Ahmed Musa dribbles Iceland goalkeeper to score the second goal
Super Eagles’ ‘wonder boy,’ Ahmed Musa, struck twice on the net of the national team of Iceland at the ongoing World Cup tournament in Russia to enable Nigeria obtain a comfortable position.
With the 2-0 game today, Friday, Ahmed Musa had not only become the first Nigerian to score at two World Cups but has secured a spot for Nigeria in the knockout stage if Eagles beat Argentina on Tuesday in Group D’s final round of fixtures.
Nigeria, with captain John Obi Mikel sitting deeper in midfield than against Croatia, slowly worked their way into the game with Victor Moses a constant threat on the right flank.
Musa made the game safe with his second, controlling a long ball without breaking stride and beating Kari Arnason before rounding Halldorsson and powering his shot past two covering defenders on the line.
A draw would be enough to eliminate the Argentines but would leave Nigeria’s fate hinging on the outcome of Iceland’s game against Croatia.
Ahmed Musa, who came into the starting line-up in place of Alex Iwobi, struck half-volley just after half-time before he added a second with 15 minutes to go to make the Group D game safe.
Iceland got a lifeline in the 82nd minute with a VAR-awarded penalty but dead-ball specialist Gylfi Sigurdsson blazed over the bar.
With Croatia heading the group on six points Nigeria knew a second defeat would mean elimination and Iceland started brightest after coach Heimir Hallgrimsson changed to a 4-4-2 from the 4-5-1 he had used in the 1-1 draw with Argentina.
Alfred Finnbogason, who scored the equaliser against Argentina as a lone striker, was joined up front by Jon Bodvarsson and the pair quickly made an impact.
Captain Aron Gunnarsson launched a long throw into the box and, after Bodvarsson had made a nuisance of himself, a push gave Iceland a free-kick just outside the area.
Gylfi Sigurdsson struck it smoothly round the wall but 19-year-old goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was able to make the save high to his right.
The pace inevitably dropped with the temperature still a stifling 31 Celsius at the 6:00 pm local time kick-off.
The match became a stalemate until 10 minutes before half-time when Iceland came close to opening the scoring but Leon Balogun’s glancing header just did enough to thwart Gylfi Sigurdsson and Birkir Bjarnason lurking at the back post.
And on the stroke of half-time Finnbogason came within a whisker of doubling his World Cup tally when he flashed wide Gylfi Sigurdsson’s whipped in free-kick.
Gerhot Rohr brought on wing back Tyronne Ebuehi for Bryan Idowu at the start of the second half and Nigeria came out full of running.
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The tireless Moses was released down the right and his cross was met by Musa who teed up the ball deftly with the outside of his right foot before unleashing an unstoppable half-volley into the roof of the net.
As he wheeled away in celebration his knee caught Ragnar Sigurdsson in the back of the head and the Iceland defender needed treatment, a bandage and a change of shirt after sustaining a nasty cut.
Wilfred Ndidi forced Hannes Halldorsson into a fine fingertip save with a wickedly dipping shot from distance in the 58th minute.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed delight in the discipline, team-work and indomitable spirit displayed by Super Eagles in their match with national team of Iceland. In a congratulatory message to the players who defeated their Group D opponents in the ongoing World Cup tournament in Russia, President Buhari advised them sustain the winning streak in their subsequent matches to make Nigerians to be proud of them. He asked them not to limit themselves but sustain the current winning momentum by going all out against their last group opponent, Argentina, next week. “I am confident that if our players believe in themselves, they can qualify out of their difficult group and even go very far in the tournament. “With determination, nothing is impossible.” The President called on all Nigerians to continue to rally round the Nigerian ambassadors with their prayers and other forms of support.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed concern over the current resort by journalists to trade on what he called ‘fake news’ in the present upsurge of social media over the traditional investigative reporting thereby beclouding good journalism.
“In an environment where fake news dwarfs investigative reporting, good journalism matters. For survival in an increasingly competitive field, good journalism matters. Good journalism promotes Good Governance. I, therefore, urge participants to give depth to the topic in your discussions and conclusions.”
President Buhari spoke today, Thursday, at the opening of the 67th World Congress of International Press Institute (IPI) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Buhari observed that responsible journalism is a means to ensure good governance and democratic principles in the country, adding that the dynamics of the information age has shown that responsible journalism will naturally negate the promotion of hate speech including propagation of fake news in any discerning society.
“The changing media landscape, the explosion of the social media and the rapidly evolving new technology, have had a profound impact on media business and media practice. It is satisfying, therefore, that you have chosen an appropriate theme for your conference: Why Good Journalism Matters: Quality Media for Strong Societies.
“In a world where the borderline between hate speech and free speech has become blurred, good journalism matters.
The President narrated the effort of his administration to tackle insecurity in the country, saying that Boko Haram has been degraded as it no longer holds any territory in the country.
He assured that relative peace in the country made it possible for the IPI congress to take place in Abuja for the first time.
“Your annual congress is holding in Nigeria during a period of global terrorism. Nigeria experiences that scourge through Boko Haram, which has been technically degraded and has no territorial hold anywhere, anymore, in its northeast operational base. The Internally Displaced Persons are gradually returning to their communities in reasonable safety and security.
“It is a reflection of your assessment of Nigeria as a safe country that you gave the country the hosting right for this conference. As you have seen since your arrival, you made a wise and right choice.”
This was even as the IPI Executive Director, Barbara Triinfi, lamented that independent journalism is under attack as press freedom is being eroded around the world.
“As we gather here today from different countries to open IPI’s 67th World Congress, there is a sense that independent journalism is under attack and press freedom has eroded all over the world.
“From Mexico to the Philippines, from Zimbabwe to Turkey, from Russia to Ethiopia, journalists are being imprisoned. They are denied access to justice. They are threatened and insulted on social media. They are directly targeted and labeled as traitors and enemies of the state and they are killed, shot in front of their houses, on their way to work, by killers who know that murdering journalists is the easiest way to silence them and ensure that the stories of corruption they were investigating, the wrongdoings they had uncovered will never be revealed.
“At least 43 journalists have been killed so far in 2018 in places like Afghanistan, Mexico, India, Pakistan or the Philippines to mention a few.
“Also here in Nigeria, a country with a very lively news industry which enjoys a good degree of press freedom, safety has been a serious problem for journalists, not only those covering the areas where insurgents are active but also journalists covering corruption have been targeted.” [myad]
The South East Senate Caucus has expressed shock over reported cut in the 2018 budget allocation to the Enugu Airport Terminal from N2 billion, sustained by the two aviation committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, to N500 million that was finally signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, Wednesday.
The Chairman of the caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and lawmakers from the region said that the caucus had summoned an emergency meeting of South East lawmakers to unravel when the cut was effected and by who.
He added that “no right thinking Igbo man would support any cut on allocation for projects in the South East region.”
Abaribe, who said that the budget documents were verifiable, noted that “we are committed and determined to find out who made the cut.”
He said that the caucus actually lobbied for the Enugu Airport Terminal allocation to be increased to N3.5 billion until the Ministry of Aviation told members of the caucus that what they had was an envelope which could not be increased beyond the N2 billion allocation.
Abaribe, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy, said that N30 billion was smuggled into the power budget without his committee’s knowledge, adding that the N30 billion was listed for expansion and re-enforcement of infrastructure in the distribution companies to reduce stranded firms.
He added that the amount never passed through the Senate Power committee, and asked:“where did such huge sum of N30 billion come from?
“Let the budget office and other relevant bodies conduct self examination. Such self examination will go a long way to clear gray areas.
“In the case of the Enugu Airport Terminal and the Second Niger Bridge, we want to find out at what point the cut was made.” [myad]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revealed that 37 percent of Nigerians do not use banks for keeping of their monies.
The apex bank’s Director of Banking and Payment Systems, Dipo Fatokun, who made this known today, Thursday at the third Annual Banking Security Summit organized by MAXUT Consulting in partnership with OneSpan, global data security company in Lagos, recalled that the apex bank in 2010 in Mexico made a commitment to reduce the population of unbanked Nigerians to at least 20 per cent by 2020.
“We made a commitment in Mexico then to reduce the number of unbanked to at least 20 per cent by 2020, then in 2010 we observed that over 46 per cent of bankable Nigerians didn’t have access to financial services.
“This was a major concern to the CBN and we made a commitment that in 10 years time, we would reduce the figure to far below 20 per cent.
“Today it’s not a good story because we have not done much, less than two years to 2020, at the last count we are just 37 per cent. A lot of work needs to be done.”
Fatokun, who was represented by the CBN Deputy Director, Banking and Payment Systems Department, Musa Jimoh, said that the apex bank is still committed to reducing the country’s unbanked population.
He said that the move was part of the bank’s financial inclusion strategy aimed at ensuring greater participation in the nation’s financial sector.
Delivering a keynote address on “Preparing for Open Banking in Nigeria,” Fatokun said the survey conducted then showed banking penetration was relatively low due to lack of access to financial services and cost of banking services.
He said that people were afraid to bring their monies to banks because of banking charges, and that complex experienced in opening of accounts contributed to the trend.
According to Fatokun, the apex bank had introduced several policies to promote financial inclusion in the country such as mobile money to enable banks provide banking services to the poor.
He said that the CBN also had a review of bank charges to reduce with a view to reducing them as well as the introduction of super agents.
Fatokun said the apex bank also reviewed Know Your Customer guidelines to tone down the requirements for opening Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 bank accounts to promote financial inclusion. He noted that no nation could progress or truly develop if majority of its population was under-banked or had no access to financial services.
Speaking on open banking, he said the concept had been democratized, and that the investments of Nigerian banks in technology was good enough to designate them as technology companies. Fatokun promised that the CBN would continue to work with other countries to understand how to grow the country’s financial system.
He said that the apex bank would support FINTECH to enable it provide a very suitable banking ecosystem.
“For our system to be recognized we have to key into global trends. Right now, as we speak, we have set up some committees to look at open banking innovation and others,” Fatokun said.
The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has accused the Federal Government of deliberately withholding the release of the Paris Club refund to the state as a way of making it difficult for the state government to pay arrears of workers’ salary before the July 14 governorship election.
Governor Fayose, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi in Ado Ekiti today, Thursday, alleged that the Federal Government is deliberately withholding the money after Ekiti and other states had been cleared to get the refund.
“If it is released to other states without the inclusion of Ekiti, people will suspect the federal government of playing politics with it. The federal government used that tactics in Kogi to assist the APC candidate to win.
“I am using this forum to inform Ekiti people that the federal government is punishing and depriving them of their entitlement because of politics. They think that if I am not able to pay the four months salaries owed the workers, they will vote for APC.
“Ekiti people are not fools, they know that the Fayemi administration plunged the state into debt. Fayemi left two months salary unpaid and N1.2bn is being deducted every month from Ekiti allocations to service the debt.
“So far, N35.34bn has been deducted from allocations coming to Ekiti to service debts owed by Fayemi administration.
“If I have N35.34bn, I will not owe workers and I will be able to take care of the needs of the people. Ekiti people are not fools and will not again accept APC. They know that the Fayemi administration is the cause of the unpaid salary.” [myad]
The Saudi Ministry of Health has listed Muslims from all over the world that will not be welcome to participate in this year’s pilgrimage.
They include those who are above 65 years, those with chronic diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, respiratory disease, diabetes and pilgrims with immune deficiency (congenital and acquired), malignancy and terminal illnesses, pregnant women and children aged under 12 years.
The ministry, in a statement, advised Muslims in these categories to postpone the 2018 hajj pilgrimage for their own safety, saying: “it is not obligatory for anyone with a serious health condition to perform Hajj.”
It said that those in the categories listed are more prone to tragic incidents, hardship and difficulties due to overcrowding, harsh weather, lack of acclimatization, strenuous physical activities, and dehydration while performing Hajj rituals.
The experts warned that some of the main contributory factors from the heartbreaking 2015 Hajj disaster were extreme heat and fatigue, which led to the loss of over 2,000 innocent lives and that most of those who died in these terrible circumstances were elderly, sick, disabled and women.
“The temperatures in Makkah at the time had reached up to 46°C. Pilgrims were already dehydrated and fainting before the stampede began. Horrific scenes from the stampede aftermath caused great grief and distress amongst Muslims all over the world.
“ABH strongly urge the relevant authorities and Muslim scholars to stop people with such conditions from making the hazardous journey.” [myad]
Nigeria’s secret police, known as Department of State Services (DSS), has announced the arrest of two commanders of the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) in Abuja and a member of the terror group in Bauchi.
In a statement signed, the DSS spokesman, Tony Opuiyo said that the arrest, which was made after conducting special operations in some identified targets, thwarted the moves by ISWA and Boko Haram members to attack several targets across the country.
Opuiyo said that special operations led to the successful arrest of Bashiru Adams and Rufai Sajo, both ISWA commanders, on May 5, 2018 at Kukuntu Village, Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He said that on April 28, 2018, at Muda Lawal Market, Bauchi in Bauchi State, the secret police arrested another member of the ISWA, Umar Dogo.
“The suspects were discovered to have concluded plans to not only perpetuate the ideals of the Movement in the area, but to, in collaboration with Boko Haram, carry out heinous violent attacks on innocent persons.”
The arrests made by the DSS is coming 48 hours after reports that the leaders of ISIS were sneaking fighters from Syria into Nigeria, which had been debunked by the Defence Headquarters.
Opuiyo said that following intelligence reports, Adamu Hassab (aka Bale) and Abubakr Abubakar (aka Alhaji /Buba), experts in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) assembly, were arrested.
He said that on 12th and 19th April 2018, at Gassol and Ardo LGAs of Taraba State, Mohammed Saleh (Aka Azrak) and Iliyasu Abubakar (aka Ruwa), Boko Haram members and cattle rustlers were respectively apprehended.
The DSS Spokesman said that the Service in its determination to rid the country of crime, had singularly or in conjunction with sister security agencies embarked on series of operations aimed at degrading or eliminating the capabilities of unscrupulous elements, including suspected kidnappers, cultists, fraudsters, militia members and terrorists.
Opuiyo said that on June 27, 2018 at Karu Village, Abuja, two members of the dreaded Basalube kidnap group, namely Usman (aka Siddi) and Ibrahim Muhammed (aka Ganaja) were apprehended.
According to him, the duo had been involved in several kidnap activities, notably those of Sen. Ayodele Arise on December 5, 2017 in Kogi State and the late Portuguese national, Mr. Emmanuel Machada, earlier on October 24, 2017 during which two Policemen were killed in the same Kogi State.
He said that in order to flush out the Basalube kidnap gang, the Service further carried out an operation in which one of the group’s notorious members, Tambaya Umar, was arrested on April 24, 2018 at Odigie Village, Ovia North-East LGA, Edo State. He noted that Umar was arrested alongside Ibrahim Ali, Abubakar Mohammed, Aliyu Manu and Umar Mohammed for their complicity in the group’s numerous criminal acts.
In the same vein, Opuiyo said the DSS on March 27, 2018, at Calabar town, Cross River State, nabbed five members of a kidnap syndicate namely: Simeon Paul, Emmanuel Anna Etim, Eric John Out, Famous Eket Oleke and Felix Bassey Eshet.
He listed the items recovered from the gang to include: one AK-47 rifle; three empty AK-47 magazines; 38 rounds of live ammunition; two live rounds of 9mm ammunition; Mossberg pump action rifle; and 15 live cartridges of ammunition.
“On April 14, 2018, Adamu Hassan (aka Aiki), the dangerous gang leader of a kidnap syndicate was arrested at Ogbomosho, Osun State. Hassan was responsible for the kidnap of a Pastor at Ibillo, Edo State. Five Pump Action Rifles and Nine loaders were recovered from him during his arrest. Initial investigation and confessions of Hassan led to a follow-up operation on 23rd May, 2018. During this operation, Umar Andullahi (aka Wukari) and Hassan Ahmed, gunrunners and associates of Aiki were apprehended at Ishua, Akoko-South East LGA, Ondo State. The duo was in possession of five pump action rifles.
“Between 9th and 29th May 2018, several associates of the dreaded kidnapper, Terwase Akwaza (aka Gana) were arrested at various locations in Benue State. Those arrested are: Ada Kajo James, Tikaa Ornen Desmond and Joseph Ikpa. A Toyota Venza Sport Utility Vehicle was recovered from the suspects. Similarly, on 29th May, 2018, Umar Ali, leader of a kidnap syndicate notable for operating around Edo and Delta States was arrested at Oghara, Ethiope West LGA, Delta State. Also arrested were some of Ali’s lieutenants, namely: Faruk Bello, Bello Ali, Mohammed Ali and Abdullahi Ali. This gang was responsible for the abduction of a Turkish national in Ifaki, Ekiti State on 6th May, 2018.”
Opuiyo said that on May 14, 2018, the Service rescued a kidnap victim, Bimbo Adebiyi upon a raid of the group’s hideout at Grace Estate, Ajah, Lagos State.
He listed other members of the kidnap gang that were apprehended to include: Tunde Akinsola; Wakil Alade; Olumide Braimoh; Raymond Adingiou; Isiaq Abesin; Victoria Nwabueze; and Zabala Amolokwe.
Opuiyo said that on May 9, 2018, around Katibu Village, Lau LGA, Taraba State, a joint team of the Service, the Military and the Police while on a clearance patrol, encountered an ambush by a group of armed herdsmen, numbering about 100.
“The operatives’ superior firepower forced a retreat by the attackers. However, during the confrontation, 10 herdsmen were killed and several others escaped with bullet wounds. The following items were recovered – two AK-47 rifles, one G3 rifle, three dane guns, two cutlasses, and four motorcycles. On May 25, 2018, Abdulhameed Musa and Adamu Abdulkareem, both members of a militia group terrorising villages in Nasarawa State were arrested at Yelwa Village, Doma LGA of the State.
“On May 24, 2018, along Lafia-Akwanga road, Nasarawa Eggon, Nasarawa State, an arms courier, Adamu Hamza was arrested while transporting arms and ammunition to kidnap syndicates operating within the Katsina and Zamfara Axis. The consignment was transported in a Red Volkswagen Golf car with Lagos registration number FK-390-EL. On 1st June 2018, a joint operation with the military at North Bank, Makurdi led to the arrest of Akpenlamun UTO, a notorious gunrunner and kidnap kingpin whose activities have no doubt fuelled violent attacks around this locality,” he added.
Opuiyo said that on June 6, 2018, at the Boys’ hostel of Kogi State University (KSU), Anyingba, 14 suspected cultists were arrested over repeated cult clashes at the institution.
He listed items recovered from the suspects to include: one locally made pistol, browning pistol, shot gun, live cartridges; an axe, a machete and GSM Phones.
On the same date, he said an internet fraudster, Obinomhe Omonjele Daniel, who clones the social media accounts of security personnel, and uses same to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, was arrested at Egbe, Uromi, Esan North LGA, Edo State. He said while his other accomplices, particularly Sabi Boy, were on the run, investigations were ongoing.
He assured that with these arrests, it was envisaged that calmness will return to otherwise volatile areas where these criminals had held sway.
He further assured that the Service was poised to consolidate on these successes and bring about an atmosphere in which law abiding citizens will pursue their legitimate businesses.
The Service also called upon people who may have useful security information not to hesitate to volunteer same to the appropriate security agencies and formations. [myad]
Immediate past governor of Edo State and aspirant for the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has sworn to high heaven that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will collapse the moment he steps into office.
“At least, based on my conversations with people, PDP is happy with some of the problems, but that party will collapse completely when I come in by God’s grace. However, that does not mean that we don’t have a problem.”
Oshiomhole, who spoke to Vanguard in an interview, dismissed the claims in some quarters that he wants to come in as a dictator.
“You see, one of the things I learnt in the labour union is negotiation and never dictatorial because even though I was the President of the NLC, I cannot even control my deputy because he was voted in the same manner I was elected.
The APC chairmanship hopeful said that the party had expanded its house, adding that many people have decamped from PDP to APC after the formation of the party in 2014 and even after the last elections.
“So I think we have lost few, we have gained more, and I believe there are many who will come maybe after I assume office, God willing, if I win.” [myad]
Grassroots Youths for Change (GYC) wing of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised the senate president, Bukola Saraki to respect the santity of the Senate as an institution by stepping down.
The group, which accused the Senate President of dragging the reputation of the senate in the mud due to a series of allegations of crime hanging on his neck, said that his alleged criminal acts have brought disrepute to the office, apart from his working against the interests of the party under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
A statement by its national coordinator, Orlu Henry Manuchimso said that Saraki’s actions have cast a smudge on the administration’s anti-corruption crusade.
According to the group, “the senate president, Bukola Saraki has been charged to the Code of Conduct Tribunal with alleged false declaration of assets, a development that has weakened the moral basis of his leadership.
“It is ignominious that Saraki has been in and out of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the court on several occasions; whereas, he should have helped himself and the anti-corruption war by stepping down in order to protect the sanctity and integrity of his office.
“He would rather continue to dig in his feet in monumental denigration of the respect accorded to that office. His self-inflicted travails have rubbed off negatively on the position of the senate president.
“There is no doubt that he is more interested in his personal political survival than in strengthening the office of the senate president and the institution of the senate.
“While false assets declaration case is yet to be resolved, he has now been accused of complicity in the recent banks’ robberies in Offa, Kwara state, involving some of his political thugs, for which the police have called on him to state in writing what he knows about the crime.
“Prior to his official invitation by the police, Saraki had himself on the floor alerted that there were plots to use arrested cultists in Kwara state to frame him up.”
The group said that these developments did not augur well for the image of the senate and lamented that the senate president’s alleged criminalities were responsible for this public relations deficit.
According to the group, “if Saraki were altruistic and patriotic as he claims to be, he would have been at great pains to allow his personal travails to discount the integrity capital of the office he occupies.
“He would have done the needful by stepping down as senate president; but since he has found it difficult to step down, we deny him the respect of that office and declare that he is not a fit and proper person to continue to preside over the senate.
“It is fraudulent for Saraki to deploy the institution of the National Assembly over which he presides as chairman to fight his personal battles.”
The group said that were it not for Saraki, the national assembly would have enjoyed a smooth relationship with President Buhari and his executive arm of government.
“Saraki, with the support of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has continued to undermine the president and the party structure. His insistence on contesting for the position of senate president was a betrayal of the trust the party reposed in him.
“Apparently lacking sufficient support of the APC and the party caucus in the senate, he had to leverage on the fraudulent alliance with the PDP, thus riding on the back of a willing horse to become a prisoner of the opposition party.
“The senate president, in his disdain for the president, has resorted to legislative filibustering, blackmail and intimidation, particularly through the use of Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill 2018 on reordering of election sequence against the president.” [myad]
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