Blog by XANTAPLUS: November 2015

Monday 30 November 2015

KOBE BRYANT BIDS FAREWELL TO NBA.

After his 20th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant will finally call it a career.

In a letter posted on the Player’s Tribune entitled “Dear Basketball,” the Lakers legend wrote of the end of his storied career.

In the heartfelt message, Bryant bared his love for the sport and acknowledged that this season is all he has left to give.

Tragedy has hit the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, after a suspect in its custody, suddenly developed chest pains, and died.

Arowofela Olufemi, who was being investigated by the commission following allegations by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, that he fraudulently converted over N100 million dividend warrants to himself, died in a military hospital, where he was rushed to by officials of the EFCC.

A statement made available to Vanguard yesterday indicated that Olufemi had complained of chest pains early in the day and was rushed to an unnamed military hospital in Lagos, where he gave up the ghost before doctors could attend to him.

SUGABELLY SHEDS MORE LIGHT ON HER RAPE HORROR - #SurvivingMustaphaAudu #SayNoToRAPE.

The lady who alleged that the sons of late Governor of Kogi. Audu Abubakar and his friends raped, abused and molested her multiple times have opened up more on how the tragic events happened.

Sharing the details on her blog she wrote; ''Every time I see a white Nissan Altima, my palms go sweaty, and my knees get weak. It’s an involuntary reaction born of so many nights being driven around Asokoro pinned to the floor of Tunji’s white Nissan Altima, barely able to breathe, the stench of weed stinging my eyes while I choked on the penis of whomever it pleased Mustapha to force me to pleasure that day.

''I can’t have music playing while driving around in a car either. Or just sitting around at home. I can’t have music playing period. Especially not Maroon5. If I get into your car, please drive in fucking silence or you will make it hard for me to breathe.

TREASURY LOOTERS ARE RETURNING STOLEN FUNDS IN BITS VOLUNTARILY BUT WE WANT EVERYTHING - PRESIDENT BUHARI,

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday disclosed that some past government officials who stole public funds while in the saddle have started returning parts of their loots to government coffers voluntarily.

He however said he was not satisfied yet as his government would stop at nothing to ensure all stolen funds and not a fraction was recovered.

Buhari disclosed this during an interactive session he had with members of the Nigerian community in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Turkish fighter jets on patrol near the Syrian border on Tuesday shot down a Russian warplane that Turkey said had violated its airspace, a long-feared escalation that could further strain relations between Russia and the West.

The Turkish prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, ordered the Foreign Ministry to consult with NATO and the United Nations, his office said in a statement, without elaborating. NATO announced that it would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday in Brussels to discuss the episode.

In his first remarks on the incident, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia confirmed that an F-16 Turkish fighter jet had shot down the Russian plane, a Sukhoi Su-24, with an air-to-air missile. But he insisted that the Russian jet had been in Syrian airspace at the time and had never threatened Turkey’s territory.

Unknown to many, Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Prince Abubakar Audu died on Saturday – the day of the election he was set to win.

According to a highly placed source within the party, the Kogi APC standard bearer whose death came to public knowledge Sunday evening, actually passed on few hours after casting his vote at his polling unit at Ogbonicha in Ofu Local Government Area.

The source confided in our correspondent that Audu had been feeling quite unwell a day before the election. A doctor was called in to attend to him, pending when he would have been flown out for proper medical attention, he said.

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Monday remanded a 27-year-old musician, Friday Freedom, in prison for allegedly raping a 15- year-old girl.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Chief Magistrate, Mr. Tajudeen Elias, remanded the accused in the Kirikiri Prison and adjourned the case till November 28, 2015, for ruling on bail application.

The accused, who lives on Kilani Street, Papa Ashafa, Agege, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a charge of rape.

PHILIP CHISM - ACCUSED OF MURDERING TEACHER

The student accused of murdering and raping his teacher was seen in surveillance footage rolling a recycling bin down a hallway and outside the school in court on Monday.

Philip Chism, 16, sat quietly and emotionless while jurors watched video of him dragging the large blue recycling bin the prosecution claims contained the body of Colleen Ritzer, his math teacher at Danvers High School in Massachusetts.

He is then seen returning to school with his pants covered in a dark red substance that appears to be blood.

Despite the fall in global crude oil prices, its harsh impact on Nigeria’s revenue and the current petrol scarcity in many cities, the Federal Government is still subsidising by N10.58 for every litre of the product consumed across the country, latest figures from the Petroleum Pricing Regulatory Agency have shown.

This is coming as fuel scarcity in Abuja and neighbouring states of Kaduna and Nasarawa continued on Monday. The queues by motorists at the few filling stations that had the product to sell stretched farther than they were previously.

Experts in the oil and gas sector have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to stop subsidising petrol, explaining that aside from the fact that it would check the illegalities in the system, the removal of subsidy would also help address the issue of fuel scarcity.

SUGABELLY NARRATES THE RAPE HORROR THE AUDU FAMILY SUBJECTED HER TO AT THE TENDER AGE OF 17..

Twitter user @Sugabelly did not hide her excitement when the news of the death of APC Governorship aspirant Prince Audu Abubakar broke.

She alleged that the sons of Audu, his nephew and their friends raped her several times while she was just seventeen.

Read the story she shared with her friend twitter user @Echecrates.........

APC GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE IN KOGI ABUBAKAR AUDU REPORTED DEAD AS INEC DECLARES RESULT INCONCLUSIVE.

Unconfirmed reports reaching us indicate that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Kogi State Governorship election, Abubakar Audu, has died.

Sahara Reporters had reported his death earlier.

Audu is said to have died earlier today, but his death was kept secret by his family and associates according to additional reports from Kogi State.

WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST DIAMOND HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN BOTSWANA.

A diamond nearly the size of a tennis ball, second only in size to a stone that is now housed in Britain's crown jewels, was unearthed in Botswana this week.

The 1,111-carat stone was discovered in the Karowe Mine in Botswana, which is owned and operated by the Vancouver-based Lucara Diamond Corp, according to the Wall Street Journal. An 813-carat diamond was also found in the cache.

The largest diamond ever uncovered was a 3,106-carat stone found in 1905 in South Africa. It was split into several separate gems that include the Great Star of Africa and the Lesser Star of Africa, two stones that are now housed in the crown jewels of the United Kingdom.

The neighbouring Benin Republic has invaded sixteen villages in Okuta, the border town in Baruten local government area of Kwara state, thereby causing serious fear and palpable tension in the affected communities.

‎In their shrewd determination to annex the Nigerian villages, Vanguard reliably gathered that authorities of Benin Republic have gone ahead to construct Gerdarmes Office(Police station) in the affected Nigerian communities and also hoist the country flag at the affected Nigeria villages.

Vanguard checks revealed that the development negated the boundary delimitation of 1914 between Britain and France which the two countries had respected.

Armed jihadists have killed at least three people in a deadly shooting rampage and taken 170 hostages at the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali according to Dailymail.

Automatic weapons fire has been heard on the seventh floor of the 190-room hotel, where it is thought as many as 12 militants have taken 140 guests and 30 members of staff hostage.

Witnesses described how the gunmen allowed around 20 hostages to leave safely after they proved they were able to recite verses of the Koran to the militants.

Hasna Aitboulahcen -– the ISIS fanatic who blew herself up in the police siege in Paris – may have been Europe's first female suicide bomber, but she is far from the world's first.

While most suicide bombers are men, Islamic militant groups have occasionally deployed women to carry out such attacks, some as young as ten.

NIGERIA ARMY DEBUNKS REPORTS THAT IT LOST OVER 100 SOLDIERS TO BOKO HARAM, #BRINGBACKOURSOLDIERS IS A PROPAGANDA.

Chief of Army staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has waved aside reports that about 105 soldiers prosecuting the war against Boko Haram terrorists met their untimely death when they failed to return in a bid to annihilate the terrorists in the North East.

The media had been awashed with news that about 100 Nigerian soldiers were missing after Boko Haram attacks in the epicenter of the battle.

But General Buratai in a telephone conversation with Vanguard said, “It is not true that our soldiers are missing. The soldiers went on a mission for the Nigerian nation and they have since returned and joined their Battalions”.

The Federal government has banned the importation of a very common brand of generators locally called “I better pass my neighbour”.

The Controller, Federation Operations Unit Zone A, Lagos of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Madugu Sanni Jubrin, who disclosed this, yesterday, said, “the smaller generators have been banned by the Federal Government because it is causing air pollution and destruction of our lungs and breathing system.

After months of procrastination, the Senate and the House of Representatives have finally constituted their committees. The setting up of the committees is the signal of the readiness of the National Assembly to settle down for business.

This is because the committee system is the engine room of the legislature – the platform upon which the business of lawmaking and legislative oversight are accomplished.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, who announced the constitution of the Senate committees penultimate Wednesday named 65 committees, nine more than the 56 committees of the preceding Senate.

Let me say it, once again: I do not support the hysteria for Biafra. I am not sure Nnamdi Kanu fully understands the subject well enough to give us a picture of what to expect if wishes were horses and beggars could ride. But as an Igbo man I fully share the sentiments that are driving the protests.

The difference between these young people and me is that while they have surrendered to the heat of emotion and are being propelled by it, those of us who are more experienced and schooled in Nigerian affairs (part of which is the Biafra sub-plot) know that when faced with tough challenges, sentiment can never produce positive results.

This has been the approach of the Igbo elite since 1994, a period of our post-war history when the military had made the Igbo totally inconsequential in Nigerian politics. In the June 12, 1993 presidential election based on the military-decreed two party system, the Igbos were reduced to mere spectators in the fight between the North and the West for power.

The governor of Ondo state and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has advised the former Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress, APC and minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to be more cautious, words-selective and fact-oriented before speaking for the presidency.

“As a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I want to believe there is an urgent need for me to assist in reorientation and exercise of Presidential familiarization for our Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to know that he now works with the Presidency and should adapt to presidential breeze and ethics and learn how to address issues of public interest without unleashing terror and verbal war on personalities in oppositions like when he does as the Spokesperson to the All Progressive Congress, APC,” Mimiko charged.

Nine soldiers who plied the lane designated for the Bus Rapid Transit in Lagos State on Tuesday have paid fines to the state government.

It was reported that some soldiers, including one Major Dickson Okpor and one Lt.Col L.A. Bello, allegedly led scores of soldiers to assault officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority who had accosted them for plying the BRT lane on the Onipanu end of Ikorodu Road.

It was reported that after the soldiers left, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bashir Braimoh, came to the spot where he personally enforced the traffic law.

There were indications on Wednesday that security agencies, including the police, were concluding arrangements to invite some former service chiefs, who were said to have been indicted by a committee, set up by President Muhammdu Buhari to probe arms procurement during the last administration.

Investigations showed that indicted service chiefs would be charged, while those who were not affected by the probe panel’s report might serve as witnesses during the trial of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki(retd.), and others said to be the masterminds of the alleged scam.

It was learnt that those, who might be invited, include ex-naval chiefs, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, (2010-2013), and Vice Admiral Usman Jubril (2014-2015).

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the compulsory retirement of Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court for misconduct.

The acting Director of Information, National Judicial Council, Mr. Soji Oye, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said the compulsory retirement took immediate effect.

Oye said the NJC had at its 74th meeting held on November 4 and 5, 2015 recommended Justice Akanbi to President Buhari for compulsory retirement following various allegations levelled against him by Shell Petroleum Company Nigeria Limited.

The immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has said he is not a thief as being speculated by President Muhammdu Buhari and his aides.

The former NSA also accused Mr. Buhari of being desperate to hang some former public and military officers who risked their lives to serve the country.

In a statement Wednesday, Mr. Dasuki, a retired colonel, described the way the Presidency was feeding the public with allegations against his person and other yet-to-be-named public officers as "theatrical."

TWIN EXPLOSION ROCKS KANO GSM MARKET, MANY FEARED DEAD.

Two explosions, believed to be from improvised explosive devices, have gone off in Kano. The explosions went off at Kano GSM market around farm centre,”

Details of the incident are still sketchy, our correspondent says. “Many people are however feared dead, and several others injured,” a reporter said.

A witness said the first explosion occurred at the market entrance while the second device exploded near a pavilion in the centre of the market.

With barely 48 hours to the governorship elections in Kogi State, Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase has assured Nigerian citizens, especially indigenes of Kogi State, of the readiness of the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to provide effective security and ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the election slated for November 21, 2015.

A statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Acting ACP Olabisi Kolawole said “The IGP gave this assurance while addressing Stakeholders and Police officers and men on Tuesday in Lokoja.

At the parley, the IGP warned all trouble-makers and anti-social elements to stay away from Kogi State throughout the period of the election as the Police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any person, no matter how highly placed in society, who flouts the law or causes a breach of the peace.

A female terrorist wearing a suicide vest has blown herself up and another jihadi is dead as more than 100 police and soldiers were today involved in a gunfight with up to six suspected Paris terrorists including the mastermind behind Friday's massacres.

A bloodied and half naked suspect was seen dragged out of a building through broken glass as SWAT teams and special forces surrounded an apartment in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis - close to the Stade de France - in a siege that started at 4.30am this morning.

French media are reporting the architect of the plan that killed 129 people, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, 27, is alive and inside the flat - until now it was thought he was in Syria orchestrating the Paris attacks from ISIS capital Raqqa.

The Senate, yesterday, directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, to begin to extend the validity of its results to a period of three years.

This was even as it ordered the board to immediately stop its policy of re-assigning candidates to schools they never applied to, saying such policy was contrary to the act establishing the board.

To this end, results obtained from the board by candidates seeking admission into universities are expected to last for three years.

The Russian intelligence service says that a Metrojet airliner that went down over Egypt’s Sinai peninsula in October was brought down by a bomb.

The Russian Security Service said on Tuesday that traces of explosives were found among the debris, after weeks of speculation about what had caused the crash.

The state-owned Sputnik News website quoted the FSB’s chief Alexander Bortnikov as saying the plane had “definitely” been downed intentionally.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday received the interim report of the 13-man committee set up by the Office of the National Security Adviser to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to date with a directive that all indicted persons be arrested and brought to book.

According to a statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the National Security Adviser during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), was among those indicted in the report.

Among other weighty allegations by the committee, the ex-NSA awarded failed contracts totalling N482bn.

EXPLOSION ROCKS MOTOR PARK IN YOLA, ADAMAWA STATE.

An explosion suspected to be from an improvised Explosive Device, IED, has just occurred at a Motor Park in Yola, Adamawa State.

A witness, Mohammed Danasabe, said that the explosion was so loud it could be heard all over the city.

He said many people were killed, but could not give a figure.

(HIGHLIGHTS) Nigeria 2 Swaziland 0. #NGASWA. Moses Simon shines as Nigeria beats Swaziland.

NIG 2 SWA 0.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Tuesday kept their hope of a place in the 2018 FIFA World Cup alive by defeating Swaziland 2-0 in Port Harcourt.

It was the second leg of the knock out duel between the two countries, after the first leg had ended in a goalless draw in Swaziland on Friday.

The Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, made three changes to the team that drew 0-0 in Swaziland. Sunshine stars’ Paul Onobi replaced Mikel Obi; Sharks’ Chima Akas came in for Elderson Echiejile and Austin Oboroakpo from Abia Warriors replaced Godfrey Oboabona.

FUEL SCARCITY LOOMS AS NNPC MAJOR DEPOT RUNS DRY.

In what seems a baptism of fire for President Muhammadu Buhari in his first week as Minister of Petroleum Resources, pockets of queues in filling stations in some major cities across the country appear to have stretched as the fuel scarcity worsened on Friday.

In spite of assurances by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, industry operators remain sceptical that these were ominous signs the country may be heading for a big mess in the run up to the coming yuletide season.

The operators’ scepticism is fuelled by reports that stock of petroleum products at NNPC facilities across the country was grossly insufficient, with supply from local refineries incapable of supporting imports.

PARIS ATTACK MARKS A MAJOR SHIFT IN ISIL - AL QAEDA RELATIONS.

At least 128 people have been killed in a series of coordinated terror attacks in Paris carried out by ISIL extremists. Francois Hollande, the French president, has called the attacks an “act of war”.

An event of this magnitude undoubtedly took months of planning. This is a far cry from the “lone-wolf” attacks in the West previously attributed to ISIL. The extremist group is thus firmly in the global mass murder business. It is striking not only at regional “enemies” such as Saudi Arabia or Hizbollah-related targets in Lebanon, but now also at the West.

ISIL would have preferred to defer this. Unlike Al Qaeda and other “salafist-jihadist” fanatics, ISIL prioritised seizing and controlling territory, and building its organisational capacity, “state” and “caliphate”.

WE ARE NOT SURE NNAMDI KANU IS ALIVE, HIS PARENTS LAMENT.

Parents of detained promoter of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu have urged the Federal Government to order the release their son from detention.

His father, the monarch of Isiama Afaraukwu in Umuahia North Council Area of Abia State said he was surprised at the prolonged detention of his son.

Addressing journalists at his Ome Udo Palace, Eze Israel Kanu, flanked by his wife, Ugoeze Nnenne Kanu, said that they were worried at the ordeal their first son has been passing through.

Gunmen and bombers attacked restaurants, a concert hall and a sports stadium at locations across Paris on Friday, killing at least 120 people in a deadly rampage that a shaken President Francois Hollande called an unprecedented terrorist attack.

A Paris city hall official said four gunmen systematically slaughtered at least 87 young people attending a rock concert at the Bataclan music hall. Anti-terrorist commandos eventually launched an assault on the building. The gunmen detonated explosive belts and dozens of shocked survivors were rescued.

Some 40 more people were killed in five other attacks in the Paris region, the city hall official said, including an apparent double suicide bombing outside the national stadium, where Hollande and the German foreign minister were watching a friendly soccer international. Some 200 people were injured.

SUPER MINISTERS AND OTHER STORIES BY REUBEN ABATI.

“Have you congratulated our new Ministers?”

“I am still thinking about it, actually. I don’t know whether to congratulate them or to commiserate or to pity some of them. They have merged Ministries that need not be merged. Some Permanent Secretaries are now floating. Six months and this is it?”

“What kind of talk is that? You have come again oh.”

GOVERNOR FAYOSE CONGRATULATES FAYEMI ON HIS APPOINTMENT AS MINISTER OF SOLID MINERALS.

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has congratulated the former Governor of the State, Dr Kayode Fayemi over his appointment as Minister of Solid Mineral, urging him to use his position for the commercial exploitation of the abundant solid mineral resources in the State.

In a statement by the spokesman for the Governor, Mr Lere Olayinka, Mr Fayose said that President Mohammadu Buhari must have considered the need for commercial exploitation of the solid minerals spread across towns and villages in Ekiti State before arriving at the choice of Fayemi as Solid Minerals Minister.

The Supreme Court, this morning, stayed further hearing on the 13-count criminal charge pending against ‎the Senate President, Dr. Olubukola Saraki, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.

The apex court, in a ruling today, directed the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal to suspend the trial to enable it to hear and determine the substantive appeal that Saraki lodged before it.

This was even as the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, entered ‎an undertaking before the apex court that “no unusual step will be taken by the federal government”, in relation to the matter.

HOW I WAS RAPED 43,200 TIMES. #SAYNOTORAPE.

Karla Jacinto is sitting in a serene garden. She looks at the ordinary sights of flowers and can hear people beyond the garden walls, walking and talking in Mexico City.

She looks straight into my eyes, her voice cracking slightly, as she tells me the number she wants me to remember 43,200.

By her own estimate, 43,200 is the number of times she was raped after falling into the hands of human traffickers.

Abubakar Malami- Minister of Justice

Geoffrey Onyeama- Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mohammed Dan Ali- Minister of Defence

Adamu Adamu- Minister of Education

Anthony Anwuka- State minister of Education

Kemi Adeosun- Minister of Finance

See full list after the cut...................

Fielding the former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in the 2011 and 2015 presidential elections was a costly mistake by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Chairman of the party’s national conference organising committee, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has said.

Dokpesi, who spoke at a media briefing in Abuja, Tuesday, said the imposition of Jonathan by the PDP might have been responsible for the party’s loss of the presidency in the last general election.

He said the zoning formula put in place by the party’s founding fathers was jettisoned by its leadership at the time.

MASSOB GIVES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 1 WEEK TO RELEASE NNAMDI KANU OR FACE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES.

A faction of the separatist group, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) has issued a one week ultimatum to the Federal Government to immediately release the detained Director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, or face severe sanctions.

The group gave the ultimatum, in a statement signed by its director of Information, Comrade Uche Madu, in which he said, at the expiration of ultimatum, MASSOB would “unleash the potency of non-violence which includes civil disobedience, civil unrest, non-cooperation, civil /massive boycott as was done during the emancipation struggle of Ghandi of India & Martin Luther King junior”.

Madu affirmed that the action is sequel to the nationwide protest embarked by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Friday, demanding for the release of Kanu and pledged full support to the protest by the IPOB, stressing that they would not relent till their agitation is actualized.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has imposed a N4 billion fine on Skye Bank Plc for failing to render appropriate returns on accounts of some government institutions and agencies.

This is contained in a statement by Skye Bank to the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The bank said the fine imposed by the apex bank was misdirected since it did not conceal any information of the accounts from the central bank.

President Muhammadu Buhari has relieved the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, of his appointment.

A top government official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not the spokesman for government, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Monday.

“It is true that the man has been asked to go,” the source simply said.

(VIDEO) THE TEN RECORD BREAKING GOALS AT 2015 FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP BY VICTOR OSIMHEN.

VICTOR OSIMHEN

Golden eaglets striker, Victor Osimhen broke the record for scoring the highest number of goals in the history of Fifa U-17 tournament when he banged in 10 goals in the recently concluded age group tournament in Chile.

Nigeria became the 2nd side after Brazil to have successfully defended the title won in 2013 at U.A.E. Victor is definitely set for glory.

Sifiso Dabengwa, the Group Chief Executive Officer of telecom company, MTN, has resigned following the massive N1.04 trillion ($5.2 billion) fine imposed on the company by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.

MTN was sanctioned by the Nigerian government for failing to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered subscribers.

Non-Executive Chairman, Phuthuma Nhleko, will act as executive chairman for a maximum period of six months while the company identifies a successor to Mr. Dabengwa, MTN said in a statement issued in Johannesburg on Monday

With an outstanding team packed with talented players, Nigeria successfully defended their crown at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015. Furthermore, the west Africans took centre stage when it came to the individual honours too.

Top scorer Victor Osimhen and captain Kelechi Nwakali both made their mark on the competition, and after winning the adidas Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, the latter followed in the footsteps of Cesc Fabregas and Toni Kroos, who are now key members of the senior sides with their respective national teams. Osimhen set a new U-17 World Cup goalscoring record, while Mali’s Samuel Diarra and Ecuador’s example of Fair Play were also recognised in the honour’s list established and overseen by FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG).

Nigeria became only the second side to retain the FIFA U-17 World Cup with a 2-0 win against Mali in Vina Del Mar. Victor Osimhen stole the show once again thanks to his record-breaking tenth goal of the tournament, with Funsho Bamgboye adding a second moments later. Samuel Diarra had saved an early Osinachi Ebere penalty as the Malians played their part in an entertaining finale to Chile 2015.

The penalty came as both sides were just finding their rhythm in the opening exchanges, Chato the culprit with a handball. Ebere saw his low effort saved brilliantly by Diarra, the No17's follow up header hit the bar before a third bite of the cherry was blocked by the Malian defence.

Both sides had chances in a tense opening period, with Golden Eaglets skipper Kelechi Nwakali hitting just wide and Boubacar Traore seeing his glancing header tipped over by Akpan Udoh.

(HIGHLIGHTS) Liverpool 1 Crystal Palace 2.

LIV 1 CYP 2

(HIGHLIGHTS) MANCHESTER UNITED 2 WEST BROM 0.

MAN U 2 WEST BROM 0.

(HIGHLIGHTS) Barcelona 3 Villarreal 0.

BAR 3 VIL 0

(HIGHLIGHTS) Arsenal 1 - 1 Tottenham.

ARS 1 - 1 TOT

TRIBUNAL SACKS TARABA STATE GOVERNOR DARIUS ISHAKU AS SEN. AISHA ALHASSAN BECOMES NIGERIA'S FIRST FEMALE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNOR.

The Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has nullified the election of Governor Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

‎The tribunal headed by Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar declared the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan‎, as the bona-fide winner of the April 11 governorship poll in the state.

‎Alhassan was among those that were cleared by the Senate to take up Ministerial appointment under President Muhammadu Buhari

Friday 6 November 2015

DSS ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING SAMBO DASUKI.,

Note: This statement by DSS is a response to alleged siege of residence of Ex- NSA Sambo Dasuki by security operative today.

DSS PRESS RELEASE

1. The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been brought to the report making rounds that its operatives illegally blocked the residence of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo DASUKI (Col/Rtd), in violation of a subsisting court order granting him a relief to travel oversea for medical services. This is to say the least that such report is not only unfounded and malicious but aimed at tarnishing the good image of the Service.

(HIGHLIGHTS) NIGERIA 4 MEXICO 2. #FIFAU17WC.

NIG 4 MEX 2

(HIGHLIGHTS) Mali 3 Belgium 1. #FIFAU17WC.

MALI 3 BELGIUM 1

(HIGHLIGHTS) Real Madrid 1 PSG 0.

R. MADRID 1 PSG 0.

(HIGHLIGHTS) Manchester United 1 CSKA Moscow 0.

Man U 1 CSKA 0.

SIR: Reports have it that over half a million persons are living with the dreaded HIV/AIDS in Benue State. This figure keeps rising by the day and sees Benue sit right at the top with the most endemic states a la HIV in Nigeria. What this portends for the state is better imagined. A commissioner from the state once stated that the virus was having a great effect on their state from farming to education et al, what with the impact on the human resources.

In March of this year, Nigerians decided that they were done with the ineptitude and insensitivity of the PDP since the inception of this democracy in 1999 and collectively decided to show them the door. This led to massive changes at the helm, from the Presidency to the two legislative arms of government which meant new faces/party at the helm of these hallowed chambers.

There is no respite yet for former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki, despite being granted leave to travel out for treatment by a Federal High Court.

Security yesterday invited him for questioning over “fresh security matters” shortly after he left court.

But he told them to approach the court if there is any fresh allegation or security issue against him.

Monday 30 November 2015

Friday 27 November 2015

Tuesday 24 November 2015

Monday 23 November 2015

Sunday 22 November 2015

Friday 20 November 2015

Thursday 19 November 2015

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Tuesday 17 November 2015

Monday 16 November 2015

Sunday 15 November 2015

Saturday 14 November 2015

Friday 13 November 2015

Thursday 12 November 2015

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Monday 9 November 2015

Sunday 8 November 2015

Saturday 7 November 2015

Friday 6 November 2015

Wednesday 4 November 2015

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