Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi has advanced to the final of the men’s Shot Put at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Enekwechi secured his spot in Saturday’s final by finishing fifth in Group B, with a throw of 21.13m on Friday night.
Read Also: Nigeria’s mixed 4x400m relay team out despite setting new record
The 31-year-old African champion is the first Nigerian to reach the final of any event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Enekwechi also made it to the Shot Put final at the Tokyo Olympics four years ago. This time, he aims to finish in the top three and reach the podium.
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Enekwechi into final of men’s Shot Put in Paris
Police detains 320 suspects for vandalizing properties in Kano #EndBadGovernance protest
Police operatives in Kano State have arrested 320 suspects for allegedly vandalising public buildings during the nationwide protests in the state.
The spokesman for the state police command, Abdullahi Kiyawa, paraded the suspects at the command headquarters on Friday.
He said the suspects were apprehended at the premises of the State High Court and other public buildings with various items found in their possession.
He added that police in collaboration with other security agencies had established a comprehensive security network to ensure that the residents go about their legitimate activities without any let or hindrance.
READ ALSO: Sanusi condemns violence by #EndBadGovernance protesters in Kano
The Commissioner of Police, Salma Dogo, praised the state government’s decision to impose a 24-hour curfew in the state.
He also urged the parents to ensure that all properties stolen from vandalised buildings were returned to the nearest police station.
Dogo warned that the police would not tolerate any acts of vandalism or disruptions to the peaceful atmosphere in the state.
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Nigeria’s mixed 4x400m relay team out despite setting new record
Nigeria’s mixed 4×400 relay team did not qualify for the finals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the athletics event.
The Nigerian team, consisting of Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Emmanuel Ifeanyi Ojeli, and Patience Okon-George competed in lane 5 of the second semifinal heat.
They finished fourth with a new national record time of 3:11.99 but it was not enough to see them through to the final.
Read Also: Nigeria’s Adeshina misses out on High Jump final at Paris Olympics
The Netherlands and Italy secured second and third places with times of 3:10.81 and 3:11.59, respectively.
In the first semi-final heat, the United States broke their own world record in the 4×400 mixed relay, finishing in 3 minutes and 7.41 seconds.
The team of Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon, and Kaylyn Brown surpassed their previous best of 3:08.80, set when the US won gold at the World Championships in Budapest last year.
The post Nigeria’s mixed 4x400m relay team out despite setting new record appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Troops kill 572 terrorists, arrest 790 in July
The Defence Headquarters has said troops deployed for counter-terrorism operations killed a total of 572 terrorists and arrested 790 in July.
The DHQ also said a total of 479 kidnapped victims were rescued across the country.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Buba stated that within the period, troops recovered stolen crude, which was estimated to be over N3 billion.
He said, “Overall, in July 2024, troops neutralized 572 terrorists, arrested 790 suspected terrorists and other criminal elements as well as rescued 479 kidnapped hostages.
“Additionally, troops recovered 440 weapons, 10,589 ammunition and denied the oil theft of an estimated sum of N3,652,382,080.00 only.”
Buba noted that 440 firearms and 10,589 ammunition were recovered from criminal elements across the country.
He said, “The breakdown of recoveries in the month of July includes and is not limited to the following: 232 AK47 rifles, 93 locally fabricated guns, 82 Dane guns, 32 pump action guns, 5,041 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,768 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 659 cartridges, 63 assorted arms and 2,259 assorted ammunitions. Others are 3,650,080 litres of stolen crude oil, 625,518 litres of illegally refined AGO, 450 litres of DPK and 1,230 litres of PMS amongst other items.
“The military remains committed and strong to its mission of defending the country and protecting citizens. Citizens are urged not to compromise on security; otherwise, everyone’s security is compromised.
Host nation France defeat Argentina 1-0 to reach men’s Olympic football semis
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal as France won 1-0 in their grudge match with Argentina on Friday to reach the Olympic men’s football semi-finals, joining Spain, Morocco and Egypt in the last four.
Crystal Palace striker Mateta struck five minutes into the quarter-final in Bordeaux, meeting Michael Olise’s corner with a superb near-post header.
That proved enough for the hosts, coached by Thierry Henry, to reach the last four and stay in contention to win gold in Paris next Friday, August 9.
It was the first meeting of the nations since Argentina players were recorded singing racist chants about their French counterparts as they celebrated winning the Copa America in mid-July.
FIFA announced it would investigate the chants, which targeted France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe among others and included racist and homophobic insults.
The Argentina team were met with a hostile welcome in Bordeaux, where the crowd loudly jeered their national anthem as the sides also met for the first time since the 2022 World Cup final which the South Americans won on penalties.
Tensions also spilled over at full-time with rival players and staff clashing on the pitch and confrontations continuing down the tunnel.
Henry said midfielder Enzo Millot, who had been substituted late on, was shown a red card after the final whistle.
“He wasn’t on the pitch. Maybe you get sent off because you get a second yellow card to stop someone running through on goal, not when you are on the bench. I am really not happy about that,” Henry told broadcaster France 3.
Giuliano Simeone and Julian Alvarez missed chances for Javier Mascherano’s Argentina, and the exit of the two-time gold medallists means the winner of men’s football gold will not come from Latin America for the first time since Cameroon triumphed in Sydney in 2000.
France could have won by a wider margin, but Olise had a late second goal disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
Spain and Morocco march on
They will now be heavy favourites to win a semi-final in Lyon on Monday against Egypt, who beat Paraguay 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Marseille.
Ibrahim Adel was Egypt’s hero, scoring a late equaliser in normal time and then converting the winning penalty in the shoot-out, in which Paraguay’s Marcelo Perez was the only player to fail to score.
Earlier a brilliant brace by Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez helped fire Spain to a 3-0 win over Japan in Lyon.
Lopez, a member of Spain’s triumphant Euro 2024 squad, blasted in the opener from range in the 11th minute.
The Barcelona midfielder struck again on 73 minutes with another goal of the highest quality as he controlled a Sergio Gomez corner before volleying in from the edge of the box.
Captain Abel Ruiz wrapped up the win for Spain, Olympic champions in 1992 and silver medallists three years ago in Tokyo.
Spain went through to a last-four clash in Marseille with Morocco, who outclassed the United States, winning 4-0 in Paris.
Soufiane Rahimi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was fouled in the box just before the half-hour mark.
That was the fifth goal in four games for the tournament’s top scorer.
Morocco doubled their lead on 63 minutes when Abde Ezzalzouli set up Ilias Akhomach to finish at the near post.
Captain Achraf Hakimi, playing on his Paris Saint-Germain home ground, ran through to make it 3-0 and substitute Mehdi Maouhoub added another penalty in stoppage time.
“If we keep playing like this we will deserve to be in the final,” said Akhomach.
“Other countries might be talked about more than us but we know what we want. We came here to win.”
AFP
Osun APC accuses PDP of plotting to raze secretariat
The All Progressives Congress in Osun State and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party on Friday traded accusations, following the opposition party’s allegation that hoodlums working for the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, planned to raze its state secretariat in Osogbo.
The APC, in a statement by its chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, told security agencies in the state to be wary of plots by hoodlums allegedly loyal to Adeleke, masquerading as protesters in the ongoing national protest to burn down the party’s secretariat and Ileri Oluwa House which served as Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Secretariat.
Lawal further stated that his party has every reason to believe that Adeleke was the mastermind of the protest against the administration of President Bola Tinubu in the state, adding, “We have dependable intelligence information that it was Governor Adeleke who has been arming his men during the protest under the pretext of embarrassing President Tinubu.
“There is a credible intelligence linking the governor with the sponsorship of the rampage in Osun State as some of his appointees and chieftains of the PDP were visibly captured playing leading roles in the protest in Osogbo on Thursday and Friday.
“APC has alerted the state Police Command and other statutory security services in the state to be wary of a sinister plan of the hoodlums loyal to the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are masquerading as protesters in the ongoing national protest to burn down the state party secretariat of the APC and the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Secretariat, all in Osogbo, the state capital.”
Reacting, Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, accused APC of planning to raze down its secretariat and pin the crime on PDP, noting that it was the ruling party that deployed security to the building after it uncovered the planned arson.
Bisi in his statement said PDP had uncovered the plot on Thursday night and alerted security operatives who deployed personnel to prevent self-inflicted arson by the disgruntled opposition elements.
He added, “It is to that end that we urge the police and the secret service to summon the state APC leaders for interrogation to prevent disruption of peace in Osun State. Unless the opposition leaders are promptly interrogated, the state may be exposed to danger from an opposition group that is as violent-minded as to plan to set ablaze its own structures to score political points.
“At this point, the state APC leaders should be aware that security reports on its evil plot have reached Abuja and that her leaders would be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Osun State. We submit that the opposition is worried that Governor Ademola Adeleke has successfully managed the national protest in Osun State without any untoward incidents. We warn against dark elements within the APC who are seeking blood and destruction to blackmail the state government.”
Reactions as Abel Damina joins Dunamis midnight prayer
Pastor Abel Damina of Power City on Thursday joined the Dunamis International Gospel Center’s Commanding The Day Midnight Prayer.
The daily virtual prayer, hosted by Dr Paul Enenche and his wife, attracts thousands of viewers from across the globe.
Abel, who has been picking on Dr Enenche and other ministers, was, however, seen among viewers while the programme lasted.
The development has sparked mixed reactions among believers and non-believers alike, with many describing his constant attacks on men of God as hypocritical.
Others believe he came to also seek the face of God.
Many owners of looted, vandalised property hospitalised– Police
The Police in Kano have confirmed that some of the owners of looted and vandalised property during the first day of the EndBadGovernance protest are currently receiving treatment at the hospitals. The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, who confirmed the development while addressing a news conference on Friday, said some of the affected
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Hunger protest turns violent in Delta, council chair escapes lynching
A previously peaceful hunger protest in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, turned violent on Friday as Policemen stationed at the Otovwodo axis of the East-West road allegedly shot and injured a yet-to-be identified protester.
The incident triggered other protesters to burn tyres and pelt local government officials with sachet water.
For the second day running, protesters converged at the popular Otovwodo junction, causing traffic gridlock on the East-West Road.
Travelers from Benin to Port Harcourt and other parts of the Eastern region were stranded for several hours.
Following the alleged police shooting, the protesters, including market women, forcefully chased away the Chairman of Ughelli North LGA, Jaro Egbo and his aides when his motorcade was sighted at the scene.
Egbo narrowly escaped being lynched by the angry protesters and Otovwodo market women for allegedly instructing his aides to dislodge the protesters.
However, the press secretary to the Council Chairman, Efe Ekete, denied the allegation, stating that the Chairman had come to appeal to the protesters not to attack the security agents.
One protester, who wished to remain anonymous, told journalists that they “were not carrying anything dangerous except for the placards when the police double-crossed them and started shooting tear gas.”
“While shooting tear gas, the police were being pelted with sachets of water by the protesters. As they were driving away, they opened fire on the protesters, and one person was hit in the chest,” the source alleged.
The injured protester was rushed to a hospital by security agents.
A human rights activist, identified as Comrade Silver, blamed the police from ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, and Ughelli Police Area Command for arresting and shooting at the protesters.
Silver said, “I pleaded with the protesters not to disrupt the Otovwodo market because today is Otovwodo market day and hoodlums could seize the opportunity to molest the market women and loot their goods.
“I appealed to them to start their protest from Agbarha-motor junction to Afiesere junction. Suddenly, while still in the market area, I saw police officers chasing a car, stopping the driver, and tear gassing the occupants. The market women and protesters resisted the arrest and the police started shooting teargas and live bullets.
“When the DPO arrived, I approached him and we both went to the station, and the boy was released, restoring peace.”
He continued, “I learned they shot a person. Though I did not see him, I was told that the Army rushed him to the hospital.”
When contacted, the leader of the military personnel deployed to Otovwodo junction, Bukar Dabo, said he did not see anyone shot by police, as claimed by some.
Protesters reportedly set Red Cross vehicle ablaze, vandalise office in Yobe
Despite a 24-hour curfew order, reports indicated that protesting youths in Potiskum town of Yobe State have set ablaze a vehicle belonging to the Red Cross Divisional Office.
The protesters were said to have looted items in the divisional office.
TVN had earlier reported that, three protesting youths were gunned down when they attempted to vandalise food stores belonging to some non-governmental organisations operating in the area.
Potiskum, Gashu’a and Nguru towns have been under 24-hour curfew when the August 1 nationwide protests against bad governance turned violent.
As of the time of filling in this report, the Yobe State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has not yet confirmed the incident.
Protesters reportedly set Red Cross vehicle ablaze, vandalise office in Yobe