Tanker truck laden with diesel fell off Otedola bridge (Nation)
A tanker truck laden with 33,000 litres of automated gas oil (diesel) fell off while driving toward Berger shortly after the Otedola bridge and caused a lot of traffic jam around Lagos metropolis. The Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos. Read more
FG charges Sowore with treasonable felony, accuses him of insulting Buhari (Punch)
The Federal Government on Friday filed seven counts of treasonable felony and money laundering against the Convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Mr. Omoyele Sowore. Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters and a presidential candidate in the February 2019 presidential election is charged along with Olawale Bakare, also known as Mandate. The charges were signed on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), by Aminu Alilu, a Chief State Counsel in the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Justice. Read more
Why I am pursuing judicial option for my mandate — Atiku (Nation)
The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar said his recourse to the court over the 2019 presidential election was to ensure that “votes of Nigerians count.” Abubakar in a statement he issued on Friday in Abuja, said it was also to ensure that democracy was seen to be done in Nigeria. He said that “nothing good comes easy” and that hard work was needed in the task to rid Nigeria of the forces of fascism. Read more
Dismiss Busola Dakolo’s rape suit against me, Fatoyinbo tells court (Punch)
The Senior Pastor of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, Biodun Fatoyinbo, has reacted to the suit accusing him of raping then 17-year-old Busola, now a mother of three and wife to Timi Dakolo, an inspirational singer. In his preliminary objection, which he filed against the suit on Friday, September 20, 2019, Fatoyinbo told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja where the suit was instituted that the prayers contained in the case were ‘ungrantable.’ Read more
Senate may review security architecture, says Lawan (Nation)
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has hinted that the upper legislative chamber might review the nation’s security architecture to address emerging security challenges across the country. Lawan however said, the proposed review would be carried out in collaboration with the executive arm of government, as he stressed the urgent need for improvement in the nation’s security situation. Read more
Insecurity: Be truthful, even-handed in your report, Presidency tells UN Rapporteur (Punch)
The Presidency on Friday expressed reservation over the UN Rapporteur Report of violence in Nigeria, saying the rapporteur was silent on intra-group, inter-group and community violence in the country. Mallam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, condemned the Report in a statement in Abuja on Friday. Read more
Police beefs up security in Nasarawa ahead of tribunal judgement (Guardian)
The Nasarawa State Police Command on Friday said it had beefed up security in the state to prevent any breakdown of law and order ahead of the judgment of the governorship election petition tribunal slated for Sept 21. The tribunal had fixed Saturday for judgement in a petition filed by PDP and its Governorship candidate, Mr David Ombugadu, challenging the victory of Gov. Abdullahi Sule in the March 9 governorship election. Read more
Fire guts Agip facility in Rivers (Punch)
Fire has gutted an oil facility belonging to the Nigerian Agip Company in Ubeta community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State. It was gathered that the fire outbreak at the oil installation was said to have started on Thursday, even as the cause of the inferno remained unknown as of Friday. It was learnt that the inferno had caused panic among indigenes of the community. Read more
Assembly approves Governor Abiodun’s request for N1.5bn CBN loan (Guardian)
The Ogun House of Assembly has granted Gov. Dapo Abiodun’s request to access N1.5billion loan under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme. This followed the adoption of a motion by Mr Yusuf Sheriff (APC-Ado Ota I) and seconded by Mrs Sikiratu Ajibola (APM- Ipokia) at plenary on Friday. Read more
Jukun-Tiv conflict: Catholic bishops call for peace (Nation)
Catholic Bishops of Abuja and Jos Ecclesiastical provinces have called for peace and an end to the recent upsurge of violence between Jukun and Tiv communities in Taraba State. The bishops, rising from a meeting in Abuja, said they were “saddened about the continuous disturbing trend leading to deaths, destruction of homes and means of livelihood in the affected regions, among tribes that should be best of neighbours.” Read more
UNDP releases $30m to Nigeria for humanitarian crisis in North East (Guardian)
The UN Development Programme (UNDP), has released 30 million U.S. dollars to Nigeria from the regional stabilisation facility for the humanitarian crisis in the North East. UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Mr Mohamed Yahyadisclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the first inaugural meeting convened by UNDP on the way forward in actualising the ‘Nigeria window’ of the Regional Stabilisation Facility. Read more
Saudi oil facility attacks: Race on to restore supplies (BBC)
A week on, it’s still not known who launched the attack on two Saudi oil facilities and from which direction, but the damage is plain to see. Saudi Arabia and the US blame Iran for what appears to have been an attack by 18 drones and seven cruise missiles. Iran denies any involvement but Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have claimed the attack. Read more
Trump dismisses ‘ridiculous story’ about alleged promise to foreign leader (BBC)
President Donald Trump has dismissed a whistleblower allegation that he made a promise to a foreign leader – believed to be Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky – calling it a “ridiculous story”. He said his talks with leaders were always “totally appropriate”. Reports say Mr Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son – who was on a Ukrainian gas company board – in return for more US military support. Read more
California sues Trump administration over auto emissions (Guardian)
California and 23 other states on Friday sued the Trump administration over its bid to restrict their authority to limit auto emissions, setting the stage for a bitter court battle over states’ rights and climate change. The lawsuit is in response to President Donald Trump’s announcement this week that his administration was revoking a waiver accorded to California over the past 50 years to set its own vehicle emissions standards which are tougher than those imposed by the federal government. Read more
Prince Andrew ‘was an abuser’, says Epstein accuser (BBC)
An American woman who says she had sex with Prince Andrew as a 17-year-old has told NBC News that she was “trafficked” to the prince. Virginia Giuffre described him to the US TV network as “an abuser” and “a participant”. She has previously said she was abused in the bathroom of a London house, where she was pictured with the prince. Read more
Eight arrests as thousands join school strikes over climate change (Metro)
Hundreds of thousands of people led by school children on strike marched in protests held across the UK, ramping up the calls for urgent action to tackle the climate crisis. Pupils left lessons and lectures as part of a series of global climate strikes to push the total estimated numbers into the millions – making it one of the largest protests in history. Read more
Justin Trudeau: Canada PM seeks to put blackface scandal behind him (BBC)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sought to put the blackface scandal behind him with an announcement on gun control as he seeks re-election. Flanked by cabinet ministers he said his party would ban military-style assault rifles if they win next month. His campaign went into damage control on Wednesday night following the publication of a photo of Mr Trudeau wearing brownface at a costume gala. Read more
Climate activist Greta Thunberg ‘never imagined strikes would take off so quickly’ (Metro)
The teenage Swedish activist who decided in August 2018 to leave school on a Friday to strike for climate change said she never imagined the movement would grow so rapidly. Greta Thunberg, 16, said today’s strikes, first in Australia and across the Pacific before spreading across the world, were a ‘victory’. Read more
Brazil dam disaster firms to face criminal charges (BBC)
Brazilian federal police have proposed criminal charges against mining giant Vale and German safety firm Tüv Süd and 13 of their employees over January’s deadly dam collapse, reports say. Police reportedly say both firms used falsified documents that said the Feijão dam was stable. Read more
‘Isis executioner’ escorted into custody by police (Metro)
A suspected executioner for the Isis terror organisation was in court today after being arrested in Turkey. Muhammad Ramadan was said to have been found hiding in a home in Izmir following an operation by the anti-terror, intelligence and special operations officers. Reports suggest he had been planning to travel abroad. Read more
Serial flasher gets arrested and then tells cops: ‘I’m just an asshole. What can I say?’ (Metro)
A serial flasher had a straight-forward explanation when police finally caught him, telling them: ‘I’m an asshole. What can I say?’ Robert Digiacomo was arrested on Thursday after a he was seen exposing himself and masturbating in front of different stores in Welsey Chapel, Florida. Digiacomo, 69, was already reportedly wanted by police on a warrant for indecent exposure that had been issued by the state attorney’s office. Read more
Facebook suspends tens of thousands of apps (BBC)
Facebook says it has suspended tens of thousands of apps as part of an investigation it launched in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data harvesting scandal. The suspended apps were associated with about 400 developers, it said. Facebook said not all the apps posed a threat to users. Read more
Ryanair pilots call off five-day walk out (Metro)
A five-day walkout planned by Ryanair pilots has been called off. Members of the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) were due to walk out on Saturday over pensions, maternity benefits and loss of licence insurance. The strikes were due to take place on September 23, 25, 27 and 29. Read more
Mother outraged after school moves her autistic son’s desk into toilet (Metro)
A mother was left incandescent with rage after her 11-year-old autistic son’s school moved him and his desk into a toilet. Danielle Goodwin was horrified by Whatcom Middle School’s solution after she asked them to provide son Lucas with a quiet learning environment because he struggles with loud noises. Read more
Angelina Jolie spreads ashes on set of Marvel’s The Eternals (Metro)
Angelina Jolie has been pictured on the set of Marvel’s upcoming movie The Eternals. The Eternals, a bunch of super-powered near-immortal beings created by a series of genetic experiments on early humans by a bunch of cosmic gods known as the Celestials, stars Angelina as Thena, alongside Richard Madden and Salma Hayek. Read more
BTS will still do military service in South Korea despite being biggest band on the planet (Metro)
You’d think that being part of the biggest band on the planet might mean BTS would get away with not taking part in military service in South Korea, but you’d be wrong. Even the K-Pop superstars have to take part in the compulsory conscription in their native country, which is mandatory for male citizens aged between 18 and 28, due to ‘tensions with neighbouring North Korea’. Read more
NFF, AS Roma sign partnership deal (Guardian)
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Friday announced signing a partnership deal with a Serie A club, AS Roma. The 3-year deal is “one long-term objective being for the club to help further grow and improve all levels of football in Nigeria.” “The two parties will share football, business and media expertise, with Roma offering the NFF technical and operational support and advice in the areas of youth coaching, player development, football administration and digital media best practices,” NFF said a post on its website. Read more
Cameroon name Portuguese coach Conceicao as Seedorf’s replacement (BBC)
Cameroon’s Sports Ministry has announced that the former Portuguese footballer Toni Conceicao has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indomitable Lions. The 57-year-old, most recently coach of CFR Cluj in Romania, succeeds Dutch legend Clarence Seedorf who was sacked from the post in July following Cameroon’s early exit from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. Read more
Gary Neville reveals why he wants Chelsea to beat Liverpool on Sunday (Metro)
Manchester United legend Gary Neville wants Chelsea to beat Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday because it will improve the Premier League title race. Liverpool hold a five-point lead over Pep Guardiola’s side following Manchester City’s 3-2 defeat to Norwich City last Saturday. Sunday’s trip to west London is Liverpool’s first on the road against another member of the top six this season. Read more
Chelsea star Danny Drinkwater caught headbutting man in club (Metro)
Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater was caught on camera trying to headbutt a man on a night out during a scuffle on the dancefloor. Drinkwater, 29, reportedly clashed with Scunthorpe United player Kgosi Ntlhe, 25, while at the Chinawhite club in Manchester on August 31. In a video from inside the club, Premier League star Drinkwater tussles with a man who looks like League Two defender Ntlhe. Read more
Manchester United and Arsenal target Thomas Meunier admits he’s ‘frustrated’ at Paris Saint-Germain (Metro)
Paris Saint-Germain star Thomas Meunier has put Manchester United and Arsenal on red alert after admitting he’s ‘frustrated’ at his lack of game time at the club. The Belgian scored PSG’s third in their 3-0 win against Real Madrid on Tuesday but it was just his second start of the season. The full-back has lost his place under Thomas Tuchel with the German preferring youngster Colin Dagba instead. Read more
Dembele nearing Barcelona return, says Valverde (Punch)
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has revealed that Ousmane Dembele could return to full training on Friday after recovering from a hamstring injury. Dembele is not expected to be involved in Saturday’s La Liga trip to Granada due to the knock he picked up during Barca’s opening day 1-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao, but his progress brings the Spanish champions closer to having a fully fit set of attacking options. Read more
Manchester United open contract talks with Angel Gomes amid Barcelona interest (Metro)
Manchester United are in talks with Angel Gomes over a new deal at Old Trafford though the club fear he could leave at the end of the season. The diminutive midfielder made his first start of the season in United’s 1-0 win against Astana on Thursday. Gomes has been promoted to the first team squad under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but his opportunities have been limited despite encouraging talk from the Norwegian that the midfielder was ready. Read more
Dortmund boss joins calls for Germany to bring back Hummels (Punch)
Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre has waded into the debate about whether Mats Hummels should be recalled by Germany, insisting the in-form centre-back should be included for their upcoming internationals. In the wake of a disastrous 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia, when the defending champions failed to get out of their group, Joachim Loew booted Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Thomas Mueller out of Germany set up in March. Read more