Three Nigerian brothers and their wives convicted of £10m internet fraud in UK (Punch)
A gang of 11 fraudsters have been jailed for a total of more than 43 years for their parts in the theft of millions of pounds from businesses and individuals in the United Kingdom and abroad. Six of the convicts are Nigerians, comprising three brothers, two women who are wives to two of the brothers, and the sixth person who is their associate. As reported by the Metropolitan Police via their website, the criminals were convicted between 26 and 28 March for their roles in a large-scale “diversion fraud” scam using hacking software. Read more
Appeal Court faults ex-parte order used to remove Onnoghen (Nation)
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has faulted the ex-parte order issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on which President Buhari acted in suspending former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen. A three-man panel of the court, led by Justice Stephen Adah, held that, since Onnoghen was not yet arraigned as at January 23, 2019 when the ex-parte order was made, it was wrong for the prosecution to have secretary went behind him to obtain an order for his removal from office. Despite its observation, the court declined to set aside the order, noting that the ex-parte order was no longer of any use since the substantive trial has been concluded. Read more
Help us battle Kaduna bandits, kidnappers, El-Rufai tells Navy (Nation)
As the Nigerian Navy commissioned its School of Armament Technology in Kachia, Kaduna State, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has appealed to the force to assist in battling armed bandits, kidnappers and other criminals terrorising the state, especially in South Kaduna. Nigerian Navy school of Armament Technology, (NNSAT) is an institution responsible for providing support in desert warfare and redeployment training for the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service Operatives. NNSAT, relocated to Kachia in 2009 has trained 46 OLC officers, 279 STC officers, 158 instructor refreshers course (IRC) ratings, 3 special duty post commissioning training (SDPCT) officers, 866 fire control grades I-III ratings and 911 quarter armourer grade I-III ratings. Read more
Fayose: It appears our witness hostile – EFCC tells court (Guardian)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday abruptly stopped evidence by its 13th witness in the fraud trial of former Gov. Ayo Fayose, saying that it appeared the witness was trying to be hostile. The witness, Mr Adewale Aladegbola, who introduced himself as a former driver of a bullion van in Zenith bank, had testified that he didn’t have any operation on April 16, 2015. “I didn’t have any operation; more so, the bullion van which I was using was grounded on that date,’’ he said. Read more
Ngige to workers: disregard NLC’s call for protest on Monday (Nation)
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has asked workers to disregard the call by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for a one- day national protest on Monday. Ngige made the call in a statement issued by Mr Nwachukwu Obidewe, his Special Assistant on Media, in Abuja on Friday, saying the directive by the NLC President, Mr Ayuba Waba, that workers protest on Monday, May 13, 2019, was unlawful. “The calling out of workers on a flimsy and selfish excuse of non-inauguration of the board of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) with Comrade Frank Kokori as the Chairman did not constitute a trade dispute as contained in the Labour Act. Read more
No vendetta in creating additional emirates — Ganduje (Punch)
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has defended his decision to create four additional emirates in the state, denying that it was targeted at humiliating the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. He said it was to bring the traditional institution to be more involved in developing the state and encouraging people’s participation. Ganduje added that by constitutional provision, the emir ordinarily reports to a local government chairman, not the governor. Read more
NYSC DG to Corps members: Don’t lose faith in Nigeria (Nation)
Anambra State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mr. Kehinde Aremu has charged corps members in the state not to lose faith in Nigeria. He cautioned them against acts that could further tarnish the already dwindling image of the country. Aremu spoke during an interactive session organized by the Accountability Lab Nigeria for corps members in the state. He said their little individual efforts at making the nation home of honest and accountable people meant a lot. Read more
Rivers: ‘Police didn’t kill PDP agent, he was a cult leader, killed by cultists’ (Nation)
The Rivers State Commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Akin Fakorede, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), has maintained that policemen did not kill an agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ferry Gberegbe, during the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state, as alleged. He declared that Gberegbe, a lecturer with the Rivers state government-owned Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori-Ogoni, the headquarters of Khana LGA, who was a former Chairman of the polytechnic’s branch of the Association of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ACSUP), was indeed a cult leader and he was eliminated by cultists. Read more
Edo pastor denies sending assassins to kill fellow pastor (Nation)
Popular cleric in Edo State, Prophet Emeka Onu, founder of the Land of Solution Prophetic Mission İnternational, has denied sending assassins to kill Pastor Isaac Abraham of the Building Faith Prophetic and Deliverance Ministry. A viral video had shown one Oseni Ogbiti who was tied down confessing that Prophet Onu sent him to kill Pastor Abraham. But Prophet Onu who spoke to newsmen in Jattu, Estako West local government described the allegation as a tissue of lie and a calculated attempt to bring down his growing ministry. Read more
French troops free hostages in Burkina Faso (BBC)
Four foreign hostages have been freed by French forces in the West African country of Burkina Faso, the French government says. Two of those released are French. The other two are said to be an American woman and a South Korean woman. Two French soldiers were killed during the raid, the French presidency said. Four kidnappers were also killed, AFP quoted the French military as saying. The French hostages had been kidnapped in neighbouring Benin on 1 May. Read more
Brunei denies gay discrimination despite sodomy stoning law (Guardian)
Brunei said Friday it does not discriminate against people’s “sexual orientation” despite a new sharia criminal code that includes death by stoning for gay sex and adultery. While the country’s sultan announced this week that such measures would not be enforced, the country remained on the defensive at a rare review of its record at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday. The small sultanate on Borneo island has faced global backlash over last month’s decision to add sharia law to its criminal codes. Read more
Mum, 103, meets daughter, 81, for first time (Metro)
A mother who gave birth outside of wedlock has finally met her mother after 81 years. Eileen Macken said she had never been happier after meeting her mum Elizabeth who turns 104 tomorrow. She was taken from her mum and put into the Bethany Home orphanage in Dublin which was run by the Protestant clergy. Eileen has spent the majority of her life trying to find her birth mother and a genealogist finally tracked her down in Scotland. Read more
Norwegian woman dies from rabies after Philippines puppy bite (BBC)
A Norwegian woman has died after contracting rabies from a stray puppy in the Philippines. Birgitte Kallestad, 24, was on holiday with friends when they found the puppy on a street, her family said in a statement. The puppy is thought to have infected her when it bit her after they took it back to their resort. She fell ill soon after returning to Norway, and died on Monday at the hospital where she worked. Read more
Hundreds of bugs crawl out of neglected child’s backpack during school (Metro)
Hundreds of bugs crawled out of a neglected child’s backpack in a lunchroom leading to his mother’s arrest. Mother of five Jessica Stevenson, 33, has been charged with five counts of neglect on May 3 after the youngster, aged 7 or 8, had worn the same dirty clothes for a week to Bagdad Elementary School in Milton, Florida. A school employee gave the child another outfit and took the old one – and was horrified to discover it was covered in ‘caked on’ dirt, feces, and urine. Read more
Rihanna is finally launching a fashion label (Metro)
Fine, Rihanna, we’ll let you have all our money. Just as we rejoiced over Fenty Beauty launching in Boots and the new Savage x Fenty lingerie collection, Rihanna’s hit us with another brand to spend our cash on: a fashion line. Yep, Rihanna is *finally* getting into the non-lingerie fashion game, launching a collection for LVMH called Fenty on 22 May in Paris. Read more
Arsenal wiser after last season, Aubameyang says after Valencia hat-trick (Punch)
Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, says the club has learnt from last season’s mistakes in the Europa League after his hat-trick against Valencia sealed their progress to the final of the competition on Thursday. A 4-2 win at the Mestalla gave Arsenal a convincing 7-3 aggregate victory over Valencia to take the London side to their first European final since 2006. They will face Chelsea in an all-English affair in Baku on May 29. Aubameyang, who signed for Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in January last year, was ineligible for the Europa League last season. Read more
Arsenal hit out at UEFA for failing to guarantee Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s safety in the Europa League final in Baku (Metro)
Arsenal have accused UEFA of failing to provide ‘acceptable guarantees’ that Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be safe to travel to Azerbaijan’s capital Baku for the Europa League final later this month. Due to ongoing hostility between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, there are concerns that Mkhitaryan’s safety could be in jeopardy if he is part of Arsenal’s travelling party for the final against Chelsea. Read more
Critics could destroy Man City if we fail, says Guardiola (Guardian)
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City have to win the Premier League on Sunday or risk being “destroyed” by the critics. City and Liverpool have been engaged in a remarkable and relentless title race that has left the rest of the division trailing. That race reaches its conclusion on Sunday as Guardiola’s team travel to Brighton knowing that a victory will guarantee they retain the title. Anything less, however, and Liverpool would secure the trophy by beating Wolves at Anfield. Read more
Salah set to return for Liverpool’s title decider against Wolves (Nation)
Mohamed Salah is ready to feature in Liverpool’s Premier League title decider against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday after the Egyptian forward recovered from concussion, manager Juergen Klopp has said. Salah missed Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final win against Barcelona on Tuesday after a clash of heads with Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka last weekend but was cleared to train ahead of the domestic season finale. Captain Jordan Henderson and full back Andy Robertson also sustained knocks against Barcelona but Klopp is hopeful about the availability of the trio. Read more
Klopp brands UEFA ‘irresponsible’ as fans count cost of Euro glory (Guardian)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp branded UEFA “irresponsible” on Friday as fans expressed their disgust over eye-watering price hikes after four Premier League clubs qualified for the Champions League and Europa League finals. Tottenham and Liverpool will meet in the Champions League final in Madrid on June 1, while supporters of London clubs Arsenal and Chelsea face a 9,000-km (5,600-mile) round-trip for their Europa League final in Azerbaijani capital Baku on May 29. Klopp, whose side lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Kiev last season, called on UEFA to show more consideration to travelling fans when choosing host cities for finals. Read more
Phelan confirmed as Man Utd’s assistant manager (Punch)
Mike Phelan was confirmed as Manchester United’s assistant manager on a permanent basis on Friday after being given a three-year contract, the Premier League club said in a statement. Former United player Phelan returned to Old Trafford in December 2018 as an assistant to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following Jose Mourinho’s dismissal. He previously worked in a similar role, as well as that of first-team coach, under Alex Ferguson from 2001-2013 — a period in which the club won seven Premier League titles. Read more
Fulham name Parker as new full-time boss (Guardian)
Fulham on Friday appointed Scott Parker as their new full-time manager after his spell as caretaker boss of the relegated Premier League club. “The players, staff and fans have all been fantastic with me since I took temporary charge,” said the former England midfielder. “We are now all focused on ending this campaign with a positive result on Sunday against Newcastle and look forward to preparations for the new season.” Read more
Neymar banned for three matches for lashing out at fan (Punch)
Paris Saint-Germain striker Neymar was banned for three matches Friday with a further two-match ban suspended for lashing out at a fan following the club’s shock defeat in the French Cup final. Announcing the ban, the French football federation said the sanction would go into effect from May 13 allowing the Brazilian superstar to appear for the French champions against Anger in Ligue 1 on Saturday. But he will miss the last two games of the domestic season and the French Champions Trophy pitting PSG against their cup final conquerors winners Rennes in Shenzhen, China in August. Read more
Paul Merson makes Premier League title prediction ahead of final day of season (Metro)
Paul Merson believes Manchester City and Liverpool will both win their final games of the season, leaving Pep Guardiola to lift the Premier League title. City stormed to the title last season, finishing 19 points clear of second-placed Manchester United after amassing 100 points and scoring more than 100 goals. Despite finding more competition from Liverpool this term, the title remains in City’s hands and they will defend the trophy if they clinch a win at Brighton on Sunday. Read more
