The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, the Most Rev. Alfred Adewale
Martins, has urged Muslims to use the Eid el-Kabir period to pray for
quick and lasting end of insurgency in Nigeria.
Martins made the appeal in his Eid el-Kabir message in Lagos on
Thursday, saying there was a need for Muslims and all Nigerians to use
the period to seek for God’s mercy on the country.
He also urged Muslims to emulate the exemplary life of Prophet
Ibrahim (Abraham) who was willing to sacrifice his only son in obedience
to divine ordinance
The Badarwa/Malali Concerned Forum in Kaduna,
has nabbed a 46-year-old man who allegedly raped an 11-year-old girl
for ritual purposes.
Baba Mohammed, the suspect who confessed to committing the crime, said he defiled the girl purely for money rituals.
The forum otherwise known as Ojimeme said Mohammed was caught pants
down on Tuesday, September 22, while he was having carnal knowledge of
the girl in her father’s house at Badarawa festac road.
According to Leadership, the Victim’s elder sister was the one who caught the electrical engineer.
At the Ojimeme’s office were the suspect was interrogated, the victim
(names withheld) said her assailant has forced into the act in over
three different places in time past.
She narrated her ordeal to the forum, stating that the suspect
Bayern Munich captain Philip Lahm has revealed he came close to joining Manchester United or Barcelona earlier in his career.
Philip Lahm
Speaking exclusively to goal.com, Lahm – who retired from
international duty in 2014 after winning the world cup with Germany –
said he considered moving to premier league after Manchester United
enquired about his availability
Wolves boss Kenny Jackett has revealed that the Championship club
have ended their interest in signing former Newcastle United striker
Shola Ameobi.
The 33-year-old Nigeria international, who left St James’ Park in May 2014, had been training with Wolves.
He then played the first 68 minutes of Monday’s 3-2 defeat for the club’s Under-21 side at Swansea.
But Jackett confirmed they would not be pursuing Ameobi after Tuesday’s League Cup defeat at Middlesbrough.
Support has continued to pour in for the FIFA presidential bid of former Abia state Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.
Speaking yesterday, former FIFA and Caf executive committee member,
Dr Amos Adamu said “Dr Orji Uzor Kalu is eminently qualified to lead
world’s football governing body FIFA. I have absolute confidence and
believe that he would do
well as head of FIFA. Once the position is vacant Orji Kalu should run for the top post.
A man that led Enyimba to win the CAF Champion’s league twice
cannot be ignored in world football. A man who was a governor twice
and a successful business man
The Defence Headquarters on Wednesday warned Nigerians against
approaching unauthorized agencies and individuals for national
identification registration. It said that the National Identity
Management Commission (NIMC) remained the only agency responsible for
registration and issuance of the national identity card.
It explained that some of the features were not visible to naked
eyes, which distinguished the card from any of its kinds and could only
be issued by the NIMC. “The implication of fake national ID cards in
circulation is that Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East also used
similar method of identification for their members in the past who were
nabbed by the military.
The statement was issued by Col. Rabe Abubakar, Acting Director of
Defence Information, in Abuja. The statement said the military
authorities had issued a ‘’red alert’’ against the prevailing incidences
of unauthorized reproduction of the national identity card
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday joined Muslims faithful in
observing Eid-el-kabir prayer at his native home, Daura, Katsina
State. The prayer was led by the chief Imam of Daura, Sheikh Safiyanu
Yusuf, at Kofar-Arewa Eid ground around 9.30 a.m.
In his sermon, the Imam stressed the importance of sacrifice in
Islam. He said that the sacrifice could be done win ram, sheep, goat,
cow or camel. Yusuf said that the meat could be given to the needy and
even non Muslims. He urged people to continue to pray to the almighty
Allah to give the country peace, unity and stability
No fewer than two permanent secretaries and about six substantive
directors (names withheld), serving in the Imo State civil service, have
been summarily suspended by Governor Rochas Okorocha, for alleged
fraudulent acts.
Government’s action, which was aired severally on the airwaves of the
Imo Broadcasting Corporation, IBC,
Owerri, also ordered the affected
officials to immediately handover to the most senior staff in their
respective establishments.
Governor Okorocha equally warned heads of accounts and directors of
administration
A huge stampede killed at least 453 people and injured hundreds more
at the annual hajj in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, in the pilgrimage’s
worst tragedy in a quarter century.
The stampede, the second deadly accident to hit the pilgrims this
month following a crane collapse in Mecca, broke out during the symbolic
stoning of the devil ritual, the Saudi civil defence service said.
The service said that it was still counting the dead, who included
pilgrims from different countries, and that at least 719 people had also
been hurt.
Nearly two million people from across the globe were in Saudi Arabia
for the hajj, one of the largest annual gatherings in the world.
Iran said at least 43 of its citizens were
Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Thursday said no nation could develop
and attain greatness without peace and love among its
citizens. Aregbesola made the remarks in his Eid el-Kabir message in
Osogbo. “Without peace and love, no nation unites and no nation attains
greatness in an atmosphere of disunity, singing discordant tunes.
“The better time to promote love, tolerance, and spread the message of peace is during festive periods like this.
“I call on Muslims in Osun and the entire Nigerian Muslim ummah to seize
the opportunity of the Eid to reach out to people of different faiths
with greetings and messages of love and peace,” he said.
He decried the rising wave of violence and insurgency across the world,
saying that at no time in human political history
The wailing of 11 months old Elijah Ekpo yesterday, at Jakande Estate Oke-Afa , Isolo Lagos, sprang the curiosity of other commuters at the bus-stop on whether the woman carrying him was his biological mother. The crying baby held unto the blouse of the woman , wanting to force
Gunmen
killed at least five people in a mainly-Christian village in Nigeria’s
restive Plateau state, police said on Thursday after the latest violence
between nomadic herdsmen and farmers.
“We received a report that unknown gunmen invaded Kadunung village
around 1:00 pm (1200 GMT) and in the process about five people were
killed and several houses burnt,” state police spokesman Emmanuel Abuh
told AFP.
Local media put the death toll higher, saying 18 people were killed while up to 150 houses were razed.
Abuh said the motive for the attack on the mainly-Christian and
farming village was unknown but an investigation had been launched.
“The place is now calm as our personnel have deployed to maintain
LAGOS—Nine operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, were
on Tuesday night shot dead by vandals at Konu, a border between Arepo in
Ogun State and Ikorodu, Lagos State, even as scores of persons have
been declared missing as a result of the attack on the area.
At press time, no one could ascertain the command the operatives were from.
The activities of the vandals spilled over to Oke-Oko, Ikorodu area
of Lagos State as residents
Jos—No fewer than 19 persons were feared dead early yesterday morning
at Kadunung village in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State,
following gunmen’s attacks on the community where houses were also razed
and shops looted.
But spokesman of Operation Safe Haven, Op SH, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha,
who confirmed the incident, said no one died in the attack which had
rendered many homeless.
The gunmen, residents said, came in their scores, killing
Head Coach of the U-23 National Team, Samson Siasia has attributed
the defeat of his team by Burkina Faso in the semi finals of the 11th
All-Africa Games football tournament in Brazzaville to his boys’
profligacy in front of goal, and the defenders failing in their duties.
Speaking after Tuesday’s game, a disappointed Siasia disclosed that
in his wildest imagination, he did not for once believed his team would
losetBurkina Faso,let alone by such a high margin.
Siasia said: “I never imagined losing to Burkina Faso, but then my
midfielders
Following
the formal announcement by the kingmakers in Ile-Ife requesting
nomination of candidates from the Giesi Ruling House for the selection
of the new Ooni of Ife, an Osogbo high court yesterday granted the
Lafogido Ruling House of Ile-Ife an injunction restraining the Ife king
makers and Osun state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesolsa from allowing the
Giesi ruling house from presenting candidates for the vacant stool.
Entrance to the palace of the Ooni of Ife
The injunction, which was granted yesterday evening by Justice A. A.
Aderibigbe is sequel to a suit filed by the Lafogido ruling house
seeking the restraining order
Lagos—A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday fixed October 30 to
deliver judgement in a N2 billion suit filed by juju music star, Dr.
Sunday Adeniyi Adeye a.k.a (King Sunny Ade) against African Songs
limited and seven others.
Other defendants in the suit are; Take Your Choice Records Store
limited, Lati Alagbada Nigeria Limited, Record Manufacturers of Nigeria,
Ibukunola Printers Alhaja Awawu Amodu and one M. O. Alagbada.
Justice James Tsoho adjourned the matter for judgement
Lagos—A 27-year-old man, Ibrahim Ayelangbe, has been remanded in
prison custody by an Ikeja Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, after
pleading guilty to biting off a police officer’s ear.
The police officer, Cpl. Ebere Nwogidi, was said to have been
assaulted by the accused who allegedly tried to escape when he was
caught trying to gain entrance into No. 21, Temple Road, Ikoyi area of
Lagos.
The Magistrate, Mrs Oluwadamilola Olanipekun, ordered the
Group A
At Paris
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 2 (Di Maria 4, Cavani 61) Malmo (SWE) 0 At Madrid
Real Madrid (ESP) 4 (Benzema 30, Ronaldo 55-pen, 63-pen, 81) Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) 0
Group B
At Wolfsburg, Germany
Vfl Wolfsburg (GER) 1 (Draxler 40) CSKA Moscow (RUS) 0
At Eindhoven
PSV Eindhoven (NED) 2 (Moreno 45+2, Narsingh 57) Manchester United (ENG) 1 (Depay 41)
ABA—A graduate of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, waiting for the
National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, call up, has allegedly committed
suicide by hanging himself with a rope in his family house.
Vanguard gathered that the man whose name is yet to be ascertained at
press time, allegedly killed himself on Sunday after attending a mass
service in one of the Catholic churches in the area.
A resident of Umuobe village, Ovom, Obingwa council area, where the
incident took place, told Vanguard that the deceased had a good job,
wondering why he had
CALABAR—Senior Pastor of the MegaFaith Ministries, Calabar in Calabar
South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Rev Tony is said to
have seen numerous miracles in his life and undeniably, the Almighty God
has used him to do the extraordinary even for others.
All the same, the messenger of the Most High did not plan for the
unusual that he witnessed, last weekend, at his 10 Ekpiken Close
domicile.
Rev Tony Amba
Unknown to the oracle of God, a 19 –year-old python, measuring
20-metre, supposedly feeding on dogs, fowls, rats and lizards for ages,
had been a co-dweller with him and his children in the same apartment
for about a decade. The moment he stepped out on the revelation day, the
ravenous python from its hideaway in the roof, decided it was time to
materialize and use one of the
PARIS–President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday
in France stated that his government has kicked off negotiations with
Boko Haram to secure the release of over 200 Chibok girls.
It will be recalled that about 219 school girls were abducted by the
Sect from their school in Chibok Community, Borno State over a year ago.
Speaking with members of the Nigerian community in France under the
auspices of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), president who is
currently on a three day official visit to the frnech country stated
that the global attention and sympathy the ugly incident has attracted
informed the negotiation.
He however disclosed that the government
As schools resumed for the new session yesterday across Lagos, the
state government has vowed to shut any school that failed to provide
adequate security for its pupils, leading to the premises been used to
perpetrate defilement, rape or other illicit acts.
The Ijegun school that was shutdown
Worried by the increase in reported cases of defilement, the state
government commenced the exercise shutting the private primary school
where proprietor, Mr. Joseph Ogunleye was charged to court over alleged
defilement of two pupils in his school.
The 56-year-old proprietor, who was charged before a Yaba Chief
Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, allegedly defiled a seven-year-old girl and
a 10-year-old girl who were pupils in his school on June 27, 2015 at
Ijegun, Ikotun area of Lagos.
Ogunleye, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge before the
Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Erinle. The magistrate however granted him bail in
the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the
case till October 26, 2015.
Goals from Héctor Moreno and Luciano Narsingh eclipses PSV old boy Memphis Depay’s strike in the Group B opener in Eindhoven.
PSV Eindhoven upset the odds by coming from behind to beat Manchester
United 2-1 in an entertaining
UEFA Champions League Group B encounter
in Eindhoven.
The visitors suffered an early blow when Luke Shaw was stretchered
off after Héctor Moreno blocked his surge into the box. But they quickly
regained their rhythm and almost inevitably it was Memphis Depay who
opened the scoring, latching onto Daley Blind’s assist and bamboozling
two defenders with
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has joined Zlatan Ibrahimović in
tenth place in the list of European Cup all-time scorers while Cristiano
Ronaldo is the first to reach 80 goals.
Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has joined Zlatan Ibrahimović in tenth place in the list of all-time European Cup scorers.
The
mood at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
yesterday was that of disappointment, frustration and anger, following
the news that President Muhammadu Buhari had sent the names of certain
persons to be appointed ministers to the Department of State Services
(DSS) and were already being screened.
The supposed nominations
had generated heated discussions among top party chieftains and staff at
the national secretariat yesterday, even as some National Working
Committee (NWC) members were locked in a meeting with governorship
aspirants from Bayelsa State.
Aisha Buhari, wife of the President, has urged government at all levels
in the country to enforce the law on rape in order to protect women and
children.
Aisha stated this when she received some staff of the
Ministry of Women Affairs, United Nations International Children’s
Emergency Fund, UNICEF, and National Population Commission, led by the
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ezekiel Oyemomi, who came to brief
her on the plan to launch an action to end violence against children,
slated for 15 September.
The President’s wife said it had become
necessary for government and international organizations to pursue
policies and laws to protect women and children against the act.
“A
number of cases on violence against women and children
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has said it arrested a lawyer, Mr Adeola Adeyanju, for
allegedly defrauding the Federal Government of N928 million.
The commission made the disclosure on Tuesday in Lagos in its recent in-house news bulletin.
The bulletin said that the suspect allegedly forged the payment mandate of the Ministry of Environment.
The commission, according to the bulletin, alleged that the suspect
moved the said amount from First City Monument Bank where the money had
been domiciled with his Zenith Bank’s personal account.
“On the same day the money
Ebola virusHealth
authorities in Sierra Leone said Tuesday they had quarantined almost
700 people as they battled to contain a new outbreak of Ebola which
killed a 16-year-old girl.
The teenager died Sunday in a rural suburb of the city of Makeni, in a
northern province that had not recorded a single case of the deadly
virus in nearly six months.
“Over 680 people in the village of Robureh are now under a 21-day
quarantine,” Amadu Thullah, a spokesman for the local Ebola response
centre told AFP.
The centre said those locked down included her parents, close relatives and classmates.
“They are classified as high risk although they have not exhibited
Kogi State Governor, Capt Idris Ichala Wada has trounced his main challenger in the PDP governorship primaries, Alh. Isah Jibrin Echocho.
Contrary to earlier expectations, Echocho failed to live up to his billings as the governor won in a landslide
Announcing the results, the returning officer, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State declared Wada the winner of the primaries. Wada scored 709 votes, Echocho recorded 139 votes while Mr Moses Amoto Banjo didn’t record a single vote. 10 invalid votes were also recorded.
Joseph Sepp BlatterFormer
Argentina superstar Diego Maradona on Tuesday blasted FIFA president
Sepp Blatter and his UEFA counterpart Michel Platini, who is bidding to
succeed the Swiss as head of world football, as two of a kind.
“I’m outside all that because someone called Blatter closed all doors
on me,” former Argentina great Maradona told Naples television station
PiuEnne.
“But I’m not a thief. Blatter did
At
least 13 people were killed Tuesday by rebel rocket fire on
government-held parts of Syria’s northern city of Aleppo, state media
said.
State television also reported 85 people wounded.
The city is divided between government control in the west and rebels in the east.
Rebels often fire rockets and makeshift missiles into the west, while
the regime carries out aerial bombardment of the city’s east.
Elsewhere, state media said seven people were killed in a car bombing
in Hasakeh, a day after twin suicide car bomb attacks in the
northeastern city.
State news agency SANA said at least 21 people were wounded in the
Primary Health CareNATIONAL
Coordinator of the association of People Living With Sickle Cell
Disorder (APLSCD), Aisha Edward, has decried the propensity to relegate
sickle cell anemia patients to the background.
Edward spoke in Awka yesterday during an event organised by APLSCD,
termed ‘Anambra walks to life 2015’. The programme was co-sponsored by
the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor,
the Anglican Bishop of Aguata Diocese, His Grace, Christian Efobi,
Anambra State Ministry of Health, and former governor, Peter Obi, among
others.
She regretted that patients have been abandoned by their parents,
friends, relatives, religious leaders and governments at all levels,
while some unscrupulous elements take undue advantage of their
circumstances to amass wealth from innocent donors.
Edward, who appealed to the general public and those in authority
Kabul – An official said Sunday, a couple accused of adultery was stoned to death by armed militants in northern Afghanistan.
“A couple was found guilty of adultery charges during a Taliban court hearing in Qalai Sorkh area of Sozma Qala district,” said Hamid Elmi, head of media relations department in the governor’s office in northern province of Sar-i-Pol.
Elmi said that Sozma Qala was a volatile district of the Taliban controlled province, and that the government could not do anything to alter
The
National Publicity Secretary for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
Chief Olisa Metuh, in this interview, speaks on the fall of the party
from power after 16 years; the fallout of the fall; the allegations of
corruption, from the new government against the party; and more. Excerpt: Is there still a party called Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
Yes, there is still a party called the PDP and we remain the Peoples
Democratic Party, the only party in the history of our country that
ruled in the democratic setting for 16years, a party that is built with a
vision to sustain national interest, accommodate all zones, ensure that
the unity and stability of this nation remains. We are a party that is
not owned any individual, group of persons or religion.
We are a party that Nigerians can come in freely and express their
views and then aspire to get to get to the highest level. There is still
PDP but PDP has a problem having lost power few months ago. It is a
party where you have people who were used to being pampered, who were
used to being
A powerful explosion triggered by a gas cylinder tore through a packed restaurant in India on Saturday killing at least 85 people and wounding approximately 100 others, police said, in one of the worst such accidents in the country in recent memory.
The restaurant building in central Madhya Pradesh state was being used to illegally store explosives which detonated in the blast, local authorities said, vastly amplifying its impact and destroying neighbouring buildings.
“Initially we heard the sound of (fire) crackers… a huge explosion took place forcing
18-yr-old , Nigerian attacker, Kelechi Iheanacho was the super sub who came off the bench to score an
injury-time goal to seal Manchester City’s win against Crystal Palace.
See Iheanacho’s goal here
See Iheanacho’s goal here
Iheanacho who had been on the field for less than a minute when he stabbed home after Alex McCarthy had fumbled Samir Nasri’s shot.
It was tough luck on a Crystal Palace side who had matched the league leaders for until the 90th minute.
Palace, who had started the day in second place, looked set to claim a point before Iheanacho finished from close range shortly after appearing as an 89th-minute substitute to secure City’s fifth successive win.
It was only the 18-year-old Nigerian’s second senior appearance and drew the attention away from an impressive debut for Kevin De Bruyne, who arrived from
Cristiano Ronaldo opened his account for the season in spectacular fashion with five goals as Real Madrid thrashed Espanyol 6-0 on Saturday.
The Portuguese dispelled any doubts over his form by slotting home the opener from Luka Modric’s wonderful pass before doubling his tally from the penalty spot after Gareth Bale had been felled inside the area.
The Nigeria international celebrated signing a new five-year contract on Friday when sweeping home in the 59th minute after keeper Heurelho Gomes’ long punt up field with Troy Deeney’s headed knockdown setting up unmarked Ighalo to finish the move in style.
Seconds earlier the 26-year-old Odion Ighala who joined the Hornets from Udinese in 2014 had gone close only to shoot wide from six yards.
The precious 1-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Swansea lifted Watford from 17th to 12th, above the likes of champions Chelsea, fellow newcomers Bournemouth and Tottenham.
Watford’s afternoon wasn’t all plain sailing as they had to play the closing
ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to take necessary action to ensure the security and well-being of all Nigerian pilgrims in the holy land.
The directive followed the deadly crane collapse within the precinct of Mecca on Friday.
Asmir Begovic comes into the Chelsea side for injured Thibaut Courtois and there is a start for John Mikel Obi alongside Nemanja Matic.
This is the first start of the Nigerian iternational, who has played less than ten minutes since the beginning of the season and was not invited by Super Eagles gaffer, Sunday Oliseh during last week AFCON qualifier in Tanzania
By Abdulwahab Abdulah Exactly a year after 116 people died at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet T.B. Joshua founder of church will today (Saturday) hold a memorial service in honour of the victims.
The building collapsed on September 12, 2014 in the Ikotun area of Lagos and 116 people, mostly South Africans, died inside the collapsed six-storey guest house owned by SCOAN.
In a statement, the church said the memorial service, which is to commemorate the first anniversary of the unfortunate incident, would hold in South Africa.
According to the church, Prophet T.B Joshua had sent a delegation from Nigeria to take part in activities leading to the memorial.
Officials of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB)
operating at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) Thursday arrested a
physically challenged man who was believed to have swallowed pellets of
cocaine.
The suspect, Okeke Ambrose Ifedilichukwu, a 55-year-old
Nigerian, arrived at the KIA aboard an Emirates aircraft en route to
Dubai when he was arrested.
According to the Deputy Executive
Secretary of NACOB, Nii Lante Blankson, the suspect
MimikoTHE
Ondo State Government will begin the implementation of its data
collation initiative, the smart card, otherwise known as Kaadi Igbeayo
in schools as pupils and students resume for a new session next week.
As part of its strategy to ensure that residents comply with
government’s directive to obtain the residency card, school
authorities in the state have been ordered to request students to
present photocopies of their parents’ card on resumption at school.
To this end, a meeting has been held with heads of primary and
secondary schools in the state instructing them to collect photocopies
of the Residency Cards of the parents of their pupils and students as
they resume for a new session.
Consequently, all parents and
IT appears there is no safe haven yet for Nigeria’s Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs), as two suicide bombers suspected to be members
of the Boko Haram sect, yesterday killed seven of them in Yola, the
Adamawa State capital.
This is the first time the insurgents would attack such a sensitive
place in the country where people from different parts of the northeast
dislocated by earlier attacks by the insurgents, are camped.
It was learnt that the bombers, pretending to be displaced persons,
blew themselves off inside the camp’s hostels, killing seven people,
four children and three other IDPs in the camp, and injuring dozens at
the Malkohi IDPs camp in Yola, which currently accommodates hundreds of
IDPs
A massive construction crane crashed into Mecca’s Grand Mosque in stormy weather on Friday, killing at least 107 people and injuring 238, Saudi authorities said, days before the annual hajj pilgrimage.
The civil defence agency said on Twitter that emergency teams were sent to the scene after a “crane fell at the Grand Mosque,” one of Islam’s most revered sites.
That came about an hour after it tweeted that Mecca was “witnessing medium to heavy rains,” and pictures on social media showed lightning.
Ahmed bin Mohammad al-Mansoori, spokesman for the two holy mosques
A French father who stuffed his son into a washing machine and then surfed the internet as the toddler died was jailed for 30 years on Friday.
Christophe Champenois, 36, rammed three-year-old Bastien into the device and switched it on, allegedly as punishment for misbehaviour.
The child’s 29-year-old mother, Charlene Cotte, told investigators she did a puzzle with her daughter, and Champenois used the internet while their son screamed inside the whirring washing machine.
United Nations- image source climateactionprogramme
The UN General Assembly has broken its protocol by passing a
resolution allowing Palestine and the Holy See (both non-member observer
states) to raise their flags at UN headquarters.
The Holy See is the official UN name for the Vatican.
The UN said in a statement on Friday in New York that the resolution,
submitted by Palestine and 20 co-sponsors, was passed 119-8, with 45
abstentions.
It explained that the resolution was backed by many countries
belonging to the Non-Aligned
At least 62 people were killed and 30 injured when a crane crashed
into the Grand Mosque of Saudi Arabia’s holy Muslim city of Mecca
Friday, the civil defence said on Twitter.
Socio-economic and political commentator and social media expert, Japhet Omojuwa is one of those to speak at the 2015 edition of the “Future Leadership Conference”, slated to hold at the main auditorium of the University of Lagos, on October 15 by 9am. The conference which is an annual gathering of young people is a Youth Empowerment Initiative of the “Ambassador Radio show” of Unilag FM.
According to the organizers, “the core essence of this conference extends beyond mere [socializing] to include; Inspiration and Motivation of the participants with
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has signed a new four year contract with the club.
The 24-year-old Spain international almost joined Real Madrid on
transfer deadline day, but the necessary paperwork was not submitted in
time.
De Gea’s previous contract was set to expire next summer, and his new deal includes
Former
Ajax and Barcelona forward Jari Litmanen has voiced his admiration for
Louis van Gaal and claimed the Manchester United manager is better than
Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho.
Litmanen worked with Van Gaal at Ajax between 1992 and 1997 before they were reunited at Barcelona in 1999.
“Pep Guardiola is good and so is Jose Mourinho, but Van Gaal is the
best coach in the
It is no longer news that “dami duro” crooner Adeleke David popularly known as Davido graduated with Second class honours in Music from Babcock University, Ilishan- Remo, Ogun State five months ago.
davidoBut news reaching us has it that the HKN Boss, Davido is set to join the November batch of the compulsory National Youth Service.
Barcelona has confirmed Lionel Messi did not train with the squad on Friday due to the birth of his second child
The Liga champion completed its final session ahead of the crunch
clash with Atletico Madrid on Sunday morning (AEST) without its star
attacker, though he has not been ruled out of contention for the game at
the Vicente Calderon.
The brother of Lionel Messi has confirmed that the Barcelona star’s
girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo has
At least two people were killed Friday in a blast at a camp for people displaced by the Boko Haram conflict in Adamawa, the emergency services said.
“There was a blast at Malkohi IDP (internally displaced persons) camp in Yola around 11 o’clock this morning (1000 GMT),” Red Cross official Aliyu Maikano said. State police confirmed the blast.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a 25-year-old unemployed man, Ogboru Godspower, to 14 years imprisonment for defiling a 13-year-old daughter of his neighbour. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, sentenced Godspower after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
A 40-year-old Pastor, Abraham Akpan, was arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Friday over the defilement of a teenager. Akpan of No. 39, Hassan Ogunmola St., Ijaiye, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a three-count charge bordering on rape.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Jimah Iseghede, told the court that Akpan
No fewer than 11 persons were killed by flood in Sokoto and Zamfara States in 2015, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has said. Mr Thickman Tanimu , Deputy Head, Sokoto Zonal Operations Office of NEMA said 10 of the victims died in Zamfara while a seven-year old boy died at Kuchi village in Kebbe local Government of Sokoto state.
Tanimu said on Friday in Sokoto while giving update of damages caused by flood in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara that more than 86, 710 hectares valued N1.58 billion were destroyed in the three states. According to him, a total of 20, 477 homes were also affected, rendering about 50, 000 people homeless.
He said that the flood affected eight out of the fourteen local government areas in Zamafara, which included Shinkafi, Talata Mafara, Gusau, Anka, Tsafe, Bungudu, Zurmi and Maradun. The official explained that 8, 540 houses and 6,450 hectares of farmland valued at N 260 million were destroyed in the affected areas in the state.
Tanimu further said that eleven out of the twenty three local governments in Sokoto state were affected by the flood, while two communities in Wurno and Goronyo local governments were evacuated. “The other local governments affected were Rabah, Kware, Binji, Kebbe, Gwadabawa, Wamakko, Bodinga, Sokoto North and Sokoto South.”
Tanimu stated that 24,750 persons and 6, 922 houses were
Malam Musa Adamu, the Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, has resigned. Adamu, who is the zonal vice chairman of APC for Bauchi South Senatorial District, announced his resignation at a news briefing on Friday in Bauchi.
Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha• Raises panels on assets recovery, others
IN less than a year, Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has
led another 100-man delegation to Turkey to explore business and
investment opportunities in that country.
The governor had travelled with a large contingent to the same
country some months ago. He said that the gains of the last trip would
be seen soon.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Justice
and Solicitor General, Mrs. Elma Eluwa, has inaugurated two task force
to ensure quick dispensation of criminal cases, recover government
assets and other related matters.
A statement signed by Okorocha’s media scribe, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo,
made available to The Guardian on Wednesday said the trip, which
comprised some journalists, industrialists and others, would last three
days.
The statement urged people of the state to pray for the entourage,
saying that the trip would lead to replication of similar policy of free
By Ola Ajayi Ibadan–AS the contest for the stool
of the Ooni of Ife gets hotter, one of the contenders for the vacant
stool, Prince Adetayo Oladele, has said it is the turn of his ruling
house, Lafogido to produce the next monarch of the ancient city.
Ooni of Ife: Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse 11
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/ooni-succession-lafogido-giesi-ruling-houses-disagree/#sthash.2nlFWrCe.dpuf
By Ola Ajayi
Ibadan–AS the contest for the stool of the Ooni of Ife gets hotter, one of the contenders for the vacant stool, Prince Adetayo Oladele, has said it is the turn of his ruling house, Lafogido to produce the next monarch of the ancient city.
He said since Giesi ruling house had conceded its turn to Ogboru ruling house in 1980, it is now the turn of Lafodigo ruling house to ascend the throne.
His position, however, contradicts that of Giesi ruling house, which said since it had been denied throne twice, there is no other ruling house that is qualified to assume the throne.
CALABAR—The Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old 400-level student in his office was yesterday suspended by the panel instituted by the school’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivara Esu.
Professor Ndifon, who is the first professor of Law from Cross River State, was briefly arrested and detained by the police and later released on Wednesday before he was suspended yesterday evening by the panel set up to investigate him.
The professor was accused by mother of the victim, Mrs. Irene Akpan, in a letter sent to the university, alleging that the incident happened between 3 and 5pm on August 29 at the dean’s private office on the top floor of the faculty building.
Awka—A Nine-year-old girl was yesterday crushed at Afor –Nkpo- New Tarzan axis, near Onitsha, Anambra State by a liquor haulage van, which injured 24 others.
The girl was said to be returning from an errand when she met her death as her body had been deposited at Eyi Enu Hospital Mortuary, Ogidi.
An eye witness said the lorry driver was shouting from
By Chris Ochayi ABUJA: The Federal government has dispatched a high-powered technical team to the University of Lagos site, where a 300 level Accounting student, Oluchi Anekwe was electrocuted.
The technical team, led by Engr. Peter Ewesor of Nigeria Electricity Management Services Limited, (NEMSL) has arrived Lagos State and now on ground to commence its findings.
A Deputy Director in charge of press at the ministry, Mr. Timothy Oyedeji who disclosed this in a statement last night in Abuja, said the team was at UNILAG to unravel the actual cause of the incident.
According to him, “At the end of the exercise, the team is expected
Residents waiting to be rescued on the roofs of their homes, cut off by the floodwaters
WIDESPREAD flooding and landslides in north-east Japan have forced
more than 90,000 people to abandon their homes. A wall of water hit the
city of Joso, north of the capital, Tokyo, after the Kinugawa River
burst its banks.
Helicopter rescue teams have been plucking people from rooftops. At
least eight people are still missing and 100 need rescuing. The rains
come a day after a tropical storm brought winds of up to 125km/h (78mph)
to central Aichi prefecture.
The chief forecaster at the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Takuya
Deshimaru, said that the rainfall was
A
British Airways jet caught fire as it was preparing to take off from
Las Vegas, prompting the crew to abort takeoff and evacuate terrified
passengers.
“There were 159 passengers and 13 crew on the flight,” McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas said.
It added that seven people on board were treated for minor injuries.
The Federal Aviation
Administration said the fire broke out in the left engine of the
257-seat Boeing 777 shortly after 4:00 pm (2300 GMT) and the crew
immediately aborted takeoff and ordered an evacuation.
source AFP
Tens of thousands of people were ordered to flee homes across Japan
on Thursday as heavy rain pounded the country, sending radiation-tainted
waters into the ocean at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
Waist-high floods in some areas left rescuers scrambling to pluck
people to safety as a wide area was deluged in the wake of Typhoon Etau.
“This is a scale of downpour that we have not experienced before.
Grave danger could be imminent,” forecaster Takuya Deshimaru told an
emergency press conference.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued special warnings for Tochigi
and Ibaraki prefectures, north of Tokyo, urging
JUST
before the House Representatives adjourned for its annual recess, news
filtered out that the House had raised issues with regard to the extent
of implementation of Budget 2015; and in furtherance to its interest in
ensuring that the Budget was implemented, the House proceeded to
constitute an ad hoc Committee to investigate this matter.
The Committee was mandated to examine the extent to which the
Ministry of Finance had discharged its mandate as contained in the 2015
Appropriation Act and Sections 30(1) and 30(2) of the Fiscal
Responsibility Act in this respect.
The Committee voiced concern that it would appear that President
Buhari’s administration had
Muslim women
The holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that
every single person is a shepherd, a guardian or a care-taker (ra’in)
and is thus responsible for his or her herd (ra’iyyah), that is to say,
for what he or she has been entrusted with (Sahih al-Bukhari).
While man is responsible for the total needs and overall condition of
the family, woman is responsible for the way the house functions.
Although the roles of man and woman are complementary and are very much
intertwined, their respective scopes, where each one of them leads the
way, are clearly outlined.
As far as woman is concerned, her primary role rests within the realm
of the house, the role for which she’s more than anybody else is
answerable to Allah.
According to a report on IslamiCity, an online Islamic website, there
is no
Saudi Arabia- latestnewslink
A note of warning has been sounded to intending pilgrims of the 2015
Hajj exercise to fully comply with the laws of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, especially, as it concerns trafficking of illicit drugs.
Guest speaker at the Hajj Seminar organised by Hajj Mabrur Ventures
Limited (HMVL) for its pilgrims in Lagos, Alhaji Wasiu Amao, said that
diplomatic relationship with Nigeria would not save any erring pilgrim
from being executed.
Amao, a legal expert said: “To be forewarned is to be forearmed. I am
telling you categorically that if you do not comply with Saudi Arabia
law, Nigeria government
by Andres Tardio Eminem broke through with his Slim Shady LP in 1999, but many of his fans also love the album he made before fame, Infinite.
The LP, which
carried production by Em’s longtime friend, fellow D-12 member and
collaborator Denaun Porter, isn’t available in stores now. So, during a
recent interview with “The Cypher,” Porter was asked about whether the
KADUNA—Troops of One Division of the Nigerian Army have killed no fewer than 10 bandits and suspected terrorists in Operation Restore Peace II in the North.
The Deputy Director, Public Relations of One Division headquarters in Kaduna, Col. Usman Abdul, said yesterday in a statement that during the
An Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, on Thursday,
remanded in prison, a woman, Alimot Oyekan, after she pleaded guilty to
the charge of poisoning her cousin’s cassava flour (fufu).
The Magistrate, Mrs Sule Amzat, said the accused should be
A
medical doctor, Dr. Johnson Obuna, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen
on Tuesday in Ebonyi, has been rescued by security operatives.
Dr. Obuna was kidnapped in his private clinic at Aguogboriga Estate
in Abakaliki, the state capital, while he was about leaving from the
day’s work.
The doctor who is a pastor with
Ambode
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday appointed new heads of the Lagos
State Safety Commission, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and
Regulatory Authority (LASIMRA), and the Water Regulatory Board.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Tunji Bello,
Secretary to the State Government, and made available to the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN).
The statement stated that the governor
Manchester United have opened contract talks with goalkeeper David de Gea.
The Spaniard’s present deal is due to expire in 2016 and United had
previously indicated they had
Rodriguez
Real Madrid’s Colombian playmaker James Rodriguez faces a spell on
the sidelines after suffering a thigh tear whilst on international duty
in midweek.
“A tear in his left thigh has been diagnosed as a result of the blow
suffered in the match between Colombia and Peru,” Madrid said in a
statement on their website.
The club refused to estimate how long the top scorer at the 2014
World Cup will be out of action, but
Serena Williams celebrates after beating her older sister, Venus, at the on-going U.S. Open…yesterday. PHOTO: AFP.
Two triumphs from completing a calendar Grand Slam, top-ranked
defending champion Serena Williams was confronted Thursday at the US
Open by an opponent even she cannot defeat — rain.
US Tennis Association officials postponed the two scheduled women’s
semi-final matches to Friday due to forecasts of rain Thursday lasting
through the night.
Top-ranked defending champion Williams now will play
FIFA’s
ethics chief on Thursday fired the opening salvo in the campaign to
reform the scandal-tainted world governing body of football, calling for
its president to serve a maximum of three terms.
Term limits, disclosing the salaries of FIFA presidents and executive
members, a clearer organisation of football’s world governing body and a
clampdown on regional football barons were all included in a report
released by Domenico Scala, chairman of the FIFA independent audit and
compliance committee.
With the organisation still reeling from the arrest of
Truvada..
in this study, 100 percent of the participants remained HIV-free.
That’s right, not a single person in the study, published in Clinical
Infectious Diseases, became infected while on the drug during the study
period that included 2.5 years of observation. • Nigeria to begin study on pre-exposure prophylaxis in
Nnewi, Calabar, Jos • NACA roundtable calls for nationwide introduction
of novel drug
A new study has found that 100 per cent of participants taking Human
Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
prevention pill remained infection free.
The study conducted at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco, United
States (U.S.) involved more than 600 high-risk individuals, most of whom
were men who have sex with men. These individuals were healthy at the
time of enrollment and were put on a daily regimen of a blue pill called
Truvada as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Lead author Jonathan Volk, a physician and epidemiologist at Kaiser
Permanente San Francisco Medical Center, described the study as “the
first to extend the understanding of the use of PrEP in a real-world
setting and suggests that the treatment may prevent new HIV infections
even in a high-risk setting.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that
PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 92
percent when taken consistently but is much less effective when taken
inconsistently. In one key study, called PROUD that included men who
have sex with men in Britain, the risk was reduced by 86 percent.
In this study, 100 percent of the participants remained HIV-free.
That’s right, not a single person in the study, published in Clinical
Infectious Diseases, became infected while on the drug during the study
period that included 2.5 years of observation.
“Tremendously good news,” University of California-San Francisco
researchers Kimberly A. Koester and Robert M. Grant (one of Time’s most
influential people of 2012 for his work in AIDS) said of the results in a
commentary accompanying the publication of the study.
Not long after the Food and Drug Administration first approved the
drug for preventive HIV use in 2012, the Los Angeles-based AIDS
Healthcare Foundation derided it as a “party drug” and warned that
high-risk individuals would use it instead of condoms — raising the risk
of transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases. #Truvadawhore
went viral. But as more studies have come out showing how well it
appears to protect against HIV, many of those critics appear to be
turning around.
Koester and Grant emphasized that despite the promising findings in
the Kaiser study many questions still remain, a number of them practical
in nature.
“What proportion of the population vulnerable to HIV will take a pill
a day to prevent it? How will costs of the medication and clinic visits
be paid for?” they asked. “Assuming people are willing to use PrEP and
can access PrEP, will they take the medication as directed? Will uptake
and use be higher or lower among those at higher risk? Will people place
themselves at higher risk or HIV and sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) as a consequence of using PrEP?”
The pair said it wasn’t clear from the study if the reported rate of
sexually transmitted infections in the study is an increase or not and
that further investigation is needed. They recommended that Truvada be
combined with a parallel plan to prevent other Sexually Transmitted
Infections (STIs), which may include the use of condoms, more frequent
testing and discussions with prospective partners.
Meanwhile, Nigeria is in a process of commencing a study on PrEP and Treatment as Prevention (TasP).
Nigeria is going into the study through the National Agency for the
Control of AIDS, NACA, because of its immense positive effects on the
HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country.
Until now, multiple studies have established that anti-retroviral
drugs could be used to reduce the rate of infection in a population in
two different ways, known by the acronyms PrEP and TasP.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is a procedure for people who do
not have HIV but who are at substantial risk of contracting the virus to
prevent HIV infection by taking a pill every day. The pill (brand name
Truvada), which contains two medicines (tenofovir and emtricitabine)
were used in combination with other medicines to treat HIV. When someone
is exposed to HIV through sex or injection drug use, these medicines
can work to keep the virus from establishing a permanent infection.
Treatment as Prevention or TasP, on the other hand, targets people
who are already infected with HIV-1, reducing their infectiousness in
the population.
Multiple studies have established that, after about the first six
months of treatment, anti-retroviral therapy (ART) reduces HIV-1
concentrations to undetectable levels in blood plasma and genital
compartments. Additional studies have demonstrated that HIV transmission
by an infected person is significantly reduced when that person adheres
to ART well enough to maintain viral suppression.
Chief Communications Officer (NACA), Toyin Aderibigbe, said the study
is not being done to determine whether PrEP works or not as it has long
been established that PrEP actually works when used in combination with
other methods of HIV prevention.
She said the study is however being carried out in Nigeria to see
whether it will work in real life situations among the Nigerian
population under normal conditions. The initial studies that showed that
PrEP works were done under well-controlled situations.
Aderigbigbe further explained: “NACA and other key players that will
participate in this study will collect relevant data that will tell us
how these strategies will work in real life situations. Thus the study
is expected to provide needed information on how to implement the
strategies in a large population as part of a comprehensive public
health program aimed at preventing HIV infection. The treatment strategy
to be used in this project will adopt both TasP and PrEP.”
She said three sites have been selected for the study. “They are
Nnewi in Anambra State, Calabar in Cross River State and Jos in Plateau
State. Teams for the study that will work at various sites are being put
in place,” Aderigbigbe said.
She said some of the questions that the study teams will be trying to answer include the following:
What are the barriers to uptake, that is, why would people hesitate to adopt a prevention strategy?
What are the barriers to adherence, that is, what would prevent a person who has started PrEP or ART from continuing it?
What are the most cost-effective ways of delivering, not just the
drugs, but the counseling and support needed to make the strategies
work? Should there be a separate program? Is it better done within an
established programme?
Aderigbigbe added: “Sero-discordant couples are couples in which one
partner is HIV positive while the other partner is HIV negative. ART,
necessary for TasP, is not indicated for the infected partner until
quite some time after initial diagnosis. So the study will provide an
avenue for PrEP and TasP to work together for long-term prevention of
HIV infection for a sero-discordant couples. Throughout this period, the
uninfected partner is at elevated risk.
However, if PrEP is adopted by the uninfected partner when the
infected partner is diagnosed, that risk is significantly reduced.
Eventually the infected partner begins ART (TasP) and sometime later
achieves viral suppression.
“At this point PrEP can be stopped because once the infected partner
is suppressed (undetectable levels of the virus), the risk of
transmission of HIV to the uninfected partner is significantly reduced.”
She said the project will have three primary goals:
•Construct a model that effectively delivers PrEP to serodiscordant
couples. Within the context of this goal, the measure of effectiveness
will be the number of new infections averted.
•Measure the cost effectiveness of the model. The measure of cost
effectiveness will be cost per life-year gained and cost per infection
averted
•Estimate what would be needed to scale up the delivery model to the national level.
“NACA understands that, given the data and experience to be gained from
the project, it should be possible to present this to stakeholders for
consideration as part of the policy and guidelines for the comprehensive
combination prevention programme in the country,” she said.
Meanwhile, there are several dozen other ongoing clinical trials
worldwide using Truvada in different populations. In South Africa, for
instance, National Institutes of Health-funded researchers are looking
at its use in heterosexual adolescent men and women ages 15 to 19 and in
Australia the government is looking at people in relationships with
HIV-negative partners. The issues they are hoping to find out more about
include the factors that can influence an individual’s compliance with
taking the pills regularly, how effective the pill can be when it’s not
taken regularly but before and after sex, and how to integrate education
about Truvada into regular clinic services.
A previous story stated that another study on Truvada found that the
drug prevented infection in about 86 percent of participants. The study,
called PROUD, lowered their risk by 86 percent.
Louis
van Gaal expects Anthony Martial to mostly benefit his successor in the
Manchester United dugout and dubbed the player’s transfer fee
“ridiculous”.
Martial moved from Monaco to Old Trafford in a deal worth up to an estimate $126.58 million on transfer deadline day.
The 19-year-old scored 15 goals in 70 appearances for Monaco, and Van
Gaal admitted the fee paid by Manchester United was evidence of “the
crazy world we are in.”
“I have not bought Martial for me, I have bought him for the next
manager of Manchester United,” he said, speaking alongside Ryan Giggs at
an event for executive season ticket holders at Old Trafford
With apparent reference to Giggs, he added: “I feel I am
introducing the next manager of Manchester United.
