The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Asaba

  • Eagles to play Zimbabwe June 2 in Asaba

    The three-time African champions Nigeria will open camp in Asaba, capital of Delta State on 2nd June, ahead of the clash with the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Stephen Keshi Stadium on Saturday, 8th June, thenff.com can confirm.

    Zimbabwe, which has in its ranks, globally –acknowledged talents Knowledge Musona and Kharma Billiat, finished top of a qualifying group that included two-time African champions, Democratic Republic of Congo, a resurgent Liberia and 1972 AFCON winners, Congo Brazzaville.

    The day after the match with the Warriors, the Super Eagles’ delegation will depart Asaba aboard a chartered flight for Ismailia, Egypt, where they will set up a final training camp.

    On Sunday, 16th June, the Eagles will file out against African number one –ranked team, Senegal at the Ismailia Stadium in their final tune-up game.

    This is a match to look forward to, between Africa’s number one and number three –ranked teams, just a few days to the kick –off of the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations.

    President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick said “We have sealed the matches with the Warriors of Zimbabwe and the Lions of Teranga and these are two matches we are really looking forward to. There cannot possibly be a better way to get into the AFCON spirit than playing the number one –ranked team in Africa just before the finals begin.”

    His Senegalese opposite number, Augustine Senghor, stated: “We shall only have one friendly match against Nigeria as we prepare for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.”

    Apart from being Africa’s number one –ranked team, the Lions of Teranga have in their ranks the revered Liverpool FC of England points man Sadio Mane. They come up against a Nigerian side also brimming with talent, depth and creativity.

    The day after the clash with Senegal, the Super Eagles’ delegation will move to Alexandria, venue of their Group B games, where they take on Burundi on 22nd June, tackle Guinea on 26th June and confront Madagascar on 30th June.

  • Tricycles banned in Asaba

    Tricycle operators have been banned from operating beyond 10pm in Asaba and surrounding environment.

    Delta State Commissioner of Police Adeleke Adeyinka vowed to arrest any tricyclist who flouts the order.

    “The command is reinforcing the order owing to the prevailing security situation in the state,” he said.

    A statement by the spokesman, Chuks Oresewezie, said men of the command on patrol duties have been ordered to impound any tricycle found operating in Asaba metropolis and environs beyond 10pm.

    Read also: Police allegedly kill IPOB member in Delta

    The statement solicited the understanding of Deltans, and assured the public of the police commitment to their safety and security.

    The restriction on commercial tricyclists may not be unconnected with the rising spate of violent attacks on police personnel. There has been an upsurge in violent crimes lately, especially on police personnel, leading to deaths and loss of service rifles.

    Three policemen were attacked at a check point at Inter-bau roundabout in Asaba and the hoodlums stole their service rifles.

  • Hoodlums cut off officer’s hand

    Suspected hoodlums have attacked a police checkpoint in Asaba, Delta State, leaving three policemen in critical condition, The Nation has learnt.

    Those injured, it was gathered, included a police inspector, a sergeant and a corporal, who lost his right hand.

    The attack is the latest on assaults on policemen serving under the command.

    In September last year, Ughelli Area Command recorded two similar incidents, with the hoodlums carting away rifles belonging to slain policemen.

    The police team was reportedly manning a checkpoint at Inter-bau roundabout, by ASCON Oil Filling Station, where they were attacked by the hoodlums.

    A source, who preferred anonymity, said the policemen sustained deep machete cuts after being allegedly disarmed by the hoodlums.

    He said the hoodlums attacked the police checkpoint shortly after the police patrol van left with the driver and an officer, leaving only three officers behind.

    The Nation gathered that the first victim had just ordered a motorist making a call in a parked vehicle near the checkpoint to leave when the four assailants attacked him with a machete and made away with his rifle.

    It was learnt that another group simultaneously attacked the team leader, simply identified as Inspector Francis.

    He also lost his rifle to the hoodlums.

    A police corporal reportedly escaped with his rifle, but lost his right hand.

    The Nation gathered that of the seven policemen at the checkpoint, only five reported for duty on the fateful day.

    It was learnt that the team leader got a call from one Sergeant Azuka called to send the vehicle to the state headquarters to convey an officer to Area Command at ‘A Division’ a few kilometres away.

    The Nation gathered that the two policemen that failed to turn up for duty were on guard duty at a popular hotel where a senior officer enjoys free accommodation.

    Police Commissioner Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke, who neither confirmed nor denied the incident, said the command would issue a statement on the incident.

  • Ex-Director docked for alleged child theft in Delta

    A retired Director, (name withheld), Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Development has been arraigned for alleged child theft in Delta state.

    The director, who retired from the Department of Child, Asaba was arrested after security agents acting on a petition swooped on a couple who implicated him.

    Delta Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Peter Mrakpor who made this known Wednesday during the maiden media briefing of the Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration in Asaba.

    Mrakpor who doubles as the taskforce head, said the 17 member Taskforce is saddled with the responsibility of checking human trafficking and Illegal migration.

    He said the issue of prostitution surrounds the issue of oath taking among victims by their sponsors, adding that Delta State is top among States with the highest number of illegal migrants.

    He identified three categories in the illicit trade to include Nigerians who after being denied visa overseas, attempt crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

    According to him, the other group includes young females lured abroad with promises of a good life, but belong to a syndicate engaged in trafficking young girls for prostitution.

    He said the third group includes young girls or boys used as domestic help often extorted by an agent.

    Mrakpor solicited support from the media, stressing that such collaboration was important to adequately sensitise Deltans.

    READ ALSO: Child theft: Daycare owners trained in child management

    He urged the media to assist in changing the orientation of prospective victims, adding that the Taskforce will also consider the use of town criers in the dissemination of information regarding illegal migration.

    He lamented that some of returnees are uninterested in government rehabilitation programmes, adding that shortly after release from government custody the victims embark on another journey abroad.

    Mrakpor disclosed that three rehabilitation centres are being proposed for the three senatorial zones to ensure that returnees are properly rehabilitated.

    On the case of the arrested serial child trafficker “Madam Cash”, the taskforce chairman said the suspect was in prison custody after the state amended charges against her to include kidnapping.

    His words, “Madam Cash, the serial child trafficker is at Ogwashi-Uku Prison. Trial is on. Initially, she was charged for child stealing which is a bailable offence; she abused her bail conditions after going back to child stealing. The state amended the charge against her to kidnapping after her re-arrest.”

  • 48 prisoners regain freedom in Delta

    The Delta state Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro has ordered the released 48 awaiting trial inmates from Kwale and Ugwashi-Uku prisons after a routine visit.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the state high court, Mr Timothy Agbaragu on Monday in Asaba.

    Umukoro said the released inmates were among the 561 remand warrants reviewed from the two prisons.

    He said their release was based on ill health, unjustified long detention in prison and want of diligent prosecution.

    “The purpose of the prison visit is to reiterate government desire to ensure that persons awaiting trial do not spend their whole lives in prison.

    Read Also: Delta monarchs hail Okowa’s reelection

    “The health of inmates should be considered, that is the reason why Emmanuel Chukwudi, 22, who has a cancerous growth on half of his face was released.

    “The health and age of suspects should be looked at because we do not want to support or be part of the process where juveniles are brought here.

    `Juveniles will be released if found in prison and will be sent to remand home in Sapele,’’ he said.

    The chief Judge said the exercise is not meant to throw the prison doors open for persons awaiting trial, especially those who were involved in violent crimes like kidnapping, armed robbery and rape.

    The released Chukwudi, said he has been in Kwale prison since 2016 on the alleged offense of house breaking and stealing, which he claimed to be innocent of.

    NAN

  • Delta proud of football fest –Ebie

    The Government of Delta State is proud of the recent football fest in which the state hosted three international matches within five days.

    Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chiedu Ebie, told journalists that the ‘football fest’ had justified the position of Delta as the leading state in sports.

    Ebie said: “Our governor is passionate about sports and that is why we could do this effortlessly. It is good for the state because we have shown that we are good enough to stage international sports events. The Stephen Keshi Stadium hosted athletics last year without a problem and now three big football matches within five days. We are so proud of this.

    Read also: Success sparks revolution in Delta education sector

    “Next week, we will also host the final of the Principals’ Cup for secondary schools, which is a developmental event. At the last two editions of the National Sports Festival, our athletes emerge overall first on the medals table and these are enough to exhibit our strength in sports.”

    Ebie added that it was the wish of Governor Okowa to see Delta athletes, especially footballers dominate various cadres of the national teams in the nearest future.

    The Super Eagles took on Seychelles at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on March 22 and after recording a 3-1 win, the U-23 team also engaged Libya in an AFCON qualifier for that cadre on March 25.

  • We’re here to win, says Egypt coach

    A 50- man team of the Egyptian National team on Sunday breezed into Asaba , the Delta State Capital brimming with optimism ahead of the international friendly match against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

    The team, which landed at about 1.40 pm, proceeded to the Golden Tulip Hotel Camp escorted by men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and Department of State Security Service (DSS).

    Assistant coach of the team, Tito Garcia Sanjvan said the team was coming with a winning mentality.

    He added the friendly match was important to the team being the last FIFA window before the Nations Cup holding in Egypt.

    According to him: “We play always to win. We try to do our best.For us it is an important because Nigeria is a very tough team. It is important because it is our last match before the tournament for our young players.”

    He said testing the young Egyptian team away against Nigeria will help toughen them.

    He said the match will provide opportunity for the team coaches to introduce more young players.

    Sanjvan regretted the Egyptian team could not get the three points in their last group game against the Menas of Niger Republic, stressing that team improvement was uppermost as the young players learn.

    Sanjvan said the Egyptian team stands a good chance of emerging champions at the 2019 Total African Nations Cup, adding that Algeria, Morrocco, Tunisia, Nigeria and Senegal can win the African Nations Cup.

    His words: “There are 5 or 7 teams in the tournament that can win the Nations and Nigeria is one. This type of tournaments is difficult to predict so we take it step by step”.

    He said the team will be led by Arsenal Superstar, Mohammed Elneny and Soulyaman of Al Ahli, adding that some key first team players like Liverpool star Mahmoud el Salah and a host of others will miss the friendly match with Nigeria.

  • Ighalo, Onyekuru, Simon on target

    The Super Eagles defeated the Pirates of Seychelles 3-1 in their final qualifying match of the 2019 African Cup of Nations played yesterday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.

    Goals from Odion Ighalo, Henry Onyekuru and substitute Moses Simon helped the Nigerian team defeat the underdogs in yesterday’s clash.

    Being well-placed at the top of the log, Gernot Rohr’s men came into the clash as huge favourites but showed less than what was expected of them in the first 45 minutes of the game.

    Odion Ighalo scored the opener for the Eagles via a spot kick in the 35th minute after Wilfred Ndidi was brought down in the Seychelles box.

    The Pirates then benefitted from a howler from Nigeria’s goalkeeper Francis Uzoho who failed to effectively punch a cross, to snatch an equaliser through Rody Melanie’s strike in the 41st minute.

    Read also: Season of harvest for Super Eagles and company!

    The Eagles came back better in the second-half and just five minutes after the restart, went into the lead through a header from Henry Onyekuru. The Galatasaray forward nodded into the net from a Jamilu Collins cross to send his effort past the Seychelles goalkeeper from close range.

    Moses Simon, who was introduced late in the second period, put the icing in the cake for the Eagles with a pin point strike in the box on the stroke of 90 minutes. The winger picked up a pass from Collins, twisted and turned, before blasting in at the near post for the Eagles third.

    Nigeria thus finish Group E as winners with an unassailable 13 points regardless of the outcome of Monday’s game between group mates Libya and South Africa.

    The Eagles will now have their attention turned to an international friendly against AFCON hosts Egypt on Tuesday.

  • IICC moves to create awareness in Asaba

    The Insurance Industry Consultative Council is set to intensify efforts in promoting insurance awareness in Nigeria with the training on compulsory insurances scheduled for February 6, 2019 at the Sweet Spirit Hotel and Resort, Mardezok, Asaba, Delta State.

    Participants for the programme have been drawn from government parastatals in Delta  State and the private sector.

    The training will afford them deep insight into liability/compulsory insurance, assessment and rating of Compulsory Insurances and Insurance Claims Administration.

    Insurance Industry Consultative Council Chairman, Mr. Eddie Efekoha, said the council has focused on promoting insurance growth and training is one of the platforms the IICC was leveraging.

    He said: “This training further serves to reiterate the commitment of the IICC to achieving  its’ laid down objectives and promote insurance awareness in Nigeria.

    “With insurance, you have the ultimate keys to live and work with freedom. A lot of Insurance products and offerings are not being patronised and enforced because of inadequate understanding of insurance laws. We are passing across invaluable knowledge to the participants at the seminar that will aid the dissemination of their duties,” he said.

  • Remains of Chief Sunny Odogwu laid to rest

    The remains of the Ide of Ahaba and business mogul, Chief Sunny Odogwu, 91, who died in a London Hospital Nov. 5, 2018, has been laid to rest in Asaba, his home town.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Odogwu, the first black man to be wedded by the Pope at the Vatican, was a brother to Late Mariam Babangida, wife of former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida.

    In a sermon during a requiem mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, West-end, Asaba, Most Rev. Michael Elue, the Catholic Bishop of Isele-Uku Diocese, said Odugwu led a good life that touched humanity positively.

    Elue said people should live right and impact others positively in order to attract the mercies of God even at death and make haven.

    He said though the loss of a loved one was painful, death was sacrosanct and must come at the will of the creator, God.

    ”So, we have the duty to live right because we can only be assured of eternal rest with God based on how we lived our lives.

    ”There are two realities: one is to be born and the other is to die. We shall be remembered for the good or bad that we did while we lived,” he said.

    Also, Arch Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma of Enugu Diocese, Anglican Communion, tasked politicians to emulate the life of late Odogwu.

    Chukwuma said that the country was in a sorry state at present because politicians had all become selfish and desirous to satisfy themselves rather than render service to all.

    He described late Odogwu as a ”great father, friend, uncle, a successful business icon of international standard and a philanthropists who had directly impacted humanity.

    ”Late Odogwu was a jolly hard working man, a philanthropists and that is what Nigerians need.

    “Politicians must work hard; many of our politicians are lazy and are seeking for their own selves.

    ”Nigeria is in trouble and we need more people like Sonny Odogwu who did not think of himself but about people, particularly the less privilege ones,” Chukwuma said.

    Read Also: Sunny Odogwu dies at 87

    On his part, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ede, Founder, Catholic Prayer Ministry of the Holy Spirit, Elele, Rivers, said that the deceased directly impacted his life, the church, Nigeria, Africa and the world.

    ”He would be remembered for his philanthropy and all the 16,000 staff of Madona University and millions of persons impacted will continue to pray for him,” he said.

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, said Odogwu’s demise was ‘regrettable’ but added that he had left a legacy for everyone to uphold.

    Okowa represented by his deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, said the Delta Government was deeply touched by Odugwu’s death and shared in the pains experienced by his family and associates.

    The governor prayed God to give the family fortitude to bear the irreparable lose.

    Many dignitaries graced the occasion including Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, former Delta Governors, Chief James Ibori and Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and former Gov. Okwesilieze Nwodo of Enugu State.

    and former Gov. Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom.

    Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi and former Gov. Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom were in attendance, among others. (NAN)