Rohr shuns Eagles in China

Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr has made public the list of players he has invited for the two international friendly matches against Senegal and Burkina Faso later this month, leaving out the legion of Eagles players plying their trade in China. Eagles in China include Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel, Odion Ighalo, Brown Ideye, Anthony Ujah, Obafemi Martins and Chinedu Obasi.

Those invited include goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, midfielder Ogenyi Onazi and forwards Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho for this month’s international friendly matches against Senegal and Burkina Faso in London. Also included are home–based goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defenders Leon Balogun and William Troost- Ekong, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Oghenekaro Etebo and forwards Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi and Moses Simon. Experienced left back Elderson Echiejile, Portugal –based Chidozie Awaziem, Israel –based John Ogu and Watford FC of England forward Isaac Success are also called. Germany –based forward Noah Joel Bazee and Holland –based defender Tyronne Ebuehi will join up with the squad for the first time, while youngster Victor Osimhen, record top scorer at the FIFA U17 World Cup, returns. The Super Eagles will be up against Senegal’s Teranga Lions on Thursday, 23rd March before taking on the Etalons of Burkina Faso four days later. Both matches will be played at The Hive, home ground of Barnet Football Club.

Security agents raid Peace Corps, arrest Commandant, 49 others

The Nigeria Police Force in joint operations with the personnel of the Military and Department of State Services, DSS, yesterday, raided the headquarters of the Nigerian Peace Corps and arrested the National Commandant, Mr. Akor Dickson, and 49 others. The raid, Tuesday night, led to the closure of the Peace Corps of Nigeria secret training camps in Abuja, Kwara and Niger states. Giving reasons for the raid yesterday, the Nigeria Police Force spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said intelligence reports indicated that the Peace Corps and other similar groups “were acquiring weapons and conducting covert military training in different locations across the country. “It is evident that in 2013, the Federal Government’s official gazette dissolved and proscribed illegal security outfits such as Nigerian Maritime Security Agency, NMSA; Nigerian Merchant Navy Corps; the Nigerian Merchant Navy Petroleum Security and Safety, Peace Corps of Nigeria and other quasi-security outfits.
“However, it has been observed that NMSA, Peace Corps, Maritime Security Agency and National Task Force are still operating outside their mandates and purposes for which they were registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.” While noting that the Peace Corps, under the leadership of Akor Dickson, was registered as an NGO, Jimoh Moshood said the body, with brazen impunity and total disregard to the laws of the country, opened illegal training camps in some states, where thousands of youths and other persons without proper background checks and screening are receiving converts Military training.

He drank my beer on credit, man owing landlord N120,000 tells court

A 38-year-old tenant, Genesis Genius, yesterday, told a Masaka chief magistrate’s court in Nasarawa State, that his landlord, Manzo Hassan, owes him for the beer he drank in his bar. Genius, a resident of Masaka, was taken to court by Hassan for owing him N120,000 arrears in rent. He agreed to pay the arrears, but insisted that his landlord should pay him his beer money first so he can add to it and pay his rent. According to Genius, “my landlord always comes to my beer parlour to drink. Afterwards, he will not pay me. I am sure he is using it to replace the money I owe him. “He has been doing it; the money he owes me amounts to a huge sum. He should pay me, so that I can pay him as well.”

The defendant told the court that his landlord has locked up the beer parlour, adding that he even chased his salesgirls and barmen away. Hassan, in his response, told the court that he drank beer in his tenant’s beer parlour and deliberately refused to pay because of the rent arrears. He said: “As I discovered that he was not making efforts to pay me my money, I started drinking beer on credit in his beer parlour to cover up the money he owes. “I have not taken up to the amount he owes me. If that is the case, he should deduct the beer money from the rent arrears and pay me my balance.” The magistrate, Mr. Victor Manga, in his ruling, told the landlord to do checks and balances with his tenant, since he did not object to the allegation. Manga added jokingly that probably his tenant was giving him beer to replace the rent arrears. He asked the court’s bailiff, Sule Ishaku, to supervise the discussion between the landlord and the tenant in sorting out their disputes. The magistrate ordered the landlord to unlock the beer parlour, stressing that he has no right to lock up the place. He gave the tenant one month to vacate the place after the checks and balances. After the checks, it was revealed that the landlord drank beer worth N45,000.

Why should I recite National Anthem – 82-year-old ambassaorial nominee asks Senate

The Senate has screened an 82-year-old non-career ambassadorial nominee, Justice Sylvanus Nsofor (retd.), despite refusing to recite the National Anthem.

“Why should I do so”, he queried the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

Recall that Buhari had on January 12, 2017 sent a revised list of 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for approval.

The refusal by the nominee to recite the anthem shocked members of the committee.

The lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, ‎Senator Gbenga Ashafa (APC Lagos East), had asked Nsofor to recite the anthem.

The nominee was, however, asked series of questions which he responded to.

The commitee eventual told Nsofor to take a bow and leave the venue.

Nsofor was born on March 17, 1935,‎ in Oguta, Imo State.

He was a Judge of the High Court of Nigeria, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Lecturer in Law at the Holborn College of Law in London‎.

Obasanjo: Fayose embarrassing Ekiti – APC chieftain, Sunday Adebomi

A gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Sunday Adebomi, has asked Governor Ayo Fayose to stop embarrassing the state with his attacks on senior citizens, particularly, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Fayose had stated that Obasanjo was one of those responsible for the high level of hunger in Nigeria.

He spoke in reaction to Obasanjo’s comment that his generation failed Nigeria.

In a statement on Wednesday, Adebomi said Fayose’s disrespect for elders like Obasanjo was uncalled for and lacked moral value of Yoruba culture.

He noted that statements credited to Fayose constituted an abuse of his position as the governor of the ‘Fountain of Knowledge’.

“Ekiti people are known for being cultured and well groomed to respect the tradition of the Yoruba race, irrespective of their position in the society,” he said.

He told Fayose “to spend his little time left in office on delivering on his promises which he had failed to fulfil to the people of Ekiti State.

“Genuine sons and daughters of Ekiti will no longer fold their arms and watch Governor Fayose bringing the virtue, reputation and integrity of the state into disrepute on the altar of his perpetual political grandstanding”.

He advised Fayose to follow the footsteps of prominent citizens of the state like Chief Afe Babalola, Chief Wole Olanipekun and others whose conducts had brought respect to Ekiti State.

NNPC shuts down Warri refinery

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Wednesday, stated that it had shut down the Warri refinery, due to some technical issues surrounding its operation. Speaking at the ongoing oil and gas conference in Abuja, Mr. Anibor Kragha, Chief Operating Officer, Refineries of the NNPC, stated that presently, only the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries are working, though far below their installed capacity. He disclosed that the two refineries are producing about five million litres of Automotive Gasoline Oil, AGO, as well as Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, and Household Kerosene, HHK. However, he stated that in January 2017, all the four refineries were working, until a few days ago, when the Warri refinery was shut down due to some technical faults. “The only refinery that is having some issues is the one in Warri, because we have a bit of a power challenge and we are working very hard with General Electric, GE, to address that. But in January all of them were working. The whole Port Harcourt refinery has come on stream and they are running well. “Meanwhile the Warri refinery had also started running but there is something with the gas turbine generators that tripped, so it was shut down to make sure we address that, but as you know you cannot start up the equipment without having negative things happen.”

Rohr picks squad for Eagles’ friendly matches

Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr has listed goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, midfielder Ogenyi Onazi and forwards Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho for this month’s international friendly matches against Senegal and Burkina Faso in London. Also included are home –based goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defenders Leon Balogun and William Ekong, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Oghenekaro Etebo and forwards Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi and Moses Simon.

Experienced left back Elderson Echiejile, Portugal –based Chidozie Awaziem, Israel –based John Ogu and Watford FC of England forward Isaac Success are also called. Germany –based forward Noah Joel Bazee and Holland –based defender Tyronne Ebuehi will join up with the squad for the first time, while youngster Victor Osimhen, record top scorer at the FIFA U17 World Cup, returns. The Super Eagles will be up against Senegal’s Teranga Lions on Thursday, 23rd March before taking on the Etalons of Burkina Faso four days later. Both matches will be played at The Hive, home ground of Barnet Football Club. THE FULL LIST Goalkeepers: Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah) Defenders: Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); William Paul Ekong (KAA Gent, Belgium); Kenneth Omeruo (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Uche Henry Agbo (Granada FC, Spain); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Musa Muhammed (FC Zeljeznicar, Bosnia Herzegovina); Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Elderson Echiejile (Sporting Gijon, Spain); Kingsley Madu (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal) Midfielders: Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense, Portugal); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel) Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Isaac Success (Watford FC, England); Noah Joel Bazee (Hannover 96, Germany); Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg FC, Germany)