₦airaland Forum

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sealed off a property of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso in Kano State.

A two-term governor of Kano, Kwankwaso represented Kano Central Senatorial District at the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly between 2011 and 2015.

As is always the case, the IMF is guided by the views of the int'l community. There is currently a lack of clarity within the int'l community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources.

STATEMENT ON MY WITHDRAWAL FROM THE BIG BROTHER HOUSE (SHINE YA EYE) SHOW
I, Ololade Gbolahan Olajide (KayVee), would like to thank everyone for their love and support for the week I spent in the Big Brother House. I am overwhelmed by the love I have received from people within and outside Nigeria.

I must also thank my family and friends for their unwavering support while in the holding house for four (4) weeks. Being in the Big Brother House has been an experience of a lifetime and has afforded me access to networks and the best supporters a photographer could ever have.

I underestimated the effect isolation would have on my mental health and integrating with the other housemates. I honestly wanted to stay till the 72nd day, and I believe that I have the personality, the empathy, and the game spirit to have made it to the end. But, certain events that happened in quick succession escalated the anxiety I felt and impacted my being the jovial, energetic, and fun person I am.

Since my withdrawal from the House, I have reconnected with my family, and I am currently in a medical facility, working through the debilitating anxiety I felt. I covet your love and prayers.

I look forward to publicly connecting with #KayVeeFC, whose love and commitment has been nothing short of astounding. Words will never be enough to convey my gratitude.

And to my team who have held it down on social media, hey, rockstars!

With all my love and thanks,

KayVee.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has travelled out of the country as the 12 detained aides of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, met all their bail conditions.

The detainees’ lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, told The PUNCH on Tuesday that Justice Egwuatu was supposed to sign the release warrant of his clients today but the bail office of the court informed him that the presiding judge travelled out of the country on short notice.

The court had asked each of the 12 detainees to get two sureties each, making it a total of 24 sureties. The detainees had secured the sureties last week but the bail office of the court said it needed to write letters to the offices of the 24 sureties to get more confirmation.

Olajengbesi said the confirmation of the sureties had been completed, adding that he was at the bail office of the court on Tuesday waiting for the judge to sign the release order of his clients but he was told that Justice Egwuatu had travelled out.

“We have met all the bail conditions and the deputy registrar at the bail office has signed a memo to that effect. However, I was told by the bail office that the judge that will sign their release order has travelled out urgently for a seminar and will not return till next week,” the detainees’ lawyer told our correspondent.

The lawyer said the sudden trip of the judge was a plan to delay the release of his clients after their detention for about 50 days in the custody of the Department of State Services.

DSS operatives had arrested the 12 persons on July 1, 2021, during a raid on Igboho’s Ibadan residence around 1am.

DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, had said the secret police killed two other associates of the activist in a “gun duel.”

The 12 detained persons had approached the court through their lawyers led by Olajengbesi to seek their release in line with their fundamental human rights.

The aides are Abdullateef Onaolapo, Tajudeen Irinloye, Dikeola Ademola, Ayobami Donald, Uthman Adelabu, Olakunle Oluwapelumi, Raji Kazeem, and Taiwo Tajudeen; while the four aides are Amudat Babatunde, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Oyetunji, and Bamidele Sunday.

Justice Egwuatu had on August 4, 2021 admitted the 12 applicants to bail.

The 12 persons have spent about 50 days in the custody of the secret police in Abuja but the DSS through its lawyer, Idowu Awo filed a remand application, asking the court to nullify the bail earlier granted to four of the 12 detained associates of Igboho.

Awo said investigations revealed that the four detainees were heavily involved in the alleged offence of arms stockpiling and other criminal activities of their boss, Sunday Igboho.

Lucas Alves presented Kwara United Jersey to football legend Cafu in Brazil.

[quote]"I am presenting the shirt of the best and well managed club in Nigeria to you. Kwara United are amazing and I am thanking them once again for the chance given to me to play in NPFL," Lucas told Cafu.

Winger Lucas Alves presents Kwara United Jersey to Brazilian football legend Cafu in Brazil.

Cafu represented Brazil in 4 World Cups and he's the only player in history to have appeared in 3 consecutive World Cup finals.

EMERGENCY ALERT

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service command and control room has received an emergency alert that houses and vehicles are being burnt along Akinbode Street, off Olateju Street, Mushin, Lagos.

Response teams have been activated to the scene of the inferno. However, restive youths are hindering access to the scene.

Members of the public are advised not to panic as the Police and other security agencies have been alerted to intervene and create access to the scene for firemen to quell the ensuing Fire.

Mrs Adeseye Margaret
Director
Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service

The U.S. military has suspended flights out of #Kabul after desperate Afghans attempted to cling to a departing jet, causing at least seven people to plunge to their deaths, the Pentagon says.

Gunmen have abducted some students and teachers at the College of Agriculture and Animal Health in Bakura, Zamfara state.

Aliyu Bakura, deputy registrar of the college, confirmed the development to BBC Hausa.

“Last Sunday night around 10pm they entered and opened fire and took away 15 students and a teacher and his wife and two children,” he said.

Mallam Aliyu said the attackers were very numerous and climbed the wall and spent more than two hours in the school firing.

This is not the first time bandits will abduct students from schools in Zamfara. On February 26, bandits invaded Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara state and abducted many female students but were later released after spending weeks in custody.

In recent times, the northern part of the country has witnessed a series of abductions of schoolchildren, a development that has led to the closure of many schools in the region.

At the moment, many abducted students from northern schools are still in the custody of bandits.

After two decades of fighting in Afghanistan, the Taliban is on the verge of seizing power again for the first time since 2001.

The fundamentalist force that seeks to install Islamic law has blitzed across the country, overrunning one city after another and closing in on Kabul as the United States has withdrawn troops this summer. Few places outside the imperiled Afghan capital remain under the control of the Western-backed government, which is pleading for the international community to help fend off a complete takeover.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians are fleeing, setting off a humanitarian crisis that could ripple around the globe. Those who’ve stayed are reckoning with the return of extremist rule under the Taliban’s interpretation of Islam. Militants have shuttered girls’ schools, banned smartphones in some places and forced young men to join their ranks, they say.

What is the Taliban?

The Taliban first rose to power in Afghanistan in the 1990s, formed by guerrilla fighters who drove out Soviet forces in the previous decade with support from the CIA and Pakistani intelligence services. Most of their members are Pashtuns, the largest ethnic group in the country. The name means students in Pashto.

The founder, Mohammad Omar, a commander in the anti-Soviet resistance, launched the movement in 1994 to secure the southeastern city of Kandahar, which was plagued by crime and violence. The Taliban’s vision of justice helped them amass power. “At the time people really wanted law and order, and there was none,” said Kamran Bokhari of the Newlines Institute, a foreign policy think tank.

In the fall of 1996, the Taliban seized Kabul and declared the country an Islamic emirate. Taliban rule was brutal and repressive. Women had virtually no rights, were barred from education and forced to wear clothing that covered their entire body. Music and other forms of media were banned.

The Taliban’s ideology was similar to that of its counterpart al-Qaeda, though its interests were limited to ruling Afghanistan. In exchange for help fighting groups aligned with the nation’s government, Taliban leaders harbored Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda members involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A U.S.-led coalition ousted the regime later that year.

In late July 2015, the Afghan government confirmed that Omar had died in April 2013 in Karachi, Pakistan.

How did the Taliban regain strength?

After being ousted, the Taliban scattered. Some leaders found sanctuary in Pakistan, where they began to fortify themselves with help from the Pakistani security establishment. In Afghanistan, the presence of U.S. forces helped provide the Taliban with an anti-colonialist rallying cry for recruits. So did corruption in the Afghan government.

“For two decades now, the Taliban movement has been slowly chipping away, village by village,” said Robert Crews, an expert on Afghanistan at Stanford University. “It’s a very sophisticated kind of ground game of grass-roots mobilization.”

Militants also replenished their ranks through a campaign of fear and violence. People who enlisted in police forces or the national army were assassinated. Public intellectuals, journalists, media figures and others who represent the young face of Afghanistan’s civil society were also targeted.

Afghan troops, their ranks dogged by incompetence and corruption, have withered in the face of the Taliban incursion.

“People are asking, ‘Do I want to die for an administration that has not sent my unit ammunition? We’ve not been paid in months, we’re out of food. Now the Americans are gone',” Crews said. “It seems kind of hopeless.”

The grand illusion: Hiding the truth about the Afghanistan war’s ‘conclusion

How is the Taliban funded and armed?

The Taliban gets its funding from a variety of sources. Some money comes from the opium trade and drug dealing, or other crimes such as smuggling. The group taxes and extorts farms and other businesses. Militants are sometimes involved in kidnapping for ransom.

The group also gets donations from a wide array of benefactors who support its cause or view it as an useful asset, experts said.

“It’s not really the case that they need a whole lot of money to operate,” Bokhari said. “They don’t live in big houses. They don’t wear fancy clothes. The biggest expense is salary and weapons and training.”

Arms are easy to come by in a region awash in them. Some are donated, others purchased. Many are stolen.

“As the Afghanistan national army has folded,” Crews said, “one of the first moves the Taliban has made in moving into new territory is to go to a government headquarters, arrest or kill those figures, open the prisons, and then go to the government bases and seize the weapons.”

In some tribal areas, including in Pakistan, a “cottage industry” of foundries has sprung up where workers fashion assault-style rifles, according to Bokhari.

‘Why did my friend get blown up? For what?’: Afghanistan war veterans horrified by Taliban gains

What is the Taliban’s goal?

The Taliban’s aim is simple, experts said: to take back what the group lost in the early 2000s.

“They want their Islamic emirate back in power,” Crews said. “They want their vision of Islamic law.”

He continued: “They don’t want a parliament. They don’t want electoral politics. They have an emir and they have a council of mullahs, and that’s the vision they see as best for Islam.”

There does not seem to be a single leader of the Taliban, but the group seems to have several main leaders.

Whether life under Taliban rule will be the same as it once was remains unclear. There’s little doubt that the group wants to confine women to their homes, end mixed-gender education and bring back a society with Islamic law at the center.

But a civil society has burgeoned in the past two decades that didn’t exist before. Women have assumed public positions not just in Kabul but also in smaller cities. Cellphones and social media are common. Experts questioned whether the Taliban would be able to govern a population that has changed.

“There are lot of people who are better connected to the world through social media and say, ‘Hey, why can’t we have a life like that?’ ” Crews said. “What will they do with a society that believes in pluralism and doesn’t believe in monopolization of power? To what extent will Taliban violence silence those voices?”

A look at the armed group’s significant milestones as it renews its push to capture major cities across the war-torn country.

In three months, the Taliban has more than doubled its territory.

The Taliban has taken control of Qalat, Terenkot, Pul-e Alam, Feruz Koh, Qala-e Naw and Lashkar Gah, raising the number of captured Afghan provincial capitals to 17.

The armed group has made rapid advances since launching its offensive in May while troops from the United States and NATO nations leave the war-torn country after 20 years.

The offensive comes as talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government on a political understanding to lead to a peace deal, backed by the US and its allies, have failed to make significant progress.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of some of the group’s major milestones and advances in recent months:

April 14: Biden announces plan for US troop withdrawal

President Joe Biden announces US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan starting from May 1 and ending on September 11, bringing the US’s longest war to a close. It was an extension of the previous withdrawal deadline of May 1 agreed between the US and the Taliban.

May 4: Taliban launches offensive
Taliban fighters launch a major offensive on Afghan forces in southern Helmand province. They also attack in at least six other provinces.

May 11: Taliban captures Nerkh
The Taliban captures Nerkh district just outside the capital Kabul as violence intensifies across the country.

June 7: More than 150 Afghan soldiers killed
Senior government officials say more than 150 Afghan soldiers are killed in 24 hours as fighting worsens. They add that fighting is raging in 26 of the country’s 34 provinces.

June 22: Series of attacks in northern Afghanistan
Taliban fighters launch a series of attacks in the north of the country, far from their traditional strongholds in the south, and the UN envoy for Afghanistan says they have taken more than 50 of 370 districts.

July 2: Sudden US troop withdrawal from Bagram base
American troops quietly pull out of their main military base in Afghanistan, the Bagram airbase, an hour’s drive from Kabul.

The withdrawal effectively ends the US involvement in the Afghanistan war.

July 5: Taliban says working on a peace plan
The Taliban says it could present a written peace proposal to the Afghan government as soon as August.

July 21: Taliban controls half of Afghanistan’s districts
The Taliban gains control of about half of the country’s districts, according to the senior US general, underlining the scale and speed of their advance.

July 26: US promises continued support to Afghan Govt
The US promised to continue to support Afghan troops “in the coming weeks” with intensified air attacks to help them counter Taliban attacks.

July 26: Afghan civilian death toll rises
The United Nations says nearly 2,400 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in May and June in escalating violence, the highest number for those months since records started in 2009.

August 6: Taliban seizes Zaranj, other provinces
Zaranj, August 6: The Taliban take over the capital of Nimruz province in the south, the first provincial capital to fall to the group since it stepped up attacks on Afghan forces in early May.

Sheberghan, August 7:
The Taliban declare they have captured the entire northern province of Jawzjan, including its capital Sheberghan.

Heavy fighting is reported in the city, and government buildings are taken over by the Taliban. Afghan security forces say they are still fighting there.

Sar-e-Pul, August 8:
The Taliban take control of Sar-e-Pul, capital of the eponymous northern province. It is the first of three provincial centres that fell on the same day.

Kunduz, August 8:
Taliban fighters seize control of the northern city of 270,000 people, regarded as a strategic prize as it lies at the gateway to mineral-rich northern provinces and Central Asia.

Government forces say they are resisting the Taliban from an army base and the airport.

Taluqan, August 8:
The capital of Takhar province, also in the north, falls to the Taliban in the evening. They freed prisoners and force government officials to flee.

Aybak, August 9:
The capital of the northern province of Samangan is overrun by Taliban fighters.

Farah, August 10:
Local sources confirmed the fall of the capital of the western province of the same name.

Pul-e-Khumri, August 10:
The capital of the central province of Baghlan falls to the Taliban, according to officials and residents.

Faizabad, August 11:
The capital of the northeastern province of Badakhshan is under Taliban control, a provincial council member says.

Ghazni, August 12:
The capital of the southeastern province of Ghazni is seized and all local government officials flee to Kabul.

Herat, August 12:
The capital of Herat province in the west of the country, the third-largest city, has fallen to the Taliban after two weeks of fighting.

Kandahar, August 12:
The capital of the southern province of Kandahar is under the armed group’s control.

Lashkar Gah, August 13:
The capital of Helmand province in the south is taken over by the Taliban.

Qala-e Naw, August 13: The capital of the western Badghis province is captured.

Feruz Koh, August 13:
Taliban fighters takes control of Feruz Koh city in Afghanistan’s western province of Ghor without any fighting.

Pul-e Alam, August 13:
The Taliban seizes the capital of the central province of Logar and captures the governor and the head of the city’s spy agency.

Terakot, August 13:
The capital of the southern Uruzgan province is captured and the governor escapes to Kabul.

Qalat, August 13:
The capital of Zabul province in Afghanistan’s south, becomes the 18th city taken over by the Taliban.

Jalalabad, August 15:
An Afghan lawmaker and the Taliban say the militants have seized Jalalabad, cutting off Kabul to the east.

Amid the Taliban's rapid gains, U.S., British and Canadian forces are rushing troops in to help their diplomatic staffs withdraw.

Khost, Wardak, Kapisa, Bamyan, Parwan; August 15:
The Taliban took control of Wardak, Khost, Kapisa, and Bamyan provinces. Only 4 provinces remain (still haven't seen confirmation of Nuristan). It is only a matter of the government surrendering or fighting for Kabul.

The toll of the earthquake increased and rose to 227 dead, including 158 in the #South, hundreds of injured are missing.

The first interventions, carried out by both professional rescuers and members of the population, made it possible to extract many people from the rubble. Hospitals continue to receive wounded.

I extend my sympathies to the parents of the victims of this violent earthquake which caused several losses in human and material lives in several geographical departments of the country.

I mobilize all the resources of my Administration to help victims.

At least three children have died and some others sustained injuries following an explosion from a forgotten undetonated bomb believed to have been planted by insurgents in a village in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, officials said.

The explosion from the landmine buried under a bridge at Ngala village went off Saturday when the children were playing around the area. It is believed that the children’s fiddling at the location triggered the device.

Local sources at Ngala, a border community in Borno State, informed HumAngle that the device which went off with a deafening sound may have been planted by suspected members of the terror group to bring down the Mblu bridge.

“The Boko Haram planted the bomb and may have forgotten about it or it refused to go off at the time they wanted it to,” said Bukar Usman, a local security operative who spoke to HumAngle.

“And now it is killing our children who don’t know the dangers around our communities,” he said.

The Jamaatu Ahlil Sunnat Liddawati wal Jihad locally known as Boko Haram had within 2013 and 2015 responsible for bringing down many highway bridges that link Borno State with other parts of the country.

Though the Borno State government was yet to make an official statement about the accidental explosion, the United Nations has since described the sad development as one of the biggest challenges that children are likely to face dealing with unexploded remnants of war.

The UN system had in a statement confirmed that children “as young as 12 years – who were playing on Mblu Bridge in Ngala,” were killed by the forgotten explosives.

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said the incident is “yet another sad reminder that children remain direct and indirect targets of the protracted conflict wracking north-east Nigeria.”

“While three children have sadly lost their lives, three others are in critical conditions while two other children sustained mild injuries,” UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, said.

“First of all, we extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathy to the families of the children killed. No family should have to go through this – and no child should fall victim to unexploded remnants of war while playing.”

Hawkins said children are at particular risk from unexploded ordnance, which are small enough to pick up or kick around, and which children can mistake for toys or objects of value.

He said such weapons account for over half of those killed or injured by landmines and other explosive remnants of war globally.

“These deaths are unacceptable. All sides to the ongoing conflict must protect children and prioritize their wellbeing at all times. Playing fields, schoolyards and communities must be safe and habitable for children,’’ said Hawkins.

“Children’s lives should not be at stake in a conflict they didn’t start. We must address the shrinking safe spaces for children and ensure that children – especially those already affected by conflict – are protected and have a chance to survive and fulfil their potential.”

The incident happened as the Borno State Government gears up the process of returning all IDPs to their reclaimed hinterland communities.

So far over 200,000 IDPs have been returned to their homes many years after fleeing attacks by members of the terror group.

The insurgents had occupied most of the fled communities using them as camps and garrisons which they fortified with land mines to evade attacks from government forces.

A Northern elder statesman who also headed the 2015 Transition Committee of President Muhammadu Buhari, Ahmed Joda, is dead.

An announcement from some friends and family members on Friday confirmed Joda’s death.

The elder statesman was a retired Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industries, and rose to become one of the super Permanent Secretaries under the military government of Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd.) in the 1970s.

He served as chairman and board member of various companies including; the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Nigerian Communications Commission, Pastoral Resolve, Chagoury Group, and the Flour Mills of Nigeria.

He was also a member of the 1988 Constituent Assembly which planned the constitutional transition of the Third Nigerian Republic.

In 1999, he was appointed in the committee to advise the Olusegun Obasanjo’s Presidency on Poverty Alleviation and in 2015, he headed the Muhammadu Buhari presidential transition.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN are hoping to finally bring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo together after eyeing up a spectacular swoop for the Portuguese icon, according to reports.

The two stars have long been friendly rivals on the pitch - most-notably in their nine-year stint together in LaLiga at Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Earlier this week, PSG completed the free signing of Messi, 34, on a two-year deal following his shock Barca exit.

And the Ligue 1 giants have already turned their attention to their next marquee signing by going for 36-year-old Ronaldo - but only if Kylian Mbappe leaves, according to AS.

The French striker, 22, has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for years now.

Mbappe was tipped with a big-money exit this summer, with just one year left on his contract.

The France whiz has refused to put pen to paper on a new contract.

But with Real Madrid struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic, they have been unable to splash the cash this year.

Mbappe is out of contract at the end of this season and PSG have admitted defeat in their hope of keeping him at the club.

Rather than cashing in though, club chiefs want to enjoy one more season of Mbappe - alongside Messi and Neymar, no less.

But PSG don't want to head into the 2022-23 season without a fearsome front-three - and will make a move for Ronaldo to replace Mbappe.

Ronaldo had been tipped with a move away from Juventus this summer after the Italian giants endured a horror 2020-21.

Juve saw their nine-year Serie A winning streak ended by a dominant Inter Milan, while their quest for a first Champions League title since 1996 failed with a last-16 exit at the hands of Porto.

Ronaldo was linked with moves back to Manchester United and Real Madrid.

But with Massimiliano Allegri back at the Allianz Stadium - and considering a formation change to get the best of Ronaldo - the Portuguese icon is set to stay, at least for one more season.

Like Mbappe, CR7 is out of contract at the end of the season and will be able to move on a free.

Getting their hands on a superstar like Ronaldo for absolutely nothing would soften the blow of losing Mbappe without receiving a penny.

And the prospect of finally bringing Messi and Ronaldo together would make them the most-powerful, most-watched team on the planet.

Ronaldo would team up with Messi and Neymar but wouldn't have the chance to star alongside Mbappe, who grew up idolising the Portuguese forward

Romelu Lukaku is back in Chelsea blue!

One of the most prolific strikers in European football, Lukaku has returned to the club he supported as a young boy and where he has unfinished business, having been on our books between 2011 and 2014. The Belgian has signed a five-year contract and will add attacking firepower to Thomas Tuchel’s squad of European champions.

‘I’m happy and blessed to be back at this wonderful club,’ said Lukaku. ‘It’s been a long journey for me: I came here as a kid who had a lot to learn, now I’m coming back with a lot of experience and more mature.

‘The relationship I have with this club means so much to me, as you know. I have supported Chelsea as a kid and now to be back and try to help them win more titles is an amazing feeling.

‘The way the club is going fits my ambitions perfectly at 28 and just coming off winning Serie A. I think this opportunity comes at the right time and hopefully we can have a lot of success together.

‘Since I left Chelsea, it’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs, but these experiences made me strong and the challenge is to try to help the team win some more trophies. I can’t wait to get started and to help the club achieve more success.’

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia added: ‘Romelu Lukaku is quite simply one of the world’s best strikers and goalscorers. We are absolutely delighted to be bringing him back to the club he loves, and are excited to be adding his talent to our Champions League-winning squad.

‘We are of course looking to build on last season’s success, and Lukaku will play a big role in achieving our targets. I’m sure all Chelsea fans will join me in saying welcome home, Romelu!’

Lukaku is back at Stamford Bridge a decade after he originally joined the club. He has netted 80 goals for club and country in the past two seasons alone, adding a ruthless streak to the tenacity and touch that have defined his game for so long.

A formidable forward who is equally adept at holding the ball up with his back to goal as well as running into channels with purpose and intent, Lukaku has eight years of Premier League experience under his belt. During that time, he scored 113 goals in the division, taking him up to 20th place on the list of all-time Premier League goalscorers.

OFFICIAL: ROMELU LUKAKU IS BACK IN CHELSEA BLUE!

Aged just 18 when he arrived at Stamford Bridge from Anderlecht in his homeland in the summer of 2011, he made 15 Chelsea appearances in three seasons, two of which were largely spent on loan, before moving on to Everton, Manchester United and Inter Milan.

While at Inter, Lukaku was named the Europa League Player of the Season in 2019/20, before playing an integral part as the Italian side won Serie A last season. His 24 goals and 11 assists earned him the competition’s MVP award.

Now 28, he was named in UEFA’s team of the tournament for Euro 2020, during which he netted four times in Belgium’s run to the quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by eventual champions Italy. Lukaku has long impressed on the international stage and has scored 64 times in 98 games during a golden period for his national side. He is by some distance Belgium’s all-time top goalscorer, and now rejoins the Blues aiming to help us win further domestic and continental honours.

The slaughter of the people of Nigeria by Boko Haram, ISWAP, foreign militias, herdsmen, bandits, unknown gunmen and other terrorists shall not go unavenged and unpunished.

Every single one of them and those who covertly support and encourage them shall be brought to justice.

The rehabilitation of Boko Haram fighters who have stained their hands with the blood of our people is the greatest evil under the sun.

It gladdens my heart to hear that the Chief of Army Staff has ruled out such a dangerously stupid and indefensible policy.

Evil must NEVER be encouraged or rewarded.

The Nigerian Army has released 102 out of 112 residents of the Obigbo area in Rivers State who were taken away during a raid by the Nigerian Army and detained at its Commando Base in Suleja, Niger State.

SaharaReporters learnt that while 102 of them were still alive, four of them were dead, while six others were still unaccounted for.

SaharaReporters gathered that they were arrested by the Nigerian Army since November and December 2020, and later found to be in a base in Niger State.

According to a civil group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, the families and lawyers of most of the victims had “not been allowed to see them till date, and neither have they been charged to court nor given a fair trial and fair hearing.”

“The 112 mostly Igbo civilian residents of Obigbo residency have for almost nine months remained in the Nigerian Army’s Alpha Military Commando Base located along Bida-Suleja Road, Bida in Niger State. They have also been held secretly without administrative or court bail.

“Following the discovery of some secret locations where the abductees were taken to and held, in addition to public and media outcries and efforts of Barrister Richard Okoroafor, Intersociety and leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra, 283 were judicially rescued and over 270 have remained in secret custody of the Nigerian Army.

The names of the 102 abducted Obigbo residents released recently are: 1.Benjamin Eze; 2.Paul Uwazieike; 3.Humphrey Vickie; 4.Peter Umeze; 5.Odemgbo Isreal; 6.Prince Achi; 7.Wie Gift; 8.Kamso Ignatus; 9.Chibuike Ochi; 10.Bobo Ochi; 11.Mensah Boniface; 12.Elechi Sylvester; 13.Amadi Chinasa; 14.Okeke Zachariah; 15.Mebechi Justice; 16.Anwuluka Dieide; 17.Alphonsus white; 18.Saturday Amonwa; 19.Daniel Onwubiko; 20.Supuru Onochie; 21.Clifford Francis; 22.Emeka Ugbochi; 23.Echefuna Uchenna; 24.Anthony Okpara; 25.Godswill Ike; 26.Ikenna Abuoma; 27.Paul Nwille; 28.Okochi Emmanuel; 29.Richard Okoli; 30.Imma Sunny; 31.Johnson Akabuku; 32.Micheal Azubuike; 33.Oku Confidence; 34.Mark Uche; 35.Mr Dominic Asiema; 36.Freedom Acalpu; 37.Nsikak Friday; 38.Chinonso Amaechi; 39.Bright Sunday; 40.Okpara Dinma; 41.John Igweba; 42.Humphery Chukwunonoso; 43.Boniface Uwuoma; 44.Osaretin Chinda; 45.Ekene Denison; 46.Emma Maduabuchi; 47.Chiedu Kelvin; 48.Osita Austin;49.Legit Kerere; 50.Eric Alphonsus; 51.Iyke; 52.Godwin Ume; 53.Chineyeze Ekpere; 54.Innocent Odum; 55.Pastor Uchenna; 56.Boniface Ume; 57.Gilbert; 58.Okafor Kingsley; 59.Chieyuran Ibe; 60.Emeka David; 61.Sodienye Moses; 62.Onyinye wokeke; 63.Monday Ogah; 64.Ifeoma Igwe; 65.Chike Jideofor; 66.Chukwudi Anyazue; 67.Chimezie; 68.Ayigbo; 69.Chijioke; 70.Ekene; 71.Nwude; 72.Vincent; 73.Ugochukusu; 74.Andrew Iheme; 75.Thomas Ibekwe; 76.Precious Anozie; 77.Cletus Justice; 78.Augustine; 79.Osita Chikwado; 80.Adam Kennedy; 81.Egesi Goffrey; 82.Chidi Okeke; 83.Egbo Godwin; 84.Tobechukwu Udoka; 85.Chineyenze Bishop; 86.Akaudo Obinna; 87.Kanyinene Uche; 88.Azubuike Calistus; 89.Victor Ugoechi; 90.Okwu Nonyerem; 91.Kamso Anayo; 92.Sopuru Dikachi; 93.Chibuike Uzo; 94.Osuagwu Emmanuel; 95.Ojiako Bright; 96.Harrison Jude; 97.Winner Onukube; 98.Chika Dede; 99.Papa Emma; 100.Success Mba; 101.Clifford Obunneme; 102.Chieunra Chukwuma.

The deceased persons are: Ekweme Thomas, Pius Onochie, Obinna Akapuru and Monday Ifeanyi

The remaining persons unaccounted for are: Iwuoma Bright, Ochi Jacob, Nwakaego Ibe, Ebube Kelvin and Elvis Chigbu.

The caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Yola South local government of Adamawa State, Sulaiman Adamu, has taken a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that if wishes were horses, he would have wished coronavirus kill the president.

Mr Adamu, who made the spiteful remark, said if he was asked to choose between Mr Buhari and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, he would pick the latter with dispatch.

The APC chairman, according to sources made the statement during a meeting of some high profile stakeholders of the party, including the immediate past Governor of Adamawa State, Muhammadu Bindow and the immediate past Speaker of Adamawa State house of assembly, who is the incumbent member representing Yola south constituency in the state house of assembly, Kabiru Mijinyawa.

Other APC stalwarts present at the meeting are Yusha’u Adamu who served Mr Bindow as adviser and Abubakar Sirimbai, who was a former development area chairman.

Sources privy to the development said the meeting took place on Sunday August 8, 2021 at the residence of the former commissioner of local government and chieftaincy affairs, under the Bindow administration, Mustapha Barkindo-Mustapha, between 3:00pm to 5:00pm.

In a leaked audio clip obtained by DAILY NIGERIAN, the APC chieftains were heard making spiteful and denigrating remarks against the person of President Muhammadu Buhari without let or hindrance.

“I don’t know why coronavirus did not kill Buhari. If the president is placed side by side with Osinbajo I will pick Osinbajo and leave Buhari,” the chairman was heard lamenting in Fulfulde.

Also lambasting the president, Abubakar Sirimbai in another sneering vituperation, said, it is better for the “accursed president” to die so that Mr Osinbajo could take over the reigns of power.

“It is better for the accursed president to die so that his deputy can assume the reins of power. We sold our properties to help the president win the election. We bought under wears, braziers, and cosmetic which we used to give him a make up. If I’m averse to Osinbajo becoming the president, may God not give me the privilege of living till evening.

“Buhari has achieved nothing in Adamawa in the last six years. APC in Adamawa thrives on the legacies of Bindow. We heard that Buhari used to be extremely happy whenever he learnt someone has gone bankrupt. We can’t be worshipping him like others,” Mr Sirimbai said.

Chelsea would prefer to sell Abraham to a foreign team than a Premier League rival; 23-year-old striker fell out of favour at Stamford Bridge after Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard; Arsenal also interested in signing England forward.

Roma have agreed a £34m deal to sign Tammy Abraham from Chelsea, reports Sky in Italy.

The 23-year-old striker must now decide if he wants to join the Italian club, who are managed by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

Fellow Serie A side Atalanta and Arsenal are also interested in Abraham, but Chelsea's preference is to sell him to a foreign club, making a move to their London rivals less likely.

Abraham fell out of favour at Chelsea midway through last season as Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard as head coach and was left out of the squad for May's Champions League final, despite being fully fit.

The imminent arrival of Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan is set to push Abraham further down the pecking order and all but end the possibility of him staying at Stamford Bridge.

Despite his limited game-time during the second half of last season, Abraham ended the campaign as Chelsea's joint-top scorer with 12 goals.

He has featured in each of Chelsea's three pre-season friendlies and could be involved as they take on Villarreal in the Super Cup final on Wednesday.

Mourinho was in charge at Stamford Bridge as Abraham was coming through the Chelsea academy, but the forward didn't make his first senior appearance for the Blues until after the Portuguese had left the club.

Abraham's form for Chelsea under Lampard saw him feature for England in Euro 2020 qualifying and in their most recent Nations League campaign, but a lack of playing time under Tuchel saw him fall out of Gareth Southgate's plans in the months before this summer's tournament.

The Commission has approved the Kingdom of Jordan as one of its pilgrimage destination nations.

Federal Government of Nigeria has saddled the Commission with the responsibility of taking Christian Pilgrims to the Holy Sites Around the world.

A new bilateral relationship has been established between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Jordan. Nigeria is open to learn from Jordan in the area of information technology and agriculture, I believe that Nigeria has so much to learn from Jordan and Jordan has alot to learn from Nigeria, too.

The Commission in the past has three pilgrimage destinations which is Israel, Rome and Greece but now Jordan has been officially added to our pilgrimage destinations,

I thank the Minister of Tourism and Antiques, His Excellency Mr. Nayef Alfayez for all the support and co-operation the Jordanian Government accorded us to ensure a hitch free pilgrimage exercise especially in the area of visa procurement.

The first and second batch of Pilgrims who came to Jordan has arrived Nigeria and their testimonies about their pilgrimage experiences was great.

#yakubupam

Bandits have abducted Commissioner of Information of Niger State. Very soon, they may start kidnapping Governors and Senators.

Lai Mohd may come out and say the Niger State Commissioner of Information was not abducted by bandits but only invited to have a chat. Most useless Govt in the history of Nigeria.

If the bandits & terrorists are kidnapping only politicians, the insecurity situation would have been solved since & majority of Nigerians won’t have any issue with the bandits.

Niger State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mallam Idris Mohammed has been abducted by gunmen and taken to an unknown destination.

The Commissioner was abducted by heavily armed men suspected to be bandits from his residence at Baban Tunga, Tafa local government area of the state on Sunday night.

The gunmen said to be numbering about 20, stormed the residence of the Commissioner at about 1:00am under a heavily downpour and shot sporadically into the air before abducting their victim in front of his second wife.

According to a source close to the family, the commissioner was whisked away under the heavily rain, and abductors are yet to make any contact with the family as at the time of filing this report.

The state Police Command is yet to make any statement to that effect, but a top government official who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said “that is what we heard but the bandits are yet to contact the family”.

KIDNAP: Niger State Government has confirmed the kidnap of the Commissioner for Information Mohammed Sani Idris.

The Commissioner was said to have been kidnaped by bandits at about one o'clock in the early hours of today from his home at Baban tunga village in Tafa local government of the State.

Security agencies are how ever already trailing the bandits with a view to apprehending them.

Mary Noel-Berje
Chief Press Secretary
to the Governor of Niger State.

A former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has promised to build an Islamic University in Daura, President Muhammadu Buhari’s hometown.

Mr Okorocha, a senator and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said the Rochas Okorocha Foundation would build the university.

The former governor was recently conferred with the traditional title of Maga Alherin Kasar Hausa by the Emir of Daura, Umar Faruk.

The University
Isa Halidu, who represented Mr Okorocha at an event in Daura on Saturday, said students would enjoy free tuition and accommodation at the university.

“Because the Emir of Daura made me a traditional titleholder, I am going to give a gift, perhaps, that would never be forgotten. I will build an Islamic university with modern facilities under Rochas Okorocha Foundation and to be commissioned by myself in Daura town,” he said.

He said this is because the emirate and Katsina State, in general, had shown him tremendous affection.

Mr Okorocha noted that his Foundation has built schools and undertaken many developmental projects in other states, hence paying back Daura town for what President Buhari had done for Nigeria.

The federal government had previously announced a plan to build a university of transportation in the town with major contributions from Chinese contractors executing projects for the government.

Court Convicts Two in Gombe Over N8.75m Gratification

The Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured the conviction of two former staff of the Finance Department of Gombe Ministry of Finance, Muhammadu Buhari and Umaru Gabus before Justices S.Y.Abubakar and Fatima Yusuf of State High Court, Gombe for failure to report to the Commission or the Police, a cumulative gratification of N8, 750.000 (Eight Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousands Naira).

The Offence is contrary to Section 23 (1) and Punishable under Section 23(3) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act (2000).

Mohammadu Buhari pleaded guilty to the charge against him and was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N20, 000.00. He was also ordered to restitute the sum of N700, 000.00 to the Printing Workers Association of Nigeria, Gombe State Branch through the Commission.

Similarly, Umaru Gabus who collected as his share, the sum of N6, 050,000.00, was sentenced to a fine of N50, 000 and ordered to pay the sum of N5, 850,000.00 as restitution.

Investigation revealed that the convicts sometimes between November 2014 and January 2017 were offered gratifications to add more fake names on the Printing Union Platform to enable the Union to collect more dues from the Gombe State Government.

It was discovered that when the excess funds were collected it was shared among them.

Manchester City are delighted to announce the signing of Jack Grealish on a six-year deal.

The 25-year-old midfielder joins from Aston Villa, having made 213 appearances over the course of eight seasons, scoring 32 goals and assisting 43.

In addition to widespread admiration for his domestic performances, Jack also received plaudits for his impressive individual and team contribution to the England squad, as the national team reached the final of the Euro 2020 competition in a truly memorable summer for fans all over the country.

“I am incredibly happy to have joined Manchester City,” Grealish said. “City are the best team in the country with a manager considered to be the best in the world – it’s a dream come true to be part of this club.

“Over the past 10 seasons, they have won major trophies consistently. Pep coming here has taken them to the next level and the football this team plays is the most exciting in Europe. To play for Pep and learn from him is going to be special and it’s something any top footballer would want.

“The facilities are amazing, and I honestly can’t wait to get started, meet everyone and get playing.”

Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to welcome Jack Grealish to Manchester City. He is an incredible talent.

“Jack’s development over the past few seasons both for club and country has been plain for everybody to see. His natural talent together with his commitment to improve as a player, has seen him become one of the most exciting attacking players in world football today.

“I am certain that the fans are going to love seeing him in our team. Pep loves the way he plays, and we all feel he is an ideal fit for Manchester City. Our style and his style are a perfect match. I’m excited to watch him over the coming years.”

Everyone at Manchester City is delighted Jack has joined us and we all wish him the very best during his time here.

JACK GREALISH: A RARE TALENT

Jack Grealish, 25, is a player who possesses wonderful natural ability and flair - a rare talent who will add a new dimension to City’s potent attack.

He carries the ball superbly, has quick feet, can keep the ball in the tightest of spaces and is a superb passer. He’ll bring a new aesthetic to City’s play.

His career so far has been one of consistent improvement.

Joining Villa’s academy as a six-year-old, his first taste of notable youth success came when he won UEFA’s NextGen under-19 tournament in 2013.

Aged just 16, he was named as an unused substitute in a 4–2 home Premier League defeat against Chelsea on 31 March 2012.

He made a temporary switch to to Notts County in 2013, a move that fast-tracked his progress, with the physicality of League One football augmenting his technical quality.

He played 39 times during his loan period, scoring five goals, before returning to Villa for the final weeks of the 2013/14 season.

He made his Aston Villa debut at the Etihad as an 88th-minute substitute in a game that saw Yaya Toure score a wonder goal as City edged towards our second title in three years, before finishing top scorer as Villa won the 2014 Hong Kong Sevens tournament.

Be one of the first to see Jack Grealish live at the Etihad Stadium. Join Cityzens Matchday Membership today to access tickets

The following campaign saw him establish himself as a senior Aston Villa player. He appeared 17 times in the Premier League and featured in every round as they reached the 2015 FA Cup final, delivering a masterful performance in the semi-final win over Liverpool.

He played the full 90 minutes in the final, aged just 19, as Villa lost 4-0 to Arsenal. Grealish ended the season by collecting the club’s Young Player of the Year award.

An ankle injury the following season restricted him to 27 appearances in all competitions as Villa were relegated to the Championship, but he made 31 league appearances the following campaign.

He was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year in 2018-19 as Villa won promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs, with Grealish taking on the captaincy in March of that season.

In their first year back in the top flight, Villa reached the League Cup final, losing 2-1 to City, as Grealish made 41 appearances in all competitions.

And in the 2020-21 campaign, he won Villa’s Player of the Season award, before making five appearances for England en route to the final of the Euros, delivering a game-changing cameo in the famous 2-0 last-16 win over Germany at Wembley.

Welcome to Manchester City, Jack Grealish!

SEASON-BY-SEASON STATS
2013-14

Played: 40
Aston Villa: 1
Notts County (loan): 39
League One Goals: 5
League One Assists: 7
2014-15

Played: 24
Goals: 0
Assists: 3
2015-16

Played: 21
Goals: 1
Assists: 1
2016-17

Played: 33
Goals: 5
Assists: 5
2017-18

Played: 31
Goals: 3
Assists: 6
2018-19

Played: 35
Goals: 6
Assists: 8
2019-20

Played: 41
Goals: 10
Assists: 7
2020-21

Played: 27
Goals: 7
Assists: 10
TOTAL

Appearances: 252
Goals: 37
Assists: 48
Aston Villa

Appearances: 213
Goals: 32
Assists: 41
Notts County

Appearances: 39
Goals: 5
Assists: 7

Unknown armed men have abducted the father, stepmother and uncle of the Speaker of Zamfara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Nasiru Muazu Magarya, in Zurmi Local Government Area of the Zamfara State.

It was also gathered that the assailants abducted four persons during the attack.

The Rivers State Police Command and the Nigeria sports sector were thrown into mourning, following the sudden passing of the state deputy Police spokesman, Christian Udogu.

According to a close source in the command, Udogu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was with his family on Wednesday evening watching a programme on television when he suddenly complained of chest pain and slumped soon afterwards.

He was a sports personality who played volleyball for many years and had represented Rivers State in national and international competitions. He had also won laurels, our correspondent reports.

DEATH WHILE IN SERVICE:

The Rivers State Police Command regrets to announce the untimely death of DSP Christian Udogu slumped and died at about 1130 pm, last night 4/8/2021, before he could get medical attention.

Late Christian Udogu until his death was the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Command.

His remains have been deposited in the Mortuary.

Further development will be communicated accordingly.

May God grant his soul eternal rest.

SP Nnamdi Omoni
PPRO RVS

Emirates’ flights to and from Nigeria will remain suspended until 15 August 2021, in line with government directives that restrict the entry of travellers originating from Nigeria into the UAE.

Customers who have been to or connected through Nigeria in the last 14 days will not be permitted on any Emirates flights bound for Dubai.

Affected flight bookings have been cancelled.

Our Contact Centres are experiencing a greater volume of calls than anticipated. If your call is not related to travel within the next 48 hours, please consider calling back later.

If your flight has been cancelled or impacted by route suspensions due to COVID‑19 restrictions, you don’t need to call us immediately for rebooking. You can simply hold on to your Emirates ticket and when flights resume, get in touch with your booking office or us to make new travel plans.

Three more abducted students of the Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna were said to have escaped from their captors.

They were subsequently found by security operatives roaming the forest.

The students, according to a competent security source in Kaduna on Tuesday, were found roaming in the forest in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

A source said that the students after their escape were re-kidnapped by another gang of bandits who entered into negotiation with the parents.

According to the source, “They escaped from their abductors and were later found roaming inside the forest by troops.

“They were found in a forest in Chikun LGA, where they have been for days without food,” the source said, adding, “The students looked pale and sick.”

The students were kidnapped in the early hours of July 5, 2021, around 2am on the school premises along the Kaduna-Kachia Expressway, Damishi, Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

The first batch of 28 of the students had spent 20 days in the kidnappers’ den. Thereafter, another four of the students also escaped from their captors.

This was after payment of N50 million was made to the bandits which warranted the release of the first 28 students.

The crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has taken another dimension as members of the party National Working Committee (NWC) are plotting to pass a vote of no confidence on the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

A source close to the party leadership told our correspondent that the Deputy National Chairman North, Suleiman Nazif has been mandated to convene a meeting of the NWC this night by 10 pm.

The purpose of the meeting according to the source, is to pass a vote of no confidence on Secondus.

Recall that the party has been enmeshed by a leadership crisis where some members have been calling on Secondus to resign.

Also recall that this afternoon, while seven national officers resigned their position, the Nations Youth Leader, Udeh Okoye accused Secondus of incompetence and asked him to resign.

He had threatened that if in four days Secondus doesn’t resign, he and some members of the NWC would leave the party for him.