, on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences, in which they pleaded not guilty.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo said the record of the court was clear on what happened on the last date of adjournment.
Taiwo stressed that though the prosecution counsel, Mr Nkereuwem Anana, came late for the matter, he was present in court.
“My record is very clear on what happened on the last adjournment date. Mr Anana was present in court. He was late and the court had to wait for him, so it was not correct that he was not present in court,” she said. Read more
$1.53b Lekki Deep Seaport to wrest Nigeria’s lost cargoes from Ghana, Togo, others –FG (Sun)
Federal Government on Wednesday said that with the complete development of the Lekki Deep Seaport, Nigeria will wrest lost cargoes from Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this while addressing journalists after an on-the-spot inspection of the project in Lagos, said that the project would create 169,972 jobs and bring revenues totalling $201 billion to the state and federal governments through taxes, royalties and duties.
According to him, the aggregate impact of the project has been put at $361 billion in 45 years.
“We have just concluded a tour of the Lekki Deep Sea Port here at the Lagos Free Zone, located some 65 kilometres east of Lagos. This visit is the second we are making to this area within a month, coming after our trip to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals as well as the Dangote Fertilizer on April 3, 2022. Read more
Police launch manhunt for owners of dogs, ladies involved in bestiality (DailyTrust)
Authorities of the Nigeria Police Force on Thursday vowed to trail, arrest and prosecute owners of dogs who paid some ladies in Lagos to have sex with their pets.
The Police Command also disclosed that its operatives would arrest and prosecute those ladies involved to serve as a deterrent for others planning to be involved in such an act.
Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, who made this known in Abuja, described the development as “barbaric”, arguing that their offence is punishable under the law.
“Unnatural offences: We will extend our search, investigation and punishment to the owners of the dogs caught in the act of having sexual intercourse with ladies or being used for similar offences. Read more
Over 25% of psychiatric patients on admission can’t pay – MD (Nation)
The Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, has raised the alarm over the growing number of abandoned mental health patients in the hospital as over 25 % of the patients on admission could not pay.
The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, who raised the alarm in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, called for the general public assistance in the treatment and welfare of the patients.
Owoeye urged Nigerians to help the indigent and abandoned psychiatric patients to offset their medical bills and meet their daily needs.
He said it had become pertinent that the public come to the aid of the patients because the burden of their welfare, medications and upkeep had been totally upon the hospital for a long time. Read more
Pastor Tunde Bakare obtains APC presidential form (Punch)
Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Nigeria, PastorTunde Bakare, has obtained the N100 million presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
He obtained the forms at the All Progressives Congress headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The pastor would officially declare his presidential ambition on Monday, May 9, 2022, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Central Business District in Abuja, according to a statement,
The statement was obtained by our correspondent on Thursday. Read more
Buhari arrives Enugu enroute Ebonyi state for two-day visit (Guardian)
Three governors of the southeast region, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state and Hope Uzodinma of Imo state on Thursday received President Muhammadu Buhari at the Akanu Ibiam International airport, Enugu.
Buhari whose flight touched down t at 12.45 pm was on his way to Ebonyi state for a two-day working visit.
At the airport also to welcome the president were former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Sam Egwu, former Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi, Senator Uche Ekwunife and reps member Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, among others.
Although the visit is expected to see Buhari commission some projects executed by Umahi, he would at the same time hold an enlarged meeting with leaders and stakeholders of the southeast region. Read more
Ogun man kills friend over $150, reports self to police (Punch)
A 30-year-old man, Oluwagbemiga Shogbola, has reportedly stabbed his friend, Victor Olabiyo, to death over $150 (N61,950) proceeds of a business deal between them in the Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Shogbola, aka Oja or Federal, accused the victim of cheating him and taking all the money to himself.
Our correspondent learnt that as the disagreement degenerated into a fight between the men, some of their associates attempted to mediate, but to no avail.
However, around 8pm on Tuesday, Shogbola was said to have posted a picture of Olabiyo on his WhatsApp status with a tag, ‘RIP’. Read more
4 gunmen killed during clash with soldiers in Aba (Tribune)
Four gunmen lost their lives on Wednesday during a clash with soldiers attached to the 144 Battalion of the 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Aba, Abia State.
Reports indicated that the incident happened at the Uratta, Aba axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway at about 2 pm.
The gunmen in black attires had marched through popular streets and markets, warning traders and residents of a sudden imposition of a two-day sit-at-home order slated for Thursday and Friday to be observed across the southeastern states in protest against the proposed visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Ebonyi State on Friday.
While spreading their information that forced shop owners to start closing for business, the gunmen ran into soldiers stationed at the Uratta Junction. Read more
Rebel Wilson explains why she went from law school graduate to becoming an actress (People)
Rebel Wilson is one to follow signs from the universe!
While stopping by Today on Thursday, the Pitch Perfect actress, 42, shared what made her pivot from law school graduate to Hollywood star.
“I took a gap year between high school and college and I went to Africa for the year,” she said, “got malaria really, really badly and I hallucinated that I was an actress and that I was really good.”
After her recovery, Wilson returned home and was confident acting was her new path. “I come back to Australia and said, ‘Guys I’ll go to law school as well, but I think I’ve got to pursue acting too because I had the vision.'” Read more
Timothee Chalamet’s London theatre debut cancelled as Old Vic axes 4,000 Miles after Covid delays (ITV)
Timothee Chalamet’s debut show at The Old Vic theatre has been cancelled after facing two years of Covid delays.
The sought-after young Hollywood star had been due to appear opposite British actress Dame Eileen Atkins in an adaptation of the critically acclaimed play 4,000 Miles, written by Amy Herzog.
However, the Old Vic this week confirmed the play was being axed due to pandemic delays.
The latest cancellation comes amid two years of pain for London theatre, as top show venues and the West End continue to reel from the pandemic shut-downs. Read more
Paddy McGuinness says Dave Chappelle’s gunman attack was ‘direct result’ of Will Smith slap (Standard)
Paddy McGuinness thinks Dave Chappelle’s on-stage attack with a replica gun was a “direct result” of Will Smith’s slap at the Oscars.
The 48-year-old television star and comedian took to social media to express his thoughts about the attack that saw Chappelle confronted on stage by a man with a replica gun during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl.
McGuinness suggested on Twitter that the unprovoked attack was inspired by Smith after he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars in March.
“The wrong man who attacked Dave Chappelle on stage is, for me, a direct result of Will Smith assaulting Chris Rock at the Oscars,” McGuinness wrote. Read more
Toronto hip-hop artiste Akintoye on his TikTok hit about being ‘sad with pizzazz’ (TorontoStar)
A Toronto hip-hop artiste is creating TikTok hits by channeling his mental health struggles, spawning hundreds of thousands of videos set to his anthem about being “sad with pizzazz.”
Akintoye Asalu, who goes by his first name as a musician and @yeahitsak on TikTok, has amassed 2.5 million followers on the video-sharing platform for his candid songs about dealing with anxiety and depression.
His latest hit, “Pizzazz,” has taken the 22-year-old to new heights as TikTok users have put their own spin on the upbeat sound in more than 300,000 short-form videos.
Many of these videos riff on the lyric, “If I’mma be sad, I’mma do it with pizzazz,” sometimes with wry captions that sub in the last word for “garlic bread,” “his other girlfriends” or “without my dad.” Read more
Covid pandemic killed 13 to 17 million in 2020-21: WHO (Guardian)
The Covid-19 pandemic killed 13.3 to 16.6 million people in 2020 and 2021, the WHO estimated Thursday — up to triple the number of deaths attributed directly to the disease.
The World Health Organization’s long-awaited estimate of the total number of deaths caused by the pandemic — including lives lost to its knock-on effects — finally puts a number on the broader impact of the crisis.
“New estimates from the World Health Organization show that the full death toll associated directly or indirectly with the Covid-19 pandemic between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 was approximately 14.9 million (range 13.3 million to 16.6 million),” the UN health agency said in a statement.
The figure calculates what is termed as excess mortality due to the Covid-19 crisis, which has upended much of the planet for more than two years. Read more
Dolly Parton ‘never meant to cause trouble’ with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction (USAToday)
Dolly Parton may not be a traditional rockstar, but the country music icon is singing a different tune about her induction into this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.
Following the announcement of her induction Wednesday, Parton told Billboard that while she had her reservations about accepting the honor, she feels “great” about it now.
“I feel honored that all the people that voted for me did. And I appreciate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame people for staying there with me,” Parton told the outlet in an interview published Wednesday. “I never meant to cause trouble or stir up any controversy.”
She continued: “It was just always my belief — and I think millions of other people out there too — always thought the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was just set up for the greatest people in the rock ‘n’ roll business, and I just didn’t feel like I really measured up to that and I don’t want to take anything away from the people that have worked so hard.” Read more
English schoolboy gets letter signed by Zelenskyy after sending message of support to Ukraine president (Stuff)
An English schoolboy who sent a letter of support to Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a reply signed by the Ukrainian president.
The letter from Thomas Handley, 12, of Durham Trinity School, was included with supplies collected by the school and sent to help refugees arriving in Poland.
Thomas addressed his letter to “the best president”, and said he was “happy to be helping Ukraine”, the BBC reported.
He added he was hopeful Ukraine would “win to beat Russia” and that “Putin is too scared about telling the truth about the war”. Read more
Iwobi reveals Everton fear (Punch)
Nigeria international Alex Iwobi says the feeling of being substituted by Everton managers, following an underwhelming performance earlier in the club, has been one of his greatest fears since he joined The Toffees from Arsenal in 2019, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Iwobi struggled for consistent form at Goodison Park and had often been criticised by the club’s fans, but Frank Lampard’s arrival in January reignited a new phase in the utility player’s career.
The Super Eagles star, who turned 26 on Tuesday, has been one of the shining stars for the Toffees in recent matches, earning huge plaudits for his purposeful and energetic displays, especially for his outstanding performance against Chelsea on Sunday, when he played as a right-back for the majority of the match.
Though delighted to have been given the opportunity to consistently prove himself, Iwobi, in an interview with Liverpool Echo, revealed his worst fear during his trying period. Read more
Another stunning comeback brings Real Madrid’s next generation to the fore (Guardian)
Real Madrid added another mind-boggling comeback to the club’s long history of magical European nights on Wednesday but the revival against Manchester City may prove to be less about the past and more about the future.
Karim Benzema scored the winning penalty in extra-time to take his tally to 10 goals in six Champions League knock-out games, an astonishing record not least because of the stage, the class of the opponent and the weight of his contributions.
Against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and City, it was a goal by Benzema that sent Madrid through.
There was also Luka Modric, the 36-year-old who for long spells was again the most influential player on the pitch, and Thibaut Courtois, whose left-footed save to deny Jack Grealish in the 87th minute felt inconsequential at the time, but within minutes became transformative. Read more
Austin FC’s Cecilio Dominguez reinstated following MLS investigation (ESPN)
Austin FC forward Cecilio Dominguez has been reinstated by MLS following a suspension and investigation into possible off-field misconduct, the league announced on Wednesday.
Dominguez is now free to participate in all team activities, though his reinstatement is contingent on participation in “ongoing counseling,” the league said in a statement. Dominguez will be evaluated by a program administrator from the league’s Substance and Behavioral Health program, which will determine the specific programs Dominguez will participate in.
The player was suspended in April due to possible off-field misconduct stemming from a report of a domestic dispute with his partner. He missed five games during his suspension.
According to a report from the Austin Police Department, a redacted copy of which was obtained by ESPN, on the afternoon of April 8, police were called to the home of Dominguez’s ex-partner “in reference to a possible domestic violence victim.” Read more
Brooklyn Nets’ Ben Simmons to undergo back surgery, out 3-4 months (UPI)
Brooklyn Nets swingman Ben Simmons is scheduled to undergo back surgery Thursday, the team announced.
The 25-year-old Simmons is having a microdiscectomy procedure to alleviate pain located in a herniated disc in his lower back, according to the team. The decision to undergo the surgery was reached after “consultation with multiple back specialists.”
ESPN reported that Simmons will require three to four months of rehabilitation after the operation, but he is expected to be fully healed ahead of preseason training camp in September.
“After consultation with multiple back specialists, it has been determined that the best course of action for Ben’s long-term health is for him to undergo surgery,” the Nets said in a statement Wednesday. Read more
Yves Ulysse, Artem Oganesyan return on June 23 at Montreal Casino (BoxingScene)
A few days ago, the next EOTTM event scheduled on the Fête nationale was announced and final and semi-final bouts were confirmed with the NABA and NABF belts at stake for Erik Bazinyan (27-1, 21 KOs) and also the NABF title for Steven Butler (29-3-1, 25 KOs).
The event takes place on June 23 at Montreal Casino in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Additional fights have been added: Yves Ulysse Jr. (20-2, 11 KOs) will confront Argentinian Reuquen Cona Facundo Arce (14-6-2, 7 KOs) in his 23rd career fight, while Artem Oganesyan (13-0, 11 KOs) will defend his NABF super-middleweight title against seasoned Mexican pugilist Dante Jardon (34-8, 25 KOs). Luis Santana (5-0, 2 KOs), Avery Martin-Duval (6-0-1, 4 KOs), Leila Beaudoin (5-0, 1 KO) and Hamza Khabbaz (3-0, 1 KO) will also take part in the festivities simulcast on Punching Grace as of 7:00 pm.
Ulysse Jr. will get back into the ring after spending the last year recovering from an injury. In his comeback fight, he will cross swords with Reuquen Cona Facundo Arce, a pro boxer with over 120 rounds under his belt since 2017, for a scheduled 8 rounds. This worthy opponent will surely push Ulysse to use all the tricks up his sleeve to prove his mettle and show that he still has the desire to win. Read more
‘I’m proud of Novak Djokovic,’ his former coach recalls (TennisWorld)
Novak Djokovic and his coach Marian Vajda had accomplished almost everything together between 2006 and 2021. The famous duo will not work together for the rest of Novak’s career, as Marian takes his countryman Alex Molcan.
At the end of 2020, Djokovic made Vajda proud once again after securing the sixth year-end no. 1 honor. Novak was the player to beat in a challenging season plagued with the pandemic, finishing at the top of the ATP rankings list for the sixth time and joining Pete Sampras on the record list.
The Serb made the strongest restart in August 2020, winning titles in Cincinnati and Rome and earning enough points for the year-end no. 1 spot. The Serb has been the dominant figure in men’s tennis in the previous decade, finishing ahead of all the others four times between 2011-15 and adding another notable season in 2018 following that remarkable comeback.
After 2019, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic were tied on five year-end no. 1 awards, leaving all the rivals far behind and losing the streak only once in the past 16 years. Read more
