₦airaland Forum

Boko Haram terrorists are currently attacking Magumeri town in Borno State, multiple security sources have told SaharaReporters.

Magumeri is about 50km from Maiduguri, the state capital.

SaharaReporters gathered that the insurgents came into the village in trucks and on motorcycles around 2:15pm, shooting sporadically.

“Magumeri is currently under Boko Haram attack, they came into the town few minutes ago and started shooting sporadically,” said one of the sources.

The attack comes days after the insurgents killed over 10 soldiers along the Maiduguri-Damboa Highway.

Boko Haram insurgency had caused over 35,000 deaths since 2009.

The terror group wants an Islamic caliphate in Northern Nigeria.

#ONDO2020- The Gov of Enugu State & Chairman of the Ondo State Primary Election Committee, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has presented the Certificate of Return to the winner of the just concluded Guber election, @TayoJegedeSAN. The presentation was done today at the party Hq, Abuja. pic.twitter.com/Jqe0RoH8T8

— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) July 27, 2020

The Nigerian minister of transportation Rotimi Amaechi says rail transportation services will resume Wednesday july 29, 2020. Especially on the Abuja Kaduna railway after over three months of inactivity on the Nigerian railways due to impacts of coronavirus.

Amaechi made this known during a test run on the abuja kaduna rail line on Saturday.

He said passengers on the economy class will now pay the sum of three thousand naira for trips between Abuja and Kaduna where operations are expected to resume by Wednesday.

Passengers on the executive class will pay the sum of six thousand naira and the federal government’s approval of the new fares is not aimed at making profits but to keep rail services active.

On the Lagos Ibadan rail project, the minister said with the aim of curbing the spread of COVID-19, contractors handling the project are now expected to focus on completing the mini train stations on the standard gauge rail line.

The Federal Government has disclosed that Madagascar herbal remedy, can cure cough but not COVID-19.

Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said the Madagascar herbal product has not shown that it has any curative powers for COVID-19.

He said the preliminary results of the analysis carried out on the Madagascar herbal remedy, showed that it is the same as the plant Artemisia anua, grown in Abuja by the Nigerian Institute for Pharmaceutical research and development, (NIPRID) for research purposes.

Ehanire, said the Madagascar herbal remedy was subjected to further tests to verify its efficacy.

The herbal tea, named COVID Organics and produced by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research (IMRA), was created from the Artemisia plant, and touted as a cure for the coronavirus disease, but health experts have warned about its risks.

Nigeria received five cartons of samples of the herbal tea in May before they were handed over to the Ministry of Health.

Inna lillahi wa inna Ilaihi Rajiun!
On behalf of my family, I convey my deepest condolences to the Funtua family over the loss of its patriarch, Ismaila lsa Funtua.
May Allah forgive his sins and grant him Aljannah Firdaus. I pray for the needed comfort and strength for his family, friends and associates to bear the loss. Ameen. -AA

Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday described as a painful loss the death of Mallam Isma’ila Isa Funtua.

Lawan expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of the late business mogul, community leader, social and political activist and nationalist.

“The news of the death of Mallam Isa Funtua left me with profound sadness,” Lawan said in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, in Abuja.

“He was a man who touched many lives and impacted the development of Nigeria with his foresight, industry, enterprise, boundless enthusiasm, magnetism, friendliness and accommodating spirit.

“Mallam Isa Funtua made friends across tribe, religion, generation and class in Nigeria, and touched many lives in public service as well as in his private life,” he added.

He described the departed as a man of many parts who brought to bear his great intelligence, energy and integrity on everything thing that he did.

Lawan said Funtua was a pioneer and trail blazer who established an authoritative national newspaper and a giant construction company through which he left indelible footprints on the physical and sociology-political landscapes of Nigeria.

“Even in death, Mallam Isa Funtua’s presence will continue to be felt for a long time by Nigerians,” Lawan said.

The Senate President commiserated with the Government and People of Katsina State over the loss.

Lawan also particularly condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari, who lost a close friend, trusted ally and in-law.

Lawan prayed Allah to comfort the loved ones that Mallam Isa Funtua left behind, forgive his sins and accept his soul in Aljannat Firdaus.

Malam Ismaila Isa Funtua was a Distinguished elderstatesman, media icon, construction magnate, industrialist & a patriot whose legacies are too numerous to list. My condolences to his family, friends, associates, the people & Govt of Katsina state. May his soul rest in peace.

Inalilahi Wa Ina Ilaehi Rajihun. I condole with His Excellency, President @MBuhari GCFR, on the death of Alhaji Ismaila Isa Funtua.

As a valued associate of my late father, Alhaji Funtua always made himself available as a fountain of wisdom.
He was always ready to offer his advice and give a fresh perspective to issues. I will miss him and the country will miss a detribalised Nigerian and symbol of national unity that he was.
My condolences go to his family, his associates, the people and government of Katsina State and the entire country. May Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his sins and grant him a place in Aljannah Firdaus.

I commiserate with President @MBuhari over death of his close associate, Malam Isma’ila Isa Funtua. The wealth of knowledge of the elder statesman will be greatly missed.

May Allah grant the deceased Aljannah Firdausi and give his family the fortitude to bear the loss

The Chelsea boss highlighted the number of calls that have gone in United's favour and Solskjaer has clapped back ahead of the FA Cup semi-final
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hit back at claims Manchester United have been lucky this season with the number of VAR decisions that have gone in their favour.

Seven goals that had originally awarded against United have been overturned, the joint highest in the division, and it has led to claims referees are favouring Solskjaer’s side.

Frank Lampard admitted he has concerns that United are getting a run of VAR decisions ahead of the FA Cup semi-final clash at Wembley on Sunday, but Solskjaer refuted any suggestion his side were being favoured and named three examples of decisions which could have cost them.

“I can sit here for hours now and try to talk about this.” Solskjaer said. “It looks like there's a narrative, it looks like people want to influence whoever's making the decisions. I hear people talking about luck, that we've been lucky more than unlucky.

“If you look at the factual decisions, I don't want to sound like a certain manager talking about facts, but if you're offside, you're offside. That's clear. Talking about lucky, the penalty we got against Tottenham in the last minute that was taken away from us, that might be two points for us.

“Talking about the red card Romeu should have had against us when he almost got Mason Greenwood crippled, that should've been a red card, maybe that would've helped us.

“Talking about Mark Noble when he should have been sent off against us when we lost at West Ham, talking about the actual decision that is made that is against Man Utd but is overturned and corrected.

“So it's actually me that should be complaining that we get decisions against us on the pitch by the on-pitch referee.”

The United manager admitted he also wasn’t concerned that Mike Dean and Michael Oliver, referee and VAR controller on Sunday, repsectively, could be influenced by the comments made about his side this week.

“There's a narrative there but we have to focus on our games. We let other people talk about that, I don't want to go too much into it because I might be in trouble,” Solskjaer said.

“I hope I'm not now! I'm pretty relaxed on these and refs are going to be making objective decisions and are not going to be influenced by any emotion in any way, so I don't think they'll read [what Lampard said].”

Solskjaer confirmed Luke Shaw is set to miss the Wembley clash with an ankle injury he picked up in the 2-2 draw against Southampton, while Brandon Williams could return after missing the win against Crystal Palace with an eye injury.

The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill which prescribes life jail, as against the current 10 years maximum sentence, for kidnappers.

The bill contains amendments to the criminal code which is currently in operation in the southern part of Nigeria.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is titled, “A bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code Act CAP. C.38, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.”

It seeks to delete the statute of limitation on defilement, increase punishment for the offence of kidnapping, and remove gender restrictions in the offence of rape and other related matters.

The bill eliminates time frame for prosecuting defilement cases by increasing the period from two months to as many years as the victim decide to take up the manner.

It also removes gender restrictions on the offence of rape by explaining that both male and female could be raped.

The Nigeria Police Force has disbanded all satellite offices and bases of the Intelligence Response Squad and Special Tactical Squad.

The disbandment was contained in a signal to the Deputy Commissioners of Police in charge of IRT, Abba Kyari, and Yusuf Kolo for STS.

Kyari and Kolo are to ensure that all bases and offices outside Abuja were shut with immediate effect.

The disbanded officers were ordered to submit all firearms in their possession to central armoury, all suspects in their custody transferred to the state command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad while cases already charged to court but investigation not concluded be moved to State Criminal investigation Departments.

Commissioners of Police were also directed to monitor strict compliance of the directive.

However, there are fears that the directive could afford bandits and other criminal gangs the leeway to unleash terror on defenceless citizens.

Despite having all the qualities needed to head the World Trade Organisation, Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala could face a daunting task in realising that goal as the African Union considers two other candidates from the continent for the position.

A former Finance Minister in Nigeria and currently sitting on the board of Twitter on top of previously being the number two person at the World Bank, Okonjo-Iweala has all the requisite experience needed to head the WTO but the politics among African leaders could see her lose out completely.

According to a recent report by POLITICO, there are two other candidates being considered by the African Union and this could both hamper Okonjo-Iweala's chances of securing the job or Africa's opportunity to clinch the position to other continents also vying for the spot.

According to the POLITICO, Africa is well-positioned to land the world's leading trade job but only if its politicians can rally behind a unifying candidate.

At the close of nominations at 6:00pm in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday, three out of the eight candidates to head the WTO are Africans but this three-way split poses immediate hurdles for the continent's chances.

According to the publication, the African candidates are boosted by a growing consensus in Geneva that it was time for an African trade chief as the continent had never held the post while other regions such as Europe have held it several times.

However, both African representatives in Geneva and officials of the African Union have failed to back a single candidate so far.

The main process starts in mid-July when the WTO’s highest body, the General Council, meets the candidates for the first time, according to a document distributed to delegations and seen by POLITICO.

Naturally, much will depend on which candidates are supported by the United States, the European Union and China, the key trade players.

An analysis by POLITICO rates both Okonjo-Iweala and Amina Mohamed of Kenya 8/10 to succeed in the race for the job while the other African in the frame, Hamid Mamdouh of Egypt has 6/10 chance of emerging the head of the global organisation.

Recall that on June 18, 2020, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that the African Union had disqualified Okonjo-Iweala from vying for the office of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation after Nigeria used her to replace its earlier candidate, Fedrick Agah.

In a document from the Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union, Reference Number: BC/OLC/24/5056.20 dated June 15, 2020 and sighted by SaharaReporters, the AU said the nomination of Okonjo-Iweala violated Rule (11), 1, 2 and 3, Rule 12 and Rule 15(3) of the rules of procedure of the committee on candidatures within the International System of the organisation.

In addition, the AU said Nigeria's nomination of Okonjo-Iweala did not meet the submission deadline and there were no more vacancies into, which the country could make nomination.

These could all combine to knock Okonjo-Iweala out of reckoning in the race especially after Kenya's Amina Mohamed is seen as a viable candidate for the position with all the needed experience.