A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel celebrates after receiving the bronze medal during the medal ceremony after defeating Honduras in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s bronze medal football match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on August 20, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GUSTAVO ANDRADENigeria’s Saturday Erimuya reacts after receiving the bronze medal during the medal ceremony after defeating Honduras in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s bronze medal football match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on August 20, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GUSTAVO ANDRADENigeria’s William Ekong displays his bronze medal during the medal ceremony after defeating Honduras in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s bronze medal football match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on August 20, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GUSTAVO ANDRADENigeria’s players William Ekong (L) and John Obi Mikel (R) celebrate after receiving their bronze medals during the medal ceremony after defeating Honduras in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s bronze medal football match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on August 20, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GUSTAVO ANDRADENigeria’s players celebrate after receiving their bronze medals after defeating Honduras in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s bronze medal football match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on August 20, 2016. / AFP PHOTO /
Team Nigeria has registered its presence on the Rio Olympics medals table following Dream Team VI 3-2 defeat of Honduras in Saturday's bronze medal match of the Games football event.
Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel celebrates after receiving the bronze medal during the medal ceremony after defeating Honduras in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s bronze medal football match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on August 20, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GUSTAVO ANDRADE
A brace from Sadiq Umar in the 34th and 60th minutes and another from Aminu Umar in the 54th minutes were all the Dream Team needed to overcome Honduras.
Honduras made efforts to equalise the encounter after going down 3-0 within 60 minutes of the match but could not stop Nieria from winning its consolatory medal at the Games.
Two defensive blunders from the Nigerian defenders, however, enabled the opponents to reduce the score line but thanks to goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel who denied them every chance of getting an equaliser.
The win ensured Nigeria won all the medals in the Olympics football event, having won gold in 1996, Silver at the Sydney 2000 edition and now, a Rio bronze.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the win has ensured that Samson Siasia won Olympic silver and bronze, having also led the Dream Team to the Sydney 2000.
I've always believed there's no point hanging on to a dead marriage where both partners no longer see eye to eye. The few victims who've had the guts to pack such a marriage in have confessed to being relieved – and happy. Joy's marriage was already on its back, with the hooves virtually in the air, when she told me she would rather be on her own than live with the 'lodger' her husband had turned into. Not one to act on impulse, I asked her to give such a hard decision a deep thought before she threw in the towel.
love
"It's not as if I have children to consider," she said. "I have only one daughter, and she's in the university. Most of the time, I'm on my own whilst Cyril (the husband) lives his own life. He goes and comes as he pleases. Well, I want to do the same without being labelled adulterous! I feel I can work better and improve the quality of my life without a stressful marriage."
Her chance came when she heard on the grapevine that Cyril had been giving a lot of attention to Mubo. "She was his old flame, his 'first love' as he's often bragged," Joy explained. "And I'd had my suspicions that he was seeing her even before the rumours became rife. There wasn't anything special about her and I have always found her dull and annoying, but they went way back. He even admitted visiting her now she was single again, but that they were just good friends. I didn't really believe him and didn't particularly care either.
It was around this time that finishing touches were completed to the rundown bungalow I was refurbishing. I wanted to let it at first, but decided to move in with my daughter. My problem was selling the idea of our living happily apart to Cyril and I reckoned with lover girl on his mind, it would be easy.
"Cyril wasn''t buying any of that at first, but I explained I would rather be on my own and he needed to move on with his life. We both have good jobs and healthy investments so there were no financial obligations tying us down. I felt enormous relief after I left and was in the least surprised when Joy moved in with Cyril a few months later! We hadn't even discussed getting a divorce. When next he visited our daughter and I teased him about it, he said he might have the traditional engagement ceremony with her. The gall of the man! But what was the point of getting angry with him? I'd moved on with my life, so should he.
"Since there was no bitterness when we separated, he visited as often as he could to see our daughter and to sort out details of our divorce. He always loved a good gossip and with lots of news to swap on our friends, our conversation sparkled once more. I was in the kitchen preparing lunch one evening when he dropped by. He teased me as he often did and I laughed flirtatiously with him. For the first time in a long while, I took an interest in his tall physique and the chest hair peeping from his shirt. He was looking at me with the same lust, then we kissed.
"Thank goodness our daughter was out as we made out on the settee! The passion between us hadn't been this intense and frantic in years. 'Hey, we could still rock together', Cyril thrilled. We made love again – but it wasn't the humdrum, tired' marriage sex' we used to have. This was raw and hungry, hard and fast. The sense of taboo and familiarity made it an explosive mix. Afterwards though, 1 refused to cuddle up to him so as not to confuse physical desire with love. Besides, I was enjoying being a free and single woman and had no desire to return to the straight jacket of our marriage. 'I'm not planning on us coming back together,' Cyril said sheepishly. 'I wouldn't want to hurt Joy.' He was relieved when I smiled naughtily at him and teased him he was my bit-on- the-side now. That sort of set him off as he entered my bedroom and we were off again. He then freshened up and raced back to his 'jailer' while I lay in bed, grinning like the cat that got the milk! Sad boring Joy! I'd got one over on her. I'd proved I was still an attractive, passionate woman at
46 – and I had no qualms about the situation in the slightest. After all, what
have I done but sleep with my own husband! Cyril couldn't have felt too guilt-stricken either as he started visiting me whenever he knew our daughter was out. Each time, we wasted no time in getting down to business in the safety of my bedroom. Our hot and smoking romps continued as our divorce came through and didn't stop after he and Joy married. Our illicit sex is still too exciting to both of us to give up.
"Lately, he's been grumbling he's not happy with Joy. That's no skin off my nose and I'm sure our affair doesn't help. But do I feel guilty? No way!
Do I wish them well in their marriage? Hell no! What did Cyril expect, marrying an old flame like her? He should have had enough sense that rekindling an old flame seldom works. As for me, I now have the best of both worlds. The freedom of living on my own – and the power of knowing Cyril can't get enough of me. I won't be giving that up in a hurry for anyone!
Once in a while, I run into both of them at parties. Joy always looks a bit apprehensive when she sees me, and she believes she's responsible for my broken marriage. It's all I could do not to laugh out loud. Now that I'm my husband's mistress, I've got my libido back! Let her be the one to lie awake nights, wondering why she's not getting as much nookie as before!"
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture says the country boasts of numerous sites with special cultural, physical attributes to qualify them for listing as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed
The minister spoke on Saturday at the third festival colloquium of the 50th anniversary of Lagos State with the theme: “Tourism Potential in Yorubaland: Landmarks, Culture and History''.
Mohammed said that due to lack of proper inventory and vision to exploit their resources for economic and tourism gains, only two of such sites were recognised by UNESCO.
He identified the two recognised UNESCO sites as Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove and the Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa.
“In comparison, Ethiopia has nine UNESCO World tourist sites, Kenya six, Libya five, Mali four and Morocco nine! This of course means that we are sitting on a gold mine,” he said.
Mohammed also identified the heritage sites that could attain the global status as National Museum and Lekki Conservation Center in Lagos, Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River and Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State.
He said that the Ikogosi Warm Spring in Ekiti, Nike Lake Resort in Enugu, Mambila Plateau in Adamawa and the Royal Palace of the Oba of Benin in Edo could attain the global status.
The minister said that the administration of President Muhammad Buhari was determined to reposition the tourism sector and reverse the ugly trend.
“In this search for a new economic paradigm, tourism, arts and culture have been identified as the most viable sector of the economy to explore.
“Culture drives tourism, and both are good for creating jobs, reducing crime and diversifying the economy, three of the cardinal programmes of the Buhari Administration,” he said.
Mohammed noted that the sector had been spotlighted in various reports by international agencies to have the potential of boosting the country's economy.
He said that a British Council sponsored report in 2013 showed that the sector was a viable contributor to the economic development of nations.
“The report reveals that the creative businesses surveyed in the mapping exercise contributed N2.5 billion during the reference period.
“61 per cent of the total Gross Value Added (GVA) derived from the film industry alone while fashion and music contributed 26 per cent and 13 per cent respectively,” he said.
The minister briefed the gathering on the policies, programmes and activities of the Federal Government to reposition the tourism sector. He commended the organiser of “Lagos at 50'', stressing that the event would give the opportunity to address the challenge of lean resources and large scale unemployment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event witnessed cultural performances and the premiere of a movie, “Iwure Olofin'' (The Blessing of Olofin).
The movie is an historical documentation of how Lagos was founded by a prince of Ile Ife named, Olofin.
NAN reports the event was attended by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and his wife, Wuraola, former Governor of Cross Rivers, Donald Duke, Commissioners from Lagos state and members of Lagos House of Assembly.
Nigeria won bronze at the Men's Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 after an entertaining 3-2 win against Honduras in Belo Horizonte's Estadio Mineirao.
Samson Siasia's side enjoyed a three-goal advantage shortly before the hour mark thanks to Sadiq Umar's brace and Aminu Umar’s 49th minute goal, but Honduras gave the African side a late scare as Antony Lozano and Marcelo Pereira reduced the deficit to just one goal.
Nigeria started brightly and put Honduras under early pressure. They came agonisingly close to taking the lead on seven minutes when Mikel John Obi found Aminu Umar, whose effort struck both posts. Umar had another good opportunity minutes later but was denied by goalkeeper Luis Lopez.
Honduras were not without their chances, however, and Nigeria shot-stopper Emmanuel Daniel was called into action to deny Alberth Elis on 11 minutes. The forward then had a golden opportunity on 33 minutes when he broke through the Nigeria defence with his blistering pace but Daniel held firm to deny the Olimpia man.
The Central Americans were made to rue that missed opportunity as Nigeria took the lead just a minute later. Mikel demonstrated his splendid technique by dribbling into the box and finding Sadiq Umar, who fired the Africans into the lead.
Aminu Umar doubled Nigeria's advantage four minutes after the break, while Sadiq Umar's second of the game left Siasia's side cruising on 56 minutes.
But Honduras soon showed they were not down and out. Lozano pulled one back for Jorge Luis Pinto’s side on 71 minutes, before Pereira cut Nigeria’s advantage to just one goal after heading home Oscar Salas’ free-kick. The fightback was not enough, however, as Nigeria held firm to secure their first Olympic medal since Beijing 2008.
Curvy cum busty Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, has revealed how much it was worth to create time out of her extremely busy career schedule to go on holiday with her husband in the United States for approximately three weeks. Shortly after her return to her home country, the pretty mother of three spoke to Potpourri on the importance of taking time out to go on vacations.
"We went to spend time together, three kids, three years, its fun; it's awesome. In marriage, it's necessary to have time to reminisce, plan and talk" she said excitedly
Responding to why she's already working barely a week after her return from the United States with her husband, she responded; "It's not about the money, as a person I combine my marriage, my kids, my work together. I've done that for the past five years. My kids are on holidays now, so it's a better time for me to work before they get back to school; it's actually a better timing. Like I always say, it's not about the money but the passion I have for my work."
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured aspirants seeking to contest the Ondo State gubernatorial election on the party platform of no preferential treatment.
The APC Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said this on Saturday in Abuja during a meeting to settle all disputes and allay the fears of the aspirants.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the gubernatorial aspirants had accused the party chairman in the state, Chief Isaac Kekemeke, of adopting, endorsing an aspirant and tampering with the delegates’ list.
NAN recalls that the party members in the state promptly suspended Kekemeke.
Assuring the aspirants of fair play, Odigie-Oyegun paid tribute to all the aspirants for promptly responding to the call for the peace meeting.
”It indicates quite clearly your commitment that Ondo state returns to the fold of progressive party.
”We have had extensive, frank discussions and have reached some very basic and fundamental understanding that will guide the process in Ondo primary.
”We have accepted that there is nothing wrong for any member to endorse any of the aspirants.
”We have also accepted unanimously that there will be no attempt to impose any aspirant on any party member or the electorate.
”The party at national level has no preferred aspirant and is not going to endorse any aspirant.
”They are all equally members of the party who have entrusted us with the management of the affairs and with that sacred trust it is our responsibility to be as impartial as is humanly possible.
”By the same token, the state branch of the party must not also be seen to be attempting to impose any aspirant and cannot endorse an aspirant.
”This is because they have the sacred trust to be even handed to all the aspirants because we are blazing a new trail of internal democracy.
”To make it clear, the party has no preferred candidate either at national or at state level.”
Odigie-Oyegun said that the party would make available a ”clean copy of the delegates list” to all aspirants by August 24 and assured that it was in safe custody.
”I am particularly happy with the commitment of all the aspirants that once a free, fair primary can be assured, they will rally round whoever is chosen by the delegates as the candidate of the party,” he said.
NAN reports that 24 aspirants were at the party secretariat for the peace meeting.
Lagos monarch, Oba Riliwan Akiolu I, on Saturday urged Nigerians to be patient in spite of the hard times in the country, assuring them that all will be well.
“I am confident that the economy of the country, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, will change for good because our president is focused,'' Akiolu told newsmen in his palace.
The royal father, who spoke during the celebration of the Isese Festival in Isale Eko area of Lagos Island, said that the present hardship was a prelude to a better tomorrow.
“Let us cooperate with the government. Do not take laws into your hands and always inform the security agencies wherever there are criminal activities,'' Akiolu said.
He appealed to the Niger Delta Avengers to stop bombing oil facilities and put their grievances on the table for the government to address.
“I want to use this medium to appeal to the Niger Delta Avengers to give peace a chance.
“I agree to some extent with them that certain things have to be done for them, but they just have to give peace a chance and things will work for them.
“They should stop and put their grievances on the table and the government will address it. It is not too late to mend, “ Akiolu said.
On the festival, Akiolu said it was an inherited custom and tradition which he does not joke with.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Isese festival featured diverse cultural activities to enhance interaction and promote harmony in the state and the country at large.
Numerous Lagosians joined in the celebration of the festival, dancing and singing to various deities. (NAN)
Pep Guardiola extended his 100 per cent start as Manchester City manager as Sergio Aguero’s brace and a late double from Nolito secured an impressive 4-1 win at Stoke on Saturday.
City’s away form last season undermined their efforts to regain the Premier League title with just four wins from Manuel Pellegrini’s last 16 away league games in charge.
But they are expected to do much better on their travels in the Guardiola era and this emphatic result suggests the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager will successfully adapt to English football.
City had won on just one of their eight Premier League trips to Stoke and, allied to the usual buffeting by the wind which regularly swirls around the Britannia Stadium, that could have made this a tricky test.
Stoke manager Mark Hughes also likes nothing better than to put one over his former club but City avoided a potential hazard in impressive style.
“In the first half, we played good. We arrived many times in the box with one against one,” Guardiola said.
“We created a lot of counter attacks in the second half – good situations – but the last pass was not good. We have to try and finish the action.”
Jesus Navas earned his first start of the season in place of Nolito, but Guardiola otherwise stuck with the side that had demolished Steaua Bucharest 5-0 in mid-week to all but secure their place in the group stage of the Champions League ahead of Wednesday’s return leg.
Argentina striker Aguero has hit the ground running this season and added to his tally to give City a 26th-minute lead from the penalty spot.
It was a soft penalty for Stoke to concede but referee Mike Dean’s decision to penalise Ryan Shawcross for pulling back Nicolas Otamendi following a corner was the correct one.
Aguero had twice missed from the spot in Romania but added to his opening-day conversion in the Premier League by confidently driving the ball beyond 40-year-old former City keeper Shay Given.
– Predatory –
Given did then keep out an angled drive from Aguero but 10 minutes before the break was beaten again as City went 2-0 up.
Aguero once again showed his outstanding predatory instincts to get his head on a free-kick from Kevin De Bruyne and glance the ball into the corner of the net.
Stoke had looked a threat until falling behind, with Marko Arnautovic twice making chances for Giannelli Imbula.
The hosts felt they should have had a route back into the game when Aleksandar Kolarov barged Joe Allen to the ground in the follow-up from Willy Caballero’s fine save from a thumping Phil Bardsley volley.
But the home side only had to wait until three minutes into the second half for Dean to even things up by awarding them a penalty, this time penalising Raheem Sterling for putting his hands into the chest of Shawcross when the diminutive winger was strangely allocated the job of marking the big Stoke defender.
Bojan Krkic, who played under Guardiola at Barcelona, converted the spot-kick and suddenly City didn’t look so convincing.
Caballero – again preferred to Joe Hart – had one or two uncertain moments with his kicking, much to the amusement of Stoke’s fans but City weathered a spell of Stoke pressure without wilting.
And with four minutes to go they guaranteed all three points thanks to a first Premier League goal from Nolito.
Kelechi Iheanacho, fresh from signing a new long-term contract, had replaced Aguero and after rounding Given the teenager kept his composure to lift his head and pick out Nolito for a far-post tap-in.
City were now in the comfort zone and made the result even more emphatic in stoppage time when Nolito slotted home his second after the impressive Sterling glided through Stoke’s non-existent defence to tee up the Spain international.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo said contrary to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) position, the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Edo had shown that the state was viable. Oshiomhole, who stated this at rallies in Ameddokhian, Egbele, Uzea and Ivue, near Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo on Saturday, noted that the PDP was never interested in the development of the state.
He alleged the PDP made people believe that the state was a pure civil service state, and as such, had no money. “PDP years of leadership in Edo was a waste. They told us that there is no money in Edo and they failed to build schools, construct roads, build hospitals and they even laid off workers.
“But with our efforts this past seven years, we have shown that Edo is a viable state. "This is evident in the schools and hospitals we have built, the roads we have constructed, and water we have provided across the state. “It is for this reason that we are bold to ask for continuity. The continuity I am asking is that the work APC has started must be completed,” he said.
Oshiomhole said his administration’s development strides across the state and Edo Central particularly, surpassed what an indigene of Esan land could not do, even when they held sway as leadership of the PDP at both state and national level.
“Instead of developing this place, they only bring to you, every four years, N2,000 for you to vote for them. They again abandoned you only to resurface four years later for another deceit. “To me, this is disservice to you. This tells you that they never mean well for you. They only try to buy you to gain power in order for them to enrich themselves,” he said.
At the rally, Mr Godwin Obaseki, APC flagbearer, said what Oshiomhole’s administration had done was to lay foundation to take the state to the next level. “The process of rebuilding Edo started with Oshiomhole’s government. Our work now is to take the state to the next level, to an enviable height that we all desire it to be.
“Apart from continuing with the roads construction, building of schools and hospitals, provision of water and many others, our focus will be on human capital development. “We want to be able to ensure that youths that constitute about 60 percent of the state’s population are either engaged productively or learn a trade. Our women will also be empowered,” he added.
On his part, the state chairman of the party, Mr Anselm Ojezua appealed for support from the people of the senatorial district.
Meanwhile, the clan head of Uzea Kingdom, in Esan North East council, Solomon Iluobe, has endorsed the candidacy of the APC, Mr Godwin Obaseki. The Onojie of Uzea, made the declaration when the APC candidate paid a visit to his palace when Obaseki’s campaign stopped over at Uzea.
According to the monarch, “What we are waiting for is your swearing in; you are already the governor of Edo State. “I have seen the handwork of the APC and the development they brought to my domain. Though the work is yet to be completed, I know you will do more as the next governor.
“I am assuring you; you don’t have a problem here in Uzea. As you leave, I will call my people to make sure you don’t lose any one vote in Uzea.”
Tourists who suffer from vertigo need not apply. The world’s highest and longest glass-bottomed bridge opened Saturday in China’s spectacular Zhangjiajie mountains — the inspiration for American blockbuster Avatar.
Some 430 metres (1,400 feet) long and suspended 300 metres above the earth, the bridge spans the canyon between two mountain cliffs in Zhangjiajie park in China’s central Hunan province.
Six metres wide and made of some 99 panels of clear glass, the bridge can carry up to 800 people at the same time, an official in Zhangjiajie — a popular tourist destination — told the Xinhua news agency.China’s longest glass bottom
Tourists can walk across the bridge, designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan, and the more adventurous will be able to bungee jump or ride a zip line.
“I wanted to feel awe-inspired by this bridge. But I’m not afraid — it seems safe!” Wang Min, who was visiting the new structure with her husband and children, told AFP Saturday.
Following an alarming glass bridge cracking incident at the Yuntai mountain in northern Henan in 2015, authorities in Zhangjiajie were eager to demonstrate the safety of the structure.
They organised a string of media events, including one where people were encouraged to try and smash the bridge’s glass panels with a sledge hammer, and another where they drove a car across it.
“It’s crowded today and a bit of a mess. But to be suspended 300 metres in the air, it’s a unique experience,” said Lin Chenglu, who had come to see the bridge with his colleagues.
Only 8,000 people each day will be allowed to cross the bridge, Xinhua said, and tourists will have to book their tickets a day in advance, at a cost of 138 yuan ($20).
Cameras and selfie sticks are banned, and people wearing stilettos will not be allowed to walk on the bridge, Xinhua said.
Local authorities have said that one of the summits in Zhangjiajie Park inspired the floating mountain which appears in the American blockbuster Avatar.
A Hollywood photographer visited the area in 2008, taking images which were used for the film, according to media reports.
No fewer than 4,395 prospective couples wishing to participate in the Kano State Government's mass wedding have so far registered for the programme. The state government had directed the Hisba Board to register all interested prospective couples in the state.
Dr Abba Sufi, the Director-General of the board, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Saturday. Sufi said of the number, 3,117 couples were registered by Hisba offices in 41 local government areas of the state, while the remaining 1, 278 couples were registered at the state headquarters of the board in Kano.
“As I am talking to you now, 4,395 prospective couples indicated interest to participate in the programme. He said as soon as the remaining three local government areas submitted their list, the board would write a comprehensive report to the government for necessary action. Sufi, who was giving update on the registration exercise, reaffirmed the commitment of the government toward ensuring the success of the programme.
“The government is committed to the programme hence its decision to continue with the programme. “The registration is still open to all interested persons as the exercise is still ongoing," Sufi said.
The registration for the prospective couples began simultaneously across the 44 local government areas of the state on Aug. 8.
The Federal Government has stepped up vigilance within the drug supply chains in the country on the circulation of two confirmed falsified versions of Quinine Sulphate. A statement said the Federal Ministry of Health received a medical alert that the two falsified drugs contain zero active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The statement signed by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director, Media and Public Relations of the ministry, on Saturday said the drugs were circulating in West and Central Africa. Akinola said the two version of the drug were circulating in Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo.
She said the quinine Sulphate was used in the treatment of malaria. According to her, the implication of using the falsified one is that it will not be effective and may also lead to other health challenges. She said one of the fake products was named Quinine Sulfate 300 mg with 1000 Tablets per container, Batch Number 10H05, expiry date 09/2018 and it manufactured 09/2014.
Akinola added that the drug manufactured by Novadina Pharmaceutical Limited, London, United Kingdom was first was discovered in Cameroon. The director said the other version of the fake drug was Quinine Sulphate 300mg with 100 Tablets per container; batch F4387, expiry date 11/18 and its date of manufacture is 12/14.
She explained that the product was manufactured in India by CAD Pharm, and it was discovered in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo. She advised Nigerians to be vigilant and report to the nearest National Agency for Food and Drug Administration office anywhere the drugs were spotted including hospitals and pharmaceutical shops.
The ministry urges Nigerians to also report it the following GSM no +234-8037881120, +234-8055056727 and +234-8035902679. “If you are in possession of these products, please do not use them. “If you have taken this falsified product or if you suffer an adverse effect following its uptake, please seek immediate advice from a qualified healthcare professional and report the incident to NAFDAC.''
Two Nigerian state-owned oil pipelines were blown up in the delta region Friday in attacks blamed on the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) militant group, a local security official said Saturday.
“The attacks targeted two pipelines located in the same zone,” an official for the Department of State Security (DSS) told AFP.
“Both belonged to the NPDC (Nigerian Petroleum Development Company) and we believe this attack to be due to militants.”
Also on Friday, a newly emerged armed group calling itself the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) claimed responsibility for an attack the same day in Udu State.
It was the second claim of responsibility by the group, which earlier this month claimed to have blown up a major pipeline and warned of more attacks to come.
The creation of the group was announced scarcely two days earlier by its spokesman, self-proclaimed “general” Aldo Agbalaja, who warned that the NDGJM would strike at oil installations within 48 hours.
Since the start of the year, the Avengers have carried out a string of devastating attacks on Nigeria’s oil pipelines and facilities.
The oil rebels have also said the Niger Delta, home to the country’s multi-billion-dollar oil and gas resources, might declare independence on October 1.
Nigeria marks October 1 as the anniversary of its political independence from colonial power Britain in 1960.
Oil majors including Shell, Exxon, Chevron, Eni and the state-run oil group NNPC have all been targeted in the attacks this year.
The attacks have reduced Nigeria’s output by a third, hammering government revenue at a time of low global oil prices.
The oil sector accounts for 90 percent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings and 70 percent of government revenue.
The Avengers claim to seek a fairer share of Nigeria’s oil wealth for residents of the region as well as self-determination and political autonomy.
They have rejected a government truce to end the violence.
A former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, on Saturday in Awka commended Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra for his efforts in ensuring improved security in the state. Abubakar made the commendation when he paid a courtesy visit to the governor, noting that Anambra stood out as one of the best states in the country in the area of security of lives and property of residents.
He called on the people to support Obiano to enable him to complete the impressive plans that he had for the speedy development of the state in other sectors. “From the time Obiano took over the mantle of leadership in the state the people of this state have witnessed a great transformation.
“ Anambra stands out as one of the best states in Nigeria in the area of security. “I also observe that from the moment we crossed the boundary into this state, there are visible signs of development. “Your Excellency, I want to congratulate you and the people that made this possible.
“I urge the people living in this state to continue to support you so that they will continue to enjoy the great atmosphere of security in this state, “ he said. Abubakar said that his visit to the state was to inaugurate a project built by one of his friends, Dr Ben Aghaji, in Nnewi before he decided to pay the governor a courtesy call.
He further commended the governor's efforts at improving the state's economy beyond what he inherited from his predecessor. Responding, Obiano said he was elated at the unannounced visit of the former head of state. He described the visitor as a great Nigerian leader who midwifed the present democracy in the country and wished him well.
Gov. David Umahi of Ebony has suspended the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, Mr Samuel Okoronkwo. Umahi, who announced the suspension when he declared open the ITF programme in Abakaliki on Saturday, also disbanded the state's Committee on Employment.
He said that the suspension was with immediate effect, adding that his administration would not tolerate any action that would take the state back to the dark ages. The governor, however, did not give reason for the commissioner's suspension. “The Commissioner for Local Government is hereby suspended from office effective from now, the highest officer, a civil servant, should take over and be attending Exco until further notice.
“This administration from day one has been built on the principle of justice, equity and fairness. “In some of our programmes, we do equality of local governments, but in this kind of empowerment, we do equality of wards. “So, what I expected to see here would have been for them to borrow a leaf from what we are doing to empower about 3,000 of our women and youths.
“We are doing this and everybody is happy. We are called to build Ebonyi State where nobody will say I am from North or South or Central. “I think we are succeeding. Anybody that is going to take us back to the dark ages will be resisted,'' Umahi said. He, however, said that his administration was committed to develop the capacity of the youths to become self-reliant and employers of labour.
He called on the youths of Ebonyi that were jobless in other parts of the country to return home and find something meaningful to do under his government's youth-oriented programmes. He said “every Ebonyi youth in other parts of the country, especially Lagos, should please come back home; we are ready to create jobs for them. “A day is coming when nobody will be willing to seek political office because of the current reality. “One day, there will be no kobo from the Federation Account, so, it is high time we started thinking outside the box.''
The governor said his administration would create over 100,000 jobs for the youths and women, especially in the agriculture sector. He said the state currently would focus mainly on mechanised system of farming, noting that agriculture without technology was death. Umahi promised the trainees of financial assistance to enable them set up their businesses after acquiring necessary skills from the programme.
Earlier, the ITF Area Manager, Enugu and Ebonyi, Mrs Linda Egbonu, said the programme was organised to develop the mindset of the youths in areas of entrepreneurship and skill acquisition. “This training programme is designed and organised to develop the mindset of youths in the areas of entrepreneurship and skills acquisition,'' Egbonu said.
ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State of recruiting All Progressive Congress (APC) loyalistS as Ad-Hoc staff ahead of the forthcoming 2016 Edo State Gubernatorial election.
In a statement issued in Abuja Saturday, the party said it had evidence to buttress its accusation.
The statement signed by Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the Party’s spokesman said “there is a video evidence exposing INEC officials in Edo state of compromising the outcome of the gubernatorial election before the scheduled Saturday, September 10, 2016 poll.
"We have once again uncovered another plot by the Electoral umpire in Edo State to rig the Gubernatorial election in favour of the government in Power in the state. There are clear evidence available to us showing how INEC officials are recruiting APC members as Ad-Hoc staff to rig the election for the APC candidate in the Saturday, September 10, 2016 governorship election in the State" Prince Adeyeye said.
He warned that the Party will not tolerate any act of sabotage and advised the electoral umpire to recruit neutral and credible Nigerians without partisan interest as Ad-Hoc staff to maintain their neutrality in the process.
"We will not accept anything short of free, fair and credible process leading to the Saturday, September 10, Gubernatorial poll in Edo State.
We wish to assure INEC and the APC of our cooperation for a successful election but will not accept an election that is already compromised before the actual poll" he said.
It further called on the electoral body to put every measure in place to conduct a hitch free and credible election.
ABUJA – National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has tasked the party’s aspirants in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo state to shun divisive tendencies, close ranks and chase away the Peoples Democratic Party PDP-led administration in the state.
Odigie-Oyegun gave the charge Saturday in his introductory remarks at an ongoing reconciliation parley with the aspirants and some top party stalwarts at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.
He urged the aspirants to emulate their counterparts in Lagos state who rallied round the party’s candidate, Akinwumi Ambode in the aftermath of the party’s primary election in the state last year.
Urging the aspirants to be frank and open in their discussion, Odigie-Oyegun said they stand to blame in the event that the APC loses the governorship poll.
“In Akure, as in the presidential primaries, we were fighting to remove an incumbent, a sitting president and now a sitting governor in the case of Ondo and for you to do that, you must be united. So, if there is no unity, you are the one that is losing the election; it won’t be that the other party won the election but that you donated it. I appeal to you to be as forthright as possible”, he pleaded.
The APC in Ondo state has been enmeshed in crisis following allegations that a national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had endorsed one of the aspirants with the intention of imposing him on the party.
The meeting has currently dissolved into a closed-door session.
A federal judge has ruled that Democrat Hillary Clinton must respond in writing in a lawsuit over her use of a private e-mail server while she was secretary of state.
In a two-page ruling issued on Friday, Judge Emmet Sullivan declined to order Clinton to testify in person in a case brought by the conservative group Judicial Watch.
The Democratic presidential candidate has 30 days to respond to Judicial Watch’s questions over her use of an unauthorized server while she was the top US diplomat, the ruling reads.
In early July, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said no charges would be brought against Clinton for using the private email server.
FBI Director James Comey however said that while there was no clear evidence that Clinton and her aides intended to violate secrecy laws, “there is information that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly-classified information.”
Clinton has apologized for exclusively using the private email account and her own server during her time as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.
Opponents argue that this breached rules about protecting classified documents from cyber attack and may have amounted to a crime.
The Judicial Watch lawsuit threatens to keep the e-mail controversy alive for the weeks leading up to the November 8 presidential election.
The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare, has appealed to Lagos residents to desist from acts that could lead to flooding.
This is contained in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Mr Tunde Awobiyi in Lagos on Saturday.
Adejare said the plea was the fall out of the ministry's review of 2016 Seasonal Rainfall Predictions and its socio-conomic implications for Lagos State.
“Acts such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse in unauthorised places, clogging drains with silt or construction materials, erecting structures within and around drainage right of way and setbacks.
“Residents should report cases of blockages, dumping of waste into canals and other unauthorised places to our resident engineers.
“The state government is doing everything possible to ensure that the reports of flooding in other parts of the country and the adverse weather predictions by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) do not impact negatively on the state.'' he said.
According to him, the Lagos state has adopted “Sustainability of a flood-free Environment'' as its logo for 2016.
He added that irrespective of the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, the state was prepared for the worst scenarios.
Adejare said that its synergy with Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority had led to mutual control and monitoring of the steady and systematic release of water from Oyan and Ikere Gorge Dams.
“The low-lying Agiliti, Agboyi, Itowolo and Ajegunle communities in Lagos State are also being closely monitored with respect to the likelihood of Ogun River flooding.
“The Ogun River is particularly monitored to ensure that the maximum level of 3.0 metre above sea level is not achieved before the alarm of flooding is raised.
“Forecast for Ikeja, Ikorodu, Ikotun, Iyana Ipaja, Kosofe, Marina, Ojo, Oshodi, Somolu, Surulere, Yaba and Lagos Island confirmed onset date ranges between March 28 and April 1, while the season ending is between Dec. 2 and Dec. 5, 2016.
“Lagos State will experience a rainy season of between 248 and 253 days and Maximum Annual Rainfall of 1,857mm,''he said.
According to him, the State has embarked on massive clearing and dredging of primary and secondary channels/collectors and expansion of existing drainage channels to contain storm water since 2015.
The commissioner said the state also lined many earth channels to ensure flow efficienc, and strengthened its resident engineers/drainage maintenance officers to oversee drainage matters in the local government areas.
He said the government was also regularly monitoring and undertaking oversights of storm water.
Adejare urged residents of flood plains, coastal and low-lying wetland areas near major rivers at Ikorodu, Owode, Iwaya, Makoko, Badia, Ijora, Isaalu, Pota and Shibiri, to be ready to relocate when the need arose.
He said that government would notify such residents at the appropriate time.
NAN reports that NiMet and NIHSA had warned that this year's flooding would be higher than that of 2015 in their 2016 Annual Flood Outlook.
The predictions indicated that coastal cities such as Lagos would experience flooding, sea-level rise and tidal surges.
They named Ogun- Osun as one of the River Basins which would experience flooding and enjoined the communities in the adjoining plains to keep safe distances.
Adejare said that the predictions of the agencies were valuable.
He added that those predictions were vital weather and early warning tools for planners, decision makers and business operators.
