Smuggling booms at Seme border 18 months after reopening (Punch)
Eighteen months after the Federal Government announced the reopening of the Seme border following a 14-month closure, smuggling is once more thriving there, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.
When the Federal Government announced the closure of the Seme border in August 2019, the intention was to curb the smuggling of goods and weapons.
A tour of the border by our correspondent showed that there was a lull in commercial activities in the community, while smuggling continued to boom.
The once busy J4 and J5 motor parks located at the border community, where commuters board vehicles to different parts of Lagos State, have long been demolished with little or no space left for vehicles again. Read more
Police nab man for faking own kidnap (Guardian)
Detectives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Lagos, have arrested a 29-year-old Rafiu Rahaman, a staff of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) for faking his own kidnap.
Rahaman, after faking his own kidnap travelled to Lugbe in Abuja, where he made a video of himself in captivity, which was sent to his co-worker.
His accomplice, Usman Sheidu, 32, who demanded N5 million ransom but got N150, 000 after extensive negotiation has equally been arrested.
According to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, Mr. Sheidu, who was arrested in Abuja conspired with Rahaman to self-stage the kidnap and make the video that was sent to the co-worker for ransom. Read more
2 men allegedly impregnate, procure abortion for 13-year-old girl (Punch)
Magistrate Ejiro Kubeinje of the Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Thursday, has ordered the remand of one Sakiru Oladosu, 50, and Tola Rasaq, 40, for defiling and impregnating a 13-year-old girl.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the defendants took the victim for an unlawful abortion after getting her pregnant.
The police had arraigned the defendants, who reside in the Mushin area of Lagos, on charges of defilement and unlawful procurement of abortion.
The punishment for defilement attracts up to life imprisonment, according to Section 137 and unlawful procurement of miscarriage is punishable with three years’ imprisonment under Section 135(1)(2) according to the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Read more
Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Utomi, pro-June 12 governors, others to attend MKO Abiola memorial in Lagos (Tribune)
Three Presidential Candidates namely Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), other eminent Nigerians and Pro-Democracy Activists will on Sunday, June 12, 2022, lay wreath of honour in memory of late Chief M. K. O. Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12 Presidential election.
Professor Anthony Kola, chairman, Organising Committee of the June 12 Democracy Day celebrations disclosed this via a statement made available to Tribune Online.
“In commemoration of the annual Anniversary of the June 12 Democracy Day, the June 12 Democracy Movement of Nigeria convened by Eminent Pro-Democracy Compatriots in Nigeria, wishes to announce that it shall be hosting eminent Nigerians and Pro-Democracy Activists on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the Residence of MKO Abiola, the winner of the Presidential elections of June 12, 1993, who died in military incarceration for refusing to renounce the historic mandate freely given to him by Nigerians.
“This historic event, which will be hosted at MKO Abiola Family Compound in Lagos named as Nigeria’s Democracy Centre by the June 12 Movement, is aimed to complement the official recognition of June 12 by the Federal Government as Nigeria’s Democracy Day arising from the Martyrdom of MKO Abiola. Read more
Court seizes teenager’s house over internet fraud in Ilorin (Vanguard)
Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, has seized a landed property belonging to one 19-year-old electrician, Mr Jimoh Opeyemi, prosecuted for internet fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The judgment was delivered on Thursday by Justice Muhammed Sani, according to a statement by the nation’s anti-graft agency on its official Twitter page.
EFCC, Friday, in the statement titled: “Kwara Electrician Loses House to FG as EFCC Secures Conviction of Six for Cybercrime,” stated that the property situated at Tanke area of the state has been lost to the Federal Government.
Five others prosecuted alongside the teenager on separate charges for similar offences are Apata Lawrence Abimbola Olatosin, Ologunsoro Ayodeji Benjamin, Obadun Busayo Danjumo, Olajide Moshood and Johnson Samuel Oluwaseun. Read more
Police search for drivers over traffic warden crushed to death (Punch)
There was tension at the New Garage, Challenge area of Ibadan on Friday, as policemen launched a manhunt for drivers who were alleged to have deliberately crushed a traffic warden, Oluniyi Bamidele, to death.
Our correspondent gathered on Friday that Bamidele, who was on duty in the area, stopped a taxi driver for allegedly violating traffic rules.
The driver and some of his colleagues were said to have swooped on the traffic warden and the situation led to an altercation.
The drivers were said to have attacked the traffic warden and they reportedly pushed him to the path of a speeding vehicle which knocked him down and another speeding vehicle crushed him to death. Read more
2 men arraigned for allegedly assaulting police officer (Guardian)
Two men who allegedly assaulted a police officer on Friday appeared in an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court in Isabo, Ogun State.
The police charged Alexander Samson, 25 and Olasunkanmi Oniyide, 22, with assault and breach of peace.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Evelyn Motim, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on June 9 at 5:30 p.m. at Lafenwa area in Abeokuta. Read more
Kwara lauds Asa Day Worldwide for doggedness on art, culture promotion (Sun)
Kwara State Government has lauded Asa Day Worldwide for its doggedness to preserve and promote Yoruba art and culture across the globe.
The state Commissioner for Communications, Mr. Olabode George Towoju,
showered encomium on the organisation when its president , Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye and his team paid a courtesy visit to his office in Ilorin.
He commended the president and founder of the organization, Oyatoye who is also an indigenes of the state, for his selfless effort to preserve and promote Yoruba art and culture.
Asa Day Worldwide, is a non governmental and non profit making organization focused on preserving and promoting Yoruba art and culture. Read more
Camille Vasquez’s ‘unrelenting’ approach led to Amber Heard’s defeat—Lawyer (Newsweek)
Camille Vasquez’s “unrelenting” cross-examination of Amber Heard was a key factor in Johnny Depp’s court victory, according to a lawyer.
Depp’s attorney was widely praised for her performance in court during the high-profile defamation trial, becoming a celebrity in her own right, becoming the subject of dozens of viral moments, and being awarded a promotion following her success in the courtroom.
Heard and Depp had been embroiled in a weeks-long trial after the actor sued his ex-wife for $50 million, accusing her of defaming him by writing an op-ed in The Washington Post in 2018 in which she said that she had been the victim of domestic violence. Though Depp was never named in the piece, his lawyers argued that it was clear who she was referencing.
Millions of people all over the world tuned into the trial from Fairfax, Virginia as the proceedings were televised daily. Read more
Lucky UK ticket-holder wins £55,000,000 EuroMillions jackpot (Metro)
One UK ticket-holder has won almost £55 million with the EuroMillions jackpot.
The winner scooped a total of £54,957,242.50 with five main numbers and two lucky star numbers.
Camelot’s Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at the National Lottery, said: ‘What a brilliant night for one UK ticket-holder who has scooped the amazing £54 million EuroMillions jackpot!
‘Players are urged to check their tickets and to give us a call if they think they are tonight’s lucky winner.’ Read more
UB40 featuring Ali Campbell pay tribute to Astro at Hampton Court Palace Festival (MusicNews)
UB40 featuring Ali Campbell paid tribute to late band member Astro as they performed at Hampton Court Palace Festival 2022 in London on Thursday night (09.06.22).
The legendary reggae group kicked off the festival in spectacular style with an incredible set which featured hits such as ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You’ and ‘Kingston Town’.
A special moment occurred when Ali, 63, sang ‘Red Red Wine’ and included a recording of Astro’s famous rap, which features the lyrics “red red wine you make me feel so fine / You keep me rocking all of the time”. The band implored the crowd to cheer for the late musician, and the fans duly obliged.
Astro – whose real name was Terence Oswald Wilson – passed away in November 2021 at the age of 64 after a “very short illness”. He played percussion, trumpet and sang and rapped in UB40. Read more
A new posthumous XXXTentacion compilation has been released (NME)
The estate of XXXTentacion have shared a new compilation, designed to tie in with a new documentary about the late rapper’s life.
The feature-length documentary Look At Me: XXXTentacion was released earlier this year on Hulu in the US, with a UK release yet to be announced.
The documentary charts the late rapper’s ascent on SoundCloud, his struggles with mental health and his history of domestic abuse charges. In 2018, he confessed to a series of violent crimes in a secret recording.
XXXTentacion, real name Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, was killed in a shooting aged 20 as he left a car dealership in Miami, Florida in June 2018. Read more
Lewis Hamilton to produce new F1 film starring Brad Pitt and it already sounds action-packed (Metro)
Lewis Hamilton is set to produce a new Hollywood movie about Formula 1 with Brad Pitt as the lead.
Apple have acquired the rights to the untitled film with Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski set to direct what we can expect to be an action-packed epic.
Pitt, 58, will play a veteran racing driver that leaves retirement to mentor his younger team-mate, who has not yet been cast.
It is well-known that the Ocean’s 8 actor has a keen interest in racing and has been spotted at several Grand Prix in the past. Read more
As many as 200 Ukraine soldiers die daily, says Zelenskyy advisor (PBS)
Up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers are being killed every day in Russia’s military onslaught, according to an adviser to Ukraine’s president — and only more and more advanced Western weaponry will turn back the Russian offensive, reduce the casualties and force Moscow to the negotiating table.
Mykhailo Podolyak told the BBC in an interview aired Thursday that the daily loss of between 100 and 200 Ukrainian soldiers is the result of a “complete lack of parity” between Ukraine and Russia, which has “thrown pretty much everything non-nuclear at the front” in its bid to advance in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region and beyond.
Recently Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put the daily death toll at up to 100, but Podolyak said it had grown. Ukrainian officials have pointed at the mounting losses to emphasize their demand for more Western weapons, which have been critical to the country’s unexpected success in holding off the larger and better equipped Russian forces.
After a bungled attempt to overrun Kyiv in the early days of the war, Russia shifted its focus to the Donbas region of coal mines and factories. But its progress there has been plodding. Read more
Capitol riot hearing: Trump dismisses daughter Ivanka’s testimony (BBC)
Former US President Donald Trump has hit back at his daughter Ivanka after she distanced herself from his unfounded claims of mass voter fraud.
A probe into the 2021 US Capitol riots on Thursday aired a previously unseen clip of Ms Trump rejecting the claims.
Mr Trump said Ivanka had not been looking at election results and “had long since checked out”.
Democrats argue the mob attack on Congress was the culmination of a months-long attempted coup by Mr Trump.
Graphic footage and testimony of the 6 January 2021 raid on the Capitol in Washington DC was televised on Thursday by the US House of Representatives select committee. Read more
Anthony Joshua to quit broadcast deal with Sky Sports (Punch)
Anthony Joshua is set to turn his back on Sky Sports and sign a lucrative deal with streaming service DAZN, reports claim, as the heavyweight prepares for his crucial rematch against Oleksandr Usyk this summer.
Joshua has fought on Sky Sports for the entirety of his career, with his promoter Eddie Hearn previously having an exclusive deal with the broadcaster to stage his fights.
But the Matchroom Boxing chief has since negotiated a £100m-per-year deal with DAZN that has seen him bring his entire stable on board.
Joshua had been the exception to this deal as he had a separate contract to show his fights exclusively on Sky Sports, but that expired after his first fight against Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September – and the heavyweight has now defected to DAZN, reports the Sun. Read more
Barcelona reject Manchester United’s opening bid for Frenkie de Jong and set asking price (Metro)
Barcelona have rejected Manchester United’s opening bid for Frenkie de Jong and set their asking price for the midfielder.
Erik ten Hag worked with De Jong at Ajax and is keen to make the Netherlands international his first United signing.
Dutch boss Ten Hag has signed a three-year deal at Old Trafford and knows reinforcements are needed to turn the club’s fortunes around.
Manchester United have been in talks with Barcelona for a number of weeks and have now tabled an offer worth €60m (£51m) plus €10m (£8.5m) in add-ons. Read more
Juan Mata sends Man Utd parting message after ending eight-year stay (Mirror)
Juan Mata has posted an emotional video message to Manchester United fans after confirming his exit from the club.
The Spanish playmaker joined United in January 2014 from Chelsea in a £37.1million deal – a then-record for the club. Mata amassed 285 first-team appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 51 goals and winning four trophies including the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Europa League.
Despite not winning the Premier League title during his stint at Old Trafford and being part of a squad that frequently fell far short of expectation, Mata remained a hugely popular figure within the club and amongst the fanbase.
Mata enjoyed stints at Valencia and Chelsea prior to his move to United while he also scored 10 goals for Spain across 41 international caps. In August 2017, the Spaniard announced that he was donating one per cent of his salary to a pledge-based charitable movement named Common Goal, and called for other football players to do the same. Read more
Gareth Southgate: Stadium sanction embarrassing for England (RTE)
England manager Gareth Southgate admits it is an “embarrassment” for the country that their team will face Italy in a near-empty stadium in Saturday’s Nations League clash at Molineux.
The Football Association was hit with a two-match ban, one suspended, following the behaviour of fans ahead of the Wembley defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final last summer.
There will be around 3,000 people in attendance, largely made up of under-14 school children who, under UEFA rules, are allowed free admission to fixtures played behind closed doors.
“If it is an embarrassment, it is for England as a country,” he said. Read more
Rocket Mortgage ends sponsorship deal with Bryson DeChambeau over LIV Golf (USAToday)
Rocket Mortgage, headquartered in Detroit and the title sponsor of the PGA Tour event at the Detroit Golf Club, has ended its relationship with Bryson DeChambeau, who plans to play in the new Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.
According to ESPN, Rocket Mortgage spokesperson Aaron Emerson said the move is effective immediately.
The PGA Tour announced Thursday the 17 golfers playing in this week’s inaugural LIV event in London have been indefinitely suspended. DeChambeau is not in that number but is scheduled to play in the LIV event in the first weekend in July in Oregon, his agent told Golfweek on Wednesday.
The fourth annual Rocket Mortgage Classic, which DeChambeau won in 2020 and became a pitchman for the company soon after, is scheduled for the final weekend in July. Read more
Former world champion Nico Rosberg banned from F1 paddock after refusing to get Covid vaccine (Standard)
Former world champion Nico Rosberg is unable to attend the Formula One paddock after it was revealed that he is refusing to get vaccinated for Covid-19.
F1 requires VIP guests, members of the media, team staff and drivers entering the paddock to be fully jabbed against the virus – something Rosberg, 36, is not.
Despite that, Sky Sports have continued to employ the German and are reportedly content to continue doing so, Rosberg having joined their coverage of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix via video link from his Monte Carlo home while commenting on the recent Monaco Grand Prix from just outside the paddock’s entrance.
Rosberg is quoted as telling German channel Sport1 that getting vaccinated made “no sense” for the 2016 world champion. Read more
Berrettini ‘screwed’ by Wimbledon rankings points change (France24)
Last year’s Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini complained on Friday that he has been “screwed” by the decision to strip the tournament of its ranking points.
In May, both the ATP and the WTA announced that no points would be awarded after the All England Club banned Russian and Belarusian players from playing at Wimbledon as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Men’s world number one Novak Djokovic said last month it was a “lose-lose” situation for everyone and former US and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka said she was ready to boycott Wimbledon.
Berrettini is set to drop down from his current ranking of 10th in the world due to the change with the points used to determine qualification and seeding for competitions. Read more