THISISLAGOS MORNING NEWS UPDATE AUGUST 25, 2018
Third Mainland Bridge: Tests completed on 15 expansion joints (Nation)
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr Adedamola Kuti on Friday said tests on 15 expansion joints on the Third Mainland Bridge had been completed. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 11.8km-bridge was closed to traffic on Aug. 23 for investigative maintenance tests. The `investigative maintenance test’ is expected to last for three days from Aug. 24 and Aug. 26. Kuti told NAN on telephone that a lot of progress was made in testing some expansion joints on the bridge during the day. “We made significant progress today with good weather, we would continue tomorrow by the grace of God. “The expansion joints are many, so, we have to pick them one after the other and the test is being conducted on each of them. Read more
Russian ship with explosives en route to Lagos detained in S.Africa (Vanguard)
South African police said Thursday that they had boarded a Russian-registered cargo ship allegedly carrying illegal weapons and explosives en route to Lagos, Nigeria. The vessel, named Lada, had reportedly left Madagascar before stopping at Ngqura port outside the eastern city of Port Elizabeth, where it was detained after a security check on Sunday. “We are aware that she has dangerous cargo — explosives and weapons — on board,” Olwethu Mdabula, spokeswoman for the Transnet state transport company told AFP. She declined to give further details. Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman for the Hawks police investigative unit, confirmed to AFP that the vessel was carrying weapons. Read more
Ambode donates 5 Hilux, green Maria, one ambulance to Lagos Prison Services (Vanguard)
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday donated vehicles and other equipment to the Lagos Prison Services, stressing the need for major reforms to be carried out across the country to decongest prisons. Among the vehicles donated include five Toyota Hilux, five Green Maria and one Ambulance, assuring that the vehicles would be delivered to the Lagos Prison Services by September. Governor Ambode, who made the donation when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Prison Services, Lagos Command, led by the Controller, Mr. Tunde Ladipo, at his residence in Epe, said the donation was his administration’s contribution to make the prisons more conducive. Read more
5,000 PDP members defect to APC in Lagos (Guardian)
No fewer than 5,000 members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos state on Friday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defectors were received into the APC at an elaborate ceremony at the ACME Road secretariat of the party. NAN reports that some 500 members of PDP had on July 3 also defected to APC in the state. The defectors, who are members of the United Niger Delta Forum, were led into their new party by Mr Gabriel Ese, the group’s leader. They were received by the Lagos state Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, with some other party officials. Read more
Bright sparks from prison (Nation)
Tunwase Kabiru, an inmate at Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos was crestfallen when a death sentence was passed on him three years after he was taken into prison custody. Many who knew him as a man who with a burning desire for education deemed the sentence the end of the road for his unbridled dream of acquiring higher academic qualifications. Although he was distressed by the verdict, Kabiru did not see it as capable of truncating his educational ambition. Rather than brood over his situation, he vowed that if he would lose anything in life, it would not be his dream of acquiring higher degrees. Read more
4-year-old stolen at Lagos Christ Embassy found in Benin (Punch)
Family members of a missing four-year-old girl, Elo Ogidi, were overjoyed on Friday after she was found in an orphanage in Benin, Edo State. Elo was reportedly stolen from the Christ Embassy in Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos State, during a church service she attended in company with her parents and their housemaid on Sunday, July 8, 2018. Elo’s father, Okpogene Ogidi, who confirmed the development to Saturday PUNCH on Friday, said some suspects were also arrested. The girl was with the maid during the church’s children thanksgiving service when she suddenly disappeared. It was reported that the maid had gone to get Elo and her two siblings some slices of cake shared at the thanksgiving, but did not meet the girl on her seat when she returned. Read more
Police summon Fani-Kayode over alleged criminal conspiracy, incitement (Nation)
Controversial politician, Femi Fani-Kayode, has been asked to report at the national headquarters of the Police in Abuja on Tuesday over alleged criminal offences. The police ‘invitation’ dated August 20 alleges criminal conspiracy, defamation, inciting publication, injurious falsehood and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace. It was signed by CP Habu Sani, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force headquarters in Abuja, a special unit that focuses on exceptionally serious crimes. “This office is investigating the above mentioned case reported to the Inspector-General of Police, in which your name featured. Read more
Union Bank excites audience at TEDxLagos (ThisDay)
Union Bank of Nigeria has called for the cooperation of the private sector and the general public to aid the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. It made the call at the TEDxLagos event while engaging the audience during the Next100 workshop sponsored by the bank. The TEDxLagos is an annual conference that aspires to bring together Nigeria’s best scientists, entrepreneurs, professionals, innovators and reformers to share ideas that would spark deep discussions and birth new ideas for societal development. Read more
Dufil livens summer experience for Children (ThisDay)
Prima Foods, makers of Indomie Noodles has thrown its weight behind the Leadership Empowerment and Resource Network (LEARN) programme, as part of its commitment to societal growth. LEARN was initiated by wife of a former Lagos State governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, and was dedicated to grooming tomorrow’s leaders to be confident, self-sufficient and socially responsive through education, vocational skills acquisition and recreation. The company, which reached out to its core customers- the children and youth, this summer season, donated education materials and cash to the centre to ensure that the students possess all they required for deep learning. Read more
Price hike: DStv shuns court injunction, retains new rates (Nation)
Satellite service provider DStv has continued to implement its new bouquet rates despite court order restraining the action. DStv is a Sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice. The service launched in 1995, provides multiple channels and services to its more than 11.9 million subscribers. An official of DStv, who declined to give his name because they had been asked by the company not to speak on the issue, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that subscribers still pay the increased rates. “The case is being reviewed at the moment and there are some information that I cannot disclose. Read more
Knights of St Mulumba creates New Sub-Councils in Lagos (ThisDay)
The Knights of St Mulumba in the Lagos Metropolitan Council has created three new sub- councils for knights and ladies of the order namely, Victoria Garden City (VGC) Sub-Council from Lekki Sub-Council, Gbagada Sub-council from Maryland Sub-Council and Amuwo-Odofin Sub-Council from Festac Sub-Council. Speaking at the event in Lagos, the Parish Priest, Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Ilupeju, Rev Fr. Paul Anyansi, said the event was aimed at creating new sub- councils of the Knights and Ladies of St Mulumba. Anyansi explained that the creation of new sub- councils, which has VGC as one of them, is aimed at strengthening and promoting the ideals of the order through evangelisation of the Catholic faith and fostering a Catholic conscience and outlook in their respective sub-councils and apply Catholic principles to all phases of societal life through examples and enlightenment. Read more
Nigerian celebrities take to nudity to sell products, increase online followers (Punch)
There is a popular African proverb which states that ‘not all men who walk in the street naked are crazy.’ It seems some Nigerian celebrities have literally adopted this proverb to either sell their products or increase their social media fan base. Saturday Beats focuses its searchlight on some of these celebrities who have taken to nudity in order to either promote their goods and services or increase their social media followers. Despite being an On-Air Personality tasked with the job of sharing information to the public, Toke Makinwa has somehow always found a way to become a newsmaker. At first, she made headlines with a brief ‘beef’ she had with popular blogger, Linda Ikeji. Shortly after, the OAP began to garner a fan base courtesy of her YouTube vlogs which bordered on relationship advice. Read more
Kimono goes home in a rhumba style (Guardian)
The peaceful town of Onicha Olona in Delta State is currently mourning; their son, who brought the town to limelight, had passed on and will be interred today. At last, what they dreaded has eventually happened; Ras Kimono is indeed dead. Almost all faces looked gloomy, as they prepared to give the late reggae icon a befitting burial today. Meanwhile, the burial rites for the late singer actually started on Wednesday, when the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) staged a special Red Carpet and Tribute Night in honour of the singer, who until death was a Director of COSON. Read more
I didn’t unfollow Alex, I was blocked –Tobi Bakre (Punch)
Past big brother housemate, Tobi Bakre, has said he didn’t unfollow his fellow housemate Alex; but that he was blocked. The duo made an admirable pair while they were in the house and even after they left the show. Speaking to Saturday Beats during the week, the former banker said, “I didn’t unfollow anybody; I was blocked and then she followed me back. I have never unfollowed anybody on my social media accounts before, I was blocked and then she followed me back,” he insisted. Read more
Seun Kentebe’s sure and steady walk up the top acting rung (Guardian)
He may not be the face on every movie poster, but William Oluwaseun Amatare Adebayo Omobolanle Edwin-Kentebe, who is popular Seun Kentebe, is one promising stage and screen actor having a sure and steady walk up the top rung of the Nigerian stage and screen acting skies. Focused, diligent, amiable, humble and unpretentiously friendly, the Bayelsa State-born actor, who was raised in Lagos and has graced the credit lines of 28 films, nine television series, 43 plays, 15 radio jobs and two television commercials, has been having a good run on stage on screen. Read more
Lagos CP suspends DPO for raiding Muslim adherents, bribery (Punch)
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, has suspended the Divisional Police Officer, Pen Cinema Police Division, Harrison Nwabuisi. Nwabuisi, a Superintendent of Police, was alleged to have led his men to raid Alimi Ogunyemi Street, among other places, in the Ifako Ijaiye area of the state on Wednesday. Some Muslim faithful, who had just finished prayers around 8pm in a mosque, were alleged to have been picked up by the policemen in front of the mosque. Our correspondent reported that about 37 residents were arrested and taken to the Pen Cinema Police Station. One of the victims, Sheriff Anjure, said his brother, Ibrahim, paid N30,000 for his bail and that of two others. Read more
I killed monarch to cliam his throne, says Ekiti murder suspect (Nation)
A murder suspect, Omoniyi Ademola, has revealed that he killed a traditional ruler in Ekiti State, Oba Gbadebo Ogunsakin in order to take over his throne. Ademola had killed Oba Ogunsakin, the Onise of Odo Oro in Ikole Local Government Area on Monday. Oba Ogunsakin, 80, who was enthroned in 1986, was stabbed to death with a knife in his palace on Monday after chairing a meeting of his of chiefs in the palace. The suspect was said to have stabbed the monarch on his chest. Oba Ogunsakin died while being taken to the hospital. The suspect fled to Ado-Ekiti but was arrested at Ajowa Market in Dallimore area of the city around 4.30 pm same day. Read more
Trader disguises as policeman, steals N5m valuables at gunpoint (Punch)
A trader, Emeka Nzube, has been remanded in prison custody by an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for allegedly stealing items worth about N5m at gunpoint. The 34-year-old suspect was arraigned on Friday on two counts of robbery before the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. T.O. Ojo. The police prosecutor, Sergeant Nomayo Kenrich, told the court that the defendant, a resident of Jakande, Lekki, and his accomplices, who are still at large, committed the offence on June 18, around 7.35pm in the Ojo area of the state. Kenrich said Nzube robbed one Joseph Nnamani of his Toyota Corolla car with the number plate, KJA 963 EZ, valued at N2.3m Read more
CyclingLagos put off (Vanguard)
The organisers of CyclingLagos have announced the postponement of the grand finale of the event scheduled for Aug. 25 to Saturday Oct. 27, 2018. The postponement was due to the temporary closure of the Third Mainland Bridge, a strategic route for the race by the Federal Government. The Media Officer for the tournament, Bamidele Adeleye said yesterday that the event was cancelled so as not to create logistic hiccups. Also the Chairman of CyclingLagos, Soji Adeleye, said that the postponement was due to logistics and particularly the planned temporary closure of the Third Mainland Bridge. “’The popular bridge will be closed by midnight of Thursday Aug. 23 by the Federal Government for maintenance purposes. Read more
Southampton’s loss will be Leicester City’s gain over James Maddison
(Leicestermercury)
Southampton’s loss will be Leicester City’s gain when it comes to the battle to sign James Maddison, City boss Claude Puel believes. The Saints were also trying to entice the 21-year-old attacking midfielder from Norwich City this summer but City were always in pole position to sign the promising Coventry-born star and Maddison has already begun to demonstrate why City wanted him so badly. Maddison scored his first City goal in the win over Wolves last weekend and he will be a key man again for City at St Mary’s Stadium tomorrow afternoon. Read more
UK football legends cheer up 9-year-old after a rough day keeping goal (Stuff)
Nine-year-old Harrison Ogle is a devoted professional soccer fan, and was excited to play in his first match with a new youth team in Sheffield, England. He played goalkeeper during the preseason game – and became visibly upset as the competing team scored again and again on him until the final tally was 11-0. His father, Allan Ogle, told him to ignore the score. But Ogle took note when his son became emotional: Harrison has faced a host of health and learning challenges in his short life and doesn’t show his feelings readily, his father said. Read more
US to cut $200m aid to Gaza and West Bank (BBC)
US President Donald Trump has ordered more than $200m (£155m) in economic aid which was to be allocated to Gaza and the West Bank be redirected elsewhere. A State Department official said the decision was made after a review “to ensure these funds are spent in accordance with US national interests”. It has already withheld $65m from the UN relief agency for the Palestinians. Relations between the Palestinians and the US have been difficult since Mr Trump took power. They hit a low point after the US recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017. As a result, the Palestinians said the US was unable to continue its mediation role in the peace process and suspended contact. Read more
President Trump speaks at Ohio Republican Party state dinner – live updates (CSbsnews)
President Donald Trump is in Columbus, Ohio, Friday night to speak at the state Republican Party’s annual dinner. Mr. Trump arrived in Ohio Friday afternoon with First Lady Melania Trump, with the two planning to visit Nationwide Children’s Hospital before the dinner. Mr. Trump is set to speak in front of a group of supporters at 5:00 p.m. before addressing the dinner. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a frequent critic of the president who has not ruled out running against Mr. Trump in the Republican primary in 2020, is not attending the event. The dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. ET. Read more
The US is no longer telling Americans not to travel to Cuba (Buzzfeednews)
The US State Department this week revised its advisory for travel to Cuba from Level 3 — reconsider travel — to Level 2 — exercise increased caution, raising a question: If the state of things in Cuba is good enough for Americans to travel there, why is it still bad enough to warrant a diplomatic rollback? The change in the advisory, issued Thursday, is a partial reversal of last year’s warning to Americans not to travel to Cuba, and some involved in tourism hope it will reverse a decline in American visitors, too — the Cuban Tourism Ministry’s commercial director, Michel Bernal, said in April that the number of US visitors in 2018 is only 56.6% of what it was in 2017. Read more
USA urges all parties to respect rule of law in Zimbabwe following ConCourt Ruling (VOA)
The United States says all parties should respect the Zimbabwean constitution and the rule of law following a Constitutional Court ruling Friday that incumbent president Emmerson Mnangagwa was the winner of the July 30th presidential election. In a statement posted on the U.S. Department of State, spokesperson Heather Nauert said the electoral process faced some serious challenges. “The IRI-NDI Zimbabwe International Electoral Observation Mission reported ‘several improvements to the electoral process compared to Zimbabwe’s past elections, though equally important problems gave rise to deep concerns that the process thus far has not made the mark’.” Read more
North Korea visit: Trump calls off Pompeo trip (BBC)
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will not be travelling to North Korea in the immediate future after Donald Trump asked him to call off a planned trip. The president said in a tweet that insufficient progress was being made on denuclearising the Korean peninsula. And he suggested China was not doing enough to pressure North Korea – due to trade tensions with the US. After his summit with the North Korean leader in June, Mr Trump said the country was no longer a nuclear threat. But since then there have been several reports that it is failing to dismantle nuclear facilities. Read more
Celebrities rally around BBC’s Jeremy Vine after he announces the death of his father (Mirror)
BBC journalist Jeremy Vine is in mourning after announcing the death of his beloved father, Guy. The veteran broadcaster, 53, shared an emotional post via Twitter on Friday afternoon which broke the news. Paying tribute to his late parent, who passed away on Thursday, he shared a family photograph captioned: “Thank-you for the kind messages about my father, who died yesterday. “I can’t begin to describe how much I loved him. He gave all his children the confidence to follow whatever path we wanted in life, and whatever we did, he was there applauding us. “Above all he gave us his time.” Read more