The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to have only 5,000 spectators at next week’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria and Liberia. Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, said in a statement on Friday in Abuja that NFF had applied to have 12,000 spectators at the venue of the match. The match, a Match Day 1 fixture in the qualifying competition, is scheduled for the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. “As it is known, we would like to reiterate that the CAF and FIFA COVID-19 match protocols clearly state that all…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Kylian Mbappe arrived at the training ground of French clubside Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Friday amid the expectation Real Madrid would push to complete his signing in the coming hours. Mbappe wore a white baseball cap and white T-shirt, and whether by accident or design that only fuelled anticipation of a blockbuster move to Los Blancos. One deal Real Madrid did complete on Friday was with midfielder Casemiro, who has signed a new contract that will keep him at the club until June 2025. The Brazilian’s original deal was set to expire at the conclusion of next season. According to…
Dr Salihu Lukman, Director-General, Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), says state police can only operate in Nigeria, under the supervision of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Lukman said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja, saying that the idea of amending the Constitution to enable State Governments establish state police was unavoidable. “However, there are conditions that must be met before any decision to establish state police can serve as a good response to Nigeria’s security challenges. “This includes the requirement that processes of regulating the operations of the state police should be centralised as part of the functions of…
Sokoto state governor and Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Forum, Aminu Tambuwal has reacted to the ruling by Justice Nusirat Umar of Kebbi High Court, who on Thursday, ordered the reinstatement of its national chairman, Uche Secondus. Secondus was earlier sacked by the High Court in Port Harcourt. The party also appointed the Deputy National Chairman (South), Yemi Akinwonmi as the acting national chairman on Thursday. Tambuwal said the party would abide with the restraining order on Secondus issued by the High Court in Port Harcourt. According to Tambuwal, “We are a law-abiding party that believes in the…
Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani-Bello on Friday, received the freed children of Salihu Tanko Islamic School Tegina at the government House, Minna. The schoolchildren were released on Thursday night barely 24 hours after the governor went in security tour to boost the morale of joint security operatives who successfully flushed out bandits in Ma’undu community that was deserter by residents due to incessant banditry activities for about a year. Addressing newsmen in the presence of the schoolchildren and their joyful parents, Sani-Bello disclosed that 91 children and two passers-by were kidnapped out of which 92 regained freedom and one of…
By Blessed Emmanuel, Bauchi The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has urged other African countries to ensure pest control as means of ending the havoc by Quelea birds on crops. The State Coordinator, Mr Daniel Abarshi and the field officer, Dr Tagwi James advocated for the collaboration during the 2021 flag off of the annual pest control spray. The annual pest control intervention is part of measures to achieve food security and sufficiency by the federal government. Quelea are migrant birds capable of destroying over 1o hectares of farmland in minutes if not controlled. According to the experts,…
Zamfara state governor, Bello Mohammad has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his immediate approval of Rapid Response Troops to fight banditry in the state. The governor made the commendation when he granted audience to the General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Sokoto and Commander Joint Task Force, North West Operation Hadarin Daji, Major General Uwem Bassey on Thursday. He expressed appreciation for the deployment of 100 special forces to fight bandits in Zamfara forests, pointing out that the measure will end all forms of criminality in the state. Muhammad said this was indicative that the president is concerned with…
Yesterday, the African Polling Institute organised a spirit raising event in Abuja focused on a debate social cohesion in Nigeria. The topic would normally generate a sombre, pessimistic and fatalistic rendition of yet another descent into the doldrums. My favourite poet and defender of the Nigeria idea, the poetry slam maestro, Dike Chukwumerije set the stage for optimism rolling out a performance centred on the idea that the existence of Nigeria and Nigerians is self-evident. Yes, it’ s true he said, that some people have given up on Nigeria and want out. There are yet others who would have loved…
The Controller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Muhammad Babandede has disclosed that the service had embarked on mega, midi and mini e-border project, with Sokoto as pilot state. Disclosing this during the commissioning of new Sokoto Command office complex by governor Aminu Tambuwal on Thursday, the Controller said that the initiative would provide sustainable security across the country. He explained that the e-border project will cover 84 border posts with inbuilt surveillance equipment that will enable coverage of five kilometres radius. “The posts would have patrol vehicles carrying equipment that can transmit activities online to the National Headquarters. “This…
President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the declaration of a Profit after Tax (PAT) of N287 billion in the year 2020 by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). According to a communique by his special media aide, Femi Adesina, the President’s announcement is in fulfillment of an earlier pledge by the federal government to publicly declare the financial position of the NNPC. Adesina’s statement notes that Buhari has disclosed a Net Profit, making it the first time in the 44-year history of the establishment. According to the President, who doubles as Minister for Petroleum Resources, “I am pleased to announce the…