The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria News

  • Koeman blames failed Giroud move, tough fixtures for sacking

    Koeman blames failed Giroud move, tough fixtures for sacking

    Former Everton manager, Ronald Koeman says the club’s failure to sign Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud as a replacement for Romelu Lukaku, combined with their tough fixture list to start the season, led to him being fired.

    Koeman was sacked on Monday after Everton’s 5-2 loss to Arsenal dropped them into the Premier League relegation zone.

    The side have struggled to score this year, netting just seven goals in nine league games, and Koeman said allowing top scorer Lukaku to leave for Manchester United without signing a replacement proved costly.

    “I had Olivier Giroud in the building,’’ Koeman told Dutch magazine VI.

    ”He would have fitted perfectly but, at the very last moment, he decided that he’d rather live in London and stay at Arsenal.

    “That was really hard to swallow … Lukaku was so important for us, not just because of his goals.

    “If things were not going well in a game, if we could not play the way we were used to, there was always the option to use the long ball towards him.”

    Everton faced Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in their opening nine league games.

    And Koeman, who spent heavily in the summer to overhaul the squad, said he knew it would be tough going when the fixture list came out.

    “I looked at it and saw that five of our first nine games would be against clubs from last season’s top six…,” Koeman added.

    “I said to myself, ‘Phew! That is not going to be an easy run, in particular with a Europa League run at the same time; and, most of all, because I had lost my striker Lukaku.”

    Giroud was not the only striking target Everton missed out on, midfielder Nikola Vlasic told Dutch outlet 24sata.

    The club had hoped to sign former Chelsea striker Diego Costa and had reserved a shirt number for the Spaniard.

    “Number 27 was free, I wanted 8, but Ross Barkley wears it, while the club was keeping 19 for Diego Costa,” Vlasic said.

    Assistant coach David Unsworth was named Everton’s interim manager and his first league match in charge will be a trip to Leicester City on Sunday.

    NAN

  • Zamfara has spent over N57bn on Federal roads – Nalado

    Zamfara has spent over N57bn on Federal roads – Nalado

    The Zamfara Government on Thursday said it had spent N57.3 billion on the reconstruction of 600 Kilometers of roads belonging to the Federal Government in the state.

    The state Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Mu’azu Nalado, told newsmen in Gusau shortly after the Senate Committee on Works, led by Sen. Kabiru Gaya, visited the state for an oversight function.

    Nalado said that the committee during the visit inspected some of the roads reconstructed by the Zamfara state government.

    He said the state government had already submitted the reports containing all the names, locations and total length of the roads and money spent on each.

    According to the commissioner, there are still areas of contention over the ownership of some of the roads reconstructed by the state.

    He told the committee that the Federal Ministry of Works had indicated that any road not gazetted and without route number would not be considered as federal government road.

    “But we at the state government level have considered all the reconstructed roads as federal government roads because they are all federal government roads.

    “We have already presented this issue to the senate committee and they promised to look into the matter and resolve it amicably,’’ the commissioner said.

    Nalado said the state government had also spent about N200 million for emergency repairs of washed away sections of Gusau-Sokoto and Kaura-Shinkafi-Sabonbirni Highways owned by the federal government.

    He said the state government had spent N20 billion for the construction of various state owned roads, saying some were completed while others were ongoing.

    “When the present administration in the state under the leadership of Alhaji Abdul’aziz Yari came into power in 2011, almost all the roads in the state both federal and state government owned were dilapidated.

    “Therefore, we have no option than to embark on road construction to address one of the major problems affecting our people,” he said.

    The commissioner listed the reconstructed federal roads as Sokoto-border-Dakitakwas-Kebbi border, Dakitakwas-Mayanchi junction, Gusau-Kasuwar Daji and Kauran Namoda-Gidan Jaja roads.

    He said that the other road was the Wanke-Keta-Danjibga- Bilbis-Kucheri, inaugurated by President Muhammad Buhari in 2016.

    “We also have Talata-Mafara-Rini-Faru-Jambako-Gora-Boko-Lambar Book road which was completed in 2013 and also inaugurated by President Muhammad Buhari when he was a presidential candidate.”

    NAN

  • Court dissolves 16-year-old marriage between clerics

    Court dissolves 16-year-old marriage between clerics

    An Ado-Ekiti Customary Court, ‎on Thursday, dissolved a 16-year-old marriage between Mr Emmanuel Jegede and his wife, Olubunmi, both clergymen.

    The marriage was dissolved on the grounds of threat to life, provocation, stubbornness, lies and adultery.

    The petitioner, Mr Emmanuel Jegede, 41, a clergyman, resident at Irewumi quarters, opposite Bawa Estate, Ado-Ekiti, told the court that the respondent was arrogant, lazy, stubborn and unsupportive.

    He explained that the respondent, who gave birth to three children for him, was not willing to work to assist him in taking care of the children’s welfare.

    Emmanuel said that she was the only one responsible for the family upkeep including the education of the children.

    The petitioner, therefore, pleaded with the court to separate them and award the custody of his three children to him for proper care.

    The parties have since January, 2016, stopped living together, as the petitioner had remarried ‎a new wife.

    The respondent, Mrs Olubunmi Jegede, 39, a prophetess, trader and resident at No 31, Ifesowapo q‎uarters, off Nova road, Ado-Ekiti, denied all the allegations leveled against her.

    She alleged that the petitioner was an adulterous man and that in 2008 alone, he committed adultery with five women in their church.

    The respondent added that she even caught more women with the petitioner in their parish.

    The mother of three children told the court that for two years, the petitioner abandoned her and the children.

    She said the petitioner preferred to drink beer to stupor and smoke cigarette instead of taking good care of her and the children.

    Olubunmi said she was responsible for the school fees of their second child, Elizabeth, 6, since 2015 to date.

    She consented to the decision of the petitioner that the court should dissolve their marriage.

    The respondent, however prayed the court to award the custody of her three children to her for proper care.

    The president of the court, Mrs Olayinka Akomolede, observed that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and consequently dissolved the marriage.

    She awarded ‎the custody of the three children to the respondent for proper care.

    Akomolede ruled that the petitioner would be paying N2, 500 as feeding allowance on each of the three children, beginning on or before Nov. 30 through the court registry.

    She further ruled that the petitioner would be responsible for the education of the children at all levels.

    However, the court granted the petitioner, unrestricted access to his children between the hours of 8a.m. and 6p.m.

    NAN

  • Malami, Oyo-Ita attend FEC, Danbazzau absent

    Malami, Oyo-Ita attend FEC, Danbazzau absent

    Some cabinet members linked to the recall to service of the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, attended the Federal Executive Council ( FEC ) meeting on Thursday.
    Maina, who was on the run for alleged N2 billion scam, got back into service without the knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari.
    The President, on Monday had ordered disengagement of Maina from service and immediate investigation of how he was recalled.
    Those linked to the recall who attended FEC on Wednesday included the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
    Malami, who arrived the Council chamber around 10:53 a.m had discussions with the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, before the rendition of the National anthem.
    The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, who was also linked to the issue, arrived the Council chamber around 10:54 a.m.
    But the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, whose Ministry Maina was posted to, was absent when the FEC meeting started on Thursday.
    The meeting commenced when President Buhari arrived the Council Chamber around 11 a.m.

    BREAKING: Police, DSS seal off venue of PANDEF’s Assembly in Port Harcourt

  • Police, DSS seal off venue of PANDEF’s Assembly in Port Harcourt

    Police, DSS seal off venue of PANDEF’s Assembly in Port Harcourt

    Fully armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services ( DSS ), early morning today, sealed off Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, Rivers State’s venue of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum’s ( PANDEF ) General Assembly, allegedly because of security threat.

    Also sealed were all the roads leading to the five-star hotel, owned by the Rivers state government, with the accredited delegates from all the nine crude oil and gas-rich states stranded.

    After waiting for many hours at the hotel’s entrance, with none of the security personnel ready to speak, it was gathered through the telephone from one of the leaders of PANDEF, who would not want his name in print, that PANDEF’s leader, Chief Edwin Clark, 90, who arrived Port Harcourt on Tuesday and lodged in Hotel Presidential, is currently presiding over an emergency meeting of some of the leaders the forum inside the hotel.

    The source disclosed that at the end of the meeting, a communique would be issued, in order to know the next line of action.

    PANDEF’s general assembly in Port Harcourt that was aborted by security personnel, was to elect officers of the forum at the national, states and local governments, as well as elect members of PANDEF’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Advisory Committee and ratify the constitution of the forum, among others, with PANDEF said by its leaders at Monday’s news conference in Port Harcourt to be on the same level with Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).

    Presidency: Jonathan govt officials, Maina shared loot 

  • President Buhari presides over FEC

    President Buhari presides over FEC

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday presided over the meeting of Federal Executive Council (FEC) in the Presidential Villa, Abuja

    The meeting which was shifted from Wednesday, Oct. 25 to Oct. 26, started at about 11 a.m.

    It is being attended by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Habiba Lawal, and cabinet ministers.

     Gathered that the 2018 budget might be the sole agenda to be deliberated upon at the meeting.

    NAN

  • N8bn currency scam: Court refuses bail to ailing accused

    N8bn currency scam: Court refuses bail to ailing accused

    A Federal High Court in Ibadan on Thursday refused the bail applications filed by the seven accused persons standing trial over alleged N8 billion currency scam.

    The accused are; Kolawole Babalola, Muniru Olaniran, Kayode Togun, Isiaq Akano, Festus Adeyemi, Akeem Oyebanji and Ayodele Alese.

    Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek in a ruling turned down the applications believing that the accused might jump bail and refuse to show up for trial.

    “I have previously refused similar bail application and I know that the only option left for the applicants is to appeal the decision of the court.

    “The accused persons have also failed to convince this court that their ailment was contagious even though they said that the medical facilities in the prison were not adequate to cater for their deteriorating health.

    “In exercising my discretionary power, I see the possibility of the accused persons jumping bail if granted bail.

    “Therefore, the application for bail is refused and dismissed accordingly,” she ruled.

    After the ruling, the judge adjourned the case till Nov. 21, for continuation of trial.

    Earlier, Mr R. O. Sadiq, counsel to all the applicants had tendered a bail application, citing deplorable health conditions of his clients as reason for the bail application.

    Sadiq had asked the court to consider various portions of the constitution as well as the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in her decision.

    Mr Adebisi Adeniyi, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ), hwever, opposed the bail application, saying the accused persons might jump bail.

    Adeniyi also reminded the court that it had rejected all previous bail applications tendered by the accused.

    Similarly, the court also turned the bail application tendered by one Esther Olunike-Afolabi in a sister case.

    Olunike-Afolabi was earlier convicted and jailed in the case when she opted for plea bargain arrangement with the EFCC.

    Due to her involvement in another case, she was produced in court, but her bail was rejected.

    Meanwhile, in another sister case, Mr Eddwin Ennah, a former Head of Currency Processing and Disposal Unit, Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ) Ibadan office, who testified in the case, said he was shocked to see newspapers cut to the size of Naira notes in a box meant to contain N10 million.

    Testifying before Abdulmaleek, Ennah stated that the box was supposed to be containing N10 million made up of N500 notes all through, however, the box was interleaved with N100 notes and cut papers.

    “My lord, another terrible thing during that box inspection period was when our then Branch Controller asked us to cover up that discovery.

    “However, I disagreed with him.

    “The Branch Controller asked each of us to contribute certain amount to make up the loss sum in the box that was interleaved,” Ennah told the court.

    The witness further pointed out that election fraud was not the only avenue of great corruption in Nigeria, but also that several billions of Naira were usually lost to such exercise at the CBN.

    Babalola, Olaniran and Togun along with others have since 2015 been facing multiple charges bordering on conspiracy, conversion, forgery, recirculation of mutilated currencies and stealing of N8 billion at Ibadan office of CBN.

    NAN

  • UNESCO, CBAAC to celebrate 40th anniversary of FESTAC 77

    UNESCO, CBAAC to celebrate 40th anniversary of FESTAC 77

    UNESCO in partnership with the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC) would mark the 40th anniversary of FESTAC 77 to push for the preservation of images captured across the globe for posterity.

    This is contained in a statement by Mr Olushola Macaulay, UNESCO’s National Information and Programme Officer in Abuja, to mark the World Day for Audio Visual Heritage.

    He said that the event would come up in Lagos from Nov. 6 to Nov.11.

    FESTAC 77, also known as the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, was held in Lagos from Jan. 15 to Feb. 12, 1977.

    It was a celebration of African culture, music, fine art, literature, drama, dance, and religion.

    FESTAC 77 placed audio visuals in the spotlight, and UNESCO, at its 21st General Conference on Oct. 27, 1980, agreed to safeguard and preserve the images and consequently initiated the World Day for Audio Visual Heritage.

    According to Olushola, people still capture moving images across the world, but lack the ability to preserve them.

    “Everyday, all over the world, people capture moving images to record all facets of life, from science to culture or to education.

    “Some of the images depicting different events and situations of life are lost due to inappropriate preservation.

    “The World Day for Audio visual Heritage, therefore, provides a platform for preserving and promoting our heritage.

    “Not only does it provide a platform for highlighting audio visual preservation, it also provides an avenue for building dialogue around it.

    “As conserved material, audio visual archives form a cornerstone for the memory of the world and preserve recordings for future generations.

    “UNESCO in collaboration with CBAAC celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Second World African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC 77), holding in Lagos from Nov. 6 to Nov.11,” he said.

    “FESTAC 77, places in the spotlight, the role of audio visual preservation in ensuring that the memory of FESTAC 77 is kept for future generations to see,” he said.

    He added that the celebration would feature panel discussion with the theme “The Histori-cultural Importance of Audio Visual Preservation and the presentation of the Archive Digitisation Project.’’

    NAN

  • Police arrest five suspects for breaking into 10 shops

    Police arrest five suspects for breaking into 10 shops

    The Police in Jigawa on Thursday announced the arrest of five persons suspected of breaking into 10 shops in Dutse, the state capital.

    The command Public Relations Officer, Jinjiri Abdu, confirmed the arrest in an interview in Dutse.

    According to him, the suspects have been terrorizing shop owners along the popular Hakimi street in Dutse and other parts of the town.

    Abdu alleged that those arrested had broken into over 10 shops in the last three months and carted away goods and other valuables.

    The command spokesman explained that three of the suspects believed to be directly involved in the alleged crime were apprehended in the locality while two others were arrested in Kano for alleged receipt of stolen items.

    He said the suspects would be charged to court on conclusion of investigation and urged residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious character to the nearest police station for prompt action.

    NAN

  • Lawyer urges FG, states to prioritise civil servants welfare

    Lawyer urges FG, states to prioritise civil servants welfare

    An Ilorin-based legal practitioner, Mr Toyin Abayomi, has called on the Federal Governments( FG ) and State to prioritise issues that affect the welfare of the civil servants across the country.

    Abayomi, in an interview in Ilorin, said that government must do more to improve the conditions of civil servants in the country in fulfillment of its change agenda.

    He lamented the situation where Nigeria’s leaders both military and elected were fond of maltreating civil servants by denying them their meagre entitlements as and when due.

    ”Civil servants in the country have been relegated to a position of slaves at work year-in, year-out and at the end of the month and their working career, they go home with nothing.

    “Rather than consider their welfare, State Governors travel abroad at their expense for tourism with available resources which they spend on some grandiose and bogus ideas like erecting statues while owing workers salaries.

    “The civil servants and their children go through hard time as they have school fees, house rent and other pressing needs to settle. Where do you want them to get money from?” he asked.

    He said that civil servants needed to be carried along in the provisions by the government in the much touted dividends of democracy as they were sacrificing everything to make the country get better.

    He appealed to the Federal Government ( FG ) and State at all levels to stop denying civil servants their entitlements and to make provisions to carry them along.

    “Let them feel and taste the dividends of democracy, enough of the maltreatment, they are sacrificing everything to make the country grow so they deserve better welfare,” he said.

    According to him, it is time for the government at all levels and policy makers to prioritise civil servants welfare by settling all arrears and entitlements owed them.

    “The government should consider improving on the minimum wage paid in the country to boost their moral,” he said.

    NAN