Chinese club moves to replace injured Obafemi Martins

Shanghai Shenhua are heavily linked with a move for former Chelsea striker Demba Ba as replacement for Obafemi Martins who is expected to spend a minimum of six months on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery in London.

According to News Express, Shanghai Shenhua are planning to re-sign the former Senegal international when the transfer window opens for business on June 18, 2018.

Police ‘closing in’ on Grace Mugabe in ivory probe

Zimbabwean police investigating an ivory-smuggling racket will soon question former ruler Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace, who is accused of arranging shipments abroad, a government-owned newspaper reported on Friday.

The Herald newspaper, once the mouthpiece of the Mugabe regime, said police were making progress in their probe into Grace’s role in allegedly smuggling ivory to China, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Police arrest robbery gangs, recover guns in Borno

In what could be best described as harvest of arrests, the Borno State Police Command, has arrested and paraded an armed robbery syndicate, notorious in snatching of handsets, recovered arms and ammunition among others.

The Police also displaced over 242 assorted guns comprising 9 AK-47 rifles, 33 Pump Action and 200 Dane guns recovered from Borno residents following the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum given to those in possession of illegal guns to surrender them to the police.

Steve McClaren: Paul Pogba less mature than Kevin De Bruyne

Paul Pogba still needs to mature in order to reach the level of Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, according to Steve McClaren.

De Bruyne has been far more productive than the Frenchman this season, helping City extend a clear advantage in the race for the Premier League title, which they can clinch with a win over Manchester United on Saturday.

Facebook to verify identities for political ads

Facebook announced Friday that it will require any political ads on its platform to state who is paying for the message, and would verify the identity of the payer, in a bid to curb outside election interference.

The social network, which is under fire for enabling manipulation of its platform in the 2016 election, said the new policy would require any messages for candidates or public issues to include the label “political ad” with the name of the person or entity paying for it.

Six suspected pipeline vandals arrested in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested six men in connection with pipeline vandalism at Fagbile Estate, Isheri-Ijegun, a Lagos suburb.

According to the command’s spokesman, SP Chike Oti, the men were arrested by “undercover operatives” attached to Area `M’ Divisional Headquarters at Idimu in the early hours of Friday.

$2.5 bn arms deal: Zuma speaks on charges

Former South African president Jacob Zuma told thousands of supporters outside court in Durban on Friday that his opponents were telling lies and he would be proven innocent in a corruption case against him.

Speaking in Zulu in his home province, Mr. Zuma said the judiciary and politicians believed that he did not have rights.

Police arrest four IPOB members in Anambra

The Anambra State police command has arrested four alleged members of the proscribed indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) for disobedience.

In a statement Friday by the police through the state police public relations officer PPRO princess Nkeiruka Nwode and made available to reporters, said the group remained a terrorist group.

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City were so, so good at Anfield

Pep Guardiola maintained his Manchester City side played well despite crashing to a 3-0 Champions League defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday.

City will seal the Premier League title if they beat rivals Manchester United in Saturday’s derby at the Etihad Stadium, although discussion of their midweek humbling in the first leg of a quarter-final tie still occupied plenty of time in Guardiola’s Friday news conference.

Six journalists shot by Israel during Gaza protests

Six Palestinian journalists were shot and wounded by the Israeli army during clashes Friday between demonstrators and troops on the Gaza border, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate said.

The union said the six were shot despite wearing clothes clearly identifying themselves as journalists, adding it held Israel “fully accountable for this crime”.

Teenage boy sentenced to 65 years in prison

A teenage boy has been sentenced to 65 years in prison in the United States of America. The boy tried as an adult under Alabama’s accomplice liability law received the sentencing after rejecting an earlier plea deal that recommended 25 years.

Lakeith Smith, now 18, of Montgomery was convicted of felony murder, burglary and theft for helping in the 2015 break-ins of two homes in Millbrook, about 10 miles north of Montgomery.

12 year old girl jumps off 4 storey building to escape sex attacker and survives

A 12 year old girl is recovering in hospital from her injuries after she jumped from a four-storey building to escape a sex attacker who allegedly assaulted her.

The young girl’s dramatic escape took place on the outskirts of Mumbai, India.

She was saved when she fell into a makeshift safety net made by men, rickshaw workers, she had helped earlier on.

Nigerian lady allegedly got fired over refusal to sleep with Indian boss

A Nigerian lady identified as @maami_Chulo on Twitter has narrated how her Indian boss sacked her because she refused to sleep with him.

She shared the post on Thursday, April 5 and it reads: “Guess who just got terminated for not sleeping with her boss, it’s me your WCW.”

Uber driver’s wife breaks down as he’s convicted for raping customer

An Uber driver’s wife burst into tears after husband was convicted of grabbing a drunk customer and carrying her back to his car before raping her.

Muhammad Durrani, 38, forced himself on the woman and took nude pictures of her after he picked her up from a nightclub in Clapham, south London.

Looters List: Uche Secondus demands N1.5b from Lai Mohammed for defamation of character

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, has dragged the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, to court for defamation of character.

Uche Secondus had threatened to take legal actions against Lai Mohammed when he released a list that contained the names of alleged treasury looters, of which the PDP chairman’s name was among.

Army Arrest Kidnap Kingpin In Kaduna

The Nigerian Army on Friday said it had arrested a kidnap kingpin, Filani Auta, at Ligari village of Kaduna State.

The Army Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, said in a statement that the kingpin was arrested along with his two sons during a raid by troops following a tip-off.

Saraki decries Offa bank robbery, urges suspects’ arrest

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has described the coordinated bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State, which left several persons dead and injured as “a despicable act committed by cruel individuals.”

In a post on his Facebook page, Saraki said he and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed discussed the matter on Thursday and they both agreed that those who carried out the attacks must be found and prosecuted.

SGF urges EFCC to tackle corruption at conception stage

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to devise ways of tackling institutional corruption at the conception stage.

Mr Lawrence Ojabo, Director Press, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Man Keeps Mom's Corpse For 3 Years JUST To Collect Her Pension Using Her Thumb Impression

In a shocking case from Kolkata, a 43-year-old man has been arrested for reportedly keeping the corpse of his dead mother in a deep freezer for almost three years to collect her pension every month using her thumb impression.

The incident came to light after the mutilated body of the woman was found at his home by Kolkata Police on Thursday.

Ex-UN Staff Jailed Two Years For Robbery

A Court in Manhattan on Thursday sentenced , 53, who worked at the UN in 2013, to two years in prison after an exhaustive plea agreement with the court.

It was a stunning defeat for the prosecutor who had asked that Shuaibu be sentenced to five years under the indictment.

Pandemonium as Custom officer’s stray bullet hits primary six pupil in Katsina

Pandemonium in Morawa village, Batagarawa local government area of Katsina State when stray bullet by custom officers allegedly hit a primary six pupil, Bello Salisu of Morawa Primary school, a government owned school.

The incident which occurred on Friday was said to have happened along Katsina – Kano road when the custom operatives were chasing smugglers conveying Rice and Second hand clothes in a J-5 and allegedly shooting sporadically.

Garba Shehu takes on PDP Deputy National secretary in an argument over $1 billion

The presidential Media aide, Mr. Garba Shuhu and the Deputy National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo on Friday argued over $1 billion approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the procurement of security equipment in the country.

Dr. Agbo who alleged at the Channel Programme ‘Sunrise’ on Friday, that the approved $1 billion will be used by APC to fund the forthcoming 2019 election was faulted by Mr. Garba Shehu who argued that the money will be used judiciously to procure equipment for Nigeria security personnel’s to combat Boko Haram.

Hollywood star John Boyega to invest in Nollywood

Hollywood actor, John Boyega has expressed willingness to invest in Nollywood to further boost the movie sector.

Boyega, 27, spoke with newsmen on Thursday night on the sideline of Glenfidich circle of maverick’s business meeting organised by PlayNetwork Nigeria in collaboration with Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.

Commonwealth Games: New Zealand beat D’Tigers 110-65

The Nigerian national basketball team, D’Tigers, were defeated on Friday by New Zealand in their first men’s preliminary round match at the on-going Commonwealth Games holding in Gold Coast, Australia.

D’Tigers, who are in Pool A alongside hosts Australia, New Zealand and Canada, were dominated throughout the proceedings by the Tall Blacks, as the New Zealand basketball team are referred to.

APC denies making entreaties to Reno Omokri

The All Progressives Congress APC has denied making entreaties to a former spokesperson of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, saying the action was the handiwork of an individual, Philip Obin who owns a twitter handle, @APCNigeria.

The in a statement its Assistant Director, Publicity, Mr Edegbe Odemwingie said; “The attention of the All Progressives Congress APC has been drawn to false allegations by a Mr. Reno Omokri, which was contained in an April 5, 2018 report published on the website of Vanguard Newspapers, titled: ‘APC secretly reaching out to me for friendship – Reno’.