We are correcting lopsidedness in Ekiti civil service — Fayose

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has said his administration is correcting the lopsidedness in the state’s civil service and won’t allow anybody to bastardise the system.

He spoke in Ado-Ekiti yesterday at a meeting with top civil servants during the selection of three permanent secretaries.

I Have No Plan To Quit Chelsea – Mikel

Super Eagles captain and Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi has insisted that he will definitely stay at Stamford Bridge for the 2016-17 English Premier League season.

The 29-year-old midfielder has been linked with a move from the Blues this summer following the arrival of new manager Antonio Conte, he insists he will not be leaving even as his contract at the club will run out in 2017.

“I am definitely staying at Chelsea and I will try to give my best to the club, like I have always done,” Mikel said.

After 13 years, Mikel Obi finally changes his name

Chelsea fans are no strangers to multiple monikers given their recent history of Brazilian talents, but it’s not often that an established Stamford Bridge star makes an official name change midway through their career.

Mikel was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna (the son of Michael Obi) in 1987, but a mistake in 2003 changed things for the midfielder.

South African Pastor Dies After 30 Days Of Dry Fasting; Allegedly Tried To Beat Jesus’ Record

44-year-old Alfred Ndlovu met his end as he embarked on the journey of no food-no-water to emulate Jesus Christ’s 40 days and 40 nights fasting. He reportedly died of malnutrition following a dry fasting that lasted for 30 days. The pastor allegedly left home for the spiritual journey on 17 June. Just like Jesus, Ndlovu left the things of the world behind him and focused on God as he took to the bush to conduct prayers.

I’Il Rather Die Than Renounce Biafra – Nnamdi Kanu

Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Nnamdi Kanu has asserted that IPOB is not in the business of betrayal and as such would rather prefer to die than to renounce Biafra and abandon the struggle for its restoration.

In a press statement signed by its spokespersons, Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya, in reaction to the recent statement credited to members of the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND to the effect that a negotiation could be reached with the federal government to release Kanu and then he would renounce Biafra, IPOB quoted Kanu as saying that Biafra’s restoration is not subject of negotiation.

Graphic Photos: IMSU Law Student Shot Dead

According to Okeoma News, the police confirmed his identity to be Obrin Ibekwe, a newly graduated student who was doing his clearance in preparatory for the mandatory one year National Youth Service corps, NYSC, program. Ibekwe was gunned down inside a gutter at the back gate area of the University around 2:50pm today.

Jonathan begged us not to declare Niger Delta Republic – Militants

Niger Delta militant group, Adaka Boro Avengers, has said it cancelled its planned declaration of a Niger Delta Republic after appeals from Ijaw leaders, including ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

A statement issued by the spokesman of the group, Edmos Ayayeibo, reiterated its determination to cripple the nation’s economy until President Muhammadu Buhari showed a sincere desire to dialogue and restructure the country.

Why bank manager committed suicide – FCMB

First City Monument Bank Plc FCMB  says its official, Olisa Nwakoby, who committed suicide on Friday in front of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Lekki, Lagos State, had personal challenges and became frustrated.

The bank, however, noted that neither the management nor colleagues of the deceased were aware of the challenges, adding that it was working with Nwakoby’s family and the police to unravel the nature of the challenges.

Forty-four-year-old Nwakoby, said to be the manager of the bank’s branch in Lekki, shot himself in the head over a bad debt estimated at N350m on Friday.

Militants murdered eight landlords in one night — Ikorodu residents

The first sign of disquiet, which a first-time visitor may encounter in the Ikorodu area as he approaches the Igbo-Olomu and Isawo communities, is the ubiquitous presence of a dark green Lagos Task Force vehicle stationed at a major turning.

During a visit to the area on Monday morning, our correspondent observed that heavily armed military personnel had taken different positions on the road, screening and frisking commuters. There was an uneasy calm around the junction. The silence contrasted sharply with the usual cacophony arising from buying and selling in the area, as well as the sound of speeding commercial motorcycles, popularly called okada.

Obama calls on Republicans to reject ‘unfit’ Trump

United States President Barack Obama on Tuesday called on Republicans to reject Donald Trump in some of his strongest comments yet about the party’s White House nominee, saying he is “woefully unprepared” and “unfit” to be president.

“This isn’t a situation where you have an episodic gaffe. This is daily and weekly where they are distancing themselves from statements he’s making,” Obama said of the party’s top brass including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator John McCain.

Photos: Cyclist suffers third degree burns after iPhone explodes in his pocket

A cyclist sustained third-degree burns after his iPhone exploded in his pocket.
Gareth Clear, 36, was cycling through Manly Dam, near Sydney on Sunday afternoon when his foot missed the pedal and he came off the bike.
The fall was minor, and he got up with only a few grazes, but noticed smoke coming from his leg and realised his iPhone had exploded. 

Kenyan hacks his wife’s hands off with a machete for failing to conceive after seven years of marriage… even though HE was impotent

A husband in Kenya hacked his wife’s hands off with a machete for failing to conceive after seven years of marriage – even though he was impotent.

Jackline Mwende was brutally slashed by Stephen Ngila at her home in Masii, Machakos County after he told her ‘Today is your last day’.

Tinubu Blames Militants For Company Losing Streak

Wale Tinubu, group chief executive, Oando Plc has blamed militant activities and oil production disruptions for the company’s continued losses.

Oando’s half year result showed a 49 percent decrease in gross profit, from N37.1 billion in the first half of 2015 to N19 billion in the half ending on June 30, 2016.

Turnover increased by 18 percent from N212 billion compared to N180 billion in H1 2015, while loss-after-tax decreased by 23%, N27 billion compared to N35 billion H1 2015.

11 killed as ‘herdsmen’ raid 3 villages in Kaduna

Gunmen believed to be herdsmen have killed 11 people, and injured several others during attacks on three villages in Jema’a local government area of Kaduna state.

The villages are: Gida Biyu, Akwa’a and Anguwan Anjo,

A witness told The Cable that ‎the attackers also set houses ablaze.

He said six men and three women were killed in Gida Biyu and in Akwa’a, and two men killed in Angwan Anjo.

Photo: 2 armed robbers killed in shoot-out with police in Lagos yesterday

A group of armed robbers on Monday caused mayhem on Okunola Road in Idimu area of Lagos State after they allegedly attacked a police inspector.

The three-man gang, which came on a motorcycle at about 11:45am, were said to have robbed the inspector, who had just come out of a bank in the area.

Meet Nigeria's curious Cupid - matchmaking for HIV patients looking for love

Emmanuel Michael Ugochukwu, a Nigerian Christian, has taken it upon himself to bring happiness to victims of HIV in the country by matchmaking them and having them go into marriage after.

Ugochukwu said this difficult task started with the idea and knowledge of his religion.

Nigeria Will Handle Turkish Request With Diplomacy – Minister

The Nigerian government has said that the request by the Turkish government for the closure of 17 schools and hospitals owned by some Turkish businessmen in Nigeria would be handled diplomatically.

It stated that the government would evaluate the request and handle it accordingly.

Restaurant owner is forced to eat cockroach found in customer's food

A customer who ordered fried noodles from a restaurant in Changsha, Hunan province, China on July 25th, forced the restaurant's owner to eat a cockroach he said he found in his food. 

After the customer found the supposed cockroach, he told the restaurant owner to either eat the cockroach or pay him 5,000 yuan (£569). 

Switzerland set to repatriate $321m Abacha loot

Nigeria and Switzerland on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the repatriation of $321 million stashed in the European nation’s banks by the late maximum ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha.

Tunde Bakare slams northerners opposing restructuring

Tunde Bakare, the General Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly and former running mate of President Muhammadu Buhari has slammed the northern elders who are opposed to the call for the restructuring of Nigeria.

Speaking in Ibadan on Friday, the clergy man declared that the call for the restructuring of Nigeria is a call for true federalism.

Dele Momodu: 21 Years Ago, I Became An Exile

Fellow Africans, exactly twenty-one years ago, on July 25, 1995, I set forth at dawn. My destination was exile. I needed to dialogue with my feet and escape in a jiffy from my dear beloved country without any prior notice. Nigeria was under a most brutal and brutish military dictatorship. Once you were considered a dissident, you were a target for incarceration or extermination. I still don’t know how my name crawled into the evil register but I was accused of knowing about a pirate radio station, first known as Freedom Radio and later changed to Radio Kudirat. But it was all a cook-up. The long and short of it was that I needed to travel speedily and navigate through the forests of a thousand daemons.

Photos: Brazilian drug lord served his time in a 'VIP cell' that had a library, plasma TV, three rooms and an en suite bathroom

A Brazilian drug lord serving an eight-year prison sentence, spent his time behind bars in a 'VIP cell' - complete with a plasma television, a kitchen, wardrobes, conference room, air conditioning, tiled walls, furniture, and library - complete with a DVD collection that included all episodes of a television show about Pablo Escobar. 

Jarvis Chimenes Pavao, one of South America's deadliest and most feared drug lords was sentenced to 8 years in prison after being found guilty of money laundering charges and was locked up in Tacumb prison in Asuncion, Paraguay, where he lived a life of luxury. See more photos after the cut...

Photos of two Nigerian children crying after their mother died in the Mediterranean on their way to Europe

Two Nigerian siblings, 11 and 10 are pictured crying after their mother died in the Mediterranean on their way to Europe. The two children were among 150 migrants rescued from their overcrowded rubber boat off the coast of Libya while trying to cross the Mediterranean ocean into Italy by a Spanish NGO’s boat. More photos after the cut...

Mary J. Blige releases a statement addressing her divorce

“Ms. Blige is saddened to say [that] it is true that she has filed for divorce, saying sometimes things don't work how we hoped they would... but, there is a divine plan and a reason for everything. Mary will continue writing and working on her album, which is due out later this year along with her world tour. She thanks and appreciates her fans for their support and love through this very difficult emotional time.”

Photo: 18 year old man convicted for stabbing Nigerian man to death in the UK

18 year old Kaleb Amponsah (left), has been found guilty of the stabbing to death, 27 year old Ade Afariogun (right) which took place on January 29th this year. On the day of the incident, Ade was in Plaistow Park with three female friends when they noticed Amponsah ride his bike past them on several occasions and staring aggressively at them.

As Ade was leaving the park, Amponsah confronted and started an argument with him. A scuffle ensued during which the two exchanged punches.