RevolutionNow: EU reacts to Sowore, others’ arrest (Punch)
The European Union says protests remain a cardinal part of democracy as long as they remain peaceful. The EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Ketil Karlsen, however, said it was not the job of the EU to tell Nigeria how to conduct its internal affairs but added that the judiciary should be allowed to do its job. Karlsen said this while responding to a question by The PUNCH at the ‘departure orientation for the 2019 Erasmus+ Scholarship Awardees’ in Abuja on Thursday. Read more
Buhari orders Army HQ to investigate Taraba Police killing (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Defence Headquarters to commence immediate investigation of the incident involving the troops of 93 Battalion, Takum, Taraba, which resulted in the death of three police officers and a civilian. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, disclosed this when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of the National Security Council, presided by President Buhari at the State House, Abuja. Read more
Insecurity: Katsina govt reviews activities of tricyclists, okada operators (Punch)
The Katsina State Government has given operators of commercial tricycles and motorcycles in the state till the end of August to formally register with the government. They have also been directed to print the code numbers given them during registration on such tricycles and motorcycles. Tricycles operators are in addition, directed not to taint their glasses or decorate their interiors with curtains again. Read more
Gbajabiamila compensates 15 speakership aspirants with committee jobs (Punch)
Most of the speakership aspirants in the Ninth House of Representatives have been made either principal officers or chairmen of standing committees, The PUNCH has observed. Some of them were appointed into special committees. About 20 members of the House had nursed the ambition to become speaker, most of whom eventually stepped down for the then majority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, who is now the Speaker. Read more
Our soldier not responsible for Aba motorcyclist’s death, Army tells police (Punch)
The police command in Abia State has confirmed the death of a commercial motorcyclist at Umuokereke Ngwa community near Aba. The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday that relatives of the deceased, known as Chimaobi Nwogu, reported the incident at the Eastern Ngwa Police Division. Ogbonna said that investigation into the incidence had commenced to unravel the actual killers. Read more
Anambra traders threaten legal action against govt over ejection (Nation)
The Board of Trustees, Amalgamated Markets Traders Association of Anambra State, (AMATAS) has threatened legal action against the state government over the ejection of the association from the secretariat. AMATAS, the umbrella body of major markets in Anambra State, was suspended by the state government and replaced with Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA). Read more
Three-year-old boy drowns in Makurdi (Punch)
Mr Dondo Ahile, Benue Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment says a three-year-old boy allegedly drowned in a flood as a result of the downpour in the early hours of Thursday in Makurdi. Ahile told newsmen while assessing the impact of the flood in Wurukum area of Makurdi that the child was simply identified as Tervershima. He said that the incident was reported to him during the inspection of the area. Read more
Police recover N6m from kidnappers in Niger (Nation)
The Niger state Police Commissioner, Usman Adamu has disclosed that over six million naira have been recovered from kidnappers between June and August this year. The police also disclosed that 85 suspects have been arrested and recovered over three hundred animals in the past three months. Speaking in Minna during a commendation ceremony for fifteen officers for their gallantry at the Police officers mess in Minna, the Police Commissioner said two of the suspects arrested were linked to the abduction of Magajin Garin Daura (District head of Daura), Alhaji Musa Umar who was kidnapped in May this year. Read more
A Nigerian may become first Muslim lawmaker in American state (Guardian)
A Nigerian-born public accountant Zulfat Suara may be elected as the first Muslim lawmaker in the American state of Tennessee if she wins a runoff election on September 12. Suara came second among 15 candidates seeking the five at-large seats on the Metro Council election in Nashville, Tennessee’s capital and most populous city. In the runoff, Suara will be looking to defeat the incumbent Bob Mendes. Read more
DR Congo medics arrested over death of Ebola doctor (BBC)
Three Congolese doctors have been arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the killing of a World Health Organization (WHO) medic, a military prosecutor has said. Cameroonian doctor Richard Mouzoko was shot dead in April at a hospital in Butembo, where he was treating Ebola patients. The “passionate” medic was “always ready to go where people would need his help most,” the WHO said in a tribute. Read more
Zambia intensifies Ebola screening at DRC main entry border (Punch)
Health authorities have continued with screening of travelers for Ebola symptoms at a busy border entry with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a civic leader said on Thursday.Christabel Mulala, Mayor of Chililabombwe town on the Copperbelt Province, said the screening had been intensified since 2018 when a screening desk was established at the Kasumbalesa border. “Tight scrutiny of Ebola symptoms on people travelling in and out of DRC will continue till further notice. Read more
Modi defends lifting Kashmir’s special status (BBC)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appeared on state media to defend his highly controversial decision to remove the special status accorded to Kashmir. Mr Modi said a “new era” was beginning for the Indian-administered part of the region, where “hindrances” to its development had been lifted. The area has been in lockdown since Sunday night, with mobile, landline and internet networks cut off. Read more
Kyrgyzstan’s ex-president arrested after raids on home (BBC)
Kyrgyzstan’s security forces have arrested former President Almazbek Atambayev after a botched raid on his property overnight resulted in the death of one officer. Mr Atambayev reportedly surrendered and was taken to the country’s capital, Bishkek. He had earlier refused to surrender, provoking a standoff in which his supporters took six officers captive. Read more
Teenager to undergo psychiatric test for throwing boy from 10th floor (Punch)
A British teenager accused of throwing a six-year-old French boy from a viewing platform at the Tate Modern art gallery in London will undergo psychiatric tests, a court ruled on Thursday. The 17-year-old appeared at a hearing at a London court and spoke only to confirm his identity. He was wearing a blue t-shirt and was unshaven. The trial date has been set for February 3, 2020, and is scheduled to last two weeks. Read more
Mother took girl, 10, for abortion instead of calling police after pedophile raped child and got her pregnant (Metro)
A mother took her 10-year-old daughter for an abortion instead of going to police after a pedophile got the youngster pregnant. Tony Orlanda Singleton’s rape of the youngster was only reported after the victim’s mother told her child’s dad about the termination, and he dialed 911. He approached police in Estill, South Carolina, in April 2016 after being told of the shocking sex crime. Read more
US immigration: ICE arrests nearly 700 people in Mississippi raids (BBC)
US immigration officials have arrested almost 700 people after a series of raids in the state of Mississippi. The co-ordinated operations targeted workers at seven agricultural processing plants who allegedly did not have proper documentation. Videos and photos showed agents arriving in buses to question and arrest the people. Some children were taken to a local gym after they came home to find their parents gone. Read more
‘Angry man’ kills four, injures two in California (Punch)
Four people were killed and two injured after a man described as “full of anger” went on a two-hour rampage in California. The 33-year-old man was arrested after dropping a knife and a gun following the attacks in Garden Grove and Santa Ana, south-east of Los Angeles, Yahoo News UK has reported. Police said the series of robberies and stabbings appeared to be random and the only known motives were “robbery, hate, homicide.” Read more
Teacher jailed for keeping naked photos and having sex with pupil (Metro)
An experienced music teacher at a Derbyshire school has been jailed for nearly two years for having a sexual relationship with a pupil. Mark Fidler, 49, who was fired last year before his arrest, wept in the dock as he was jailed. Nottingham Crown Court heard he was working at the Belper School when he started having sex with the teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons. Read more
‘Brief radiation spike’ after rocket engine blast in northern Russia (BBC)
A rocket engine explosion on a naval test range in northern Russia has killed two people and injured six, the defence ministry told Russian media. The victims of the explosion in Arkhangelsk region were civilian specialists while military and civilian personnel are among the injured. The ministry said radiation levels were normal but the city of Severodvinsk registered a “brief spike” in levels. Read more
Afghan women’s soccer officials slam FIFA over abuse probe (Punch)
A “culture of abuse” still thrives in Afghanistan women’s football because of the way FIFA is handling allegations of sexual misconduct, top officials for the national women’s team said Thursday. In June, FIFA banned Afghanistan Football Federation’s former head Keramuddin Karim for life and fined him about $1 million after finding him guilty of sexually abusing female players. Read more
Inter Milan confirm the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United (Metro)
Inter Milan have confirmed the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United for a reported fee worth £74m, with the striker agreeing a five-year deal worth £300,000 per week. Lukaku arrived in Milan on Thursday morning and was greeted by Inter supporters at the airport before he was whisked off to undergo a medical. Upon completion of the deal, Lukaku told Inter’s website: ‘Inter were the only club I wanted, because Inter is Not For Everyone. I’m here to bring the Nerazzurri back to the top.’ Read more
Watford sign Sarr in club record deal (BBC)
Watford have completed the signing of Senegal winger Ismaila Sarr from Rennes for a club record fee. Sarr, 21, has joined for a reported fee of over £25m, surpassing the £18.5m the Hornets paid for Andre Gray in 2017. He has signed a five-year contract at Vicarage Road and joins having impressed for Rennes, scoring 13 goals in 50 matches last season. Sarr joins Danny Welbeck, Craig Dawson and Tom Dele-Bashiru as first-team signings made by the club this summer. Read more
Chelsea fan caught punching David Luiz poster on live TV ahead of Arsenal transfer move (Metro)
Transfer deadline day has the capacity to send football fans over the edge and one Chelsea supporter had clearly reached breaking point as he was seen punching a poster of David Luiz outside Stamford Bridge – and, thankfully, it was all captured on live television. Arsenal have been on the lookout for a centre-back following Laurent Koscielny’s move to Bordeaux earlier this week and the north London club reportedly agreed an £8million deal with Chelsea for Luiz with just hours remaining of the transfer window. Read more
Ryan Sessegnon: Tottenham sign £25m Fulham winger (BBC)
Tottenham have signed England Under-21 winger Ryan Sessegnon for £25m from Fulham on a five-year deal. Spurs have an option to extend Sessegnon’s contract by a year and the fee for the 19-year-old could rise to £30m with performance-related add-ons. Midfielder Josh Onomah, 22, moves to Craven Cottage as part of the deal. Tottenham are also expected to sign Real Betis and Argentina midfielder Giovani lo Celso on loan with an obligation to buy. Read more
Ligue 1: Nantes appoint Gourcuff as new coach (Punch)
French Ligue 1 club Nantes on Thursday said they had appointed Christian Gourcuff as coach in place of Vahid Halilhodzic, who quit last week. “He is the coach I have been after for a long time,” Nantes owner Waldemar Kita said, describing 64-year-old Gourcuff as “one of the best coaches in the French game.” Gourcuff’s previous experience in Ligue 1 includes two stints with Rennes and Lorient. The former midfielder, whose playing career included spells at both clubs, also coached abroad, including a spell in charge of Algeria between 2014 and 2016. Read more
Brazil’s Jesus gets two-month international ban (Guardian)
Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus has been hit with a two-month international ban over his dismissal in last month’s Copa America final, South America’s football governing body announced. The 22-year-old Manchester City striker scored in the 3-1 victory over Peru that gave hosts Brazil a ninth victory in the continental showpiece but was given his marching orders 20 minutes from time for a second booking. Read more