Victim of Lagos pipeline explosion puts to bed at LASEMA’s IDPs camp (Vanguard)
There was celebration on Sunday when 26-year-old Mrs. Madubike Promise put to bed at Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA’s Igando relief camp.
Promise is one of the internally-displaced persons, IDPs, in the Abule-Egba pipeline explosion that occurred earlier in the year.
General Manager, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the birth, said the mother, who presented at the camp’s clinic on the night of Friday, June 5, was attended to and subsequently taken to the Alimosho General Hospital, where she was eventually delivered of a baby boy at about 6:40a.m. on Sunday. Read more
LASG recovers sexagenarian couple’s property from land-grabbers (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has said it has recovered the property of a sexagenarian couple, Matthew and Abiodun Adeoye, which was seized by land-grabbers.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), stated this at a press briefing where he gave an account of his stewardship to commemorate the first anniversary of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
PUNCH Metro had reported that the couple became an Internet sensation as the video of their appeal for help concerning the activities of land-grabbers went viral. Read more
Commuters lament, seek action over unending gridlock by OK Foods, Ladipo market trucks (Guardian)
The activities of traders at the auto spare-parts market, popularly known as Ladipo Market at Toyota bus-stop along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, presently undergoing reconstruction, have continued to inflict pain on commuters.
In spite of the gradual ease of the lockdown as announced by the state government, which mandated markets to alternate days of the opening between food marts and non-food marts, it has been a daily story of pain and agony along the route on weekdays, whose only assessable path is the service lane, as the main carriageway is undergoing rehabilitation. Read more
FG arraigns alleged Taraba kidnap kingpin, Wadume, six others (Nation)
The Federal Government on Monday, arraigned alleged Taraba kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu (aka Wadume), and six other defendants on 13 counts bordering on terrorism.
When the matter was called, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Shuiabu Labaran prayed the court to have the charge read to the defendants.
He, however told the court that the defendants were 20, but since the prosecution had not gotten a hold of all the defendants, the 16-count charge earlier preferred on them was amended to 13 counts for the purpose of arraigning seven of the defendants. Read more
NERC increases cost of meter, blames exchange rate (Guardian)
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has further increased the price of the asset to N82,855.19 for three phase and N44.896.16 for single phase meters.
This is despite that stakeholders have decried the poor implementation of the Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) policy.
While the prices were N36,991 for single phase and N67,055 a memo obtained by The Guardian and signed by the Chairman of NERC, James Momoh, pegged the new price pursuant to section 19 (d) of the MAPs regulation.
“In arriving at the approved unit costs, the commission has considered the recent changes in foreign exchange approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the applicable rate available to importers of meter component or fully assembled meters through investors and exporters’ forex window,” Momoh said in the memo. Read more
Former Lagos Police boss, Abubakar Tsav is dead (DailyTrust)
Abubakar Tsav Socio-critic and former Commissioner of Police in Lagos state, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has died.
His Personal Assistant, Torkuma Uke, confirmed his death to newsmen in Makurdi.
He was said to have died at the Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi on Monday after a brief illness. Read more
Septuagenarian rescued from Kano well (Vanguard)
What could have turned out to be a tragedy was on Monday averted as a Septuagenarian, Zuwaira Kabir (75 years old) was rescued from inside well in Tudun Wuzurchi quarters, Kano Mununcipal local government of the state.
It was gathered that the aged woman fell inside well at about 05:45 am early Monday morning and the cause was yet to be ascertained.
Also read: COVID-19: No student in school until vaccine is available ― Philippines govt Read more
George Floyd: US Embassy staff in Nigeria join protesters (Punch)
The United States Embassy staff in Abuja, Nigeria on Monday expressed support for the protests that have rocked the US following the murder of an unarmed African-American, George Floyd, by the police.
The embassy posted a photo of its staff going down on one knee, a gesture that shows support for the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.
The US Mission to Nigeria said it hoped both Nigerians and Americans would seize the opportunity to promote peace and harmony among all humans. Read more
US Democrats introduce sweeping legislation to reform police (BBC)
US Democrats in Congress have proposed sweeping legislation to reform American police, following weeks of protests against police brutality and racism.
The bill would make it easier to prosecute police for misconduct, ban chokeholds, and addresses racism.
Its comes as Minneapolis lawmakers vowed to disband the city’s police force.
The death of George Floyd at the hands of a white officer there sparked national pressure for change.
However, it was unclear whether Republicans, who control the US Senate, will support the proposed Justice in Policing Act of 2020. Read more
Studies show lockdowns prevented millions of COVID deaths (VOA)
Lockdowns across the globe prevented millions of deaths from the novel coronavirus, new studies published Monday report.
According to a study by the Imperial College of London, some 3 million deaths were averted in eleven countries – Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland – because of lockdown measures including the closings of non-essential businesses and schools.
A separate study conducted in the United States and published alongside the British study Monday found that some 530 million cases of COVID-19 were prevented or delayed by lockdown policies implemented in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France and the United States. Read more
New Zealand says country has ‘eliminated’ coronavirus (NYPost)
New Zealand has “eliminated” coronavirus, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday, as the country hasn’t reported a single new case for more than two weeks.
Public and private events, the retail and hospitality industries and all public transportation will resume without social distancing requirements — months after the South Pacific nation of five million was placed under a stringent lockdown.
“While the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone,” Ardern, 39, told reporters. “Thank you, New Zealand.”
“We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now, but elimination is not a point in time, it is a sustained effort,” she added. Read more
Who was Edward Colston, whose statue was pulled down during the Black Lives Matter protests in Bristol? (Metro)
As Black Lives Matter protests took place across the UK over the weekend, demonstrations in Bristol saw the city’s statue of Edward Colston pulled down and dumped in the harbour. The bronze memorial to the 17th Century figure, which has stood in the city centre since 1895, was pulled down by rope after crowds left College Green – with protesters jumping on the statue and daubing red paint on its face before rolling it to the river. Protesters also posed for pictures while kneeling on the statue’s neck, in reference to the death of George Floyd, a black American who died after a white police officer did the same for eight minutes. Read more
Tesla battery supplier Catl says new design has one million-mile lifespan (BBC)
A Chinese car battery-maker says it is ready to manufacture a product capable of powering a vehicle for 1.2 million miles (two million kilometres) across the course of a 16-year lifespan.
By contrast, most automakers only offer warranties ranging from 60,000 to 150,000 miles over a three to eight-year period on their cars’ batteries.
Contemporary Amperex Technology has not revealed who it intends to supply.
But it was previously reported that the battery was co-developed with Tesla.
The latest news was revealed in an interview Catl’s chairman gave to the Bloomberg news agency. Read more
Friends creator Marta Kauffman tearfully says she ‘didn’t do enough’ for diversity (People)
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman is acknowledging the beloved NBC sitcom’s lack of diversity.
Kauffman, who created the series with David Crane, got emotional at the virtual 2020 ATX TV festival when she was asked what she wishes she’d known at the start of her career.
“I wish I knew then what I know today,” Kauffman, 63, tearfully said, according to Page Six. “Sorry, I just wish I knew then what I know now. I would’ve made very different decisions.” Read more
Jurgen Klopp reveals why Liverpool rejected Chelsea-bound Timo Werner (Metro)
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says the club couldn’t ‘morally’ justify spending £49million on Chelsea-bound striker Timo Werner. The German is set to sign for the Blues after the west London club made a breakthrough with his representatives last week over a move to Stamford Bridge. Werner had looked destined to join Liverpool due to his close relationship with Jurgen Klopp and the pair had held extensive talks over a move to Merseyside. However, that was before the pandemic hit and Liverpool stand to lose £150m as a result of the virus, as matchday revenue plummets due to games being played behind-closed-doors. Read more
Cardiff City: Defender Sol Bamba eyes 100 games for Bluebirds (BBC)
Sol Bamba is eyeing a personal Cardiff City milestone as they prepare to make a late bid for promotion to the Premier League.
The 35-year-old Ivory Coast defender has made only four Championship appearances this season following his November return from injury.
But he needs just two more Championship starting appearances, to bring up his century of league starts for the club.
“Sol is fine,” said boss Neil Harris, ahead of games resuming later in June. Read more
Manchester United submit £89m offer to sign Ansu Fati from Barcelona (Metro)
Manchester United have submitted a €100 million (£89m) bid to sign Barcelona winger Ansu Fati, according to reports in Spain.
The 17-year-old came through Barca’s ‘La Masia’ academy and was the second-youngest player in history to make his senior debut for the Spanish club earlier this season. Fati has made 24 appearances for Barcelona this term after being fast-tracked from the Under-18s to the first team by Ernesto Valverde last summer. Read more
Sydney makes surprise bid for Fury-Wilder rematch (DailyTrust) Australian city Sydney has made an audacious bid to host a blockbuster heavyweight rematch between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, with promoters eyeing Boxing Day for the trilogy superfight.
Promoter Dean Lonergan has tentatively booked Bankwest Stadium in the city’s west for the bout, The Australian reported Monday. Semi-autonomous Chinese city Macau is also in the running. Read more
Lamine Diack: Former athletics chief’s trial set to start in Paris (BBC)
The trial of Lamine Diack, the disgraced former head of athletics’ world governing body the IAAF, will get under way in Paris on Monday.
The 86-year-old Senegalese faces corruption and money-laundering charges linked to the Russian doping scandal.
Diack was investigated by French authorities for four years over claims he took payments of more than 3m euros to cover up cheating. Read more
Fulham to face Brentford in first match when English Championship resumes (Nation)
Promotion hopefuls Fulham and Brentford will kick off the action when the second tier Championship season resumes following the COVID-19 disruption, the English Football League (EFL) said on Monday.
The match is scheduled for Craven Cottage on June 20.
Second-placed West Bromwich Albion will host Birmingham City later that day. Read more
