Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Idris Kutigi is dead. He was 78 years old.

Niger state commissioner for Information, Danjuma Sallau said Kutigi died in a London Hospital.

Idris Legho Kutigi was the chief justice of Nigeria between 2007 and 2009 and after retirement, he was made the chairman of the Constitutional Conference set up by the Jonathan administration in 2014.

Kutigi was born on 31 December 1939 in Kutigi, Lavun local government of Niger State.

He began his early education in the town and later had his secondary education in Bida and Barewa College in Zaria.

He also graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, after which he left for England, where he studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and Gibson and Weldon, before returning to attend the Nigerian Law School in Lagos.

Justice Kutigi served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State until 1976, when he was appointed high court judge.

He was on the bench in Niger for more than 10 years before his appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court in 1992.

He became the chief justice in 2007, succeeding Justice Alfa Belgore.

He retired on 30 December 2009 and did the unusual by swearing in his successor, Justice Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu, who died in July. He did so because President Umaru YarAdua was not in the country at the time, due to ill-health.

Source: NAN

However, Mariners coach said he knows nothing about it.

The eight-time Olympic champion has been on trial with the A-League side since arriving in August to fulfil his dream of becoming a professional footballer.

He scored two goals in a pre-season friendly last week and on Thursday turned down a two-year, trial-free deal from cashed-up Maltese champions Valletta.

I can confirm Usain has been offered a contract by Central Coast Mariners, the Jamaicans agent Ricky Simms told the BBC.

The club had no immediate comment on Monday, but Sydneys Daily Telegraph said he had been offered only a fraction of the Aus$3 million (US$2.1 million) that his management had discussed months ago when the prospect of a trial was first mooted.

The newspaper said the potential deal put together in May - on the premise of Bolt passing a trial first - was based on Football Federation Australia contributing Aus$750,000 and other sponsors also topping it up.

Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth had initially pledged Aus$1.5 million, but the deal now offered to the sprinter was much less than this, it added.

The 100m world-record holder, who retired from athletics last year, has previously tried out with clubs in Germany, South Africa and Norway.

The 32-year-olds form so far has been criticised by several pundits, but his two goals captured the imagination of the sporting public.

Club coach Mike Mulvey said he had heard nothing of an offer, and cast doubt on whether Bolt, who likes to play up front, would make the grade given the quality of players he already has at his disposal.

You have a look at our front line today and you wonder whether he could get into any of those positions. Wouldnt you? Mulvey said after the team drew their opening A-League game of the season 1-1 away to Brisbane Roar on Sunday.

I do appreciate how important this story is for the rest of the world. Youre just talking about speculation. I dont know anything about what youre talking about and thats Gods honest truth.

The Mariners boast Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack on their payroll, after the Scottish international agreed a season-long loan deal.

They also have Tommy Oar, who has played 28 times for the Socceroos, along with Connor Pain, who cleverly scored their goal on Sunday.

Source: NAN

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil stole the show as Arsenal swept to their 10th successive win with a dominant 3-1 victory against Leicester on Monday.

Unai Emerys side initially trailed to Hector Bellerins first half own goal at the Emirates Stadium.

But Ozil, captaining Arsenal on his return to the side after back spasms, produced a majestic display to lead the Gunners impressive fightback.

Ozil, shrugging off his poor start to the season, equalised just before half-time and played a key role in Aubameyangs second half double.

Gabon striker Aubameyang scored twice in quick succession after coming off the bench, ensuring Arsenal won 10 consecutive matches in all competitions for the first time since 2007.

They have scored 30 goals in that blistering streak and climb to fourth place in the Premier League, just two points behind leaders Manchester City.

On the 69th birthday of Emerys predecessor Arsene Wenger, this was the kind of swashbuckling show that recalled Arsenals glory days under the Frenchman.

It was the perfect start to a hectic week that sees Arsenal travel to Portugal for a Europa League tie against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday before returning to domestic action at Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Emery has made a remarkable impact since replacing Wenger in the close-season.

The Spanish managers two-game losing streak at the start of his Arsenal reign is now a distant memory as Gunners fans start to dream of a title challenge after their seventh successive league win.

Source: NAN

By Sheila Offiong

A group of international and local bikers, under the auspices of Latin American Motorcycle Association (LAMA), is on a tour of Nigerias heritage sites.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed while officially welcoming the team on Monday in Abuja, assured the bikers of a wonderful time during their tour.

The minister noted that the quest to promote the cultural heritage of Nigeria to the outside world was yielding fruit.

As you tour Nigeria under the `Rediscover Heritage Bikers tour of Nigeria and visit historical heritage sites, you beam a satellite on those sites for the world to see.

Nigeria is truly a blessed Nation with world class heritage sites and we have also gone the extra mile to preserve them.

You will see these heritage sites as you travel through our country which is rich culturally and diverse as a nation.

After this tour, I urge you all to become Nigerian Heritage ambassadors by spreading news of the hidden treasures.

Sites to be visited by the bikers include museums, monuments and homes of National heroes, amongst others.

In his remarks, the Acting Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Abdulkarim Kadir assured the bikers of a peaceful and hospitable stay in the country.

According to Kadir, the group will tour 11 states of the Federation to highlight the heritage sites, cultural assets and museums as well as the Osun Oshogbo World Heritage site.

The aim of the tour is to rediscover Nigeria and its very rich cultural heritage.

This expedition is intended to project the various heritage sites in Nigeria in a bid to draw attention to them to attract tourists and visitors.

The bikers embarking on the road trip are drawn from Nigeria, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, Paraguay, Germany and Holland, amongst other countries.

President of the LAMA bikers, Mr Mario Nieves said that they were in the country to explore the culture of Nigeria, learn about Nigeria and then tell the world about Nigeria.

We believe it is more important to be human than different people from various races; at the end of the day, we are all one people.

We are just a humble group of motorcyclists that decided to organise and create some type of impact in our society, he said.

Nieves said his team had experienced the good manners and respectful nature of Nigerians, noting that they would share the good memories when they return to their respective countries.

Source: NAN

Enyimba of Nigeria must find the goals if they hope to shock hosts Raja Casablanca of Morocco on Wednesday and reach the CAF Confederation Cup final.

Five other clubs have failed to do this as Raja goalkeeper Anas Zniti has gone 461 minutes in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League without conceding a goal.

The last time he conceded a goal was during the qualifier last March.

Since Nouadhibou of Mauritania breached the Moroccan rearguard, Zanaco of Zambia, V Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo, ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast, Aduana Stars of Ghana and CARA of Congo Brazzaville have failed to do so.

Enyimba fell 1-0 at home to Raja in a semi-final first leg won by an Abdelilah Hafidi goal so they must score at least once at the 60,000-seat Stade Mohammed V to salvage the tie.

Given that the Nigerians have scored just four times in six away CAF matches and their leading scorers have notched only two, the odds are stacked against the Aba outfit.

Raja could meet group opponents V Club of DR Congo again in the two-leg final as the Kinshasa side have second-leg home advantage after forcing a 0-0 draw with Al Masry in Egypt.

Here is a preview of the semi-finalists:

All is not lost for visitors Masry as they boast a 13-match unbeaten Confederation Cup record stretching back to March when they lost narrowly to Green Buffaloes in Zambia.

The Port Said outfit coached by Egypt legend Hossam Hassan also did not concede a home goal so a score draw in the DR Congo capital would take them through to the final.

However, first-time semi-finalists Masry will need mental strength to survive at the Stade des Martyrs, one of the most hostile football environments in Africa.

Up to 80,000 supporters could attend and virtually all of them will be willing V Club to reach a third CAF final.

V Club won the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1973 and were runners-up in the same competition now called the CAF Champions League four seasons ago.

Jean-Marc Makusu Mundele is the V Club star having notched nine goals en route to the penultimate stage, including four in a match in neighbouring Congo Brazzaville.

Raja rank among the most successful clubs in Africa, winning five CAF competitions, including the Champions League three times.

But it is 15 years since they lifted an African trophy, beating Coton Sport of Cameroon 2-0 on aggregate in the last final of the now defunct CAF Cup.

Boasting a squad littered with Moroccan internationals, they have been favourites to win the Confederation Cup this year since surviving a qualifying round scare from Nouadhibou.

However, there is a glimmer of hope for twice African champions Enyimba as Raja have blown hot and cold at their Casablanca fortress.

The Moroccans were held 1-1 by Nouadhibou and 0-0 by V Club and an anticipated goal deluge against CARA never materialised as they scraped a 1-0 win.

Raja do, however, possess two deadly sharpshooters in Mahmoud Benhalib, the leading Confederation Cup scorer with 11 goals, and Mouhcine Iajour.

*AFP Sport

Source: NAN

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has disappointed those who wish he dumps his All Progressives Congress (APC) like others who failed to win their parties ticket for 2019 elections.

He sent a clear message on Tuesday that he would lead a strong campaign to ensure victory for President Muhammadu Buhari.

He also pledged his support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The governor made the remarks on Tuesday at the Presidential Wing of the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.

He spoke to reporters shortly after he accompanied President Buhari to perform the official commissioning of the new Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Border Post at Seme-Krake in Badagry.

Just to also use this opportunity to let Lagosians (Lagos residents) know that we are heavily committed to the re-election of Mr President and you can see that his continuous visit to Lagos reiterates the fact that he is actually a lover of Lagos State and I am committed to ensuring his re-election, said Governor Ambode.

I have just accompanied Mr President to the Nigerian-Benin Border Post. So, what we have commissioned today is a joint Border Patrol post between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin and it is called Semo-Krake Border Post.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Habib Aruna, the governor stated the importance for the APC to retain its leadership positions both at the Federal and the state levels.

We are going to campaign heavily for him (Buhari), he reiterated. I am also committed to ensuring that the APC wins the governorship election come 2019.

Ambode added, We support the candidacy of Babajide Sanwo-Olu and we would make sure that APC retains Lagos State and the centre.

Earlier, the governor received the President at the airport before they proceeded to Seme where President Buhari joined his Republic of Benin counterpart, Patrice Talon, to inaugurate the Border Post.

The Seme-Krake joint border, one of the busiest boundary lines not only in West Africa but the whole continent, records a huge movement of persons, goods and services daily,

With the inauguration, the border post is expected to enhance the free movement of persons and goods in the region and foster integration between the people of Nigeria and Benin.

Source: NAN

The Senate on Tuesday passed a new and fourth version of the Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

President Muhammadu Buhari had declined assent to the bill three times, citing some constitutional and drafting issues.

During the just-ended annual recess of the National Assembly, its Joint Committee on INEC met to work on the document based on the issues raised by the president.

Tuesdays passage of the bill followed the adoption of the report of the committee presented by its Chairman, Sen. Suleiman Nazif.

Nazif had said that the committee addressed all the issues raised by the president in withdrawing assent to the bill.

Speaking on the development, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said he hoped the president would now assent to the proposed law.

Let me congratulate all of us, particularly the Committee on Electoral Matters for the hard work they put in.

We were able to achieve this that looked almost impossible at a time, and I want to commend everybody for making this happen.

This will go a long way in improving our electoral process and further strengthen our governance.

I am sure with this now, Mr President will of course give his assent, and we can now finally have an Electoral Act that we would all be proud of, Saraki said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the amendment seeks to provide the use of Card Readers and any other similar technological devices for the election, among others, according to Nazif.

Source: NAN

(Reuters/NAN) A leading bank regulator on Tuesday fined Capital One Bank 100 million dollars for failing to enforce anti-money laundering controls that have been in place for years.

Capital One failed to satisfy a 2015 consent order that demanded the bank improve its anti-money laundering policies, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said in a statement.

The Bank failed to timely achieve compliance with the 2015 Consent Order, the OCC said in a new consent order that outlined the fine.

Capital One said it disclosed the issue to the OCC in July 2015.

The consent order emanates primarily from prior banking relationships with certain cheque cashing service providers a business we made the decision to exit in 2014, the bank said.

Since that time, we have worked diligently with our bank regulators to strengthen our processes and internal controls to ensure we address any concerns regarding our compliance processes.

Source: NAN

Ogun state government has described as a lie from the pit of hell, the reports thatErnest Shonekan, former head of interim national government, is dead.

Taiwo Adeoluwa, secretary to the State Government dispelled the rumour on Tuesday.

He said Ibikunle Amosun, governor of the state, has spoken with Shonekan who reportedly told the governor that he is hale and hearty.

Tributes have been pouring in for Shonekan on social media based on the reports.

Born onMay 9, 1936, Shonekan is a British-trained lawyer and an industrialist.

He was appointed interim head of the country after ex-Military President Ibrahim Babangida stepped down on August 26, 1993.

Babangida had refused to hand over power to MKO Abiola, acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 election, but relinquished power after intense pressure.

Shonekans administration only lasted three months as Sani Abacha forcefully took power through a coup.

The elder statesman hails from Abeokuta, Ogun state. He attended C.M.S grammar school and Igbobi College, Lagos and was obtained a law degree from the University of London.

Source: NAN

The United States said Tuesday it was revoking visas of Saudis involved in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as President Donald Trump ridiculed the kingdoms response as one of the worst cover-ups in history.

The move came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Khashoggis killing inside the Saudis Istanbul consulate had been meticulously planned, in a speech that overshadowed a long-planned investment forum in Riyadh.

Saudi leaders have denied involvement in the killing, pushing responsibility down the chain of command.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman strongly said that he had nothing to do with this, this was at a lower level, US President Donald Trump said, adding he had spoken Monday to the prince and his father King Salman.

Trump said the Saudis had a very bad original concept in killing the 59-year-old Saudi insider-turned-critic.

It was carried out poorly and the cover-up was one of the worst in the history of cover-ups, Trump said.

It was a total fiasco, he later added. Im saying they should have never thought about it. Once they thought about it, everything else they did was bad too It should have never happened.

Faced with mounting calls for tough measures by US lawmakers across the political spectrum, the State Department said it had identified 21 Saudis whose visas would either be revoked or who would be ineligible for future visas.

These penalties will not be the last word on this matter from the United States, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters.

We are making very clear that the United States does not tolerate this kind of action to silence Mr. Khashoggi, a journalist, through violence, he said.

The top US diplomat said the Saudi suspects came from the intelligence services, the royal court, the foreign ministry and other Saudi ministries.

Pompeo added the United States was also looking into whether to take action under a law named after Sergei Magnitsky, the anti-corruption accountant who died in Russian custody, that would impose financial sanctions on individuals behind Khashoggis death.

The initial US action against the Saudis came three weeks after Khashoggi, self-exiled to suburban Washington, vanished in the consulate and following contradictory statements by Trump, who has ruled out major steps such as cutting arms sales to the major defense partner.

Vice President Mike Pence, in an appearance at The Washington Post, where Khashoggi was a contributing opinion writer, denounced the brutal murder.

He added Erdogans account the most substantive remarks on the case by the Turkish leader flies in the face of the Saudis earlier assertions.

Saudi Arabia whose ambitious crown prince has been amassing power initially claimed Khashoggi left freely after visiting the consulate, where he was completing paperwork for his upcoming marriage.

But as pressure grew, Saudi state media changed the story and said Khashoggi died when an argument descended into a fistfight, an account that was swiftly denounced overseas even if Trump initially said he found it credible.

Erdogan said that a 15-person team came from Riyadh to kill Khashoggi, carrying out reconnaissance outside Istanbul and deactivating security cameras at the consulate.

He said 18 suspects detained by Saudi Arabia should be extradited to Istanbul to face trial and called for an investigation into those with even the slightest link to the case.

The Turkish leader did not mention some of the most striking claims that appeared in the Turkish press in recent days, notably that Khashoggis body was cut up into multiple pieces, and that there is an audio recording of the murder.

The whereabouts of Khashoggis corpse remain unknown. Turkish police were searching an abandoned car belonging to the Saudi consulate in an underground car park in the Sultangazi district of Istanbul.

The Group of Seven industrial nations said in a joint statement that the killing left many questions unanswered. Denmark also summoned the Saudi ambassador over the case.

The murder has shone the spotlight on the Mohammed bin Salman, who was credited with a reform drive in the kingdom, but is now accused of ordering Khashoggis killing.

A key investment summit, dubbed Davos in the desert, was overshadowed by big-name cancellations as it kicked off in Riyadh.

Dozens of executives, including from banks Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan and ride-hailing app Uber pulled out of the three-day Future Investment Initiative.

Saudi organizers sought to portray it was business as usual, announcing 12 mega deals worth more than $50 billion in oil, gas, infrastructure and other sectors.

But Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih acknowledged we are going through a crisis.

Source: NAN