Buhari commissions Rice Seedling factory
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the factory which is said to be the first in africa is an automated plant with a capacity to produce high yielding vitaminized and disease resistance rice seedlings1 two years after he performed the ground-breaking for the 274-kilometre superhighway of cross river state president muhammadu buhari on tuesday commissioned the states rice seedling factory in calabar1 he said that his first visit to the state two years and eight months ago was historic because it was his first official visit to any state after assuming office as president and secondly the purpose was to the ground-breaking of the landmark project1 today i am here again in the state to commission yet another visionary and trail-blazing project the calabar rice seedling factory built by the state government1 i must say that visiting the state for the second time within three years in connection with people-oriented and flagship projects of governor ayade is very welcome and very satisfying to me1 he said his administration launched a zero-oil economic roadmap as a way of making nigeria less dependent on oil while encouraging investments in other sectors of the economy particularly agriculture1 president buhari expressed his happiness ayade keyed into the policy and has become one of the reference points in the countrys agricultural revolution effort1 our gathering here today is no doubt a determination woven through to precision and a glowing testament to the fact that the policy is working1 indeed this factory speaks loudly about the giant strides we are making in agriculture as a country. this monumental project for which we are gathered here today is a marvel to behold1 buhari described the factory built by governor ben ayade as another visionary and trail-blazing project1 what we expect is that seedlings from this factory will improve rice yield from the current national average of 3 to 4 tons per hectare to about 9 to 10 tons per hectare thus helping to ensure rice sufficiency in the country and doing away with imports and saving foreign exchange for nigeria1 the factory he explained was also targeted at creating employment opportunities and would also be a veritable platform for income generation for the people of cross river state1 he enjoined relevant federal government agencies such as the ministry of agriculture and the central bank of nigeria cbn through their anchor borrowers programme to partner with cross river in the area of supply of seedlings to farmers1 president buhari acknowledged governor ayades other investments in agriculture such as the ongoing construction of an ultra-modern rice mill in ogoja the cotton farm in yala the cocoa processing plant in ikom and the banana plantation in odukpani the feed mill and yellow maize farm in obubra as well as the ultra-modern poultry farm for export of frozen chicken1 he concluded therefore that it was clear that cross river has found a pathway to ease itself from over reliance on federal allocation1 it is evident also that by conceiving projects such as these ayade has a keen eye for tomorrow focusing on projects that are building a new economic base for the state rather than projects with short term benefits for the purpose of making cheap political gains1 he said nigeria was making steady and assured progress towards self-sufficiency in food production1 it was the expectation that other states that were yet to fully take advantage of the zero-oil economic roadmap of the federal government would take a cue from cross river state1

Four IPOB members granted bail of N10m each
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the judge ordered that they were not to seen in any gathering at any time or granting newsmen interviews or any type of interviews1 justice binta nyako of the federal high court abuja on monday admitted four members of the indigenous people of biafra ipob to bail in the sum of n10 million each1 chimezie onwudiwe madubugwu and nwawuisi aged between 33 and 45 are facing three-count charge of conspiracy to commit treasonable felony and illegal possession of firearms1 they were all arrested in 2016 and had been in detention since then1 they were charged along with the former leader of the ipob nnamdi kanu who has not been seen since sept. 22 20171 nyako in granting them bail said she had carefully considered the consolidated application for bail submitted by their counsel and the number of years they had spent in prison custody1 she also made reference to the defendants health status as well as the ruling she had read of a sister judge as well as the administration of criminal justice actacja20151 in considering their bail justice nyako ordered the defendants to deposit monetary sum of n10 million each with the chief registrar of the court1 she added that the defendants are not allowed to travel outside the country that they are to deposit their travelling documents at the court as well1 justice nyako admitted bright chimezie chidiebere onwudiwe david nwawuisdi and benjamin madubugwu to bail1 no welcome oyoyo gathering.if you do that you will be sent back to prison. go home be with your family come to court. the trial has commenced nyako said1 at the prayer of the defence counsel mr ifeanyi ejiofor the judge ordered that the defendants to report to the commissioner of police at their locality every two weeks instead of abuja1 she ordered the first defendant chimezie to report to the commissioner of police rivers1 nyako also ordered the second defendant onwudiwe and the fourth nwawuisdi to both report to the commissioner of police enugu state1 she said the third benjamin madubugwu should report to the commissioner of police in anambra1 chimezie also pleaded the court to stop men of the state security operatives from invading their residence after being admitted to bail1 justice nyako in response assured them that they were under the custody of the court1 she adjourned the commencement of triai until nov. 141

Buhari dissolves NABTEB board
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president muhammadu buhari has approved the dissolution of the governing board of national business and technical examination board nabteb1 a statement made available to newsmen in abuja on monday by mr sonny echono permanent secretary ministry of education said the approval was with immediate effect1 echono said the president had also directed the minister of education malam adamu adamu to take immediate measures to reposition and refocus nabteb for greater efficiency and to render its performance more responsive to the expectations of the present administration1 he said the purported suspension of the registrar prof. ifeoma abanihe and four other directors of nabteb had been nullified as it did not conform to due process especially in the case of the registrar1 he said the board went beyond its powers and in contravention of section 5 and section 6 of nabteb act1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that aspecial investigative panel was constituted to probe activities of the registrar of the national business and technical examinations board nabteb prof. ifeoma isuigo-abanihe and four others1 the panel allegedly uncovered irregularities in contract awards and abuse of office by the embattled registrar1 the registrar and four directors were suspended by the 9th governing board of nabteb at its first regular board meeting held on 19th june at nabteb headquarters benin city edo state following allegations of n49.7 million fraud1 the four affected staff members are mr nnasia ndarake asanga director finance1

Buhari: Desperate politicians behind Plateau mayhem
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the police command in plateau had on sunday confirmed the killing of 86 people in attacks on razat ruku nyarr kura and gana-ropp villages of gashish district in barkin ladi local government area of the state2 less than 24 hours later violence broke out1 he said we know that a number of geographical and economic factors are contributing to the longstanding herdsmenfarmers clashes1 but we also know that politicians are taking advantage of the situation. this is incredibly unfortunate1 nigerians affected by the herdsmen farmer clashes must always allow the due process of the law to take its course rather than taking matters into their own hands1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that the presidency quoted security information which indicated that about one hundred cattle were rustled by a community in plateau state and some herdsmen were killed in the process1 the report also revealed that the state governor simon lalong had invited the aggrieved groups and pleaded against further action while the law enforcement agents looked into the matter1 president buhari who was reacting to recent clashes in plateau which left scores dead said in a statement by his senior special assistant on media and publicity malam garba shehu in abuja that those behind the killings hoped that it would give them an advantage in the coming elections1 it further stated that some local thugs then took advantage of the situation turning it into an opportunity to extort the public and to attack people from rival political parties1 there were reports of vehicles being stopped along the roads in the state with people being dragged out of their cars and attacked if they stated that they supported certain politicians or political party1 on his way back to jos after attending the all progressives congress apc convention in abuja the state governor had to dismantle a number of illegal road blocks set up by these thugs. there were also a number of people thugs had killed with their bodies lying along the road the report added1 president muhammadu buhari on monday decried how desperate politicians have increasingly cheapened human life in their quest to establish a reign of instability and chaos in the country for political gains1 the command had earlier said that only 11 persons were killed1 asp terna tyopev the commands public relations officer ppro confirmed the new figure to the news agency of nigeria nan on sunday in jos1 the plateau government had since announced a dusk to dawn curfew in riyom barkin ladi and jos south local government areas to check further breakdown of law and order in the state1

Lawyer Udeme Otike-Odibi jailed for cutting hubbys penis, killing him
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the offences contravened sections 165 b and 223 of the criminal law of lagos state 20152 section 165 b provides five-year imprisonment while section 223 is punishable by death1 she however pleaded not guilty to the charge1 the lagos state prosecutor mr sunmonu babatunde had told the court that the accused committed the alleged offences on may 3 at diamond estate sangotedo lekki lagos1 he said that the accused stabbed her husband and mutilated his corpse by cutting his genitals1 an igbosere high court in lagos on monday remanded a 48-year-old female lawyer udeme otike-odibi at kirikiri prison for killing her 52-year-old husband symphorosa otike-odibi and also chopping off his penis1 udeme 47 was arraigned by the lagos state government on a two-count charge of murder and misconduct with regard to a corpse1 justice adedayo akintoye however remanded the accused in prison and adjourned the case until oct. 8 and 9 for hearing1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that the accused first appeared before a yaba magistrates court and was remanded in prison pending the directorate of public prosecutions legal advice1 symphorosa otike- odibi the murdered lawyer from delta state was the second person killed by a female lawyer1 the first lawyer to commit the crime was mrs. yewande oyediran working with the oyo state ministry of justice1 yewande stabbed her husband lowo oyediran ajanaku 38 to death in their akobo estate home in ibadan oyo state home on february 2 2016 after she found out that he fathered a child through another woman1

No regrets being honest: Buhari
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the president said this illustrated how difficult his job is because he faced the same criticism from adherents of other faiths. i am in a difficult situation he admitted1 president muhammadu buhari monday in abuja said he has no regrets being a person of honesty and integrity1 president buhari said he did not award contracts and did not care about who got them so long as they did a good job at a cost that is justifiable to the nation1 according to him i have been in many places including ministry of petroleum. i would have gone to jail if i had taken an oil well. for integrity and honesty i have no regrets. by this i have contributed to my social safety. i wont go to jail1 the president who said he had been accused of many things said his critics cannot accuse him of stealing1 you cannot accuse me of stealing he said adding i have appointed ministers and they are in charge. i appeal to their integrity. when they come here federal executive council chambers we ensure they follow the due process. if i owned an oil well i would have gone to jail1 president buhari also responded to a number of issues raised by the delegation including complaints that muslims had been marginalised in appointments to government institutions such as the military and the civil service1 i am satisfied with what i am. i am happy i have kept myself and people close to me from benefiting from government contracts the president told a delegation of the supreme council for sharia in nigeria at the state house1 on the burning issue of violent conflicts in some parts of country president buhari said he was putting in his best1 he said that following his dissatisfaction with the performance of the police in zamfara state he ordered a massive transfer of officers and men who had stayed three years and above in the troubled state1 the president appealed to the religious leaders to instruct their followers on the importance of possessing their own voters cards which he described as a national entitlement and to preach justice to all which is an instituted pillar of islam1 president buhari who revealed that he had received a stiff bill from the minister of information and culture lai mohammed for the restoration of the dilapidated infrastructure and facilities of federal government-owned radio stations in all states of the federation promised that something would be done1 speaking on behalf of the delegation the vice-president sheikh hadiyyatullahi abdulrashid commended president buhari for accomplishing much of what he promised before his election1 he likened him to the captain of a capsizing ship and the messiah needed by the country1 sheikh abdulrashid also spoke about the alleged marginalisation of muslims violent conflicts between farmers and herders the problems of drug abuse among youths and the fate of federal radio corporation of nigeria frcn kaduna among other issues1

EFCC, FBI partner to fight cybercrime
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piro who was excited to visit africa for the first time said the visit to nigeria was borne out of the outstanding performance of the efcc1 trends in global security denote that cyber crimes is the latest form of terrorism and corruption and this is a growing concern affecting all nations in the 21st century1 magu while speaking through the director of operations mohammed umar abbah said the anti-graft agency in partnership with international agencies will leave no stone unturned in tackling menace as it posed a big threat to the world1 petitions evolving from cyber crimes have been on the increase on the efcc website. these scams are being duly investigated by the cyber crimes unit with a view to bringing culprits to justice he said1 the anti-graft czar stressed the need for more international partners to tackle cyber crimes1 he thanked the fbi for its invaluable support for the commission and called for sustained partnership1 ibrahim magu acting chairman economic and financial crimes commission efcc made this assertion on monday at the commissions head office wuse ii abuja during a meeting with a delegation of the federal bureau of investigation fbi led by mr. george piro1 the main purpose of my visit is to acknowledge the exemplary role efcc has played and to thank you for the continuous partnership that has resulted in mutually beneficial rewards in the fight against corruption1 the professionalism your team at efcc has displayed is commendable the impact of this is seen in the fortnightly briefs by the international operations division of the fbi which closely monitors the operations of the efcc piro said1 he acknowledged the trend of cybercrime as truly a global trend adding that steps are being taken to address it1 we hope to eradicate cybercrime despite the challenges by getting the right qualified and talented work force and station them in united states of america as well as nigeria1 piro an assistant director international operations division was accompanied on the visit by jay bernardo his special assistant and paula parkinson legal attach abuja1

Kirikiri inmate enrols for PhD in Criminology at NOUN
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adamu noted that the theme of the conference was apt as it interrogated the claim that africa was incapable of sustaining human flourishing1 an inmate of the kirikiri maximum prison lagos has enrolled for a doctorate degree phd at the national open university of nigeria noun prof. abdalla adamu nouns vice-chancellor says1 the theme of 3-day conference is imaged or imagined africa and the contemporary worldissues in security governance and sustainable development1 adamu said that noun had transformed into a more credible institution than it was previously perceived1 we emphasise quality assurance due diligence due process and most importantly we emphasise academic excellence and leadership1 we have over 420000 students and about 135000 about to take their examinations last saturday we matriculated over 16000 students1 we are the only institution that provides opportunities for those who cannot afford education we provide opportunities for education to prisoners free of charge1 i am proud to announce that one of the inmates at kirikiri prison has registered for phd in criminology he said1 he said that nouns aspiration to become the foremost university in africa i believe could only be actualised through intellectually stimulating activities like icoss1 the vice-chancellor said that during academic conferences scholars network to find solutions to issues that pose challenges to the world and express their understanding of the universe in which they belong1 adamu disclosed this in his remarks at opening ceremony of the 1 international conference of social sciences icoss 2018 held on at nouns headquarters on monday in abuja1 in her massage dr ganiyat adesina-uthman dean faculty of social sciences noun said that the icoss 2018 theme was timely as it came when the happening s in the continent were in front burner1 she said that the conference attracted delegates from cameroun france brunei darrussalam usa saudi arabia and malaysia1 on behalf of our collaborators-federal university dutsefud nile university abuja taraba state university jalingo united states of america embassy we thank all the participants from over 50 institutions in nigeria and abroad who have contributed over 200 abstracts to the discourse on african image1 your contributions to academic knowledge on africa is crucial to shaping the future of our continenta continent loaded with opportunities she said1 prof. rufai alkali chairman conference organising committee in a remark said that the theme of the conference was premised on the need to bring scholars of international repute to brainstorm on how to solve africas problems1 he said that the deliberations would open a new debate on africas development1 on his part prof. tahir mamman vice-chancellor baze university abuja who was also the chairman on the occasion commended noun for hosting the international conference1 what noun is doing is at the heart of what universities should do to generate ideas that impact on society not just to graduate students1 it is important to graduate people who will provide solutions to the problems of society he said1 the keynote titled saving lake chad and the rejuvenation of africa beyond the imaginary was delivered by horace campbell professor of african american studies and political science1

Buhari condemns Plateau killings; says it's regrettable and painful
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plateau killings2 buhari condemns plateau killings says its regrettable and painful1

APC Convention: Okorochas revenge as Izunaso loses to Ibediro
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ibediro refused to step down too despite pleas by party leaders especially those from southeast for both factions to reach an amicable settlement1 governor rochas okorocha got his revenge on sunday in the political war with his deputy eze madumere when chief emma ibediro okorochas candidate for the all progressives congress national organising secretary position defeated incumbent sen. osita izunaso1 ibediro got a total vote of 1770 to defeat izunaso who got 1459 votes1 the news agency of nigeria nan recalls that apc south-east stakeholders had earlier endorsed izunaso and two other national officers of the party for re-election1 the stakeholders had also been in a running battle with gov. okorocha whom they accused of high handedness and mismanagement of the states resources1 the supremacy contest between factional delegates from imo state was part of the reasons for delay in concluding theapc national convention on saturday with 20 candidates including the chairman adams oshiomhole returned unopposed1 izunaso was the candidate of madumere1 both factions had since saturday when the convention kicked-off embarked on a free-for-all-fight on who is the recognised faction in imo state1 the delegates from imo were barred from participating in the voting process by the chairman of the national convention committee governor muhammadu badaru because of the parallel executives that followed the states recent parallel congresses1 supporters of okorocha on saturday had chased away state executive loyal to izunaso at the state pavilion after which the state executive produced by the congress organised by okorochas faction took overthe pavilion1 unlike izunaso who failed to be re-elected other south east candidates sailed through1 chief george moghalu the partys current national auditor got over 2000 votes to retain his position while emma enukwu also from the south-east got re-elected1

Tinubu to Obasanjo:You are busy body, Buhari unstoppable
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this he said was showed at the partys just concluded national convention1 the national leader of the all progressives congress asiwaju bola ahmed tinubu said that former president olusegun obasanjo has no moral justification to ask president muhammadu buhari not to re-contest the presidency in 20191 he described obasanjo as a busy body saying that he was not a member of the apc nor any other political party having torn his peoples democratic party pdp membership card publicly1 obasanjo had in january asked president buhari not to seek re-election in the forthcoming 2019 presidential election1 this man has the temerity of writing a letter1 what is your business busy body unfortunately he has torn the card of his party so he does not have one anymore tinubu noted1 he added that he was happy to be in the apc and not listening to those who advised him against associating with president buhari1 he thanked buhari for his tenacity and commitment to fight corruption in the country and for working hard to develop the country1 according to him the president buhari-led apc has adhered more to the tenets of internal democracy more than any government in the past1 tinubu spoke sunday night at the national convention of the party in abuja1 we thank you that you have offered yourself to re-contest the presidency in 2019 you must run and you will win he said1 we have changed leaders of our party not at gun point ask audu ogbeh. thank god we have been able to stop looting and abuse of power tinubu said1 the former lagos state governor thanked gov. abubakar badaru of jigawa who is also the chairman apc national convention planning committee for the success recorded1 badaru you have delivered in spite of negative prediction that we will never see this day and that our party will fall apart he said1 tinubu thanked the committee members for the show of dedication and commitment and for ensuring a successful national convention1 he also thanked adams oshiomhole the new national chairman of the apc saying that you are a true reflection of the saying that no matter how short a man is he will see the sky1 he however asked members of the new national working committee nwc of the apc not to abuse the trust reposed in them1 he assured that he would join other party leaders to support the nwc to enable it succeed on its mandate to move the party forward1

Falae blames north for herders crisis
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source63 chief olu falae secretary to the military government of ibrahim babangida has blamed the states in the north for the crisis caused by herdsmen in nigeria1 he spoke in an interview on a political programme that would be aired on monday1 the problem of the herdsmen has been exacerbated by the failure of many of the state governments in the north to take care of the needs of the herdsmen1 according to him the needs of the herdsmen were thoroughly met during the days of late sir ahmadu bello the then premier of the northern region and sardauna of sokoto1 the former minister of finance recalled that during the period there were grazing reserves while all kinds of facilities were provided for the herdsmen and their cattle1 he highlighted some of the factors responsible for the crisis to include the reduction in size of the lake chad1 falae a victim of the crisis was kidnapped for days by by herdsmen in september 2015 in akure the ondo state capital1 the police had confirmed that the abductors demanded a n100 million as ransom before they would release the elder statesman1 the 79-year-old national chairman of the social democratic party sdp explained that state governments in the region abandoned the policy introduced by former leaders to take care of herders1 while the police have yet to identify the perpetrators of the attack falae blamed the incident on malice and hatred by some individuals1 in further reaction to the herdsmen crisis he repeatedly called on the federal government to take proactive steps in addressing the matter1 the elder statesman asked the government to tackle the depletion of the lake chad erosion as well as the boko haram insurgency among other challenges1 over one million people are herdsmen who earn their livelihood from the lake can no longer do so1 added to that are those uprooted by boko haram and then desertification has been continuously eroding the arable land in nigeria1 when you put all these factors together you find a tremendous pressure on herdsmen and their cattle and the response should have come from the state governments and the federal government to take care of their needs because they are nigerians who are entitled to their livelihood falae added1 falae was secretary to government of the federation from january 1986 to december 19901 he was briefly the finance minister in 1990 and he ran for president in nigerias third and fourth republics1 the former sgf suffered another loss in january 2018 when his farm was razed in the south-western state1

How Erdogan plans to rule Turkey after victorious election
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turkey made its choice in favour of a more determined fight against the pkk kurdistan workers party and gulenists erdogan said. we will go after terror organizations with stronger determination1 less than 24 hours after recep tayyip erdogan won landmark presidential and parliamentary elections the turkeys most powerful man is set to extend his rule with sweeping new powers from monday1 the turkish leader who is accused by critics of adopting increasingly authoritarian tactics but is loved by supporters for bringing prosperity and stability may be facing rough times ahead however. analysts predict an economic downturn amid rising inflation and a struggling currency1 his win could deepen turkeys rift with western allies who are already concerned by setbacks in democracy and human rights as well as turkeys closer ties with russia1 still turkeys currency the lira rallied on monday over erdogans victory which allows the country to avoid instability in the short-term1 in his victory speech erdogan said he would work toward achieving his goal of making turkey one of the worlds top 10 economies by 2023 when the turkish republic marks its centenary1 he also pledged a more determined fight against outlawed kurdish rebels and alleged members of a movement led by u.s.-based cleric fethullah gulen whom he accuses of orchestrating a 2016 failed coup against his government. gulen denies involvement1 turkeys high electoral board declared erdogan 64 the winner of sundays polls which usher in a new executive presidential system that was approved in a referendum last year. under the system the office of the prime minister is eliminated and executive powers are transferred to the president who can rule with only limited checks and balances1 under the new system erdogan will appoint ministers vice presidents and high-level bureaucrats issue decrees prepare the budget and decide on security policies1 according to unofficial results that have yet to be confirmed by the electoral board erdogan garnered 52.5 percent of the votes while his ruling justice and development party or akp won 42.5 percent in the parliamentary vote1 erdogans closest contender muharrem ince of the main opposition republican peoples party won 30.7 percent1 erdogans akp fell short of a parliamentary majority but a better-than-expected performance by its nationalist ally should allow the party to control the 600-seat legislature1 ince who complained of unfair elections has yet to formally concede defeat. a prominent journalist said however that he received a message from the politician acknowledging erdogans victory. ince was scheduled to hold a news conference later on monday1 the pro-kurdish peoples democratic party whose presidential candidate selahattin demirtas was forced to campaign from jail received the more than 10 percent of votes required to win seats in parliament spilling thousands of its supporters into the streets in celebration1

Algeria abandons 13,000 migrants in Sahara
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source63 here in the desert algeria has abandoned more than 13000 people in the past 14 months including pregnant women and children stranding them without food or water and forcing them to walk sometimes at gunpoint under temperatures of up to 118 degrees1 others disoriented and dehydrated wander for days before a u.n. rescue squad can find them1 untold numbers perish along the way nearly all the more than two dozen survivors interviewed by the associated press told of people in their groups who simply could not go on and vanished into the sahara1 women were lying dead men.. other people got missing in the desert because they didnt know the way said janet kamara who was pregnant at the time. everybody was just on their own1 her body still aches from the dead baby she gave birth to during the trek and left behind in the sahara buried in a shallow grave in the molten sand1 blood streaked her legs for days afterward and weeks later her ankles are still swollen. now in arlit niger she is reeling from the time she spent in what she calls the wilderness sleeping in the sand1 quietly in a voice almost devoid of feeling she recalled at least two nights in the open before her group was finally rescued but said she lost track of time1 i lost my son my child said kamara a liberian who ran her own home business selling drinks and food in algeria and was expelled in may1 another woman in her early twenties who was expelled at the same time also went into labor she said. that baby didnt make it either1 in niger where the majority head the lucky ones limp across a desolate 9-mile no-mans-land to assamaka less a town than a collection of unsteady buildings sinking into drifts of sand1 these migrants from across sub-saharan africa mali the gambia guinea ivory coast niger and more are part of the mass migration toward europe some fleeing violence others just hoping to make a living1 a european union spokesperson said the eu was aware of what algeria was doing but that sovereign countries can expel migrants as long as they comply with international law1 unlike niger algeria takes none of the eu money intended to help with the migration crisis although it did receive 111.3 million in aid from europe between 2014 and 20171 algeria provides no figures for the expulsions. but the number of people crossing on foot to niger has been increasing steadily since the international organization for migration started counting in may 2017 when 135 people were dropped at the crossing to as high as 2888 in april 20181 in all according to the iom a total of 11276 men women and children survived the march1 at least another 2500 were forced on a similar trek this year through the sahara into neighboring mali with an unknown number succumbing along the way1 the migrants the ap talked to described being rounded up hundreds at a time crammed into open trucks headed southward for six to eight hours to what is known as point zero then dropped in the desert and pointed in the direction of niger1 they are told to walk sometimes at gunpoint. in early june 217 men women and children were dropped well before reaching point zero fully 18 miles from the nearest source of water according to the iom1 algerias mass expulsions have picked up since october 2017 as the european union renewed pressure on north african countries to head off migrants going north to europe via the mediterranean sea or the barrier fences with spain1

Football has outgrown big names, says Onigbinde
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the coach of frsc fc of abuja akinade onigbinde on monday said that todays football had grown above big names of players or countries1 onigbinde told the news agency of nigeria nan in abuja that big names were no longer an intimidating factor to decide victory in matches1 he noted that countries like argentina with big names like lionel messi sergio aguero etc. had been dwarfed by lowly-rated countries in the ongoing world cup1 football is fast going scientific to a level that big players or nations are even struggling to win a match1 unlike before countries with big players used to cow others but today almost every nation is good onigbinde said expressing satisfaction with the development1 while noting that it had made football more interesting he urged nations like iran to improve on their game and added that no nation was an underdog in football1 according to him the ongoing world cup in russia is a good testimony of the progress so far made in global football1 onigbinde explained the inability of some big countries to live up to expectation was a pointer to the fact achievements in football nowadays was due to hard work which was the only key to success1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that some big countries like argentina have failed to live up to expectations1 argentina played 1-1 with iceland in their opening match and lost 3-0 to croatia in the second match and will taken on nigeria later on monday1

Obasanjo, others condole with singer Dbanj over sons death
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also former labelmate and producer don jazzy wrote @donjazzy just heard the worst news in a long time1 former president olusegun obasanjo has commiserated with popular singer daniel oyebanjo a.k.a dbanj over the death of his son david jnr1 sharing a black picture he wrote @iambangalee trying times but my god is always and forever faithful1 daniel who celebrated his first birthday in may reportedly drowned in the family pool1 following confirmation of the sad news condolences began to troop in from celebrities and fans alike replicating the black picture shared by the bereaved father dbanj1 obasanjo who wrote on his twitter handle @chiefobasanjo said my heart and prayers are with dapo and his family1 no parent should ever have to bury a child. as a parent its the worst thing imaginable1 may god give you the fortitude to bear the loss dbanj obasanjo stated1 dbanj confirmed the death of david fondly referred to as daniel the 3rd on sunday night on his instagram page1 singer bank w wrote @bankywellington sending prayers up for @iambangalee his wife and their entire family1 this is a nightmare. heart wrenching news. may god strengthen and comfort yall in this absolutely terrible time in jesus name1 mavin first lady wrote @tiwasavage i was just holding you last month celebrating your birthday1 i am in shock my heart is broken. this is unbearable. another former labelmate dr did said @iamdrsid the lord is your strength my brother.1 others including big brother naija 2018 alumni alex-unusual and tobi bakre singer dija and actress tonto dikeh1 meanwhile fans of the singer have taken to social media to commensurate with him1 @ifylove tweeted the worst news. couldnt possibly imagine what they are going through1 @felyxxx01 wrote this is really sad. such a lovely kid. my condolences to dbanj and his wife. nan1

BET Awards 2018: Anita Baker, Black Panther win big
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the presentation of a lifetime achievement award to legendary singer anita baker by hollywood producer tyler perry was a deeply emotional moment1 legendary singer anita baker and marvel-disney blockbuster black panther received massive recognitions at the 2018 bet awards1 the awards are presented annually and are broadcast live on bet. the annual presentation ceremony features performances by artists and some of the awards of more popular interest are presented in a televised ceremony1 the superhero billion dollar flick black panther won the best movie award while lead actor chadwick boseman won the best actor award1 in the middle of the event host jamie foxx brought one of the movies stars micheal b. jordan on stage to recite one of the most powerful lines from the movie1 the line bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships because they knew death was better than bondage elicited rapturous response from the crowd1 the bet awards established in 2001 by the black entertainment television network celebrates african americans and other american minorities in music acting sports and other fields of entertainment over the past year1 the beauty of the award was cemented when foxx sang a medley of bakers greatest hit1 baker who started her career in the late 1970s with the funk band chapter 8 released her first album the songstress in 19831 the eight time grammy award winner is regarded as one of the most popular singers of soulful romantic ballads during the height of the quiet storm period of rnb in the 1980s1 nan reports that other significant wins include serena williams receiving the sportswoman of the year award and a wrinkle in time director ava duvernay getting the best director award1 kendrick lamar bagged the album of the year and best male hip hop artist beyonce picked the best female pop artist and bruno mars got the best male pop artist1

Applicant jailed 2 years for rape, criminal conspiracy
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a jos upper area court in plateau sitting in kasuwan nama on monday sentenced an applicant amos adamu 27 to two years imprisonment for rape and criminal conspiracy1 the presiding judge mr yahaya mohammed handed down the sentence after the convict pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of rape and criminal conspiracy1 mohammed who did not give the convict an option of fine said that the punishment would serve as deterrent to others who might want to engage in similar acts1 earlier the prosecutor sgt. ibrahim gokwat told the court that the case was reported at the state criminal intelligence and investigative department on april 27 by one dorothy titus1 gokwat said that the convict in company of two other persons now at large ganged-raped a lady at rukubaroad in jos1 he said that during police investigation it was discovered that the victim got intoxicated from a substance suspected to be drugs which was given to her by the convict and his gang1 the prosecutor said that the offence contravened sections 97 and 283 of the penal code of northern nigeria1

APC Convention:Buhari appeals to aggrieved party members
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odigie-oyegun also thanked the partys chieftains and founding fathers for what he called principled leadership and for refusing to be deceived by negative media reports and obvious challenges1 president muhammadu buhari has appealed to aggrieved members of the all progressives congress apc to keep faith with the party saying that things would soon be put right1 the president however told the 6800 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory fct and other party members that the crisis in some of the partys state chapters was a price the party had to pay for its electoral victory in 20151 he further appealed to the delegates to shun personal interests and to accept the outcome of the convention in good faith in the interest of the party and the nation1 the partys outgoing national chairman chief john odigie-oyegun thanked president buhari for the opportunity to work for the party and to work closely with him1 he said i feel a deep sense of fullfilment and inner peace for seeing this day and the colour added to the event1 he made the appeal on saturday in abuja at the partys national convention adding that the party would emerge stronger from the convention1 the thanked the 21 member-apc national working committee nwc which he headed noting thatthough we argued most times we always reached a resolution1 he further thanked the partys members across the federation saying today i am making my exit from the honour you bestowed on me to lead you1 phase one of this party has ended phase two is about to start i wish my successor a fair weather in office1 the former governor of edo adams oshionhole is the sole chairmanship candidate of the party1 this followed the withdrawal of three other aspirants including former cross river governor chief clement ebri from the race as the tenure of the odigie-oyegun-led nwc ends on june 25. nan1

2019 election: Obasanjo visits Bode George, other Yoruba leaders
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asked if it was not strange sitting with obasanjo whom he had always criticised he said his criticisms of obasanjo was not borne out of animosity but how to do things right1 former president olusegun obasanjo on saturday met with leaders of the yoruba socio-cultural group afenifere and other political leaders in the south west on the way forward for nigeria1 those at the meeting included a former governor of ogun and the director-general of atiku campaign organisation chief otunba gbenga daniels a former governor of ondo dr olusegun mimiko and chief kenny martins1 others included sen. femi okunrounmu chief oyewole fashawe mr akin oshuntokun and dr tokunbo awolowo-dosunmu1 also at the meeting were prof. banji akintoye dr amos akingba as well afenifere secretary mr yinka odumakin1 nan reports that the meeting was also about sustaining the unity in nigeria1 obasanjo clad in a navy blue agbada however declined to speak with newsmen after the meeting1 but the afenifere leader adebanjo told newsmen that the meeting was about strengthening unity in yoruba land ahead of the 2019 general elections and beyond1 he said that there was the need for elders and leaders in the region to cast their differences aside and stand as one to chart a new course for the country1 the meeting was nothing more than the fact that nigeria must move forward1 there must be unity to destroy mediocrity and dictatorship1 what is important is that we have our common goal. we are not endorsing candidates yet. we must agree and be united first and that is what we are trying to achieve1 if you are not united you cannot achieve anything. and that primarily was the essence of the meeting he said1 adebanjo said the leaders at the meeting had fruitful discussions on the way forward for the yorubas and the country describing the meeting as an achievement1 also speaking pastor tunde bakare the convener of save nigeria group said that the meeting was about the way forward for the country at these critical times1 he explained that he and others met on fashioning the way forward for the country1 bakare said that since it was a closed-door meeting he would not provide details1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that the meeting which held behind closed-doors at the lekki residence of the afenifere leader chief ayo adebanjo lasted for almost two hours1 he added that his faulting obasanjo in and out of office did not mean he was his enemy but a call for collective reasoning for the interest of the nation1 being a critic is not an enemy of the state or the nation. the thinker is the enemy of the mob. if you say i have been a critic of obasanjo look at him now being a critic of buhari too. yet he facilitated his coming1 critique is not the same thing as criticism it is let us reason together things are not going the right way he said1 on his part odumakin said that the meeting was friendly and that there was so much conviviality1 he added that everybody present played active part in the deliberations1 earlier obasanjo had visited a former deputy national chairman of the peoples democratic party pdp chief olabode george to condole with him over the recent death of his son dipo1 the former president was accompanied on the visit to georges ikoyi residence by some of his aides and loyalists1 members of georges family expressed pleasant surprise at obasanjos visit saying it marks an end to the long-standing rift between him and the pdp chieftain1 speaking obasanjo urged george to take solace in god over the demise of his late son1 we cannot query god but to only take solace in what he has done for you1 if this did not happen who knows what next would happen1 i have not been around but it was on my mind to come over and commiserate with you and the family. may god grant the deposed eternal rest he said.1 reacting in an emotion-laden voice sister to the deceaseds father alhaja majolagbe george declared that the rift was over between obasanjo and her brother1 she said the family was shocked and surprised by the former presidents visit saying it has ended years of frictions between the two1 we are shocked when this started. but today the devil has been put to shame1 the evil this morning has been condemned outside this house1 it will never come to these great nigerians anymore she said. nan1