Teacher threatens minor with sex tape to defile her – witness testifies (DailyTrust)
A social worker, Mr Ebenezer Omejalile, on Thursday, narrated before a court how a teacher, Ramoni Amure, allegedly threatened a minor (name withheld) with a sex tape to repeatedly defile her.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Omejalile testified before an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court.
He was the second prosecution witness in the trial of 42-year-old Amure for defilement and attempts to procure abortion.
The witness, who is also the Coordinator of the Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, was led in evidence by Mrs Zainab Dindi. Read more
Why Lagos partnered Goge Africa for Independence cruise (ThisDay)
Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has said it worked closely with some private sector operators to organise a boat cruise during the nation’s Independence anniversary, last week to showcase the viability of Lagos tourism. Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism Arts and Culture, Mr. Solomon Bonu, said the cruise was arranged in a couple of days by Goge Africa in collaboration with Tarzan Jetty, Tour2Nigeria, Sam Adeleke – Travel With Sam, Explore Travel Magazine, Angel Style World Travels and Tours and others.
He said “We used the opportunity to tell Lagosians and the whole world that boat cruise is safe and enjoyable in Lagos.”
While calling on everyone to find time to experience Lagos through the waterways, Bonu explained the benefits of waterway in the promotion of tourism in Lagos State.
Lagos State Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm. Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf said, “using the waterways would make it easier for Lagosians to move from one destination to another.” Adding: “So we want to encourage the public to continue to use our waterways.” Read more
Why my relationship with Mercy crashed, BBNaija’s Ike speaks (Vanguard)
Big Brother Naija season is never complete without ‘situationship‘, with the Pepper Dem season not an exception.
Ike Onyema, who was in relationship with the winner of season 4 edition of the BBNaija show, Mercy Eke aka Mercy Lamborghini, has broken the silence over their break up.
Vanguard understands the duo’s relationship was the hottest in the house and the hope of the fans was rekindled after the two love birds went on to start a reality TV show.
Their relationship was a real buzz to the viewers and everyone fancied them.
Fast forward to the end of the show, they were still giving the public ‘Hot-Hot‘, but a couple of months later, there was no news on their relationship, as it was later revealed that they aren’t together anymore. Read more
“I’m Fully Healed”, Tinubu thanks those who prayed for him (DailyTrust)
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he has recovered fully.
Tinubu had spent three months in London. receiving treatment.
He underwent a surgery and during his stay abroad influential politicians visited him.
In a statement, his media office issued on his behalf on Friday, Tinubu said he was back and “fully committed to doing his modest part of advancing the cause of progressive democratic good governance throughout our beloved nation”. Read more
Buhari lauds Enabulele’s election as World Medical Association president (ThisDay)
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Dr Osahon Enabulele on his election as the President of the World Medical Association (WMA) for the 2022-2023 executive year.
The president, in a statement on Saturday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, recognised that at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the world, a Nigerian has been elected to lead a very important body whose members, around the globe, deserve commendation for their life saving roles and personal sacrifices to save humanity.
President Buhari expressed optimism that the past president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and current President of Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA) will bring his wealth of experience in the medical field and impressive leadership skills to his new position. Read more
It’s ethnic profiling to arrest Chiwetalu while Gumi continues campaign for bandits, HURIWA tells DSS (Punch)
Civic advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria, has tackled the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army over the arrest and detention of veteran Nollywood actor, Chiwetalu Agu.
The group described as injustice, ethnic profiling, the arrest of the actor for wearing ‘Biafran colours’, while controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, roams freely with bloodthirsty bandits.
Soldiers on Thursday had arrested the actor around Upper Iweka Bridge in Onitsha for wearing an outfit with Biafra inscriptions.
The Army in a statement had said that the actor was arrested “while inciting members of the public and soliciting for support for the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra,” adding that the actor was “dressed in a very well-known attire of the proscribed group”. Read more
Insurgency war: Army sets up 2 General Court Martial to try 28 officers, 130 soldiers in north east (Sun)
The Nigerian Army has set up two Special General Court Marshal(GCM), to try a total 158, officers and soldiers for offences committed in the ongoing counter terrorism operations in the north east. The 158, personnel, comprises 28 Officers and 130 Soldiers.
Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Christopher Musa, while inaugurating the Special GCM, and General Court Martial headed by Brigadier General Dominic Udofa, as president and Major General Bainze Mohammed, respectively, charged them to carry out their assignment diligently and be guided to do justice to the accused personnel, the victims and to the state without fear, Favour or affection.
Gen. Musa, while noting that military court martial are aimed at enforcing discipline in the military which may review, reduce or remove the rights and privileges of convicted service personnel, said it is unique to the military and a tributary of criminal trial in Nigeria Criminal Justice System.
He said “conduct of military trials under the Armed Forces Act is to deal with matters that pertain directly to the regimentation, discipline, efficiency and morale of military personnel. Read more
2022 budget: Petrol, electricity subsidies to go (Guardian)
Plans are underway by the Federal Government to remove subsidies on petrol and electricity in 2022, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed, has said.
Ahmed, who disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday, while giving a full breakdown of the 2022 budget, explained that the removal of subsidies was part of the overall step at addressing revenue leakages.
She said: “Efforts at addressing revenue leakages include concluding the service-wide implementation of IPPIS; dimensioning cost of tax waivers and promoting policy dialogue and transparency around tax waiver regimes; elimination of regressive subsidies on petrol price and electricity tariffs; a cost-to-income-ratio cap for Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs) with a view to improving remittances to the Federal Government’s coffers.”
The Minister insisted that achieving budget objectives requires bold, decisive and urgent actions, saying the government was determined to act as may be required. Read more
James Bond actor Daniel Craig gives £10k to ‘Three Dads Walking’ (BBC)
Film star Daniel Craig has donated £10,000 to three fathers who have set out on a 300-mile walk to raise funds for a suicide prevention charity after their daughters took their own lives.
Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen’s “Three Dads Walking” trek will see them walk between their homes in Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Norfolk.
They are raising money for the Papyrus charity.
They said the donation from the James Bond actor was “amazing”. Read more
Taraji P. Henson launching music career with a new ‘feel-good’ EP (PageSix)
Actress Taraji P. Henson is giving the music biz a go with a new “feel-good” EP, the “Hidden Figures” star revealed Friday.
“I actually have an EP that I’m working on. Surprise!” she shared on “Good Morning America.”
“I’m just working on some really good, feel-good music,” she added. “I’m not trying to toot my own horn here, but it was time for a pivot because I’ve done so many iconic roles, you know what I mean? It’s like, I can’t just, you know…acting it has to be something that excites me and challenges me.”
Henson, 51, went on to reveal that while she always loved music, becoming a young mother steered her away from that career path. Recent musical gigs such as “Muppets Haunted Mansion” and playing Miss Hannigan in NBC’s “Annie Live!” reinvigorated her passion, leading her to finally pursue her longtime dream. Read more
Cillian Murphy cast as lead in Christopher Nolan’s next movie “Oppenheimer” (Metro)
Cillian Murphy has been cast as the lead in Christopher Nolan’s next historical epic, Oppenheimer.
Dunkirk director Nolan, who was last in cinemas with time-bending blockbuster Tenet in August 2020, is set to release the film via Universal Pictures after a heated bidding war between studios, and the US release date has already been pegged as July 21, 2023.
Peaky Blinders actor Murphy will star as US theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, who is known as ‘the father of the atomic bomb’ due to his work with the Manhattan Project in developing the first nuclear weapons during World War Two.
The movie is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, and will begin production in early 2022. Read more
Book reimagines nursery tale characters dealing with pandemic stress (NYPost)
“A wise man once said, ‘To be an adult is to be a little sad all the time,’ ” begins the Author’s Note to Frog and Toad Are Doing Their Best: Bedtime Stories for Trying Times (Running Press). “That was me, stress eating inside my small apartment during the worst year on record. When I wasn’t panicking, I’d escape my reality by envisioning a gentler world. A kinder world. A world inhabited by talking animals.
. . . Because these days, adults need bedtime stories, too.”
And how.
The book by Jennie Egerdie (beautifully illustrated by Ellie Hajdu), takes Arnold Lobel’s beloved childhood characters Frog and Toad into modern times, where they grapple with working from home, spotty WiFi, getting in the requisite Fitbit steps, obsessive online ordering (the garage is filled with the detritus of cardboard boxes), and financial woes (in one vignette, a stroll to the ATM reveals that the balance in Toad’s checking account is $16.)
You will recognize these situations, and you will find them gently hilarious because they are being experienced by adorable talking animals. It’s loosely about pandemic times, in that they are on Zoom, obsessively shopping and dealing with bouts of anxiety, but it is never explicitly mentioned. Read more
China-Taiwan tensions: Xi Jinping says ‘reunification’ must be fulfilled (BBC)
China’s President Xi Jinping has said that “reunification” with Taiwan “must be fulfilled”, as heightened tensions over the island continue.
Mr Xi said unification should be achieved peacefully, but warned that the Chinese people had a “glorious tradition” of opposing separatism.
In response, Taiwan said its future lay in the hands of its people.
Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state, while China views it as a breakaway province. Read more
R. Kelly’s sales soar 500% after guilty sex trafficking verdict (NYPost)
It appears crime plays.
R. Kelly may be trapped in prison, but “Trapped in the Closet” and a slew of his other hit singles are surging in popularity following his conviction on sex trafficking charges.
The disgraced singer’s album sales have jumped a whopping 517% since a New York jury handed down their guilty verdict on Sept. 27, according to Rolling Stone.
Kelly, 54, was found guilty of sexual exploitation, bribery, racketeering and sex trafficking involving five victims. He is now facing the prospect of life behind bars.
Many may have guessed that the crimes would cause a cancellation of Kelly’s classic tracks, but the opposite has occurred. Read more
Genesis forced to postpone tour dates as band members test positive for Covid (Metro)
Genesis have been forced to postpone the remaining dates in their The Last Domino? Tour after members of the band tested positive for coronavirus.
The group had been due to play The SSE Hydro in Glasgow on Friday, before London’s O2 Arena on October 11, 12 and 13.
The band said they were ‘devastated’ by the news, but had to prioritise the safety of the group, the travelling crew and fans.
A statement said: ‘Following guidance and advice from the Government, it is with huge regret that the final four shows of Genesis’ Last Domino? Tour… have had to be postponed due to positive Covid-19 tests within the band. Read more
Chelsea given Romelu Lukaku injury scare as striker pulls out of Belgium squad due to ‘muscle overload’ (Metro)
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has pulled out of Belgium’s squad ahead of their Nations League third-placed playoff against Italy on Sunday.
The 28-year-old scored Belgium’s second goal in their 3-2 defeat to France in the Nations League semi-final on Thursday evening.
After a recovery day on Friday, Lukaku did not take part in Saturday’s training session with the rest of his Belgium teammates.
And Belgium’s Football Association has now confirmed that Lukaku has left the team’s training base on Saturday afternoon. Read more
Lewis Hamilton fastest but Valtteri Bottas on Turkish Grand Prix pole after penalty (BBC)
Lewis Hamilton qualified fastest for the Turkish Grand Prix but will start the race 11th after a 10-place grid penalty for breaking engine rules.
The Mercedes driver beat team-mate Valtteri Bottas by 0.13 seconds and the Finn inherits pole position ahead of Hamilton’s title rival Max Verstappen.
Verstappen starts the race two points behind Hamilton in the championship.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fourth fastest ahead of Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso. Read more
CAR defeat: Eagles vow to make amends in Douala (Punch)
Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr, and captain Ahmed Musa have vowed that the team must beat Central African Republic after a woeful performance in their last 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Thursday.
The Eagles suffered a shock 1-0 defeat in Lagos to end their 100 per cent start to the World Cup qualifiers.
With the result, it’s the first time in 40 years that Nigeria lost a World Cup qualifying match at home, since the Eagles last lost in Lagos to Algeria in the qualifiers for Espana ’82 in 1981.
Speaking after their closed door training on Friday in Lagos, Musa said they were motivated to pick up the maximum points in Douala. Read more
Rabiot to miss Nations League final after positive Covid test (Guardian)
Adrien Rabiot will miss France’s Nations League final with Spain after testing positive for Covid-19, the French Football Federation announced on Saturday.
Juventus midfielder Rabiot, 26, will not travel to Milan for Sunday’s clash at the San Siro and will not be replaced, the FFF said, with Les Bleus also deprived of injured left-back Lucas Digne.
The FFF added that every other player returned a negative result on Saturday morning following tests on Friday afternoon ahead of the team’s departure from Turin, where they beat Belgium 3-2 on Thursday.
UEFA rules for the Nations League Final Four say that matches will be played as long as teams have 13 players — including at least one goalkeeper — available. Read more
Deontay Wilder complains about Tyson Fury’s gloves after pre-fight inspection (Metro)
Deontay Wilder has complained about the gloves that Tyson Fury will be using for their trilogy fight in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Fury has faced several accusations of cheating from Wilder following their second fight in February 2020, with Wilder claiming that Fury had hidden ‘something the size and the shape of an egg weight’ in his gloves.
During the routine glove inspection with Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) officials on Friday, Wilder’s team raised concerns over the horse hair that is used as padding inside Fury’s gloves, which are manufactured by Paffen Sport.
Both Fury and Wilder have been given four pairs of the same gloves to choose from for the fight, however one glove from each set was cut open by NSAC officials in order to prove that legitimate padding is being used. Read more
Emma Raducanu: US Open champion beaten in first match since Grand Slam win (BBC)
Britain’s Emma Raducanu lost her first match as a Grand Slam champion, beaten in straight sets by Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich at Indian Wells.
World number 22 Raducanu was seeking an 11th successive victory, having won the US Open last month as a qualifier.
But Sasnovich, ranked 100th in the world, beat the 18-year-old 6-2 6-4 in round two of the BNP Paribas Open.
Raducanu, who received a first-round bye, is next scheduled to play at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow in 10 days’ time. Read more