Gist of The Hour Blog

Former UEFA president Michel Platini has been arrested over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. French legend Platini was elected in 2007 and served as president until 2015 when he was banned by the FIFA Ethics Committee. French publication Mediapart claim Platini was taken into custody on Tuesday morning as part of the investigation into the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar. Platini is reported to have been taken to the premises of the Anti-Corruption Office of the Judicial Police (OCLCIFF). Back in December 2010 Qatar was controversially revealed as the hosts of the 2022 World Cup, following on from Russia in 2018. A number of people have issues have arise regarding the decision to select the peninsular Arab country, including human rights concerns and the status of homosexuality. In 2014 Platini admitted holding a secret meeting with the disgraced football official Mohamed Bin Hammam, shortly before casting his vote for Qatar.

A post allegedly shared on a Facebook group by a "yahoo boy" is trending on social media. In a viral screenshot of the post, the Yahoo boy, named Charly Kay, said he wanted to dupe a Caucasian woman but he ended up falling in love with her. He said friends warned him not to get emotional with his "client" but he couldn't help it. They allegedly got married eventually after she came to Nigeria with her people and paid his groom price. See below.

The body of the Indian stuntman who vanished after being lowered into a river while tied up with chains and ropes in a Houdini-inspired stunt has been discovered by police. This comes after Officers previously said he was feared drowned after performing the Houdini-inspired stunt in the Hooghly river. Before his trick, he said: 'If I can free myself it will be magic, if I cannot it will be tragic.' But the 40-year-old failed to emerge from the water, sparking an immediate search by authorities. Rescue workers have been scouring the fast-flowing murky waters since Sunday but he is yet to be found, said Syed Waquar Raza of the river traffic police. 'We fear he drowned in the river,' he said. Sumit Kharbanda, president of the Indian Brotherhood of Magicians in Delhi, said Lahiri had performed the same stunt successfully at least a dozen times. He was reportedly almost attacked by a mob in 2013 when he performed the same stunt and spect

Pakistan politicians unknowingly live streamed an entire parliamentary debate with a cat filter on. Regional minister Shaukat Yousafzai, from Pakistan’s PTI party, was speaking with journalists on Friday and it was being live streamed. A member of his social media team accidentally activated the cat filter while live streaming and this gave the minister pink ears and whiskers. The mistake was made by the regional government of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and they didn't notice even after comments began pouring in from Facebook users to point out the blunder. There’s "a cat in the cabinet" one Facebook user said. Another wrote: "Shaukat Yousafzai looks like a cat – Meow meow meow." The video, seen by an AFP reporter, was deleted minutes after the press conference. Later, the party issued a clarification on Twitter regarding the cat filter incident. They called it "a human error". PTI said in a statement: "All necessary actions have bee

Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State has ordered the arrest and prosecution of parents who refuse to send their children to school. The governor, who stated this during an interactive session with UNICEF Youth Advocacy in Government House, said his administration and that of the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II have concluded plans to send a bill to the state House of Assembly to that effect. According to him, the bill will ensure that primary and secondary education will be free and compulsory for all school-age children in the state, adding that, “with the bill signed into law, parents who refused to take their children to go to school will be taken to court. “Children begging on the street instead of going to school will be arrested and their parents arrested and charge to court for prosecution because begging is not our religion. Begging is not Islam. Those children who are begging will be arrested and their parents will be taken to court for allowing their children to be beggi

  The Managing Director of the Kano Zoological Garden, Umar Yusuf Umar, has denied media reports that the missing N6.8 million generated by the Zoo during the Eid holidays earlier this month, was swallowed by a Gorilla in the zoo. Addressing a press conference yesterday June 17th, Umar said contrary to reports, the money was stolen by burglars. He added that the zoo has no Gorilla. “I was called midnight on Sunday June 9th, by the head of security that armed robbers burgled our office including the revenue office. About 6.30 a.m. I left my home for the office and immediately I arrived I met my office and that of all the directors opened. Instantly I called the DPO, Sharada police station and reported the case to him. As far as I’m concerned, I suspect theft and nothing close to Gorilla.” Umar said Also speaking at the press conference, the spokesperson of the Kano police command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, said 10 staff of the zoo, including the accounting officer Lawan Da

The Nigerian man who destroyed five cars belonging to the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom yesterday June 17th has now been identified as Jeffery Apkovweta Ewohime. According to reports, the 32-year-old had arrived late at the Embassy for his appointment and was turned back. Frustrated that he could not achieve his aim, Ewohime took his frustration out on the cars parked outside the embassy. He destroyed five of them using iron rods and stones. Ewohime whose passport has been seized in time past by Belgian Embassy where he caused trouble, has been arrested by the police in London. Narrating what happened, the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede, in a statement released last night, said "Ewohime arrived late and was told by the Security that the Mission has closed for the day. He went about destroying Nigeria's diplomatic vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of taxpayers money. The passport in question has been

A Soldier with 29 Battalion of 6 Division Nigerian Army and two personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have been killed by suspected militants in Rivers State. The personnel guarding Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Trans National Pipelines at Gio community were attacked by suspected militants on Sunday, in an attempt to vandalize 24″ and 28″ TNP pipelines. Deputy Director Public Relations, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, confirmed the attack in a statement saying; “In the early hours of Sunday the 16th of June 2019 (Yesterday), troops of 29 Battalion of 6 Division Nigerian Army (NA) in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) guarding Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Trans National Pipelines at Gio community in Tai Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State were attacked by suspected militants who were hitherto prevented from vandalizing 24″ and 28” TNP thereb

Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has sacked three of his commissioners. This was disclosed in a statement issued by Segun Ajiboye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, on Monday. The affected individuals are Solagbade Amodeni, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development; Taofiq Abdusalam, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure; and Ismaila Olurimisi., Commissioner for Culture. Governor Akeredolu announced the dismissal of the three cabinet members at the end of the state Executive Council Meeting held at Government House, Akure, on Monday, the statement noted. The statement partly read: “As part of the efforts being made to reposition his cabinet for optimum performance, aimed at ensuring that the administration delivers on its mandate to the people, the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has rejigged his cabinet. Three commissioners were relieved of their duties. They are: Solagbade Amodeni of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Developme

Rapper, Naira Marley who was recently released on bail after spending 35-days in jail has vowed to help fellow inmates get out of jail. According to him, many people are locked up for crimes they may not have committed.

19-year-old young Nigerian man, Eniola Aluko, was shot dead by yet-to-be-identified persons at Plumstead, London last Friday June 14th. According to UK’s Metropolitan Police, Eniola died after sustaining gunshot wounds to the neck and chest. The police say a distress call was put across by residents of the area at about 5:00 p.m. The police arrived the scene and found the deceased with gunshot injuries on his neck and chest. A post-mortem examination carried out on Saturday June 15th, gave the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the neck and chest. The police added that an 18-year-old man and four other teenagers have been arrested in connection with the incident. Detective Inspector John Marriott, while speaking on the incident, said “I am continuing to appeal for anyone who was in the area at the time, who saw or heard anything suspicious to contact police. The shooting took place not far from Plumstead Railway Station and I would urge anyone who was commuting to or from

      The Supreme Court of Nigeria has fixed July 5, 2019, to deliver its judgment on the 2018 Osun State governorship election. The Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Ademola Adeleke, had approached the apex court following the decision of the appeal court to pronounce Governor Gboyega Oyetola as the winner of the election. Adeleke’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), prayed the court to uphold the ruling of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that pronounced Adeleke as the legal winner of the election and discard the judgment by the appeal court. At the resumed hearing today, a seven-man-committee headed by Justice Tanko Muhammad, adjourned sitting on the matter until July 5 for judgment. Oyetola’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) together with the counsel representing the Independent National Electoral Commission, Yusuf Ali (SAN), and the All Progressives Congress counsel, Olumide Olujinmi, all urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal an

A lecturer in the Accounting Department of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Dr O.O Aduwo, was yesterday disgraced after he was allegedly caught pants down while attempting to have sex with one of his female students simply identified as Nike who he had invited to his home. According to reports by the students of the Institution who reached out to LIB, Dr Aduwo (MR. Lecturer)  is allegedly well known for pestering his female students for sex. Yesterday, Nike alongside her boyfriend and some of her other friends, planned that she should go and see the randy lecturer as he demanded. While in his home, Nike's boyfriend and her friends who were laying siege outside the house, barged into the room and caught him on tape stark naked. In a video made available to LIB, the lecturer who was visibly shaken after he was apprehended, could be heard appealing for a private meeting with those who caught him. According to students of the Institution, Nike allegedly shared the vid

Authorities in India believe the stuntman who went missing after being lowered into a river while tied up with chains and ropes in a Houdini-inspired stunt is feared drowned. 40-year-old Chanchal Lahiri, known by his stage name 'Jadugar Mandrake' (Wizard Mandrake), was lowered into the river by a crane on Sunday as family members, media and police watched on. Before his trick, he said: 'If I can free myself it will be magic, if I cannot it will be tragic.' But the 40-year-old failed to emerge from the water, sparking an immediate search by authorities. Rescue workers have been scouring the fast-flowing murky waters since Sunday but he is yet to be found, said Syed Waquar Raza of the river traffic police. 'We fear he drowned in the river,' he said. 21 years ago, Lahiri successfully pulled off a similar stunt at the same venue. He was locked inside a bulletproof glass box and tied with a chain. During the stunt, he was dropped from Howra

The Ogun state police command have arrested 24-year-old Afolayin Sunday, whose area of armed robbery specialization was to attack and dispossess female POS attendants of cash sales. According to a press statement released by the command's spokesperon, Abimbola Oyeyemi, Sunday who is a NCE graduate of Maths/Computer from Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin, Lagos, was arrested following a violent attack on a POS attendant in Ijoko area of Ogun State on June 6th. He had approached the female attendant, one Adesina Omolola, at a POS point, on the pretence of wanting to transact a business, only to, thereafter, attack her, dispossessing the victim of the cash sales already made. ''The suspect walked into the POS shop, pretended to be a customer who came to transact business. Realizing that the victim was alone in the shop, he grabbed her on the neck and brought out a UTC knife". He ransacked the lady's drawer and made away with the cash sale of #4

Maryam Uwais, the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments has explained why the Homegrown School Feeding Programme of the Federal Government was suspended in some states. There had been reports of poor quality food, insufficient and irregular supply of food, as well as late disbursement of funds by the government in states, such as Akwa Ibom and Niger. But reacting to the development, Uwais said the Federal Government had started conducting a headcount of pupils being fed under the programme. She explained that the National Social Investment Office had engaged the National Bureau of Statistics to conduct a headcount of pupils and those cooking the food under the intervention programme. Uwais said the outcome of the data in the affected states was being reconciled, adding that it became necessary to do this due to the discovery of a disagreement between the figures provided by officials of the State Universal Basic Education Board and what the monitors o

The United States Embassy in Nigeria has denied reports that the United States government has placed a ban on Student Visa for Nigerian students until further notice. The Embassy was reacting to a report that has since gone viral that the US had placed a ban on student visa. In a short statement released this morning via its official Facebook page, the Embassy wrote: “#FakeNews Alert! Be advised, reports of Student Visa ban for Nigerians is false. If you have seen such manufactured item on Facebook and Twitter or received it via WhatsApp, please communicate that it is false.”

  A young man has narrated how SARS officers allegedly accosted him on his way to the US embassy, detained him and threatened to make him miss his appointment if he didn't give them money. He shared proof of a cash transaction he made to regain his freedom.    

It has been claimed that Prince Harry's grandfather, Prince Philip advised him against marrying Meghan Markle due to her profession. According to The Sun, the Duke of Edinburgh, 98, told his grandson when he saw his relationship with Meghan was getting serious, "One steps out with actresses, one doesn’t marry them." According to the said report, the Duke wasn't the only one who had problems with Harry and Meghan's relationship. Harry's brother, William also expressed concerns with how fast the relationship was going and this reportedly caused a feud between Harry and William. An insider has previously told The Sun that various royals voiced concerns but that "Harry stood up for Meghan very forcibly."