Sources in London have confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari is alive but very ill and may not come back to Nigeria anytime soon. A source told Guardian that President Buhari attended prayers at a mosque in London last Friday. “The man is alive, but not okay. He is very ill. He is probably not going home soon,” the source said. “He went for prayers on Friday. I saw about four cars leaving Abuja House. Maybe that was him. “For Buhari to have attended the mosque indicates that he is not dead and that though he may be sick, he is…
Author: David Folami
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has revealed that the German Archaeologist, Prof. Peter Breunij, who was kidnapped in Kaduna was given police escorts to protect him and his team. Reports say Breunij and his colleague, Johannes Buringer were kidnapped on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at an excavation site in Jenjela village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna state. Idris, in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said the foreigners did not go to the site with their police escorts, Vanguard reports. The IGP also said that six special police units have been…
The Federal Government has reportedly sacked all the directors in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The removal of the officials is said to be with immediate effect. According to The Nation, the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, disclosed this on Friday, February 24. Sirika was said to have directed the affected officials to immediately hand over to those next in command in their various directorates. The report said General Manager, Public Affairs, of NCAA, Sam Adurogboye confirmed the development. “It is true that all the directors have been disengaged, but I don’t have details of their…
The Lagos Council Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Deji Elumoye, on Friday said that the lives of additional 50 journalists would be insured in April. Elumoye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that due to financial constraints the council could only insure 50 this year as against the 250 insured in 2016. “From April we will be insuring the lives of additional 50 to what we did last year.” “If we have more money, we would have done 500. It is an annual thing.” “It is every other year we pay premium on…
Embattled former national security adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki has said he is not ready for the commencement of his trial. In a fresh application filed before an Abuja High Court by Dasuki’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji, on Thursday, February 23, he said his client has a pending application for consolidation before the court. “It will amount to a waste of time if the issue of the application is not resolved because it has a connection with the sister case,” he said But the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the move as a delay tactic, lamenting the unnecessary stalling of the…
Jurgen Klopp says it was a “strange decision” for Leicester City to sack Claudio Ranieri — comparing it to other major world events in recent months — though he is not expecting anything different when his Liverpool side face them on Monday. Ranieri was dismissed by Leicester on Thursday night, just nine months after guiding the club to their first Premier League title win. Liverpool travel to the King Power Stadium on Monday, with assistant manager Craig Shakespeare and first-team coach Mike Stowell taking charge of Leicester until a new manager is appointed. “I heard about it yesterday night,” Klopp…
The Blues have also enjoyed a nice break, though they beat Wolves 2-0 in the FA Cup and will face United in a huge draw. The focus now is on the Swans, and extending their lead at the top. The firepower on offer should be far too much for a team battling relegation and Antonio Conte’s men could have an easy afternoon. It would be typical if rumoured Chelsea transfer target Fernando Llorente was to score on Saturday, and given Chelsea’s vulnerability in the air it might even be likely. Overloading the wings could be Swansea’s best chance of defeating…
One year ago, Marcus Rashford was an unknown teenager, focusing as much on his end-of-year exams at Ashton-on-Mersey School as the day-to-day grind of earning a place in Manchester United’s Under-21 team. Then 18, the Manchester-born forward was so far down the pecking order at Old Trafford that he had reporters and supporters alike searching the internet for information when, after Anthony Martial suffered an injury during the prematch warm-up, Rashford was named in the starting XI for the Europa League tie against FC Midtjylland at Old Trafford on Feb. 25. Ninety minutes later, he walked off the pitch having…
Jose Mourinho has delivered a staunch show of support for Claudio Ranieri by claiming that the “selfishness of others” led to his sacking as Leicester City manager. Ranieri, who guided Leicester to the Premier League title last season, was dismissed on Thursday, less than 24 hours after a 2-1 Champions League defeat against Sevilla in Spain. Reports of player unrest have since emerged, with claims that Ranieri was sacked after the club owners met senior squad members in the wake of the defeat against the reigning Europa League champions. Mourinho wore a specially-printed shirt at his weekly news conference at…
Claudio Ranieri has spoken out following Leicester City’s decision to sack him on Thursday, saying: “Yesterday my dream died.” Leicester made the move to dismiss Ranieri just nine months after he guided the club to their first Premier League title win. The English champions are battling against relegation this term, sitting one place and one point above the drop zone, and decided a change was needed to give the team the best possible chance of survival. “Yesterday my dream died,” Ranieri said in a statement. “After the euphoria of last season and being crowned Premier League champions all I dreamt…
Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has a chance of starting the EFL Cup final but Jose Mourinho insists sentiment will not play any part in his decision. The 31-year-old on Thursday put to bed speculation regarding his future for the rest of the campaign, confirming he was staying at Old Trafford in a statement. Mourinho was pleased by the content and timing of the statement from Rooney, who will be in the squad for Sunday’s final against Southampton despite a recent hamstring injury and dropping down the pecking order. United’s all-time top scorer may even start at Wembley after in-form…
The times are hard and no one is exempted from the realities of a recession, not even Africa Magic, apparently. The organisers of AMVCAs have announced the commencement of sales of VIP tickets to this year’s award show, which is slated for a yet-to-be-announced date. This is the first time in the history of the five-year-old awards that tickets will be sold. Interested attendees will have to cough out one hundred thousand naira (N100,000) for a VIP ticket to the event. When it birthed in 2012, the AMVCA changed the face of awards organisation in Nigeria. From exquisite invitation items,…
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its commitment to return Nigeria in 2019 to the path of economic growth and respect for fundamental human rights. The party said this in a communiqué issued at the end of its stakeholders and party organs meeting organised by the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee on Monday in Abuja. The party stated that a PDP-led Federal Government would remove hunger in the land and restore confidence in the Nigerian economy. It stated that the reaffirmation was necessary in view of current experiences in the country. This, according to the party, include the…
Brown Ideye has become the latest Nigerian to head to the Chinese Super League, after joining Tianjin Teda. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 28-year-old has left Greek club Olympiakos to sign a three-year deal. He will play alongside Super Eagles team-mate John Mikel Obi and Gabon international Malick Evouna. Chinese Super League clubs are on the hunt for new players ahead of the start of the new season next month. NAN reports that Tianjin Teda finished 11th in the Chinese Super League last season. Ideye scored 28 goals in 65 appearances for Olympiakos and won the…
Jamie Vardy’s first Champions League goal gave Leicester City a lifeline in their last 16 tie despite going down 2-1 to Sevilla in Wednesday’s first leg. Goals from Pablo Sarabia and Joaquin Correa had given Sevilla a deserved 2-0 lead, whilst Correa also saw a penalty saved by the inspired Kasper Schmeichel. However, despite Sevilla’s dominance, Schmeichel’s heroics and Vardy’s strike means the English champions are well in the tie ahead of the second leg at home on March 14. The two sides couldn’t be in more contrasting form with Sevilla just three points off the top of La Liga,…
A member of the House of Representatives, Emmanuel Ukoette has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ukoette, who represents the Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom, defected on Wednesday, February 22. He announced his defection via a letter written to Speaker, Yakubu Dogara which was read on the floor of the House. “It is clear to Nigerians that the PDP is factionalized and therefore, barring members, especially I, from engaging my constituents well enough,” Ukoette said. “The factions within the party are led by the National Chairman of the Party, Sen. Ali Modu…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has prayed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) resolved its leadership crisis soon to enable it take up responsibility as a viable opposition. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in Abuja on Tuesday, the party said there was need for PDP to be vibrant to provide the critical opposition. It said, “we pray for them to put their house in order soon because we believe that democracy is better served when the opposition is alive. “However, we also know the PDP can only begin to take steps towards recovery if…
Hoodlums have been terrorising the Randle General Hospital on Randle Avenue, Surulere, Lagos, an investigation by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed on Thursday. A NAN Correspondent who visited the hospital reported that the Emergency Unit was more vulnerable to such incidents as patients, relations and others could easily walk into the premises, without being questioned. NAN also reports that the entrance to the hospital’s Emergency Unit had no security personnel, hence anybody could freely walk in. A member of staff who confirmed this to NAN said cases of theft and attacks on members of staff, including doctors and…
Former Leicester city and England striker Gary Lineker said the club had taken an “unforgivable” decision in sacking manager Claudio Ranieri on Thursday, less than a year after he led them to a shock Premier League title success. Ranieri’s position had come under intense scrutiny this season during a slump that has left the Foxes just a point above the relegation zone following last term’s starting title triumph, with Leicester 5 000/1 no-hopers before the start of the 2015/16 campaign. Shortly before Leicester’s Thai owners confirmed the 65-year-old Ranieri’s exit from the King Power Stadium, Lineker, in an affectionate tribute…
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy said he has no regrets over rejecting a move to Arsenal during the close season despite the Premier League champions’ recent struggles. Vardy, who scored 24 league goals during Leicester’s title-winning campaign, had the release cause in his contract triggered by Arsenal but he opted to sign a four-year extension with the Foxes in June. Following their stunning title triumph last season, Leicester are battling against the drop, sitting a point and a place above the bottom three. In contrast, Arsenal are fourth with 50 points, 29 ahead of Leicester with 13 games remaining. The…