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Family  of seven, including the husband and wife, children and  their visitor have been found dead at no 19 Olowora  street, Mafoluku, Oshodi  in Oshodi/Isolo L ocal Government Area of Lagos State. (more…)

Housemate, Seyi Awolowo has won the Veto Power of chance badge in the ongoing BBNaija season four.

We report that this was the second time Seyi won the badge, weeks after the controversy that trailed his first win.

In July, Seyi failed to use his chance card to save himself from nomination, causing Biggie to ban him from participating in the challenge till the end of the show.

He was also fake-evicted alongside Tacha as part of punishment for refusing to use the power of the card. Soon after, Seyi was returned to the house and allowed to participate in future challenges.

On Sunday night, he joined the other housemates to test his chance at winning the coveted badge.

As usual, the Veto Power Game is a Game of Chance with each Housemates having an equal probability of winning.

For having the least amount of marbles at the end of the Game, Seyi has become the Veto Power Holder for this week.

There were twelve stools with a silver cup on it. The Housemates were to pick a stool and stand in front of it for the game.

Once they chose their playing stand, they were not allowed to change or swap position. Housemates were to pick a card from the magic hat which housed two types of cards.

The first type of cards was those with single digits’ zero to six while the second type of cards had the instruction “pass two marbles to the person next to you.”

Having understood the rules of the Game, the Housemates proceeded to pick a card and place the corresponding number of marbles into their cups.

In the first round, the Housemates with the most marble were eliminated. In this case, it was Ike and Mike.

The process was repeated in the second round and the Housemates collected marbles which were added to the previous ones they had.

When this round was over and the scores tallied, Venita and Omashola were out of the game for having the most marbles.

The third round saw Frodd, Seyi, Tacha, Cindy, Khafi, Elozonam, Mercy and Diane go through the card and marble process again.

At the end of the third round, there was a tie between Seyi and Tacha. Both Housemates had three marbles each which made the game extend into another round.

This time, Seyi won as he had the least amount of marbles. With his position, he also earned 100 Bet9ja Coins and bonus coins for his teammates.

The Veto Power Holder will make a Save and Replace decision on Nomination Night on Monday.

Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina delivered a solid serving performance to beat American Madison Keys 7-5 6-4 on Sunday and secure a spot in the U.S. Open quarter-finals.

Keys, who finished runnerup in 2017, struggled with her backhand and Svitolina won 92 per cent of her first serve points.

She also did not face a single break point during the 75-minute clash under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights.

With the win, Svitolina is the first Ukrainian woman to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals since Kateryna Bondarenko in 2009.

Up next for Svitolina will be Briton Johanna Konta, who upset Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova earlier on Sunday.

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEBP), has decried the rampant sale of donkey meat in the Federal Capital Territory.

Malam Baba Lawan, Director, AEPB, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, also decried the unhealthy state of meat brought into the FCT for sale to residents.

Lawan, in a statement signed by Malam Muktar Ibrahim, Head of Information and Outreach Programme Unit of AEPB, said that the situation had become “totally unacceptable”.

“There is no guarantee of the health status of the meat brought in from the states, unfortunately the jurisdiction of FCT inspection and regulatory agencies does not extend to other states,” the statement said.

Lawan directed the Department of Monitoring and Enforcement to seize and destroy any fresh meat from outside brought for sale in FCT.

“We are determined to protect public interest and not to run anyone out of business.

“We don’t want any economic loss to anyone but there is no going back. The policy has already been approved by FCT Administration. What we want is to upgrade the meat value chain.

“As a budding world class city and capital of Africa’s most populous nation, Abuja attracts a lot of local and foreign dignitaries, therefore, it deserves nothing but the best, especially in food quality.

“Thus, the meat that is consumed in the FCT must meet global food safety standards,” he declared.

The statement also quoted Dr Regina Adulugba, Director, Veterinary Services, in the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, as saying that it was unacceptable that FCT should be left behind while other states had since upgraded their Meat Haulage Policy.

`As soon as ministers settle down, the FCTA will declare an emergency in its Abattoirs and slaughter slabs to ensure that every animal slaughtered in FCT is healthy and safe for human consumption.

“Many of the butchers bringing in fresh meat into FCT today operated in the FCT before absconding to the states.

“It is quite disturbing that their movement out of FCT coincided with intensification of meat inspection and supervisory rules in FCT.

“They are free to operate in the states, but FCT should never be turned to a centre for dumping unhealthy meat. We won’t allow that,” the statement said.

The Presidency on Sunday described as false and untrue that President Muhammadu Buhari turned his back on Daura community in Katsina State, which was hit by massive floods on Aug.29.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said contrary to the allegations a pre-assessment relief materials were dispatched to the victims within 48 hours of the floods.

He said that, in addition to the initial relief materials provided to the victims, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had concluded arrangements to provide more assistance to the victims.

He said: Contrary to the allegations that President Muhammadu Buhari had turned his back on the people of Daura, we can confirm that pre-assessment relief materials were dispatched to the victims within 48 hours of the floods.

”Ten trailer loads of building materials including zinc, planks and cement, as well as tons of grains, cereals and other edibles have so far been delivered.

”The flood victims also received blankets and mattresses.

”Materials were delivered to and signed for by stakeholders while the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar welcomed the prompt emergency response from NEMA officials”.

According to him, NEMA has equally promised that in line with establishment practices all over the country, as soon as the assessment of the damage to the flood-ravaged communities is reported upon, more food items and building materials would be dispatched.

By Muhammad Nur Tijani

Kano State Government on Sunday said it would reach out to private organisations ready to invest in promoting Dambe traditional boxing.

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje said this during the opening of Gawuna Dambe championship organised by Mazaje Trado, at Bayero Square, Sabon Gari, Kano.

Ganduje, represented by his Deputy, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, said it was time the Hausa traditional boxing get the due recognition it deserves.

“It is widely known that professional boxers are today counted among the wealthiest people in the world, so, we need to assist our players too to aspire to that level by giving them all the necessary support.

“We are going to sit down with organisers in mapping out new strategies to boost the game and encourage our boxers.

“We want them to be used as model of advertisements by both local and international companies because of their talent in boxing,” he said.

The governor stressed that “it is important to engage the youth in sports and other forms of disciplines that will stop them from social vices and crimes and become self reliant.”

He announced that he will personally declare the next edition of Ganduje Dambe Championship.

Serena Williams charged into the U.S. Open quarter-finals on Sunday but it may have come at a price as the six-times champion suffered a right ankle injury.

Williams, who twisted her left ankle during a quarter-final loss at the Australian Open, said she did not think the latest injury serious but added it was too soon to tell.

“I usually know if it’s horrible early on. I mean, I had a really bad ankle sprain in January. I was like, instantly, ‘No, this can’t happen. I’m finally healthy,’” Williams said after her 6-3 6-4 win over Petra Martic.

“But I’ll see tomorrow. So far I’m good. I have been managing it. We’ll see tomorrow.”

Williams rolled her ankle in the fifth game of the second set, having raced to the net and landed hard on her right foot after a backhand volley that sailed long.

Seeded eighth, Williams took about 15 seconds to get to her feet but won the next two points to earn a crucial break for a 3-2 lead and then took a medical timeout so a trainer could look at her already-wrapped ankle.

Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, later told reporters that Williams was not in too much discomfort.

“It doesn’t seem — there is the video, but what is more important is how she feels and how the ankle looks. The ankle looks okay,” said Mouratoglou.

“She doesn’t feel much pain. She feels, but it’s acceptable. And we will know tomorrow when it’s going to be cold.”

Williams, who is seeking a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title and her first since the 2017 Australian Open, will face China’s Wang Qiang in the quarter-finals.