The Kwara Government has warned that jail-term awaits people caught in child-trafficking, child or pedophiles in the state. Dr Asiata Saka said that the government was currently taking care of some children abused by a pedophile father as well as abandoned triplets. “We have about 22 children in the state’s reception centres and 40 abandoned babies with the Life Empowers Anchors Hope (LEAH) Foundation belonging to Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, Kwara Governor’s wife.” Saka, who represented Mrs Ahmed at the party, also stressed the need for children to be adequately catered for and protected. She explained that the ministry had various…
Author: David Folami
Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has asked for harmony among the diverse ethnic groups in the state to put an end to the endless attacks by herdsmen on communities. The governor said that he would give first attention to safeguarding the lives and the property of his people. He called on the people to put aside their political and ethnic differences and work toward addressing the security challenges before them He vowed to ensure that the incessant attacks by herdsmen became things of the past. Ortom, who expressed regret that a significant number of lives had been destroyed by Fulani…
Mr Daniel Gaggah, the National President, Moro’a Development Association (MDA) has advised the Kaduna State Government to strategize in a holistic way to addressing the security challenges in the area. According to him, the security challenges in the area are having a negative impact on the way of life of the people. “The people of Takad, Kagoro and Atyap chiefdoms are still battling with security challenges which if not checked would find their way back into our land.” On education, he said although the disengagement of teachers in the state was with a view to reshaping the sector, a sizable…
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, has called for national peace, unity and tranquility, saying they are pillars with the capacity to strengthen Nigeria’s bid for socio-economic development. He talked about the goodness of God for the gift of life and the opportunity to witness the day. He also begged Christians to let their thanksgiving supersede their requests from God. “He is the Almighty King of Kings that spares our lives throughout 2017 till date, despite all challenges facing each and every one of us” he said. “There is nothing we can offer Him than to give…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has distanced itself from the controversial appointment of eight dead Nigerians as board members of federal agencies by President Muhammadu Buhari. John Odigie-Oyegun has said the ruling party was not part of the final compilation of the said list. “The list has caused enough controversy, it is pretty obvious that that the party was not involved in the final completion of the list,” Oyegun said. “We demanded that that every state send nominees names to the committee set up for that but between then and now a lot has happened. “People have changed parties, people…
Diego Simeone has said he could not dispute with the decision to show Diego Costa a second yellow card for celebrating a goal with the fans in Saturday’s 2-0 win at home to Getafe but added that the striker had “transmitted fear” on his first La Liga game since returning to the club. Simeone told reporters that Costa had got carried away after spending so long on the sidelines before his registration this month. “After being six months out [Costa] scores a goal and wants to celebrate with the fans,” Simeone said. “The referee cannot think about the emotional part…
Jose Mourinho has revealed he apologised to Henrikh Mkhitaryan after substituting the midfielder at half-time during the FA Cup victory over Derby County. Mkhitaryan, 28, was handed just his second start in two months against the Championship side at Old Trafford on Friday. However, Mourinho said afterwards his decision had been “unfair.” He told a news conference: “I didn’t like what I did, unfair, he didn’t deserve. “He was playing well, he was not playing bad, he had a couple of mis-possessions, but he was giving a good dynamic to the team and my feeling was that [Marcus] Rashford is…
Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that he will make changes for Tottenham’s “magic” FA Cup tie against Wimbledon on Sunday. “We need to assess the players,” said Pochettino. “A lot of players played 90 minutes against Swansea and again tonight [a 1-1 draw with West Ham]. We have three days to recover but it is tough for some players to play again. We will make some changes.” “The FA Cup is special, a special game and special competition,” he said. “They are in League One, but they will be tough to play against. When we played Wycombe [in last season’s competition], it…
Zinedine Zidane has said he does not want to sign new players this month, instead urging his current squad to return to their best form now that they have “no room left for error” this season. He said that he would not be looking to the market for a quick fix. “As we all know, until Jan. 31, someone can come in — this is the market — but I do not want anyone as I am happy with my squad,” Zidane said. “I remember last year there were no problems like this, as Madrid was doing well, playing well,…
Jose Mourinho wasted no minutes in replying criticism from Antonio Conte, reminding the Chelsea manager he was previously accused in a match-fixing scandal. Conte earlier on Friday said that a certain manager was showing signs of “senile dementia” in forgetting incidents of high emotion in his own past, the Manchester United boss made his feelings on the matter known. Asked whether he wanted to respond to Conte’s jab, Mourinho told a news conference: “I don’t blame him. Honestly. I don’t blame him, I think the press should apologise to me and him. “Because the question that comes to him is…
Mauricio Pellegrino has confirmed Southampton hope to sign Arsenal’s Theo Walcott in January after watching his team progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat of Fulham. The club’s fans on Tuesday chanted for his dismissal when they fell to 17th in the Premier League by losing 2-1 to Crystal Palace. They remain uncertain about their hopes of re-signing Walcott, who left in 2006, but the manager said: “I have been talking about him. “He is a good player, but I don’t know with the negotiations, with the market. I imagine that this type of…
Harry Winks is certain about how important the FA Cup is for Tottenham this season as the club look to end their 10-year wait for a major trophy. “For me it’s very important,” Winks said. “As a young English player growing up watching the FA Cup, it’s a magical trophy and it’s something everyone wants to win in their career. “The FA Cup is something we take very seriously and we did last year as well. The thing is with the cup, you can never be too sure. “The magic of the cup has been proven so many times and…
Arsene Wenger has expressed his thoughts that the personality of Nottingham Forest favourite Brian Clough is permanently stamped on the English game. Clough was in charge at Forest for 18 years until 1993 and the two met after a match once he had retired. “We didn’t speak a lot after the game because he was already fatigued,” the Gunners boss said. “He was very lean and you could see he was no longer at full power. But of course I had huge respect for him. “When I was young I looked at the big managers who were successful. For me…
Antonio Conte has called Jose Mourinho a “little man” with a “very low profile” and a “fake” as he continued his extraordinary public war of words with the Manchester United manager after Chelsea were held to a goalless draw by Norwich City in the FA Cup on Saturday. After already calling Mourinho “a little, little man” in his postgame TV interview, Conte explained in his news conference: “I think when there are these types of comments, before [making them] you have to know very well the truth. “The truth is that I was banned for four months from the sporting…
Barcelona have reached an agreement with Liverpool to sign midfielder Philippe Coutinho, the clubs confirmed on Saturday. The amount would make Coutinho, 25, the second-most expensive player in world football behind Neymar, who left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain last summer in a deal worth €222m (£200m, $263m). However, Kylian Mbappe will pass him for second on the list this summer when his €180m (£166m) permanent move from Monaco to PSG comes into effect after this year’s loan. Barcelona said Coutinho would sign a five-and-a-half year contract with a buyout clause of €400m. The deal is still subject to formalities including…
Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the “reprehensible and unacceptable” killings that spoilt New Year’s Day celebrations in Rivers State and Kaduna State. His statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock and outrage at reports of killings of innocent persons in Omoku, Rivers State and the traditional ruler, the Etum Numana, Dr Gambo Makama, and his wife in Sango Local Government Area of Kaduna State in the New Year. “The President, who described the incidents as “reprehensible and unacceptable”, directed law enforcement agencies in both states to intensify their current efforts in order to speedily bring the perpetrators to face the…
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has ordered the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to resign from his position amid reports that he has been appointed as President Muhammadu Buhari’s national campaign coordinator for his 2019 reelection bid. The statement read, “If APC has any strand of dignity, then Amaechi must resign as the Minister of Transportation having been appointed and already functioning as the DG of President Buhari’s Campaign. “Under the constitution of Nigeria, Mr. Amaechi cannot combine the job of a minister of the Federal Republic with another responsibility such as the DG of a campaign organisation. “Amaechi’s action…
Muhammadu Buhari has come under intense scrutiny from the pan Yoruba socio-political group,Afenifere, over his views on restructuring. Buhari said Nigeria’s problems have more to do with process than structure. “In respect of political developments, I have kept a close watch on the on-going debate about “Restructuring”, Buhari said before the full glare of TV cameras. “No human law or edifice is perfect. Whatever structure we develop must periodically be perfected according to changing circumstances and the country’s socio-economic developments. “We Nigerians can be very impatient and want to improve our conditions faster than may be possible considering our resources…
Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has promised to campaign against the ruling All Progressives’ Congress (APC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 general elections. She said, “I have a political agenda for 2019 elections. It is that neither APC nor its twin brother (yes, how does 6 differ from half a dozen?) PDP should win the 2019 state and federal legislative and executive elections. I am totally committed to this agenda. “I am committed to this political agenda because we must disrupt and end the political and governance stagnation & retrogression that our cyclical low equilibrium political Russian…
Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has blasted Senator Ben Murray-Bruce over the rail line that traverses Abuja and Kaduna. President Muhammadu Buhari recently commissioned 10 new coaches and two additional locomotives at Rigasa Train Station in Kaduna State. Photos were seen of President Buhari and Governor El-Rufai sharing a laugh and then some, as they embarked on the train ride on the new coaches; while basking in the Kaduna sunshine. Senator Bruce was not amused and sent out a tweet that read; “I hope President Muhammadu Buhari remembers to say thank you to former President Goodluck Jonathan for the train…