Novak Djokovic admitted hed be lying if overhauling Roger Federers mark of 20 Grand Slam titles was not on his mind.

However, he admitted Saturday it will be a great challenge to get there, especially with the sports widely-hyped young generation stepping up.

Djokovic, who sent out an early warning ahead of the official kick-off of his 2019 season with a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Kevin Anderson to win the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, took his Grand Slam tally to 14 by picking up the Wimbledon and US Open titles within the span of the last five months.

The 31-year-old Serb is currently six majors behind Federer and three adrift of Rafael Nadal, but is likely to keep up the pressure on his rivals this upcoming season considering how he recaptured his dominating form in the second half of 2018.

Asked if there is a record he dreams of capturing before the end of his career, Djokovic said: I would lie if I say I didnt want to get to as high as Grand Slam wins number possible. Thats definitely the objective, the desire, the goal.

Those are probably the tournaments where I want to do my best for the rest of my career, however long thats going to be, and of course trying to also fight for No. 1 with everyone else.

Djokovic has lost just three times in the last six months, but all three defeats came against players aged 22 and under (Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto, Karen Khachanov in Paris, and Alexander Zverev in London at the World Tour Finals).

On Thursday, the world number one conceded that the face of tennis is changing due to the influx of new young talent and he believes the Next Gen will make it harder for him to stay on top.

Theres a new generation of players, Nadal and Federer are still there, (Andy) Murray and (Stan) Wawrinka are coming back, Zverev is the leader of this Next Gen

Mens tennis is as good as it can be in terms of competition, in terms of personalities, its good to see new faces, he said after his fourth title victory on Saturday in the UAE capital.

For me its going to be a big challenge and a big ask to stay at such a high level, its very demanding especially as a family man. Its different in the last couple of years. But I like challenge in life, because from the challenges we grow and we learn. So I try to embrace whatever is in front of me, I have to accept it but Im working for the best.

Djokovic now heads to the Qatar Open in Doha next week where he faces Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in the opening round.

Later in January, he will begin his bid to win a seventh Australian Open title.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that flags should fly at half staff in military, para-military formations and public buildings as a mark of respect for former President Shehu Shagari who died on Friday, aged 93.

He was buried in Shagari, Sokoto on Saturday, in accordance with Islamic rites. A high-powered Federal Government delegation led by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the Federation, attended.

President Buhari who yesterday described Shagaris death as the departure of a patriot whose life of service and humility was widely acknowledged, said the flags should be lowered for three days, from tomorrow.

In a statement he personally signed, President Buhari declared: The late President represented almost the last link with the government of our Founding Fathers under Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He was also the first elected President of Nigeria.

The late Alhaji Shagari was a man of many parts: teacher, local authority administrator, politician, minister, and finally President. He served his country with dedication and moderation.

Over the years, through interaction at the Council of State, he and I came to understand and appreciate each other, whatever the differences we may have had in the past.

On behalf of the Federal Government, myself and family, I send my condolences to the people of Nigeria, particularly to the late Presidents family and the Government and people of Sokoto State. May his soul rest in peace.

On Friday, President Buhari recalled part of the birthday message he sent to Shagari last February when he said, we are enthralled and regaled with the many years of unequalled patriotism, sacrifices and contributions to national development.

More specifically, we celebrate the role modelling qualities of integrity, diligence and humility that have been the hallmark of your visionary leadership.

Source: NAN

In a major blow to the second term ambition of Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, 50,000 members of his Peoples Democratic Party have switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defectors were received by Sen. Aliyu Wammako, the APC strongman and Tambuwal’s former godfather.

Among the defectors were former Special Advisers to Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, former local government Chairmen and former State House of Assembly members, as well as many other officials of PDP in the state.

Sen. Wammako, welcomed the new entrants into the Party and assured them of equal treatment with all the existing members of APC in the state.

Wammako further said that many more members of the PDP had already joined the APC and promised to unveil them soon.

He warned the Tambuwal government against intimidating the workers who have pitched their loyalty with the APC.

“No amount of intimidation would deter the people of the state from massively loving and supporting APC and all its candidates, at all levels.

“Moreover, in a matter of weeks , the APC will take over the state, while President Muhammadu Buhari, including all the party’s candidates, at all levels , would be massively voted by Nigerians,” he said.

Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, the APC governorship candidate and Tambuwal’s former deputy said, “all the PDP members who initially went astray have now come back to the right party.”

He congratulated them for joining the APC and assured them of equal treatment. He promised to emulate Sen. Wammako’s leadership qualities, when eventually elected.

The Director -General of the State APC Campaign Council , Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, who was a former Minister of Transport commended Wammako for providing credible and worthy leadership to the party and its members in the state.

Spokespersons of the defectors, Abubakar Dantama, former Chairman of Silame Local Government and Murtala Hassan, former state Assembly member said that they joined APC, because the party stands for justice and fairness.

They also promised to assiduously work to ensure the success of the party’s candidates, at all levels in the general elections.

Source: NAN

Having money on hand surely ‘makes obvious needs elude you’ – therein lies the acronym M.O.N.E.Y – but when you don’t have it then getting the things you desire may probably become yet another pipe dream. Looking into the prevailing situation; it is no longer news that the economic hardship in the country has taken its toll on majority of the population. The regular source of income has not been very sustainable, and individuals attempting to start up their businesses have had hard times raising the required capital.

However, with a number of online loan-giving companies coming on board, individuals are now able to have access to loans without having to tender any collateral. These companies are creating a way of escape for people to get some relief from their present economic burden. So, today, we shall be doing a review on some loan-giving companies that are currently serving the Nigerian populace.

Branch
Branch is an international loan-providing start-up that has Matt Flannery as its CEO with Maria K. Rotilu serving as the company’s manager in Nigeria. Asides Nigeria, the company also operates in nations like Kenya, Mexico and Tanzania. Branch has a very flexible setup right from the aspect of loan application down to the disbursement and repayment of the loan. The size of loan that can be granted to any individual ranges from ₦1,500 - ₦150,000; the amount each person is liable to get increases based on his/her credit score which is majorly determined by prompt repayment of loan taken. So, having filled out the necessary form and provided the appropriate information, you just await approval and in no time, you should be about to access the loan. The interest rate charged by Branch varies based on the loan terms but the range falls between 14% and 28%. Just for the mention, repayment can be done on weekly or monthly basis. While no rollover fees does not apply to late repayment [on Branch platform], it (late repayment) does negatively affect one’s credit rating.

Aella Credit
Aella Credit started its operation in 2015, and it delivers personal lending services to numerous customers in Nigeria as well as some other African nations. The company presently makes loans available for salary earners as such those involved in SMEs are not opened to receiving loans from them at the moment. On Aella Credit, employees can assess loans through the Out-of-network system or In-network-system – the loan obtainable, tenure and terms vary with each system. While the Out-of-network system offers loan directly to individual employee, the In-network-system platform makes it possible to access loan through one’s company or employer. With the latter, it is expedient that the company, wherein you work, sign up on Aella Credit.
For the Out-of-network loan; the amount that can be borrowed is between ₦1,500 - ₦90,000; the tenure is 1-2 month(s) and interest ranges from 4% - 29%. And while the loan size for In-network-system ranges from ₦5,000 - ₦720,000 with interest between 1% and 4% and the tenor is from 1-17 month(s).

KWIKCASH
Kwikcash was initially designed to make short-term personal loans available to 9mobile users but it has since been open to everyone. 9mobile users can access the service by dialling 561# while others can do the same via #554561#. Furthermore, it can be accessed through www.quickteller.com/kwikcash . Loan amount is between ₦1,000 - ₦500,000 at an interest range of 5%-15%; the loan tenure is 14–30 days. Late repayment is charged at a rollover rate of 5%.

Palmcredit
Palmcredit is owned by Transsnet Financial group and is affiliated to Transsion Holdings, the company that produces smartphone brands such as Infinix, itel and Tecno. Registered users (that is those that sign up on the platform) can lend between ₦15,000 - ₦100,000 which can be paid back over the period of 1-6 months. Also, Palmcredit give out airtime loan of between ₦1,000 - ₦10,000. On this loan-serving platform, the users are able to increase the (loan) limit by taking opportunity of the various avenues on the app. It should however be noted that late repayment attracts a 3% rollover rate.
While many persons have thus far benefited from Palmcredit – through the loan they have received – a couple of persons have relayed their bitter experiences over the inadequacies of the app. A major complaint you will often hear is that that regards payment failure despite the loanee using a well-funded account [as at the time of striving to make repayment]; this, has most times, led to people incurring accumulated rollover charges. Nevertheless, there is an alternative which makes repayment possible through the company’s Access Bank account.

Paylater
Paylater is operated by One Finance and investment Limited; the same company responsible for One Credit and OneFi. Paylater has arguably been about the best instant loan provider in Nigeria for the past 2 years now. The company prides itself in its trusted technological framework and experienced personnel that are adept at personal financial management.
The maximum loan amount that can be given out on Paylater is #500,000. The amount of loan that one is qualified for is usually calculated based on the information provided – particularly which concern occupation, salary and not forgetting credit rating. The interest rate charged on loans is between 4% -10% and the loan tenure falls between 2-12 weeks.

Before you take that loan…
Being a ‘trigger happy’ loanee is quite easy now as the rigour of paperwork is out of the way. But before you go ahead to take the loan, there are a few things you have got to consider:
Is it necessary? This is the very first question you need to ask yourself. The loan may not be necessary in case you can still look out for ways of cutting down cost. But should you think the loan is needed, proceed to ask this:
Am I okay with the terms? You wouldn’t want to delve into something that you will end up regretting. So, it’s important that you weigh in on the terms – the interest, tenure, and some other parameters. More so, you should compare different loan providers to see which one has the best offer for you.
Will I be able to pay back as at when due? You have got to put this into perspective so as to avoid defaulting on the loan. For instance, if you’re taking the loan for business, you have to consider the return on the investment of what you’re going into. It’s really easy for some persons to borrow but refunding the loan could become a burden without a thought-out repayment plan. So, don’t just be a ‘trigger happy’ loanee without having modalities in place to settle the loan.

With the latest refrain of the PDP linking some phantom shares in Etisalat and Keystone Bank to the family of the President, we have it on good authority that Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and his party are set to release a series of wild, unsubstantiated allegations against the President and Vice President including their friends and family members, in the next few weeks.

With the latest revelation that the said shares are rather linked to relatives of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, it has become a case of the thief calling the farm owner the thief, as the Yorubas would say in a popular proverb. These impending wild allegations would naturally border on corrupt practices without any evidential basis. The purpose is to attempt to dent the greatest forte of the President and Vice President going into 2019 elections, which is their personal integrity. The latest tactics of the main opposition is premised on the following grounds:

Since their stuttering campaigns started, they have felt the pulse of Nigerians and realised Nigerians have not forgotten their misdeeds of 16 years whilst in office.

They have decided to run a campaign of we-are-all-corrupt rather than defend their sordid records of merciless looting of the public purse, which has brought us to where we are today.

The aim is to push Nigerians to equate an Alhaji Atiku Abubakar with President Muhammadu Buhari on matters of corruption. They want to deceive Nigerians to think that the 2019 elections is really a choice between two corrupt persons

By repeating the lies a million times, they aim to get Nigerians to begin to give some serious thought to the lies. This is how the Jubrin from Sudan story started, before even some well-exposed and educated Nigerians were nearly converted on that issue.

Their latest desperate diversionary tactics is because even the most uneducated Nigerian has now understood that all the issues upon which the main opposition is campaigning are self-indicting issues, especially on the Economy and Security. The foundation for the challenges in these sectors, are firmly rooted in their 16 years of disastrous governance. President Buhari has just started a re-building process.

Nigerians should therefore brace up for six weeks of despicable lies from the pit of hell against the President and Vice President, to try to suggest to Nigerians that the President and his deputy are part of the league of looters to which they belong. But Nigerians should understand that the choices before them have never been this clear: It is between a fugitive from the law in America and a President who has never been accused of stealing anything in his entire life and is respected both locally and internationally; It is between a man who claims he wants to get Nigeria working again yet has always refused to pay his taxes AS AT WHEN DUE and a man who has NEVER cheated the Nigerian State.

Nigerians should therefore brace up for six weeks of despicable lies from the pit of hell against the President and Vice President, to try to suggest to Nigerians that the President and his deputy are part of the league of looters to which they belong. But Nigerians should understand that the choices before them have never been this clear: It is between a fugitive from the law in America and a President who has never been accused of stealing anything in his entire life and is respected both locally and internationally; It is between a man who claims he wants to get Nigeria working again yet has always refused to pay his taxes AS AT WHEN DUE and a man who has NEVER cheated the Nigerian State. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has since kept an ominous silence over this damaging allegation of irresponsible and deliberate tax evasion that is now before a court of law.

Whilst the President and Vice President are prepared and willing to answer any genuine inquiry raised about their stewardship, Nigerians should always ask the critical questions as to where, when, how, names, dates, addresses, etc in respect of any allegation raised by the opposition before giving any credence to it. This is because as the Atiku Campaign continues to fall apart on a daily basis, we may hear such desperate allegation from them that President Buhari has sold the buildings in Aso Rock to the Israelis or Americans!!!

Nigerians should tell Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that it is too late in the day to impugn the integrity of Mr. President, or to package himself before Nigerians as a honest man. Nigerians only need to read the book by his former boss, ex President, Olusegun Obasanjo titled, MY WATCH.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar must bear the cross and tar of corruption alone (as pronounced by the Congress in America and his former boss). He should not drag President Muhammadu Buhari into that room of moral debauchery with him.

Source: NAN

By Oluwafunke Ishola

The Yam Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, says it is working on a fertiliser research that will improve the shelf life of yam and boost food production.

Prof. Simon Irtwange, the President of the association and Chairman, Technical Committee on Yam Export, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

Irtwange said that the association was collaborating with the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) in Umudike, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan and other private seed companies to develop fertiliser that would be appropriate for yam.

We are having challenge with the current Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) fertilizer because we feel that there is already too much nitrogen in the soil and it is one of the reasons that make the shelf life of our yam to be short.

Usually in some places, when you harvest yam in December or January, the yam could be stored till August or September when it starts to break its dormancy.

But now, if you have about 100 tubers of yam stored, you would be surprised that when you check it, most of them have become soft as if they are cooked and when you touch them, your fingers will penetrate into the yam.

This issue constitutes a major economic loss not just to farmers, but also the consumers who do not get the monetary value for the produce, hence increasing the exposure to hunger and poverty, he said.

According to him, there is hope that the fertiliser research breakthrough will give farmers good yield and prolong the shelf life of yam.

Irtwange said that the association was committed to ensure innovation in yam production toward boosting food sufficiency, wealth creation and growth of the non-oil export sector. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Former First lady of United States of America, Michelle Obama has taken the title of the Most Admired Woman in 2018.

The announcement was made on Thursday.

According to Gallup, this marks the first time in 17 years that someone other than Hillary Clinton was at the top of the list. As for the most admired man, former President Barack Obama won for the 11th year in a row.

Gallups annual survey, conducted Dec. 3-12 this year, asks Americans, in an open-ended question, to name the man and woman living anywhere in the world today whom they admire most. Gallup first asked the question in 1946 and has done so every year since, except 1976.

Also making the top of the list this year: Queen Elizabeth, who placed in the top 10 for a record 50thtime; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; talk show host Ellen DeGeneres; former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley; human rights activist Malala Yousafzai; and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

Oprah Winfrey appeared on the list for the 31sttime and Hillary Clinton for the 27th time. While Winfrey has never finished first, she has been second on 14 occasions. Clinton, on the other hand, has finished first 22 times more than any other man or woman.

Gallup attributes the switch at the top of the womens list to the fact that Clinton more fully retreated to private life after a long career as first lady, U.S. senator, secretary of state and two-time presidential candidate.

Michelle Obama is currently touring the U.S. to promote her best selling authobiographyBecoming,putting her back in the spotlight despite the fact that her role as first lady is over.

The Gallup poll found that the remainder of the top 10 most admired men this year includes former President George W. Bush, Pope Francis, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, former President Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama, former Vice President Joe Biden, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Vice President Mike Pence.

Two men were noticeably absent on the 2018 male list:and the. Both died in 2018.

Source: NAN

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC secured a record 312 convictions between January and December 24, much higher than the189 recorded in 2017.

Among those convicted were two Politically Exposed Persons, PEPs Jolly Nyame, a former governor of Taraba State and Joshua Dariye, a serving Senator and a former governor of Plateau state.

Both are currently serving jail terms at Kuje Prison.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Nwobike, who has been stripped of the highly revered legal title, was also convicted for perverting the course of justice.

Dariye and Nyame, who were sentenced to 14 years in prison had approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the guilty verdict handed down by Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu.

While upholding their convictions, the Appellate Court commuted Dariyes jail term to 10 years, and that of Nyame to 12 years with a fine ofN495 million.

According to Tony Orilade, the acting EFCC spokesman, the convictions achieved by the EFCC under the acting chairmanship of Ibrahim Magu, show that the commission has remained consistent in its efforts at ensuring that the negative narrative of pervasive corruption in the system is changed for the better.

Lagos zone of EFCC recorded the highest convictions of 85, followed by Abuja with 53, Kano 36. Port Harcourt 33, Gombe 28; Benin 27; Enugu 15; Maiduguri 11; Ibadan 10; Uyo 8 and Kaduna 6.

Source: NAN

By Felicia Imohimi

The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) says the future of millions of children living in countries affected by armed conflict are at risk as warring parties continue to commit grave violations against them.

Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, lamented that world leaders has failed to hold perpetrators accountable in spite of these violations, among other crimes.

Children living in conflict zones around the world have continued to suffer through extreme levels of violence over the past 12 months and the world has continued to fail them.

For too long, parties to conflict have been committing atrocities with near-total impunity and it is only getting worse. Much more can and must be done to protect and assist children, Fontaine said.

He noted that children living in countries at war have been under direct attack, been used as human shields, killed, maimed or recruited to fight.

Fontaine specifically noted that rape, forced marriage and abduction have become standard tactics in conflicts from Syria to Yemen and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to Nigeria, South Sudan and Myanmar over the course of 2018:

According to him, in Afghanistan, violence and bloodshed remain a daily occurrence with some 5,000 children killed or maimed within the first three quarters of 2018, equal to all of 2017 and children making up 89 per cent of civilian casualties from explosive remnants of war.

He further noted In northeast Nigeria, armed groups, including Boko Haram factions, continue to target girls who are raped, forced to become wives of fighters or used as human bombs.

In February, the group abducted 110 girls and one boy from a technical college in Dapchi, Yobe State, while most of the children have since been released, five girls died and one is still being held captive as a slave.

Cameroon has seen an escalation of the conflict in the North-West and South-West regions with schools, students and teachers often coming under attack.

In November, more than 80 people, including many children, were abducted from a school in Nkwen, in the north-west of the country and released a few days later.

A total of 93 villages have allegedly been partially or totally burned due to conflict in the areas with many children experiencing extreme levels of violence.

In the Central African Republic, a dramatic resurgence in fighting has enveloped much of the country, with two out of three children in need of humanitarian assistance, he noted.

The director also noted that in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, inter-ethnic violence and clashes between security forces and armed groups in the Great Kasai-region and eastern provinces of Tanganyika, South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri had a devastating impact on children.

Fontaine lamented that the response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak has been seriously hindered by violence and instability in eastern DRC, adding that an estimated 4.2 million children are at risk of Severe Acute Malnutrition Malnutrition (SAM).

He observed that the situation was compounded by violations of childrens rights, including forced recruitment by armed groups and sexual abuse.

He further noted that in Lake Chad basin, ongoing conflict, displacement and attacks on schools, teachers and other education facilities have put the education of 3.5 million children at risk.

Today in northeast Nigeria, the Lake region of Chad, extreme north of Cameroon and Diffa region of Niger, at least 1,041 schools are closed or non-functional due to violence, fear of attacks, or unrest, affecting nearly 445,000 children.

A recent surge in violence in the border region between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger has left 1,478 schools closed.

In Iraq, even as fighting has largely subsided, four children were killed in November in the north of the country when the truck they were travelling to school came under attack.

Children and families returning to their homes in areas previously impacted by heavy violence continue to be exposed to the danger of unexploded ordnance. Thousands of families remain displaced and face additional threats of freezing winter temperatures and flash floods.

In Somalia, more than 1,800 children were recruited by parties to the conflict in the first nine months of the year, with 1,278 children abducted.

In Syria, between January and September, the UN verified the killing of 870 children, highest number ever in the first nine months of any year since the start of the conflict in 2011.

Attacks continued throughout the year, including the killing of 30 children in the eastern village of Al Shafa in November.

In Yemen, the UN has verified 1,427 children killed in attacks, including an unconscionable attack on a school bus in Saada. Schools and hospitals have come under frequent attack or used for military purposes, denying children access to their right to education and health care, he said.

Fontaine similarly observed that recent surge in violence in the border region between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger has left 1,478 schools closed.

According to him, in Myanmar, the UN continues to receive reports of ongoing violations of the rights of Rohingya remaining in northern Rakhine State, which include allegations of killings, disappearances and arbitrary arrests.

He lamented the widespread restrictions on the rights to freedom of movement and barriers to access health and education including in central Rakhine State.

He however emphasised that ensuring children have access to quality education and other essential services would avert a lost generation of Rohingya children; otherwise they will lack the skills they need to contribute to society.

The UNICEF director therefore called on all warring parties to abide by their obligations under international law to immediately end violations against children and the targeting of civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and water infrastructure.

The organisation, according to him, also urged states with influence over parties to conflict to use that influence to protect children.

Much more needs to be done to prevent wars and to end the many disastrous armed conflicts devastating childrens lives. Yet even as wars continue, we must never accept attacks against children.

We must hold warring parties to their obligation to protect children. Otherwise, it is children, their families and their communities who will continue to suffer the devastating consequences, for now and for years to come, Fontaine said.

Source: NAN

By Mercy Obojeghren

The Delta Government has announced a N10 million fine for sponsors and guarantors of pilgrims in the state whose candidates abscond during pilgrimage.

The state Commissioner for the Bureau for Special Duties, Mr Ernest Ogwezzy, said this on Wednesday in Asaba while speaking with Newsmen shortly after a one-day orientation workshop for the 2018 intending pilgrims to the Holy land.

Ogwezzy said that the N10 million fine was part of the stringent measures adopted by the state government to check incidences of absconment during pilgrimages.

He said such measures had become imperative following ugly experiences where some individuals under the guise of embarking on holy exercise end up absconding.

The experience is gradually worsening the already battered image of the country abroad, he said.

Ogwezzy also said that greater percentage of those who absconded in the state in the previous years were not indigenes of the state, but are part of the contingent of the state.

The commissioner had earlier congratulated those who were successful during the screening and urged them to uphold the sanctity of their Christian faith by remaining good ambassadors of the state and country at large.

Ogwezzy also advised them to avoid any occurrence that was capable of tarnishing the image of the state and country.

He urged them to use the opportunity to review their spiritual lives as well as pray for the peace and unity of the state and country.

The commissioner assured the pilgrims that the state government would continue to prioritise the sponsorship of pilgrimages in the state irrespective of the prevailing economic crunch.

Source: NAN

The suspect identified as Shuaibu Rabi said his gang wanted to rob the retired general, but they also killed him in the process. He spoke in Hausa in the video published by Punch.

According to the newspaper, the suspect said he and his friends received information that Badeh was in possession of a huge sum of money which he wanted to use in purchasing a parcel of land in Nasarawa State.

The 25-year-old suspect said after killing Badeh, he and his friends stole a bag which contained the huge sum of money, which he said was bigger than he ever saw in his life.

What happened was that, on a certain day, my elder brother went to a market, where he met with one Churuma. Churuma told him that he got information that an old soldier (Badeh) wanted to buy a parcel of land but would be buying the land in cash.

He said we would trail the soldier on that day and we would block him and collect the money. So, on that day, when we saw him coming Churuma signalled to us that it was him. Some of us stayed behind his vehicle in case he would want to reverse while Churuma stayed in front.

But when he (Badeh) saw Churuma with a gun, he did not do like he wanted to reverse, he attempted to hit Churuma with his car but Churuma dodged to the side and then opened fire on him.

After that, we opened the car and found a bag of money and went with it. When we opened the bag, the money was beyond what I had ever seen before.

When asked if the money was in Naira or foreign currency, the suspect said it was in Naira.

He added that they were able to abduct Badehs friend who was in the car.

Watch the video:

Why we killed Alex Badeh - Suspect | Punch – 01:07
— Punch Newspapers

Badeh was killed in the evening of December 18, 2018 while returning from his farm between Koso and Kugwaru communities.

The former CDS four military guards who provided security were said to have been a few kilometres away when the attack took place.

On Thursday, the Nigeria Police Force postponed the presentation of the suspected killers to newsmen in Abuja.

The force on Wednesday said it had arrested alleged killers of Badeh which it planned to present to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

The force Spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood said the five suspects were arrested for alleged involvement in the crime.

Moshood said that the decision to postpone the presentation of the suspects to the media was to prevent other members of the gang from escaping.

It is significant to note that the presentation of the two suspects and the three other gang members will not come up today so as not to jeopardise the ongoing investigation,he said.

The spokesman, who refused to give their names, said two out of the suspects actively participated in the killing, adding that the remaining three suspects played other roles in the crime.

Source: NAN

Political miscreants have destroyed the billboards of Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara state.

It was the second time that the thugs would violate the candidates campaign billboards and it came hours after thugs prevented him from addressing Emir Sulu Gambari at the Ilorin Emirates Descendants Progressive Union, in Ilorin on Christmas Day.

Abdulrahman tweeted about the destruction in some areas of the capital of Ilorin on Twitter Wednesday:The orchestrated attack on me at IEDPU yesterday has continued today but now with our billboards all over Kwara. What they dont know is this: #OTOGE is not just words on a billboard, its now ingrained in the hearts of every Kwaran, and NO ONE can take it from our hearts.

On Tuesday, he tweeted: The pre-meditated disruption that was unleashed at the Emirs Palace during todays IEDPU shows how desperate the establishment is. Tell them, its already late. They can only stop me from speaking today, but they CANT silence the peoples voice.

#Otoge, the campaign buzzword of the candidate, means Enough is Enough. The APC candidate said he is poised to topple the Saraki political dynasty in the state.

Abdulrazaks campaign organisation later condemned the disruption at the Emirs palace, said to have been done by supporters of Senator Bukola Saraki.

The development at the IEDPU programme where some touts and street urchins shouting Sai Bukky disrupted a community event is disappointing, embarrassing and antithetical to good moral and ethics for which Ilorin community is known.

Apart from reminding everyone of the desperation for which the evil status quo in Kwara is known, the sad event clearly points at the extent to which the parasitic gangs will go in the coming months to continue to keep Kwara and its people down.

The disruption of the event just when the Kwara APC governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was about to give his speech exposed the shenanigans of the urchins and their paymasters whose uninspiring radio programme earlier in the day has drawn the scorn and condemnation of every Kwaran home and abroad. The disruption was probably a damage control for their insulting radio programme.

The campaign team alleged that the intention was to damage the good image of the APC candidate and slow down the tsunami that is already consuming their unproductive political fiefdom in Kwara.

Source: NAN

A new militant group known as War Against Niger Delta Exploitation (WANDE) has threatened to disrupt the 2019 elections if its demands on the development of the Niger Delta region were not met by the Federal Government.

A communique signed by its spokesman, General Nomukeme, and issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday warned that the group would begin hostilities should the government of President Mohammadu Buhari fail to prove its commitment to the growth of the oil-bearing region.

The militant groups seven-point communique indicated that it decided to make its position known after what it described as the Federal Governments continued enslavement of the people of Niger Delta.

It noted that the people of the region were denied the right to have a share of their God-given resources, but added that President Buhari would enjoy its (WANDE) support if he could prove his administrations commitment to Niger Delta development.

WANDE will galvanise the support of all former and current agitators for you; President Muhammadu Buhari, if you can prove your administrations commitment towards the development of the Niger Delta by implementing our demands as contained in this statement.

But failure to meet these demands simply translates to our commencement of hostilities. We will frustrate the conduct of the 2019 general elections across the country if the demands are handled with kid gloves.

The group, however, called on presidential candidates in the forthcoming general elections to show the people of the region their blueprints for the development of the Niger Delta.

This is because at the moment, no policy document of any of the candidates clearly shows a concrete plan for the development of the Niger Delta before any of them can get our support, it said.

Source: NAN

Five heads of state, including the host Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Republic, are attending the one-day summit on peaceful election in the country.

It is a joint summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The summit which opened in Brazzaville on Wednesday is on the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Four other heads of state are attending the one-day summit namely, Angolas Joo Loureno, Namibias Judge Geingob, Zambias Edgar Lungu, and Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana.

DRC President Joseph Kabila was not present at the summit, and was not represented.

The purpose of the summit is to persuade the DRC authorities and the opposition a member country of the ICGLR and SADC to hold peaceful elections in the elections on Sunday December 30.

The DRC is holding its legislative, provincial and presidential elections, in keeping with the announcement made on December 20 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Source: NAN

By Prudence Arobani

A group of 40 American millennials has embarked on a trip to Nigeria to experience first-hand, the limitless opportunities of the country.

The Director of Discover Gidi, organisers of the annual trip to Nigeria, Mr Ugo Obilo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York that the group would be in Nigeria from Thursday to Jan. 2. 2019.

According to him, Nigeria has limitless opportunities for the millennial, aiming to have a great time, adding the trip will increase the number of people that have been to Nigeria.

Obilo said: We wanted to give them the opportunity to enjoy more of that in different ways with their friends, to see different things culturally.

As we started promoting things, a lot of non-Nigerians wanted to come as well. We started out because a lot of young Nigerians are not excited to go back to Nigeria.

So we wanted to give them the opportunity to go back with young crowd and enjoy and see Nigeria in a new way so that we can generate excitement about it again.

This is because our generation needs to be the one that is giving back to the community, being able to fund the economy in different ways.

But to our surprise, a lot of non-Nigerian millennials decided that they wanted to visit and travel there as well.

According to him, when the 2017 group visited Nigeria, it was made up of half Nigerians and half non-Nigerians and they had a very good time and enjoyed themselves.

Obilo said in 2018, when the organisers started promoting the trip, it was overwhelming that a lot of non-Nigerians wanted to come and see and experience Nigerian culture first-hand.

So we have about 40 people coming this year. Mostly, they are people that have never been to Nigeria, non-Nigerians themselves.

We have a well-structured itinerary, a good balance being able to see the culture, enjoy Nigerian nightlife, being able to see a lot of the historical aspects of the country as well.

We intend to go to the Badagry Slave Port, were going to have a cultural night at Terra Cotta, they are doing a Language Lesson, we have a day to go to the beach and enjoy.

Were going to Nike Art Gallery, were going to Lekki Conservation Centre, were going to different places on the Island to see the beaches in the Victoria Island, and a service day on the mainland.

He said the participants would also have a naming ceremony where each of them would elect to receive a traditional Nigerian name.

According to him, the idea is an effort to afford people of all backgrounds and nationalities the opportunity to experience the beauty of the African Diaspora.

Out of necessity, we wanted to change the conversation and eliminate reservations individuals have regarding travelling to Africa and African cities.

As a Nigerian, I wanted to be at the forefront of a movement that would encourage my peers to not only travel to Nigeria, but also lead them to invest in Nigerias future, he said.

Obilo said the annual trip was named Discover Gidi as a literal ode to the pre-existing beauty of Nigeria and Lagos, adding, the mission is to allow others to discover the beauty that Nigeria has to offer.

According to him, the trip sets out to appeal specifically to Nigerian-Americans looking to travel home in a curated group-trip format.

HR said there had been an influx of non-Nigerians particularly, millennials of different backgrounds, who wanted to see and experience Nigeria for the first time.

Source: NAN

President Donald Trump is considering an executive order to bar U.S. companies from using telecommunications equipment made by Chinas Huawei and ZTE, reports.

It would be the latest step by the Trump administration to cut two of Chinas biggest network equipment companies, Huawei Technologies Cos Ltd and ZTE Corp, out of the U.S. market.

The United States alleges that the two companies work at the behest of the Chinese government and that their equipment could be used to spy on Americans.

The executive order, which has been under consideration for more than eight months, could be issued as early as January and would direct the Commerce Department to block U.S. companies from buying equipment from foreign telecommunications makers that pose significant national security risks, sources from the telecoms industry and the administration said.

While the order is unlikely to name Huawei or ZTE, a source said it is expected that Commerce officials would interpret it as authorization to limit the spread of equipment made by the two companies. The sources said the text for the order has not been finalized.

The executive order would invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law that gives the president the authority to regulate commerce in response to a national emergency that threatens the United States.

The issue has new urgency as U.S. wireless carriers look for partners as they prepare to adopt next generation 5G wireless networks.

The order follows the passage of a defense policy bill in August that barred the U.S. government itself from using Huawei and ZTE equipment.

Huawei and ZTE did not return requests for comment. Both in the past have denied allegations their products are used to spy. The White House also did not return a request for comment.

Source: NAN

By Prudence Arobani

Nigeria needs not less than 337 billion dollars to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from 2019 to 2022, the UN Support Plan for the Sahel has estimated.

According to the exchange rate by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the figure represents 103 trillion Naira, over 11 times more than the proposed N8.9 trillion Budget for 2019.

The cost of implementing the SDGs in Nigeria, according to the plan is 80.65 billion dollars in 2019, 82.83 billion dollars in 2020, 85.07 billion dollars in 2021 and 87.37 billion dollars in 2022.

On the investment needs in the Sahel, the plan reported the cost of implementing the SDGs in the Sahel is projected to be between 140.25 billion dollars and 157.39 billion dollars per year between 2019 and 2022 in the 10 Sahelian countries.

The plan said the 10 countries under the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (UNISS) needed an average of 148.7 billion dollars annually to implement the SDGs or 594.8 billion dollars from 2018 to 2022.

The overarching goal of the Plan, targeting 10 countries; namely Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal, is to scale up efforts to accelerate shared prosperity and lasting peace in the region.

The Plan covering the period of 2098 to 2030, would help implement identified priorities to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union Agenda 2063, the report said.

The plan, however, stated that public-sector funding gap, on average, remained at 36.2 per cent of the required resources.
UNISS was approved by the Security Council in 2013 and is a part of a preventive and integrated approach to strengthening governance, security and development in the region.

The plan noted that the Sahel is as much a land of opportunities as it is of challenges, and it is blessed with abundant human, cultural and natural resources, offering tremendous potential for rapid growth.

The plan aims at mobilising public resources and triggering private investments in the 10 countries in support of ongoing efforts and initiatives by governments, international and regional organisations, among other partners.

It said in terms of natural resources, the Sahel is one of the richest regions in the world and is abundant with oil, natural gas, gold, phosphates, diamonds, copper, iron ore, bauxite, biological diversity and precious woods, among many other assets.

These natural endowments offer immense value for economic diversification, value-chain development and livelihoods, the UN plan said.

The Sahel is also endowed with more potential for renewable energy such as solar and wind than other regions of the world, the UN plan showed.

Its solar energy potential translates to about 13.9 billion Kilowatt hours per year compared to the worlds electricity consumption of 20 million Kilowatt hours per year, according to 2016 data.

The Sahel is also the most youthful region of the world with 64.5 per cent of youth aged less than 25 years, meaning investments in education and vocational training could yield a demographic dividend.

Source: NAN

An American adventurer, Colin OBrady has become the first person to complete a solo trek across Antarctica without assistance of any kind.

OBrady, 33, took 54 days to complete the nearly 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometer) crossing of the frozen continent from north to south.

I accomplished my goal: to become the first person in history to traverse the continent of Antarctica coast to coast solo, unsupported and unaided, OBrady wrote in an Instagram post after covering the final 77.5 miles in 32 hours.

While the last 32 hours were some of the most challenging hours of my life, they have quite honestly been some of the best moments I have ever experienced, he wrote.

I was locked in a deep flow state the entire time, equally focused on the end goal, while allowing my mind to recount the profound lessons of this journey. Im delirious writing this as I havent slept yet.

His voyage was tracked by GPS, and live updates of the trip were provided daily on his website colinobrady.com.

OBrady and an Englishman, Army Captain Louis Rudd, 49, set off individually on November 3 from Union Glacier in a bid to be the first to complete a solo, unassisted crossing of Antarctica.

In 1996-97, a Norwegian polar explorer, Borge Ousland, made the first solo crossing of Antarctica but he was wind-aided by kites on his voyage.

OBrady and Rudd set off on cross-country skis dragging sleds called pulks which weighed nearly 400 pounds (180 kilograms).

OBrady reached the South Pole on December 12, the 40th day of his journey.

He arrived at the finish point on the Ross Ice Shelf on the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday after covering a total of 921 miles.

Rudd is about a day or two behind.

OBrady said he made the decision over breakfast to finish his journey in one continuous push.

As I was boiling water for my morning oatmeal, a seemingly impossible question popped into my head, OBrady wrote on Instagram. I wonder, would (it) be possible to do one straight continuous push all the way to the end?

By the time I was lacing up my boots the impossible plan had become a solidified goal, he said. Im going to push on and try to finish all 80 miles to the end in one go.

The New York Times described OBradys effort as among the most remarkable feats in polar history, ranking alongside the 1911 Race to the South Pole between Norways Roald Amundsen and Englands Robert Falcon Scott.

To complete the final 77.54 miles in one shot essentially tacking an ultra marathon onto the 53rd day of an already unprecedented journey set an even higher bar for anyone who tries to surpass it, the Times wrote.

In 2016, an English army officer, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley, died while trying to complete an unassisted solo crossing of Antarctica.

Source: NAN

The All Progressives Congress has advised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to dwell more on his agenda for the country, rather than dissipating energies on raising puerile allegations daily.

The party was reacting to Abubakars several attacks on President Buhari, where in one of them he accused unidentified relations of Buhari of buying up shares in Etisalat.

APC publicity secretary, Malam Lanre Isa-Onilu said Abubakar may be exhibiting early signs of depression, resulting from obvious frustration as he is unable to focus on his campaign.

Otherwise, Atiku should tell Nigerians why a discredited person like him should be elected as President instead of raising puerile allegations on a daily basis. President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), not his programmes for the country appear to be his main campaign issues.

Nigerians are desirous of campaign that focuses on issues that matter to them. For Atiku and his PDP co-travellers, the only interest is to grab power and continue where they stopped in their avarice.

The APC administration is eager to showcase the impressive achievements we have recorded in the last three and half years. This is the campaign that matters to us and this is what Nigerians are interested in.

The trajectory is exciting as we see a brighter future shaping up. We wont yield to the PDPs shenanigans. The obvious strategy of the PDP is to truncate the countrys journey towards economic buoyancy and social stability. We will not play the PDPs game. PDP is acting an anti-peoples script. President Buhari remains unshaken by the desperate efforts being made by Atiku and the PDP to blackmail the APC government. Everyone who was involved in corrupt practices would be brought to justice.

PDP is not offering any alternative to the progressive course this government is pursuing. It is actually apparent that the party is not contesting the 2019 elections to redeem itself, least of doing any good for the country, but simply to seize power to escape justice for the grievous crimes committed against the people of this country.

Nigerians wont be fooled by the rapacious PDP gang. Never!

Source: NAN

Agriculture is no doubt, a vast area of business that appears to have something for anyone who dares to foray into it. For the singular fact that food remains a ‘source of survival’ every man will always have recourse to, the market for agricultural produce will never go out of touch. It is however important that anyone who wishes to venture into the business know his/her particular area of interest – one that would eventually bring in some good profits. In view of this, we have elected to discuss some familiar areas of agricultural production that are presently making waves.

Crop cultivation
This is more like going back to the basics to create an impact on the society by providing crop produce people will feed on. The list of crops that can be cultivated – from vegetables to fruits, beans, rice and so on is certainly huge. Owing to this, you will need to commit some efforts into doing research on the crop(s) you intend to grow; knowing about the different varieties and the best condition to raise them among other things.

Fish farming
The need to have a good source of protein will always result in greater demand for fish. A host of (fish) species like catfish, tilapia, trout and so on are now being reared and bringing in good returns to those that have so invested in their production – but this is not to say that fish farming is not challenging though.

Mushroom Farming
Edible mushroom is a very good source of potassium and vitamins C & D, and its consumption is on the increase – even though the aspect of mushroom farming is yet to be optimally explored in this part of the world. It is worth noting that the production of edible mushroom is not even as capital intensive as some other (popular) aspects of agriculture but it is quite profitable nonetheless.

Piggery
Some persons may see pig rearing as a ‘dirty business’ but if someone could conclude that “‘shit business’ is serious business” with regard to the gains made then why should pig farming be turned down because of the issue of dealing with the waste generated. Pig farming is really lucrative and you can – provided you engage in it passionately – gain a whole lot from this very business. More so, aside rearing pigs for meat and other by-products [that can be gotten from them], the waste could fetch you some money as it can be utilized as organic manure. And FYI; pigs do not have to be raised in a dirty environment to keep up.

Poultry farming
Poultry farming is one of the most interesting areas of agriculture, and it comes so much good. If properly practiced, you should be among those smiling to the bank on regular basis. For one, the maturation period of most poultry birds is just 4-6 months and the array of products that could be gotten from a well-reared and/or healthy bird is yet another reason to consider this business.

Snail farming
Snail farming is not a tough task to undertake should you be a zealous/committed individual. With a good hygienic condition, the right temperature – between 150C and 250C and appropriate air humidity, raising snails should not give so much of a hectic time. And as you may be looking to rear snails for the meat, you should not overlook some other things produced by the snails. The slime from them is valuable in the cosmetics industry; some persons eat the eggs and snail’s blue blood (haemocyanin) has been reported to have medicinal purpose.

Livestock feed production
In case rearing animals or cultivating crops is not an activity you are willing to go into, the production of livestock feeds should make an appeal. All you need is a couple of machines, necessary ingredients and the know-how plus the market to sell your products, and you are in business.
There is no denying the fact that these aspects of agriculture [discussed in this article] are capable of fetching you good sum of money but getting the profits will only be a ‘pipe dream’ without the right attitude and commensurate effort. More so, the importance of research and staying up-to-date with latest happenings with regards to your area of focus cannot be overemphasized.