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    Over 90 Chibok girls are still held by terrorists – Nigerian Military

    The Nigerian military has revealed that ninety-eight students of Government Girls’ Secondary School Chibok of Borno State out of the 276 abducted by Boko Haram terrorists on April 14, 2014, are still in captivity.

    This was disclosed by the head of the Intelligence Unit of the Joint Military Taskforce in the North East Operation Hadinkai, Colonel Obinna Ezuikpe while newsmen at its headquarters, Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri.

    He said; 

     “Out of the 276 abducted Chibok girls, 57 girls escaped in 2014 while 107 girls were released in 2018. Three girls were recovered in 2019, two in 2021 and 9 were rescued in 2022, bringing the total of 178 girls out of captivity and 98 remaining in Boko Haram captivity.”

    On activities of troops of Operation Hadinkai in August 2022, Colonel Ezuipke disclosed that a total of 43 terrorists were neutralized, while 24 others were arrested by the troops in August alone, apart from the over 100 killed in September 2022.

    Troops also recovered several weapons, including 129 AK-47 rifles, 1,515 rounds of ammunitions, 16 FN Rifles, 3 MG, 17 grenades, among others, during the operations.

    He also disclose that the military recorded 26 attacks from the terrorists, and in the process, two soldiers were killed and 9 others sustained various degrees of injury. The military chief added that the troops carried out a total of 2726 patrols and 982 ambushes against the terrorists.

    Commenting on the arrest of suppliers of logistics to Boko Haram, Ezuipke further revealed that from June 2022 till date, a total of 113 people who are suppliers of food, fertiliser and other logistics to the terrorists were arrested.

    Daily Trust reported that he also said troops rescued many women and children, and also destroyed properties and hideouts of the terrorists.

    2023 Elections: ‘Obidient rally’ Organises huge Rally in Enugu (PHOTO, VIDEO)

    Supporters of Mr. Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate, popularly known as ‘Obidients’, shut down Enugu State capital on Saturday.

    The one-million-man march, which commenced at the Michael Okpara Square grounded vehicular movement within the metropolis.

    A mammoth crowd, which increased as the team advanced, moved round the major roads in the State before returning to Okpara Square.

    Commuters, who are facing herculean task in accessing some parts of the State, have resorted to alternative routes.

    Obidient rally in Enugu State

    Obi’s supporters, who cut across various political divides, marched through the capital city singing solidarity songs as they moved.

    The rally was very peaceful as the excited participants conducted themselves in a very peaceful manner.

    Speaking to journalists, Dr. Chima Edoga, Co-Director planning committee, Enugu one-million-man fitness march for ObiDatti Season One, described the rally as a huge success, stressing that “Nigerians are demonstrating their resolve to retake their country.”

    He said the rally, which has been going on across the country, was a demonstration to critics that the masses were Obi’s structures.

    Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s convoy in Anambra was attacked by unknown persons, several aides dead(videos)

    Unknown gunmen attacked the convoy of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah at Enugwu-Ukwu community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra state on Sunday September 11, leaving an unspecified number of his aides dead.

    The gunmen opened fire on the convoy this evening. The police operatives in the convoy responded to the attack but sadly a number of them were killed in the crossfire.

    The senator managed to escape though his bulletproof car was riddled with bullets.

    The spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga confirmed that there was an attack on men of the command at Enugwu-Ukwu, but insisted that the casualty figure remained unknown.

    see full video

    ”The Commissioner of Police Anambra State Command CP Echeng Echeng has today 11/9/2022 lead Operatives to the scene where shootings took place in Enugukwu. 

    Though the details of the incident is still sketchy, operatives are on ground there as operations is going on and the situation is being monitored.”

    5 things to know about Nigerian-born Professor Uju Anya

    A Nigerian-born lecturer Uju Anya sparked global outrage after she took to her verified Twitter handle to mock late Queen Elizabeth II‘s health condition hours before her death.

    In a series of now-deleted tweets, the Professor fired several damning shots at the British empire and the influential role played by the late Queen of Elizabeth II, hoping that her death would be painfully “excruciating.”

    Uju accused Queen Elizabeth II of sponsoring the “genocide” that led to her family being displaced.

    In another tweet, she referenced the alleged role of the British empire in supplying the Nigerian government with arms and ammunition during the nation’s civil war which spanned 1967 – 1970.

    Her post attracted a flurry of reactions including criticisms and backlash.

    Below are five things to know about Professor Uju Anya;

    1. Dr. Uju Anya is a university professor at the Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Modern Languages who currently teaches and researches in applied linguistics, critical sociolinguistics, and critical discourse studies primarily examining race, gender, sexual, and social class identities in new language learning through the experiences of African American students.

    2. Before working at Carnegie Mellon University, Anya served in other prestigious institutions like Penn State University, University of Southern California and Dartmouth College.

    3, She graduated from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Roman languages. Uju Anya earned her Masters degree in Brazilian studies from Brown University and did her Ph.D in applied linguistics from UCLA.

    4. In 2021, the Nigerian Professor who had legally separated from her husband in 2017, announced on Twitter that she had just finalised her divorce with her husband, thus openly revealing that she is lesbian. In a statement released on Twitter, the Professor wrote that her ex-husband knew of her sexuality before they got married, but she only thought at the time she was bisexual.

    5. She is from both Nigerian/Trinidadian origin. Her parents met at the University in England. They got married and moved to Enugu Nigeria. However, after her father took in another wife, her mother took her young children and fled to America.

    [Nation]

    Meet the new british King! Charles III !

    Britain’s new king will be formally known as Charles III after suggestions that Queen Elizabeth II’s heir might have taken a different regnal name.

    Prime Minister Liz Truss on Thursday September 9, hailed Britain’s new monarch King Charles III, and said Britons “must come together as a people to support him”, shortly after the queen’s death was announced.

    “Today the crown passes as it has done for more than 1,000 years to our new monarch, our new head of state, His Majesty King Charles III,” she said, adding: “We must come together as a people to support him, to help him bear the awesome responsibility that he now carries for us all.”

    Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, and the nation’s figurehead for seven decades, died at her home in Scotland aged 96, on Thursday.
     

    Her eldest son, Charles, 73, automatically becomes king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. His wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort.
     

    The queen had been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has called “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year, forcing her to withdraw from nearly all her public engagements.
     

    Her last public engagement came only on Tuesday September 7, when she appointed Liz Truss prime minister – her 15th premier.


    Queen Elizabeth II, who was also the world’s oldest and longest-serving head of state, came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on February 6, 1952, when she was just 25.
     

    Britain’s new king mourned his mother Queen Elizabeth II and said that she was a “cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother” who would be missed around the world.

    Buckingham Palace released an official statement after Charles, 73, ascended the throne following his mother’s 70-year reign:

    “The death of my beloved mother, her majesty the queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.”

    “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms, and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

    “During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the queen was so widely held.”

    Bola Tinubu’s campaign group dismisses Peter Obi’s chances in 2023, explains why

    The Tinubu-Shettima presidential Campaign Group has dismissed the chances of the Labour Party presidential bearer in 2023 general elections, insisting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would win massive votes in almost all the regions in the country.

    Appearing on Arise TV on Thursday, Director of Media and Publicity for the group, Bayo Onanuga said the Southeast region where Obi is from is up for take, reminding Nigerians the APC controls two of the five states in the region.

    “We sure of winning the required votes in all the states in the South-east. APC also has a strong presence in the South-south, especially in Delta and Rivers states. Same thing for the Northeast, Northcentral and Northwest,” Onanuga said.

    Reacting to claims that he accused Obi of breaking the law over his campaign fund issues, Onanuga said, “ “I never said Peter Obi was breaking the law but I did say he is a social media creation and he will pan out very soon. The statement didn’t emanate from us regarding Diaspora funds.

    “We also want to appeal to the media that the issue of Diaspora funds didn’t emanate from us; a lot of people who spread this news don’t represent the party”, he concluded.

    Onanuga said the presidential candidate of the ruling party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would leverage the monumental achievements of the Buhari-led administration when the real campaigns kick off.

    “Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be campaigning based on the bold legacies of the PMB Govt and there are many achievements despite the fake news in the media. Of course, there are challenges but the issues are being redressed.

    “There seem to be a conspiracy in the media not to showcase the achievements of the Government especially the successes against the terrorists and bandits in the North East. Under this administration, the tech sector witnessed a boom which has aided the economy”, Onanuga claimed.

    [NationalDaily]

    Nigerian goes on 30-Year jail over $7 million bank fraud in US

    A Nigerian man, Sulaiman Dosunmu pleaded guilty to his involvement in $7 million bank fraud before the United States District Judge, Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court on Tuesday.

    The 41-year-old resident of Darby, Pennsylvania admitted his role in a bank conspiracy targeted at 12 different financial institutions in southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania. Attorney announced.

    US attorney Philip R. Sellinger, according to the US Department of Justice, said Dosunmu participated in the fraudulent activities between 2016 and 2020.

    The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million which Dosunmu faces as he awaits sentencing slated for January 13, 2023.

    Court’s statements

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, “The defendant was part of a multi-defendant, Nigerian-based criminal organization that engaged in a massive bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Rhode Island, between June 2016 and March 2020.

    “Members of the group acquired numerous business checks that were stolen from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name, and deposited the checks into bank accounts that had been opened with forged foreign passport documents and fraudulent U.S. visas that matched the names on the stolen checks.

    “Once the banks credited all or a portion of the funds to the accounts, but before the checks had cleared, the defendants withdrew the funds from ATMs or purchased money orders, using debit cards associated with the fraudulent accounts.

    “Members of the organization have used over 400 fraudulent accounts opened with fake identity documents to defraud the victim banks. To date, the total loss to the victim banks is approximately $7 million.”

    US DOJ stated further, “Dosunmu admitted using several false identities to open fraudulent bank accounts, making numerous deposits of stolen checks to these accounts, and withdrawing funds from the accounts.

    “Five other conspirators have pleaded guilty and one conspirator was convicted in a trial before Judge Hillman in June 2022. Four of these defendants have pending sentencing hearings before Judge Hillman.

    “Charges against five other defendants remain pending before the District Court; the charges and allegations against them are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”

    [Vanguard]

    These are 10 Things to Know About Queen Elizabeth II’s Life

    Ten things to know about the life of Queen Elizabeth II:

    BRITAIN’S LONGEST-REIGNING MONARCH

    Elizabeth, who marked 70 years on the throne this year, is the oldest and longest-reigning monarch in British history. In September 2015 she surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who reigned for 63 years and seven months.

    In 2016, Elizabeth also became the longest-reigning monarch in the world with the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. In 2022, she became the second-longest-reigning monarch in world history, behind 17th century French King Louis XIV, who took the throne at age 4.

    Apart from Elizabeth and Victoria, only four other monarchs in British history have reigned for 50 years or more: George III (59 years), Henry III (56 years), Edward III (50 years) and James VI of Scotland (58 years.)

    HOME-SCHOOLING

    Like many royals of her time and before, Elizabeth never went to a public school and was never exposed to other students. Instead, she was educated at home with Margaret, her younger sister.

    Among those who taught her was her father, along with a senior teacher at Eton College, several French and Belgian governesses who taught her French, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who taught her religion.

    Elizabeth’s schooling also included learning to ride, swim, dance and the study of fine art and music.

    “NO. 230873”

    During World War II, young Princess Elizabeth briefly became known as No. 230873, Second Subaltern Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of the Auxiliary Transport Service No. 1.

    After months of campaigning for her parents’ permission to do something for the war effort, the heir to the throne learned how to drive and service ambulances and trucks. She rose to the rank of honorary Junior Commander within months.

    ‘GREAT MIMICKER’

    Elizabeth often gave the impression of a serious demeanor, and many have noted her “poker face,” but those who knew her described her as having a mischievous sense of humor and a talent for mimicry in private company.

    Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has said the queen could be “extremely funny in private — and not everybody appreciates how funny she can be.”

    Bishop Michael Mann, the monarch’s domestic chaplain, once said that “the queen imitating the Concorde landing is one of the funniest things you could see.” Ian Paisley, the Northern Irish clergyman and politician, also noted that Elizabeth was a “great mimicker” of him.

    More recently, she showed her mischievous side during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, when she starred in a comic video alongside an animated Paddington Bear and spoke of hiding marmalade sandwiches in her purse.

    ROYAL TAXPAYER

    She may have been the queen, but she paid taxes too — at least since 1992.

    When Windsor Castle, the queen’s weekend residence, was ravaged by fire in 1992, the public rebelled against paying millions of pounds for repairs.

    But she voluntarily agreed to pay tax on her personal income. She said she would meet 70 percent of the cost of restoration work, and she also decided to open her home at Buckingham Palace to the public for the first time to generate extra funds from admission fees.

    LITTLE LILIBET

    The queen was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of York, in honor of her mother, paternal grandmother and paternal great-grandmother. But as a child, she was endearingly known as young Lilibet by her family — said to be because she couldn’t pronounce “Elizabeth” properly.

    In a letter to her grandmother Queen Mary, the young princess wrote: “Dear Granny. Thank you very much for the lovely little jersey. We loved staying at Sandringham with you. I lost a top front tooth yesterday morning,” before signing off, “Love from Lilibet.”

    The nickname became more widely known after Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, named their daughter Lilibet Diana in 2021.

    A STEADFAST ROMANCE

    Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip enjoyed a stable relationship for more 70 years, a union that far outlasted the marriages of three of her four children: Charles, Anne and Andrew.

    “He has been quite simply my strength and stay all these years,” the queen said of Philip on their 50th wedding anniversary.

    Their story began in 1939, when Prince Philip of Greece, a handsome 18-year-old naval cadet, was detailed to entertain the 13-year-old Elizabeth for a day. Several years later, Philip was invited to join the royal family at Windsor Castle at Christmas, and he soon made discreet inquiries whether he would be considered an eligible suitor.

    The couple married in Westminster Abbey in 1947. When Philip died in 2021 at age 99, Elizabeth described his passing as leaving a “huge void” in her life, according to their son, Andrew.

    MULTIPLE BIRTHDAYS

    Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926, but it was sometimes confusing for the public to know when to celebrate.

    There was no universally fixed day for her “official birthday” — it’s either the first, second or third Saturday in June, and was decided by the government.

    In Australia, her birthday was celebrated on the second Monday of June, while in Canada, was marked on a Monday either on or before May 24, Queen Victoria’s birthday.

    Only the queen and those closest to her celebrated her actual birthday in private gatherings.

    HOW MANY CORGIS?

    It’s widely known that Elizabeth loved corgis — Princess Diana reportedly called the dogs the queen’s “moving carpet” because they accompanied her everywhere.

    She owned more than 30 corgis over the years. She also had two “dorgis” — crossbreeds of dachshund and corgi — named Candy and Vulcan.

    Elizabeth was photographed hugging one of the dogs as far back as 1936 at age 10, and was given a corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. The breed was introduced to the royal family by her father, King George VI, in 1933, when he bought a male corgi called Dookie from a local kennel.

    As queen, she also technically owned the thousands of mute swans in open British waters, and had the right to claim all sturgeons, porpoises, whales and dolphins, according to a statute from 1324.

    ‘A PRETTY NICE GIRL’

    The queen inevitably became the subject of pop songs.

    The Beatles immortalized her with the tongue-in-cheek “Her Majesty,” calling her “a pretty nice girl” though “she doesn’t have a lot to say.” The brief song, sung by Paul McCartney and recorded in 1969, appeared at the end of the “Abbey Road” album.

    Other musical treatments weren’t so kind. The Sex Pistols’ anti-monarchist “God Save The Queen,” released right before her Silver Jubilee in 1977, was banned on British television.

    Hacker hooked Russian soldiers attractive women photos, their bases destroyed

    A Russian base was reportedly blown up after a Ukrainian hacker set up fake social media profiles of attractive women and tricked Putin’s troops into giving their position away.

    Speaking to the Financial Times, Nikita Knysh, from Kharkiv, who is an IT professional, explained that he wanted to use his hacking skills to help his country win against Russia and founded group Hackyourmom.


    Nikita, 30, and his group of 30 hackers, tricked Russian soldiers stationed in Melitopol, using fake social media accounts, and got soldiers to send them photographs of them on the front. 

    The hackers used the images to work out that the Russians were at a military base near Melitopol in southern Ukraine. 


    After sending the information to Ukraine’s military, the base was attacked several days later and explosions rang out, according to Ukrainian Pravda. Melitopol’s mayor Ivan Fedorov confirmed the news on Telegram.

    He said: ‘Another explosive night in Melitopol and Myrne village of Melitopol district. At 1 o’clock residents of all districts heard loud explosions.

    ‘The first of them was so strong that windows in some houses shook and plaster fell. We are waiting for confirmation that the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed another base of the occupiers with jewel-like precision strikes. The enemy will never be at peace on our land.’

    Fedorov later said: ‘In Melitopol, one of the largest enemy bases in the territory of the ‘Actovolorlit’ plant was destroyed.’

    Knysh said of the hacking, which led to the alleged attack: ‘The Russians, they always want to f**k. They send out a lot of s**t to ‘girls’ to prove that they are warriors.’ 

    And another team member on Hackyourmom, named only as Maxim, said that after the attack they thought: ‘My first thought was — I am effective, I can help my country.

    ‘Then, I realized, I want more of this — I want to find more bases, again and again.

    It comes as a cyber feud rages on between Russia and Ukraine, with hackers launching ferocious attacks from both sides.
     

    Graham Potter verbally agrees to chelsea’s new coach Chelsea coach

    Graham Potter has verbally agreed on terms of his contract to become Chelsea’s new manager. 

    Chelsea made Potter their No 1 target after sacking Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday September 8, and swiftly received permission from Brighton to speak to him. A substantial compensation payment understood to be about £16m will need to be paid.

    Potter is now going over a few final details of the contract this morning and is expected to be in the Chelsea dugout, along with his Brighton staff, for the Blues’ match against Fulham on Saturday.

    The Seagulls boss was due to speak to the media on Thursday ahead of his current side’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth and is expected to address his exit from the club. 

    Potter quickly emerged as Chelsea’s No 1 target and he was locked in advanced talks with the Blues on Wednesday night, thrashing out an agreement.

    Former Liverpool sporting director, Michael Edwards and ex-Tottenham and Southampton recruitment guru Paul Mitchell are among those being considered by Chelsea.

    Potter, 47, is understood to have a release clause of at least £12m in his contract, meaning Brighton are powerless to stop their manager from leaving. 

    Recruitment analyst Kyle Macaulay and first-team coach Billy Reid are among the Brighton staff set to follow Potter to southwest London.

    Tuchel was sacked on Wednesday hours after his side’s 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb, Chelsea’s third loss in seven games. 

    A Chelsea spokesman said: ‘As the new ownership group continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition.’ 

    Chelsea, who sixth, will now hope they can get an immediate bounce from the imminent arrival of Potter in a bid to breathe new life in their domestic and Champions League campaigns.  

    7000 donkey p3nises intercepted at Lagos International Airport

    Some 7,000 pieces of male donkey genitals being smuggled to Hong Kong, China, have been intercepted by the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Cargo Command of the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) Lagos.

    The Customs’ Area Controller, Sambo Dangaladima,who displayed about 16 sacks of the donkey genitals said the consignment had a duty paid value of N216,212,813.

    Dangaladima said it was the pungent smell from the bags that drew the attention of the customs officials.

    “The importers falsely declared the items as cow genitals. After due examination, my export officers discovered they were donkey genitals. It is the first time we are seizing this type of item. We will not allow such illegal wildlife trade thrive under our watch,” he said.

    7,000 donkey p3nises intercepted at Lagos International Airport
    7,000 donkey p3nises intercepted at Lagos International Airport

    12 Protesters of George Floyd’s death to get $540,000 from US city

    Twelve protesters who were arrested by the law enforcement agencies during a peaceful rally against the murder of George Floyd in 2020 will receive $540,000.


    According to their attorneys, the amount of money was a settlement from Cleveland, a city in Ohio, the United States of America, the Associated Press reports.


    The reports, on Wednesday, said some of the 12 demonstrators sustained minor injuries, including being hit with pepper spray during protests on May 30, 2020, which were organised after Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.


    A former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in April 2021 of murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death after pressing his knee on the Black American’s neck for more than nine minutes.

    Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and half years in prison.


    A civil rights lawyer, Sarah Gelsomino and her colleague, Terry Gilbert who filed lawsuits against the city of Cleveland disclosed that those arrested had protested peacefully and caused no destruction or violence, but still ended up in jail.

    After winning the case and speaking on the settlement, Gelsomino said they will share the money equally. She also said the city has agreed to remove the charges from the records of the protestors.

    Gelsomino said the city of Cleveland has consistently ignored First Amendment expression despite training and policies intended to educate officers.

    Police “were unprepared, they were untrained, they were unsupervised, and they didn’t like the message on May 30, and they acted out,” she said.

    Gilbert told Cleveland.com that as a part of the settlement, in addition to assisting those charged, removed their criminal records, the city will also provide more training to officers to handle crowd control at future events.

    A similar racial injustice protest in Columbus resulted in 32 people receiving $5.75 million in settlements.

    Sad News! Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96

    Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years, BBC has reported.

    Her family gathered at her Scottish estate after concerns grew about her health earlier on Thursday.

    The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.

    With her death, her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms.

    In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

    “The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

    All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.

    Her grandson, Prince William, is also there, with his brother, Prince Harry, on his way.

    Queen Elizabeth II’s tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK’s entry into – and withdrawal from – the European Union.

    Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Liz Truss, born 101 years later in 1975, and appointed by the Queen earlier this week.

    She held weekly audiences with her prime minister throughout her reign.

    At Buckingham Palace in London, crowds awaiting updates on the Queen’s condition began crying as they heard of her death. The Union flag on top of the palace was lowered to half-mast at 18:30 BST.

    The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926.

    Few could have foreseen she would become monarch but in December 1936 her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated from the throne to marry the twice-divorced American, Wallis Simpson.

    Elizabeth’s father became King George VI and, at age 10, Lilibet, as she was known in the family, became heir to the throne.

    Within three years, Britain was at war with Nazi Germany. Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, spent much of wartime at Windsor Castle after their parents rejected suggestions they be evacuated to Canada.

    After turning 18, Elizabeth spent five months with the Auxiliary Territorial Service and learned basic motor mechanic and driving skills. “I began to understand the esprit de corps that flourishes in the face of adversity,” she recalled later.

    Through the war, she exchanged letters with her third cousin, Philip, Prince of Greece, who was serving in the Royal Navy. Their romance blossomed and couple married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, with the prince taking the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

    She would later describe him as “my strength and stay” through 74 years of marriage, before his death in 2021, aged 99.

    –BBC

    Divorce: Woman begged court to dissolve her marriage over excessive ‘knacking’

    A housewife, Zainab Yunusa, has asked a Sharia Court sitting in Magajin Gari, Kaduna to dissolve her marriage to her husband, Ali Garba, for his unusual sex demands.

    The plaintiff told the court on Wednesday that Mr Garba demanded for sex even while she was menstruating and during the Ramadan fast.

    Ms Yunusa said they lived together only for a year as couple, adding that she moved to her parents’ house over the matter.

    The plaintiff explained that during their stay together, Mr Garba usually come home in the afternoon when she was on her menstrual cycle to demand for sex, which is against Islamic doctrine.

    “During Ramadan fasting, he usually comes back home in the afternoon and demands for sex and whenever I refuse, he gets angry and always gets offended.

    “And when I ask him for food, he usually replies that I should go and meet my boyfriend to feed me.

    “He never trusted me to the extent that he never allowed anybody including my male or female relatives to visit me,” she told the court.

    The woman said she run away from her matrimonial home, as she could not satisfy her husband’s appetite for sex.

    She, therefore, prayed the court to dissolve the marriage, as she was not ready to succumb to her husband’s unusual sex demands in disobedience to God.

    The husband, however, denied the claims, saying that Yunusa had filed many allegations against him in different courts.

    Mr Garba, told the court through his counsel, M.A Sambo, that his wife’s mother went to his house in his absence, packed and sold his properties, before leaving with her daughter.

    He said that the mother had promised to return all that they took from his house during a settlement meeting.

    He listed items removed to include a set of chairs worth N100,000, a television set, two refrigerators, N35,000 worth of plates and other kitchen utensils, 20 yards of leather carpet and a mattress worth N15,000.

    Mr Garba prayed the court to consider his request for return of his properties as a precondition for his acceptance of the divorce request.

    The Judge, Murtala Nasir, after listening to both parties, ordered the plaintiff to come to court with her mother on the next hearing date.

    He adjourned the case to Sept. 27, for the continuation of hearing.

    NAN

    Breaking! China approves world’s first inhaled Covid vaccine, Convidecia Air

    China has become the first country to green-light an inhaled Covid-19 vaccine, known as Convidecia Air, paving the way for potential use of the needle-free product in the country, where suppressing the spread of Covid-19 remains a top priority.

    The vaccine maker, CanSino Biologics, said in a statement Sunday that China’s medicines regulator had approved the inhaled dose for emergency use as a booster vaccine.

    The product delivers a vaccine dose through a puff of air from a nebulizer that is then inhaled by mouth.

    CanSino’s injected Convidecia Covid-19 vaccine is already in use in China and has been approved in a handful of other countries.

    According to a database maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO), CanSino’s new product is one of two specifically “inhaled” vaccines that had reached clinical phase development, as a number of companies worldwide research innovative ways to deliver Covid-19 protection via the nose and mouth.

    The clearance of the inhaled shot, which the company said needed to fulfill additional steps before going to market, comes as multiple Chinese cities enforce large-scale Covid lockdowns and mass testing drives in response to small-scale outbreaks.

    China continues to adhere to a stringent zero-Covid policy, even as the rest of the world learns to live with the virus.

    Pressure on officials to get outbreaks under control is mounting in the lead-up to a twice-a-decade political meeting next month, where Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to break with tradition and step into a third term.

    More than 70 Chinese cities have been placed under full or partial Covid lockdown since late August, impacting more than 300 million people, according to a CNN tally.

    A low vaccination rate among the elderly is one medical reason used by Chinese authorities to justify the ongoing disease control measures.

    Meanwhile, new variants of the coronavirus have impacted the protection offered by first-generation vaccines around the world, including China’s homegrown vaccines that provide less robust antibody protection compared with mRNA vaccines developed in the West.

    Booster and vaccination campaigns — and the development of next-generation products — are ongoing within China.

    Convidecia Air boosting immunity

    It remains unclear what place the new inhaled vaccine will fill in this landscape. CanSino cautioned in a company filing that some regulatory steps remain before the vaccine can go to market, and said its product would face “fierce competition” domestically, where nine vaccines have so far received authorization.

    University of Hong Kong virologist Jin Dong-Yan, who was not involved in the development of the vaccine, said that it was difficult to say what impact the product would have if used in China, as more data was needed to understand the protection it offers, including against infection.

    However, shots that could offer so-called mucosal immunity by being delivered in the nose or mouth could be a good option for use as additional boosters in China, Jin said, given the low levels of natural immunity in its population, where only a small fraction of people has had Covid.

    Studies have indicated that people who have been infected with Covid gain this kind of immunity, which is not the focus of protection for injected vaccines.

    “These [kinds of vaccines] might be particularly important for China, because all over the world in the general population, we have a mixed type of immunity [from both vaccination and natural infection] … and [these vaccines] might be similar to natural infection in terms of inducing mucosal immunity,” he said, adding real world data was needed to confirm this.

    “Different types of [second-generation] vaccines should be studied and developed to help boost the herd immunity in the general population, which is a big issue [for] China,” he said.

    In a news release, CanSino said Convidecia Air “can induce strong humoral, cellular and mucosal immunity.”

    The manufacturer didn’t provide data to support those claims, but referred to studies in The Lancet medical journal.

    In a small study published in August, CanSino researchers reported that in people who’d had two injected doses of the CoronaVac vaccine, a booster of the inhaled vaccine increased antibody levels compared with a third injected dose of CoronaVac.

    CoronaVac, a shot developed by Beijing-based Sinovac used widely in China and globally, uses a different kind of technology from Convidecia, so the inhaled dose provided a heterologous, or mix-and-match, boost.

    The study didn’t test whether the inhaled dose kept people from getting infected or preventing them from passing Covid on to others.

    Globally, drug manufacturers are racing to make next-generation vaccines that can improve protection against Covid, including those that use innovative methods of delivering doses.

    Clinical trials are underway to test more than a dozen spray vaccines to see if they can create so-called mucosal immunity. This boosts certain antibodies in the nose and mouth, specifically, with the goal of preventing an infection from taking hold in the first place.

    There’s hope that these non-shot vaccines, which are given as drops, sprays or tablets to the mouth and nose, may also prevent the infection from spreading from person to person — something injected vaccines don’t do very well following the emergence of new variants of the virus.

    CanSino’s Convidecia vaccine is similar to the Johnson & Johnson and Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines. It uses a harmless virus called an adenovirus to ferry instructions for making Covid’s spike proteins into cells so the body can create antibodies against them.

    CNN, however, reported that none of CanSino’s products have been authorized for use in the United States, but the World Health Organization earlier this year listed the injected version of Convidecia for emergency use.

    Appeal Court fixes new date for Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal

    The Appeal Court has scheduled Tuesday next week for the hearing of the appeal filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, against the Federal Government.

    Kanu is challenging the remaining seven count charges filed against him by the Nigerian government.


    Justice Binta Nyako of an Abuja Federal High Court, on April 8, struck out eight out of the 15-count treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against Kanu.

    Following the ruling, Kanu headed to the Appeal Court to challenge the remaining charges.


    However, the court initially fixed October 11, 2022, for the hearing of the appeal.


    But, the court recanted and fixed Tuesday next week for the hearing of the appeal.

    The new date was disclosed by Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor.

    A statement by Ejiofor reads: “Our Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CR/ 625/2022; between Nnamdi Kanu vs the Federal Republic of Nigeria, earlier scheduled for Hearing on the 11th Day of October, 2022, has been brought forward to the 13th day of September, 2022.

    “Your relentless prayers and supplications are positively impacting.

    “It, therefore, means that hearing on Onyendu’s Appeal challenging the remaining Seven count Charge filed against him, will now be coming up for Hearing at the Court of Appeal Abuja, next Tuesday, being the 13th Day of September, 2022.”


    Kanu is standing trial before Justice Nyako over his agitation for the actualization of Biafra.

    The IPOB leader has been locked since he was arrested and repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya last year.

    US restricts technology firms from investing and building factories in China for 10 years

    The US government has banned its tech companies that receive federal funding from building “advanced technology” facilities in China for 10 years, the Biden administration has said.


    The guidelines were unveiled as part of a $50bn (£43bn) plan aimed at building up the local semiconductor industry in the US and comes following calls in the US to reduce reliance on China, a major producer of semi-conductors in the world.

    Reliance on China for semiconductors has led to global microchip shortage which has slowed production of electronics and machines in the US.

    “We’re going to be implementing the guardrails to ensure those who receive CHIPS funds cannot compromise national security… they’re not allowed to use this money to invest in China, they can’t develop leading-edge technologies in China…. for a period of ten years,”  US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on  Wednesday, September 7 while explaining the US Chips and Science Act.

    “Companies who receive the money can only expand their mature node factories in China to serve the Chinese market.”


    The US and China have been locked in a long-running dispute over trade and technology.


    In August, US President Joe Biden had signed a law committing $280bn (£232bn) to high tech manufacturing and scientific research, amid fears that the US is losing its technological edge to China.


    The investments include tax breaks for companies that build computer chip manufacturing plants in the US.


    The US currently produces roughly 10% of the global supply of semiconductors, which are key to everything from cars to mobile phones, down from nearly 40% in 1990.

    ‘Kaduna train attack’ negotiator, Tukur Mamu arrested in Egypt via InterPol, currently in DSS custody

    Mallam Tukur Mamu, the lead negotiator between terrorists and the passengers kidnapped from a Kaduna-bound train in March, has been arrested in Cairo, capital of Egypt, with his family members.

    According to Daily Trust, the Kaduna-based publisher of Desert Herald newspaper, was arrested on the orders of the Nigerian Government.

    Mamu, who was on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj, was detained at the Cairo International Airport for 24 hours and is being repatriated back to Nigeria.

    Speaking with Daily Trust, Mamu said he left Nigeria on Tuesday and after being investigated by the Egyptian security agencies, nothing incriminating was found in his possession.

    Mamu insinuated a plan by the Nigerian government to detain him in another country just as was done to Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, but that could not happen because the Egyptian government found that his papers were genuine.

    It will be recalled that Mamu pulled out of the negotiation with terrorists after he alleged a threat to his life and attempted blackmail by the Nigerian Government.

    ******

    The Department of State Services (DSS) says the arrested Kaduna-Abuja train hostage negotiator, Tukur Manu, is now in their custody.

    A statement released by Peter Afunanya, spokesperson of the agency, says Manu, as a person of interest, was intercepted by Nigeria’s foreign partners in Cairo, Egypt on 6th September 2022 while on his way to Saudi Arabia.

    ”He has since been returned to the country, today, 7th September, 2022 and taken into the Service’s custody. The act followed a request by Nigeria’s Military, Law Enforcement and Intelligence Community to their foreign partners to bring back Manu to the country” the statement in part read

    Afunanya stated that Manu was brought in to answer critical questions on ongoing investigations relating to some security matters in parts of the country. He assured the public that the law will appropriately take its course in the investigation.

    Thomas Tuchel will be paid off £13M with an extra £2M to his staff

    Chelsea’s sacking of Thomas Tuchel is set to cost the club around £15m.


    According to Sportsmail, the German was one of the Premier League’s top earners, on a salary in the region of £13m a year. With his backroom staff set to follow him out of the door, the total cost to Chelsea’s new American owners is likely to be closer to the £15m mark.

    It was also disclosed that the decision to sack Tuchel was made even before Chelsea’s shock 1-0 Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night, September 7, following £271 million spent on new players.

    Brighton’s Graham Potter is being considered as his replacement with Chelsea looking to make an appointment before their next match at Fulham on Saturday.

    In a statement, Chelsea wrote: ‘On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, the Club would like to place on record its gratitude to Thomas and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the Club. 

    ‘Thomas will rightly have a place in Chelsea’s history after winning the Champions League, the Super Cup and Club World Cup in his time here.

    ‘As the new ownership group reaches 100 days since taking over the Club, and as it continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition.’

    Tuchel was appointed as Chelsea manager in January 2021, replacing the sacked Frank Lampard less than a month after being relieved of his duties at Paris Saint-Germain.

    He guided the club to a second Champions League triumph when they beat Manchester City in an all-English final in Porto and followed it up with Super Cup and Club World Cup successes.

    The former Borussia Dortmund coach also led the Blues to two successive FA Cup finals and the Carabao Cup final.

    Goodnews! Nigeria to become major gas supplier to Europe – Sylva says

    epa00884785 (File) Picture dated 28 June 2004 shows natural gas and oil facilities on Bonny Island in Nigeria . OPEC ministers gathered in Nigeria Thursday 14 December 2006 at the opening of the 143rd OPEC conference in Abuja to discuss oil production restrictions, with growing consensus in the cartel that lower output is needed to support prices. EPA/STR

    Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, says Nigeria is positioning to become a major gas supplier to Europe following the global energy crisis caused by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

    Mr Sylva spoke on Tuesday during a panel session at the 50th Anniversary Edition of Gastech Conference 2022 in Milan, Italy.

    The panel had the topic: “Just Energy Transition for Developing Nations.”

    The minister maintained that funding of gas development actually at this point was a win-win for Europe and Africa.

    He said: “Today we are seeing gas being weaponised and every country will at least require some alternative supply.

    “So, we are positioning ourselves to be an alternative supplier to Europe. We are already working with Algeria to build the Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline that is going to take our gas all the way to Europe.

    “We are also having a partnership with Morocco to extend the West Africa Gas Pipeline to Morocco and across the Mediterranean to Europe.

    “We believe that Europe needs this gas and it is a win-win for all of us and it is in their interest to reduce these discriminatory investments that their banks are doing.”

    Mr Sylva said during a recent meeting with a European delegation to Nigeria, he had advised them to provide appropriate policy framework for their banks to enable investment in oil and gas.

    “For Europe, we don’t know how the winter is going to be but for us, we know that gas is going to be with us for some time and it is in our collective interest for us to provide funding for gas.

    “For Nigeria, we just need a few interventions. We need collaboration, and of course we need funding and then technology.

    “By the time we get this together, we should be able to unlock a lot of gas.

    “Today, we have over 200TCF of proven gas reserves and we know that if we really target gas exploration we can increase this figure to up to 600TCF of gas,” he said.

    According to him, with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which has provided a clear fiscal framework for gas development, Nigeria will be able to attract more investment to the sector and increase its reserves.

    Mr Sylva said: “As a country, we are also increasing our investment in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). We were producing about 22MTPA of LNG but we are building a train to increase it to 30MTPA.

    “We are also planning to increase our gas production which is about 8 billion cubic feet per day (cf/d) to about 12. 2 billion cf/d.

    “We have declared the year 2021 to year 2030 as the Decade of Gas, so we are focused on actually investing in gas.”

    The minister reiterated that Nigeria had adopted gas as its energy transition fuel and was committed to achieving its net zero carbon emission target.

    He said the Federal Government was also looking at investing in Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) technology.

    “We believe that is the direction to go. We believe that it is not about renewable energy but about clean energy.

    “We want to see how we can engage and deploy CCUS technology to clean our hydrocarbons. For us, we believe that is the way to go,” Mr Sylva said.

    2023 Election: “There is a plot to make Shettima President – Awolowo’s daughter warns

    Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, the daughter of Nigerian nationalist and statesman, Obafemi Awolowo has alleged that there is plot to get rid of Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) if he wins the 2023 election.

    She revealed that the plan is to get rid of Tinubu and install his running mate, Kashim Shettima as president.

    While addressing newsmen in Lagos, Awolowo-Dosunmu claimed that the plan may be perfected immediately after the 2023 swearing-in.

    She said those behind the plot would take advantage of Tinubu’s deteriorating medical condition.

    Dosunmu however, appealed to Yorubas to stop being sentimental and tribalist about the three major candidates contesting for the office of the presidency.

    “They are plotting against Tinubu; Yorubas should wake up. They are aware of Tinubu’s medical condition.

    “All they are planning is, immediately after handing over and swearing-in, they are going to get rid of Tinubu and Sheetima will be your next president if you are not careful.

    “Yorubas have to wake up and not allow emotions to lead us,” she said.

    Britain get a new Prime Minister – Liz TRUSS

    Liz Truss has taken office as British prime minister after meeting Queen Elizabeth II for a ceremonial transfer of power showcasing centuries of tradition. 

    Boris Johnson formally offered his resignation to the queen at Balmoral, her castle in Scotland, after delivering a farewell address outside his Downing Street office early on Tuesday.

    Truss, who was announced as the leader of the ruling Conservative Party a day earlier, is now the 15th leader of the queen’s reign and the country’s third female prime minister. She was formally appointed during her own subsequent audience with the monarch.

    This was the first time in the queen’s 70-year reign that the handover of power took place at her summer retreat, rather than at Buckingham Palace in London.

    The ceremony, known as “kissing hands,” was moved to Scotland to provide certainty about the schedule because of the 96-year-old’s mobility problems.

    Truss, 47, takes office a day after the Conservative Party’s 172,000 members elected her to lead their party.

    She disclosed that her priority is cutting taxes and slashing regulations to fuel economic growth. 

    After winning the race to succeed Johnson, Truss promised to “deliver” on the economy, the energy crisis, and the country’s overstretched health care system, though she offered few specifics on her policies.

    The first task for Truss will be to appoint a Cabinet to tackle the government’s mountain of challenges as she will face multiple foreign policy crises, including the war in Ukraine and frosty post-Brexit relations with the European Union.

    As foreign secretary, Truss was a firm supporter of Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion, and as prime minister, she will continue the U.K.’s civilian and military support for Kyiv.

    She has said her first phone call with a world leader will be to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    Breaking: Thomas Tuchel sacked after their defeat to Dinamo

    Chelsea have sacked manager Thomas Tuchel after their 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb following £271 million spent on new players.


    This is coming after the club’s slow start to the Premier League season before their Champions League campaign got off to a nightmare start as they lost to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night, September 6. 

    New owner Todd Boehly has wasted no time to fire Tuchel from his position after spending £271 million on new players during the summer transfer market. 


    A club statement read: “Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with Head Coach Thomas Tuchel.


    “On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, the Club would like to place on record its gratitude to Thomas and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the Club.

    “Thomas will rightly have a place in Chelsea’s history after winning the Champions League, the Super Cup and Club World Cup in his time here.

    “As the new ownership group reaches 100 days since taking over the Club, and as it continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition.


    “Chelsea’s coaching staff will take charge of the team for training and the preparation of our upcoming matches as the Club moves swiftly to appoint a new head coach. There will be no further comment until a new head coach appointment is made.”


    Tuchel was appointed as Chelsea manager in January 2021, replacing the sacked Frank Lampard less than a month after being relieved of his duties at Paris Saint-Germain.


    He guided the club to a second Champions League triumph when they beat Manchester City in an all-English final in Porto and followed it up with Super Cup and Club World Cup successes.


    The former Borussia Dortmund coach also led the Blues to two successive FA Cup finals and the Carabao Cup final.

    A Russian regiment allegedly ‘refused fighting’ due to lack of food and no pay

    Russian commanders in occupied southern Ukraine are facing mass mutinies as entire regiments reportedly refuse to fight due to a lack of basic supplies and no pay.

    The Russian 127th regiment of the 1st army corps reportedly ignored orders to join a battle near the southern city of Kherson, according to intelligence cited by Ukraine’s southern operational command.

    Mail Online reported that Soldiers who led the mutiny told superiors they could not fight because they had endured weeks of water shortages and scarce rations, all while not receiving their paychecks. 

    Russia’s GRU and FSB intelligence agencies ‘investigated’ the individuals responsible for leading the revolt and ‘removed’ them from their positions, according to Ukraine’s military.

    The mutineers are likely to face a harrowing fate as they will all be shipped off to detention centres in Russian-occupied territory before being forced into returning to the front lines or held in awful conditions and tortured.

    It comes as Kremlin-installed local government officials in Kherson said they were forced to suspend a ‘referendum’ on whether the city should join the Russian Federation due to safety concerns amid Ukrainian counter-offensives in the region.

    The 127th regiment is just one of several Russian units which have chosen to ignore orders amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

    In the footage, the commander can be heard saying: ‘Our company overcame cold and hunger and for a considerable period we did so without material support, medical supplies or food.

    ‘The mobilisation of our unit took place without any medical examinations, and there are those among our unit who in accordance with the laws of the Donetsk People’s Republic should not be mobilised. 

    ‘Many questions arise that are ignored by command… Show respect for your officers – what is there to be gained from sending your soldiers to die?’

    Team of doctors removes 100-pound tumor from woman’s body (graphic photos)

    Doctors have removed a 100-pound tumour from a woman’s body that she had been living with for five years.

    The Brazilian woman, who stood 4-foot-9 and weighed 330 pounds, had reported to the clinic after suffering from shortness of breath, allegedly caused by the massive tumour.

    There, doctors discovered that her midsection harbored a tumor weighing 100 pounds — as much as a baby hippo and comprising nearly a third of her body weight.

    100-pound tumor

    Surgeons removed the tumour in an operation that lasted 2 hours, giving the woman a new lease on life.

    Photos of the tumour are currently blowing up on Facebook after Dr. Boechat shared them online. The photos depict the growth before and after extraction from the woman’s body.

    “It is not every day you operate on a tumor of that size!” presiding surgeon Glaucio Boechat told Jam Press of the unprecedented procedure, which went down on Aug. 31 at the Hospital São José do Avaí in Rio de Janeiro.

    100-pound tumor

    He added: “It was the biggest tumor I have operated on and certainly one of the biggest that anyone has ever removed.”

    After a brief evaluation, the team decided to remove the titanic tumor immediately.

    100-pound tumor

    “There were about 13 or 14 people in the operating theatre,” Boechat described. “The whole hospital mobilized to perform the procedure for the patient.”

    Two hours later, the tumour was extracted and the patient is “stable, and breathing without the help of any equipment,” according to the doctor.

    Scientists speculated that the mass originated in the woman’s uterus but won’t know for sure until the results of the biopsy arrive in approximately 20 days, Jam Press reported.

    Over 38,000 doctors support Peter Obi’s Presidential ambition, promise 25M votes

    No fewer than 38,000 medical doctors and other health workers have thrown their weight behind the presidential bid of Mr Peter Obi, the standard bearer of the Labour Party. 

    They also promised to mobilise 25 million votes for the former governor of Anambra state through free nationwide medical outreach programmes at the grassroots level under the aegis of Docs and Medics for Peter Obi.

    This is even as the National Woman Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Ada Orji Nwanyanwu, dumped the party and led other women politicians across the country to the Labour Party.

    Speaking during the presentation of working tools by three support groups to the Labour Party’s campaign council at the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, the convener of Docs and Medics for Peter Obi, Dr Uche Uzoukwu, explained how the group plans to deliver the 25 million votes in 2023.

    He stated: “Nurses, doctors and pharmacists are coming together under the name docs and medics for Peter Obi. Politics is a game of numbers and everyone is important. Therefore, 11,000 doctors, 27,000 medics have come together and have formed even state groups.

    “We are reaching out to the local governments and have moved down to the wards and leaders have been inaugurated. We are moving down to the polling units and have 500,000 to grow and encourage them to get in touch with 50 people as the attend to patients. With this, we can have 25 million votes.

    “We want to deliver 25 million votes, by giving right to life and to be well, the votes can be gathered. Medical outreaches have been in place and is still being used. Community members at the outreaches are encouraged to vote Peter Obi with a promise that the exercise will continue once Labour Party wins,” he said.

    Lamenting the poor state of the nation’s health sector, Uzoukwu said Obi has the capacity to tackle brain drain; stressing that the doctors and the medics would stay behind after the 2023 elections to develop the sector.

    He recalled that during the window period of PVC registration, the group had paid for logistics for persons without voter cards to be registered by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), noting that such was done in 26 states and 52 different locations where thousands were registered.

    Earlier, the National Chairman of Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, said the country has never experienced democracy since 1999, but will however begin on its course come 2023 when the former Anambra governor is voted in as president.

    He stated that the ruling All Peoples Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party were never owned by the people but by those who funded it, adding that he who blows the piper, dictates the tune of the music.

    Abure also lampooned that persons who had claimed that the party is without structure, saying such narrative owing have been buried due to the rising popularity of the party.

    The event also coincided with the defection of the National Woman Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Ada Orji Nwanyanwu and other women politicians to the LP.

    According to Nwanyanwu, she was leaving APGA because “Peter Obi has the answer to the challenges facing Nigeria.”

    Russian citizens to pay €80 and provide more documents before granted EU Visas

    The European Union has proposed to make it more expensive and harder for Russian citizens to get visas with visa fees to increase from 35 (£30; $34) to €80 (£69; $79) plus a lengthier application process for Russians wanting to enter the EU.

    The proposal by the EU will continue as long as Russia wages its war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU Commission said on Tuesday, September 6.


    The proposal by the EU comes after EU migration data revealed that more than a million Russians have travelled to EU countries since the invasion of Ukraine in February.

    Margaritis Schinas, the EU Commission vice-president, said Russia had “completely undermined” the trust on which the existing EU-Russia visa agreement was based.


    Under the proposals, Russian citizens will face:

    -Higher fees of €80 rather than €35
    -A lengthier application process
    -Restrictions on multi-entry visas
    -A longer required list of supporting documents.


    Separately, the EU Commission is proposing that the member states refuse to recognise Russian passports issued in occupied Ukraine.


    “Russians should not have easy access to the European Union and travelling to the EU as a tourist is not a human right,” said EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson.

    Under the previous EU-Russia visa agreement, Russians had for 15 years enjoyed an easy process for getting EU visas.

    EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, tweeted on Tuesday that the visa agreement should be suspended as there “can be no business as usual” with Russia.

    The visa move comes after a decision by EU foreign ministers last week to suspend the existing visa agreement with Moscow.


    Since the war, some EU countries bordering Russia like Finland had already begun to tighten border controls.


    Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov last week admitted that the EU decision would make life more difficult for Russian travellers, calling the proposal “another ridiculous decision in a series of ongoing absurdities”.

    2023 Elections: I Will Stage Biggest Rally For Peter Obi – Charly Boy Says

    A renowned musician and actor, Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy, has said he will organise the biggest rally ever for the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.


    Charly Boy declared this on his verified Twitter handle on Thursday adding that he has publicly endorsed Obi for the 2023 presidential election.

    The septuagenarian artiste had said in June that he would relocate to Ghana if either Bola Tinubu or Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) respectively wins next year’s presidential election.


    Charly Boy was with his colleague in the music industry, Seun Kuti when Obi visited last month.


    “Finally, on Kakaaki today, I publicly endorsed Peter Obi. Before this month runs out I would stage the biggest rally ever,” Charly Boy said.

    Kylian Mbappe stands with Paul Pogba in his alleged extortion scandal

    Kylian Mbappe has laughed off claims that Paul Pogba asked a witch doctor to cast a spell on him, insisting he ‘prefers to believe the word’ of his France team-mate.

    Recall, that Pogba’s brother Mathias has published multiple videos to social media promising ‘great revelations’ about the Juventus star. In one of the videos, he alleged that his brother sought to put a curse upon Mbappe, something Paul Pogba has strenuously denied. 

    The French striker has now addressed the allegations at a press conference ahead of Juventus vs Paris Saint-Germain clash in Champions League this week.

    ‘Today I prefer to believe the word of my team-mate,’ Mbappe said. 

    ‘It is his word against the word of his brother, I am going to believe my team-mate. 

    ‘It’s not a time to put more onto him. I’m pretty detached from it all.’ 

    Pogba has publicly denied the allegations of witchcraft against Mbappe, who earlier spoke to his team-mate for clarity on how he has been dragged into this row. However, Mbappe is now ready to move on from it. 

    ‘He called me, he gave his version of the facts,’ Mbappe added. 

    Pogba reportedly confirmed to investigators that he did seek the help of a witch doctor but for the sole purpose of warding off injuries and not to target any team-mate.

    The midfielder’s brother Mathias took to Twitter to address Mbappe directly over the witchcraft allegation.

    ‘Kylian, do you understand now?’ he wrote. 

    ‘I have nothing against you, what I am saying is for your own good, everything is true and known, the witch doctor is known!’

    The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Friday September 2, that they have opened a formal judicial investigation into allegations by Pogba that he was the target of extortion attempts and threats from an organised gang.

    Russia postpones ‘referendum’ in Ukraine’s ‘Kherson’ as Ukraine regains its lands

    The Russian military authorities in Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson have postponed its referendum on joining Russia, citing security reasons.

    The announcement comes as Ukraine says its forces have recaptured Vysokopillya, a town some 167km (104 miles) north of central Kherson.

    The  regaining of the territory is part of a counter-offensive in the south launched by the Ukrainian army last week.

    Russia postpones 'referendum' in Ukraine's 'Kherson' as Ukraine regains its lands


    Ukraine and its Western allies have denounced the referendum plans by Russia in occupied Kherson and other areas as illegal.


    “This (referendum) is being paused because of the security situation,” said Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-appointed administration in Kherson.


    Speaking on Russian state TV, Mr Stremousov said Ukrainian shelling had damaged Kherson’s Antonovskiy Bridge to such an extent that vehicles could no longer cross it.

    He said barges transporting civilians across the Dnieper (Dnipro) river were also coming under Ukrainian fire, as was the city’s infrastructure.


    He said heavy Ukrainian shelling had made a key Kherson bridge impassable.


    The Russians have relied on the bridge to bring troops and hardware in and out of Kherson.

    Russia has been planning referendums in Kherson and the southern Zaporizhzhia region, most of which it controls.

    In recent weeks, Ukraine has deployed US-made Himars multiple rocket launchers in its drive to push the Russians out of the city of Kherson the first to fall to them after their 24 February invasion.

    Back in 2014, Russian authorities held a referendum in annexed Crimea but it was not recognised internationally

    Benjamin Mendy’s case Update: ‘Woman woke up to find footballer raping her’

    A 19-year-old woman was allegedly raped by soccer star Benjamin Mendy as she was sleeping after a party at his mansion home, a court heard yesterday.

    The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Mendy rape trial: ‘All I remember is waking up to Ben being on top of me.’

    She fought back tears as she told the jury at Chester Crown Court in a pre-recorded video interview that she had been to a night club with the footballer and then back for a pool party at his £4.8 million mansion in Prestbury, Cheshire.

    She is one of three women who claim they were raped by the Manchester City defender at the two-day party on the 23 to 24 July last year.

    The witness, who was 19 at the time, said she and a friend had been to Mendy’s house and then onto a nightclub in Manchester before returning to the mansion for more drinks and a swim in the pool.

    She said she had champagne, tequila and rose wine and described herself as ‘six out of ten drunk’.

    She said she announced that she was tired and was shown to a bedroom by one of Mendy’s friends.

    She changed out of the bikini she had brought with her and into her underwear and fell asleep, alone, in the double bed.

    The witness said it was between 4 and 5 a.m. when she went to sleep in a double bed in the room.

    She tearfully told the court that she woke to find Mendy having sex with her from behind.

    She said: ‘I remember waking up with him on top of me. I was like on my side and he was behind me. I had gone to sleep and then he was on top of me. 

    ‘He was inside me. I remember saying that I did not want to do anything because I was on my period. It was only a few seconds and I remember him taking it out.

    ‘He did not say a word but he handed me a towel to put under me.’

    The interviewing police officer asked her: ‘Is there any chance that he thought you wanted to have sex with him that day?’

    She replied: ‘No, because I didn’t even know him that well.’

    The witness said that she left Mr Mendy’s house the following afternoon and later learned that her friend had also claimed that she was raped by Mendy at the same party.

    She said the friend had sent her a message on Snapchat and added: ‘She didn’t go into detail, she just said something had happened to her. 

    ‘I think I wanted to tell her about what happened to me but I just shut it off.’

    The jury has been told that it is alleged that Mendy had raped the friend when she was on a sofa in the living room of the house. 

    The friend had no recollection of the alleged assault but a later DNA sample showed that she had also had sex with Mendy’s friend and alleged fixer Louis Saha Matturie.

    The witness who claimed Mendy raped her in the bedroom while she was asleep admitted in the interview that she had consensual sex with Mendy two or three months earlier after meeting him at a party in Saha’s flat in Salford.

    She told the court: ‘We had sex. It was just a one night thing. I was sober and It was entirely consensual.’

    The witness was cross-examined by Ms Eleanor Laws QC, for Mendy, and admitted exchanging messages with a friend about the sex with Mendy in the flat.

    Ms. Laws said the messages showed that the encounter was in March last year and it was the first time she had ever met Mr Mendy.

    Ms. Laws said: ‘Do you remember saying you did not know him that well?’

    The witness replied: ‘He does not really interact with people at parties so I did not know him that well.’

    She admitted that the following day she had messaged a friend and said: ‘I slept with a famous Manchester City footballer last night.’

    The friend replied: ‘Next time get an autograph or a signed shirt, ha ha.’

    The witness had replied: ‘Ha ha…imagine.’

    In another message to the friend she said: ‘I keep remembering things I did on Saturday night. 

    ‘Why do I drink? I do not know how I get up to half the stuff I get up to, oh my god.’

    Mendy, 28, denies eight rapes, one attempted rape and one sexual assault.

    Matturie, 41, from Eccles, Manchester denies eight rapes and four sexual assaults.

    The trial continues.

    Instagram fined $400M in Ireland over children’s data

    Regulators in Ireland have have fined Instagram €405m for violating children’s privacy.

    Ireland’s data privacy regulator says it has agreed to levy a record fine of 405 million euros ($402 million) against social network Instagram following an investigation into its handling of children’s data, a spokesperson for the watchdog said.

    The investigation, which started in 2020, focused on child users between the ages of 13 and 17 who were allowed to operate business accounts, which facilitated the publication of the user’s phone number and/or email address.


    Some children reportedly upgraded to business accounts to access analytics tools such as profile visits, without realising this made more of their data public.

    The DPC regulates large technology companies with European headquarters in the Republic of Ireland.


    “We adopted our final decision last Friday and it does contain a fine of 405 million euro,” said the spokesperson for Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner (DPC)


    It has never given such a large fine for a breach of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.


    However, last year, the DPC fined WhatsApp €225m, while Luxembourg’s data authority fined Amazon a record €746m.


    National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) child-safety-online policy head Andy Burrows said of Instagram’s fine: “This was a major breach that had significant safeguarding implications and the potential to cause real harm to children using Instagram.


    “The ruling demonstrates how effective enforcement can protect children on social media and underlines how regulation is already making children safer online.


    “It’s now over to the new prime minister to keep the promise to give children the strongest possible protections by delivering the Online Safety Bill in full and without delay.”


    Instagram plans to appeal against the fine, a spokesperson for parent company, Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) said in an emailed statement

    A Meta official said: “This inquiry focused on old settings that we updated over a year ago and we’ve since released many new features to help keep teens safe and their information private.


    “Anyone under 18 automatically has their account set to private when they join Instagram, so only people they know can see what they post and adults can’t message teens who don’t follow them.


    “While we’ve engaged fully with the DPC throughout their inquiry, we disagree with how this fine was calculated and intend to appeal it.


    “We’re continuing to carefully review the rest of the decision.”

    Students nabbed having s3x publicly at a party in Anambra state

    A video of a sex party allegedly held in a hotel in Ifite Awka, Anambra State by persons alleged to be students has been shared online.

    In the video, the alleged students were seen in sex romps, in the full glare of all who stood to watch.

    The video which showed several male and female partners who were making out with each other, is said to have been recorded in a hotel that is located close to the institution.

    Twitter user @itz_daddyjoe who shared the video online, wrote;

    ”It is very unfortunate that the school environment which most of us graduated from is turning into something else. I bet that’s why I couldn’t live in Ifite Awka during my University days. A sex party at Wintess Garden hotel Ifite Unizik is condemnable.

    @AfamDeluxo  bia Ka ifuru”

    See Video:

    Fellow Nigerians enslaving their fellow Countrymen in Cyprus – Cypriot journalist says

    A Cypriot journalist Esra Aygin has revealed that Nigerians become victims of trafficking, sex slavery, and abuses including killings in the hands of their compatriots in Cyprus.


    Aygin said most of them who are students travel to Cyprus do so because of many promises their fellow Nigerians have for them but eventually do not work out.


    The journalist disclosed this in reaction to a statement by the Chairperson, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa that Nigerians should avoid Northern Cyprus where they become victims of murder.

    According to Aygin, a correspondent with Reporters Without Borders and former reporter at the Associated Press and Bloomberg, Nigerians who reside in Cyprus deceive unsuspecting fellowmen to come with the promise of heaven on earth.


    Why Nigerians suffer in Cyprus


    She said they promise them migrating to countries under European Union, job opportunities and money.

    Aygin said, “Agents, who themselves have been students here, and who are called ‘mama’ deceive students with false promises of schools and jobs.


    “The students are told they would be going on to an EU member state, that they will have job opportunities and make a lot of money in euros.


    “They are made to pay for their tickets and rent upfront, and they end up coming here already indebted.

    She wrote as a guest columnist in Cyprus Mail on Saturday that “Usually, the students, who come here, are poor students, who cannot afford to go to Europe or America.

    Aygin titled the column ‘Nigerians are both victims and perpetrators of crime in north.”

    “These students usually spend all their family’s savings to come here. In a short time, they realise that the scholarships or jobs promised to them were false, that life is expensive, and that they cannot survive here unless they (sometimes illegally) make money. This leads them to fall into the hands of criminal groups.

    “Today, many illegal activities including money laundering are carried out by Nigerians, who have come into the country on student visas, but who have nothing to do with schools here.

    “These people are spending lavishly and laundering serious amounts of money in this country.”

    Nigeria’s rising internet subscriptions may create more jobs – Experts

    The steady increase in internet subscriptions in Nigeria will lead to the creation of more jobs for Nigerians and further boost the country’s economy. This is according to industry experts who spoke to Nairametrics.

    The experts observed that more Nigerians are becoming aware of the huge opportunities that could be derived from the internet, hence, many are getting connected every day. The growing embrace of the internet, they said, is driving the growth of e-commerce in Nigeria and creating several internet-enabled jobs.

    This is even as they noted that more Nigerians on the internet creates more attention to cybersecurity and data protection issues, which will in turn create jobs for experts in those areas.

    Between January and July this year, data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that active internet subscriptions across mobile, fixed and VoIP networks have increased by over 10 million. Internet subscriptions in the country, which stood at 141.9 million as of December 2021, jumped to 152 million as of July 2022.

    What they are saying

    Reacting to the internet subscriptions growth in a chat with Nairametrics, the Chief Executive Officer of Jidaw Systems Limited, and ICT solutions provider company, Mr. Jide Awe, said: “The steady rise in Internet subscriptions is an indication of greater awareness of the benefits and opportunities that can be derived from the Internet. Remote working and digital activities accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic may have opened many eyes and contributed to the rise.

    “It indicates that the Internet is being used to improve efficiency and effectiveness in key areas in the society and economy—communication and sharing, learning, commercial transactions, work from home, faster information search, responsiveness to inquiries, pricing comparisons, networking, and partnering. This is creating and will continue to create new types of Internet-enabled jobs as well indirect jobs that may be created offline by increased Internet activities.

    “Again, as Internet activities rise, Cybersecurity and Data protection will require more attention and will also be a source of jobs.”

    Awe, however, noted that the growth in the use of the internet should be made inclusive for all Nigerians.

    Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Mr. Ajibola Olude, said internet subscriptions would continue to rise as the telecom operators are pushing a new agenda of rural connectivity which ensures that more Nigerians are connected. “Internet subscriptions will continue to rise in Nigeria because the government and some private organizations are encouraging digital literacy across the length and breadth of the country.

    “This will definitely have a positive impact on macroeconomic variables like job creation because as telecom operators move to unconnected areas to get them connected, banks, insurance, and a host of other businesses will also be moving to those areas and people have to be employed to work in those companies,” he said.

    An IT expert, Mr. Adewale Adeoye, described internet access as the bedrock of the digital economy policy being implemented by the government. “Without high internet penetration, there is no digital economy. This is why the rising internet subscriptions is a positive development for Nigeria; an indication that many more Nigerians are being brought into the digital economy space, thus creating more job opportunities,” he said.

    What you should know

    • A recent report by Endeavor Nigeria, ‘The Inflection Point: Africa’s digital economy is poised to take off,’ forecast that 44 million jobs could be created if Nigeria and other African nations’ Internet penetration reaches 75%
    • The report stated that three million jobs in Nigeria and other African countries would be created by online marketplaces by 2025 and 1.7 million jobs were expected by the same year as a result of Google’s $1billion investment to support digital transformation through its subsea cables between Europe and Africa.
    • Another report by Jobberman dubbed “Digital Sector: Skills Gap Report” indicates that Nigeria’s digital economy holds the potential to create jobs and reduce the rate of unemployment.
    • Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) suggests that the country’s unemployment rate currently stands at 33.3%.

    The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is currently implementing a National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS). This is aimed at getting more Nigerians to participate in the digital economy through capacity building and deepening internet penetration.

    [Nairametrics]

    Guests bursts into laughter as Wike speaks in ‘Tongues’, fires Atiku [VIDEO]

    The Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike burst into ‘Tongues’ on Monday as he issued another strong warning to those attempting to undermine him in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    Wike, who was in Aba, Abia state to commission the Okezuo Abia Flyover along the Aba -Enugu Expressway in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, and the rehabilitated Aba-Owerri Road in Aba South Local Government Area of the state, disclosed that nobody could break his relationship with his allies.

    A statement issued by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, read in part; “When I read on the pages of newspapers. They say some people are making attempts to break my rank, I say to myself that they don’t understand the modus oparandi of what we are doing.”

    “If they understand the modus operandi of what we are doing, they won’t waste their time. If you like go and meet Ikpeazu, if you like go and meet Seyi (Makinde), if you like go and meet Ortom (Samuel), and if you like go and meet Ugwuanyi (Ifeanyi), I pity them. People think that relationship can be bought with money.”

    “Look, nobody should bother about any abuse on me. I’m too much for it. I don’t even know when I’m abused. If they like, let them put everything on social media and abuse me, at the end, we will know who is relevant or not at the appropriate time.”

    “Politics is not to go on the pages of newspapers. Politics is not to go and buy slot on television and speak. It is who will deliver at the appropriate time. That is what is key. If you like abuse me from now until tomorrow, it’s your business.”

    In an apparent jibe at the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Wike said; “Now, what’s the problem, we say, my brother, you have shared and given to Atiku; you shared and given Okowa, you shared and given Saraki, which one have you given to Ikpeazu?”

    “What Ikpeazu and company are saying is that when you are sharing Senate President to so and so person, which one have you given to Abia,” he said.

    See Video:

    Nigerian Govt. Generates N600bn VAT in Three Months

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said the aggregate Value Added Tax (VAT) was reported at N600.15 billion for Q2 2022.

    This is according to the VAT Q2 2022 Report released in Abuja yesterday.

    According to the report, this shows a growth rate of 1.96 per cent on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N588.59 billion in Q1 2022.

    The report said the local payments recorded were N359.12 billion, while foreign VAT payments contributed N111.13 billion in Q2 2022.

    It said on a quarter-on-quarter basis, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply recorded the highest growth rate with 116.47 per cent, followed by accommodation and food service activities with 42.44 per cent

    “On the other hand, activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies had the lowest growth rate with 42.39 per cent.

    “This was followed by activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use with 36.57 per cent.”

    In terms of sectoral contributions, the report showed the top three largest shares in Q2 2022 were Manufacturing with 33.08 per cent, information and communication with 18.98 per cent, and mining and quarrying with 10.60 per cent.

    “On the other hand, activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use recorded the least share with 0.03 per cent. “This was followed by activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies with 0.05 per cent; and water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities with 0.13 per cent.”

    The report, however, said, on a year-on-year basis, VAT collections in Q2 2022 increased by 17.16 per cent from Q2 2021.

    The report brought to the fore the ongoing legal battle between the Rivers State Government and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over the right to collect VAT in the state.

    The Rivers State Government had urged the Supreme Court to set aside the Court of Appeal’s September 10, 2021 ruling ordering it and the FIRS to maintain status quo on the issue of VAT collection, the subject matter of a pending appeal.

    It had also urged the apex court to disband the panel of the court, which gave the interim order and order another one to be constituted to hear the case.

    The three-member panel of the Court of Appeal which issued the order being challenged at the Supreme Court by the Rivers State government was headed by Haruna Tsammani.

    Miffed by the order, the Rivers State Government, through its Attorney-General’s office, approached the Supreme Court to seek an order nullifying the decision of the Court of Appeal and the reassignment of the appeal to a new panel.

    Meanwhile, the federal government had unveiled strategies to bolster tax revenue for the 2023 fiscal year. This is even as it plans to bring more businesses into the tax net in the coming year while deploying technology to block leakages in already taxed businesses.

    Part of these strategies as highlighted in the 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy paper is to expand the list of bodies and institutions collecting taxes for the government to include telecoms companies, banks and other financial institutions, companies in construction, aviation sectors, among several others.

    Already, the Budget Office of the Federation had revealed that it would begin the implementation of its proposed excise duties on telecommunication services and beverages in 2023.

    This is in spite of criticism and even rejection of the proposed telecoms tax by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who supervises the telecoms sector.

    [ThisDay]

    Reece James signs new deal with Chelsea worth £250,000-a-week

    Reece James has signed a bumper new Chelsea deal worth at least £ 250,000 per week.

    The agreement for the 22-year-old is a six-year deal and will make James the highest-paid defender in Chelsea’s history. 

    James said: ‘I am over the moon with my new contract and I’m thankful for the fans, the new ownership and everyone involved in the club. I cannot wait to see what the future holds, and I am sure we will have the chance of winning many trophies.

    ‘I grew up supporting this club and I’ve been here since I was a six-year-old. I put pen to paper on a new deal because this is the club I want to be at. I’d like to say a special thanks to the fans, I am here to stay and we have a bright future ahead of us.’

    Owner Todd Boehly said: ‘We are thrilled to give Reece a new long-term contract at Chelsea. He is an outstanding player and a true Chelsea man, and we are all looking forward to watching him continue to flourish at Stamford Bridge.’ 

    Sportsmail reported last month that Boehly wanted to introduce a US-style contract policy for players under the age of 25, locking them into deals for as long as seven years.

    New signings Marc Cucurella and Carney Chukwuemeka signed up for six years and Wesley Fofana for seven.

    Armando Broja also extended his Chelsea stay by six years when he signed a new deal on Friday.

    James is now set to follow with the finishing touches being put to his extension today.

    Mason Mount and Edouard Mendy are two others also in talks over new Chelsea deals.

    James made 37 appearances in that campaign across all competitions and 47 the following season. He featured in 39 games last season, scoring six goals and contributing 11 assists. 

    Nyeson Wike’s saga will jeopardise PDP’s chances in 2023, cleric warns

    The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has warned the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against allowing the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike leave the party because it will jeopardize the chances of the party in the 2023 presidential elections

    In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele, urged the party leaders and presidential candidate, Abubakar Atiku to find ways to make peace if they want to win the election.

    Speaking about Wike, Primate Ayodele made it known that he will sink and lose political relevance if he leaves the party, while urging him and other governors planning to work against the party to seek divine direction rather than relying on their physical strength.

    For the APC, Primate Ayodele revealed that the party will continue to have an internal crisis and that the northern group will come out with another joker that will cause ethnicity disagreement towards the election.

    He further reinstated the danger of a Muslim-Muslim ticket for Nigeria, making it known that it will cause future problems for the country if it succeeds.

    Also speaking on the chances of the Labour Party, the man of God warned the party to be careful of big names that will decamp into the party because some of them don’t mean well for them.

    He mentioned that the candidate, Peter Obi can bring up surprises in the election but his camp still has a lot to do.

    ‘’Some people will decamp to the Labour party to destabilize the party, they must be careful of big names decamping to the party. Peter Obi can bring surprises in the election if APC and PDP does not wake up. The camp of Peter Obi still has a lot to do, they are only pursuing their goals ordinarily.’’

    Furthermore, Primate Ayodele revealed that some big wigs in the APC and PDP will go into political extinction after 2023 as some sitting governors will lose their seats in 2023. He also mentioned that not all politicians that won the primaries will witness the election.

    He then urged Nigerians to pray for the preservation of some important personalities in the country.

    “Not every politician will witness 2023, some big wigs in the PDP and APC will go into political extinction after 2023. Some sitting governors will lose their seats in 2023. Not every politician that won the primary election will witness the election.’’

    “Let us pray for TY Danjuma, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Ibrahim Babaginda, Alex Duduyemi, Arthur Eze, Olu Falae. The Governorship advisory council in Lagos should pray so they won’t lose anyone to health challenges.’’

    [NationalDaily]

    Headies 2022: Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid,Olamide Adekunle Gold, others win [FULL LIST]

    Nigerian music stars, including Olamide, Davido, Wizkid, Adekunle Gold and Burna Boy have won individual awards at the 2022 Headies.

    The 2022 headies award took place in Atlanta, United States of America.

    The popular Nigerian rapper, Olamide Gbenga Adedeji’s Carpe Diem won the best rap album of the year.

    Daniel Benson, known professionally as Buju, Bnxn won the Headies’ Next Rated Award.

    Recall that the singer was earlier nominated alongside Ayra Starr, Zinoleesky, Lojay and Ruger.

    SEE FULL LIST OF WINNERS BELOW:

    Best Rap Album – Olamide (Carpe Diem)

    Best Collaboration – Wizkid feat. Tems (Essence)

    Best R ‘n’ B Single – Wizkid feat. Tems (Essence)

    Album of the Year – Wizkid (Made in Lagos (Deluxe Edition)

    Best Afrobeat Album – Wizkid (Made in Lagos)

    Songwriter of the Year – Adekunle Gold (Sinner).

    Best Music Video – TG Omori (Champion – Fireboy DML feat. D Smoke)

    Artiste of the Year – Burna Boy (Nigeria)

    Best Male Artiste – Burna Boy

    Digital Artiste of the Year – Davido

    Humanitarian Award of the Year – Davido

    Best Recording of the Year – Patoranking (Celebrate Me)

    Producer of the Year – SARZ (Monalisa – Lojay and SARZ)

    Best Alternative Album – Ibeji (Intermission)

    Headies’ Viewer’s Choice – Arya Starr (Bloody Samaritan)

    Best Afrobeat Single – Fireboy DML (Peru)

    Best Reggae and Dancehall Album – Patoranking (Three)

    Best Vocal Performance (female) – Waje (Last Time)

    Best Vocal Performance (Male) – Oxlade (Ojuju)

    Lyricist on The Roll – A-Q (The Last Cypher)

    Best Streethop Artiste – Goya Menor & Nektunez (Amenor Amapiano remix)

    Best Rap Single – Ladipoe feat BNXN (Feeling)

    Best Alternative Single – Flavour (Doings)

    Rookie of the Year – Fave

    Best Inspirational Single – Kcee & Okwesili Eze group (Cultural Praise)

    Special Recognition -Dbanj (Talent)

    Hall of fame – Angelique Kidjo

    International Artiste Special Recognition – Akon & Wycle Jean

    Best Central African Artiste of the Year – Innoss’B

    Best East African Artiste of the Year – Diamond Platinumz

    Best North Africas Artiste of the Year – Latifa (Tunisia)

    Best South African Artiste of the Year –Focalistic (South Africa)

    Best West African Artiste of the Year – Gyakie

    Special Recognition–Efe Omorogbe, Sunday Are, and Bose Ogbulu

    Opinion: Labour Party may not get 25% of votes in 24 states – Patrick Obahiagbon

    Former federal lawmaker, Patrick Obahiagbon has said that the Labour Party won’t get  25% of votes in 24 states across the country. 

    Speaking in an interview on Arise TV, Obahiagbon said though the upcoming presidential election will be keenly contested by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it has thrown up three major presidential candidates.

    He said; 

    “Only two major political parties are coming into this election. The two major political parties are the APC and the PDP.

    “But that asseveration notwithstanding, I make bold to assert that even though this election is going to be contested by two major political parties, the election is throwing up three major presidential aspirants.”

    Obahiagbon stated that those backing Obi’s presidential bid are Nigerians who have become “completely tired” of the current political class. The former lawmaker also applauded Obi’s courage and sincerity “to want to cleanse the Nigerian system”. 

    He added; 

    “I do sincerely hope that Nigeria’s parasitic political class are learning the necessary lessons that have greeted the emergence of Peter Obi.

    “A favour that his supporters refer to as Obidient movement but which I choose to describe as the emerging, surging political sirocco of the Obi. 

    “Nigerians and particularly Nigerian youths have become completely dissatisfied and languorous as to the failings and frailty of the entire Nigerian political class be it APC, PDP NNPP etc.

    “This is the statement that Nigerians and Nigerian youths are making. They made that first statement which galvanise into the protest that led to the end SARS debate. 

    “The Peter Obi movement is a resurgence and emergence of that dissatisfaction.

    “Can Peter Obi ride on the crest and wave Nigeria’s disappointment into the comfortable bowels of the Aso Rock Villa? I say no. I don’t see that.

    “I don’t see how the Labour Party can muster 25 percent in about 24 states in this election.”

    ‘I had s3x with over 100 women’ – 22-year-old lesbian says (video)

    A 22-year-old lesbian has revealed that she has slept with over 100 women. 

    The lady who sat for an interview with Ghanaian YouTuber, Arnold, revealed that she’s a sex addict who is attracted to women. 

    The lady said she was introduced to the homosexual lifestyle and sex toys at the age of 14 by a married woman she formerly lived with. She also said that she’s proud of her same-sex preference and has converted some good girls into bad ones.

    She further stated that it is unfortunate that she isn’t blessed with money otherwise she wouldn’t use men for anything.

    The lesbian said; 

    “Right now if I have money I won’t use a man for anything. Because of money, I will sleep with men because I need it. Right now if I have my money I won’t use a man for anything.

    “I am addicted to sex, lesbian sex. I have slept with plenty of women. I have slept with up to 100 women and I have also had sex with multiple women at a time. Some of the women are not willing to date. They just come and go.”

    She also disclosed that she doesn’t stay in one neighbourhood for more than two years.

    The lady added; 

    “I don’t stay in one place for a long time. If I stay in one place for two years I won’t stay there again. I don’t like area girls and I have done about 100 girls. It’s nice oo. If you try it you will enjoy it.”

    Here is the Vide clip:

    Parisian attorney launches formal investigation into Paul Pogba’s alleged extortion saga

    The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened a formal judicial investigation into allegations by Paul Pogba that he was the target of extortion attempts and threats from an organised gang, prosecutor Laure Beccuau said on Friday, September 2.

    The formal probe follows preliminary investigations and will look into allegations of blackmail by an armed gang, kidnapping, and membership of a criminal conspiracy, Beccuau said in the statement.

    Pogba has been the target of extortion by childhood friends since March and paid 100,000 euros ($99,510.00) to that group in the spring, a source close to the preliminary investigation told Reuters on Wednesday.

    The French prosecutor told Reuters on Monday that the initial investigations had been entrusted to the OCLCO, a unit within the judicial police tasked with investigating organised crime.

    The extraordinary saga began last week when Pogba’s eldest brother Mathias released a bizarre video on social media to vow he would soon make a series of ‘great revelations’ about the World Cup winner.

    He said during the video: ‘The French, English, Italian and Spanish public, as well as my brother’s fans  and even more so the French team and Juventus, my brother’s teammates and his sponsors deserve to know certain things.

    ‘In order to make an informed decision if he deserves the admiration, respect, and love of the public.

    ‘Whether he deserves his place in the French team and the honour of playing in the World Cup. If he deserves to be a starter at Juventus.

    ‘If he is a trustworthy person, that any player would want to have at his side.’

    Shortly after the post was made, the Juventus midfielder released a statement – signed by his lawyers, his mother Yeo Moriba, and current agent Rafaela Pimenta – admitting that Mathias’ videos were ‘unfortunately no surprise’.

    The statement read: ‘They (the videos) are in addition to threats and extortion attempts by an organised gang against Paul Pogba.’

    ‘The competent bodies in Italy and France were informed a month ago and there will be no further comments in relation to the ongoing investigation.’  

    Mathias’ outburst was followed by the former Manchester United star reportedly telling French authorities that he was held hostage by a gang armed with assault rifles in an attempted blackmail plot.  

    It is believed the gang demanded £11million from the French midfielder for ‘protection services’ stretching back 13 years, including the time he spent in Manchester.


    Mathias hit out at the 29-year-old for his ‘lies’ and claimed to have ‘explosive information’ concerning fellow World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe, before accusing his brother of using a witch doctor to cast a spell on the PSG forward.

    Paul Pogba

    Mbappe has since been in contact with Paul – who denies the claims – and Mathias to gain the perspective of each of the brothers, according to RTL.

    The outlet claims that the 23-year-old superstar called the Pogba brothers on Thursday to ask why he had been specified in the scandal. 

    French football president Noel Le Graet has since given Paul Pogba his full support. 

    Le Graet told L’Equipe: ‘This case is in the hands of the police. An investigation is underway. At this point, I won’t make any further comments other than to show my support for Paul Pogba.

    ‘Paul is a man I hold in high esteem, he’s highly appreciated by the entire Federation. 

    ‘He has always been exemplary for the France team for almost ten years after having shone in all of the youth teams. I hope to see him again very soon, on the pitch and in great shape.’ 

    Do you know that ‘The Weeknd’ Lost his Voice During Concert and Cancels Show (video)

    The Weeknd cancelled the second part of his sold-out shows in Los Angeles after losing his voice few minutes after he started performing. 

    TMZ reported that SoFi Stadium was packed with 70,000 fans and fans couldn’t see the singer for over 15 minutes when the band started playing “Can’t Feel My Face.” 

    He was reportedly backstage as the song played, trying to figure out what to do because had had no voice.

    The publication reported that while the singer performed his previous song, he yelled and apparently blew out his vocal cords.

    After the band finished playing the new song, The Weeknd came onstage and told the crowd, “It’s killing me,” but the show had to abruptly end because he had no voice.

    He said “I can’t give you the concert I want to give you,” promising everyone would get their money back and he would reschedule soon.

    The Weeknd was profusely apologetic and clearly emotional. This was a big part of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour, and he knew how much the show meant to his fans. 

    The crowd applauded him after the disclosure for being transparent. After leaving the venue, he tweeted; 

    “My voice went out during the first song and I’m devastated. Felt it go and my heart dropped. I promise I’ll make it up to you with a new date.”

    The Weeknd

    Divorce: “My wife hates my mother” – Court dissolves 19-yea-old marriage

    A Grade I Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, has dissolved a 19-year-old marriage between a businessman, Lukman Abdulaziz and his wife Rashidat, over irreconcilable differences.

    The Judge, Muhammad Adamu, dissolved the marriage following Abdulaziz’s prayer for confirmation of his divorce in accordance with the Islamic laws.

    Mr Adamu said that in Islam a man has the power to divorce his wife saying that Rashidat told the court that she had observed her “Iddah”.

    He said Ms Rashidat was no longer Mr Abdulaziz’s wife and advised them to find time and discuss about the upkeep of their four children.

    The judge said that the court would issue a certificate of divorce.

    Earlier, Mr Abdulaziz told the court that he has not been able to resolve issues with his wife and had divorce her, praying the court for confirmation.

    “She does not observe her daily prayers and does not like my family members. I asked her to follow me to the village so that we can resolve issues on why she dislikes my mother and she refused.

    “I pronounced divorce to her on June 6 and she has observed her iddah. I am no longer interested in the marriage and have informed her parents,” he said.

    Ms Rashidat in response told the court that Mr Abdulaziz told her on Aug. 27, that he had not been making love to her for the past three months because he wanted a divorce.

    ”He said he would fend for our four children but wanted me to leave his house because he wanted to sell it.

    “I told him the house belongs to my children because I built the house with him, it is not his house,” she said.

    Elections 2023: Labour Party inaugurates Diaspora committee to raise funds

    Mr Julius Abure, National Chairman of Labour Party (LP) on Thursday inaugurated an 11-man committee to drive the party’s Disapora movement .


    Abure, while inaugurating the committee in Abuja said that the move was to strengthen collaboration among people and galvanise support for the party ahead of 2023 general election.

    He added that the committee would also recommend to the national chairman, the creation of diaspora chapters and monitor their activities.


    The chairman said the committee would organise fund-raising activities among others.

    He said, “I have the honour to inaugurate the committee we have put in place on diaspora.


    “The parties has enjoyed overwhelming supports from Nigerians across the world and even non Nigerians alike.

    “This has resulted in a situation where there is clamour for the party to establish chapters across the world.


    ” There has also been the clamour of people who wants to contribute to the growth and development of the party, arising from this course, are the necessity to have these activities coordinated.”

    Abure said that the party therefore, decided to put up the committee made of 11 distinguished Nigerians to drive the process.


    He urged the committee to carry out their duties in good faith without fear or favour, be transparent and accountable.

    Mr Chibuike Amadichi, Chairman, Diaspora Committee ,thanked the party for the privileged to lead the committee.

    Amadichi said that the 2023 is a special electioneering year because it is an election that all Nigerians both home and in Diaspora are fully involved in to see the birth of a new nation .

    “Few months ago, they said Labour Party had no structures, but today, Labour Party is not only building structures nationwide in Nigeria, but also advancing its frontiers beyond the shores of Nigeria.

    “This diaspora committee will work tirelessly to reposition our great party and build a new partnership with our people in diaspora especially in the major countries of the world like USA, UK, Canada, Germany, South Africa just to mention but a few

    ” I can say without mincing words that our people in diaspora are willing to identify with Labour Party and also ready to support the party and its presidential candidates

    “I want to assure our Nigerians in diaspora that come next year 2023,Labour Party will form a new government that will midwife a new Nigeria with a man of proven integrity and competent as the president,”he said

    Why are Nigerian Nurses and Doctors Are Leaving Nigeria In Droves? – NMA

    The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) said poor salaries and a lack of a conducive working environment forced many medical doctors and health workers to leave Nigeria for other countries with better remuneration.

    NMA National President, Dr Uche Ojinmah stated this in an interview with newsmen on Thursday during the opening ceremony of the 2022 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association held in Gombe.

    He said doctors in Nigeria are underpaid and lack the basic equipment and conducive environment to work, hence they choose to leave the country for greener pastures, a development that causes the shortage of manpower in the country’s health sector.

    Dr Ojinmah also decried the underfunding of the healthcare facilities by the Nigerian government, decrying that the country is yet to implement the 2001 Abuja declaration that recommended the allocation of 15 per cent of the budget to the health sector.

    “In 2001, all the heads of states in Africa gathered in Abuja and held a meeting on how to improve the health sector. And at the end, they had a declaration that 15 per cent of the annual budget of every nation should be dedicated to health care.

    “Unfortunately, since that time, Nigeria, the country that hosted the meeting could not implement that declaration. So, it is obvious that they know what to do to make it better, but maybe for political reasons, they are not,” he decried.

    Dr Ojinmah noted that in order to improve health indices in the country, there was the need for government to increase funding for the health sector through the provision of equipment and adequate manpower in all the health facilities across the country.

    He also emphasised the need for medical personnel to be well remunerated and provided with a conducive environment to practice their profession, “So as to reduce the massive brain drain that has hit the medical profession.”

    The NMA president added that the association was disturbed over the activities of quacks among medical doctors, saying the association was collaborating with directors of medical facilities to rid the health sector of quackery.

    [DailyTrust]

    Manuel Obafemi Akanji signs up for Manchester City

    Manchester City football club of England have completed the signing of Swiss- Nigerian player Manuel Obafemi  Akanji from Borussia Dortmund.


    The centre-back had failed to make an appearance for Dortmund this season before joining City and was into the final year of his contract but has now signed a five year deal with City.
     

    Akanji, 27 told the club website on Thursday, September 1: “I am delighted to be here and can’t wait to get started.

    “City have been one of the best teams in Europe over the last few seasons. They are brilliant to watch, play an exciting brand of football and compete for trophies year in, year out, so coming here feels like the perfect next step in my career.

    “Pep Guardiola is an exceptional manager and this is an exceptional squad of players, so this is an exciting opportunity for me.

    “I am really looking forward to testing myself in the Premier League and I will do everything I can to help this Club be successful.”

    City have four senior centre-backs in their squad already, but Aymeric Laporte has yet to make an appearance this season due to injury. Ruben Dias, John Stones and Nathan Ake have been used by Guardiola so far in 2022-23.


    Akanji joined Dortmund from Basel in 2018 and had been a first-team regular since his arrival. He made 36 appearances in all competitions last season.


    Akanji becomes City’s fifth summer signing, following Kalvin Phillips, Stefan Ortega, Sergio Gomez and Erling Haaland.

    Former Malaysian first lady, Rosmah Mansor, gets 10-year jail sentences for graft

    Former Malaysian first lady, Rosmah Mansor has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty on Thursday, September 1, of soliciting and receiving bribes during her husband’s corruption-tainted administration, a week after he was imprisoned over the massive looting. 

    Rosmah was convicted on a charge of soliciting 187.5 million ringgit ($42 million) and two charges of receiving 6.5 million ringgit ($1.5 million) between 2016 and 2017 to help a company secure a project to provide solar energy panels to schools on Borneo island.

    The court sentenced her to 10 years in prison on each charge, to be served concurrently, and a total fine of 970 million ringgit ($217 million). She will be allowed to remain free on bail pending her appeal to higher courts.

    High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan said prosecutors proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Rosmah corruptly solicited bribes and received money as a reward for herself. He said her defense was a “bare denial, devoid of credible evidence.”

    Earlier, Rosmah made an emotional plea from the dock, saying she was saddened and felt she wasn’t given justice. She said she had never solicited any funds or taken a single cent while she was heading charity foundations during her time as the prime minister’s wife.

    She also decried as political persecution the events that led to Najib being jailed and her family being made to suffer.

    “I do not even know the cost of the project. So I am just telling the truth and nothing else but the truth,” she said. “If that’s your conclusion, I surrender to God.”

    Defense lawyer Jagjit Singh later told reporters that the amount of the fine was the largest ever in Malaysia’s history. He said Rosmah was shocked and upset, and that they plan to appeal to higher courts.

    Under the law, each charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of five times the bribes solicited and received.

    Her conviction comes after her husband Najib began a 12-year prison term last Tuesday after losing his final appeal in one of the five graft cases against him involving the multibillion-dollar pilfering of 1MDB.

    Before the verdict, Judge Zaini also rejected Rosmah’s application to disqualify him after an alleged guilty judgment leaked online. Police said the leaked document was work done within the court’s research unit and was not the judgment, but Rosmah’s defense said they lost confidence the judge could be fair.

    Najib and Rosmah have been hit with multiple charges of graft after the shocking ouster of his United Malays National Organization in the 2018 elections, fueled by public anger over the 1MDB scandal.

    Her former aide, who was jointly charged with Rosmah but later testified for the prosecution, told the court that many businesspeople lobbied Rosmah for help to secure government projects. 

    The court also heard that she spent 100,000 ringgit a month ($22,300) to hire online propagandists to deflect criticism of her lavish lifestyle.

    After Najib lost power, police raided family residences and seized hundreds of boxes of luxurious Hermes Birkin handbags, 423 watches, 14 tiaras, and other jewelry plus cash estimated at more than 1.1 billion ringgit ($246 million).

    During her trial, 23 prosecution witnesses testified but only two defense witnesses were called, including Rosmah. She told the court she was never involved in government affairs and that her former aide was a corrupt liar who had used her name to solicit bribes and pocketed the money himself.

    Rosmah has also been charged with laundering illegal proceeds and tax evasion linked to 1MDB in another trial that hasn’t started.

    1MDB was a development fund that Najib set up after taking office. Investigators allege more than $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib’s associates through layers of bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries to finance Hollywood films and extravagant purchases that included hotels, a luxury yacht, artworks, and jewelry.

    ALERT! Deadly Pneumonia Virus kills 3 Argentians, new viral outbreak looms

    Corona Virus also known as Covid 19 has taken the world by surprise, this is similar to how the virus looks

    Two people have died from mystery pneumonia in Argentina with others hospitalised amid fears of a new viral outbreak.


    Health officials in the South American country said they were infected with ‘pneumonia of unknown origin’.

    According to Mail Online, the cases are among eight health workers and one ICU patient treated at a private hospital in Tucumán, Buenos Aires.

    Officials are concerned because Covid, influenza, and hantavirus have all been ruled out.

    It comes two-and-a-half years after reports of unexplained pneumonia began to leak out of Wuhan, China, in December 2019. It turned out to be Covid.

    The first six patients started exhibiting symptoms between August 18 and 22.

    Of the last three cases, two are receiving hospital treatment and one is being monitored at home

    Luis Medina Ruiz, Tucumán’s minister of health, told local media: ‘What these patients have in common is the severe respiratory condition with bilateral pneumonia and compromise in [X-ray] images very similar to Covid, but that is ruled out.’

    He said the patients were tested for more than 30 bugs including ‘Covid, cold, influenza of both type A and B’  all of which came back negative. 

    Samples have been sent to Argentina’s National Administration of Health Laboratories and Institutes for further analysis. 

    The hospital has been locked down and contacts of patients are being traced and isolated. 

    Fidelity Bank Plc Takes Over 100% Stake In Union Bank in UK

    Fidelity Bank Plc has entered into a binding agreement for the acquisition of 100 per cent equity stake in the United Kingdom arm of Union Bank Plc following a letter of ‘No Objection’ issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    This was revealed in a statement issued by Fidelity Bank and signed by its company secretary,  Ezinwa Unuignoje, through the Nigeria Exchange Group to the investing public yesterday.

    Union Bank UK commenced operations from the heart of the city of London in 1983 to provide competitive banking services, including; Personal Banking, Trade Finance, Treasury Management, and Structured Trade and Commodity Finance which it offers to individual and corporate clients.

    Commenting on the agreement, the managing director and chief executive, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, said: “this transaction aligns with our strategic plan of expanding our service touchpoints beyond the Nigerian market and providing straight-through services that meet and exceed the needs of our growing clients.

    “The diverse service bouquet and business model of Union Bank UK offered a compelling synergy, and we hope to build on the existing capacity to create a scalable and more sustaining service franchise that will support the wider ecosystem of our trade businesses and diaspora banking services.”

    The transaction Is subject to the approval of the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA} of the United Kingdom.

    [Leadership]

    “We have 22 million Nigerians with us already” – Labour Party

    The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Arabambi Abayomi, has bragged about the amount of support the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, is receiving across Nigeria.

    POLITICS NIGERIA reports that speaking in Lagos, Abayomi dismissed insinuations that the Obi movement is just a passing fad.

    “We are not a social media political party,” Daily Trust quotes Abayomi as saying on Wednesday.

    “The people that are conducting our rallies across the states are human beings. We are the new phenomenon, the uncommon political party that will move our nation from consumption to production.

    “As I speak now, with the number of support groups that have registered with their Voters cards and telephone numbers, we have 22 million Nigerians with us. And we are expecting more before December.

    “Nigerians are yearning for change; they have gone through a lot and they know the person they want to lead them.

    “You can see that all across Nigeria, the movement is so massive because Peter Obi is the only pan-Nigeria candidate who the people trust. These are Nigerians asking for positive change.”

    [PoliticsNigeria]

    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was’nt his

    An American man has expressed how heartbroken he was after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter is not his. 

    The man who shared photo of the DNA result, revealed that he went into debt and dropped out of school to become a full time dad. 

    Daniel Robinson disclosed that he has been a single father for four years and just discovered that he’s been lied to and manipulated for six years. He added that his baby mama and half of her friends knew. 

    He wrote; 

    Tired. I’ve kept my peace as long as possible but I feel like it’s time to tell my story. I’ve loved this little girl while she was still a fetus inside of her mother. I dropped out of school to be a full time father. I worked whatever hours possible. I even became a SINGLE FATHER for 4 years! I’ve went into debt, I gave my absolute all, even scrapped change for wipes. Only to find out 6 years later that I had been being lied to and manipulated. She knew and half of her friends did too. I am hurt and angry. No I am NOT okay.

    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was'nt his
    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was'nt his
    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was'nt his
    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was'nt his
    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was'nt his
    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was'nt his
    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was'nt his
    Full-time dad heartbroken after discovering that his 6-year-old daughter was'nt his

    Cristiano Ronaldo will stay in Man Utd, Ten Hag confirms

    Erik ten Hag claims Manchester United are closed for business and wantaway superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will remain at the club this summer.

    ‘It is clear,’ Ten Hag said when quizzed on if Ronaldo is staying at the club despite making clear his desire to move to a club in the Champions League.

    ‘We need quality players. You need more to cover all the games to keep the consistency going.’

    Ten Hag says Man Utd business is done. He says “clear” Ronaldo part of his plans and Wan-Bissaka “will stay”. “So this squad, we will go from September to minimum January but we will play with this squad this season

    [Nation]

    Nigeria Telecoms fixes $0.10 for termination of international calls as from Today

    Telecommunications companies in Nigeria will from September 1, 2022, begin to earn more from calls terminating on their network from outside the country.

    The Nigerian Communications Commission has set $0.10 as the new fixed International Termination Rate

    The ITR, which is the rate paid to local telecom operators by international operators to terminate calls in Nigeria, was increased from the $0.045 initially presented in December last year as a floor price to $0.10.

    The Commission added that international operators were mandated to pay local operations in dollars.

    On the reason for backtracking on the floor price to a fixed price, the NCC noted: “While the Determination had set a floor price at $0.045 and gives the MNOs room to negotiate on commercial terms with carriers, there were related indications that MNOs took advantage of this latitude to engage in discriminatory pricing that favours their related international carrier partners to the detriment of the Nigerian transit/IDA operators.

    “To check the incidence of such anticompetitive disposition, it was agreed by all parties at the meetings that a fixed rate should be adopted by the Commission, in place of the floor rate which had provided a platform for negotiations with various carriers at a rate above the floor.

    ” It was further agreed that the present Determination should be amended to include this new fixed rate. This position was further underscored by the fact that the floor price of $0.045 while being the lowest in Africa, does not support predictability and monitoring, with a little positive impact on a healthy national balance of payment position.”

    While noting that a fixed rate would ensure transparency in pricing by all, and support the Commission’s effort to monitor compliance by all operators, the Commission added that:

    “To give effect to this, representatives of MNOs and IDAs had initially proposed a fixed ITR at $0.08 and $0.15 respectively, for Commission’s consideration. However, after a thorough evaluation, the Commission resolved to peg the rate at $0.10.”

    Sadiq Umar, Super Eagles Striker, set to join Real Sociedad for €20M

    Super Eagles striker, Umar Sadiq is close to finalising his move from newly promoted La Liga club U.D Almeria to Real Sociedad. 

    According to Italian transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano, the Nigerian striker is set to complete a move to Sociedad for a fee of €20 million.

    “[Umar] Sadiq to Real Sociedad, done deal as expected. Negotiations are completed around €20m — he will travel soon for medical tests,” Romano stated via a tweet.

    He added that the deal to transfer the 25-year-old from Almeria to Sociedad will be signed and concluded later today.

    Romano also disclosed that Sadiq is considered the ideal replacement for Alexander Isak at Real Sociedad.

    Isak has left a void in Real Sociedad when he joined English club Newcastle United for a record €70m.


    Following his departure, the Spanish club identified the Nigeria international to replace Isak at the club.

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