The hottest and most trending news articles for this week in all categories are captured in one shot. Find articles ranging from News to Sports, to Politics, to Entertainment, to Economy, to Metro plus, and many other categories. See below the top news for the week:
NEWS
- DHQ: We’ve Arrested Suspects of Owo Catholic Church Attack
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor yesterday revealed that security forces have arrested the terrorists behind the attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. Irabor, who made the disclosure during a parley with media executives at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, said the terrorists were arrested by the military in collaboration with other security agencies. Terrorists had, on June 5, attacked the Catholic Church and opened fire on worshippers during a Sunday mass, killing 48 parishioners. Also, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who confirmed the arrest of five suspected killers of over 40 worshippers at the Church, also revealed that some members of Ebira community in the area were getting involved in kidnapping. Akeredolu said this during a courtesy visit to his office by the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, led by the Chairman, Mr. Leke Adegbite.
Speaking further on the terrorists who masterminded the attack in Owo, the defence chief said the criminals were arrested in collaboration with other security agencies. “I want to tell you that we have arrested the attackers of Owo Church. We were to parade them today for you, but investigations are still ongoing. For the purpose of this interaction, I will like to read out their names and as I read out their names, let me say that it is not just the Armed Forces, but the DSS, the Police and other intelligence agencies were part and parcel of the efforts to apprehend these criminals who have put us and indeed the nation on their toes,” he said.
“On August 7, Idris Ojo, 37, was apprehended at Aiyetorosi in Ondo State. He is one of the high profile Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) that escaped from Kuje Prison. Alongside with him is one Jimoh Ibrahim who a 39-year old criminal who was also arrested. Idris Ojo was not done with all the criminal activities which he undertook in the past, he was also planning other deadly attacks and he was perfecting those plans along with his cronies before he was apprehended. On August 4, again, the military in a combined operation with the DSS, arrested four terrorists at Eika in Okehi Local Government of Kogi State”, he said.
Irabor noted that, “these are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza otherwise known as Ibn Malik; Momoh Abubakar, Aliyu Itopa and Auwal Onimisi. “Now, Omeiza is one of the masterminds of the June 5 Catholic Church attack in Owo as well as the attack on the police station in Adavi also in Kogi State that led to the killing of a policeman as well as weapons being carried away,” he said. He also dispelled rumours that terrorist elements were laying siege to the Federal Capital Territory and already plotting attacks on residents of the nation’s capital.
- Owo massacre: Five suspects arrested, says Akeredolu
The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday disclosed five suspected terrorists who attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo on June 5, 2022 have been arrested. Akeredolu confirmed the arrest shortly after the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, announced the arrest of two of the masterminds of the attack in Abuja. Akeredolu was speaking while receiving the chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ondo State, Prince Leke Adegbite, and his executive members.
The governor also disclosed that the person who allegedly housed the suspected terrorists before carrying out that the attack had been arrested. He said , ”Now that the military has announced it, I can tell you that five of them have been arrested now. They are still on the trail of the rest. The home where they lodged in Owo and the person who lodged them before the attack, have also been arrested.
“We did not spare a moment. I am happy that the Chief of Defence Staff has announced it. We have known for a while but we needed not to come out with it because more works are still ongoing. I can confirm that this arrest has been made. And they are still on the trail of some of them.”
- Diesel hike: NRC reduces Lagos-Ibadan trips by 67%
The hike in diesel price has forced the Nigeria Railway Corporation to reduce the number of trips on the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service by about 66.67 per cent, it was gathered on Tuesday. It was also learnt that the corporation had sent recommendations to the Federal Ministry of Transportation for an adjustment in the transport fare on the train service. The Managing Director, NRC, Fidet Okhiria, told newsmen that though the service was still running, its trips had been reduced due to the persistent hike in diesel price.
Diesel prices have risen by over 300 per cent in a few months, forcing transporters of petrol, who power their trucks with diesel, to threaten strike before the prompt intervention of the Federal Government. The spike in diesel price also warranted some level of petrol scarcity in Abuja and neighbouring states, as many truck owners could not afford the high cost, a development that made the Federal Government to raise the bridging claims being paid to petrol transporters.
Speaking on the impact of the high cost of diesel in the rail sector, Okhiria told newsmem that the NRC had to cut down its trips, particularly on the Lagos-Ibadan route. “The Lagos-Ibadan train service is running but we have reduced the number of trips on that route because of the diesel problem. We reduced the number of trips we are running because of the hike in diesel price,” he stated.
Asked whether the NRC would raise its transport fare as a result of the increase in diesel price, the corporation’s boss stated that it was outside the powers of the corporation to hike fares. He explained that it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to make such decision, but noted that the NRC had made recommendations for adjustments.
- Organ harvesting: Govt doesn’t interfere in judicial issues — Malami
The Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, yesterday, said that the Nigerian government has the tradition of not interfering in any judicial matter whether local or international and would maintain the stand in the matter involving the former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu in his trial on alleged organ harvest in the United Kingdom court’. The AGF stated this while answering questions from State House correspondents when he featured on the ministerial briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team, at the State House, Abuja.
When asked on the level of intervention by the Federal Government in the case involving the Senator representing Enugu West in the National Assembly as regards his trial in the UK, Malami said, “It has never been the tradition of Nigerian government to interfere on anything judicial, local or international. And that stands the position of the government.
- Terrorists creating ‘parallel’ govt in Kaduna, El-Rufai tells Buhari
Terrorists are creating a parallel government in Kaduna State, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has told President Muhammadu Buhari. In a July memo to the President, he stated that terrorists have infiltrated and dominated communities and formed “a parallel governing authority”. According to him, they now exercise control over social and economic activities and even dispense justice in their areas of control. A source close to El-Rufai confirmed that the governor wrote the President over the issue. The governor said the terrorists have advanced in their plans to make Kaduna forest areas their “permanent operational base” for the North-west region, citing a “series of intelligence reports.”
On Thursday, the Federal Government said it has secured over 1,000 convictions for terrorism-related court cases in the last 18 months. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced the killing of a top commander of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), Alhaji Modu, (aka Bem Bem), and 50 other terrorists.
- Fire engulfs National Assembly store, destroys documents
Fire, on Thursday, engulfed a store in the House of Representatives section of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. At about 6pm on Thursday, passers-by who noticed smoke coming out from a store on the second floor of the New Building, House of Reps Wing of the Complex, raised the alarm. The wing houses lawmakers’ offices, committee rooms, banks and other private concerns. Office of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and principal officers are on the fourth floor.
Fire-fighters from the Federal Fire Service, which has a permanent office on the premises, as well as security operatives rushed to the office, and later succeeded in putting out the fire. The Director of Information, National Assembly, Rawlings Agada, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Thursday, titled ‘Reported Fire Incident at the House of Representatives New Wing Today, Thursday, 11th August, 2022, in the National Assembly Complex.’
POLITICS
- 2023: Wike Sues Atiku, Tambuwal, INEC Over Presidential Primary
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has sued the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal over the party’s presidential primary held in May. Mr Wike is asking the court to determine whether Tambuwal having stepped down for Atiku “during the primaries ought to lose his votes.”
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, Wike and a PDP chieftain, Newgent Ekamon, are listed as the plaintiffs, Punch Newspaper reported. The PDP is listed as the first respondent while the Independent National Electoral Commission is the 2nd respondent. Tambuwal and Atiku are listed as the 3rd and 4th respondents respectively. The suit comes as the PDP struggles to unite Atiku and Wike, two if its most influential members.
Atiku had won the presidential primaries with 371 votes with Wike trailing after polling 237 votes.
A discontented Wike was then passed over for the vice-presidency candidate slot, further deepening the division between both men. Wike has accused Atiku of lying against him, although he vowed to remain in the PDP. Meanwhile, Atiku has promised to unite the party ahead of the presidential poll next year.
- Wike’s romance with Tinubu’s men rattles Amaechi’s base
There are strong indications that the Rivers State All Progressives Congress led by immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is angry about the romance between the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu’s men; and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. Wike has in recent times been meeting with some APC chieftains, including Tinubu’s allies. On Monday, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was invited by Wike to inaugurate a road project. The Rivers governor also invited former Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to inaugurate some projects in his state.
Earlier, some APC governors led by the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi, had also met Wike in his state amid his feud with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar. However, sources close to Amaechi, told newsmen that the romance between Wike and Tinubu was disrespectful especially since it was public knowledge that Wike and Amaechi were political foes. They also accused Tinubu of supporting Senator Magnus Abe who recently dumped the APC to run for governor on the platform of the Social Democratic Party.
An associate of Amaechi who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said, “The APC leaders have been coming to Rivers State to lobby Wike and make all manner of promises to him. These people never came to Rivers even when the party was having a crisis. The source stated that Atiku might begin to woo Amaechi soon if quick action was not taken.
- Osun gov poll: YPP wants INEC to conduct fresh election
The Young Progressives Party, YPP, yesterday, urged the Election Petition Tribunal to nullify the governorship election conducted on July 16 in Osun State over non-compliance with the Electoral Act. The party also asked the tribunal to order the first respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to withdraw the certificate of return issued to 3rd respondent, Ademola Adeleke, as the winner of the election and conduct a fresh election in the state.
In a certified true copy of the petition by the tribunal Secretary, U. D. Mike, dated August 6, the petitioner stated that the first respondent failed to give 360 days notice for the conduct of the election as stipulated by the electoral act 2022 (amended), which it used to conclude the electoral procedure.
It added that INEC started the process of the July 16 poll with an Electoral Act that did not recognize the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, and also failed to give adequate notice of election as stipulated by the Electoral Act 2022.
- 2023: Wrong choice will consume Nigeria, says Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday urged Nigerians to make the right choice during the 2023 general elections. He warned that making the wrong choice in the election may consume the nation. Obasanjo spoke as the special guest of honour at the Wilson Badejo Foundation’s 15th annual lecture with the theme, ‘Overcoming the twin challenge of poverty and insecurity in Nigeria’ held in Lagos.
The former President expressed the hope that if the right choice was made in 2023, the nation may witness progress. “It is either we make the right choice in 2023 because if we make the right choice, we would get there. However, if we do not make the right choice in 2023, things would consume us and we pray against that one. We must make the right choice in 2023,” Obasanjo said.
He had earlier said that Nigeria has not taken its rightful position because of poverty and insecurity. He said, “Nigeria is not where it is supposed to be today. If anyone says it is ok where we are at the moment, then the person’s head needs to be examined. “My friend, late Ahmed Joda, used to tell me that God has given us everything a nation needs and there’s no need for prayers because if God has given you everything and you squandered it, then something is wrong.
- Muslim/Muslim Ticket: Pope not against my appointment as DG, APC Campaign Council – Gov Lalong
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has said his appointment as the Director General of All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council is not against his Christian faith despite being a Muslim/Muslim ticket. He said the Pope, who is the head of the Roman Catholic Church to which he belongs, has not faulted his decision to accept the job of ensuring the victory of Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, in the 2023 election.
Mr Lalong stated this during an interview with the State House correspondents on Wednesday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. His appointment as the the DG of the APC Presidential Campaign Council last week had generated some controversy with many believing that it was made to assuage the feelings of northern Christians.
The decision of the ruling party to field a Muslim/Muslim ticket has generated uproar in some quarters in the country, most notably the Christain Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Northern APC Christian Leader led by Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Mr Lalong said he had the support of the Plateau State Chapter of CAN. He added that as a Catholic, he has one of the highest awards from the Pope; the Knight of Saint Gregory the Great.
- Pope: Catholics slam Lalong, demand apology
Aggrieved members of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday expressed concern over the reference by Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State to the Pope while defending his acceptance to serve as the Director-General of All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 election.
It had earlier been reported that the governor had backed the idea of the Muslim-Muslim ticket after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja. According to him, as a Catholic with the highest Papal award of Knight of Saint Gregory, the Pope had not told him what he was doing is wrong.
But the Catholic faithful blamed him for dragging the Holy Father into the murky politics of Nigeria and the 2023 election. They also called for his immediate suspension from the Church for alleged blasphemy. The President of the Concerned Catholics in Nigeria, Dr. Ben Amodu, during a press conference in Abuja, insisted that Lalong must tender an apology for the global embarrassment his ‘unguarded’ remarks caused the Pope and the entire Church. The CCN vowed that the Catholic community in Nigeria would ensure that the governor made atonement for his publicly “blasphemous statement” about the Pope and the Church.
- My reference to Pope a mark of reverence not ridicule – Lalong
Plateau Governor Simon Bako Lalong has said his reference to Catholic Pope Francis on his appointment as Director General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Council was out of reverence and not disregard for the Holy Father, Catholic or Christianity. Lalong on Wednesday told State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa that as a Catholic and Papal Knight, the Pope cannot tell him it is wrong to accept the appointment. The Governor said it was unfortunate that part of the interview has been excised and used by politicians for propaganda and misinformation about his personality, faith and political persuasion.
He stressed he has the highest regard for Christians and Church authorities and will continue to work hard in promoting the interests of Christians and adherents of other religions based on love, justice, equity and fairness which are encouraged in the Holy Bible and the Constitution of Nigeria. He said the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was not on religious basis as even Christians voted for him during the APC primary.
Lalong, in a statement by his spokesman, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, however, appealed to Nigerians irrespective of religious persuasions to unite and work towards addressing the major challenges of the nation by actively participating in the political process and ensuring they push forward their interests rather than allowing religious sentiments to override their desire to assess issues from a wholistic perspective.
ECONOMY
- NLC Asks Buhari To Raise Salaries By 50 Percent
The Nigeria Labour Congress has recommended a 50 percent salary review “across the board given the realities on ground.” The labour union made the recommendation in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari. Dated August 8, the letter was a response to the economic prescriptions offered by State Governors.
As earlier reported, the Governors had pushed for the elimination of petrol subsidy, the retirement of civil servants from the age of 50, and the reduction of National Assembly constituency projects among other prescriptions.
The union lambasted the Governors for seeking early retirement of workers, saying anyone promoting this idea “should be treated as enemies of your government.” Instead of early retirement, the union asked the Buhari-led administration to consider a further increase of worker salaries.
- Nigeria, three others top World Bank debtors’ list
Rising debt has pushed Nigeria up the World Bank’s top 10 International Development Association borrowers’ list. The World Bank Fiscal Year 2021 audited financial statements, known as the IDA financial statement, showed that Nigeria was rated fifth on the list with $11.7bn IDA debt stock as of June 30, 2021. However, the newly released World Bank Fiscal Year 2022 audited financial statements for IDA showed that Nigeria has moved to the fourth position on the list, with $13bn IDA debt stock as of June 30, 2022.
This shows that Nigeria accumulated about $1.3bn IDA debt within a fiscal year, with the country taking over the fourth top debtor position from Vietnam. This debt is different from the outstanding loan of $486m from World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The top five countries on the list slightly reduced their IDA debt stock except Nigeria.
India, which is still the first on the list reduced its IDA debt stock from $22bn in the previous fiscal year to $19.7bn, followed by Bangladesh from $18.1bn to $18bn. It is followed by Pakistan which cut its debt from $16.4bn to $15.8bn, and lastly, Vietnam, which went down the list to fifth position, from $14.1bn to $12.9bn.
Nigeria has the highest IDA debt in Africa, as the top three IDA borrowers (India, Bangladesh and Pakistan) are from Asia. The World Bank disclosed recently that Nigeria’s debt, which may be considered sustainable for now, is vulnerable and costly.
The bank said, “Nigeria’s debt remains sustainable, albeit vulnerable and costly, especially due to large and growing financing from the Central Bank of Nigeria.” However, the Washington-based global financial institution added that the country’s debt was also at risk of becoming unsustainable in the event of macro-fiscal shocks.
- Agric budgets hit N874.83bn, food imports gulp N7.81tn
The Federal Government budgeted about N874.83bn for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2016 to 2021, whereas the imports of agricultural goods into Nigeria during same period were estimated at N7.81tn, checks by our correspondent showed. It was gathered that the highest imports of agricultural goods into the country during the period under review were recorded in 2021, as products valued at N2.74tn were imported last year.
On the other hand, the least imports within the same duration were reported in 2016. Nigeria’s agricultural goods imports in 2016 were estimated at N656.4bn. Operators in the agric business space frowned at the development, outlining a plethora of reasons for the massive imports when compared to what was budgeted and often not fully released to the agric ministry during the review period.
Data from the 2016 to 2021 budgets for the ministry indicated that the government budgeted about N874.83bn for the ministry to drive the country’s agricultural sector during the six-year period. Whereas data analysed by newsmen from 24 different quarterly reports obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics on ‘Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics’ with respect to the total imports of agricultural goods into Nigeria showed that N7.81tn was spent on food imports.
An analysis of the budgets for the agriculture ministry showed that in 2016, the ministry got a budget of N46.17bn for capital projects and N29.63bn for recurrent expenditures, making it a total of N75.8bn for that year. Meanwhile data from the Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics of the NBS on total imports of agricultural goods imported into the country last year was N2.74tn.
It was observed in the various quarterly reports that the major agricultural goods imported into Nigeria included Durum wheat, crude palm oil, palm olein, among others. Operators in the sector decried the huge imports of agricultural products into Nigeria, attributing this to the myriad of challenges in the sector. The National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kabir Ibrahim, told newsmen that the drop in exports and huge imports were due to reduced productivity in Nigeria.
- Reps Summon Finance Minister Over Subsidy, Query NNPC
The House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate the Petroleum Products Subsidy regime from 2013 to 2022 has summoned the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, to appear before it on Tuesday next week for questioning. Ahmed is to appear before the committee with all the documents demanded by the lawmakers relating to subsidy claims and payments in the period under review.
Chairman of the committee, Ibrahim Aliyu, issued the summons at the continued investigative hearing of the panel in Abuja on Tuesday. Members of the committee had faulted the appearance of the ministry’s Director of Home Finance, Stephen Okon, without a letter from Ahmed authorising him to represent her.
Aliyu decried the non-appearance of several invited agencies, calling out the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shell Petroleum Development Company, among others.
After Okon was eventually allowed to speak, the director said he only appeared before the lawmakers to seek more time for the ministry to collate and present the required documents. The committee consequently gave the committee one week to do so.
- FG Inaugurates Council To Revive Ajaokuta, Others
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, has inaugurated the re-constituted National Steel Council to drive the growth of the steel industry in Nigeria. Speaking at inauguration ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, stressed the need to revive the ailing industry to spur the growth of the economy.
He said, “This decision is a step in the right direction, which brings us closer to our goal of achieving self-sufficiency in steel production. Indeed, the importance of achieving such a feat cannot be overemphasized as the steel industry remains the backbone of modern society.”
According to the minister, the steel industry was key in providing the basic raw materials for public infrastructure development projects and key sectors such as housing and real estate development, energy, automotive, defense, and various, small & medium enterprises engaged in downstream engineering and fabrication business.
- Emefiele, FIRS boss shun subsidy hearing, Reps kick
The House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate the Petroleum Products Subsidy Regime from 2013 to 2022 has slammed Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele and the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Muhammad Nami, for failing to show up at its investigative hearing. At the continued hearing of the committee in Abuja on Thursday, Emefiele and Nami sent representatives who the lawmakers dismissed as junior officials that would not be able to give specific answers to their queries.
The committee is probing into payment of subsidy in Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, by the Federal Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited). A member of the committee, Mark Gbillah, said, “It said that N6.7tn, in less than a year, is being expended on subsidy. We would expect that the CBN governor would come here personally to address such an issue and the FIRS chairman as well. I guess they believe this issue is not important enough for them to be here.
The Deputy Director, Banking Services, CBN, Hussein Kagara, who was asked to speak on Emefiele’s non-appearance, said, “If all the questions that you are going to ask are related to technical matters that concern subsidy payments, I will be able to provide answers here. But if they are outside the technical aspects of the subsidy transactions, then I will not be able to respond.” Chairman of the committee, Ibrahim Aliyu, consequently disqualified the CBN governor’s representative.
- Malami, NGF On Collision Course Over $418m Deductions
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, may be on a collision course with the Nigerian Governors Forum for insisting on the deduction of $418m Paris Club refund from the federation account. Speaking to State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, Malami stressed that the state governors had no right to complain about the deduction which he said was meant for the consultants purportedly hired by the state governors and local governments.
But top official of the NGF, who spoke on condition of anonymity, hit back, saying the AGF appeared to be working for the consultants instead of representing Nigerians in the matter. The consultants had demanded the amount as payment for services rendered to the states and local government councils but the governors requested a forensic audit of their claims.
In March, the attorneys-general of the 36 states appealed a judgment that dismissed a suit seeking to restrain the Federal Government from effecting the planned deduction of $418 million from states’ funds. In response to a November 11, 2021 letter from the minister of finance, budget, and national planning, the governors in a letter dated April 4, 2022 asked the FG to refrain from deducting from funds accruing to them and all local government councils as liquidation for the alleged Paris Club loan refund-related judgment debts.
But responding to questions from journalists at the 46th Session of the State House Ministerial Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, the AGF declared that the governors created the liability whose payment they had also indemnified. He noted that when the refund was paid to the states, a part-payment was also made to the consultants, but the governors eventually halted further payments and requested an out-of-court settlement instead.
- Anambra receives N268.2m as oil producing state
Anambra State government confirmed yesterday that it has received N268.2 million revenue in its new status as an oil producing state. The amount was from the mineral derivation revenue from the Federation Account for the month of July 2022 totalling N268,232,939.16. The state Commissioner for Finance, Ifeatu Onejeme, who confirmed the development said the feat was finally achieved sequel to Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s “massive follow up and collaborative initiatives with relevant federal government agencies. Recall that Anambra State was recognized as an oil producing state during the administration of former Governor Willie Obiano.
Reacting to social media reports that the state received over N300bn from the federal government as its share of 13% oil derivation, the Commissioner insisted that what the state received was N268,232,939.16.
BUSINESS
- Nigeria spends $2.35bn on phone importation – Report
Nigeria spent $2.35bn on telephone importation in three years, according to data from the International Trade Centre. The nation spent $807.95m on importation of phone sets in 2019, $765.57m in 2020 and $772.25m in 2021, the ITC, which is an international body that focuses on trade, said. The body explained that the imported telephone sets included: smartphones, facsimile machines for line telephony, teleprinters, parts of telephone sets, and more. The data further revealed that most of the phone sets coming into the country were from China ($1.71bn in the time under review). The nation also imports from other nations such as Hong Kong, Sweden, the United States, Netherlands, Vietnam, Mexico, and others.
The Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, recently revealed that about 63 million technology devices were sold in Nigeria every year, quoting data from Original Equipment Manufacturers. The commission revealed that there were about 132 million unique devices on the nation’s telecommunication network in 2020 with the average owner changing a device every six months.
In an earlier interview with newsmen, the Managing Partner, Bodds IT Solutions, Emmanuel Osho, had disclosed that Nigerians spent a lot on devices as the market grew larger every year.
The Public Relations Officer of the Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria, Solagbade Olaifa, had also disclosed that about N5bn worth of devices was being sold at Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos yearly.
He had disclosed that Nigeria did not have the technology to produce devices yet. He said, “We do not have the technology to produce now, but we can fund part of it. We cannot produce as a whole because for every device, even over there, there are different companies that produce its components. It is not only one company that produces every component of the devices. However, Nigeria can start somewhere.”
According to Counterpoint Research’s Global Monthly Handset Sales Tracker, the annual smartphone sales in Nigeria grew by 81 per cent year-on-year in 2021. The Nigerian phone is dominated by foreign players such as Tecno, Samsung, and Itel. While Nigeria has the seventh-highest number of phones in the world, according to the World Population Review, its local phone manufacturing industry is non-existent, and attempts to kickstart it have at best failed to flatter.
- FG to implement five percent tariff hike on calls, data
The Federal Government has vowed to go ahead with the planned implementation of a five percent hike in call and data tariff. A statement from the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning maintained the tariff hike will go on despite resistance from Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Prof. Isa Ali Pantami.
The statement insisted the government will begin “the implementation of five percent excise duty tax on all voice calls, SMS and data services, in addition to the existing 7.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT), paid for goods and services across all sectors of the economy”.
Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning Mrs Zainab Ahmed made the disclosure at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator. Ahmed, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Tax Policy, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Musa Umar, said: “Henceforth, the five percent excise duty will be collected by telecom operators and payment made to the federal government on a monthly basis, on or before 21st of every month.”
HEALTH
- TUC rejects proposed privatisation of Federal Hospitals
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has opposed the planned privatisation of public healthcare facilities in the country. The TUC President, Mr Festus Osifo, spoke while addressing newsmen at the end of union’s National Administrative Council (NAC), Central Working Committee (CWC) and National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union on Friday in Abuja.
He said that the NEC in session strongly opposed the move by the Federal Government to privatise the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Federal hospitals. He said that Nigerians hadnever benefitted from privatisations done in the past and as such, TUC strongly frowned at it.
The TUC president while speaking on the lingering strike in the university system, called on the Federal Government to place value on education in country. “TUC as a body is here to protect our national interest. We will do everything possible to ensure that we engage government, and also engage ASUU as well to find an amicable solution. He condemned the N1.4 billion spent on the purchase of vehicles for the Government of Niger Republic.
The TUC president also said that there was no need for government to continue paying for fuel subsidy as the impact was clearly not felt by Nigerians. The TUC President suggested that the money meant for fuel subsidy could be used to meet the demands of university-based unions. He further called on governments to as a matter of urgency take steps to address the security challenges in the country.
- Doctors decide on strike Sunday, begin advocacy visits
The Federal Government has commenced discussions with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors over the demands of the doctors, reports have it. Newsmen learnt that some NARD executive members are in Abuja meeting with officials of relevant government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Recall that resident doctors had, on July 30, 2022, issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement all the agreements it had with the association or it would embark on an indefinite strike. The ultimatum expires on Sunday, August 14.
The association’s demand include the payment of the newly reviewed Medical Residency Training Fund; the immediate implementation and payment of the new hazard allowance and arrears among several others. Speaking in separate interviews with newsmen, the association’s Secretary General, Dr Suleiman Abiodun; and Publicity Secretary, Dr Yusuf Alfa, disclosed that the meetings with the MDAs are “behind the scenes” and not official. Abiodun said, “We are just doing some advocacy visits to some relevant stakeholders so that we can push most of these demands from wherever they are to levels of implementing them.
Asked if the doctors would go on strike at the expiration of the ultimatum if the government does not meet their demands, Abiodun said the National Executive Council would meet to decide on it.
Alfa, on the other hand, said, “We are meeting government officials as regards how to solve the issues before the expiration of the ultimatum. Reacting, former NARD President, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, said, “These issues have been on for years, we embarked on a strike because of the issues last year; some were addressed but some were not addressed. We hope that the health sector will not go back to strike if the government meets the demands.
EDUCATION
- FG hasn’t informed ASUU of cash crunch – Osodeke
Striking Academic Staff Union of Universities has said the government has not at any time indicated that it does not have money to fund the union’s demands and university education. The union was reacting to recent comments by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo; and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, who said it was unreasonable for the Federal Government to borrow over N1 trillion to meet ASUU’s demands. Recall that ASUU has been on strike since February 14, 2022, after submitting its demands, which were being renegotiated by the Prof. Nimi Briggs committee set up by the Federal Government. The strike entered its 180th day on Friday.
ASUU’s National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in an interview with newsmen, described those saying the government had no money as interlopers who had no business in the affairs of ASUU and the government. Osodeke said, “Do you believe the FG has no money? Is Umahi the FG? Has the Minister of Education said so? Has the Minister of Finance said so? If the person directed to resolve a matter has not said so when interlopers are saying things, who will you believe?
“When did Umahi become the spokesperson for the FG? They can borrow money for Trader Moni, they can borrow money to feed schoolchildren in schools, they can borrow to buy vehicles for Niger Republic, but they cannot borrow to fund education. We are tired too. If they want to close down all the universities formally, they should.”
When asked if ASUU would bend its demands so that the students could return to school, Osodeke insisted that the issue had to do with the government’s coming to the renegotiation table with ASUU. “It is not about ASUU bending its demands; our demands are with the government. They should come to us with what they want. We don’t have to beg them. We agreed on something and let them send it to us. We have reached a negotiation. Let them come and tell us what they can do,” he said. Meanwhile, Osodeke, also on Thursday urged parents and students to vote out leaders that have made universities remain closed nationwide.
- Resolve issues with ASUU now, vice-chancellors beg FG
The Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities has said the government’s insistence that it does not have money to fund Nigerian universities is disheartening. The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, had in an interview, said the government had no money to meet ASUU’s demands and would not go into borrowing.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, on Tuesday, the chairman of CVCNU, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo, explained that the demands of ASUU were not for the union but for the rehabilitation of the universities, adding that what the government meant by that statement was that it did not have money to fund its own universities.
He said, “This issue of saying we don’t have money to put into the university system shouldn’t be. It is like the NEEDS assessment fund; it was not given to ASUU, it was given to the universities.
When they say we don’t have funds, what they are saying is that ‘these universities are our own but we don’t have money to give. We don’t have money to pay for overhead to run the universities.’ I listened to Keyamo also. He is not even at the centre of the whole thing.” Edoumiekumo added that he and other VCs in the country are not happy that the universities were closed down. He, therefore, called for a speedy resolution.
- Ogun Tops States With Highest Number Of Varsities
Ogun, Delta and Osun States have topped the list of states with the highest number of universities in Nigeria, reports have it. This is according to data obtained from the National Universities Commission. The NUC regulates activities in Nigerian universities, including accreditation of institutions and courses among others. According to the data, Nigeria currently has a total of 219 universities -49 federal universities, 59 owned by state governments and 111 private universities.
An analysis of the NUC data revealed that Ogun State boasts of 16 accredited universities, a federal university, two state-owned universities, and 13 private universities. Delta State, which is second on the list, is home to 13 accredited universities, including two federal universities and the Nigerian Maritime University. There are four state-owned universities and seven private universities in the state.
Osun State, according to the data, accommodates 11 universities. In the fourth position is Lagos State which houses 10 universities. Data from Kano also revealed the presence of 10 universities, while Zamfara and Yobe States have the least number of universities with two each. The other states with respective number of universities include Abia (6); Adamawa (3); Akwa-Ibom (6); Anambra (7); Bauchi (3): Bayelsa (4); Benue (4); Borno (4); Cross Rivers (4); Ebonyi (4); Edo (8); Ekiti (4); Enugu (6); Gombe (4); Imo (7); and Jigawa (4).
Others are Kaduna (6); Katsina (4); Kebbi (3); Kogi (4); Kwara (9); Nassarawa (4); Niger (4); Ondo (7); Oyo (9); Plateau (4); Rivers (5); Sokoto (4); Taraba (3); and the Federal Capital Territory has eight universities. Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, the programme director, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said, “We already have enough institutions in Nigeria. While most of those universities are privately owned, it is very important to note that if these and federal institutions are well funded and maintained, we won’t have the number of issues that we are having, which include incessant strike.”
WORLD
- EU Presidency Mulls Visa Ban For All Russians
The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said Friday that a blanket ban on visas for all Russian travellers could be the bloc’s next sanction on Moscow. “The flat halting of Russian visas by all EU member states could be another very effective sanction,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said in a statement obtained by AFP. He said he would propose the idea at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague at the end of August. The EU has so far come up with six sanction packages against Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the West to ban all Russian travellers in an interview with the Washington Post this week, saying Russians should “live in their own world until they change their philosophy”. The Czech Republic stopped issuing visas for ordinary Russians on February 25, a day after Russia invaded Ukraine. But Russian tourists are still flowing into Europe through Finland. Once they enter the visa-free Schengen zone, the Russians — including spies — are free to travel across most of Europe.
Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto last week introduced a plan to limit tourist visas for Russians. Kaja Kallas, the prime minister of Estonia which also borders Russia, called on the EU to stop issuing visas to Russians earlier this week.
- Taliban Beat Women Protesters In Afghanistan
Taliban fighters beat women protesters and fired into the air on Saturday as they violently dispersed a rare rally in the Afghan capital, days ahead of the first anniversary of the hardline Islamists’ return to power. Since seizing control on August 15 last year, the Taliban have rolled back the marginal gains made by women during two decades of US intervention in Afghanistan.
About 40 women — chanting “bread, work and freedom” — marched in front of the education ministry building in Kabul, before the fighters dispersed them by firing their guns into the air, an AFP correspondent reported.
Some women protesters who took refuge in nearby shops were chased and beaten by Taliban fighters with their rifle butts. The demonstrators carried a banner which read “August 15 is a black day” as they demanded rights to work and political participation. “Justice, justice. We’re fed up with ignorance,” they chanted, many not wearing face veils.
“Unfortunately, the Taliban from the intelligence service came and fired in the air,” said Zholia Parsi, one of the organisers of the march. They dispersed the girls, tore our banners and confiscated the mobile phones of many girls. Some journalists covering the protest — the first women’s rally in months — were also beaten by the Taliban fighters, an AFP correspondent saw.
- Sri Lanka’s ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrives in Thailand
Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who last month fled anti-government protests in his country, has arrived in Thailand on a flight from Singapore, where he had been staying since mid-July. The former leader landed on a private jet at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport around 8pm local time (13:00 GMT), a senior Thai official said. Officials in Thailand on Wednesday said they had been asked by the Sri Lankan government to allow him entry, and that he would be permitted to stay temporarily.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said that he was aware of Rajapaksa’s intended visit and that it was allowed for humanitarian reasons because the former president was seeking asylum in a third country. He did not elaborate but said Rajapaksa would not engage in political activity while in Thailand. Rajapaksa has made no public comments about his travel plans. After fleeing Sri Lanka last month, he first went to the neighbouring Maldives in a Sri Lankan military plane and then to Singapore, where his visa expired Thursday. He submitted his resignation only after he left Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankans have staged massive street protests for months demanding democratic reforms and solutions to the country’s economic collapse. Protesters who had occupied official offices and residences in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, blame mismanagement and corruption by the Rajapaksa family for the economic crisis that has led to serious shortages of essentials such as medicines, food and fuel. The island nation is negotiating with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout programme.
- China Scraps Cooperation With US Over Taiwan Spat
China said Friday it was ending cooperation with the United States on a litany of key issues including climate change, anti-drug efforts and military talks, as relations between the two superpowers nosedive over Taiwan. Beijing has reacted furiously to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, which it claims as its territory and has vowed to retake — by force if necessary.
It has since Thursday encircled the self-ruled, democratic island with a series of huge military drills that have been roundly condemned by the United States and other Western allies. And Friday saw its foreign ministry hit back further against the United States, suspending talks and cooperation on multiple agreements between the two — including on climate change.
The world’s two largest polluters last year pledged to work together to accelerate climate action this decade, and vowed to meet regularly to “address the climate crisis”. But that deal looks shaky as relations sink to some of their lowest levels in years, as do agreements on everything from talks on military matters to anti-drug cooperation.
Pelosi — who Beijing also hit with sanctions for the visit — has defended her trip to Taiwan, saying Friday that Washington would “not allow” China to isolate the island. In Washington, the White House summoned China’s ambassador to Washington to condemn Beijing’s “irresponsible” behaviour over Taiwan, a senior US official said Friday. Taiwan has also condemned Beijing’s response to the visit, with premier Su Tseng-chang calling for allies to push for de-escalation.
- China Sanctions Pelosi Over Taiwan Visit
China’s foreign ministry announced sanctions against US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday after her visit to Taiwan this week, prompting fury and shows of military force from Beijing. The ministry said Pelosi was “seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs and seriously undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” with the visit, and that Beijing would “impose sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family”, without giving further details.
China has announced sanctions on a number of US officials in recent years for acting against what it views as its core interests and speaking out on human rights issues in Hong Kong and the northwestern region of Xinjiang, often without specifying punitive measures.
In March this year, Beijing said it was imposing visa restrictions on an undisclosed list of United States officials who had allegedly “concocted lies on human rights issues involving China”. Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, as well as Peter Navarro — a trade adviser to former president Donald Trump — were among those hit by earlier waves of sanctions and are forbidden from entering China as well as doing business with Chinese entities.
Beijing’s ruling Communist Party views self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day take it, by force if necessary. The Chinese government has reacted with bombastic threats and military drills in the lead-up to and aftermath of Pelosi’s visit, which it sees as an unacceptable escalation of ties between Washington and Taiwan’s current pro-independence leaders.
- Head of Amnesty In Ukraine Resigns Over ‘Russia Propaganda’ Report
The head of Amnesty International’s Ukraine office has resigned, accusing the rights organisation of parroting Kremlin propaganda in a controversial report that criticised the war-torn country’s military response to Russia’s invasion. Amnesty sparked outrage in Ukraine with the publication of a report on Thursday that accused the military of endangering civilians by establishing bases in schools and hospitals, and launching counterattacks from heavily populated areas.
“If you don’t live in a country invaded by occupiers who are tearing it to pieces, you probably don’t understand what it’s like to condemn an army of defenders,” Amnesty’s Oksana Pokalchuk said on social media, announcing her resignation late Friday. And there are no words in any language that can convey this to someone who has not experienced this pain.”
Pokalchuk said she had tried to warn Amnesty’s senior leadership that the report was one-sided and failed to properly take into account the Ukrainian position, but she was ignored. Amnesty Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, responded to Pokalchuk’s resignation, saying: “Oksana has been a valued member of Amnesty staff and has led the Amnesty International Ukraine office for seven years with many significant human rights successes.
ENTERTAINMENT
- ‘Blood Sisters’ director Biyi Bandele dies at 54
Biyi Bandele, co-Director of Netflix debut Nigerian original series ‘Blood Sisters’ is dead. The prolific filmmaker died in Lagos, on Sunday August 7, 2022, according to a statement released by his daughter. “I am heartbroken to share the sudden and unexpected death on Sunday 7th of August in Lagos of my father Biyi Bandele,” Temi Bandele wrote on Facebook. “Biyi was a prodigiously talented writer and film-maker, as well as a loyal friend and beloved father. He was a storyteller to his bones, with an unblinking perspective, singular voice and wisdom which spoke boldly through all of his art, in poetry, novels, plays and on screen. He told stories which made a profound impact and inspired many all over the world. His legacy will live on through his work.
“He was taken from us much too soon. He had already said so much so beautifully, and had so much more to say. “We ask everyone to please respect the privacy of his family and friends as we grieve his loss.” The shocking news comes barely weeks to the historical Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) premiere of Netflix and EbonyLife’s ‘Elesin Oba’ which he directed and adapted for the screen. Bandele was renowned for directing the 2013 film adaptation of Chimamanda classic novel ‘Half Of A Yellow Sun’ starring Thandiwe Newton and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
- Kizz Daniel arrested in Tanzania over failure to perform
On Monday, 8th August 2022, a video surfaced online of angry fans throwing objects at a deserted stage because Kizz Daniel had apparently failed to turn up for an event. The fans threw cans of drinks and other objects on the floor and the stage as the event came to a premature end over the absence of the Nigerian artist. According to some reports on Twitter, Kizz Daniel failed to appear at the show because his luggage was yet to arrive in Tanzania from Uganda and he refused to wear the clothes offered to him in Tanzania.
Kizz Daniel was arrested in the afternoon on Monday, 8th August 2022 as videos of him being escorted into a waiting van by armed policemen flooded social media. The arrest is believed to be because of his absence at a show in Tanzania and it’s unclear who filed a complaint or issued the warrant for his arrest. he was later released late into the night after being detained by the police for over 5 hours.
Kizz Daniel’s arrest drew lots of criticism over what was regarded to be repetitive arrogance and constant disregard for professionalism, which has been a blemish on his career. To address the issues behind the event, Kizz held a press conference on Wednesday, 10th August 2022. According to the artist, the problem started when his luggage was forgotten in Kenya by the airline that conveyed him to Tanzania. He revealed that all efforts to address the situation failed and he communicated this to the organizers. He also apologised for his absence and the disrespect it conveyed to the fans.
He tendered an apology to his fans and as a show of his remorse, Kizz revealed that he will be holding a free show on Friday, 12th August 2022 in Tanzania.
SPORTS
- Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala Nominated For 2022 Ballon d’Or
Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala has been nominated for the 2022 women’s Ballon d’Or following her stellar season with Barcelona Femini in the Spanish League. Oshoala scored 20 goals in just 19 games to share the top scorer award with Geyse Ferreira who played for Madrid CFF last season but is now a teammate of Oshoala. The 27-year-old’s game time was limited last season because of injury but she showed her quality in front of goal whenever she wasn’t injured as Barcelona retained their League title.
The other Ballon d’Or nominees are Marie-Antoinette Katoto (PSG), Millie Bright (Chelsea), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Ada Hegerberg (Lyon), Selma Bacha (Lyon), Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona), Vivianna Miedema (Arsenal), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Sam Kerr (Chelsea), Christiane Endler (Lyon), Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg), Kadidatou Diani (PSG), Catarina Macario (Lyon), Alexia Putellas (Barcelona), Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg), Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona), Wendie Renard (Lyon), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave) and Beth Mead (Arsenal).
- Qatar World Cup To Start A Day Early On November 20 – Sources
The opening match for this year’s World Cup, between hosts Qatar and Ecuador, will be brought forward by one day to November 20, World Cup sources told AFP on Wednesday. The move, which should be approved by the FIFA Council before the 100-day countdown starts this week, will retain the tradition of the first match featuring the host country. Under the existing arrangement, Senegal and the Netherlands play the first game on November 21, followed by the official inauguration match between Qatar and Ecuador later that day.
The World Cup sources said that confirmation of the change was expected soon. FIFA and the Qatari organising committee declined to comment. For fans who have tickets for the November 21 game, “any disruption will be dealt with so impact is minimal”, another tournament source told AFP.
Under the change, Netherlands v Senegal would be moved from 1:00 pm (1000 GMT) on November 21 to a 7:00 pm start. “It is a better slot for both teams for television and other areas,” said the World Cup source.
- Real Madrid Beat Eintracht Frankfurt To Win UEFA Super Cup
Goals from David Alaba and Karim Benzema gave Real Madrid a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt and a fifth UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday. While Frankfurt were dangerous, particularly in the first half, Madrid’s experience and individual quality saw them through, as it did so often in their victorious 2021-22 Champions League campaign.
Frankfurt had the best of the early stages, with Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois forced into a stunning anticipation save when one-on-one with Daichi Kamada in the 14th minute. Madrid almost got their first, when Benzema released Vinicius to curl past Kevin Trapp in the penalty box, only for Tuta to clear the ball off the line. With Madrid dominating possession, Frankfurt mounted several counter-attacks until Madrid launched a counter of their own in the 37th minute.
The clash, in Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium, was the first time these two sides had met in a European decider since 1960 when Madrid dismantled Frankfurt 7-3 through four goals to Ferenc Puskas and three to Alfredo di Stefano in the European Cup final. The match also highlighted the growing gap between the Champions League and Europa League competitions, with Madrid being the ninth Champions League team to win the competition in the past 10 years.
Only city rivals Atletico Madrid have won the Super Cup when qualifying via a Europa League win in the past decade, having done so by beating Real in the 2018 edition. In the 10 years before, Champions League and Europa League participants won five Super Cups each.
- CAF Launches New Super League To Boost Clubs
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Wednesday launched a new lucrative $100 million Super League aimed at injecting financial muscle to the cash-strapped clubs on the continent. Twenty-four clubs, yet to be decided, will take part in the first edition, which has the backing of the world governing body FIFA and will be played between August 2023 and May 2024. CAF president Patrice Motsepe, who announced the new competition, did not say if it would replace CAF’s existing Champions League and the second-tier Confederation Cup.
Motsepe said CAF will use some of the 50 million dollars from the Super League to make football attractive and ensure the best players remain in Africa and improve the quality of the sport on the continent which has lagged behind other parts of the world.
- Serena Williams announces retirement from tennis
United States tennis champion, Serena Williams, announced on Tuesday that ‘the countdown has begun’ to her retirement from the sport. Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam winner, added that a time has come in her life for her to move in a different direction. The 40-year-old said in a post on Instagram that she has to focus on being a mum and achieve her spiritual growth. She wrote, “There comes a time in life when we have to decide to move in a different direction. That time is always hard when you love something so much. My goodness do I enjoy tennis. But now, the countdown has begun. “I have to focus on being a mom, my spiritual goals, and finally discovering a different, but just exciting Serena. I’m gonna relish these next few weeks.”
In an exclusive piece in Vogue magazine, Williams noted that she had never liked the word ‘retirement’ but would rather go with the word ‘evolution’. She said, “I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me. I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people. “Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis toward other things that are important to me. “A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family.”
- World Cup: Falconets Defy Downpour To Defeat France In Opening Game
Nigeria’s Falconets defied the heavy rain in San Jose to beat the Little Blues of France in their opening game at the 2022 U-20 Women’s World Cup. In form, Sabastine Flourish finished off coolly in the 85th minute to hand Nigeria the one-nil victory over a stubborn French side at San Jose, Costa Rica.
Coach Chris Danjuma’s side began the game on a fine note and caused some panic for the Europeans amid the rains which poured harder on the pitch, causing poor visibility for the players and match officials. Centre referee Francia Gonzales was then forced to stop play in the 20th minute due to the weather conditions. The game was, however, restarted after one hour.
Less than ten minutes after the restart, the French side had to head off the ball from the goal as the Falconets continued to surge forward. While no side was able to score in the first half, the second half was an even stiffer competition. As the game flowed from end to end and both sides looking for a late goal, the 2014 runners-up took the lead with just five minutes to normal time. Flourish, who was the highest goalscorer in the African qualification series, finished off a defence-splitting pass from Mercy Idoko to send the ball past goalkeeper Marie-Morgane Sieber. With the win, a victory over Korea DPR in Nigeria’s second match on Sunday will guarantee the Africans a slot in the quarter-finals of the competition.
- Barcelona Sell Off Assets To Make Signings In Attempt To Restore Glory Days
Barcelona’s attempts to establish themselves once again as a force in La Liga and the Champions League this season have seen the heavily-indebted Catalans gamble with their future to enable a striking summer spending spree. A year after being forced to let Lionel Messi go as eye-watering reported debts of 1.35 billion euros ($1.39 billion) crippled the club, Barcelona have spent 153 million euros on transfer fees alone to strengthen their squad, with Robert Lewandowski the most notable new arrival. After three years of struggles, on and off the field, the summer has seen hope return to Camp Nou, with president Joan Laporta talking of an exciting “new era” when the club unveiled Lewandowski as a Barcelona player.
Faced with severe limits on spending in order to comply with La Liga’s financial controls, Barcelona knew they needed to raise money quickly to be able to invest in any signings and, crucially, to register any new players. They quickly set about selling off assets to bring in money by activating a series of what have been called economic “levers”. The club sold 25 per cent of their domestic television rights for the next quarter of a century to US investment firm Sixth Street for some 400 million euros.
Barcelona sold 24.5 per cent of Barca Studios, which manages the club’s digital business and audiovisual productions, to Socios.com for 100 million euros on August 1, and then another 25 per cent to US investment firm GDA Luma for 100 million euros more. In the space of a few weeks, 600 million euros had been brought in to fill the coffers. The aim was to clean up the club’s finances, make it possible to increase the salary limit set by La Liga and allow the new signings to all be registered for the start of the season.
- Man City’s Mendy Goes On Trial For Rape And Sexual Assault
Manchester City and France footballer Benjamin Mendy on Wednesday began his trial for the alleged rape and assault of seven women, which could see his playing career end in jail if convicted. Mendy, 28, arrived at Chester Crown Court in northwest England wearing a dark blue suit and tie to face eight counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape, relating to seven young women.
Flanked by an interpreter in the dock, the French player spoke in English to confirm his identity.
He pleaded not guilty in May to nine of the charges, and not guilty on Wednesday to a subsequent rape count that had not yet been put to him in court. All the alleged offences are said to have taken place at Mendy’s home address in Prestbury near Macclesfield, also in northwest England, between October 2018 and August last year. He is standing trial before a jury along with his co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40, who has also pleaded not guilty.
Matturie denies eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault, relating to eight young women. His alleged offences span from July 2012 to August last year. Both the defendants are on bail, with Mendy subject to what a judge previously called “stringent” conditions, including the surrender of his passport.
After his arrest last August he was initially held at Altcourse prison in Liverpool, and then a prison in Manchester, before being freed on bail in January. The trial is due to last 15 weeks, with the prosecution set to open its case on Monday. None of the women said to have been assaulted can be named under English law, which also places restrictions on what can be reported about the case.
- Nigeria’s Performance At Commonwealth Games A Parting Gift To Me – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has described Team Nigeria’s performance at the 22nd Commonwealth Games, Birmingham 2022, as a parting gift to him. Buhari said this in a statement issued by his media aide Femi Adesina.
‘‘We are proud of these achievements and the memories will linger with the nation forever and for me this is a special moment and a fitting parting gift, being my last Commonwealth Games as Head of State,” Sunday’s statement quoted Buhari as saying.
According to Buhari, the athletes’ performance was a display of the “God-given attributes of the real Nigerian- never give up, strive to the end”. Nigeria finished with 35 medals, including 12 gold, nine silver, and 14 bronze, the nation’s best outing at the Games in years.
METRO PLUS
- FG promises to rescue remaining abducted train passengers
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, promised that the military will not stop or reduce its efforts to rescue the remaining 31 abductees of the March 28 train attack, through non-combative means. Buhari emphasised that his primary concern is to get everyone released “safe and unhurt.”
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said this when he met with representatives of families of the abducted persons in Abuja. The President assured the representatives that the Federal Government is doing everything within its powers to ensure the safe return of the remaining captives.
He however, explained that the government will not employ lethal force in freeing the remaining hostages. He said, “I have been informed that at last count, there remain about 31 people in the hands of the kidnappers, and our determination is to work towards returning these 31 people to their families. It is understandable that emotions typically run high, we have received several suggestions about the deployment of lethal military force in extracting those still being held in captivity.
On his recent instruction to security and law enforcement agencies to end the inhumane action against innocent Nigerians, the President expressed delight, saying, “Judging by the available reports to me and news that have begun emerging in the last few days, I will say they have heard this instruction and are responding appropriately.” He insisted that fight must be taken to the terrorists and that “each one of them will be hunted, and pursued and spoken to in the language that they understand.”
- Domestic violence: Lagos to introduce compulsory marital counselling for intending couples
Lagos State Government has expressed readiness to introduce compulsory marital effectiveness preparatory counselling for intending couples to ensure they are aware of domestic and sexual violence status of the state. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs. Kikelomo Sanyaolu, disclosed this, during a one-day engagement programme for all State Marriage Registrars in Ikeja, Lagos. The programme was organised by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) in conjunction with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Sanyaolu, expressed the ministry’s willingness to address domestic violence in Lagos State.
He noted that marriage is a special institution that needs to be guided and urged marriage registrars to always prevent domestic violence in marriages.
In her remarks, Executive Secretary of DSVA, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said the agency is desirous of embarking on sustainable and proactive programmes in response to domestic violence. She noted that 80 per cent of couples that report matrimonial abuses had pre-existing knowledge of their partner’s erratic behaviours before marriage, but proceeded with the union.
Vivour-Adeniyi also noted that the agency intends to introduce a curriculum on domestic violence into the existing counselling programme of marriage registries. The curriculum, she said, would take intending couples on topics such as marriage, love languages, gender and sex roles in marriage, why people stay in abusive relationship, among others.
- We can’t afford another civil war – El-Rufai
Nigeria cannot afford a repeat of the 1967 civil war, which tore fabrics of the Nigerian State, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai has said. The Governor therefore admonished Nigerian youths to distance themselves from fanning embers of violence and war in the country.
The Governor spoke to members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), saying those among them who would be participating in the conduct of the 2023 general elections should avoid being used to rig elections.
While addressing the closing ceremony of the orientation course organized for members of 2022 Batch B (Stream 2) NYSC corps members posted to Kaduna State on Tuesday, the state’s Acting Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe who represented the Governor, said the civil war was a needless savagery that Nigeria cannot afford to repeat.
