Gundogan 'expected more' from first Manchester City season

Ilkay Gundogan admits that Manchester City believed they would achieve more than just automatic qualification for the Champions League last season.

City endured a largely disappointing campaign in Pep Guardiola's first year in charge, finishing third in the Premier League, failing to win a trophy and being knocked out of Europe by Monaco in the last 16.


Gundogan feels the club achieved a minimum requirement by securing an automatic spot in next term's group stage but concedes that the season as a whole cannot be considered successful.
"I'd say last season we achieved what we had to," the midfielder told Sport Bild. "It was important to qualify directly for the Champions League. But of course, we expected more.
"We were very stable in our final games. There may be some changes but my main goal is to win titles.

"I have noticed that, for fans in England, the Premier League stands above the rest. For us players, the Champions League is certainly the biggest competition, also because City never won it before."
Gundogan enjoyed a strong run of form before a cruciate knee ligament injury suffered against Arsenal in December saw him sidelined for the rest of the season.

The Germany international is now back in training and he hopes to be ready for the first few matches of 2017-18.
"If I had to put a number on it, I'd say I'm at 70 per cent right now," said the 26-year-old. "I started to train with the team, although I can't take part in every aspect of training yet.

"It doesn't matter to me whether I am ready for the first or the fifth matchday; what's important to me is that I feel confident and can give 100 per cent." -

Barcelona considering shock move for Azpilicueta

Cesar Azpilicueta has become a real fan favourite during his time at Stamford Bridge but the versatile defender is being eyed for a move to his homeland, Spain.

Spanish newspaper Marca are reporting that Barcelona are looking to bring Azpilicueta to the club this summer as they still haven’t successfully replaced Dani Alves.

Chelsea signed Azpilicueta from Marseille and the right-back has developed into one of the Premier League’s finest defenders.
Spending most of last season as the right centre-back in Antonio Conte’s back three, Azpilicueta has tremendous value to Chelsea and it would be unlikely if the Blues even entertained offers, but the allure of Barcelona can be enough for some players.

Barcelona made an offer for the 27-year-old in May, Marca state, before turning their attentions to bringing Hector Bellerin back to the club from Arsenal but after the Gunners ruled out a sale the Catalans have revived their interest in Azpilicueta. - Read Sport 

U.S based Nigerian Pastor rapes two sisters in church basement

A senior pastor of His Hope Restoration Ministries in Queens village New York City, Reuben Chizor, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison

for raping two sisters in the church basement.
Queens District Attorney, Richard Brown on Tuesday ruled that the pastor should be put behind bars.

Chizor’s victims were 12- and 14-year-old sisters and members of his church.
The defendant, Chizor took advantage of his position as a senior pastor to satisfy his desires on the teenage girls, claims the court.
Richard Brown said, “He sexually abused his two young victims for virtually two years, through manipulation and conniving control.

”Trial testimony last month revealed that on July 27, 2011, Chizor raped the 14- year-old victim in the church basement, where he lived.
”On Aug 22, 2011, he raped the 12-year-old.
”56-year-old chizor continued abusing one or both of the girls through May 2013,” Brown said.

In July 2015, the girls confided in each other they had been raped by Chizor and police were notified.

Fayose: Osinbajo’s visit a deceit, Buhari should talk to Nigerians

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described the reported visit of the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to President Muhammadu Buhari in London as another attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to deceive Nigerians on the state of health of the President.

The governor said “what Nigerians desire now is a live video of President Buhari addressing them, not a visit in which no pictorial (photo or video) was made available to the public.”

He noted that; “President Buhari has spent 65 days out of the country since he left on May 7, 2017 and no one has seen him. Yet, Nigerians
are being told that the Acting President Osinbajo visited him with no picture, no video to show except that of his (Osinbajo) entering and leaving the Abuja House in London.”
Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka said in a release issued on Wednesday, that Governor Fayose reiterated his challenge that President Buhari’s handler should prove to Nigerians that he is not incapacitated by producing him to the public.

“Today is July 12, making 115 days that President Buhari spent abroad taking care of his health out of the 193 days in 2017, and what Nigerians are being told is that Acting President Osinbajo met him secretly in London, this is ridiculous.

“Should we be talking about President Buhari being met behind the camera by the Acting President at this time or the President resigning so that the country can move forward?
“Isn’t it funny that those who told Nigerians in 2010 that the health of the President, as a public figure cannot be of interest only to his
families and friends and that Nigerians have a right to know the President’s state of health are the same people in power now and are
feeding Nigerians with tales of Buhari being met behind camera by the Acting President?

“It is therefore my position that Nigerians do not need this drama of Osinbajo’s behind the camera meeting with Buhari. Rather, what we want is that the President should speak to Nigerians publicly and disabuse the minds of the people who are of the belief that he is already ‎incapacitated and cannot continue as President,” the governor said. - Daily Post

Spurs set Walker asking price at £50m after Man City miss out on Alves

Tottenham have told Manchester City to cough up £50 million for KyleWalker, Goal understands.

City have been pursuing Walker for months and remain confident of bringing him to the club before the end of the transfer window, but have made several pushes to finalise a deal already this summer and have so far come up short.

The Blues had been banking on signing Dani Alves as competition for Walker but the Brazilian made a shock u-turn after agreeing terms with the Premier League club and was announced as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Wednesday afternoon.
That blow is unlikely to do City any favours in their pursuit of Walker, though they have already agreed personal terms with the England international.

While it is understood that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is happy to sell the England full-back eventually, he has proven a predictably tough negotiator so far and is holding out for £50m.
City had been hoping to strike a deal at under £45m but may now have to bite the bullet and meet Spurs' demands, so as not to miss out on a second right-back target.

Twenty-year-old Pablo Maffeo is currently the only recognised right-back at City as the club prepare to fly to the United States for pre-season training on Monday.


As recently as Tuesday afternoon they had been expecting Alves to join them on their flight to Houston, only to see him pitch up in Paris and undergo a medical.
At his unveiling on Wednesday, he apologised to City for having gone back on his verbal agreement to move to the Etihad Stadium.

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"If Pep Guardiola & Manchester City feel hurt, I am sorry... I've come here to be a champion," he said.

Murphy hopeful Liverpool can complete 'phenomenal' Van Dijk deal

Danny Murphy believes Liverpool need to prioritise defensive reinforcements in the transfer market and should also consider bringing in a striker due to Jurgen Klopp's reluctance to build the attack around Daniel Sturridge.

The Reds have spent big to recruit Mohamed Salah from Roma, adding to the array of versatile forwards at Klopp's disposal.


They have also been heavily linked with Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk, a player Murphy believes would significantly strengthen the starting XI at Anfield.   
"Personally, [I think] the problem for Liverpool is more defensive," he told Omnisport.
"I think the Van Dijk thing is close. That would be a phenomenal signing. They definitely need a left back, as we know. Possibly a midfielder as well, but there's definitely more business to be done at Anfield. 

"My understanding is that they really are trying to push the boat out in bringing new players in to try and compete."
Liverpool's rivals Manchester United have parted with a significant sum to lure Romelu Lukaku from Everton to Old Trafford, leaving Murphy to suggest the Reds should follow suit and recruit a dedicated centre-forward of their own. 

"I suppose the other question is do they need a striker who can get 20 goals a season, because [Roberto] Firmino generally played that role," he said.

"I mean they have got one in Sturridge but he doesn't seem to fit the bill for what Klopp wants from his strikers. 

"So maybe they'll look there as well, we'll have to wait and see."

Arsenal keen on Sancho deal

Arsenal are one of three clubs interested in Manchester City’s youngster Jadon Sancho.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal, Tottenham and Bundesliga side RB Leipzig are keen on signing him this summer.

The report claims that Manchester City are fearful of him wanting to depart, with it looking unlikely that he will be given a clear route to the first-team.
This is despite the fact that he is already training with Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad, at the age of 17.

It is said, however, that City are eager to keep him at the club and will fight to retain him, which could make it difficult for Arsenal to secure a deal.
City were in talks to hand him a three-year contract in March, but there has been no update on that as of yet.
Sancho is regarded as one of the best talents of his age group in Europe and would be a top addition to any academy.- Read Sport

Leicester’s owner, King Power, accused of £327m corruption in Thailand

The company which owns Leicester City and funded the club’s rise to become 2016 Premier League champions has been accused of multimillion-pound corruption in the operation of its business in Thailand. King Power, owned and run by the Leicester chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and his son Aiyawatt, is alleged to have corruptly short-changed the Thai government of its agreed share from the company’s lucrative duty free franchise at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport.

King Power International, which owns Leicester, is accused of criminally failing to pay the Thai state 14bn baht (£327m) from the operation of the airport franchise, whose original grant in 2006 required 15% of the income to be paid to the government. The lawsuit – a copy of which was seen by the Guardian – was filed by Charnchai Issarasenarak, deputy chairman of a government anti-corruption subcommittee. He alleges that King Power colluded with airport employees to pay the government only a three per cent slice of the duty free takings.

King Power bought Leicester City for a reported £39m in 2010 when the club was in the Championship, and then loaned the club more than £100m on players, wages and bankrolling losses, which were written off after the club won promotion to the Premier League in 2014.
Explaining the legal action to reporters in Thailand, Charnchai said: “We ask the court to accept this lawsuit as a criminal lawsuit, and use the law to punish those who commit wrongdoings. We also ask the court to consider seizing all the 14.29bn baht [£327m] from them to the state. Nobody should ever gain [anything] from this said amount ... This case causes substantial damages to the state and is a very severe case.”

Two other King Power group companies owned and run by the Srivaddhanaprabha family have also been accused of corruption in the legal action, along with a senior King Power executive. Fourteen officials working for Airports of Thailand have also been named in the action. The lawsuit alleges corrupt misconduct and a failure to act with honesty and integrity.

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha established King Power in 1989 with one small shop in Bangkok, then attained major wealth in 2006 when his company was granted the exclusive franchise for duty free sales at Suvarnabhumi airport, said to be the 12th busiest in the world. At the time the prime minister of Thailand was Thaksin Shinawatra, who was later ousted in a military coup. The successors and bitter rivals to Shinawatra, who took over Manchester City in 2007, remain in charge of the country.

The lawsuit alleges that the requirement on King Power to pay 15% of the revenues to the government was agreed when the contract was signed in 2006. The current prime minister of Thailand, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, has been named by Charnchai as a witness in the case, along with 32 other people; 50 documents have been submitted in support.

Charnchai has said that he is preparing a further four cases against King Power, which he expects to file in two months. A court decision on whether to accept the first case is expected on 25 July, according to reports.
“Filing a lawsuit against someone isn’t fun,” Charnchai said, “because they can counter-sue us, but we have checked accuracy, and are ready to be counter-sued. We don’t do this based on a personal [issue], but it is about the nation.”

Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, the Leicester vice-chairman and chief executive of the King Power group, was reported in the Bangkok Post to have denied that the company had breached any laws over the 11 years since it was granted the duty free franchise at the airport. Asked by the Guardian via Leicester City whether he would confirm the details of the case and respond to the allegations, the club replied to say that Aiyawatt had declined to comment.

The Airports of Thailand president, Nitinai Sirisamatthakarn, was reported by the Bangkok Post to have denied the allegations, saying that King Power had adhered to its contract and paid the correct government fees according to the space occupied at the airport.

It is not clear what impact the case could have on Leicester City if it proceeds and succeeds and King Power become liable to pay huge amounts of money to the government. Premier League rules prohibit people from owning more than 30% or being a director of a club if they have been convicted of a criminal offence of dishonesty, but neither Vichai, Aiyawatt nor any other Thai director of Leicester has been charged personally. - The Guardian 

Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud star in launch of Arsenal's third kit

Arsene Wenger has insisted neither Alexis Sanchez nor Olivier Giroud will be leaving Arsenal this summer and the club's new kit launch seems to back that up.

Both forwards were used, alongside Theo Walcott, as the models for the unveiling of Arsenal's new third strip.
Sanchez has less than a year remaining on his current contract and is understood to prefer a move to Manchester City rather than extend.

When asked on Tuesday if Sanchez had asked to leave, though, Wenger replied: "No."
He added: “The players have contracts and we expect them to respect them - that’s what we want.
“That is a continuation of what I said at the end of last season, that you wouldn’t sell him to another Premier League club.

“I think the easiest way to manage in the final year - it is in his interests to do as well as he can.
“Nobody knows today if he will be in the final year next season because he can extend the contract with us at the start or during the season so it is not necessarily the last year of his contract at Arsenal Football Club.”

On Giroud, who has been linked with a move to Everton following the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette, Wenger said: “We extended his contract last year.

“Our resolution is clear. He’s been great value to the squad and I think he is a great lover of the club. He’s always been very determined to stay.
“It’s always the same problem - when you have one striker people ask ‘why don’t buy another?’ and when you have two or three they say they will be unhappy because there is too much competition. That’s part of the job.

“We are in a job where we are very lucky to do what we love but it is competitive job and that means the players have to accept competition and my decisions as well, unfortunately.''

Man jailed one year for dangerous driving

A 30-year-old man, Usman Saidi, was on Wednesday sentenced to one year imprisonment for driving dangerously in Osogbo, Osun.

Saidi was, however, given an option to pay a fine of N50, 000 after pleading guilty to the offence.
The Magistrate, Mrs Olubukola Olowolagba, ordered that the convict should be kept in Ilesha Prisons until he paid the fine or served the jail term.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Sunday Ajayi, had told court that the convict committed the offense on July 10 along Ayetoro Olosedudu Lane in Osogbo.

The convict had faced a two-count charge of dangerous driving and not having a valid driver’s licence.
Ajayi said that the convict drove a Bajaj motorcycle with registration number QD 865 SGB in a dangerous manner and against road traffic laws without a valid driver’s licence.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 21 (B) and 18(1) of the Road Traffic Act, Cap 113 Vol.5, Laws of Osun State, 2003.
Counsel to the convict Mrs Abosede Aseyinka, prayed the court to temper Justice with mercy in sentencing the convict.

Badoo: Security forces arrest 133 in Lagos

Security forces on Wednesday arrested 133 suspects in different parts of Ikorodu, Lagos.

They were arrested during raids at Bayekun, Ikorodu Main Town, Igbogbo and Majidun by the police, Department of State Services (DSS), Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Neighbourhood Watch Corps (LNSC), Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and local vigilante group, Onyabo.

Wednesday’s arrest was the fourth since the security forces began clampdown on suspected cultists, ritual killers and kidnappers terrorising Ikorodu.
It was gathered that the joint operation led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of Operations, Imohimi Edgal, stormed Ikorodu in the early hours of Wednesday following fresh intelligence.

The Nation gathered that most of the suspects were raided at Majidun, an area hitherto occupied by militants.
It was learnt that all the suspects were taken to the Lagos Taskforce’ office in Oshodi for screening.
According to the command’s spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), those found wanting would be charged to court, while those found to be innocent would be released.

He said: “After combing several criminal hideouts in Ikorodu and its suburbs, scores were nabbed. Those arrested are suspects. They are to be screened. Arrests were based on intelligence and in conjunction with local vigilantes.

“We went on the raid of those communities because of the activities of ritual killers and all cult related activities taking place in the area.
“The first step is to screen all suspects and that is already being done at the taskforce office. All those found wanting will be charged to court while the innocent will be released.”

World Bank: We couldn’t audit Abacha’s loot — it was put into budgets under Obasanjo

The World Bank says it played a limited role in the spending of loots recovered from Sani Abacha, Nigeria’s military head of state from 1993 to 1998.

The bank stated that it could not comprehensively audit how it was spent, due to the structure of the programme adopted by the government at the time.
In a letter to Socio-Economic Rights and Accoundtability Project (SERAP), the World Bank said the recovered loots were channelled into Nigeria’s budget in line with Olusegun Obasanjo’s  National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).

“The funds were returned directly from Switzerland to the Nigerian Government adding that it is committed to helping Nigeria account for the spending of the loots,” World Bank said.
“They were programmed into the national budget and utilized by the Nigerian Government in line with its National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).”

The Bretton Wood institution adds that the structure of the programme did not allow for the comprehensive audits like the bank would normally do with its own funded projects.
“As agreed with the Nigerian and Swiss governments, the Bank’s role was limited to carrying out an ex-post analysis on their use with a particular focus on their contribution to the NEEDS.

“This was done as part of the public expenditure review carried out jointly by Nigerian government and the Bank under the Country Partnership Strategy. The monitoring and analysis of repatriated funds was undertaken at two levels through: (1) the Bank-led analysis of general budget expenditure trends, and (2) a budget monitoring survey which was a limited field survey of sample projects funded under the budget program and randomly selected from a list of projects provided by the government.

“The budget monitoring survey was conducted by joint teams representing both government agencies and Nigerian civil society organizations. The Bank’s role in this particular case was limited by the design and different from the type of comprehensive audits we can do when funds are spent in projects supported by the Bank. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to explain the Bank’s role in this matter in the near future.

“We do share your deep commitment to fighting corruption and promoting transparency and accountability. These are key ingredients to successful development and economic well-being.
“We believe that the work organizations like SERAP are doing is critical to achieve our common goal of improving the lives of people in Nigeria and beyond.” - Cable Nigeria

Husband batters wife, throws her down from two-storey building in Lagos

A 35-year-old man, Uche Chukwuka, has allegedly battered his wife and afterwards, threw her down a two-storey building.

Chuwuka was arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday.

Chukwura, who lives at No. 22 Railway Line in Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos, was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on assault.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Godwin Oriabure, earlier told the court that the suspect committed the crime on June 20 at about 7:30p.m at the residence of the accused.

Oriabure said that the accused committed the offence, following a heated argument with his wife, which led to a fight.

The prosecutor said, “The accused beat up his wife and pushed her from a two-storey building, which caused her grievous body harm.”
Oriabure said the offences contravened sections 170 (a) and 173 of the Criminal Law Cap Ch, C17, Vol.3 Laws of Lagos State Nigeria, 2015.

The magistrate, O.S. Aka-Bashorun, however, granted bail to Chukwuka in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum.
Aka-Bashorun said one of the sureties must be a community leader or Eze Ndigbo, whose name must be in the gazette of the Lagos State Government.

The matter was adjourned until August 8 for substantive trial. -

Man Utd's Januzaj Set For Real Sociedad Move

Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj is set to move to Real Sociedad after both clubs have agreed £9.8 million fee for the player according to a report from the BBC.

The 22-year-old winger from Belgium played 63 games for the red devils scoring only 5 goals in the process.
Januzaj failed to impress manager Jose Mourinho after an unsuccessful loan spell at Sunderland last season and as a result, has been told that he is not in the managers plans for the upcoming season.
Januzaj joined Utd from Anderlecht in 2011 at the age of 16 and finally broke into the Utd first team in the 2013/14 season under David Moyes ill-fated stint at the club.

It is disappointing to see how a player once praised to become the next Ryan Giggs has diminished so quickly. But maybe a spell at Sociedad and a fresh start for a player who at 22 is still relatively young, may help Januzaj to kick-start his career and re-light the fire that made Januzaj one of the hottest young prospects in world football. - Read Sport

Ozil says it is his 'preference' to stay at Arsenal

Mesut Ozil has said that he wants to stay at Arsenal for another season but has not spoken with Alexis Sanchez about the Chilean’s future, according to a report on the Daily Mail.

The German international is keen to stay at the Emirates for at least another season as he has one year remaining on his current contract with the Gunners

The playmaker has insisted that he will only sign a contract extension with the North London club if they offer him a whooping £350,000-a-week.
“It is definitely my preference to stay,” Ozil said at the launch of the club’s Puma-made third kit.
“It is such a great club and I have always said that I feel very good at Arsenal.
“For now the most important thing is our pre-season. When I’m back in London, we will sit down and discuss.”


The 28-year-old attacking midfielder managed to get his name on the scoresheet eight times in the Premier League last season and assisted nine times.

The news that Ozil wants to stay will be brilliant for Arsenal fans who were fearing that due to finishing fifth in the Premier League and missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification, that they will lose all their star players.
Arsenal will be hoping that Sanchez will do the same as his team mate and good friend Ozil by staying at the Gunners for the upcoming campaign after heavy speculation linking him with a move to Manchester City.

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Ozil is currently on tour with the Arsenal squad in Australia and hopes to solve his contract talks when they return to England.

Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu’s wife performs ‘ritual’ to actualize Igbo nation [VIDEO]

A video has emerged online of the wife to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, Uchechi Kanu performing a ritual aimed at actualizing Biafra.

In the video, Uchechi, alongside some members of IPOB could be seen holding a chain painted in the colour of acclaimed Biafra flag and at the tip a padlock signifying that the Igbo nation has been in bondage.

After offering prayers, the wife of the IPOB leader opened the padlock saying in a symbolic way “We open our freedom and walk towards liberation and we have taken our land of promise.”
Speaking further, during the exercise, Ucheche said, “Elijah in his days called on God and God answered by fire and that same God will answer us and make a way.
“Joshua said let the sun stand still and it did, Moses also parted the red sea with his staff.

 “In like manner my husband, Nnamdi Kanu, and i stand on the rock that God has used to say nogate of hell shall prevail and i sayevery chain that has held Biafra in the spirit is broken.

“In the spirit, chains and keys means you cannot progress, you are bound and because God has revealed this the battle has been conquered.
“In this moment, I speak with authority bestowed upon me, every power, chained around Biafra is released. This morning we open our freedom and walk towards liberation and i declare we have taken our land of promise.”

Watch video here…

-Daily post

Applicant bags four months imprisonment for stealing cell phone

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday sentenced a 30-year-old applicant, James Ogwuchi, to four months imprisonment for snatching a cell phone, valued at N35,000.

The magistrate, Mrs O.I. Raji, convicted Ogwuchi as he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
Raji ordered that the convict should serve the sentence with hard labour.
“You are hereby sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour and without an option of fine,” she said.

The accused, of no fixed address, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi, had told the court that the defendant committed the offences on July 10, at Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos.
He said that the accused and two other still at large, snatched a mobile phone valued at N35,000, property of one Damilola Abiodun.

Egunjobi said the accused approached the complainant on the guise of asking for direction and in the process snatched his phone from him and ran away.
“The accused fraudulently stole the complainant’s cell phone.

“The complainant raised an alarm, the accused was arrested, while others escaped with the phone,” he said.
The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

Father rapes 10-year-old daughter to death in Delta community

A man simply identified as Tele Egbegi has been alleged to have raped his ten-year old daughter (Name withheld) to death in Okugbene Community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Daily Post  reports.

DAILY POST gathered that the girl died on Tuesday at about 8pm and she is still lying in state in her father’s compound waiting for the arrival of the mother’s family from Ayakoromo community.

Meanwhile, her father, Tele Egbegi has fled the community for fear of being mobbed.
The matter came to the public domain when local doctors who administered treatment on the deceased who recently fell seriously sick confirmed that she was being molested and that someone bigger than her was having canal knowledge of her.

It was gathered that the girl allegedly accused an innocent person for molesting her because her father threatened her not to mention his name, but later confessed that it was her father who had been having carnal knowledge of her as well as molesting her by having sex with her through the anus and her private part for about four times.

The Egbegi family is the only family that is resident in the small community.

A source told DAILY POST that Egbegi’s late wife (mother of the deceased) may have died due to the beatings she gave her while she was alive.
The source also added that Egbegi who is known for his notoriety had in December 2013 allegedly set ablaze the house of his brother’s wife and children at night.

Contacted, the Delta State Acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka said,”I’m not aware. Let me do my investigation and get back to you.”

Man arraigned over robbery of N60,000 phone at bus stop

A 35-year-old man, Fatai Adeboye,  who allegedly robbed a blackberry phone valued at N60,000 at a bus stop, was on Wednesday brought before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun. Adeboye, whose address is unknown, is facing a charge of stealing.

Police Prosecutor Chudu Gbesi told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 5 at 2.00 p.m. at Ijoko near Ota.
Gbesi said the accused robbed the complainant, Hannah Akinwande, of a Blackberry phone valued at N60, 000 at a bus stop in Ijoko.
“But the accused was caught and handed over to the police,’’ he said.

The offence contravened Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun.
The accused, however, denied the charge.The Senior Magistrate, Mr S. O. Banwo, granted bail to the accused in the sum of the N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and also produce evidence of tax payment to Ogun Government.
The case was adjourned until Aug. 24 for hearing.

Ambode: Less than three percent of 22 million Lagos residents pay tax

Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos, on Wednesday said less than 600,000 out of the 22 million residents in the state pay tax.

Speaking at a sensitisation workshop on water technology and environmental control exhibition and conference (WATEC), Ambode said Lagos residents should have a wilful approach to the payment of taxes.
He said consistent payment of tax would help address fundamental challenges confronting the state and accelerate development in all sectors and sections.

“The number of people paying taxes in Lagos is less than 600,000 people and we are 22 million and then 67 percent of the people living in Lagos are below the age of 35 and even the retirees, how much are they paying? They are on pension. So, you have to go through your nose and you want to be as compassionate as possible that in a recession, you don’t over tax people,” Ambode said.

“What I am saying is that there must be a convergence between civic obligations and the ability of government to build trust and be able to tell people that you know what, the little that you are giving me, I will use it judiciously. When I use it judiciously and you see it overtime, trust me, if you pay more, I will do more.
“Obviously, the vision is there, the plan is there but again it is not driven by anything than the citizens themselves and the area that we need improvement is for citizens to have trust or confidence that the taxes they are paying will be returned back in terms of infrastructure but I can tell you that I am also concerned; I see a lot of things I don’t like but I am inhibited by the amount of money I have.”

The governor said the state government is willing to tackle the impact of torrential rainfalls which has caused flooding but it had limited resources.
“Talking about protecting our shoreline, I want to tell you something. The ecological fund that someone talked about does not exist because the previous government, due to political consideration, never gave Lagos anything and protecting the shoreline runs into billions,” he said.

“Even doing those groins not to allow the water to break cost a lot of money and then with frozen taxes in the last eight to ten years, there has not been any increase in taxes unlike in the United Kingdom for instance where any young person living there knows that once you start working at the age of 18, your civic obligation is that you must pay tax but here nobody takes it as their business that the new road I am using I need to pay something and so they only pay tax when they are inside the real tax net that is you are paying pay as you earn.” - Cable Nigeria

Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko Las Vegas rematch edges closer as heavyweight champion's team jet out for talks

 Anthony Joshua's rematch with Wladimir Klitschko is a step closer after the heavyweight champ’s team flew to Las Vegas for talks about staging the showdown on The Strip.

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn and his business manager Freddie Cunningham have jetted out to the US with Vegas now the firm favourite to host the rematch.
Hearn and Cunningham are considering the iconic 16,800-seater MGM Grand Garden Arena for the fight with November 11 and 18 as the most-likely dates.

The pair are expected to meet Richard Sturm, head of MGM Grand Entertainment and Sport, to discuss the size of the pot on offer to stage the contest in the Garden Arena.
Hearn is trying to confirm Vegas after Klitschko told him he would not fight the unbeaten Joshua, who holds the WBA Super and IBF heavyweight titles, in the UK after losing to him at Wembley.

Klitschko rejected Hearn’s suggestion of fighting Joshua again under the closed roof of Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on October 28.
The former world heavyweight king has told the Matchroom Sport MD he is only interested in a rematch if he can make it a spectacular event abroad.

Hearn knows Vegas is where the big money is and the event could be the biggest heavyweight fight on The Strip since Mike Tyson 20 years ago. - UK Mirror

Apple might allow you to livestream your screen in iOS 11

Apple released the third developer beta of iOS 11 yesterday, and we noticed a curious addition to the new screen capture functionality: There’s now a “Start Broadcast” button, possibly intended for sharing your screen during a livestream.

I say “possibly” because it doesn’t really do anything right now. If you tap on the button, it does exactly the same as pressing the screen recording button. It just saves a video file onto your camera roll.
Some have suggested it’s meant for AirPlay, but that doesn’t make much sense. There’s already an AirPlay mirroring button in the Control Center, so adding it onto the screen recording function seems redundant. If it were some new AirPlay feature, Apple would have used the AirPlay logo.

Our guess is the button is meant for third party apps which want to leverage the new screen capture functionality. In theory, you’d be able to share your screen to a YouTube or Facebook livestream after pressing the button. It’s also possible Apple has some new livestreaming app or functionality on the way, but I feel like Apple would have announced those features at WWDC if that were the case.

Again, this is mainly conjecture. We won’t know for sure until the button actually begins to do something in a future build, but third party livestreaming strikes us as the most likely option. What do you think?

Woman whose husband died on sofa after argument finds love with his brother

A woman whose husband died on the sofa after she told him he could not sleep in their bed, has now found love with his brother.

Mum-of-three Ashley Murrell, 33, said she had argued with her deceased husband Mikey about his long hours at work.
After failing to make things up with her 36-year-old spouse, she told him to sleep on the sofa.
The following morning, on 16 May, she discovered he had died. A post-mortem found that Mr Murrell had choked in his sleep, but the exact cause of death was inconclusive.

Ms Murrell, a beauty therapist from Somerset, later discovered that her husband – who worked as a carpet cleaner – had been putting in the extra hours so he could save up for a trip to Prague for their anniversary. 
A few months on and Ms Murrell has now reportedly started a relationship with her brother-in-law, Chris Murrell, after the pair apparently helped each other through the grieving process.
“Chris and Ashley have been through so much but they have really been there for each other,” an unnamed friend told The Sun. “It’s strange how from something so awful, something good can happen. They are really happy together.

“They’ve had so much hate and negativity because of their relationship but them being together doesn’t change how Ashley felt about Mikey.
They added: “Chris has been a huge support for Ashley and he’s great with the kids. It’s funny how these things work out."
Ms Murrell shared a picture of the couple surrounded in pink hearts on social media and Chris commented three red hearts on the image.
Speaking out about her husband’s death, Ms Murrell urged others to spend “every moment” with their families.

“I felt so guilty," she said. "I was so angry with myself for making him sleep on the sofa. I still find it so hard to think that my last words to him were out of anger.
“When I found out he'd been saving to take us on an anniversary holiday it was awful - heartbreaking doesn't begin to  cover it." - The Independent

She added: “Losing Mikey has changed my entire perspective on life. Life is too short to go to bed angry and not to spend every moment you can with your family."

Manchester United chief Ed Woodward skips US tour in bid to clinch Ivan Perisic and Eric Dier transfers

Manchester United are trying to push through a £45million move for Inter Milan midfielder Ivan Perisic by next week.

Manager Jose Mourinho wants to make the 28-year-old attacker his third big-money signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Benfica defender Victor Lindelof and Everton striker Romelu Lukaku.
Inter want £50m for Perisic, but United are only willing to go to £45m and are hoping their take-it-or-leave-it final offer will see the deal go ahead.

Perisic, who has joined up with Inter at their pre-season training camp in northern Italy, wants his club to sanction his move to Manchester as quickly as possible.

United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has remained in the UK as their US pre-season tour begins here to try to close a deal for Perisic — along with the £50m capture of Tottenham’s England midfielder Eric Dier.
Inter boss Luciano Spalletti has stated he wants to keep Perisic.

But the Italians need the money from his sale and United remain confident a deal can be struck.

Perisic is due to fly to China with Inter next Tuesday to take part in International Champions Cup pre-season games.

United are aiming to make him their player before then. - Mirror

Corporate fraudster !!! N7.3 Bn Fraud: Court To Rule on Bail Application July 17

Justice A.M Nicol-Clay of Lagos State High Court Igbosere, today adjourned ruling on the bail application of an official of Total Nigeria Plc Ejere Kelvin Chris and one Edoma Omagha, an account officer with International Fulfillment Services Ltd till July 17. The two defendants are facing a ten count charge bordering on oil fraud to the tune of N7.3 brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Nicol-Clay had earlier fixed ruling on the bail application for today July 11, 2017. When the matter was mentioned, counsel to 1st and 2nd accused persons, Pekun Sowole and Gabriel Orban, moved their applications for bail on liberal terms, promising  that the defendants would be available for trial and will not jump bail.

 

Prosecution counsel, Mohammed Idris opposed the bail application of the 1st accused. He drew the attention of the Court to the fact that Ejere had attempted to travel abroad  to avoid prosecution before being arrested by the Commission. Idris prayed the Court not to grant Ejere bail while urging it to excise its discretion in respect of Omagha.

 

Ejere Kelvin Chris, Edoma Omagha, Kehinde Elliot Ogbor (at large), Danium Energy Services Ltd, Sibet Oil Services Ltd, Loveth Miyemi Ogbor (at large) and Rhombi Energy limited  are being prosecuted on a 10 count charge bordering on conspiracy and forgery to the tune of N7.3b (Seven billion, three hundred million naira).

 

The accused persons who  pleaded not guilty to the charge  allegedly conspired and diverted a facility from a new generation bank meant to finance the purchase of automotive gas oil from an oil marketing company.

 

One of the counts reads:
“That you , Ejere Kelvin Chris, Edoma Omagha, Kehinde Eliot Ogbor (at large), Danium Energy Services Limited (at large), Sibet Oil Services Limited (at large), Loveth Miyemi Ogbor (at large) and Rhombi Energy Limited (at large) sometime between the months of January, 2017 and February, 2017 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, conspired amongst yourselves to dishonestly convert and steal the cumulative sum of N7.3 billion (Seven Billion, Three Hundred Million Naira) only.”

 

The presiding judge, Justice Nicol-Clay after listening to both counsel adjourned the ruling on the bail applications to July 17, 2017 while the accused persons are to remain in  the EFCC custody. 

Face of fraudster : N754. 7m Fraud: Witness Reveals How Akpobolokemi, Others Used Unregistered Company To Divert N257m NIMASA Funds

The ongoing trial of a former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration Safety Agency,  NIMASA,  Patrick Akpobolokemi, continued today before Justice Raliat Adebiyi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja,  with a prosecution witness,  Orji Chukwuma,  an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,  further revealing how the accused  conspired to divert various sums of money from the  agency's accounts to their personal use. 

Akpobolokemi is standing trial alongside Captain Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan, Vincent Udoye, Captain Sahib Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited on a 13-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N754.7 million.

 

At today's sitting, the prosecution counsel,  Rotimi Oyedepo,  through the witness, tendered exhibits P12 to P14, detailing how the accused used accounts of a committee named VIMSA  to pay various sums of money,  at different times, into the account of  Harold Consulting Services Limited,  a company operated by both  Nwakuche and Juan.

 

The witness  also tendered several correspondences,  including memos and letters, between the defendants who were members of the VIMSA  committee of NIMASA and management of Harold World Consulting Services Limited. 

 

He,  however,  said that all the documents used by the defendants to divert funds from the agency's accounts were forged. 

 

When asked to explain how he came to the conclusion that the documents were forged,  the witness said: " They  confessed, during interrogation,  that the company never existed. 

 

"They said it was a fictitious  address.  They also confessed to have forged the PHCN  bill submitted as part of documents required to open the  account for Harold World Services Limited."
Chukwuma further testified that when  the Director of Finance,  NIMASA,  queried why the funds released to VIMSA  accounts were not retired,  the defendants replied that it was due to the  " clandestine nature of the committee's work." 

 

He said:"The monies were utilized for personal gains in conspiracy with the the first defendant,  who was then the Director-General."

 

Counsel to the defendants drew the attention of the court to the fact that the witness,  rather than state his findings regarding the exhibits tendered,  was slowing down the pace of proceedings by" inputting  unnecessary conclusions into his evidence. "

 

Prosecution counsel objected to the argument advanced by the defence,  pleading with the court to allow the witness give his evidence without any further interruption. 

 

The court upheld the prayer of the prosecution counsel. 

 

In his testimony,  the witness further  told the court how a document contained in exhibit P14 was used to divert the sum of N257m from the VIMSA  account to Harold World Services Limited. 

 

He explained to the court how one of the defendants signed a document for the payment of N39, 450, 000m to Gama  Marine Nigeria Limited. 

 

Justice  Adebiyi  adjourned to November 6,10,13,16,17,27,28,29 and 30, 2017 for continuation of trial. - EFCC

Lagos landlord, Christ Embassy trade words over rent arrears

A landlord of a building on Ogbokri Estate, Okerugbe Town, Ikotun, Lagos State, Godspower Ogbokri, and a parish of the Christ Embassy Church are locking horns over alleged six-month rent arrears estimated at N400,000.

Ogbokri, 61, also accused the church of owing electricity bill of N113,267 and damaging the gate to the building before it was vacated on February 24, 2017

He told journalists that the pastor in charge of the church, Daniel Madojemu, had rented the property in August 2006 on an annual rent of N800,000, adding that all was well between both parties until 2012 when the premises became unkempt.
The landlord said that he called the attention of the pastor to the filth and the damage on several occasions without any result.
He further explained that he sent a letter dated May 26, 2016, to his lawyer, Adepoju Ajala, instructing him to eject the church.

The letter read in part, “I wish to instruct you that you should go ahead to give required notice to quit to one of my tenants, Christ Embassy church, Abaranje 1.”
He also said a separate letter was written to the pastor through the same lawyer, lamenting the poor state of the property.
The letter read in part, “You have successfully damaged the main gate of the property for some time now without taking steps to repair same. You have also removed the front entrance door of the property, showing lackadaisical attitude towards same

“You are always dumping and burning refuse on the top of the soakaway without minding the consequence of your action to the property; you have refused to patronise LAWMA, PSP as specified by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Law.”

Ogbokri stated that the church exceeded the six-month notice given to it, adding that the pastor did not pay the N400,000 rent he owed before he left the property.
“Apart from the rent, the church did not pay electricity bills amounting to N113,267. When mediatory efforts to get the pastor to pay the money failed, I took the church to court. A hearing notice was served on the pastor, but he has refused to show up,” he added.

When the matter came up before the Ogba Magistrate’s Court presided over by O.J. Awope, the pastor was absent.
However, the pastor denied damaging the property, adding that he was not aware that the matter was in court.
He said although he was not owing up to N400,000 in arrears, he was ready to pay the sum to let peace reign.

He said, “I didn’t get any letter from court. It was a lawyer who he hired that I know. He gave me about two months to make the payment. I never damaged any property. He does not need this. The church never used public electricity; we have a generator.

“When the electricity firm brought a very high bill, we disconnected the church from public electricity. It was last year (2016) that the landlord brought up the electricity issue.
“I dug the soakaway in the place; I put the water system there and did the wiring. I am not a troublesome person. I am an ordained Christ Embassy’s pastor.

“Even if the landlord says the money is N1m, I will pay, but there is a God in heaven. I will give him the money. He should let the church be.” - Daily Post