The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Katsina police arrest kidnap gang leader

    Katsina police arrest kidnap gang leader

    Katsina State Police Command says it has arrested a 30-year-old man who specialized in kidnapping rich people for ransom.

    Mr Beson Gwama, the new Commissioner of Police in the state, told newsmen on Monday in Katsina that the suspect was a leader of a kidnap syndicate whose operations had created fears among the people in the area.

    “We arrested the suspect while attempting to kidnap the manager of a filling station who is the son of a business mogul in the state.

    “The ring leader came to the filling station with a fake policeman who abducted the son of the businessman to an unknown destination and later demanded for ransom.

    “Luck, however, ran against them when the kidnapped victim escaped from his captors and returned home.

    “The kidnapping expert was arrested while attempting to escape with the ransom that the victim’s parents paid at a scene outside Malumfashi town but his two accomplices managed to escape,” he said.

    Gwana appealed to members of the public to always assist the police with useful information about the activities of criminals in the state.

    NAN

  • Tinubu lauds choice of Agege Stadium for AITEO Cup Final

    Tinubu lauds choice of Agege Stadium for AITEO Cup Final

    The choice of Agege Township Stadium located in a close-packed area of the Lagos metropolis for the 2017 maiden AITEO Cup Final by the organisers is logical and administrative, says Deji Tinubu, the Chairman, State Sports Commission.

    “The choice of Agege stadium as venue for the cup is logical and administrative.

    “The use of the stadium means so much to us as it had played host to the CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad and other CAF executives. So, it is a right step.

    “The facilities at the stadium are of high standard that can host any final because we harp on quality infrastructure in Lagos State,” he disclosed in an interview on Monday.

    The stadium had played host to the maiden AITEO Cup final displacing the former host, Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere with thousands of spectators and football supporters on hand to watch the oldest cup match in the country.

    Akwa United football club defeated the Niger Tornadoes 3-2 on penalty shootout after a goalless full time to emerge winner for the second time in a space of two years, having won it in 2015 under the name, Federation Cup.

    Tinubu said:“This stadium will also play host to the continental championships which we are looking forward to, they must have used the opportunity to access the facilities at the stadium.

    “The organisers asked us for venues and they made their choice which is logical and administrative. They have their criteria, ours is to get the venue ready.”

    On the bid by the Lagos State Government to take over the National Stadium adjacent to the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Tinubu said the plan to acquire it was still on, adding the proposal has yet to be approved by the Federal Government.

    “We have submitted the bid and we are awaiting response from the federal government for approval, if we are awarded the bid, it is okay and if not, we will move on.

    “We have our plans for sports infrastructure in the state and we will not continue to sit down and watch such an iconic facility rot away under our nose.

    “Sports remains one of the the sectors we want to use to drive the economy of the state as identified by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.

    “The administration has identified critical sectors such as sports, tourism, and entertainment to drive the economy, hence , sports infrastructure development is critical,’ ‘he said.

  • Federer eyes 7th ATP Finals title, after Shanghai triumph

    Federer eyes 7th ATP Finals title, after Shanghai triumph

    Roger Federer is eyeing a seventh ATP Finals crown and has not ruled out pinching the world no. one ranking from Rafa Nadal, if he maintains the form that won him his second Shanghai Masters trophy on Sunday.

     Federer the 19-times grand slam winner claimed his 94th title and sixth this year with an emphatic defeat of Nadal in the Shanghai final and is hungry for a first ATP Finals win since 2011.

    “London is my priority now and I really want to win the World Tour Finals,”  the evergreen 36-year-old told Sky Sports.

    “I am very excited to have had the year that I have had and everything that comes from here is a bonus.

    “Finishing the year as world no. one is a long shot and I don’t think it will happen, but if I play like this, who knows?

    “Maybe I will get close again.”

    Shangai was Federer’s first tournament since the U.S. Open and the confidence he gained from his opening matches helped him through a taxing schedule.

    “It’s been a tough week, five straight matches is always a test and a challenge for anybody’s body, especially with the pressure rising,” he said.

    “I felt I was playing well all week and that settled my nerves because I was returning well from the (opening) match here against (Diego) Schwartzman.

    “The serve only got better and I saved the best for last … In a way, not surprising because I felt good all week — I was ready.”

    The Swiss next headlines his home Basel International starting Oct. 21.

    NAN

  • Pope implicitly criticises U.S. for leaving Paris climate accord

    Pope implicitly criticises U.S. for leaving Paris climate accord

    Pope Francis on Monday implicitly criticised the United States for pulling out of the Paris agreement on climate change, praising it as a means to control the devastating effects of global warming.

    The U.S. is the only country out of 195 signatories to have withdrawn from the accord, which aims to cut emissions blamed for the rise in temperatures.

    President Donald Trump announced the decision in June shortly after visiting the pope, a strong supporter of the deal.

    At the time a Vatican official said the move was a “slap in the face” for the pope and the Vatican.

    “We see consequences of climate change every day,” the pope said in an address to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation ( FAO ) at its headquarters in Rome.

    “Thanks to scientific knowledge, we know how we have to confront the problem and the international community has also worked out the legal methods, such as the Paris Accord, which sadly, some have abandoned,” he said.

    Under the deal, United States had committed to reducing its own emissions by 26 to 28 percent, compared with 2005 levels, by 2025.

    Many world leaders have criticised Trump for deciding to pull out.

    In his Spanish-language address to the UN agency, Francis denounced “negligence toward the delicate equilibrium of the ecosystems, the presumption of manipulating and controlling the limited resources of the planet, and the greed for profit.”

    Agriculture ministers and diplomats from the Group of Seven (G7) world power nations attended the gathering, which marked FAO’s World Food Day.

    “We can’t be satisfied by saying ‘someone else will do it,’” the Pontiff said.

    Ending local conflicts and curbing the effects of climate change were two of the “prerequisites” for dealing with world food security, Francis also said.

    “The yoke of poverty caused by the often tragic movement of migrants can be removed by prevention, consisting of development projects that create jobs and offer the capacity to respond to climactic and environmental changes,” he said.

    NAN

  • Sharapova eyes strong finish to season after Tianjin title

    Sharapova eyes strong finish to season after Tianjin title

    Maria Sharapova is looking for a strong finish to a season that began with a doping ban and hit a high in China on Sunday when she won her first title in two years.

    The former world no. one, who returned from the 15-month ban in April, defeated Belarusian teenager, Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 7-6(8) in the final of the Tianjin Open on Sunday.

    Sharapova said she was looking forward to building on the success next week in Moscow at the Kremlin Cup, a tournament she has not appeared at since 2007.

    “Obviously coming there with the title already means a lot, but I do really want to finish strong,” said the Russian, who accepted a wild card for the event.

    “I don’t remember the last time that I played three events in a row. But I will give it everything I have got and I know I have so many amazing fans there.”

    The five-time grand slam champion said the Tianjin title, the 36th of her career, was special.

    “It has been a couple of years since I have held the winner’s trophy. It is a great feeling,” she said.

    “When you start all the way from the beginning of the tournament and then you end up playing the final in a full stadium, with so much enthusiasm and energy.

    “And you are the one that wins the last point, just everything falls into place.

    “You have to appreciate those moments, never take them for granted.”

    Sharapova takes on Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova in the opening round in Moscow.

    NAN

  • Court docks three men over N 4.3m estate fraud

    Court docks three men over N 4.3m estate fraud

    Adeyemi Adefisan, Michael Olupona and Peter Adeyemi, who allegedly defrauded a company of N4.3 million, were on Monday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    The accused– Adefisan, 43; Olupona, 38; and Adeyemi, 38 — who reside in Lagos and Ogun States, are arraigned on a
    three-count charge conspiracy, fraud and stealing.

    The trio pleaded not guilty and were admitted to a bail of N500, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

    The Magistrate, Mr J.A. Adigun, who gave the ruling, said the sureties should be gainfully employed with an evidence of two
    years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    Earlier, Police Prosecutor Godwin Awase said the accused committed the offences sometime in March at Ogba in Ikeja area.

    Awase said the accused conspired and defrauded Araz Development Company of N4.3 million.

    “The accused fraudulently obtained N4.3 million from the complainant,’’ he told the court.

    According to him, the men approached the complainant’s company on the pretext of assisting to finance a project worth N400
    million.

    “The accused went to the complainant’s company with a partnership proposal on an estate project.

    “After the complainant made the initial payment of N4.3 million to the accused, they were nowhere to be found again. They

    refused to fulfill their part of bargain.

    “All efforts to trace them or retrieve the money proved unsuccessful until they were arrested after seven months,” he said.

    The offences contravened Sections 287, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    Section 314 stipulates 15 years jail term for obtaining money under false pretences.

    The case was adjourned until Oct. 20 for mention.

    NAN

  • EU foreign ministers signal steadfast support for Iran nuclear deal

    EU foreign ministers signal steadfast support for Iran nuclear deal

    Several Foreign Ministers of the European Union ( EU ) on Monday signalled their resolve to keep the Iran nuclear deal intact after U.S. President Donald Trump cast doubt on U.S. support for the deal.

    “The EU does not see any alternatives to the existing deal,’’ foreign ministers said at the sidelines of a meeting in Luxembourg, after Trump refused to certify the deal on Friday, throwing continued U.S. support for it into question.

    However, EU foreign policy Chief Federica Mogherini has said she is not considering alternatives.

    “I’m not considering alternatives, we do not expect the deal to be finished, we expect the deal to be preserved, continued to be implemented by all sides.

    “This is a strong European Union( EU ) commitment,’’ Mogherini said.

    While Trump’s announcement does not mean that the U.S. has withdrawn from the agreement, it is now up to the U.S. Congress to decide if sanctions on Iran will be reintroduced, which would put the deal at risk.

    “We believe that it is wrong to destroy the agreement,’’ German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel noted.

    French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned that “an act of rupture would be extremely damaging.”

    He noted, however, that there were issues that remained to be discussed with Iran such as its ballistic programme and the way the country behaves in regional issues.

    NAN

  • Court orders interim forfeiture of N1.96bn linked to Ontario Oil

    Court orders interim forfeiture of N1.96bn linked to Ontario Oil

    A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of N1.96 billion allegedly belonging to an oil company, Ontario Oil and Gas, over alleged fraudulent sale of refined petroleum.

    Justice Hadiza Shagari, issued the order, following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) seeking attachment of the funds.

    “That the property mentioned in paragraphs nine of the affidavit viz, Renoir Logistics Ltd currently under investigation be interim attached/forfeited pending the determination of the investigation and possible prosecution of the case.

    “That the said property attached/forfeited, ad-interim be managed and controlled by the EFCC,’’ the judge held.

    In the suit labeled FHC/L/CS/1464/17, the commission joined as first and second respondents respectively, Ontario Oil and Gas Ltd, and Mrs Ada Ugo-Ngadi, Managing Director of the company.

    An affidavit of urgency elicited by an investigating officer of the EFCC, Mr Abdukarim Acheneje in support of the ex parte motion, chronicles as follows:

    “That the EFCC received a petition from Ms Joan Ganadanu, a legal practitioner, against the second respondent, complaining of diversion and conversion of proceeds of sale of refined petroleum products valued at N1.96 billion.

    “That the petition alleged that the first respondent is a customer to Union Bank Plc, of Stallion Plaza branch, Marina Lagos.

    “That union bank granted a loan facility to the first respondent in the tune of 70 million US dollars to import and/or purchase locally refined petroleum products PMS, DPK and AGO.

    “That the loan was to be repaid from sale of the products and the second respondent guaranteed repayment of the said loan personally.

    “That further investigations revealed that the respondent have lifted the product on the order financed by the bank for 10,000 metric tons of AGO, since July 2016.

    “That the respondent have sold same, but have refused to lodge the proceeds in the company’s account, and pay back the facility to union bank among other financial infractions.”

    NAN

  • Nigeria to use reserve players against Algeria-Coach

    Nigeria to use reserve players against Algeria-Coach

    Salisu Yusuf, Assistant Coach of Super Eagles of Nigeria on Monday said that he would use more  reserve players for the 2018 world cup qualifier against Algeria on Nov.11.

    Yusuf made the disclosure in an interview  while speaking on the team’s preparation for the Algeria match.

    He said that the match would enable the coaching crew to not only try the reserves but also select players for the final in Russia.

    “Some of the players have not been opportune to play, so this match will offer them such opportunity

    “We know there is nothing to be scared of because we already have the world cup ticket but our interest now is to have a blended team,“Yusuf said.

    The coach pledged that the super Eagles would not lose any of their matches, adding that they were ready to win the game against Algeria.

    The super Eagles currently lead Group B with 13 points and will slug it out with the Algerian side on Nov. 11, in Algiers.

    FIFA has confirmed Gabonese Eric Castane as the centre referee while Aboubacar Doumbouya of Guinea and Burkina Faso’s Seydou Tiama will serve as his assistants.

    NAN

  • Nigeria moves up in latest FIFA Ranking

    Nigeria moves up in latest FIFA Ranking

    Nigeria moved up to the 41st position in the World and retained the fifth in Africa in the latest FIFA Coca-Cola world rankings.

    The rankings released by the World Football governing body showed that Nigeria moved up three places from the 44th position in  September, but maintained the fifth spot in Africa.

    It said that Nigeria had 721 points compared to the 696 in September.

    The report said that Tunisia became the new number in Africa and 28th in the world with 834 points while the former number on the continent, Egypt came second and 30th in the world with 818 points.

    Senegal is number three in Africa and 32 in the world with 815 points while DR Congo is fourth on the continent and 35th in the world with 751 points.

    African champions, Cameroon is sixth in the continent and 42nd in the world with 718 points.

    In the top 10 ranked countries, Germany retained the number one position in the world with 1631 points while Brazil is second with 1619 points.

    Portugal is third, Argentina fourth, Belgium fifth, Poland sixth and France seventh.

    Osita Okeke, chairman Nigeria football supporters club, South Africa chapter, attributed Nigeria`s improvement to Super Eagles qualification for the Russia 2018 World Cup.

    “From the matches against Cameroon and then Zambia, the Eagles played well and deserve improvement in the latest rankings.

    “I believe that the team will continue to do well, especially in the World Cup,” he said.

    NAN