GOOD GAME

Booking Number:LXKGCN 29/04/2016 20:24:00

Code 1727

Date 30/04/2016 15:00:00

Event Newcastle Utd - Crystal Palace

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Selection 1X

Code 1728

Date 30/04/2016 15:00:00

Event Watford - Aston Villa

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Selection 1

Code 1730

Date 30/04/2016 15:00:00

Event Stoke City - Sunderland

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Selection 1X

Code 1732

Date 30/04/2016 17:30:00

Event Arsenal - Norwich

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Selection 1

Code 1733

Date 01/05/2016 14:05:00

Event Manchester Utd - Leicester City

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Selection X2

Code 2365

Date 30/04/2016 14:30:00

Event Bayern Munich - Monchengladbach

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Selection 1

Code 2366

Date 30/04/2016 14:30:00

Event Borussia Dortmund - Wolfsburg

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Selection 1

Code 2901

Date 01/05/2016 19:45:00

Event Lazio - Inter

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Selection Un HT

Code 2897

Date 01/05/2016 14:00:00

Event Sassuolo - Hellas Verona

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Selection 1

Code 2898

Date 01/05/2016 14:00:00

Event Empoli - Bologna

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Selection Un HT

Code 2899

Date 01/05/2016 14:00:00

Event Milan - Frosinone

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Selection 1

Code 2908

Date 30/04/2016 21:05:00

Event Granada - UD Las Palmas

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Selection Un HT

WEEKEND BRILLIANT SWEET GAME

Booking Number:LXJGB2 29/04/2016 19:59:00

Code 1728

Date 30/04/2016 15:00:00

Event Watford - Aston Villa

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Selection 1X

Code 1729

Date 30/04/2016 15:00:00

Event Everton - Bournemouth

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Selection 1X

Code 1732

Date 30/04/2016 17:30:00

Event Arsenal - Norwich

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Selection 1X

Code 1733

Date 01/05/2016 14:05:00

Event Manchester Utd - Leicester City

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Selection (0:2) 2 H

Code 2365

Date 30/04/2016 14:30:00

Event Bayern Munich - Monchengladbach

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Selection 1X

Code 2366

Date 30/04/2016 14:30:00

Event Borussia Dortmund - Wolfsburg

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Selection 1X

Code 2371

Date 30/04/2016 17:30:00

Event Bayer Leverkusen - Hertha Berlin

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Selection 1X

Code 3926

Date 30/04/2016 18:00:00

Event Caen - Bastia

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Selection 1X

Code 3932

Date 30/04/2016 20:00:00

Event Lyon - GFC Ajaccio

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Selection 1

Code 2897

Date 01/05/2016 14:00:00

Event Sassuolo - Hellas Verona

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Selection 1X

Code 2899

Date 01/05/2016 14:00:00

Event Milan - Frosinone

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Selection 1X

Code 2896

Date 01/05/2016 11:30:00

Event Juventus - Carpi

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Selection 1

Code 2908

Date 30/04/2016 21:05:00

Event Granada - UD Las Palmas

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Selection 1X

Code 2909

Date 01/05/2016 11:00:00

Event Ath. Bilbao - Celta Vigo

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Selection 1X

Code 2907

Date 30/04/2016 19:30:00

Event Real Betis - Barcelona

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Selection 2

Code 1110

Date 01/05/2016 13:30:00

Event AZ Alkmaar - Graafschap

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Selection No - ASBH

Code 1113

Date 01/05/2016 13:30:00

Event PSV - Cambuur

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Selection 1

Code 2023

Date 30/04/2016 17:00:00

Event Besiktas JK - Kayserispor

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Selection 1

Code 2491

Date 01/05/2016 17:00:00

Event Fenerbahce - Gaziantepspor

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Selection 1

Nigerian Army responds to non-payment of soldiers allowances

   

The Nigerian Army has explained the reasons behind the non-payment of soldiers' allowance in the last six months. According to the statement issued by Army Acting Director of Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman:

"The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to some stories going round the media circles with the title “Disquiet in the war front as soldiers complain of unpaid allowance” alleging that there was problem in the Nigerian Army due to non-payment of allowances to some soldiers serving in the North East.

In particular, they were alleging non-payment of outstanding peacekeeping operations allowance of troops that served in Guinea Bissau under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States and operation allowances to some troops in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, among others.

The issues contained in such publications are not true nor correct. While some media treated the matter professionally, giving the military benefit of doubt and sought to know the truth, others mischievously went to town with the false story without recourse to ethics of the profession and bothering to find out from the military.

The effort of the former is quite commendable and really appreciated, while that of the latter is quite unfortunate.

For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to inform the public that the issue of non-payment of peacekeeping operations allowance is a minor internal military administrative matter which was treated and resolved accordingly and has no bearing on the fight against terrorism and insurgency as they mischievously alleged.

It should be reiterated that the alleged non-payment of operations allowance among the returnee peacekeepers was due to administrative hitches which was solved to the point that all outstanding peacekeeping operations have been paid and the last batch payment was done last Tuesday.

As regards to payment of operations allowances, the NA had earlier inform the public of the compliance with the Federal Government directives on e-payment, BVN and TSA. All officers and soldiers are now paid their operations allowance directly through their bank accounts.

All those that did not receive theirs was due to non-compliance with the directive of giving correct account details and issues relating to recent postings. This has been explained to all those affected and efforts were on to rectify same shortly.

Our troops have been receiving their allowances regularly. Already issues relating to troops welfare have been of utmost priority to Mr President and the Army leadership. This is evident in current very high level of morale of the troops.

We would like to once again thank those responsible media outfits that showed understanding and maturity in reporting issues of national defence and security professionally."

Photo: Pres. Buhari receives British High Commissioner to Nigeria

President Buhari pictured receiving British High Commissioner to Nigeria - Paul Arkwright, at the State House, Abuja today April 29th.

GOtv Boxing Night 7: Boxers talk tough

Ahead of GOtv Boxing Night 7, holding on 1 May at the National Stadium, Lagos, boxers scheduled to fight have been indulging in boasts and counter-boasts. National lightweight champion, Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai, who is defending his title against Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, has vowed that his opponent will not last the distance.

  

This fight will be different. Joe Boy is a small boy who is not fit to be a champion. I will knock him out and he will go and stay on the queue,” bragged Fatai.

Responding, Joe Boy, who defeated Fatai via a fifth round knockout at GOtv Boxing Night 4, said he will repeat the trick.

“I beat him before and I will beat him again even if he has acquired four hands in addition to the two he already has.

He said I defeated him because he was injured. I’m glad that he is now fit and wonder what the excuse will be when I beat him on 1 May,” he said.

Joe Boy, a previous winner of the N1million cash prize for the best boxer award at GOtv Boxing Night, added that he will win the award again. “I used him to win the other time and I will do so again,” he boasted.

Idowu “Cabasa” Okusote, who will fight Chibuzor “Chibunky” Vincent in a cruiserweight challenge duel, said his opponent will visit hell via the ring.

“I have been looking for an opportunity to fight. This is it. Chibunky or whatever he calls himself will see hell on earth when we fight,” he said, a boast his opponent described as empty.  Osamudiamen “Shiso” Goodluck, who takes on Rilwan “Real One” Oladosu, said though he is a professional debutant, his record as an amateur is one many would wish to have.

“I was a big amateur boxer and I know Rilwan well. He will kiss the canvas in the first round and will not get up again,” raved the debutant.

Platini battles court for make-or-break hearing

Michel Platini, the suspended UEFA chief, arrived Friday at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the Swiss city of Lausanne to appeal his six-year FIFA ban for ethics violations, with his future in football hanging in the outcome.

“Today the match begins, a new match, the final, and we are all on the same page. I’m optimistic, we’re going to win,” Platini told reporters.

The stakes could not be higher for the 60-year-old former Juventus star and suspended head of UEFA, the European football confederation.

A favourable verdict and he will take his place in the stands at the Stade de France for the Euro 2016 opener between hosts France and Romania on June 10.

A negative verdict will mean he will be barred from entering the national stadium, his glittering career in the sport having come to an ignominious end.

The Frenchman has been sanctioned over an infamous two million Swiss franc ($2 million, 1.8 million euro) payment he received in 2011 from then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

FIFA’s ethics committee in December banned both men from all football activities for eight years. The suspensions were cut to six years in February.

Both men insist they did nothing wrong and that the payment was part of a legitimate oral contract tied to consulting work that Platini did for FIFA between 1999 and 2002.

The affair has already cost him a shot at becoming head of world football as he was forced to pull out of the race to become FIFA president in an election won by his number two at UEFA, Gianni Infantino.

UEFA has said it will not replace Platini until all his appeals are exhausted, so if the former French star is successful at CAS he could reclaim his job in time to preside over Euro 2016.

Platini’s entourage is hoping for a decision “before May 3” when UEFA holds its congress in Budapest.

Blatter, who is due to testify Friday, has also appealed to CAS and is awaiting a date for his hearing.

– ‘Last venue of appeal’ –

Friday’s Lausanne-based tribunal will be in session until around 5:00 pm (1500 GMT).

“This is the last avenue of appeal,” Platini’s lawyer Thibaud D’Ales conceded to AFP.

The CAS consists of three legal experts, one each representing Platini and FIFA and a president.

Platini has chosen Yale and Harvard educated Swedish lawyer Jan Paulsson, with world football’s ruling body selecting Bernard Hanotiau of Switzerland.

The hearing will be chaired by Luigi Fumagalli, a University of Milan-educated Italian international law expert.

As part of his defence Platini’s legal team will produce an invoice for the suspect payment in an attempt to prove there was nothing untoward about the transaction.

“Five people from the offices of FIFA were involved in this payment, which was processed by the Finance Committee and reported to the Executive Committee. It is far from a hidden payment,” said D’Ales.

Platini’s name has also emerged in the Panama Papers, a leaked set of 11.5 million documents that provide detailed information about more than 214,000 offshore companies listed by the Panamanian corporate service provider Mossack Fonseca.

But D’Ales denied this had any relevance to Friday’s hearing.

“His fiscal situation was known by the Swiss authorities. This has nothing to do with it.”

My statement was obtained under duress, man accused of drug trafficking tells Court

A 34-year-old man, Anthony Ejiro, accused of drug trafficking, has told a Federal High Court in Kaduna that his statement was obtained under duress by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

When counsel to NDLEA, Mr T.J. Atserhegh sought to tender the accused statement as evidence before the court, the defence counsel, Mr E.Y Garuba objected on the ground that the statement was obtained under duress.

Garuba also told the court that his client was not arrested on Feb. 7, 2015 and neither was his statement taken on that date as contained in the statement.

He argued that his client was in NDLEA custody for more than 10 days before the purported statement was taken, adding that his client was sick on the day he was said to have written the statement.

The prosecution applied to establish the voluntariness of the statement where the accused confessed to have committed the crime and a trial within trial was conducted.

Two witnesses testified for the prosecution, while the accused testified in the trial within a trial.

“The officials of the NDLEA forced me to write the statement.

“They pushed me around; put a gun on my head and threatened to shoot me if I did not cooperate.

“As far as I can tell, that statement was not voluntarily made, because they dictated what I wrote, and out of fear I obliged and did as I was told, “Ejiro told the court.

However, when cross-examined by the prosecution counsel, Ejiro agreed that he was arrested on February 7 and his statement was taken on that same day.

The accused equally agreed with the content of the statement on information about him was correct.

Ejiro of Kakau village, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State has been standing trial since May 5, 2015, on a two-count charge of illegal possession of 8, 241.9 kilogrammes of Indian hemp.

He was also accused of conniving with four others, now at large, to deal in the illicit weed.

Counsel to NDLEA said that the offences were contrary to and punishable under Sections 11 (d) and 14 (b) of NDLEA Act, Cap 30, Laws of the Federation 2004.

Justice E. Anyadike adjourned the case to May 30 for ruling on the trial within trial.

Senate invites security chiefs for update on fleeing terrorists in North East

The Senate has invited the country’s security chiefs to brief it on the activities of fleeing terrorists in the North East to prevent the spread of terrorism.

The summon followed a motion by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDP Enugu North) on the recent attack on Nimbo Community in Enugu State by persons suspected to be herdsmen.

Sen. Utazi who relied on a point of order to make the matter an issue of public concern, prayed the Senate to approve his seven-prayer motion.

“There is wide spread fear of more attacks as there has been recurring attacks on communities in Uzuani Local Government Area.

“About three months ago, a neighbouring community to Nimbo was attacked, scores of people killed, houses, barns, farm produce set ablaze.

“The regularity and audacity of these attacks has become a pattern and the whole people of Uzuani are facing a clear danger of extermination.

“I am worried that Boko Haram terrorists fleeing the sustained onslaught of the military North East, may be fleeing South West amassing around communities and wreaking havoc in their way.

“We are witnessing terrorism in the southern part of Nigeria beginning with the South East.

“By some reports, herdsmen attacks killed about 80 people in 2013 and by 2014 it had risen to 1229.”

He called on the Federal Government to also check the activities of the herdsmen.

Some of the senators, who contributed, also expressed concern over the possible escalation of the crisis and the possibility of reprisal attacks.

Sen. Ben Bruce said that if the problem was not checked, it could lead to a situation where ordinary people would retaliate and thus lead to full blown crisis.

“That day is here and that day is now when retaliation begins, the civil war was fought in a conventional passion one army is facing another army.

“You are going to have a guerrilla warfare; it is not a war anybody can win; it will cause a destruction of Nigeria.

“We must urge the Nigerian government to take action to disarm cattle rearers.

“As far as I am concerned you need a license to own a gun; nobody has a right to own a gun without a license.

“This is a very serious issue, motion after motion has been presented here from the North, from the South, from the East to the West everybody is affected.

“What is going to happen now people are going to read religion and ethnicity into this fight.

“Once that happens illiterates who did not have the knowledge that we have will start retaliating and that day is now.”

In his remark, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekwerenmadu, expressed concern over the possibility of reprisal attacks in parts of the country.


He, therefore, called for a quick solution to the problem.

“There are too many idle men and women in Nigeria today, who are frustrated by economic realities.

“They would make themselves available for any possible issues or mishaps that this would give rise to.

“So I believe that the earlier we nip this in the bud the better for all of us.

“We want a very peaceful country and we need to work towards that and as leaders we must be held responsible if there is breakdown of law
and order because the primary purpose of government is the protection of lives and property of the ordinary people.

“We must be able to come up with immediate approach to this problem and then mid-term solutions and finally a long-term solution.”

Ekwerenmadu, who presided over plenary, prayed that the country’s security chiefs be invited to brief the Senate on the movement of fleeing terrorists to ensure that adequate measures were taken to prevent terrorist activities from spreading all over the country.

After observing a minute’s silence in honour of all those killed in similar attacks, the Senate set up an adhoc committee to begin public hearing next week towards finding lasting solutions to the problem.

“Invite security chiefs to brief the Senate on the movement of fleeing terrorists to ensure that measures are put in place to forestall a spread of terrorist activities all over the country.

“Those in support of this prayer say aye; those against say nay, the ayes have it.

“The Adhoc Committee is made up of Sen. Ali Ndume that is the Leader of the Senate as the Chairman, Sen. Ishiaka Adeleke representing South West, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa representing South East.

“Sen. Abdulahi Adamu representing North Central: Sen. Sani Shehu representing North West and Sen. Ben Bruce representing South South.

“The adhoc committee must start work by next week for the public hearing on this very important topic.”

The Senate also resolved to send a delegation to Enugu to commiserate with the community and people of Enugu State.

It also charged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to send relief materials to the affected communities while calling on security agencies to improve their intelligence to stem the matter.

Other contributors urged for solution to the problem before it escalates like the Boko Haram insurgency did.

They commiserated with the people of Enugu State and all other states that have been affected by suck attacks.

Some of them called for state policing, community vigilante groups and more security intelligence to check the movement of the attackers no matter the time of the day.

Multinational taskforce to patrol Gulf of Guinea – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday in Abuja that a multinational taskforce would soon be established to patrol the waters of the Gulf of Guinea.

The president disclosed this at an audience with the French Minister of Defence, Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian.

He said that patrols by the multinational taskforce would augment and boost ongoing efforts to improve security in the Gulf, and curb crude oil theft and piracy.

President Buhari acknowledged French Government’s support for the Federal Government’s efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency.

He expressed his government’s appreciation of the assistance and support of France and other G7 countries, which he said, had helped Nigeria achieve significant successes against the Boko Haram insurgency.

“When we got into office in May, last year, Boko Haram was effectively controlling at least 14 local government areas. But now, it is no longer so, and they have resorted to attacking soft targets with Improvised Explosive Devices.

“We are determined to secure all of our territory effectively. We are doing our best and our troops are now operating in the Sambisa Forest,’’ President Buhari told the minister.

In his remarks, the minister assured President Buhari that France would continue to assist Nigeria to overcome Boko Haram insurgency.
According to him, all terrorists must be seen as common enemies of the free world.

FG, pro-Biafra campaigners step up war of words

Nigeria’s government and pro-Biafra activists are increasingly trading accusations of deadly violence, threatening to aggravate a tense stand-off prompted by the detention of the group’s leader.

Earlier this month, Nigerian intelligence accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement of abducting and killing five ethnic Fulani people and burying them shallow graves.

The Department of State Services (DSS) claimed the murders were proof of the group’s “true divisive colour and objectives”, as it sought to “ignite ethnic terrorism and mistrust”.

The escalating rhetoric has fanned animosity between the predominantly-Christian Igbo people of the southeast and the Fulani that dates back decades.

Igbos have long accused ethnic Fulani political leaders in federal government posts of marginalising them by denying them senior positions and funding for infrastructure and development.

Many in the region see it as a “punishment” for declaring independence in May 1967, which sparked a brutal civil war that lasted until 1970.

The significance of the DSS accusation is not lost on Nigerians because of violence before secession against Igbos living in the mainly Muslim north, where Hausa-speaking Fulani are dominant.

Igbo resentment towards the federal government has not abated since the end of the conflict but is growing because of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tough response to IPOB.

Feelings of alienation have been exacerbated at a desperate time when Nigeria is experiencing its slowest growth in more than a decade, inflation is at a four-year high, and chronic fuel shortages.

Now, it is feared alleged Fulani attacks in the southeast — common in the religiously-mixed central states — are stoking ethnic grievances and drawing people to the separatist cause.

– ‘Incessant killings’ –

For weeks, Fulani herdsmen — nomadic Muslim cattle raisers — have been accused of killing farmers in Nigeria’s agricultural heartland, according to local media.

But on Tuesday, police said at least seven farmers in the southeast state of Enugu were killed in a Fulani raid that IPOB said could spark a “second genocide”.

“I can assure you more people are coming to Indigenous People of Biafra,” said Prince Emmanuel Kanu, whose brother Nnamdi is the group’s leader and is facing treason charges for “propagating a secessionist agenda”.

“IPOB is conducting serious meetings all over Biafraland to find a solution,” he told AFP. “For how long to you want to continue killing us and for how long do you want us to remain quiet?”

Despite being jailed since October, Nnamdi Kanu’s trial has yet to get under way, a delay his lawyers attribute to the state’s inability to bring a strong case against him.

Meanwhile, mass protests calling for his release in the southeast cities of Aba and Owerri have been halted as a result of what Prince said were “the incessant killings” by security forces.

According to human rights lawyer Onkere Kingdom Nnamdi, the police and military have killed more than 50 protesters between October and February this year.


He is filing a lawsuit against the government for damages on behalf of the injured protestors and families of the deceased.

“There are over 200 people in detention,” the lawyer said, adding: “Do you know the worst aspect of it? There are those that are missing, their whereabouts cannot be traced.”

– ‘Need for empathy’ –

Kanu’s detention and the fate of his supporters echo that of Shiite Muslim cleric Ibrahim Zakzaky, who has been in custody since December after his followers clashed with the military.

Amnesty International has accused the army of “unlawfully” and “deliberately” killing more than 350 of Zakzaky’s followers and has criticised Buhari, who is ethnic Hausa-Fulani and a Sunni Muslim.

Buhari, elected last year on a pledge to tackle internal security threats, has seen successes against Boko Haram Islamists, whose insurgency has left some 20,000 people dead since 2009.

But the more amorphous threats emerging across the country demand more diplomacy than force, suggested Nnamdi Obasi, Nigeria analyst for the International Crisis Group.

“The continued detention of Kanu doesn’t serve the purpose it was intended to serve, if the purpose was to put down the agitation,” he said.

“The heavy-handed response is totally unnecessary, it risks radicalising the group.

“There is a desperate need for dialogue, there is a great need for empathy but the government is not showing that at the moment, so things are getting worse.”

Helicopter with about 15 people on board crashes off Norway

A helicopter crashed off the western coast of Norway on Friday, police said, with media reporting that 13 to 17 people were on board.

Several witnesses described seeing a powerful explosion and people were seen in the sea, television station TV2 reported, adding that some people had been rescued.

“Emergency services en route to a zone near Turoy after reports of a helicopter crash,” Norwegian police wrote on Twitter, referring to an island off the western town of Bergen.

First reports indicated the helicopter was transporting workers to an offshore oil field in the North Sea.

Various media reports put the number of people on board at between 13 and 17.

Live footage showed leisure boats rushing toward the scene, where thick black smoke was billowing into the sky.

S.Africa court rules Zuma should face almost 800 graft charges

South African President Jacob Zuma should face almost 800 corruption charges that were dropped in 2009, a judge said Friday, piling further pressure on the embattled leader.


The charges, relating to a multi-billion dollar arms deal, were dropped by the chief state prosecutor in a move that cleared the way for Zuma to be elected president.

“The decision… to discontinue the charges against Mr Zuma is irrational and should be reviewed,” Pretoria High Court judge Aubrey Ledwaba said.

“Mr Zuma should face the charges as applied.”

The prosecutor had justified dropping the charges by saying that tapped phone calls between senior officials in then-president Thabo Mbeki’s administration showed political interference in the case.

The recordings, which became known as the “spy tapes”, were kept secret but finally released in 2014 to the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), after a five-year legal battle.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said Friday’s court ruling was a major blow for the president, who has faced months of criticism over various corruption scandals and the country’s dire economic outlook.

“Today is a great victory for the rule of law. Ultimately Jacob Zuma must face prosecution,” Maimane said after attending the court hearing.

“We are deeply, deeply delighted. We believe it’s a significant judgement.

“Jacob Zuma must have… his day in court.”

The DA called for the National Prosecuting Authority to immediate revive the 783 charges of corruption dating back to 1999.

But the legal wrangling is set to continue, with the ruling likely to go to appeal.

– A weakened president? –

The president last month lost another major legal case when the country’s highest court found he violated the constitution over the use of public funds to upgrade his private residence.

The so-called “security upgrades”, which cost taxpayers $24 million, included a swimming pool, chicken run, cattle enclosure and an amphitheatre.

The DA and other opposition parties attempted to impeach him in parliament, but the ruling African National Congress (ANC) used its majority to easily defeat the motion.

Zuma has also been beset by allegations that a wealthy Indian migrant family had such influence 

over him that it could decide ministerial appointments.

Pressure on the president to be ousted or to resign has grown with several veteran leaders of the party that brought Nelson Mandela to power in 1994 calling for him to step down.

Zuma, 74, will have completed two terms in 2019 and is not eligible to run for president again, but the ANC — which is packed with his loyalists — could replace him ahead of the next election.

Last week, a commission he set up cleared all government officials of corruption over the 1999 arms deal.

Zuma himself was accused of having accepted bribes from international arms manufacturers.

His advisor, Schabir Shaik, was jailed for 15 years on related charges in 2005, with the judge saying there was “overwhelming” evidence of a corrupt relationship between the two.

Shaik was released on medical parole in 2009, the year Zuma was elected president.

Zuma’s competency was also questioned when he sacked two finance ministers within days in December, triggering a collapse in the rand and a major withdrawal of foreign investors.

Wenger pleads for ‘perspective’ from Arsenal fans

Manager Arsene Wenger has urged fans to look at Arsenal’s season “in perspective” ahead of a planned protest by supporters’ groups during Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Norwich City.


Black Scarf Movement, RedAction and the Arsenal Supporters Trust want Gunners fans present at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday to show placards saying: “Time for change. Arsenal is stale, fresh approach needed.”

Last week’s goalless draw with Sunderland ended Arsenal’s title hopes.

It is now 12 years since they were last crowned champions of England and the patience of many Gunners fans has snapped in a season where unheralded Leicester City are on the brink of taking the title.

Meanwhile Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal’s bitter north London rivals, are second — and all this with Wenger’s men failing to take advantage of the lapses in form suffered by usual contenders Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

But Wenger, Arsenal’s manager since 1996, has suggested fans are being “manipulated” by external critics and that supporters need to look at the club’s “evolution” since they moved from Highbury to the nearby Emirates.

“We have to put things a little bit into perspective and see how the club’s evolution has gone over the years,” Wenger said on Friday.

“It was not always easy. The quality of the work we’ve done at the club has got us into a strong position where expectations are very high, but we are frustrated when we don’t get what we want.

“When you build a stadium, we had five to seven difficult financial years where we had to pay back — we had (to qualify) for the Champions League three years out of five and have an average (gate) of 54,000 people (to finance the new stadium). We didn’t know we would be capable of that,” the 66-year-old Frenchman added.

“We had to sell our best players every year to survive, but we didn’t do three years out of five in the Champions League. We did five out of five. But during that time, it was very difficult.”

Former Tottenham midfielder turned Sky television pundit Jamie Redknapp said Wenger had “brainwashed” Arsenal fans into thinking fourth place and qualification for the Champions League was “good enough”.

But Wenger responded Friday by saying: “The best chance (Arsenal supporters) can give our team is to be behind our team.

“Some groups of people try to manipulate our fans, and I believe apart from an agenda, a personal agenda, a big ego, there’s not a lot behind it.

“This team has character and attitude. Some people question them. I know them well, and they have less character than this team have. I saw them play and I know them very closely, and they shouldn’t question this team’s character.

“When a club cannot enjoy anything any more, it’s in trouble. In football you go down very quickly and come up very slowly. We have to stick together.”

Amnesty urges probe into Chad troops missing after vote

  Amnesty International expressed alarm Thursday over the disappearance of more than 20 soldiers and police officers in Chad since this month’s presidential election, calling on authorities to open an independent investigation.


“According to some media, more than 40 members of the defence and security forces may have gone missing since April 9,” the rights group said.

Amnesty and the Chadian League of Human Rights (LTDH) “are in the position to confirm more than 20 cases of suspected disappearances,” the two groups said in a statement.

Soldiers had voted on April 9, a day before the April 10 election that saw President Idriss Deby extend his 26 years in power, despite opposition claims that the vote was marred by widespread fraud.

In at least two polling stations, military officials forced troops to publicly vote for the ruling party.

“Those who did not obey orders were either publicly beaten or locked in a cell for several hours,” the statement said.

Authorities said the soldiers had been sent on a mission. On April 21, four of the missing men were shown on national television.

“But no information on their whereabouts has been communicated to their families, who have lost contact with them and do not know when they may be coming back,” the rights groups said.

“Chadian authorities must shed light on this,” the statement added, urging “an independent inquiry into mistreatment suffered by those who would not have voted for the ruling party”.

Civilian disappearances have also been reported since Deby’s re-election, including that of Mahamat Ahmat Lazina, president of the National Movement for Change in Chad (MNCT), who vanished on April 19.

Fulani herdsmen’s attacks: Knocks, kudos greet Buhari’s directive

HARD knocks and kudos, yesterday, heralded President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to the Chief of Defence Staff and Inspector General of Police to crack down on rampaging herdsmen, who have been attacking many villages and killing hundreds of people across the country.

    

President Buhari’s order came on the heels of the latest attack on Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State on Monday, in which about 40 persons were killed and 11 buildings destroyed.

Among those, who spoke on the issue, yesterday, were Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka; Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; former presidential candidate and Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae; former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav; former Transport Minister, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; National Publicity of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Muhammad Ibrahim; National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin; founder of the Igbo Youths Movement, IYM, Evangelist Elliot Uko; President of Arewa Consultative Youths Forum, ACYF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima and Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo.

Soyinka blasts Buhari over killings

In clear terms, Professor Soyinka criticised the President over his seeming inability to rein in the violent activities of herdsmen across the country.

In his address to the National Conference on Culture and Tourism, Wednesday, Soyinka said the President Buhari-led government was yet to come up with an articulate solution to tackle the menace.

He said: “I have yet to hear this government articulate a firm policy of non-tolerance for the serial massacres that have become the nation’s identification stamp. I have not heard an order given that any cattle herder caught with sophisticated firearms be instantly disarmed, arrested, placed on trial, and his cattle confiscated. The nation is treated to an 18month optimistic plan which, to make matters worse, smacks of abject appeasement and encouragement of violence on innocents.

“Let me repeat, and of course I only ask to be corrected if wrong: I have yet to encounter a terse, rigorous, soldierly and uncompromising language from this leadership, one that threatens a response to this unconscionable blood-letting that would make even Boko Haram repudiate its founding clerics.

“When I read a short while ago, the Presidential assurance to this nation that the current homicidal escalation between the cattle prowlers and farming communities would soon be over, I felt mortified.

“He had the solution, he said. Cattle ranches were being set up, and in another 18 months, rustlings, destruction of livelihood and killings from herdsmen would be ‘a thing of the past’. 18 months, he assured the nation. I believe his Minister of Agriculture echoed that later, but with a less dispiriting time schema.”

Senate summons service chiefs

Worried by these developments, the Senate, yesterday, summoned the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, to brief the lawmakers on the efforts put in place to address the problem.

Also to appear before the Senate today are the National Security Adviser, NSA, General Babagana Monguno (retd); Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok- Ete Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar; and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshall Mirgan Riku.

According to the Senate, inviting the service chiefs would enable it get briefs on the fleeing terrorists to ensure that measures are put in place to forestall spread of terrorists activities all over the country as well as carry out an investigation of the incidents and suggest ways of stopping the attacks before the affected communities resort to self- help.

The Senate also set up a six-member ad-hoc committee to investigate cases of killing by suspected herdsmen across the country and come up with solutions to the problems, with the Senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South representing North East, as chairman.

The committee has been given next week to commence work with a public hearing. Meanwhile, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, in his contribution, noted that Fulani herdsmen had killed Nigerians on annual basis more than Boko Haram sect.

“The herdsmen are now considered one of the worst terrorist organisations in the world today. They are a deadly force, they have turned Nigeria into a very dangerous country,” he said.

ACF commends Buhari, says attacks unfortunate

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, said the country could not afford to graduate from Boko Haram insurgency to an unwarranted attack by unknown gunmen alleged to be Fulani herdsmen.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, the ACF said: “The attack was most unfortunate, barbaric and condemnable.

Arewa Consultative Forum commends the prompt action taken by President Muhammadu Buhari by directing the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police to not only secure the affected communities under attacks by herdsmen but also ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts are fished out and brought to justice.”

It can result in self-help — Ohanaeze

The apex Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, has warned that the ugly development was capable of resulting in reprisal attacks unless the Federal Government puts measures in place to stop the killings across the country.

This came as Abia State House of Assembly directed security agencies in the state to thoroughly search all trucks and other vehicles conveying cattle, onions, tomatoes, fruits and other goods from northern part of the country to the state, for arms and ammunition.

Similarly, Anglican Communion, traders and other residents of Enugu protested the killings of innocent villagers at Nimboe as well as previous killings of Ndigbo in the South-East

President-General of Ohanaeze, Gary Enwo-Igariwey, at briefing, yesterday, warned that the failure of security agents to arrest these herdsmen would only result in the communities resorting to self-help to defend themselves.

He said it was very dangerous to allow gun trotting youths to continue to run riots on unsuspecting communities, adding that the Federal Government had much to do to ensure the continuous corporate existence of the country.

Govt should not stop at just sending security forces —Tsav

Also speaking, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said: “Apart from what the President has said, I believe the only thing that will be the lasting solution to the killings by Fulani herdsmen is for the government to set up an inquiry committee to find out why they are doing so. Sending security agencies after them will not be enough because they are masters of the bush; they live in the bush and are very united.”

Buhari’s directive reassuring – Falae

Chief Olu Falae, who was kidnapped by the herdsmen at his farm in Ondo State, recently, said the President’s statement was reassuring.

“It is a welcome development and it is most reassuring. As you know, I was a victim of these herdsmen terrorism. So, I am happy that the president has declared war on this terrorism which has the potential to destabilize Nigeria. So, I am happy but I hope that the security forces will take the order from the president and ensure that we all feel safe and secured in our respective communities.

It’s too late – Adebanjo

Chief Ayo Adebanjo said the president’s comment was belated.

“Too late to comment. It does not show that he was conscious of the lives of the people that have been killed in the last three months.

It was the same thing we accused Jonathan of saying nothing about the Boko Haram. Anyway, it is better late than never and now the excuses being made is that they are not Fulani, including some responsible people.

“What evidences have the police provided to arrest those who are not Fulani but are calling themselves Fulani? At what stage did it occur to them that they are just hoodlums?

Buhari should act fast — Babatope

Chief Ebenezer Babatope urged Buhari to act fast on the herdsmen’s murderous activities to avert mayhem.

He said: “I think the President has capacity to arrest the situation and he must act very fast for the purpose of unity of this country. The killings are becoming too much and Nigerians are tired of these senseless killings.”

President should ‘ve addressed the nation – Odumakin

On his part, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin, said the president should have addressed the nation on the matter rather than speak through an aide.

He said: “For public relations, the president should have spoken to the nation directly on this kind of matter, rather than speaking through an aide..”

It’s a welcome development – Shettima

For the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, no one should hide under any guise to commit crime.

Its National President, Alhaji Yerima Shettima said: “It is a good development because nobody is above the law. Making a bold statement like this is a good development because we cannot continue to live in a country where there is law and order and people take laws into their hands and get away with it as if we are running a banana republic. We cannot accept that.”

PDP zones chairmanship position to north

The National Executive Committee, NEC, of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday approved the retention of the chairmanship of the party to the North, setting the stage for  continuation of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in office.


   

Addressing journalists after the meeting of the committee, national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, said members of NEC approved all the recommendations of its zoning committee, headed by the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom.

Other positions zoned were those of national auditor, national publicity secretary and  Secretary of the party which were zoned to the South West, while the position of deputy national chairman was zoned to the South South.

Prominent members of the party from the South West, such as Bode George, Ebenezer Babatope and others were, however, not in attendance at the meeting.

Some members of the party in the South West had canvassed that the position of the national chairman be zoned to the region, arguing that the zone had never produced the leadership of the party since its formation.

PDP govs got N2bn each from Ecological Funds under Jonathan —Oshiomhole

Edo State governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has hailed President Mohammadu Buhari on his fatherly stance in the financial meltdown facing the states.

He said that the president despite being elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, has shown love, equity and justice to all the states, a situation he said was entirely different in the regime of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Oshiomole said that Jonathan showed favour to the governors of the then Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, states.

Oshiomole, who spoke to State House correspondents on the heels of the meeting between the president and governors, revealed that the PDP governors got N2 billion each from the Ecological Fund without a dime going to the opposition states. He thanked President Buhari for intervening in the dwindling economy of the states without prejudice.

Investors fret as N100bn foreign investment withdrawal deadline expires today

Apprehension heightened in the equities market yesterday as the deadline for withdrawal of Morgan Stanley Capital International, MSCI, foreign investment index from the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, expires today.

The US-based provider of equity, fixed income, and hedge fund stock market indexes, announced earlier in the month that it was considering yanking off Nigeria from its MSCI Emerging market index.

Though a decision is expected to be announced today, April 29, 2016, feelers from the NSE indicated that MSCI authorities may postpone the decision while keeping close watch on the investment climate in Nigeria.

Equity investors in the Nigerian bourse had lost over N174 billion in the first trading day after the announcement of the intention to withdraw, precisely on Monday, April 11, 2016 and this was followed by moderated losses on the second and third days that culminated into a week loss of about N206 billion.

The total volume of investments outstanding as at yesterday was about 177 million shares worth about USD500 million (N100 billion on official exchange rate) in 15 companies.

A few of the stocks affected had recovered slightly but further declines in the share prices were noticed this week, apparently indicating renewed apprehension as the deadline approached.

However, three of the affected stocks had a positive outing in the stock market yesterday closing with gains while the overall market position was also positive in terms of both market capitalization and the All Shares Index.

Though only 15 stocks were under threat by the MSCI moves, the impact snowballed into several others.

The top ten blue chip stocks affected by the threat of withdrawal includes United Bank of Africa Plc with the highest MSCI-linked foreign investment volume of 54.1 million shares followed by First Bank of Nigeria Plc with 48.1 million shares and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc with 23.5 million shares.

Also amongst the top ten equities to be affected by the withdrawal are Zenith Bank Plc with MSCI-linked 23.1 million shares, Ecobank Plc with 12.2 million shares, Nigerian Breweries Plc with 6.9 million shares and Unilever Nigeria Plc with 5.7 million shares valued.

Others affected in lower magnitude includes Lafarge Cement with 2.2 million shares, Dangote Cement Plc with 1.5 million shares and Nestle Nigeria Plc with 0.5 million shares.

MSCI’s threat followed the introduction of restrictions on foreign currency trading in Nigeria.

3 suspected kidnappers of GUO Motors boss discharged, acquitted for lack of proof

The protracted legal tussle between the state and three suspected kidnappers of Chairman of G.U.O Motors Limited, Chief Godwin Okeke was, yesterday, brought to a conclusion with the discharge and acquittal of the accused persons for lack of proof by an Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha.

   

In his judgment, the trial judge, Justice Alexander Okuma said that the court does not rely on speculative evidence to convict a person or persons being charged with commission of criminal offences, adding that the evidences of the prosecution witnesses against the accused persons were not weighty enough to convince the court that they were guilty as charged.

Justice Okuma noted that for instance, there was no concrete evidence to prove that the first accused person, Kelechi Okafor, who the kidnappers engaged to sell Okeke’s vehicle for them, after they snatched it from Okeke’s driver when he went to deliver the N30 million ransom to them, had any knowledge that it was a stolen vehicle before he took it to Lagos where the intending buyers on seeing the vehicle particulars, discovered that it belonged to Okeke, who they said they read in newspapers that he was recently kidnapped and as a result, refused to buy the vehicle.

In the case of the second defendant, Anthony Okafor, Justice Okuma held that there was contradiction in the evidences against him by the prosecution witnesses that he was not among the gang that kidnapped Okeke, adding that it appeared to the court that the prosecution mistook him for one Chukwudi Agu (a.k.a. Small Black), who later jumped bail after confessing to the police at the state headquarters of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Awkuzu, that he was one of the gang members.

Justice Okuma insisted that since the prosecution could not prove their allegation against the defendants beyond  reasonable doubt, as required by law, as far as the kidnap incident was concerned, the court had no other option than to discharge and acquit them for lack of enough evidence.

Governors push for new revenue sharing formula

Governors of the 36 states of the federation, yesterday, pushed for a new fiscal restructuring plan due to the present economic realities in  their states, which had made it impossible for them to pay workers’ salaries. This is despite bailout funds advanced by the federal government to the states a few months ago.

   

The governors, acting under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, made the proposal at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

They pushed for a new revenue allocation formula and handed over to the President a Fiscal Restructuring Plan for the Federation.

As the governors were putting forward their proposal, President Buhari expressed regrets that despite the bailout funds released to the states, 24 of them could still not pay workers salaries, saying the situation was of great concern to him.

The President, who shared the concern of the governors, however, said the Federal Government would quicken action on refunding monies spent on federal infrastructure by the states. He also promised to set up an inter-ministerial committee to enable him study the document.

According to the President, the committee will review the plan to improve the finances of state governments and make recommendations on how proposals in the plan should be dealt with by the Presidency, the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly through legislation.

He also reminded the governors that though the Federal Government had plans of rescuing the states, it also had its own financial challenges.

“You all know the problems we have found ourselves in. You have to bear with us,” he said.

Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, Chairman of the Governors Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, said that the review of the allocation formula became imperative in view of  dwindling oil prices.

Reminded of a report that the governors were not saving, a situation which had caused the present economic quagmire, Yari said that it was impossible for the states to save when the Federal Government was taking 52 per cent and allocating a paltry 26 per cent to the states.

He stated that the Federal Government had agreed to refund part of monies spent on infrastructure, adding that what was more important to them was the implementation of the new plan to enable states meet their fiscal challenges.

He said: “The meeting is about the economy. We deliberated among our colleagues and we did say we would pass our demands to the Federal Government to look at demands per state.

“You will agree with me that states are the landlords. We own the land and the people,  therefore, the economy of this country lies in the states. Everything comes from the states- the oil, agricultural produce, mining and people are in the states, while the federal government is in Abuja.

“Therefore, if any state has any issues and is known to Mr President, I doubt very much if he will be able to sleep with his two eyes closed. We are closer to the people and have many challenges in the states.”

Bailout funds, restructured debts, temporary measures

“Today, we have received support from the Federal Government in terms of bailout, restructured our debts, given us 15% of the Excess Crude Account for development.

“All these are temporal measures. Each state has a programme right from short to mid and long term which we presented to Mr. President and he graciously accepted and he plans to put a committee in place that would look at the matter starting with short term.

Short term measures

“Concerning loan restructuring, bailout and Excess Crude Account, ECA, we are asking for 18 months moratorium before we can start paying, so that we would be able to strategise.

“To develop Internally generated revenue, IGR, is not overnight, it is a long term programme that one has to plan for. And also our service has exploded and there is nothing we can do about it because people are getting their daily bread from there and we cannot say we are going to cut salaries and wages.

“We have to find a solution, otherwise we would keep going back and forth because you  have the plan  for $100 per barrel and now oil is selling below the expected price, you will not achieve anything.  Therefore, we have deviced a plan for short term, medium term and long term.

Part of the medium term programme

“We are looking at the revenue mobilization formula in ensuring that resources which were due for the past 10 years to states will be made available to them after the National Assembly approval, while the agricultural and mining will be a long term programme.

Osinbajo, Fashola as members of inter-ministerial committee

“The committee that will be set up will have the Vice President, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on that committee because he headed similar committee on revenue formula at the Nigeria Governors Forum in 2012/2013.

“At the same time, some states have committed their resources to some federal government projects like roads and airports. There is a committee that was set up to look into that. We are urging the committee to hasten and complete their work and present to Mr. President so that states can get relief. These governors are in the states and we are supporting the states in so many ways.

Why states can’t save

“States are only taking 26 per cent, whereas the federal government is taking 52 per cent and you are asking us to save? Anyway, I doubt if the minister made that statement. It is coming from the media. The truth remains that states are taking 26 per cent and the federal government 52 per cent. We are not sovereign so how can we save? We are dealing with our different states’ economy which we are trying our best to fix. Most times, we are busy shouting that what is supposed to be given to us has not been given.

“For the past three years, we have been asking if  the excess crude has been used judiciously. So, the question of saving or not does not arise.”

Reacting to the new demands of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, that the minimum wage be increased, the governor said  Labour was right.

“Well, they are right because we agree that what they are being paid is too small but they must understand the situation the country is because from where we are deriving our resources from is now lower by 60 per cent. So, how do we do the magic? But we are going to do our best.”