Step down for probe, group tells LASPOTECH acting rector (Guardian)
A youth organisation, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ikorodu North Chapter (NYCN) has condemned the rape cases being witnessed in Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), calling for speedy actions to bring the perpetrators to book.
The youth group during a rally staged in front of the House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja, petitioned the State Government on the ongoing probe into cases of rape allegations against the Acting Rector of LASPOTEC, Mr. Olumide Metilelu.
The group called for the Acting Rector to step down in order to allow an unfettered and thorough investigation of the matter by the probe panel. Read more
Police arrest boyfriend after lover dies of stomach ache (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a man, Amosu Funso, over the death of his girlfriend, Precious Udochi, in Ogombo, Ajah area of the state.
Funso had gone to the Ogombo Police Division on July 18 to report that Udochi died after complaining of stomach pains and the police detained him.
Our correspondent learnt from a police report that Funso and Udochi were both live-in-lovers in Abraham Adesanya Estate, in the Ogombo area before the incident occurred. Read more
Lagos to equip one million students with digital skills (Guardian)
Barely two weeks after Lagos State government kicked off its employability programme, ‘Jobs Initiative Lagos’ for graduates and undergraduates, at least 10,560 youths have registered for the programme, aimed at preparing applicants to become entrepreneurs in the state.
The initiative, through which the government targets to empower one million students in digital skills by 2023, was designed as a complementary training for students in terminal classes and graduates in entrepreneurship, employability, and basic digital skills required for the workplace. Read more
Traders lament as Lagos council demolishes shops (Punch)
Dozens of traders were thrown out of their shops on Saturday when the Chairman, Eti Osa Local Council Development Area, Olufunmi Rafiu, ordered council officials to demolish some shops at Sangotedo Market.
It was learnt that council officials arrived in the morning with bulldozers and began pulling down some of the shops while some traders were not allowed to salvage their goods.
This occurred despite an instruction from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development that no action should be taken until after a meeting with all stakeholders scheduled for Tuesday.
There was also no court order sanctioning the demolition. Read more
Afenifere felicitates with Carrington at 90, says he identified with Nigeria’s democratic struggle (ThisDay)
The Pan Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has facilitated with former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, on his 90th birthday anniversary.
The group in a release titled “90 hearty cheers to Ambassador Carrington” issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, described the former envoy as someone who identified with the democratic struggles of Nigerians in the wake of the annulment of June 12 presidential poll in the 1990s.
According to Afenifere, Ambassador Carriggton was an unflinching supporter of Democracy in the tour of his duty in Nigeria making a clear departure from Western Democracies being closet democrats who openly flow with whatever operates in Third World Countries. Read more
Abuja-Kaduna train service resumes July 29, says minister (Punch)
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the Abuja-Kaduna rail service would resume on July 29.
Amaechi disclosed this while test-running new coaches recently deployed on the route on Saturday.
Train services were shut down in March to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Read more
Rape allegation: No evidence against D’banj – Police (Guardian)
The Nigeria Police have cleared popular Nigerian singer and songwriter D’banj, of the rape allegations levelled against him by a twitter user Miss Seyitan Babatayo.
This was contained in a report signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Umar Sanda on behalf of Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigations Department, Force Headquarters, and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Saturday.
It would be recalled that the allegation led to strong social and media controversy with several declarations of the innocence of the singer by his fans and admirers coming up against those who believed Babatayo was telling the truth. Read more
No candidate yet for Lagos-East by-election – APC (Punch)
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Saturday reacted to the rumour making the rounds that it endorsed a former commissioner in the state to contest the Lagos-East senatorial district bye-election.
The position became vacant following the death of Senator Bayo Osinowo aka Pepperito who died on June 15, 2020. There have been several permutations regarding persons the party would give the ticket to fly its flag during the election.
The party in a statement on Saturday by its spokesperson, Mr Seye Oladejo, forwarded to our correspondent by the APC Secretary, Lanre Ogunyemi, described the development as speculation. Read more
Police declare riot at Seattle protests, make arrests (Aljazeera)
The United States city of Seattle has declared a riot following large demonstrations in its Capitol Hill neighbourhood, and police have deployed flash bangs and pepper spray to try to clear a weeks-olds “occupied protest zone” that stretches for several blocks.
Via Twitter, police said they had made at least 11 arrests and were investigating “possible explosive damage” to the walls of the city’s East Precinct police station on Saturday.
Authorities said rocks, bottles and mortars were thrown at officers as they attempted to clear the area. One officer was hospitalised with a leg injury caused by an explosive.
Earlier, protesters in Seattle broke through a fence where a youth detention facility was being built, with some people setting a fire and damaging a portable trailer, authorities said. Read more
Woman’s neck sliced open with sword during Viking re-enactment (Metro)
A woman suffered life threatening injuries when she was taking part in a rehearsal for a Viking re-enactment. The woman was hit on the neck with a sword by a man who was practising his moves in a field near the Woolpack in Yalding, Kent. A witness said: ‘They’ve got proper swords. They were practising and he caught her neck. It really was an accident, a terrible one so I’m glad she is okay now.’ The woman, who was dressed in Viking clothing, was taken to King’s College Hospital, London, after receiving treatment at the scene shortly after 5pm on July 12. Read more
Thousands protest outside Israeli PM Netanyahu’s official residence (RT)
Huge crowds calling for the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rallied outside his home Saturday in Jerusalem on growing discontent over the government’s Covid-19 response, high unemployment and corruption.
More than 5,000 people gathered on Balfour Street, now a frequent site of anti-government demonstrations, according to Haaretz newspaper, making it the biggest of several protests this week. Demonstrators also rallied elsewhere in Israel.
Protesters’ grievances focus mainly on Netanyahu’s handling of the pandemic, including a strict lockdown that caused unemployment to surge and a spike in cases after the abrupt lifting of safety measures in May. Demonstrators also are decrying legislation passed this week granting the government emergency powers until 2021, as well as Netanyahu’s refusal to step down as prime minister despite facing corruption charges. Read more
North Korea on alert over ‘first suspected coronavirus case’ (BBC)
North Korea has reported what it describes as the country’s first suspected case of coronavirus.
State news agency KCNA said a person who defected to South Korea three years ago last week returned across the demarcation line had Covid-19 symptoms.
Leader Kim Jong-un held an emergency meeting with top officials, imposing a lockdown in the border city of Kaesong. Read more
Mass anti-Kremlin rallies grip Russia’s Far East (Guardian)
Huge anti-government demonstrations erupted in Russia’s Far East on Saturday over the arrest of a popular governor who was replaced this week by a Kremlin appointee who never lived in the fraught region.
Residents of Khabarovsk near the border with China took to the streets en masse for the third Saturday in a row after governor Sergei Furgal was arrested by federal law enforcement and flown to Moscow on murder charges this month.
The running demonstrations have been some of the largest anti-government protests in Russia in years, which the Kremlin said this week were being fuelled by opposition activists outside Khabarovsk. Read more
Fleetwood Mac legend Peter Green dies 73 as tributes pour in for ‘one of the all time greats’ (Metro)
Fleetwood Mac star Peter Green has died, aged 73. The music legend’s solicitor announced the sad news in a statement, confirming he died in his sleep. The message, from Swan Turton solicitors, read: ‘It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep. ‘A further statement will be provided in the coming days.’ Following the sad news, fans rushed to Twitter to pay their respects to the late star. ‘There was no Fleetwood Mac after this man. Just a radio friendly hits band,’ one commented. Read more
Coronavirus: Disney delays blockbuster films due to pandemic (BBC)
Walt Disney has delayed and postponed the release of three major films, dealing a fresh blow to cinema operators struggling amid the pandemic.
The new Avatar and Star Wars films have been delayed a year, while Mulan has been removed from schedules completely.
Mulan, already delayed because of cinema closures, had been scheduled for release at the end of August. Read more
Osimhen’s impending move to Napoli excites Buhari – Envoy (Guardian)
Nigeria’s Deputy Ambassador to Italy, Franklin Ogunyemi, has said that Victor Osimhen’s imminent move to the Italian side, Napoli has come as great news to Nigerians, just as President Muhammadu Buhari is excited with the development.
Napoli is expected to announce the signing of the 21-year-old from Lille any moment from now, and Ogunyemi, who spoke on Radio Kiss Kiss, a Naples based radio station, said the entire diplomatic staff in the Nigerian Embassy in Italy were delighted with the move.
“The entire Nigerian diplomatic mission, headed by Ambassador Yusuf Jonga Hinna, is very happy with Victor Osimhen’s transfer to Naples. Read more
The Nightmare: How Usman used foes to earn N858m (Punch)
UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, is gradually climbing up the financial ladder since making his debut in the Mixed Martial Arts franchise in 2015. In this report, Kelvin Ekerete looks at the Nigerian’s career earning and win ratio.
The “Nigerian Nightmare” has won the heart of fans and fellow fighters around the world with a perfect record in the UFC, going unbeaten in 12 fights, only lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, ties his record as the only other fighter with a 100 per cent record in the franchise after 12 fights. Read more
Lukaku, Sanchez score as Inter go second (BBC)
Inter Milan moved into second place in Serie A, four points behind leaders Juventus, with a 3-0 win over Genoa thanks to goals from Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez.
Juve will win the league with two games to spare if they beat Sampdoria on Sunday, but have only won once in their past five games.
Lukaku opened the scoring in the 34th minute with a header from a Cristiano Biraghi cross, before Sanchez struck in the 83rd minute, and Lukaku added his second in stoppage time. Read more
Adam Lallana closes in on Brighton move after leaving Liverpool (Metro)
Brighton are close to completing the signing of Adam Lallana on a free transfer after the England international left Liverpool at the end of his contract this month.
The 32-year-old made 178 appearances for the Reds since joining them from Southampton in 2014, scoring 22 goals, but after a string of injuries and the arrival of world class talents, he lost his place in the first team.
The creative midfielder still made 22 appearances this season, but decided to leave Anfield in search of more regular football. Read more
Premier League final day: Champions League and relegation battles set to dominate (BBC)
Champions League qualification and the battle to avoid relegation are the major issues at stake as the Premier League season concludes on Sunday.
Coronavirus prompted fears the campaign might not be completed but after 92 games in 40 days the top flight is set for a dramatic finale.
Leicester City host Manchester United with both teams and Chelsea competing for the two remaining top-four spots. Read more
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer discusses next season preparation and Man Utd’s transfer plans (Metro)
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has discussed the difficulties ahead as he tries to prepare for next season and make the most of the transfer market with football barely stopping over the summer.
The Red Devils play their final Premier League game of the season on Sunday against Leicester as they try to secure Champions League qualification for next season.
However, that is not their work done for the summer as they remain in the Europa League and will hope to be lifting the trophy on the date of the final, 21 August. Read more