Gist Arena

A court in Libya has sentenced one of the sons of former Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and eight others to death over war crimes committed during the 2011 revolution. Saif al-Islam and others were standing trial for suppressing protests during the political uprising in Libya in 2011 after Libyans revolted against the government of Ghadaffi who was killed in October 2011. Saif al-Islam was not present in court and gave evidence via video link. He is being held by a former rebel group from the town of Zintan that have refused to release him.

Police say an 18-month-old boy found dead in a hot vehicle in Arkansas last week was the son of a juvenile court judge, Wade Naramore. The Hot Springs Police Department said Monday it was conducting a criminal investigation. It says the boy's death was likely due to "excessive heat." A statement released on the family's behalf by a family friend Sunday night called the death a "tragic accident." The Hot Springs Sentinel Record reported Monday that an official cause of death wouldn't be released until toxicology reports are ready in a few weeks. Police Cpl. McCrary Means said Naramore and others have spoken with police about the death. The local prosecutor has asked to recuse himself. Naramore is a former Garland County deputy prosecutor. Source: AP

This has got to be one of the most painful/heartbreaking news I've heard in a while. A 16-year-old boy named Tajudeen Azeez, lured his 4 year old neighbour to a primary school in the Ijaniki area of Lagos, stabbed him, strangled him and removed his intestines, his kidney and cut off his penis. He did because a man named Osho had approached him and asked him to get him fresh human parts and would pay him N50,000. N50,000 is what a human is worth to some. N50k. Unbelievably sad! "At first, I did not want to succumb to the temptation but it kept coming. When I woke up this morning (Monday), I saw Ibrahim at the back of the house. I told him to escort me to a primary school not too far from the house. The name of the school is Anglican Primary School, Ijanikin. He followed me to the place and on arrival there, I stabbed him with a knife from behind. He fell down and I strangled him with a rope. I then cut his stomach open with the knife. I am sorry for what I did,” He was...

5 year old Nigerian boy, Omobolade Ogundare, was hit by a car on Bennett Street in Gorton and dragged along the street for a few kilometers on Saturday July 25th. He survived being crushed to death after two men stopped the car and managed to lift the vehicle off him. Omobolade known as Baba to his family was walking to the park with his dad and sisters when he was hit by a Nissan Micra that mounted the pavement on Bennett Street in Gorton. Baba grabbed onto the open passenger window to stop himself from falling, but was pulled under the car and dragged along the street. Two men, both whites, managed to help Baba’s dad Bunmi Ogundare, 38, lift the car just enough to pull him from beneath the vehicle. He was rushed to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital with a severe head wound. He was placed in intensive care, but is now recovering. The driver of the car has been arrested and is being investigated for driving under the influence.

Mr Haruna Jauro has formally taken over from Mr Calistus Obi as acting Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency. This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Lagos by the Deputy Director and Head, Public Relations of NIMASA, Mr Isichei Osamgbi. The statement said the handover ceremony took place on Monday, July 27. It explained that Obi pledged his loyalty to the acting director-general and urged all staff of the Agency to support Jauro. According to the statement, Obi has assured that the excellent working relationship between him and the acting director-general will be sustained in order to lift NIMASA to greater heights. The statement noted that Jauro had expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to serve the nation in his new capacity. He thanked staff of the Agency for their commitment to duty and sought their cooperation towar...

Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that his administration is close to ending the sharp practices in the oil and gas sector. The perpetrators will be named, he said. He also spoke of his ongoing search for “decent”, “patriotic” and “selfless” politicians and technocrats who will be ministers. The President has promised to name his ministers in September. Buhari, who spoke on his vision for a greater Nigeria on “Good Morning Nigeria”, a Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Abuja, pragramme, said oil was still being illegally exported by July 3. He said the Federal Government was working assiduously to expose those behind the reported under-dealings in the oil sector, promising to update members of the public on the government’s investigation into the matter. According to him, the government’s aim is to identify and prosecute all those found culpable. Shipping documents are being compiled for onward submission to countries of destination...

  The presidency has revealed a faction of Boko Haram has approached the federal government for negotiations ..According to presidential spokesman Garba Shehu,the government are trying to verify their claims and determine if they have such authority ..He said  “ A faction of the Boko Haram group came forward claiming to have the mandate to negotiate with the government,”“It is now left for them to show proof that they have the mandate, but they made it clear that they are representing a faction of Boko Haram that wants peace,” said Shehu. President Buhari made it clear the Federal Government was open to negotiations with the terro group which has killed over 600 since his May 29inauguration..