₦airaland Forum

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique says Neymar’s late clash with Celtic defender Mikael Lustig was “just handbags”.

Both players went head-to-head after the Barca forward was penalised for a challenge on the defender late in a Champions League game that had seen them regularly do battle on Wednesday.

Neymar was visibly angry with Lustig as they squared up and Celtic supporters were furious to see both players shown bookings for the incident.

They then roundly booed the Brazil international when he avoided a punishment for another challenge on Lustig and he was substituted for Arda Turan shortly afterwards.

The yellow card means Neymar is now suspended for Barca’s last Group C game against Borussia Monchengladbach, but top spot is already secure after the 2-0 win for Luis Enrique’s side in Glasgow, which came thanks to Lionel Messi’s double.

“It was just the last five to 10 minutes there was an issue with regards to the crowd shouting,” Luis Enrique told his post-match media conference when asked about Neymar’s negative reception.

“But the crowd were great, this is a great place to play. It was just handbags with a Celtic player.

“We changed him to give him a rest, but it was nothing tactical [to avoid a red card].”

Luis Enrique continued: “It was quite a hard game. We expected Celtic to press high. We were good at the break and improved as the game went on.

“It was a very difficult group and it was great to finish first with a game to spare.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/neymar-clash-just-handbags-insists-luis-enrique/

President says APC primary process transparent
PDP factions bicker over governorship election date
Candidates make last minute pitches

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday led other leaders of his All Progressives Congress to the grand finale of the party’s governorship election campaign rally in Akure, the Ondo State capital, in a final effort to seek support for the APC candidate in the November 26 election in the state, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu SAN.

But at the event, which took place at the Democracy Park, the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and three of the party’s four governors in the South-west were conspicuous by their absence. The only South-west governor present was Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State. His counterparts in Oyo, Osun, and Lagos states, Abiola Ajimobi, Rauf Aregbesola, and Akinmunmi Ambode, respectively, did not attend the rally.

The reason for the conspicuous absences was, definitely, not unconnected with the outcome of the September 3 governorship primary of the APC, which did not go down well with Tinubu and his loyalists.
Meanwhile, at the rally Buhari spoke for the first time on the controversial primary election of his party in Ondo State, endorsing the winner of the contest, Akeredolu, and declaring the process through which he emerged as transparent.

However, as the candidates made final pitches to the electorate ahead of the governorship poll, the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party yesterday disputed over whether or not the election should hold as scheduled. While the Makarfi group called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to postpone the election to allow for judicial determination of the party’s authentic candidate, the Sheriff group dismissed the call as “malicious, short-sighted, offensive, and irresponsible.”

The issue of the PDP governorship candidate in Ondo State is currently the subject of litigation at the high court, Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. This followed INEC’s substitution of the Makarfi group’s nominee, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, with the candidate of the Sheriff faction, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, in obedience to a court order.
At the APC rally in Akure, Buhari’s remarks, which were short but weighty, were preceded by solidarity messages by other party leaders and federal government functionaries.
On the Akeredolu candidature, the president said, “I am very proud of my party because it conducted a transparent primary. The candidate won the primary with respect and in a week’s time he will win the election as the governor of Ondo State. We are all here to show our support for Akeredolu.”
Earlier at a meeting with the governorship aspirants who had contested against Akeredolu and leaders of the party, the president commended the aspirants for their loyalty to the party and for supporting the party’s candidate. He said the unity of the party was crucial to the outcome of next Saturday’s election.

He told the aspirants, “I am very pleased that those of you who lost the primaries are still very much in the party. That you lose elections doesn’t mean you should walk away, you keep on trying. I went to the Supreme Court three times in my bid to become the president of Nigeria.
“I like your high spirit and your commitment to the party and I hope your constituencies are taking note of that.”

Buhari was accompanied to the meeting by Senate President Bukola Saraki, APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, several APC governors, and ministers. He assured that the APC was determined and steadfast in its effort to transform the country’s ailing economy.

Continued @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/tinubu-3-south-west-apc-govs-absent-as-buhari-launches-partys-campaign-in-ondo/

A Peep Into Katsina’s Human Trafficking Highways

Although Katsina has no fewer than six recognized border points and countless other illegal ones, Kongolam and Babban Mutum borders appears to be appealing for traffickers who regularly “ferry” their victims through the border posts in the state, MUAZU ELAZEH, report.

From January this year to date, the Katsina State command of Nigerian Immigration Service rescued an average of twenty victims of human trafficking every month, except for the three months of June, July and August which records made available by the Command indicated that no rescue was made.

These victims are often lured by the prospect of an obviously non-existent greener pasture in the foreign land and so they throw in all they have to make the journey out.

Trafficking in persons has continued to pose serious challenge and it is even taking a more worrisome dimension with the realisation that some of the victims often end up dead due to harsh situation they are exposed to while the journey lasted.

The Katsina state command of Nigerian Immigration Service said from January to November, it rescued no fewer than two hundred victims of trafficking including children with ages ranging from one year to seven.

According to statistic made available to newsmen, fifteen persons were rescued in January but the number of persons rescued almost double in February where twenty three victims of trafficking were rescued.

The statistic indicated that rescue efforts for October was the largest as no fewer than sixty six victims were rescued.

A breakdown showed that in January, 15 were rescued and for February, March, April and May, twenty three, 15, eighteen and two persons respectively were rescued and handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Indeed, most of these victims are embarking on the deadly journey in their mission to reach Libya by passing through Niger Republic and further travel to countries of Italy and other western nation where in their own myopic reasoning, life is all bed of roses.

Sometimes in January this year, the Katsina state command of Nigeria Immigration Service rescued twelve suspected victims of human trafficking, including one year old baby at Kongolam border.

Then state Comptroller of Prisons, Mohammed Alhaji Alfa said the victims were “arrested on their way to Maimujiya through Kongolam border adding that they are indigenes of Edo and Delta states.

He said upon interrogations, the victims said they were headed for Libya in search of the much talked about greener pastures.

Continued here @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/a-peep-into-katsinas-human-trafficking-highways/

Critics of the Buhari administration, under the banner of the Wailing Wailers have stated that Thursday’s incident in Sokoto, where some young residents bearing placards asked the visiting ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to “come back” shows that President Muhammadu Buhari “has been rejected by the same people who massively voted him in 2015.”

The group, in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Usman Abubakar, stated that the lingering economic woes in the country, as well as the rising inflation rate was an indication that Buhari does not have solution to the nation’s problems, and should as such honourably resign.

Recall that Jonathan was in Sokoto State to pay a condolence visit to the family of late 18th Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, when some youths in Hubbaren Shehu called on the former president to come back to office.

The late Sultan is the father of Sambo Dasuki, who served as the National Security Adviser under Jonathan.

The statement by the wailers read: “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari for the second time within the week to honorably resign and return back to his farm in Daura for retirement.

“It is glaring that Mr. President does not have any solution to the lingering economic woes, hardship and suffering that has befallen the country. We cannot continue to take it that all is well when the economic situation in the country is critically disastrous.

“Just days ago, reports showed that Nigeria’s inflation has risen to 11 years record breaking 18.3%. In the history of Nigeria, the last time we experienced hyper inflation, depression, recession and famine was when Buhari brutally upset a civil rule and took over powers in 1984.

“The repeat of 1984 brutal and violent rulership is panning out in 2016, it is quite unfortunate that students of history jettisoned all they knew about Buhari and packaged him as a reformed democrat. We are happy in a way that all those that propped him up and elevated him to Aso Rock are now in deep regret.

“Those that supported him out of ethnic and religious sentiments are now aware of the gravest mistake as Hunger, Starvation and poverty does not respect ethnic group or religion, but, it is being exerted on all and sundry. It is in evidence that Nigerian people are totally ill-fated with Buhari.

Rest of Article here; http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/sokoto-residents-call-for-jonathans-return-indicates-rejection-of-buhari-group/

Police Foil Kidnap Of Femi Otedola

The police yesterday said it had scuttled plan to kidnap a Nigerian oil magnate, Mr. Femi Otedola.
The police in a statement signed by Force public relations officer, Don Awunah, a deputy commissioner of police revealed that the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) accomplished the task when it arrested a three man notorious kidnap gang.
The police explained that the arrest was achieved through coordinated intelligence gathering and deployment of technical investigative tools that spanned several weeks.
“The principal suspect, one Ikechukwu Daniel, a 28 year old indigene of Imo State, who is the mastermind of the gang, was rusticated from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria due to his cult related activities on campus in 2009/2010. He also doubles as the IT guru of the kidnap gang with mastery of Computer applications.

More on this @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/police-foil-kidnap-of-femi-otedola/

Permit me to begin this contribution with an apology for my disappearance from the literary and political scene for the last one month but this was due to circumstances beyond my control.
On October 21st, five days after my 56th birthday, I was arrested by the EFCC without an arrest warrant at the premises of the Federal High Court in Lagos where I had been earlier granted bail.
Thereafter I was illegally detained by them without any detention order for 21 days. Kindly note that this was after I had been detained by them for a grueling 67 days 6 months ago (from 9th of May till July 15th), brought before the Federal High Court in Lagos, arraigned on spurious and politically-motivated charges and locked up in Ikoyi prison for a number of days whilst I attempted to perfect my court bail.
After perfecting bail, on 21st October I was re-arrested and the whole nightmare began again: only this time it was far more insidious and worse. Throughout the time of the second detention I was kept in a dingy underground cell at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja where I met a number of other high profile opposition figures like Senator Bala Mohammed, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, the former Minister of State for Defence and Mr. Reuben Abati, the former spokesman to President Goodluck Jonathan.
During the course of my 21 days incarceration, my abductors did not ask me any questions or say one word to me other than to formally serve me with a new set of fresh criminal charges the morning after I got there which I simply signed for. After that I heard nothing from them and I was told nothing though I had daily visits to the medical clinic at the EFCC due to my deteriorating health.
Three weeks later, on November 10th, I was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja and arraigned on yet another set of spurious, baseless and politically-motivated charges. These ones were even more ridiculous and far-fetched than the first set in Lagos. I was falsely accused of receiving N26 million cash from the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, for media work for the Jonathan administration in 2014.
Thankfully, I was granted bail by the court and I was detained at Kuje prison for a further four days whilst I attempted to perfect my bail. At Kuje I was kept in the terrorist wing of the prison which was built by the British government specifically for Boko Haram convicts and suspects. There were 47 of them in the facility and I was with them throughout. These were tough, disciplined, hardened, surprisingly well-educated and intimidating men.

Read the rest of the post @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/my-3hrs-conversation-with-nnamdi-kanu-in-kuje-prison-fani-kayode/

There was a mild drama yesterday at Ogidi High Court, in Anambra State, when policemen from Zone 9 Umuahia stormed the court to arrest one Chief Okey Nwaforagu whose two nephews were shot dead last week by unknown persons.

Two persons were killed last week at Okpuno, Abor Akauzor, Umusioma Village Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area in a beer palour while another person was shot and currently receiving treatment in a hospital.

The bereaved Nwaforagu whose two nephews, Chibuzor Ajaetu, popularly known as “Asa Ogbe,” a trader and Uzochukwu Ezeme, a vigilante operative, were shot dead last Wednesday, had gone to Ogidi High Court with Okpuno, Abor Akauzo Umusiome kinsmen, to attend to a pending case instituted against them, when the police from Umuahia arrived and attempted to bundle him to Umuahia.

Youths from the area in the court resisted the arrest and disagreed with the police, insisting that they should first allow the completion of investigation of the murder of their two sons, who were Nwaforagu’s nephews, before arresting him for any unclear allegation.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/drama-in-anambra-as-police-storm-court-to-arrest-suspect/

FORMER Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, is dead. He died yesterday and will be buried today, according to Muslim rites.

The late Sultan Dasuki, father of ex-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, was deposed in 1996 by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, after he was installed by Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, in 1988. He was on the throne for eight years before his deposition and banishment to Zing, in Taraba State.

Dasuki was the first Sultan from the Buhari line of the House of Dan Fodio. He was a close associate of Ahmadu Bello and held the traditional title of Baraden Sokoto before becoming Sultan.

The late Sultan attended Dogondaji Elementary School before proceeding to Sokoto Middle School in 1935. He finished his secondary education at Barewa College on sponsorship from Sokoto Native Authority.

After finishing high school in 1943, he worked as a clerk in the treasury office of the Sokoto Native Authority. In 1945, he took up appointment with Gaskiya Corporation, a publishing house that published the Hausa daily, Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo.

He joined the civil service as an executive officer and later became private secretary to Ahmadu Bello. In 1957, he filled the position of regional executive council deputy secretary and was sent to Jeddah as Nigeria’s pilgrimage officer.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/dasuki-ex-sultan-of-sokoto-dies-at-93/

Over 100 Ijaw women wednesday besieged the Federal High Court in Lagos to show solidarity with the former first lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, whose suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) came up before Justice Babs Kuewumi.

In the suit, Mrs. Jonathan is seeking to unfreeze her accounts.

The women stormed the court premises, chanting songs of protest, calling for the former first lady’s accounts to be unfrozen.

The respondents in the suit are the EFCC, Skye Bank Plc, and a former Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripama-Owei Dudafa.

Also joined in the suit are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Transocean Property and Investment Company Limited, and Globus Integrated Service Limited.

The former first lady is demanding the sum of $200 million from the commission as damages for infringing on her rights.

She is also urging the court to issue an order discharging the freezing order, and to restrain the EFCC and its agents from further placing a freezing order on the said accounts.

When the case was called yesterday, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo announced his appearance for the EFCC, while Mr. Granville Abibo (SAN) announced his appearance for Mrs. Jonathan.

Addressing the court, Oyedepo informed the judge that the matter was coming up for the first time, adding that some of the respondents were yet to be served with the court’s processes.

He submitted that the matter was not yet “ripe for hearing”, having been served with the processes on October 19 and was yet to file a response.

The submission was not contested by counsel to the plaintiff.

Consequently, Justice Kuewumi fixed December 7 for hearing of the case.

In an affidavit in support of the suit deposed to by one Sammie Somiari, a legal practitioner, he averred that on March 22, 2010, she (Mrs. Jonathan) had opened five different accounts with Skye Bank, with the aid of one Damola Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/ijaw-women-besiege-court-want-efcc-to-unfreeze-mrs-jonathans-account/

Governors elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed-door at the Presidential Villa, said it was time for the party to take full responsibility for the challenges facing the country.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Chairman of the All Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, stated that the party cannot continue to shift blame for the nation’s woes, saying it was time to take responsibility.

According to him, the challenges presently facing the country predate the APC coming to power.

“This was not a problem brought by APC government, it is a problem that existed long before APC came to government and we are only trying to clear the mess of the past.

“But we must take responsibility and we must never shift the responsibility to anybody, APC you are responsible for everything happening in Nigeria, we are responsible, the good, the bad, the ugly but we are promising Nigerians that we shall fix it,” Okorocha said.

While appealing for more patience, Okorocha said the present APC-led government was doing everything possible to solve the challenges and end the sufferings of Nigerians.

“There is no surgery that is not painful. Nigeria is going through a very serious economic surgery and that is the pains we are experiencing. We share the pains of Nigerians; every human being must feel it.

“We also feel what they are going through, but we are asking for a little patience. Let us do things the right way and do it once and for all.

“I am sure that by next year, you will begin to see changes. The price of rice will drop, prices of dollars will begin to stabilise and we will see a lot of changes. But at this painful moment, nobody likes it.”

Okorocha said the APC Governors Forum also commended the President for his agriculture policy that is now producing result in terms of bumper harvest in most part of the country, especially in rice production and other food items.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/finally-apc-takes-reponsibility-for-recession/

Agege Stadium, Lagos will come alive today when the Nation Wide Super 8 tournament begins at the stadium.

Announcing this yesterday at a press briefing to herald the championship, chairman of the League board, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, noted that the eight teams namely; Enyimba Feeders FC, Papilo FC, Yobe Desert Stars, Bida Lions FC, FC Abuja, FRSC FC, AS Racine and My People FC emerged as the best teams from the various zones in the country and will be playing in the Super 8 to determine the overall best team of the amateur league, even as he announced that the outcome of the tournament will in no way change their status of having gained promotion to the professional league from the 2017 season.

According to him, the tournament is primarily not organised for monetary gains but to give the players exposure and opportunity to be spotted by some of the professional league sides in the country.

He stated that apart from the teams, there will also be exhibition matches by four Lagos State teams namely; Spartans FC, Collins Edwins FC, Destiny FC and Good Land FC respectively.

Gusau while commending the sponsors of the tournament, Bet9ja, for partnering with the league board and the Lagos State Government for providing facilities for the tournament appealed to Nigerians to pay more attention to the league that boasts of about 150 clubs nationwide.

Chairman of Technical Committee of Lagos FA Dotun Coker, explained that Lagos State decided to host the tournament because of the excellent performance exhibited by the clubs during the league season.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/nationwide-league-super-eight-starts-today/

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria

— Some 83 Nigerian soldiers are missing in action since Boko Haram Islamic extremists attacked a remote military base in the northeast, senior army officers said Sunday.

The soldiers were unable to fight back and fled because Boko Haram had superior fire power, the officers told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to give information to reporters.

Morale also was low among the troops because they were being rationed to one meal a day and their allowances were being pilfered by their commanders, the officers said.

Army spokesman Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman reported last week that “some” soldiers were missing and 13 wounded when the insurgents on Oct. 17 attacked their base in Gashigar village, on the border with Niger. Usman has not responded to requests for the actual number.
Dozens of fleeing troops jumped into the Niger River and 22 were pulled from the water by soldiers from that neighboring country, officers said. Many soldiers are feared to have drowned.

In a separate development, hunters killed seven Boko Haram fighters who were burning buildings and huts in northeastern Makwaa village, the hunters and villagers confirmed Sunday. “We engaged them in a fierce battle for close to three hours, we overpowered them, resulting in the killing of seven,” hunter Aisha Gombi said of Saturday night’s firefight. “One was caught alive with gun wounds and others escaped into the bush.”

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/boko-haram-attack-more-than-80-nigerian-soldiers-missing/

Lionel Messi possesses a “special quality” that makes him the best player in the world above Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, according to Brazil head coach Tite.

The Barcelona star scored on his return from a groin injury in the 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna, before he netted a hat-trick in the 4-0 Champions League victory over Manchester City at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Brazil meet Argentina on November 11 in what could prove to be a pivotal World Cup qualifier, with Messi set to meet team-mate Neymar in an international encounter for the first time since a 1-1 draw in a friendly in Beijing in 2014.

While Tite believes Neymar has established himself as one of the three finest footballers in the world, along with Messi and Ronaldo, he considers Messi to be a cut above the rest.

“They are the top three,” he said. “This is nothing new, they’re the top three that have been chosen for the Ballon d’Or before.

“They are different generations – Messi and Ronaldo are more or less the same in terms of their timeline, being 29 and 31 years old. Neymar is a player who is on the rise, who is evolving.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/special-quality-makes-messi-better-than-ronaldo-tite/

It was a sorrowful nightfall for two members of the National Youth Service Corps last Wednesday in Asarama Community, Andoni Local Government Area, Rivers State, after they were robbed and raped by gunmen suspected to be militants.

The victims were said to be in bed at their unsecured lodge in an isolated part of the community when the gunmen broke into their rooms to rob and rape them.

The operation with started at midnight lasted for more than two hours, with two female corps members raped.

The militants carted away phones, food stuff, clothes, shoes, money among other things.


One of the victims who didn’t want her name in print in a telephone conversation with The Nation explained that the gunmen numbering seven wore faze caps except the ring leader who was hooded.

She said the gunmen hinged their actions on the failure of the government to pay them their dues.

“The gunmen broke the door with their legs. No burglary proof or protector. We were about seven in the lodge. We had five serving corpers, one ex-corps member and one other person. They entered my room and I was told to knock on other rooms. They came here with guns and cutlasses. They were about seven in number. They asked all of us out of our rooms and they packed all of us in empty room. Then later they came to ask if we had any male corper because the lodge is like a wing. It was the first wing they robbed in the first hour of the operation. In that first wing, we had just one male corps member; so they took him to the other room and beat him with cutlass. They asked him to pull his trousers.

‘’We the girls were packed in an empty room and they told us to stand up one after the other and they led us to our rooms. Some phones were collected and luckily for some of us, our phones were not with us because we were charging it. I had my phone with me but immediately they came, I hid my phone because they did not come with torch. It was our torch they were collecting. There has not been light in our lodge since we started serving. We have been using generator and we don’t put it on overnight. So there was no light and they didn’t come with any source of light. They asked me to put on my torchlight. They asked us how much we had as they led us to our rooms. As they were doing that, they were beating, slapping and hitting us. They searched the rooms and asked us to bring the money. So I think because I was fidgeting, I told them the amount I didn’t have. The one I had I gave them and they were asking for the remaining one. I was still checking when one of them came in to scatter all my stuff. And I was trying to tell him that was just all I had. They asked me to kneel down and went into other people’s room to do the same thing.

‘’When he came back into my room, he locked the door and asked me to look for the money, else he would kill me. I told them that I didn’t have any money apart from the one I already gave them. Then he (gunmen) asked me to pull my dress, and I was actually raped that night. I struggled but he overpowered me. He was beating and slapping me. The marks are still on my body. He was the one who had the gun with him and he had already locked the door on us. One other female corper was raped in our room too.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/how-gunmen-robbed-raped-two-corps-members-in-rivers-state/

A convoy of Russian warships heading for the Mediterranean has sailed down the English Channel – “marked every inch of the way” by the Royal Navy.

Video footage showed the Russian task force, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, off the coast of Dover.

The fleet also reportedly includes the Pyotr Velikiy battlecruiser, the Severomorsk anti-submarine ship, the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer and other support vessels.

The most sensitive part of the fleet’s journey was through the English Channel’s narrowest point at the Strait of Dover.

Vladimir Putin’s armed flotilla is believed to be heading to Syria to support Russia’s military operations in the war-torn country.

Asked whether the Russian deployment was an indication that Moscow regarded Britain as weak, a Downing Street spokesman said: “I would reject suggestions that the Russians feel we are too weak. Clearly, we are not weak at all.”

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “It is pretty unambiguous that they have set a course to pass through the Dover Strait.”

He added: “When they are clear of the Dover traffic separation scheme, they will probably break back out in a formation scheme and be on their way.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/russian-warships-sail-through-english-channel-shadowed-by-royal-navy/

The Al Smith white-tie charity gala is traditionally a time when campaign hostilities are set aside as presidential candidates share a stage – often for the last time before election day. Not this year.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump weren’t pulling any punches as they addressed the well-heeled gathering in New York, just a day after they faced-off in the final TV debate.

The Republican candidate drew boos and jeers from the crowd as he took aim at Mrs Clinton, cutting close to the bone with a series of swipes referencing her emails scandal.

Image Caption: Mrs Clinton clearly wasn’t amused at certain points in Mr Trump’s speech

But his Democratic rival wasn’t to be outdone.

She also elicited her fair share of awkward moments as she brought up sexual assault allegations surrounding Mr Trump and his alleged admiration for Russian president Vladimir Putin.

But it wasn’t all mudslinging. Some of the biggest laughs of the night came when the candidates mocked some of their own campaign fails, including a speech made by Mr Trump’s wife Melania, which was an almost word-for word-copy of an earlier speech delivered by Michelle Obama.

Here are some of the toughest barbs and put-downs of the night:

Donald Trump on Hillary Clinton

:: “It’s great to be here with a thousand wonderful people … or as Hillary calls it, her largest crowd of the season.”

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/clinton-and-trump-trade-insults-over-charity-gala-dinner/

For the first time since the saga of Nnamdi Kanu’s detention commenced, elders and leaders from the Southern part of Nigeria have unanimously demanded that the federal government should release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) without further delay.

This was part of the demands contained in the 11-point communiqué issued by the Southern Nigeria People s Assembly (SNPA) at the end of the expanded elders/management committee meeting yesterday.

The communiqué read by the Chairman of session, Chief Mazelike Amaechi, was also signed by co-chair/leader of South South, Chief Edwin Clark and Senator Femi Okurounmu, co-chair/leader South West, who represented Bishop Bolanre Gbonigi.

The elders described Kanu as “a prisoner of conscience” hence he should regain his freedom along with other prisoners of conscience being held by the federal authorities.

President Buhari should respect the rule of law, pronouncement and ruling of courts of competent jurisdiction by ensuring the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu and all other prisoners of conscience which various courts have granted bail and who have subsequently met their bail conditions,” the SNPA elders said.

According to them, the continued incarceration of Kanu and other Nigerian prisoners of conscience “show a gross disregard to due process, disrespect for the judiciary and abuse of their fundamental rights.

“The principle of separation of power must be applied to the advance our democracy and strict adherence to acceptable dignified tenets of investigation, arrest and prosecution be applied,” the southern leaders said.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/southern-elders-demand-the-release-nnamdi-kanu/

The team plane carrying Fenerbache players to Manchester ahead of their Europa league clash against United on Thursday night ran into some trouble on its way to the City and was forced into an emergency landing,

The plane that was initially traveling from Istanbul to Manchester was forced to land in Budapest. A bird crashed into the plane cracking the front windshield which must have caused blurred vision for the pilot and hence the forced landing.

Their official twitter account sent out an update saying that there was no harm done and the players were all safe. A second plane was sent from Istanbul to pick them up at Budapest and ensure they arrived in Manchester avoiding any further delay.

The Fenerbache team consists of former United striker Robin Van Persie. This is the first time he will be facing them since leaving the club. He spent three seasons at Old Trafford winning the Premier League title once and is one of the all-time top scorers in the Premier League.

United face Fenerbahce in the Europa league after a hard-fought draw against Liverpool on Monday night. Many fans were thrilled with the point they got but some felt it was not the kind of approach expected from a United side in such a fierce derby.

Jose was very defensive in his tactics and as expected played for the draw so as to not lose points. David De Gea was still forced into some magnificent saves in the second half, one from Emer Can and another from Phillipe Coutinho.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/fenerbahces-plane-travelling-to-manchester-forced-into-emergency-landing/

Veronica Panarello killed her son with electric cables (Picture: CEN)

A mother, Veronica Panarello, received a 30-year jail term for murdering her son because he discovered she was having an affair with his grandfather.

Veronica Panarello strangled her son Loris Stival with electrical cables then abandoned his body in a remote gully in Santa Croce, Sicily, Metro UK reported.

She thereafter lied to the police that the boy had been kidnapped.

She said she had taken Stival to school but was not seen as for the time she went back to get him in the afternoon.

Nevertheless, CCTV footage showed that she had not dropped him off at school that day.

Prosecutors branded her an ‘egocentric, manipulative liar.’

Even after she had been found guilty of Loris’ murder and received the sentence, she continued to deny the act.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/mother-murders-8-year-old-son-who-caught-her-having-sex-with-his-grandfather/

Manchester City defender John Stones says he is relishing the chance to take on Lionel Messi, who he feels is comfortably the world’s top player.

Barcelona host former boss Pep Guardiola and City at Camp Nou in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the English side sitting two points behind them at the top of Group C.

Stones insists he is not scared by the prospect of coming up against Messi and also highlighted the threat posed by Luis Suarez.

“It doesn’t scare me, no,” Stones told Sport360.

“I think you have to play against the best to see how you can deal with it and it always brings the best out in you as well.

“I see it as an exciting challenge and one I’m looking forward to – if I’m picked to play of course. It will be great to come face-to-face with them.

“For me, Messi’s the best player in the world, easily. He’s one of a kind. I think we, as footballers, appreciate it even more when you come up against him and see what he can really do.

“I’ll be looking forward to that challenge. But it’s not just him, it’s everyone in that team. I think Luis Suarez has taken his game to another level since he was at Liverpool.”

After a stunning start to life under Guardiola, City have gone three matches without a victory in all competitions including a 1-1 draw against Everton last time out.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/stones-messi-is-easily-the-worlds-best-but-im-not-scared/

Embattled Justice of the Supreme Court, John Inyang Okoro, yesterday fired back, linking his travails to his refusal to do the bidding of the Transport Minister, Chibuike Amaechi.

Justice Okoro, who was one of the judges arrested recently by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged corruption said Amaechi attempted to use him to compromise the outcome of election petitions in Akwa Ibom, Abia and Rivers states at the Supreme Court.

According to Justice Okoro, Amaechi visited his official residence and told him that the All Progressives Congress (APC) must win their election appeals in respect of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia at all costs. The justice added that the minister informed him that the decision to compromise the election appeal had the endorsement of the president.

Justice Okoro’s revelation is contained in his letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), dated October 17, explaining the circumstances surrounding the invasion of his official residence and arrest by DSS.
His words: “My lord, I strongly believe that this my travail is not unconnected with the verbal report I made to you on February 1, 2016 about the visit to my official residence by Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State and now Minister of Transport. In that report, I told you my lord, that Amaechi said that the president of Nigeria and the APC mandated him to inform me that they must win their election appeals in respect of Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State and Abia State at all costs.

“For Akwa Ibom State, he alleged that he sponsored Mr. Umana Umana, candidate of the APC for that election and that if he lost Akwa Ibom appeal, he would have lost a fortune. Mr. Amaechi also said that he had already visited you and that you had agreed to make me a member of the panel that would hear the appeals. He further told me that Mr. Umana would be paying me millions of naira monthly if I co-operated with them. My response, as I told you on that date was that it does not lie within my power to grant his request and that I would do all within my power not to be on the panel for Akwa Ibom State.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/judge-links-travail-to-alleged-bribery-attempt-by-amaechi/

A 32-year-old civil servant in Rivers State, Mr. Braide Chinedu, has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Port Harcourt, for allegedly chopping off his neighbour’s ear over ownership of a plantain tree.
The accused person, Chinedu, who works with a federal ministry in Port Harcourt, reportedly attacked his neighbour, Mr. Adelowu Ogundele, with a matchete while Ogundale was allegedly harvesting plantain at their Federal Housing Estate residence in Port Harcourt.
The accused, who is facing two counts of assault, is also accused of destroying plantain trees owned by one of his former neighbours, Mrs Ibitayo Elizabeth.
After the charges were read, Chinedu pleaded not guilty. Chief Magistrate B. M. F. Jamabo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N400,000 and one surety, before adjourning the case to October 23.

More news @ http://uneekomunikations.com

As Boko Haram yesterday released 21 Chibok girls from Boko Haram’s captivity, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has described the scenario as a “tactic employed by the federal government to divert the attention of Nigerians away from the hunger and outrage generated by crackdown on judges.”

The governor said: “Nigerians have had enough of anti-corruption war” saying it is high time President Muhammadu Buhari addressed massive hunger that is killing many people in the country.

Fayose spoke yesterday at the inauguration of a three-block classrooms built at the Erelu Adebayo Children’s Home in Iyin Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area as part of activities marking his second year in office.

Fayose accused the Buhari administration of resorting to propaganda to deceive Nigerians whom he said urgently need food on their tables.

“Food security is number one, they should stop fooling us; our economy must be urgently addressed because Nigerians voted for the government in power so that they can enjoy better lives.

“It is not good for a government to be catching thieves and kidnappers everyday while its citizens are hungry. Everybody is now a thief in Nigeria, we need

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/boko-harams-release-of-chibok-girls-diversionary-governor-fayose/

It was drama yesterday when Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose supervised the arrest of some strayed cows which grazed on a restricted area leading to his countryhome, Afao-Ekiti in Irepodun-Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

The governor’s action was to press home a resolve to uphold the anti-grazing law he signed recently, which prohibits grazing in some restricted areas of the state.
The governor led armed security men and some youths to arrest one of the cows that grazed along Ado-Afao Road.
The governor’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka posted on his Facebook page that the two herdsmen who allowed the coes graze along that stretch of road ran into the bush on sighting the governor while youths pursued the cows and caught one of them.
“Governor Fayose was going to Ikole Ekiti when he came across herdsmen along Afao Ekiti Road, Ado -Ekiti. The governor demonstrated seriousness of the state’s Anti-Grazing law by personally seeing to it that one of the cows was “arrested” by youths who chased after the cows after the herdsmen ran into the bush upon seeing the governor’s security men. The remaining cows ran into the bush too,” Olayinka said.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/governor-fayose-supervises-arrest-of-cows-self/

The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Ralph Uwazuruike faction, has berated the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, over his recent comment that Biafra is no longer feasible, and urged him not to be deceived as the actualization of an independent state of Biafra is near.

In an interview with UNEEKOMUNIKATIONS, a member of the Elders’ Council of Biafra Independent Movement, BIM, Comrade Larry Odinma, reminded the VON DG, that the struggle to actualize Biafra had gone past a stage where anybody or group no matter the status, can abort it, adding that the people of the former Eastern region are determined to liberate themselves from what he described as slavery and marginalization from the Nigerian government.

Odinma warned that if there was a time Biafra wasn’t feasible, the current realities in Buhari’s administration has given much hope that Biafra’s actualization is only a matter of time. “MASSOB/BIM wishes to remind the likes of Osita Okechukwu not to be deceived by his current position where he heads the least parastatal in the information ministry and the crumb he gets from his master’s table. People like Osita Okechukwu are what the Igbo refer to as ‘efulefu’.

Biafra people are tired of marginalization by the Nigeria government. Does Okechukwu reckon that Buhari’s government had killed more Biafrans than any administration in Nigeria? “Does Osita Okechukwu know that Ndigbo are endangered specie in Nigeria? It is clear that since Buhari came to power, the struggle to actualize Biafra has continued to gain widespread support from all corners of the world. Buhari’s administration is fueling Biafra; Osita Okechukwu is just pretending that he doesn’t know that Biafra is at hand.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/we-will-soon-actualize-biafra-massob/

Protests by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shi’ite, across the Northern part of the country yesterday claimed no fewer than 16 lives.

In Kaduna State, members of the Shi’ite group banned by the state government, last week, gathered at Tudun Wada community in Kaduna South local government area to commemorate historical events associated with the Islamic month of Muharram, which are particularly significant in the Shi’ite calendar.

A witness, Mohammed Idris, narrated that while they were gathered, a group of irate youths launched an attack on the Shi’ite members, burnt down the house of a member, one Muhktar, and also demolished the Shi’ite-owned Islamic school in the area.

The witness further alleged that the police ordered the youths to “attack us and to destroy our buildings.”

According to him, the mob prevented the Shi’ite members from entering their communities after being dispersed by the police, using tear gas.

“They were not in their traditional black dresses while being dispersed with police tear gas but were identified by vigilant youths who engaged them in a fight. Those who resisted were killed; the house of their leader, Mukhtar, was burnt down and their Markas (school) is currently being demolished by youths,” Idris said.

In Katsina, the Shi’ite members said security agents stopped a peaceful procession of their members in Funtua town using bullets, leaving no fewer than 10 dead and scores injured

Speaking to UNEEKOMUNIKATIONS correspondents on the condition of anonymity as he was not permitted to talk to the press, a highly placed member of the Islamic sect said the clash occurred yesterday morning along the Funtua-Zaria road when members of the IMN were observing a religious procession known as Day of ‘Ashura, which is normally conducted in the Muslim world on the 10th of Muharram, according to the Islamic calendar.

The procession came barely 48 hours after the police in Katsina outlawed any such processions in the state and neighbouring Kaduna and Kano States.
More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/16-people-die-across-kaduna-katsina-sokoto-kano-in-shiite-protests/

A few days after the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), better known as the Shiite or Shi’a sect was banned by the Kaduna State Government, soldiers of the Nigerian Army and policemen yesterday surrounded a gathering of the sect’s members in Kaduna.

The Shiite members had gathered to commemorate the Islamic month of Muharram that is particularly significant in the sect’s calendar, UK-based Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) said in a statement yesterday.

“Shortly before the Kaduna Markaz mosque on Zango Road in the state capital was encircled by armoured military vehicles carrying heavily armed soldiers and also an ambulance were among a convoy of 18 military vehicles seen nearby,” the group said.

It called on the federal government to withdraw the soldiers and allow the worshippers to continue to exercise their constitutional right to freedom of assembly and worship, reported online news medium Premium Times.

An eyewitness said that the standoff was at the residence of a senior Shi’a leader, Muhtar Sahabi, and not a mosque, with worshippers trapped inside.

He said dozens of armed soldiers and riot police officers surrounded the compound and were waiting for those gathered inside to leave.

He said some women and children who started coming out were sent back by the soldiers.

“It appears they want to make arrests following the recent ban,” the source said.

The confrontation follows a spate of arrests over the last few days of members of the Shiite sect, after a statewide ban on Friday, proscribing membership of the movement.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/security-forces-swoop-on-shiite-procession-in-kaduna/

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has rewarded players and officials of Rivers United FC following their impressive feat in the just concluded Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
United finished the season in second place with 60 points from 36 matches as they secured a place in the 2017 CAF Champions League.
Impressed with the feat, Governor Wike announced that players and members of the management will receive financial rewards for a good display in their maiden season with the club in the Nigerian top flight.
“You have done well and we (the Rivers State Government) would have done more if you had won the league title.

“Each of the players and every member of the management team will receive N500,000 while the technical manager, Stanley Eguma will receive N1million ,,” Governor Wike said at a grand reception/dinner at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt to honour the team.
The Governor said the financial reward was aimed at appreciating the effort of the team and also motivating them ahead of the upcoming season.
Governor Wike also approved for immediate release, a brand new Luxurious Bus for the club while members of the Rivers United will receive a brand new Coaster Bus.
The Governor also announced that the team will prepare for the 2017 CAF Champions League in Madrid, Spain.

Governor Wike, a Real Madrid CF fan, explained that the move was geared towards exposing the team to state-of-the-art facilities and international exposure ahead of their maiden expedition in Africa’s premier club competition.
“I want Rivers United to win the 2017 CAF Champions League title and to facilitate this, I want to see that our boys are exposed by going for their training outside the country.
“The team will go to Madrid because Real Madrid has a culture of winning titles on a consistent basis.
“We are proud of you and will do everything to equip you for the CAF Champions League,” Governor Wike said at a grand reception/dinner in honour of the team at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt.
Rivers United finished in second place in last season’s NPFL with 60 points from 36 matches.

http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/nfpl-wike-rewards-rivers-utd-with-cash-and-trip-to-madrid/

Trails alleged N7bn judgment bribery cash

The Federal Government, through the Department of State Security (DSS), is set to carry out more arrests of judges across the country.

Specifically, the DSS will soon go after judges who served on election petition tribunals.

Daily Sun gathered yesterday that “investigations by security agencies showed that money allegedly changed hands between some judges and agents of some serving governors on some election cases, before and after the 2015 general elections.

“In the course of investigation, it was discovered that a serving governor allegedly paid N2 billion to judges who sat on the election petition tribunal and when the matter got to the Appeal Court, the same governor parted with N5 billion.

“The money was paid about three weeks ago.”

Meanwhile, rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has said the arrested judges are not above the law.

Falana spoke on Television Continental (TVC) in Lagos, yesterday.

“I don’t support the illegal detention of anybody but it must not be limited to lawyers and that is why, unlike our colleagues now, who are shouting from the rooftops, whenever any citizen is detained illegally, we come out; whether you are a poor man, a big man or even a labourer, we don’t limit…

“We don’t discriminate. That was what I was telling my colleagues; let us have a common standard with respect to the treatment of criminal suspects in our country.

“Don’t shout yourself hoarse when big people are arrested or detained because that is discriminatory and that means you are only there to defend the rich and powerful people.”

Asked if the arrests undermined the independence of the Judiciary, Falana replied: “I do not agree with that because the majority of judges in Nigeria are decent, incorruptible and men and women of integrity.

“To that extent, I would not want to believe that the independence of the judiciary has been undermined in any way.

“What we should do very quickly now, as responsible people of the legal profession, is to tidy up our loose ends, strengthen our disciplinary mechanisms, both at the Bar and at the Bench and quickly move against those who are destroying the image of the profession; those denting the integrity of the Judiciary of our country.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/fg-goes-after-election-tribunal-judges-others/

Does anyone remember Chief Emeka Anyaoku? Oh yes, he is the Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations and a Nigerian. Is it not a wonder how we produce excellent administrators for the world bodies and institutions but fail to get such people to rule our own nation? Is it not a serious matter to ponder about that Nigerians excell all over the world but when it comes to issues at home, we end up with people who claim to be leaders but who run the country aground? Why do we have people who are elected into leadership levels all over the world but at home we have the “VERY WORST LEADERS” heading virtually every area of our economy? A serious nation will take time out and ponder over such serious issues instead of clamping down on the same voices that are trying to correct these anomalies.

Having said all that let’s examine what Chief Emeka Anyaoku had to say recently about what is happening in his country of birth as presented below.
Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, yesterday said Nigeria was failing and warned that the country’s federal structure as currently composed would not help Nigeria to attain nationhood.
The former diplomat, therefore, joined many other Nigerians clamouring for the restructuring of the country along a more flexible fiscal federal state that would replace the present federal structure, which retains more power and resources at the centre.
Speaking in Abuja during the launch of a book, ‘Nigeria: The Forsaken Road to Nationhood and Development’ by Ambassador Humphrey Orjiakor, he argued that for Nigeria to develop and stay united, the country must be restructured.

Anyaoku said because of the dominance of the centre over the constituent states, the country was fast failing to meet the expectations of its founding fathers and admonished those opposed to restructuring to have a rethink.

He said: “I think that the Nigeria we have with 36 federating units now is not working. The country continues to under-perform because of the 36 states we have now. No less than 27 of them can no longer pay the salaries of their workers.
“The planning of economic development is less efficient on the basis of these non-viable states.
If we had six federating units, you would have more viable basis for planning economic development and those who fear that it would mean disintegration of the country are wrong, because the country was doing a lot better at the time of its independence.”

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/nigeria-is-failing-chief-emeka-anyaoku/

9th October, 2016.

You may have heard about the recent battle between the old Nollywood and the new Nollywood. It was more like a war of words actually but I’m sure you agree ‘battle’ sounds more dramatic. Whether you call it war, battle or debate, it’s nothing out of the norm. It must be in man’s nature for the old to contend with the new and vice versa. Although as in most things, trust the Nigerian factor to emerge as the protagonist of this age old struggle for supremacy/relevance.

What started this latest battle between the old and the new stemmed from film maker Charles Novia’s interview with Emma Ugolee on The Gist in which he reportedly dismissed some new Nollywood actors as Instagram stars, etc, etc. His companion on the day was fellow film maker Moses Inwang who had issues with the fact that some of these actors preferred to see themselves as ‘new’ Nollywood. I like many people only caught the ‘controversy’ that this interview generated rather than the original interview.

Mind you, this will not be the first time Charles Novia would be ruffling some feathers. Which is why I don’t need to watch The Gist to get the ‘gist’ of what Charles Novia supposedly said. Not too long ago during the MOPICON (Motion Picture Of Nigeria) draft bill debate, he referred to some Nollywood actors as upstarts or was it up tarts? The beauty of upstarts is that it also contains up stars.

Expectedly, reactions have mostly fallen along age lines: Young, perennially (and imagined) young people tended to side with the new while the old, those who crave respect (like oxygen) and like to ascribe age and veteran-ship to themselves tended to fall in line behind the so called old Nollywood. Who is really old Nollywood anyhow? Is it the film makers from 1992 (agreed birth year of Nollywood) or those from the 50s and 60s? Or even much earlier? But I digress.

More @ http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/the-battle-between-old-and-new-nollywood/

The Federal Government is set to commence the screening of unemployed graduates across the country as a demonstration of its commitment to effect the payment of N5000 monthly allowances.

This was disclosed by Senator Ali Wakili representing Bauchi South while addressing party stalwarts saying the gesture is part of fulfilling the ruling All Progressives Congress campaign promise to end poverty for improved economic development.

Wakili added that unemployment rate is a major concern of the administration and attribute same to lack of political will
He urge the party stalwarts to carefully select the beneficiaries among various political, youths and women groups from their respectively areas.

Other measures to eradicate poverty according to the senator include the introduction of soft loans to Nigerians especially farmers among others.

Speaking during the meeting, Hon Aminu Tukur, member representing Lere/Bula constituency he urged party supporters to ensure judicious hitch free exercise of the programme.
He emphasised the need for internal party democracy in the implementation of FG policy and programmes desperate to ensure provision of democracy dividends.

Tukur also cautioned against heating the policy between the executive and the legislative arms of government explaining that APC is a party that does not harbour crisis.

Other speakers reiterated that Wakili is the backbone of the APC not only in North-East but in the whole North having personally invested in cash and kind.

http://uneekomunikations.com/wp/fg-starts-screening-of-graduates-on-issue-of-n5-000-monthly-allowance/