Soldiers avenging airman’s death arrest Lagos residents, destroy vehicles (Punch)
Commercial drivers, motorists, traders and commuters around the Capa and Mosafejo areas of Oshodi, Lagos State, were thrown into confusion on Thursday when men of a joint military task force, OP MESA, unleashed terror on people in the community.
The operatives, while attacking residents, vandalised vehicles plying the axis and those parked at motor parks around the Oshodi under bridge.
While some of the commercial drivers fled to safety, others, including one Segun, were arrested and taken away in patrol vehicles.
During a visit to Oshodi, PUNCH Metro gathered that the military personnel stormed the area to avenge the death of a yet-to-be-identified airman. Read more
Marriott hotels debuts in Lagos (Guardian)
Marriott Hotels, the signature of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, has launched in Nigeria with the opening of the Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja.
The hotel reflects the newest global design vision for Marriott Hotels, featuring sophisticated and intuitively designed spaces for today’s modern traveller, enabling guests to relax, work and find inspiration during their stay.
Area Vice President – Sub Saharan Africa, Marriott International, Volker Heiden, said Lagos is a vibrant and bustling city with much to see and do for leisure and business travellers.
“What better place to debut the Marriott Hotels brand in Nigeria with its thoughtful service and intuitive spaces that enable guests to be inspired during their stay.” Read more
Lagos generates N127b in 3 months (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has said it generated N127bn in the first quarter of 2021.
The government added that the amount was an increase from the N658bn it generated as of December 2020.
The Commissioner for Finance Rabiu Olowo, stated this in Ikeja on Thursday when he addressed journalists about his ministry as part of activities to mark Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second year in office.
Olowo said the state was able to realise the amount despite the biting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic because it was proactive in blocking leakages.
He said, “We are also leveraging on technology to predict and prevent fraud by digitalising our processes.” Read more
Emir of Kontagora’s son gunned down by bandits (DailyTrust)
Alhaji Bashar Saidu Namaska, son of the Emir of Kontagora, is among the persons killed in an attack on the Emir’s farm on Wednesday.
The late son was said to be on the farm along Zuru road in the LGA when the bandits struck.
Some other people working with him were also said to have been shot dead while unspecified number of cows were rustled.
Sources said the bandits also flagged down both commercial and private vehicles plying the road, collected phones, money and other valuables from the people on board. Read more
Supporters of open grazing have evil agenda, says Ortom (Guardian)
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said that those who kick against the ban on open grazing in the country have evil agenda.
Speaking yesterday when the Middle Belt Youth Organisations’ Forum (MBYOF) visited him at Government House, Makurdi, Ortom said that open grazing was no longer fashionable.
His words: “Anyone against banning of open grazing has evil agenda, because, as it is now, rearing of cattle openly is no longer fashionable and it has rather brought a lot of security challenges to the country. As governors, we have responsibility to provide security for our people. It is our primary duty.” Read more
Finally, govs, judicial, legislative workers sign agreement on financial autonomy (ThisDay)
State governors and the leadership of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) have finally entered into agreement on the modalities and timelines for the commencement of full financial autonomy for various arms of government at the state level.
The deal was brokered by the committee on the implementation of financial autonomy for the state legislature and judiciary arms of government led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting with the unions in Abuja which ended late last night, Ngige said that an agreement had been signed on the implementation of full financial autonomy for the state judiciary and legislative arms of government.
He described the event as historic coming after several attempts and failures to implement the constitutional provision by successive governments. Read more
Govs beg FG to defer bailout repayment (Nation)
Governors have requested further deferment of repayment of bailout loans taken from the Federal Government billed to start in May ending.
According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, this was one of the major highlights at the National Economic Council (NEC).
The NEC meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo comprised the 36 Governors, the Federal Capital Territory Minister and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) besides other Federal Government officials.
During the meeting, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) Kayode Fayemi had insisted the Governors wanted the loan repayment due in May to be deferred. Read more
We’re yet to get information on Shekau’s death – Military (DailyTrust)
The Nigerian military says it is yet to receive information on the reported death of leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau.
Shekau was reportedly killed during a face-off with fighters of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
According to reports, Shekau lost his life after a fierce gun battle with ISWAP fighters – a development that has again raised reactions from various quarters.
In an interview with Daily Trust, a security expert, Kabiru Adamu, said irrespective of whether he has been killed or not, ISWAP is growing in strength, making reference to the group’s operations and their activities. Read more
Microsoft announces retirement of Internet Explorer (France24)
Microsoft said it is retiring Internet Explorer, the browser it created more than 25 years and which is now largely abandoned as people instead use competitors like Google’s Chrome or Apple’s Safari.
“We are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge,” the company said in a blog post Wednesday, referring to its other browser.
“Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications,” Microsoft said.
People ribbed Internet Explorer in tweets on Thursday.
“RIP Internet Explorer, I never used it, but after it dies we can’t make fun of it anymore,” wrote someone with the handle Arcader UwU. Read more
Drew Barrymore accidentally sent video of herself changing to 16-year-old boy (PageSix)
Oops.
Drew Barrymore was left wishing there was an undo button on her phone when she accidentally sent a racy clip to a teenage boy.
The talk show host, 46, spilled all the juicy details during a game of “Did the Crime, Sip the Wine” on “The Drew Barrymore Show” on Thursday.
“My best friend happens to be Cameron Diaz and I sent her a video of me getting dressed,” she said. “I sent it, it turns out, to a 16-year-old boy named Matthew.”
Barrymore said the nice boy pledged not to leak it online, claiming that he wrote to her, “I have your video, but I promise I won’t put it out anywhere.” Read more
Young mum killed newborn baby by crushing her skull moments after birth (Metro)
A 24-year-old mother has been convicted of infanticide after hiding her killing her newborn daughter moments after birth and dumping her body in a park bush. Babita Rai, a care home worker, fatally crushed her newborn girl’s skull with repeated and ‘deliberate’ blows to the head in Aldershot Park, Hampshire, in May 2017. The baby was left among the undergrowth behind a fence and did not die until at least two hours later. Read more
Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire comes into effect (BBC)
A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas has come into effect.
The ceasefire began early on Friday, bringing to an end 11 days of bombardment in which more than 240 people have died, most of them in Gaza.
Palestinians poured onto the streets of Gaza soon after the truce began, shouting “God is greatest and thanks to God”.
Both Israel and Hamas have claimed victory in the conflict. Read more
Nicolas Sarkozy: Ex-president goes on trial for illegal campaign funding (France24)
Nicolas Sarkozy, former president of France, is going on trial for illegally funding his 2012 re-election campaign.
Mr Sarkozy, who denies the charges, stands accused with 13 other defendants over their role in the so-called “Bygmalion” scandal.
They allegedly overspent by tens of millions of euros on the campaign, and hired a PR firm to cover it up.
It is the ex-president’s latest legal fight, after being convicted of corruption earlier this year. Read more
Director Babak Khorramdin ‘killed and dismembered by parents in apparent honour killing’ (Metro)
Former London-based Iranian film director Babak Khorramdin has been murdered in an alleged honour killing by his parents, according to police, with his remains found in rubbish bags. According to reports, the 47-year-old was killed over his unmarried status, following an alleged argument with his parents. The body of the director – who is known for helming short films including Crevice and Hole – was found in rubbish bags and a suitcase in Ekbatan, wester Tehran, on Sunday. Head of the Tehran Criminal Court, Mohammad Shahriari, said Khorramdin’s father Akbar has admitted to anaesthetising his son before stabbing him, chopping up his body and throwing his remains in the rubbish. Read more
German officer who posed as Syrian refugee in terror trial (BBC)
A German military officer has gone on trial, accused of posing as a Syrian refugee and planning far-right terrorism attacks on politicians.
Named only as Lt Franco A, the officer – who was based in France – led an extraordinary double life, registered as a refugee called David Benjamin.
He was eventually caught in 2017 trying to retrieve a handgun found by a cleaner in a toilet at Vienna airport.
The soldier insists he was not an extremist and had not plotted attacks.
Under German privacy rules, defendants’ surnames are not made public. Read more
Okoye nominated for Eredivisie best keeper award (Punch)
Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been nominated for the Eredivisie’s goalkeeper of the season award, The PUNCH reports.
Okoye, who conceded twice as Sparta Rotterdam lost 2-0 to Feyenoord in the first leg of their semi-finals clash in the Eredivisie’s Europa Conference League playoffs on Wednesday, was nominated alongside Remko Pasveer (Vitesse), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Sergio Padt (Groningen), Nick Marsman (Feyenoord), Marco Bizot (Alkmaar) and Joel Drommel (Twente).
Okoye, who was second choice to Benjamin van Leer at the start of the season, has kept 10 clean sheets in 27 games, helping Henk Fraser’s side to an eighth place finish on the league table.
The 21-year-old has been linked with a move away from Sparta this summer, following his impressive debut season in the Eredivisie. Read more
US PGA Championship: Rory McIlroy struggles at Kiawah Island as Brooks Koepka shares lead (BBC)
Rory McIlroy faltered on his return to Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course as Brooks Koepka was among those to set the early pace at the US PGA Championship.
McIlroy won the last time the event was staged at the South Carolina venue in 2012 but signed for a three-over 75.
Former world number one Koepka shares the lead at three under par alongside Keegan Bradley and Viktor Hovland.
Scotland’s Martin Laird held top spot heading to the 17th tee but carded successive bogeys and sits one back. Read more
Arsenal set £20m asking price for Newcastle United to sign Joe Willock (Metro)
Newcastle United will have to pay at least £20million to sign Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock this summer. The 21-year-old has scored seven goals in 13 appearances for the Magpies since joining them on loan in January for the remainder of the season. Steve Bruce is understandably keen to sign the England U21 international on a permanent basis but he’s unsure how much money he’ll have to spend in the summer transfer market. Arsenal are relaxed about Willock’s future as they feel the midfielder has shown he has the quality to become a regular in the Premier League, be it at St James’ Park or at the Emirates next term. Read more
Ronan O’Gara: From ‘selfish’ player to top coach (France24)
Ronan O’Gara deserves the highest praise for transforming himself from a “selfish” player into an empathetic coach, according to his former Munster and Ireland teammate Marcus Horan.
O’Gara will enjoy his biggest day yet as a coach on Saturday when his La Rochelle side take on fellow Top 14 team Toulouse in the European Champions Cup final at Twickenham.
Fly-half O’Gara and prop Horan were integral members of the Munster side that won the European Cup twice, including a victory over Toulouse in the 2008 decider.
Horan has nothing but admiration for how 44-year-old O’Gara has progressed up the coaching ladder since hanging up his boots in 2013. Read more
Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury: Deontay Wilder won’t step aside from Tyson Fury fight – Bob Arum (BBC)
Tyson Fury stopped Deontay Wilder in seven rounds in February 2020
Deontay Wilder will not step aside to allow Tyson Fury to fight Anthony Joshua in August, Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum said.
Fury, 32, agreed to face Joshua, 31, in Saudi Arabia.
But Wilder’s team forced an arbitration hearing which concluded he had a contractual right to face Fury for a third time. The latest fight is set to take place in Las Vegas on 24 July.
“There’s no chance he [Wilder] will step aside,” Arum told Boxing Social. Read more
IOC veteran Pound says Tokyo Games ‘a go’ (France24)
The International Olympic Committee’s longest serving member assured Thursday that the Tokyo Games are “a go,” as IOC officials huddled with local organizers for online talks.
“There’s nothing to indicate that there’s an elephant in the room that we don’t know about,” Richard Pound told AFP two months before the scheduled start of the Games, which have already been pushed from last year due to the pandemic.
Japanese public sentiment is against the mega event, with polls showing a majority in the country want the Olympics delayed further or altogether cancelled.”Based on everything we know today it’s a go,” Pound said, adding, “I have my ticket.” Read more