Tuesday 5 August 2014

Nigerian Female Doctor That Treated Liberian Ebola Patient Is Now Dead.

 


This ebola of a thing is gradually spreading oh!, Na only him waka come? The female doctor who treated Late Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian who was infected with Ebola virus has passed on, while the second doctor and the nurse who managed him already have full-blown cases of the Ebola virus, the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu who spoke to newsmen explained this.

The former Bianconeri full-back believes the Chile star is the best midfielder the club have got, while he praises the growth of Paul Pogba

Juventus must not sell Vidal to Manchester United - Jarni
 The former Bianconeri full-back believes the Chile star is the best midfielder the club have got, while he praises the growth of Paul Pogba
Juventus must not sell in-demand midfielder Arturo Vidal to Manchester United this summer, according to Robert Jarni.

The Chilean has massively impressed during his three-year stint in Turin so far, but the resignation of coach Antonio Conte last month has seen him heavily linked with a move to the Red Devils.

Jarni, who played for the Bianconeri in the mid-1990s, thinks it would be disastrous for Juve to get rid of a player as crucial as Vidal and believes the midfielder is the crucial cog in the Scudetto holders' first team.

"There is no team in the world that doesn't need a player like Vidal, who is full of energy and confidence," the retired Croatia defensive star told Goal.

"What [Angel] Di Maria was to Real Madrid in 2013-14, Vidal was to Juventus; he was the wheel that turned everything. Of course, now we have to see what the new coach will ask of him and which role Massimiliano Allegri will give him."

Jarni also suggested that Paul Pogba - whose top performances during his two years with Juve have seen him similarly linked away from Turin - is destined for greatness if he can prevent his attitude from clouding his judgement.

"Pogba has improved a lot in the last couple of years," he continued. "With help from Conte and the rest of the Juve team he became a top player.

"He is still young and has temper, but if he manages to keep that under control unlike some, he will have a big, big career."

Allegri's appointment as Conte's replacement has not gone down brilliantly with many of the club's fans but Jarni mused that it will take a while before the former AC Milan boss can be judged.

"A new Juve coach equals a new Juve philosophy," the ex-Real Madrid and Hadjuk Split left-back added. "And it is always a question of how the players will adapt.

"Conte played 3-5-2, but Allegri likes four defenders. I guess it will take a month or two to see how things are going."

Tuesday 6 May 2014

X-Men director Bryan Singer sued in second teen sex abuse case

bryan-singerA British man who accuses “X-Men” director Bryan Singer of sexually abusing him as a teenager was spurred to bring a lawsuit against the filmmaker.

His decision to sue was prompted by another man on similar allegations, the plaintiff’s lawyer said Monday.

The lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles said that Singer, 48, and entertainment industry executive Gary Goddard, 59, coerced the British man into sex acts as a minor.

He had promised to help him in an acting career. The man was not identified in court papers.

This is the second lawsuit naming Singer ahead of the May 23 release of his film “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” which is expected to be one of the year’s top grossing movies.

Singer’s lawyer has called the allegations in both lawsuits false and fabrications, and a bid to win money from the director behind other films in the “X-Men” super hero franchise.

A lawyer for Goddard also denied the allegations, calling them spurious.

The lawsuit said the abuse happened between 2003 and 2006 and seeks unspecified damages.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Jeff Herman, also represents Michael Egan, who last month sued Singer, Goddard and two other entertainment executives over allegations that they abused him as part of an underage sex ring in Hollywood.

“He did this to support Mike, he realised he wasn’t the only one this happened to,” Herman said at a news conference.

Herman specializes in child sex abuse cases and was successful in litigation against a former Roman Catholic priest accused of raping boys.

Singer will not participate in promotion for the 20th Century Fox’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past” because of the lawsuits.

The lawsuit filed on Monday accuses Singer of sexually abusing the plaintiff at age 17 in a London hotel room after the premiere of his 2006 film “Superman Returns.”

In that incident, according to the lawsuit, Goddard is said to have gotten a “large, muscle-bound man” to smack the plaintiff after he had told Singer and Goddard to stop grabbing him in a sexual manner.

Goddard is also accused of having sex with the plaintiff at age 16 in London and convincing the plaintiff to send him naked photos of himself.

Goddard produced youth TV programmes in the 1980s and 1990s and his company, The Goddard Group, has created attractions at theme parks, including Universal Studios.

Chibok abduction: Nigeria welcomes support, says US State Dept

The United States Department of State on Tuesday said Nigeria had accepted its offer to help in rescuing no fewer than 200 girls of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, who were kidnapped by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, over three weeks ago.

According to a brief statement on the CNN, the Department said Nigeria “welcomes offer of US support in search for hundreds of the kidnapped girls.”

Details later…

UN Secretary-General visits South Sudan

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, arrived in Juba on Tuesday for a one-day visit to South Sudan, according to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
In a press release on Tuesday, the mission said Ban would meet with the President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Mayardit.
“Ever since the beginning of the current crisis, the Secretary-General has repeatedly called on the leaders to find a political solution and to put an end to the violence which has led to the suffering of so many innocent civilians,” it stated.
The release said the UN head would also visit, with his Special Representative and Head of UNMISS, Ms. Hilde Johnson, the protection of civilians site in the UNMISS Tomping compound.
However, he would meet with the community leaders representing the thousands of civilians who have sought shelter in the UN compound to hear of their concerns first hand.
The statement said Ban would also, while in Juba, have an opportunity to meet with civil society leaders, especially from women’s and religious groups.
He was also expected to meet with UN staff and peacekeepers to express gratitude to them for their dedication and service.
The statement said this was in view of the way they have continued to help protect thousands of South Sudanese civilians who are at risk during the ongoing crisis.

Monday 5 May 2014

US: Kidnapped Girls Taken out of Nigeria

The United States said yesterday that it is concerned that many of the 276 schoolgirls kidnapped in northern Nigeria three weeks ago have been moved out of the country.
State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, shared Washington's assessment after local officials in Northeastern told AFP that the girls had likely been taken to nearby Chad or Cameroon.
The Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for taking the girls from school, and its leader, Abubakar Shekau, declared his plan to sell them as slaves in a video released Monday.
"Many of them have likely been moved out of the country to neighboring countries," Harf said, responding to reporters' questions as news of the abduction began to climb up the world news agenda.
Harf said Washington provides Nigeria with "counter-terrorism assistance" in the form of intelligence sharing and was standing by to assist "in any way we think that is appropriate."

Sunday 4 May 2014

Rights violation: Court awards N10m damages against LASTMA

A Lagos High Court In Ikeja has awarded N10m as damages against the  Lagos State Traffic Management Agency and one of its officers, Mr. Sunday Adelebe,  for inflicting “bodily injury” on  a student, Samson Dibie, in 2011.
Justice Doris Okuwobi  held in a judgment on Friday that the act of the agency and its officer amounted to violating the rights of the applicant.
Adelebe allegedly attacked Dibie with a stick at Abule Egba on December 1, 2011. The injury sustained during the attack was said to have led to the amputation of the applicant’s right hand.
He was said to have been attacked by the LASTMA man while trying to escape arrest with his motorcycle.
The applicant, through his lawyer, Mrs. Funmi Falana, subsequently sued LASTMA and the state Ministry of Transport, asking the court to award N200m in his favour as general damages for his injury and the infringement of his fundamental human rights. He also prayed the court to declare that the action of the LASTMA official was unconstitutional and illegal as it violated his rights to dignity of human person.
Justice Okuwobi in her judgment held that the action violated the applicant’s rights but only awarded N10m as against the N200m demanded by the applicant.
 
The judge added that the action violated the applicant’s rights to dignity of human person as guaranteed under Section 34 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She held that the action constituted a threat to the applicant’s right to life as guaranteed in section 33 of the 1999 constitution.
She also held the act violated Article 4 of the Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Arguing the case, Falana had told the court the action of the 1st respondent in the case had almost resulted to the death of applicant while he was hospital, the incident, she argued eventually led to the amputation of his right hand, in a bid to save his life.
She said the incident happened at Oja Oba, Abule Egba Bus Stop around about 8:45am on December 1, 2011 while her client was on his way to school on his motorcycle  .
According to her, the applicant tried to escape when he noticed that LASTMA officials were arresting motorcyclists ahead of him.
In its defence, the state government denied that  none of its officials participated in arresting  motrocyclists (okada riders) as alleged by the applicant. “There was no fracas between the 2nd Respondent officers including me and the motor bike riders on that particular day,” Adelebe had stated in his counter-affidavit opposing the applicant’s suit.

Gunmen kidnap Rivers LG chairman in Port Harcourt hotel

Three unknown gunmen on Saturday night stormed a hotel based in Port Harcourt and kidnapped the Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area, Mr. Awori Miller.
Miller, who was whisked away by the hoodlums at Acania Hotel in Ada George area of the Rivers State capital, was said to have been abducted without any challenge.
It was gathered that the gunmen, who were with AK-47 guns, had gone into the hotel and dragged him into a waiting vehicle that immediately sped off to an unknown destination.
It could not be immediately ascertained if the kidnapped council chairman was with his security detail when the incident occurred.
The Assistant State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the abduction of the council chairman in Port Harcourt.
“At about 2200hrs, a report was received at Rumuopirikom Division of the State Police Command, Port Harcourt, that one Barrister Awori Miller, the Local Government Chairman of Ahoada West, was kidnapped by three armed men at Acania Hotel at Ada George in Port Harcourt,” Iringe-Koko said through a text message to our correspondent.
She, however, said investigation had begun into the matter with a view to rescuing the council chairman and apprehending those behind his abduction.

Saturday 3 May 2014

Chioma Eze: Michael Jackson, music and I


Chioma EzeFrom performing before a large audience in Armenia and winning an award, to rubbing shoulders with the late Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, and doing a collabo with Shaggy, Nigerian-born US-based songwriter, music producer and performer, Chioma Eze, has seen and done it all.

Chioma recently secured the number one spot on the UK Top 30 Soul Charts 2013 for her performance of It’s Only Rain, a song she wrote and vocally produced on Euge Groove’s new album, House Of Groove.

What’s more, the Soprano singer has opened for Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, and performed with Stevie Wonder and ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog.

Currently recording her debut album, Chioma’s attention is now focused on Nigeria, as she plans to make a big break into the country’s music scene. She talks about the journey so far in this chat with The Entertainer.

Enjoy it.



Have you always wanted to do music?

I have always wanted to do music. I wrote a lot as a kid. I wanted to enroll as a musician but they wouldn’t let me. I studied Physics at the University of Benin, Edo State. That was about seven to 10 years ago. However, I didn’t finish there before I traveled to the US for further studies.



Have You been doing music in the US?

No. I was offered a deal in America though.



What deal?

A record deal but because I didn’t agree to do what they wanted me to do, by refusing to bend, they made things hard for me.



Did they want you to change your MUSIC style or compromise some principles?

They wanted me to compromise some principles; they always do that, but it is up to you to either yield or stick to your guns.



Are you signed to any record label now?

No, I am not but I started writing and people started calling me.



How did you get your major break?

It was when I wrote songs for Michael Jackson and he picked some of them, and before I knew it, people started taking notice of me but then he died suddenly. I actually spoke to him and I was supposed to meet him the week after he died but I didn’t get to meet him. General Bosby, Head of Mutual & DreamWorks was sponsoring my project then but he was on dialysis; he’s also dead now.



After the death of General Bosby, what happened?

He died before Michael Jackson but it’s because of General Bosby that I started getting calls. He told everybody that I am an excellent writer and performer. He wielded a lot of influence in the industry. To this day, people still call me up for jobs because of him. General Bosby asked me to write some songs for both Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.



Was the song you wrote for Whitney ever released?

No, that year her brother was sick. But she called me back singing one of the songs I wrote to me on phone. That was awesome! Michael Jackson is a big deal but not as big as Whitney Houston singing your own song to you on phone just because she likes it. I sent her 12 songs but she called me because of one called, Thank You For The Tears.



Are you going to put those songs in your album?

I may. Thank You For The Tears is a song that I use to close some of my shows.



How does music come to you?

Sometimes when I’m sleeping I get inspiration in my dreams and when I wake up I write them down. I go back and listen to the recordings and build them into songs. I also get inspiration from other people’s experience too. Like some of my friends go through some experiences and then I write them a piece of advice through a song.



You look trendy and ready to take over. How would you describe your personal style?

It depends on my mood. If I am singing a high tempo song or a ballet, I come up with fitting clothes; it depends on the song I am doing.



Can you tell us about your family?

My father was a doctor before he died. My mother is a missionary based in Togo and Ghana. She is planning to start an orphanage home in the eastern part of the country. She has been doing it for them in Togo. Some of my siblings are in America but I have a sister here. She always tells me to come back home that Nigerians are going to love my music.



How did you get your musical connection to Armenia?

I had to write for one particular Armenian artiste who wanted me on his album. For some reasons, he couldn’t get any of the famous artistes to do it for him, so he approached me. I told him the only way I could do it is to sing my own part in Armenian because singing in English is not a challenge. And that’s what happened. We sang in Armenian language and it won a Music Choice Award.



That means you speak Armenian very well?

No. I translated the song I wrote into Armenian language and learned it; I just made sure I learned it very well.



HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE your style of music?

My style of music is defined by the country in which I find myself. In Austria, it is all about love. In Armenia, it is ballad and pop. In America, I perform R&B, hip-hop and a little bit of rap. If they want me to bring in the African stuff here I am open to that. I don’t think my style of music can be classified though, I am fortunate and blessed enough to be able to work in almost any genre of music.



Prior to your coming down to Nigeria, did you do any collabo with any Nigerian or African artiste?

I think the closest I have gotten is Shaggy but he is Caribbean; I have not worked with any Nigerian artiste.



What’s your experience working with Shaggy?

Shaggy is funny but very intelligent. He was fun to be with though it was only a couple of days we spent together. We did a couple of songs together.



How did you get to meet him?

He was trying to do a different sort of collaboration album. I was referred to him by someone that knew me. I don’t think the song we did is out though.



On which particular song did you feature with him?

It was a single I did with him and Beyonce Knowles entitled, Crazy.



One would expect you to have adopted some flashy American name considering your pedigree but you still maintain your nigerian name, Chioma…?

Chioma means God is good. People acclaim the greatness of God all over the world. Even those that don’t believe in God still affirm it; I just love the name.



How much of your roots can you still identify with?

I love Nigerian food; I eat Nigerian food all over the world as much as I can. Wherever I go I tell everyone I am a Nigerian. I have had friends and met a lot of people in the industry who are Nigerians but do not want to identify with Nigeria. According to them, they don’t want to be identified with the country’s name because of negative things some Nigerians do. But I told them ‘why not show the positive side of us because most of us are not like that’. I love Nigeria; I enjoy being a Nigerian.



The nigERIAN entertainment scene is very competitive. How do you intend to hold your own considering the fact that you have some very established artistes to contend with?

There is enough room for everyone. And I don’t believe I am like anyone here. One of the reasons why I decided to come back was when my last song in Armenia, which got an award, was released. I started getting mails from Nigerians encouraging me to bring my music back home. That’s when I decided to come back. Hopefully, they should embrace my genre of music and who I am.



Your foreign style of music may not work fine with the fans here. Have you written anything for Nigerians?

I have one which I did in America but then the masters got stolen. It took some time to recover from that. But I always represent Nigeria in my music.



Which of the artistes here are you planning to do collaboration with?

Some of them are actually approaching me. I wouldn’t say who they are because we are still talking. I have been approached by producers and artistes because I have done a couple of shows here already.



Which shows?

I did LIPS. I did an end-of-the- year award show where I was the only artiste who performed alongside Ayo Bankole and his band. I also did the Mandela Concert. I have done stuff for Samsung too.

Brazil 2014: Bosnia striker, Dzeko sends warning signal to Eagles

Eagles hop in God
Super Eagles defenders would definitely have a lot of work to do in Brazil when they face World Cup debutants, Bosnia at the mundial if the form of Manchester City’s forward Edin Dzeko is anything to go by.

Dzeko last night brightened Man City’s chance of lifting the EPL shield when he banged in a brace against Everton at Goodison Park with coach Manuel Pellegrini describing him as a world class striker.

Dzeko’s goals saw City running away with a 3-2 win that has now shot them to the top of the EPL log ahead of Liverpool who would tomorrow face Crystal Palace.

City are now effectively two wins away from the title. For Everton, the re­sult ends their UEFA champions league aspiration for next season.

The league leaders looked in for a dif­ficult encounter and fell behind early to a stunning curling effort from England World Cup hopeful Ross Barkley in the 11th minute. Sergio Aguero equalized for City in the 22nd minute. Dzeko was on target in the 43rd and 48th minute to give City a comfortable 3-1 lead. Rom­elu Lukaku pulled one back for Everton in 65th minute, but City held on to win.

SEX BAZAAR ■ Sodom and Gomorrah in Lagos ■ Women dance naked, have sex in the open

 police lagos Manko
The stiff competition among leisure spot owners and hoteliers in Lagos has pushed many of them to devise
some devious and amorous means of attracting and keeping clients. The booming antic of some of the hotels include engaging young girls of between 18 and 38 years of age to work as strip­pers and dance provocatively nude to lascivious music in their bars. And patrons, mostly men in their 30s and 40s root for more action. In most cases, the girls engage in anal sex in the open.

Sunday Sun investigation reveals that no fewer than two of every 10 hotels in Lagos State contracts strippers to dance naked before their customers full-time and some­times on part-time basis.

The most notorious areas where this shameful practice is prevalent are Ikeja, Victoria Island, Apapa, Lekki-Ajah and Ajao Estate. In these places, high brow night clubs employ young girls as lap dancers to satisfy the luscious appetites of men, including expatriates.

In Ire-Akari area of Isolo, for instance, is a street near a Catholic church, which men and women of easy virtue have converted to their own, trading in sex without caution. On this street, exclusive hotels that harbour the strip clubs compete with churches for attention. On a Friday night, for instance, men, who ordi­narily look responsible swarm the frontage of the hotels with exotic cars and spend quality time inside the bars with wom­en of easy virtue. Inside one of the hotels on Alabe Street, nude girls display their wares obtrusively to the admiration of the male customers who flood the pubs to catch fun.

Along Allen Avenue in Ikeja, Lagos, hundreds of girls besiege the hotels and pubs stretching from Allen junction on both sides of the road down to Opebi junction to ‘catch fun’ especially at weekends. Allen Avenue has become the Sodom and Gomorrah of Nigeria where sex, drugs and money are the business of the night as prostitutes and strippers, yank off their mini skirts and under­wears, and entice both men and women to have a taste of their wares.

Every Saturday night, be­tween 9.00 pm and midnight along Allen Avenue opposite Sweet Sensation eatery bus-stop, it is another face of de­bauchery as men and women line up in front of a prominent hotel that has neon light sign indicator to the entrance of the nude club.

The scenes at the night clubs are bizarre and reprehensible.

On a typical Friday night at one of the night clubs in Ikeja a bouncer stood guard at the entrance of the building and a stream of men form a queue to pay the entrance fee of N1000 to gain access into the open room harbouring the dance floor. Once inside the build­ing, sex hawkers in bikinis and provocative attires swarm  like bees at the sight of any man, beaming with welcome smiles, all in an effort to get attention. The dance floor is an open space with chairs by the wall. Music is supplied  from concealed loudspeakers. As the music begins to blare, one can see the girls giggling and swaying to the tunes. The strippers take turns to enter­tain the guests. The dance steps are mostly obscene, with most of the strippers first squatting to take toilet tissue, rolling up enough to clean off whatever smear the previous dancer had left on the centre pole. That done, the stripper then unveils a weird style of twisting, flexing, rotating and spinning round the pole and throwing herself up before cas­cading upside down or sliding downwards in a slow motion with her legs and feet holding tight at the top pole while her head is towards the floor, like a python climbing down from an Iroko tree, and proudly reveal­ing her vagina by spreading her two legs wide before all men and women. Then she struts her breasts and yanks off her underwear. “Wow, it takes a lot of skill to do just that,” says a customer who was a first timer to the show. “With these high heels they catwalk like models,” he adds with a tinge of satisfaction.

Then, the girls begin another form of erotic act as they rub their bodies on men, perform a lap dance, which is cuddling the body to make a request while the men look in admi­ration as the dancers pull off their underwears, revealing their private parts. Some of the men who get aroused move behind the centre stage and engage in sexual acts with the girls for a fee usually between N1,000 and N5,000. People watch the acts as the strip­per moans loudly to attract attention.

By the side is a bar where customers make their purchas­es with a bottle of whiskey going for as much as N10,000 and energy drinks for N1000. There is a large TV screen hung on the wall, showing the latest pornographic films. The cheapest drink in the nude club is N1000, whether it is beer or energy drink, while the wine goes for as much as N10,000.

A regular customer reveals that it was the new law impos­ing 14 years jail sentence for gay sex that has restrained the girls and their patrons and pa­tronesses who hitherto engage in homosexual acts in the open in the clubs. The sex hawkers easily go haywire when they sight expatriate men who usu­ally come to unwind. Some of the girls usually release all in to have sex with them. On this partictheir bag of tricks to seduce the men ular night, two of the men opted for oral sex. And they did this before all eyes with the girls moaning wildly.­

There is no dull moment in the clubs as girls with different sizes of boobs, hips and curves kept moving in and out of their inner chamber to reinforce their strategies to seduce men for sex. Most of the patrons declined from having sex, opting instead for the lap dance for a fee of thousand naira. According to a regular male customer, having sex at the VIP inner chamber is expen­sive as it goes for N15,000 just for a short time.

However, flirting with a customer is never a big deal for strippers be­cause two men can share a stripper for a lap dance. Entrance fee to many of the strip clubs on allen Avenue costs N2000 and a patron is expect­ed to buy drinks, which are equally expensive. Closing time at the clubs is 5am.

Residents donate blood to victims

Some residents of Abuja on Saturday responded to the call for blood donation by the National Emergency Management Authority for victims of Thursday’s Nyanya bomb blast.
Senior officials of NEMA told our correspondent on Saturday that what was critical to many of the victims was proper treatment, which would not be possible without sufficient blood for transfusion.
At the Wuse General Hospital, relatives of victims expressed willingness to donate blood for their loved ones and others affected by the explosion.
While calling on the government to stop the insurgents from causing further havoc in Abuja, some of the relatives said they were worried that the number of victims in public hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory had increased.
“This people (terrorists) should be stopped from gaining entry into Abuja at all cost,” said a victim’s relative, who identified himself as Mr. Harold Thompson.
“Go and take a look at the wards, theatres, intensive care units, emergency departments and even on passages in some hospitals, you will find people with wounds. Within two weeks there were two explosions in a capital city, this is alarming and government really has to sit up,” he said.
The Senior Information Officer, NEMA, Mr. Sani Datti, said the agency’s priority was to ensure the victims were treated before considering releasing relief materials to them.
He said, “What we are doing for now is to see that their wounds are treated because the most important relief now is medical. This is what they need for now and our director-general visited the hospitals to check the conditions of those affected and they are being attended to.”
NEMA had called for blood donations from the public due to the increase in the number of victims affected by the blast.
Another resident who gave his name as Justin, decried the fact that some of those affected by the April 14 blast were not yet discharged before another explosion occurred on May 1.
He said, “We are yet to have our cousin discharged and now another explosion has occurred and this has increased the number of wounded persons here.
“Government has to make sure that this doesn’t happen in Abuja again, if not, there won’t be room for people in our hospitals.”

Rice: From Aliero to Akinwumi

Adamu AlieroThe Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance and Revenue Generation, Adamu Aliero, has made a case for reduction of the heavy tax placed on imported rice. The former Kebbi State governor said, as a farmer, he was aware indigenous farmers and millers of rice could not satisfy the local demand in Nigeria. He argued that reducing the heavy burden of taxation on rice would be better for the economy.

He said, “The 110 per cent duty placed on rice is very unwise, because our neighbours have cashed in on this and lowered their tariff. At a point, there were 30 ships loaded with rice waiting to berth in Benin ports; those bags of rice are coming to Nigeria but the revenue is going to another country.

“We have advised the Minister of Agriculture, Adeshina Akinwumi, that the tariff should be reduced to discourage smuggling. The policy is not working, it is counterproductive and not helping the nation.”


Friday 2 May 2014

graphic photos of the blast

Many have been killed in an early morning explosion which occurred today, 14th of April, 2014 at a motor park in Nyanya area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The explosion occurred in a section of the park allocated to luxury buses popularly called El-Rufa’i buses, with a lot of passengers at the motor park.
Many have died while others with serious injuries have been rushed to the hospital. A combined team of security agencies and fire fighters are currently retrieving bodies and putting out fire at the scene. More pictures after the cut. Warning: the pictures are very gory.




Enyeama Nominated as France's Best Goalkeeper

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Vincent Enyeama

Super Eagles and Lille of France safe hands, Vincent Enyeama, has been nominated for the best goalkeeper award in the French Ligue 1.


The Professional Union of French Players (UNFP) who runs the awards announced yesterday that the former Enyimba of Aba goalkeeper who has kept clean sheets in 21 out of 35 matches for Lille is in the running alongside Olympique Marseille’s Steve Mandanda, Salvatore Sirigu of league leaders, Paris Saint Germain and Stephane Ruffier of Saint-Ettiene.

The winners of the various categories will be announced at a ceremony to hold on May 11, just a week before the French Championships winds up. Enyeama’s Lille is currently third on the log.

He has also played 3,150 minutes of first-team football this season, conceding only 21 goals in 35 games -- the second best in Ligue 1 behind Salvatore Sirigu of Paris Saint Germain.
Enyeama was also ever present in goal as Nigeria qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Abducted Girls : Jonathan Sets up Committee


B1007212-Goodluck-Jonathan.jpg - B1007212-Goodluck-Jonathan.jpg

As the abducted girls by terror group, Boko Haram from Federal Government Girls College, Chibok Borno State are still in captivity, President Goodluck Jonathan Friday set   a fact finding committee to find out the true position of things with the girls.

There had been contradictory information  between the Defence Headquarters and Borno State government on the number  of girls holed up in the enclave of the terror group.

Jonathan had Friday summoned an emergency security meeting to discuss  the Thursday bomb blast in Nyannya, as well as the fate of the abducted school girls.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku flanked by the spokesmen of the Defence, Police and State Security Service (SSS), briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

Details to follow

Eagles’ World Cup squad: Keshi sticks to old list

keshi11After over one week of consultation, Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi may have resolved not to string any change to the list he presented to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee on April 22.

The Eagles gaffer as exclusively reported by Daily Sunsports yesterday is billed to meet again with the NFF technical committee on Tuesday next week (May 6) after which the Eagles list would be made public.

A close pal of the coach confided in Daily Sunsports that everything pointed to Keshi being in for another stormy session with the Mr. Chris Green-led technical committee as he (Keshi) had not made any change to the list, which he handed over to team’s scribe Dayo Enebi Achor days after his return from the United States of America (USA) where he was on vacation.

“I can confirm to you that nothing has changed, talking about the list Keshi was clutching before he was told to go and consult more. He is not making any substitutions since non of the players he had in mind is down with any serious injury at the moment,” our source said.

Our source stressed that the six home lads on the list, to be led by goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, would still make it to London for the May 28 friendly against Scotland just as Ike Uche’s name would not be on the list to be re-submitted by the coach to the technical committee.

“The technical committee will definitely see on Tuesday (May 6) that nothing has changed, but what they would decide to do is what we just have to put our fingers crossed to see,” he said.

We further gathered that while the committee may not force any player on Keshi, he may be ordered to trim his 38-man list to 30.

A member of the technical committee told Daily Sunsports that the list to be made public on Tuesday won’t be more than 30.

Thursday 1 May 2014

Second Nyanya Bomb Blast Fuels Fear of Political Motive


556-page-one.jpg - 556-page-one.jpg
• 12 dead, 30 injured
• Terror attacks aimed at stopping WEF
• President holds emergency security meeting today
Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Yemi Akinsuyi, Senator Iroegbu and Paul Obi

Less than three weeks after a bus station in Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was hit by a bomb blast, another bomb explosion ripped through the same neighbourhood, resulting in the death of at least 12 persons and 30 others injured, and fuelling fears that the two successive attacks in Abuja, might be politically motivated.

On March 14, a similar blast at the bus station led to the death of 75 victims and several others injured.
Speaking on the incident last night, a security source said that the two successive attacks might not be unconnected with political considerations as the 2015 elections loom.
He added that they are also targeted at frightening participants and stopping the country from hosting the World Economic Forum (WEF) scheduled for May 7 to 9.
He revealed that as a result of the second attack on Nyanya, President Goodluck Jonathan has summoned an emergency security council meeting to take place today in order to review the latest development and devise a strategy to combat the menace of rising insecurity in the country.
The security source added that the situation had become very critical requiring the president to take tough decisions to contain the crisis and bring the perpetrators to book.
"These spate of attacks have politics written all over them. They are also targeted at stopping the World Economic Forum where Nigeria would have been able to showcase itself as the largest economy in Africa and premier investment destination on the continent.
"For this reason, the president has summoned an emergency security council meeting to address the crisis head on," he said.
Security and response agencies confirmed that a Mazda vehicle laden with explosives was detonated about 50 metres away from the bus station, which had been closed since the first bomb attack on March 14. They said last night’s bombing occurred just before 8 pm.
A security source, who spoke to THISDAY, said the explosion occurred at a temporary park constructed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), where vehicles pick up passengers en route to Zuba, another suburb of the FCT.
The busy park, coupled with traffic jam caused by the stringent searches carried out by the military at a checkpoint a few metres away, had lately increased commuters' traffic in the area and made it a soft target for terror attacks.
Speaking on the casualties, the Press Officer at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ezekiel Monzo, put the number of victims at 12 dead and 30 injured.
He said there was every possibility that some of those taken to the hospital may have died on their way
Monzo told THISDAY the bomb went off at 7.55pm and security operatives and rescue personnel were quick to respond to the incident and evacuated victims from the scene of the blast.
According to him, about 30 persons were affected by the blast and had been taken to the Asokoro General Hospital.
However, in another statement by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the agency said 21 victims were taken to various hospitals in Abuja.
The statement, which was signed by the Public Relations Officer, NSCDC, Emma Okeh, said nine lifeless bodies had been deposited at the mortuary while 11 unconscious victims were receiving medical attention at different hospitals in Abuja.
“The public are urged to cooperate with security agencies and avoid rushing to the scene to guard against hampering the efforts of the various agencies working together to ensure public safety,” Okeh said.
Confirming the statement by NSCDC that victims were moved to various hospitals, a source at the National Hospital, Abuja, said six badly burnt bodies were brought to the hospital last night and deposited at the mortuary, while eight other injured persons had been admitted.
In their statement, the police said 12 were confirmed dead while 19 were injured.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, said 31 victims were affected by the bomb blast, adding: “We suffered an explosion at about 7.55pm. The impact of the explosion led to the destruction of other five vehicles in addition to the car with the improvised explosive devices (IEDs). We have so far lost 12 citizens and 19 suffered various injuries.
“Various security agencies, the police, NEMA, military, civil defence corps and Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), amongst others, are working together to maintain order.”
Mba stressed that it was too early to speak or speculate as to who committed the attack and warned that the casualty figures were provisional as they could change as the night progressed.
Speaking on the incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations in the FCT Police Command, Balla Ciroma, said with the traffic gridlock, it was hellish for rescue and security personnel to reach the venue of the blast.̢۬
Also, an army officer, who did not want to be named, said the security agencies were alerting members of the public that there was a second bomb within the neighbourhood that was yet to be detonated.
“Let everyone move out for a buffer, this environment is not yet safe. You need to move while we try to diffuse the bomb. If you are not in a uniform, for your own safety please move,” the military officer advised a THISDAY reporter who had rushed to the scene of the attack.
Shortly after the incident, THISDAY learnt that two Camerounian suspects were arrested at the scene of the blast.
Confirming this, security sources said their personnel nabbed the suspects who claimed to be foreign nationals and could not speak English.
An eyewitness also confirmed that it was a Mazda car that was used for the bombing and that three suspects drove by, parked the car and started running.
“As people started pursuing them, the car exploded creating panic and pandemonium that helped them to escape,” the witness said.
Another eyewitness and staff of THISDAY, Mr. Tony Abulu, said he had a narrow escape, having come near the scene of the explosion to repair one of his electronic gadgets.

Abulu said three people who were in the Volkswagen Golf car parked close to the Mazada died instantly.
Joseph Ocheme, a businessman, also gave a vivid description of the incident, stating: “We were in the traffic because of the security checkpoint and we noticed a smoke in one of the vehicles before the blast. The car in the front caught fire immediately.
“We saw the people running away and I saw about five people dead in that instant and I could hear people who were being roasted alive, shouting for help.
“The perpetrators ran in different directions. This situation could have been worse had it occurred during peak hours. We thank God that not many people were around but we have been warning about the dangers of the traffic snarl.”

30 buried in Colombia mine collapse

Rescue workers in Colombia are using large mechanical diggers as they try to find up to 30 people buried under tonnes of mud at a gold mine.
Three bodies have been recovered so far but officials say the unstable soil is making the search problematic.
It is not clear exactly how many people are underneath the rubble, as the mine was operating illegally.
Crowds gathered at the site in the south-western Cauca department after the incident on Wednesday night.
The hundreds of miners and relatives watching the rescue efforts have refused to move away despite being warned that they themselves could be buried alive by another landslide.
“We’re hoping for a miracle from God, because that’s all we can hope for and wait and see what happens. Someone could have survived,” one local woman said.
The governor of the Cauca department, Temistocles Ortega, said illegal miners had used machinery to open huge holes to extract gold, and one of them had caved in, burying them.
At least seven large mechanical diggers have been working non-stop at the bottom of the large pit and specially trained search dogs have been deployed.
But while work continues in the mud below, an official with the firefighters at the scene said it was already too late.
“You have to eliminate the idea [of survivors]. There is no possibility that someone has survived because huge amounts of mud and earth fell on those people,” he said.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos blamed the incident on illegal mining, saying his government was tackling the problem.
But correspondents say thousands of unchecked mines can be found in Colombia’s most remote areas.
Only last Friday, another four miners were killed and 65 affected by poisonous gases in the Antioquia department.

May Day tragedy: Fresh Abuja blast kills 30

Scene of the blastBarely three weeks after a bomb blast killed over 71 persons in Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, another explosion claimed about 30 lives on Thursday evening.
The blast, which was believed to be a suicide attack, occurred around 8:45pm when a bomb-laden car exploded at the Karshi Taxi Park, a few metres from where the April 14, 2014 explosion took place.
Eyewitnesses told The Punch that 25 bodies were taken to the Maitama District Hospital, Asokoro, four corpses were dropped at the National Hospital while one body was taken to an unidentified hospital in Nyanya.
Scores of injured people were also evacuated by ambulances to different hospitals for treatment.
But a statement co-signed by the Head, Public Relations, NSCDC and NEMA Press Officer, Emmanuel Ezekiel, said that 10 bodies had been deposited in the mortuary while 13 unconscious persons were receiving treatment in different hospitals.
It added that other injured victims were being attended to by medical personnel, urging  members of the public to avoid hindering rescue efforts.
“While security agencies have condoned off the area of the explosion this evening in Nyanya, Abuja, response agencies have moved injured victims to hospitals and at least 10 lifeless bodies have been deposited in the mortuary while 13 unconscious victims are receiving medical attention in different hospitals in Abuja. Other injured victims too are being attended to.
“The public are urged to cooperate with security agencies and avoid rushing to the scene to guard against hampering the efforts of the various agencies working together to ensure public safety,” the statement said.
Security sources said the perpetrators of the blast might have planned to leave the explosive-laden car at the motor park overnight so that it could be detonated on Friday (today) for maximum effect, but the bomb accidentally went off, killing the driver and other innocent people.
A Nyanya resident, who simply identified himself as Lambert, said he was walking along the road when he heard a loud blast which shook the area and sent everyone scurrying in different directions.
He said, “I went to the park, but the scene was alight with burning vehicles and there were corpses of people on the ground as well as dismembered bodies; there were body parts on the ground including hands, and heads. It was a gory sight and I had to leave the scene.”
Meanwhile, NEMA has called on FCT residents to donate blood to assist victims of the blast.

Flight MH370: Relatives told to return home

Malaysia Airlines has asked relatives of passengers on board flight MH370 to leave the hotel accommodation it is providing and return to their homes.

It is closing the family assistance centres set up after the plane vanished on 8 March with 239 people on board.

The airline promised to keep relatives updated on the search operation.

Meanwhile, a report by Malaysia’s transport ministry has shown a four-hour gap between MH370′s disappearance and the start of a search operation.

The report also revealed that air traffic controllers did not realise the plane was missing until 17 minutes after it disappeared off radar.

The plane disappeared over the South China Sea as it flew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Officials believe it ended its journey in seas west of the Australian city of Perth, thousands of kilometres off course, but do not yet know why. An intensive multinational search has so far turned up no sign of the plane.

‘Unimaginable anguish’

On Thursday, Malaysia Airlines said in a statement that despite “probably the largest (search) in human history… the fate of the missing passengers and crew remains unknown.”

“Malaysia Airlines is acutely conscious of, and deeply sympathetic to the continuing unimaginable anguish, distress and hardship suffered by those with loved ones on board the flight.”

But it warned that the continuing search would be a “prolonged process”.

“Instead of staying in hotels, the families of MH370 are advised to receive information updates… within the comfort of their own homes.”

All family assistance centres would be closed on 7 May, but the relatives would be given updates through telephone calls, messages, the internet and face-to-face meetings, Malaysia Airlines said.

It would soon make “advanced compensation payments” to the passengers’ nominated next-of-kin, “in order to meet their immediate economic needs”, it added. The payments would not affect their rights to claim further compensation at a later stage, it said.

The families have been critical of the initial search process and the way they have been kept informed, with many accusing the Malaysian authorities of concealing information.

Borno should continue with updates on abducted girls -DHQ

The Defence Headquarters has said henceforth, all enquiries on the abducted students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, be directed to the Borno State Government.
The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Chris Olukolade, enjoined the Commissioner for Education in Borno State, who had been speaking on the incident to continue to give updates on the abduction, in a statement on Thursday.
Olukolade, who promised that the military would continue with the efforts to recover the abducted girls, stressed that the Borno State Government was the appropriate body to continue with the regular briefings on the abduction.
He said it was in line with standard global practice for Borno State, in whose facility the abduction took place, to ensure the necessary flow of information on the nagging incident.
Olukolade said security operatives in Borno would interact with state government officials to give updates on the abducted schoolgirls to the public.
He said, “While the military efforts at rescuing the girls is continuing, the government of Borno State whose Commissioner for Education has been giving regular updates on the incident at the initial stage, is enjoined to continue in order to satisfy the necessity for information flow. 
 
“The Borno State Government, in whose facility the incident occurred, is appropriately placed to continue with regular briefing as the State Commissioner for Education has been doing. This is in line with best practices in other climes more so as all agencies of every tier of government are expected to continue functioning in the state. 
 
“Accordingly, security agencies on ground in Borno State will continue to interact and support the state government officials in their efforts to inform the public on the Chibok incident and progress in the search without any prejudice.”
 
He said the military would ensure regular flow of information in all its internal security operations in the country.
  
Olukolade said while the security agencies had received a lot of information in the bid to retrieve the abducted girls, most of the information were given deliberately to cripple the military operation against the insurgency in the North East.
 
He said some of the information had been publicised to inflict more pain on the country in accordance with the expectation of the terrorists.
 
The statement read, “A lot of information have been received in the efforts at securing the freedom of the girls.  The Armed Forces assure all Nigerians that they will continue to appraise every information received during this operation accordingly. 
“Unfortunately however, most of the information, some of which have been mischievously publicised for sensational reasons, have always turned out to be spurious and of no operational use. 
 
“Disturbingly, some of them have been mischievously sensationalised and publicised with a view to heightening tension and inflicting more pain on the nation as envisaged by the terrorists. Nevertheless, the forces will remain disposed to receiving, analysing and applying all relevant information on this issue.”

Bomb blast rocks Nyanya again

Again bomb blast rocks Nyanya Rea of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Scores of people feared dead.
more details coming stay put....

Child labour prevalence worries FG

The Federal Government has expressed concern over the prevalence of child labour in parts of the Northern region and urged stakeholders to work toward stopping it.
Mr Akpabio Brown, the Controller, Federal of Ministry of Labour and Productivity, expressed the government concern in Minna on Thursday at this year’s May Day celebrations.
Child labour is the engagement of children in any work that is exploitative and injurious to their physical, mental, social and moral development, and denies them of educational opportunities.
The controller said “let me take advantage of this occasion to inform us of the prevalence of child labour in this part of the country.
“We need a policy against child labour that will help to build a society that is child-friendly.
“Almost all the countries, including Nigeria, have made commitment to take urgent action by ratifying the International Labour Organisation convention in tackling child labour as a matter of urgency.”
Brown urged state governments, employers of labour, workers’ organisations, civil society and community based organisations, media and other stakeholders for collaboration in eliminating child labour in the region.
Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra had assured civil servants in the state of great and bright future under his administration as they mark the 2014 May Day.
Obiano said the lost civil service glory would be restored and promised to remunerate workers properly and urged them to put in their best at work.
According to him, improved welfare like housing and other incentives that would ginger workers to optimal performance would be addressed.
Speaking earlier during the May Day celebration, the state’s NLC Chairman, Mr Patrick Obianyo, called for effective synergy to arrest the security challenges facing the country.
He said insecurity was affecting the country’s progress as he urged the Federal Government to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency, noting that the kidnap of the female students of Chibok in Borno remained worrisome.
On his part, Mr Ifeanyi Okechukwu, the state Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), reminded the governor of outstanding labour issues, including enhanced welfare package, payment of end of year incentives, housing for workers and payment of promotion arrears.
Okechukwu assured the state government that imrpoved welfare would eliminate mediocrity in civil service and called for proper motivation for workers to perform effectively.
NAN also reports that no less than 20 trade unions participated in the rally, with the state NUJ council wearing black to mourn Mrs Tochukwu Omelu, who died on died March 25.
A report from Osun said Mr Najeem Salaam, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, had commended the leadership of the organised labour for promoting industrial harmony in the country.
Salaam made the commendation in his Workers’ Day message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Goke Butika, in Osogbo on Thursday.
The speaker noted that the 13th month salary incentive, upward review of car loan for qualified beneficiaries and other welfare packages provided by the government was a reflection of the cordial relationship existing between the state government and the work force.
While felicitating with the workers, Salaam said the state legislature had set machinery in motion to resolve the ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the state.
He also commended Gov. Rauf Aregbesola for his effort in providing an enabling work environment for workers in the state.
Salaam, however, appealed to the union leaders and workers in the state to continue to contribute to the development of the state.
Elsewhere in Gombe, the NLC had urged the state government to establish a state fire service board.
Malam Ahmed Maisakala, the state NLC Chairman, made the call in Gombe on Thursday during the Workers’ Day celebration.
Maisakala said fire service played a vital role in curtailing fire disasters in the state.
“The service needs urgent attention, we are appealing to the government to restructure the service.
“We want the welfare of the service to be improved and that can be better handled through the establishment of a board,” he said.
According to him, the board will take care of employment, discipline, promotion, training and provision of modern fire fighting equipment.
Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe said arrangements had reached advanced stage to train workers at the National Centre for Management Development to boost their productivity.
He urged labour unions to always embrace dialogue in resolving labour disputes for the development of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the May Day celebration is a historic event that symbolises the struggle and sacrifices of the working class to gain improved working conditions.
The International Workers’ Day is in commemoration of the May 4, 1886, Haymarket Affair in Chicago, USA, set aside to commemorate the struggle for eight working man-hours.
This year’s is the 168th formal edition, while 68 countries are observing the day on which member countries declared a public holiday.

Group protest Borno schoolgirls’ abduction at labour rally

Members of a coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Kwara State on Thursday protested against the continued captivity of schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State by the Boko Haram sect. The protest took place at a rally organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to mark workers’ day. As the  Workers’ Day celebration was going on at the Metropolitan Square, Ilorin, members of the coalition suddenly emerged while the TUC Chairman, Mr. Kolawole Olumoh, was delivering his speech. The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions.  Some of them read, ‘Where at the Chibok girls?’ ‘Where are our sisters?’ ‘Chibok girls: please find our daughters.’ ‘President Jonathan, please stop playing with our lives.’ Mr. President, our youths are dying.’  Mr. President, where is our $20bn?’ ‘Masses are dying at the expense of few,’ and ‘If one of us is unsafe, none of us is safe.’ In a speech by  Shuaibu Fari and Basambo Abubakar, the group urged President Goodluck Jonathan to find solution to insecurity in the country. “On behalf of the civil society organisation in Kwara State, the coalition expresses concern over the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Borno State and why government have not sufficiently and tactically carried out action that will lead to their rescue.  The coalition demandsq that a secret force should be set up and deployed to rescue these innocent and vulnerable girls from the terrorists’ camp. “Our dear President, the first duty of a president is to have a heart for the people, to treasure his people, love them and have a desire to give them his best all the times.  That is what makes a good president and that is what politics is all about. “Saving our girls right from now and stabilise the security condition of this country should be of utmost priority that goes beyond given rooms for distraction from political opponents or given more attention to the pursuit of personal aspiration.” Chairman, NLC, Kwara State chapter, Mr. Farouk Akanbi also decried the non-release of the schoolgirls and other forms of insecurity and violent crimes. He called on the governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to look into the demands of workers to enhance productivity and sustain industrial harmony in the state. Such demands included  immediate stoppage of the Millennium Development Goal levy and the issue of Zenith bank shares certificates. He added that the workers demanded more welfare. The NLC boss decried poor services of power firms in the country and the high electricity bills, corruption, abduction of schools girls from Chibok , Borno State and other violent crimes. His TUC counterpart, Kolawole Olumoh, said the sustenance of industrial peace would  improve productivity and national growth. Ahmed  said the government was aware of the demands by labour unions for enhanced welfare packages for their members and the resolution of other outstanding issues. He implored them to adopt more negotiation to guard against actions that could derail the peace and the economic survival of the state. He stated that the government was conscious of its obligation to the people of Kwara State including the workers. But a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore, urged  employers of labour to stop leveraging on the high poverty and unemployment rate to blackmail their employees. He said the Kwara State Government was particularly guilty of banking on high poverty rate and unemployment rate to allegedly blackmail the civil servants. Belgore said,”this, unfortunately, has been the case in our state where workers are still not getting minimum wage. “We are aware that many teachers and health workers in Kwara State earn way far below the 18,000 minimum wage! “Indeed, the information from the civil servants is that Kwara State government is only effecting partial payment of the minimum wage.”

Rainoil boss tips Eagles for W/Cup glory

Eagles against lionManaging director of Rainoil, a Lagos based oil servicing outfit, Gabriel Og­bechie has tipped the Super Eagles to surprise the world at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Ogbechie who spoke in Lagos on Tuesday during the unveiling of a new sports monthly maga­zine, Sports Market International (SMI) told Daily Sunsports that Stephen Keshi would re enact the South Africa 2013 AFCON feat in Brazil by going all the way.
“Don’t forget that nobody gave the Eagles a chance during AF­CON 2013, but Keshi’s boys, saw and conquered. He broke the na­tion’s 19-year jinx of not winning the cup. I see him doing the same in Brazil. We have never gone beyond the second round at the World Cup, I see Keshi breaking that jinx. We will over-run Iran with ease in our first game and Bosnia won’t be much of a prob­lem. Whatever happens against Argentina, we will go through to the second round and from there, the sky could just be the limit for the team,” Ogbechie said.
The sports loving oil guru, however, appealed to the nation’s soccer governing body, NFF to give Keshi a free hand to pick his team, even as he urged the Eagles gaffer to go for the 23 best legs the country can boast of.
“I just hope the NFF will give Keshi a free hand to pick his team and on the part of the coach, I urge him to go to Brazil with our very best legs. Once this is done, I am sure we will have a glorious World Cup campaign.”

Women groups protest in Ibadan over Abducted girls

nigeria-school-girlMore than 200 women from various groups yesterday held a peaceful protest across Ibadan, the Oyo State capi­tal, over the 234 girls ab­ducted by Boko Haram in­surgents at the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
The women, aged between 50 and 65, wept uncontrolla­bly as they marched through the metropolis in torn dresses, carrying placards with various inscriptions such as: Rescue our girls now, Enough of Ab­duction, No to Boko Haram, Federal Government what are you doing? We call for end to this abduction now.
The protesting women later moved to the headquarters of the state police command, where they addressed the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Indabbawa.
In her address, Princess Ad­etona,  the President, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), said the women de­cided to speak out their minds because the lives of the chil­dren were at stake, adding that the longer it took to rescue the girls, the greater the dangers they would be exposed to. 
....sunnews

15-year-old remanded in custody over murder of teacher

The family of teacher Ann Maguire, who was stabbed to death at a school in Leeds, have described her as “a shining light” who “brightened the world”.
Mrs Maguire, 61, had worked at Corpus Christi Catholic College for more than 40 years before she was attacked in front of pupils on Monday.
In a statement, her family said they were “devastated” at her death.
A 15-year-old boy has appeared at Leeds Youth Court and was remanded in custody charged with Mrs Maguire’s murder.
The boy, who cannot be named, is due to appear via video-link at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.
In the statement, issued by West Yorkshire Police, Mrs Maguire’s family described her as “a loving wife, the best mother, a treasured sister, a true friend”.
“We are devastated. Her selfless, genuine, caring nature will remain with us eternally,” they added.
Family members said they were “overwhelmed” by the support, sympathy and tributes they had received which were “a source of great comfort at this dark time”.
The statement added: “Ann, we will love you always, your loving family.”
Mrs Maguire, who taught Spanish, was due to retire in September after a 40-year career.
She had joined Corpus Christi, a 950-pupil college in the Halton Moor area of Leeds, as a student teacher and last year the school had celebrated her 40th year of service.
Mrs Maguire lived in the Moortown area of Leeds with her husband, Donald, and is understood to have had two daughters.
Hundreds of floral tributes have been laid outside the school by current and former pupils since Monday.
A book of condolence was also opened at the church that adjoins the school. 

Inspirational Quotes

The more money you make the more mouth you feed......[scoje]