Saraki, Okorocha’s alleged fraud: CJ shuns EFCC’s bid to transfer cases (Punch)
The cases filed by the immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki and a former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, to challenge their corruption probes, are set to resume for hearing before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja despite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s last month’s protest against the judge. SUNDAY PUNCH can report that as of Saturday, there had been no communication from the court to counter the schedule of the cases to come up for hearing before Justice Taiwo on Monday (tomorrow). The EFCC in a letter sent to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati, on May 21, accused Justice Taiwo of being biased against it. Read more
Okorocha accuses Ihedioha of destroying his legacies (Guardian)
The immediate past Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has accused Governor Emeka Ihedioha of destroying all he built while in office. Ihedioha has, however, faulted the allegation, saying it was incorrect and lacking in facts. The governor’s Special Assistant, Research, Ogubundu Nwadike, said the Governor was always mindful of his actions. Read more
Buhari’s ministerial list may be ready July (Punch)
There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may send the list of his ministerial list to the Senate next month, investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH has revealed. A former minister, who served in the first term of Buhari’s government, said he believed that the President would send the list in order to avoid the mistake of the past when he waited for six months to appoint ministers in his first term. Besides that, the minister stated that the President was aware of the schedule of the Senate when its members would resume from break on July 2. Read more
We’re still after National Assembly mace snatchers — Police (Punch)
Fifteen months after two suspected thugs allegedly led by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege invaded the Senate chamber and snatched the mace, the police have yet to conclude their investigation into the incident. Findings by SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja indicated that the police had been treating the incident as a cold case, believing new information could lead to the indictment of the Deputy Senate President. The force took Omo-Agege into custody shortly after the incident on April 18, 2018. Read more
Immigration to issue old booklets despite 10-year new e-Passport (Guardian)
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), yesterday, said the validity of the old passport would concurrently run with that of the new e-passport, even as more of the old passports would be issued to applicants. Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, at an interactive session with officers in Lagos, said the migration from old to new would be gradual to avert crises that are peculiar to such transitions. Read more
Fulani vigilante: PANDEF fumes, MASSOB says South-East govs are cowards (Punch)
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra has described state governors in the South-East as cowards for failing to defend the Igbo when leaders of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria offered to raise a vigilante outfit to protect the region. MASSOB explained that while the governors and leaders in the South-West were suggesting ways to tackle the menace of herdsmen within their states, governors in Igboland could not reject the suggestion. Read more
Over 20 feared dead in pipeline explosion in Rivers (Guardian)
An oil pipeline explosion has claimed over twenty lives at Komkom community in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State. Meanwhile, Governor, Nyesom Wike has issued a 7-day ultimatum for the resolution of the dispute relating to Oil Mining License (OML) 25 for the reopening the closed oil facility. A deafening explosion rocked Komkom community in the early hours of yesterday, leaving over twenty dead and a raging inferno that lasted several hours. The actual cause of the explosion had not been determined at press time yesterday. Read more
48 female Taraba IDPs pregnant, malaria hits 1,000 (Punch)
Over 1,000 Internally Displaced Persons are battling malaria fever in their Taraba camp due to poor condition of the Nukkai Primary School turned camp, the camp leader, Mr Danlami Kwambo, has said. He also said no fewer than 48 women in the camp were pregnant and four others already delivered of babies in last three days. The camp coordinator, who explained that 3,149 IDPs were taking refuge in the camp, said the major challenge facing the inhabitants was health issues due to lack of potable water, food and bedding. Read more
MNJTF kills 42 terrorists, destroys gun trucks, motorcycles (Guardian)
Troops of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), on Friday, neutralised 42 terrorists. They destroyed five gun trucks and motorcycles on Doron Naira Island operations in Lake Chad region. The task force also arrested Abu Talib, Commander of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) during air interdiction in the Arege-Malkorony axis of the region. In a statement released, yesterday, in Maiduguri, Spokesman of MNJTF, Col. Timothy Antigha, said several insurgents escaped with gunshot wounds towards border areas with Chad and Cameroun. Read more
Flood sweeps away two teenagers in Delta (Punch)
Alibioba Community at Agbor Technical College, Agbor in the Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State was thrown into mourning on Friday as flood killed a pastor’s two sons, Testimony and Godwin aged 15 and 11 years respectively. The flood, occasioned by a torrential rainfall that began around 5pm, was said to have killed the two children. Testimony was a JSS 1 pupil of Agbor Technical College and his brother, Godwin, was a primary five pupil of Alibioba Primary School. Read more
Ethiopia army chief shot amid unrest (BBC)
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says the country’s defence chief of staff has been shot following unrest in the northern Amhara region. Appearing on TV dressed in military fatigues, Mr Abiy also said several officials had been killed in an attack in the Amhara regional capital Bahir Dar. Earlier the government said there had been an “attempted coup” in Amhara. Reports say the internet is down in the country. Read more
US ‘launched cyber-attack on Iran weapons systems’ (BBC)
The US launched a cyber-attack on Iranian weapons systems on Thursday as President Trump pulled out of air strikes on the country, US reports say. The cyber-attack disabled computer systems controlling rocket and missile launchers, the Washington Post said. It was in retaliation for the shooting down of a US drone as well as attacks on oil tankers that the US has blamed Iran for, the New York Times said. Read more
Sadiq Khan calls Donald Trump a ‘six-foot-three child’ (Metro)
Sadiq Khan’s spat with Donald Trump shows no sign of ending, after the Mayor of London branded the President a ‘six-foot-three child in the White House’. It is the latest insult to be fired between Mr Khan and the US president, in what has been an ongoing war of words between the two. Mr Trump called Mr Khan a ‘stone cold loser’, mocked his height and misspelt his name in a tweet sent before he touched down in Air Force One for a state visit to the UK earlier this month. Read more
North Korea’s Kim Jong-un receives ‘excellent’ letter from Trump (BBC)
North Korea leader Kim Jong-un has received a personal letter from US President Donald Trump, state media has reported. Mr Kim praised the letter as “excellent” and said he would “seriously contemplate the interesting content,” the KCNA news agency said. He also praised Mr Trump’s “extraordinary courage”. Earlier this month, Mr Trump said a beautiful letter had been sent to him by the North Korean leader. Read more
Turkey: Istanbul back to polls in mayoral election re-run (BBC)
Istanbul residents are returning to the polls to elect a mayor after an opposition candidate’s surprise victory in March was annulled. Ekrem Imamoglu won by 13,000 votes, prompting allegations of irregularities from Turkey’s ruling AK party. Mr Imamoglu has vowed to “battle for democracy” and polls he is likely to beat former prime minister Binali Yildirim for a second time. Read more
Khloe Kardashian prepared ‘to fight’ for Tristan Thompson after cheating scandal (Metro)
Khloe Kardashian has been posting cryptic messages to her Instagram stories again, but it seems the latest quote isn’t that hard to decipher. ‘I was willing to fight for you, for us, but you gave me every reason not to,’ she shared on the ‘gram. Hmm, what on earth could she be referring to? Read more
Ighalo’s goal takes Super Eagles above gutsy Burundi (Guardian)
Nigeria was expected to over run the Swallows of Burundi in their opening game of the on-going African Nations Cup, but they had to dig in to their reserve to get a lone goal that separated the sides. In terms of ratings, the Super Eagles are far ahead of Burundi, who are regarded as minnows in African football. But the East Africans came into the game hoping for the biggest upset in their football history. They almost got it, but for the wood work and point-blank saves by Nigeria’s Daniel Akpeyi. Read more
Madagascar earn draw in Afcon debut (BBC)
Madagascar marked their Africa Cup of Nations debut with a draw against Group B opponents Guinea in Alexandria. Sory Kaba had put Guinea ahead after 34 minutes, but Madagascar responded with two goals in six second-half minutes through Anicet Andrianantenaina and Charles Carolus Andriamahitsinoro. Francois Kamano’s 66th-minute penalty earned a point for Guinea, after Romain Metanire had fouled Ibrahima Traore. Read more
Iheanacho on standby to replace sick Kalu –Report (Punch)
Reports say Leicester City striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, has been placed on standby after Bordeaux forward, Kalu Uche, collapsed during the Super Eagles training on Friday in Alexandria, Egypt. Iheanacho was dropped from Gernot Rohr’s squad to the 2019 AFCON after a poor season with the Foxes but is now seen as a first choice replacement for the enterprising Kalu. Sports Extra reported that the Bordeaux of France star collapsed in the team’s final training on Friday ahead of their opening 1-0 win against the Swallows of Burundi on Saturday. Read more
No solution to VAR yet, says Nigeria coach (BBC)
Nigeria coach Thomas Dennerby believes there is still work to do on VAR after his side lost 3-0 to Germany in the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup. The use of the technology has aroused debate at this tournament, and referee Yoshimi Yamashita referred to the video replays for Germany’s opener and then their penalty. “There have been some strange situations of course,” said the Super Falcons coach. “There was one time in the first half when no-one knows what they were watching for, players looking at each other, coaches looking at each other. Read more
Andy Ruiz Jr says Anthony Joshua lacks boxing skills and vows to win again (BBC)
Unified world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr has claimed Anthony Joshua is “not good at boxing” and vowed to land another victory when they fight again. Ruiz, 29, stunned Joshua to win the IBF, WBA and WBO titles on 1 June and is under contract to take a rematch. The rematch has been mooted for later this year, with a return to New York’s Madison Square Garden a possibility. Read more
Johanna Konta coy on chances of teaming up with Andy Murray at Wimbledon (Metro)
Johanna Konta would give little away about her prospects of partnering Andy Murray in mixed doubles at Wimbledon, although she has not joined an army of WTA stars to submit an application to her compatriot. Murray’s phone has been off the hook since he announced he was struggling to find a partner in the cross-sex event, with a flurry of female players throwing their hats in the ring. Read more
Andy Murray responds to Maria Sharapova’s mixed doubles request (Metro)
Andy Murray appeared to pour cold water on the idea of teaming up with Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon, after booking his spot in the final at Queen’s. It was a terrific day’s work for the former world No. 1, in what is his first tournament back after undergoing a hip resurfacing operation at the end of January, teaming up with Feliciano Lopez to win back-to-back doubles matches on Centre Court. Read more