Security operatives have besieged the Lagos office of online news platform, SaharaReporters
The security operatives reportedly armed prevented entry into the office located at GRA Ikeja.
It was gathered that security operatives came in three vehicles and stationed themselves in front of the office
According to SaharaReporters, the security operatives were shouting, “Open the gate! Come outside.”
Details shortly
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama has said that the Nigerian Government would use the Forum of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to seek global support fighting terrorism and increasing Foreign Direct Investments (FDI).
Onyeama made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during a Pre-UNGA briefing with newsmen stating the expectations of the Nigerian government during the high level summit from Sept. 17 to Sept. 30.
According to Onyeama, Nigeria would take advantage of its position as President of the 74th UN General Assembly to project the country and articulate priorities of the country, what t seeks to achieve and areas for global support.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari will be lead the Nigerian delegation which would include Members of his cabinet and some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure Nigeria have the best technical resources.
Onyeama listed other priority issues of the country to be discussed at the summit to include: issues of Peace and Security, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG ) which covers socio-economic, education, humanitarian issues regarding child’s right.
Other issues are: poverty eradication, illicit financial flows, recovery of stolen assets,
“More strategically as a country, it is an opportunity to project our country as an important member of the international community.
“And having the Presidency of the General Assembly is something that also gives us that higher visibility and great influence.
“We would also want to use that to push agenda of importance to us as a country, our fight against corruption, repatriation of foreign loots, engaging with other countries.
“In our quest to successfully deliver on SDG objectives that cover our social economic challenges, terrorism, and countering violent extremism.
“Is also something we would want to maintain at the highest levels of global priorities because it is our major challenges.
“Mr President has just come back from a summit of ECOWAS Heads of States on Peace and Security in the West Africa Sub-region so this is still a challenge that we are facing.
“And it is important to use that opportunity to keep the global community engaged and supportive of what we are doing, our fight.
“And also taking the opportunity to a greater United Nations for support in that fight against terrorism but also in the global conflicts taking place in Africa,” Onyeama said.
Onyeama said tha Nigeria has been very present in Peace Keeping interventions across the continent under the framework of the African Union.
He added that with such large troops from Nigeria it was important to have financial and other support from the UN peace keeping division.
The Minister said that President Buhari would also be having bilateral meetings with some Heads of States and engaging with different personalities like Bill Gates to discuss attracting FDI.
Onyeama explained that the Foreign revenue streams of the Country expected hence, the need to diversify to attract more Foreign Direct Investment into our country.
He said that Nigeria would also be soliciting support of the UN to recharge the Lake Chad which has shrunk by 90 per cent and has affected the source of livelihood of people living across the region.
Onyeama added that Nigeria will use the opportunity to canvass support for a number of Nigerians and the country itself vying for certain international position, engage with countries to try to get their support so that the nation can deliver on the positions.
“For instance, Nigeria is keen to be elected into a category of the International Maritime Organisation.
“We didn’t make it the last time round, so we are persisting this time and with the challenges that we have, maritime challenges, we feel that it is important that we be on the governing bodies for regulating maritime issues.
“We are also vying for a position on the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, we are vying for a seat under part two on the International Civil Aviation Organisation Council.
“We have a candidate that we are pushing to be on the Committee Against Torture, we also have a candidate that we are pushing for election to the United Nations Committee on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
“So, we will be taking advantage of our presence there during the General Assembly to also lobby for these positions,” Onyeama said. (NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari has dissolved the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) as currently constituted with Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla as Chairman.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been directed to immediately take over all outstanding investigations and other activities of the SPIP.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Chief Femi Adesina.
The panel was established in August 2017 by the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN to investigate specifically mandated cases of corruption, abuse of office and similar offences by public officers.
President Buhari, according to the statement, thanked all members of the dissolved panel for their services.
“The President looks forward to receiving the final Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) report on the ongoing investigations of the dissolved panel’s Chairman,” it stated.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), said on Tuesday it has enough cows and pastoralists to meet the country’s milk requirements.
Alhaji Othman Ngelzarma, General Secretary, MACBAN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the major challenge in milk production in the country was inadequate milk processors and collation centres to uptake pastoralists’ production locally.
The general secretary specifically noted that the country currently had over 70 million cows, adding that three litres output of milk per cow daily was enough to meet the nation’s milk requirement, if collated effectively.
He said: “If we can collate milk effectively, it will be needless for the Federal Government to spend money on importation of milk.
“The problem is that there is not enough local processors to uptake the pastoralists’ production.’’
Ngelzarma noted that due to the inadequate milk processors locally and collation centres across the country, pastoralists ended up conveying their milk in calabash for sale at low cost thereby leading to wastage.
He, however, urged the Federal Government to encourage more local processors of milk within the country and improve their capacity in order to boost milk production and reduce wastage.
According to MACBAN scribe, Federal Government should encourage members of the association to boost productivity of cows milk in the sountry.
“There has not been any effort to establish more collation centres where our members can be offloading their milk for sale, this has made them resort to local processing and selling locally at much lower prices.
“However, if we can have a lot of milk collation centres established around the country with processors that will be uptaking the milk being processed by our members, at least this will boost milk production,’’ he stressed.
Ngelzarma emphasised that such measures would also encourage the pastoralists to live sedentary lives rather than moving from one place to the other and encourage them to educate their children.
“I call on the Federal Government to invite more local processors to come up with processing plants that can uptake the milk being produced by pastoralists in the country.
“If we can get more uptakers, there will be no need for the country to spend money on milk importation.’’
The general secretary cited L and Z Yoghurt Company in Kano as an example of a collation centre that had helped to stop nomadic movement of pastoralists.
“When I visited L and Z milk collation centres at about 5 a.m. in the morning. I saw how these pastoralists come with their milk in the morning to the factory vehicle, where the milk is tested and emptied into the company’s can.
“The L and Z Company has made a lot of our members sedentary, they no longer move from place to place.
“The company added N20 to the litre of those families that enrolled their children in school, such that instead of buying a litre at the rate of N120, they pay N140.
“So, all the pastoralists living within the area where L and Z centres are located have enrolled their children in school.
“During the rainy season, the pastoralists’ move their cows into the forest but still remain settled in one place, and they bring their cows back during the dry season.
“They have a reciprocal agreement with farmers in the area as well. Their cows eat the farm residues while providing their dung as fertiliser for the farmers; they also buy some of the farm residues around from the farmers to feed their cows during the dry season.
“This symbiotic relationship is working effectively for Kano people because of mere collation of milk from the pastoralists by a processor,’’ Ngelzarma said.
Principal Partner of LinkedLegal Attorneys (LLA) Miss Nneamaka Onyema has explained why she launched a pro-bono programme aimed at providing legal support and advice to young girls.
Through the Embracing the Girl Child initiative, the firm counsels and rehabilitates victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence.
Onyema said the girls are also counseled on puberty, menstrual hygiene, career choices, sex education.
As part of the initiative, the firm has been visiting secondary schools across the country to donate sanitary towels to school girls.
Explaining why she initiated the programme, she went down memory lane.
Onyema said: “All the girls from JSS1 to SS3 were asked to move to the school’s multi-purpose hall after the general assembly. It was a mixed boarding school and I was in JSS1.
“Walking hand-in-hand towards the hall with my best friend, we made a number of guesses as to why only the girls were needed: couldn’t they have announced whatever they needed to tell us there at the general assembly? Did all the girls somehow commit an offence?
“Noisy hall – trust girls and their plenty talk – until a voice was heard through the speakers: ‘settle down girls’.
“A big van pulled over just by the entrance of the hall. A few people stepped down from the van wearing uniform branded t-shirts. One of them took the microphone and started speaking. Much of the talk centered on menstruation and how to use a sanitary towel properly.
“A lot of us (the younger ones) were hearing this for the first time; while some were curious, others were shy. ‘Make a straight line, once you get yours, go back to your classroom,’ we were directed.
“That was how I got my first sanitary towel and I made sure to save it till I started menstruating. A seed was planted on that day in my heart. The memory has never left me.
“That seed has grown and is bearing fruit. I intend to plant back into the lives of as many girls as possible in secondary schools across the country, hoping that this seed will also bear fruits for the next generation.
“Embracing the Girl Child is an initiative of LinkedLegal Attorneys aimed at providing legal representation, counseling and rehabilitation of victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, sensitising the girl child at secondary school level on career choices, puberty, sex education, menstrual hygiene, etc. and the free distribution of sanitary towels.”
Former World champions Brazil are expected to line up a strong squad against Nigeria in the eagerly awaited international friendly fixed for October 13 at the imposing Singapore National Stadium in Kallang.
Though details are sketchy, match organisers and NFF/FIFA licensed match Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Marketing Sportivo E Culturale (otherwise known as Eurodata Sports) informed NationSport that both sides would bring their best players for the prestigeous match.
“We just closed the deal with Brazil which is historic for Nigeria; and Brazil would bring all their best players for the match,” Pachon stated.
Incidentally, the Samba Boys are expected to tackle 2019 AFCON runner up Senegal three days before taking on the Super Eagles in a double header against two strong African sides.
“We chose two of the best African teams because they are high level opponents,” Brazil Football Confederation official Juninho Paulista told the country’s association website. “It was a wish of the technical commission. So we went after these opponents.”
The October 13th friendly match in Singapore would be the second between both countries at full international since Brazil hammered Nigeria 3-0 at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja in 2003.
The third fastest man at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Usheoritse Itsekiri has said that he would not be making up the numbers in his debut at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.
The sprinter whose personal best in 100 and 200m are 10.07secs and 20.53secs respectively is looking forward to burning the track at the global athletics fiesta told NationSport that he is poised to make it to the final in the 100m.
“I feel good competing in my first World Championships and it is a tremendous feeling that I can’t explain or believe. But I am grateful to God because two years ago, I was watching the last edition in London on television.
“Even when the standard for qualification was released I thought it was too high, so making it to the tournament is something I am yet to believe. But I am going to compete against the world best and I think I have gotten over the excitement and I am ready to go,” the sprinter said.
“My target in Doha is to win a medal. I will give it my best shot. I want to be in the mix and keep doing my best with the hope of winning a medal. I am not going there to make up the numbers. It is my first World Championship and I really want to make it count.”
Itsekiri also attributed his performance this season to hardwork and diligence. “I have been overwhelmed by my performances this season, so I will say I hope for another overwhelming performance in Doha.”
Reward come when you least expect it, so I will just keep my head straight and take the right steps, hoping that God will crown my effort,” he added.
The sprinter is not giving up on Nigeria’s medal prospect when he admitted, “Yes, I think Nigeria can win medals in Doha. We are positive about our chances in Doha.”
In Doha, Over 2000 of the world’s top athletes will be competing for 192 medals during the 10-day event, which gets underway on September 27.
Legendary boxing trainer Ronnie Shields believes that Efe Ajagba can rule the heavyweight division in the near future.
Ajagba remains undefeated in 11 fights with nine fights won by knockouts. He is seen as a promising star in the heavyweight division and made the headlines all over the world last year when his opponent, Curtis Harper, walked out of the fight after the bell sounded for the commencement of the fight.
Shields has worked with the likes of former heavyweight champions -Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield – and has been training Ajagba since 2017.
“Ajagba has everything it takes to become a world champion. His last fight, he went 10 rounds for the first time against Ali Demerizen. But he had an injury to his right elbow and this affected to land decent punches. If it wasn’t for that he would have won by Knock out,” Shields stated.
“The heavyweight division today is great and in a year or so, all these young guys will be competing.
They will be fighting for the world title. It has to happen and Efe has everything that it takes. I am so excited to be working with him. He will be back in October.”
Ajagba is a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist and was the only boxer to represent Nigeria at the Olympic Games in 2016.
Nigerian striker, Peter Olayinka had a memorable outing in the prestigious UEFA Champions League last night after scoring what was his debut goal in the tournament for Slavia Prague in their 1-1 draw against Inter Milan at the Giuseppe Meazza.
The 36 Lion FC Football Academy product who almost became the first foreigner to play for the Albania national football team scored in the 63rd minute of the game to give his Czech Republic side a famous lead.
Olayinka was the quickest to react on a loose ball and put it away after Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic had made a superb low stop to deny substitute Jaroslav Zeleny.
Slavia looked to be on course for only their second ever Champions League win, until Barella found the far corner in the 92nd minute to equalise for Inter, after Stefano Sensi’s free-kick had come back off the crossbar.
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However, it almost turned from joy to misery for the tall Nigerian forward when he went down on the pitch from a Danilo D’Ambrosio tackle in the 81st minute which prompted the refree to stop the match momentarily.
He received medical attention on the field and had to be taken off to get more treatment before coming back to play for two more minutes.
As a precautionary move, Slavia Prague manager Jindrich Trpisovsky pulled out Olayinka in the 85th minute and replaced him with Czech Republic forward, Lukas Provod.
Meanwhile, Victor Osimhen fired blank as Lille fell 0-3 to Ajax in Holland. The Nigerian striker who has been in hot form for club and country could not rescue his French side in the debut season in the UEFA Champions League.
However, Osimhen had a great chance to score in the 45th minute but his volleyed effort fails to hit the target. Ajax goals were scored by Quincy Promes in the 18th through a header, Edson Alvarez double the lead in the 50th minute, while Nicolas Tagliafico put a gloss on the scoreline with another goal in the 62nd minute.
All eyes will be on Nigerian forward, David Okereke as he aims to kicks off his Champions League campaign on a bright note when Club Brugge host Turkish champions Galatasaray at the Jan Breydel Stadium tonight.
David Okereke, who stars for Nigeria’s Under 23 side, joined Club Brugge as the most expensive signing in the last eight years after completing a €8m four-year deal from Italian Serie B outfit Spezia Calcio.
Okereke, 22, has scored four goals in six games for Brugge who are second in Belgian first division.
Also playing for Brugge is Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis who has played 5 times and scored two goals this season.
Dennis recently made his debut for Nigeria when he came in for Samuel Chukwueze in the Super Eagles 2-2 draw with Ukraine.