Champions League last-16 draws

Champions League last-16 draw

UEFA Champions League draws for the last 16 fixtures.

First-leg ties will be played February 14-15 and 21-22:

Lawmakers warn Nigerians against investing in MMM scheme

The Lower Chamber of Nigeria National Assembly, House of Representatives has called on Nigerians to desist from investing in the Mavrodi Monrodi Moneybox scheme popularly known as MMM or risk loss of their funds.

This call was unanimous adopted by the green Chamber after the motion was moved by Rep. Saheed Akinade-Fajabi (Oyo-APC) at plenary on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to Akinade-Fajabi, in the motion disclosed that the scheme was set up by three Russian nationals in 1989 and that clients were made to invest monies with the hope to make 30 per cent interest in 30 days.

He said that the structure and operations of the scheme indicated otherwise as clients could have multi-level structures under them and earn bonus. He said that the scheme prided itself as a mutual fund through which recruited clients contributed money in form of assistance without any intent to engage in banking business.

He stated further that the scheme entered Nigeria in 2016, capitalising on the high level of unemployment and poverty in the country to deceive and make Nigerians fall prey of their antics.

He said that a similar scheme had been launched in Russia by the same founder where investors lost millions of dollars, adding that the scheme had been banned in China to avert “financial havoc’’.

 It could be recalled that last week, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had admonished Nigerians on the MMM scheme, saying it was fraudulent.

Meanwhile, in his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Mr Yakubu Dugara, mandated the Committee on Banking and Currency to investigate the scheme with the view of saving Nigerians participating in it from financial disaster.

How Hillary Clinton lost

Hillary Clinton

The US presidential election is a surprise to most Americans and the world at large. Many were indeed stunned by the outcome of the long awaited presidential election, including the bitter rival of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton.

The question that may probably be going through in her mind and millions of people in the world is, ‘where could we have gotten it wrong’ even with the Obama coalition which probably may have been her greatest undoing.

African-American, Latino and younger voters failed to show up at the polls in sufficient numbers Tuesday to propel Clinton into the White House.

Clinton conceded the race after 2 a.m. ET. Before polls closed her campaign had been confident of victory. In the end, however, she lost even some states thought to be safely in her column, like Wisconsin. She trailed in others, like Pennsylvania and Michigan.

While she won the key demographic groups her campaign targeted, she underperformed

President Obama across the board, even among women, according to exit poll data.

A slightly larger share of black and Latino voters cast ballots for Trump than supported Mitt Romney in 2012, despite Trump's disparaging remarks on African-Americans, Mexicans and undocumented immigrants.

President Barack Obama, who captured the presidency with the help of the African-American and Latino communities, issued several personal pleas to black voters to back Clinton in recent weeks.

But not enough African-Americans, along with Latinos, heeded the call.

Some 88% of African-American voters supported Clinton, versus 8% for Donald Trump, as of very early Wednesday morning. While that's a large margin, it's not as big as Obama's victory over Mitt Romney in 2012. Obama locked up 93% of the black vote to Romney's 7%.

Some 12% of the electorate was African-American this year, compared to 13% four years ago. That's a key drop, especially when paired with a smaller-than-expected growth in Latino votes.

This lowered turnout happened even after Trump repeatedly made sweeping comments about how black communities were in the worst shape ever. Referring multiple times to "inner cities," Trump said black people live in poverty, have no jobs and get shot walking down the street. "What do you have to lose?" he asked.

Clinton's support among Latinos was even more tenuous, despite Trump pledging to build a wall on the Mexican border, accusing undocumented immigrants of being criminal aliens and promising to deport them.

Only 65% of Latinos backed her, while 29% cast their votes for Trump. In 2012, Obama won 71% of the Hispanic vote and Romney secured 27%.

Hispanics inched up to 11% of the electorate, up from 10% in 2012.

Beyond the Obama coalition, Clinton was also not as popular with white voters as Obama was. She won only 37% of the white vote, compared to Obama's 39%. Surprisingly, Trump also garnered a slightly smaller share than Romney, capturing 58% of the vote to Romney's 59%.

White voters made up 70% of the electorate this year, down from 72% four years ago.

Asian voters, which made up a tiny 4% of the electorate, were also less supportive of Clinton than of Obama. Some 65% of Asian voters cast ballots for her, as opposed to 73% for Obama in 2012.

Clinton also failed to capture as many young voters, who flocked to her rival Bernie Sanders in the primary and to Obama four years ago.

She won 55% of voters age 18 to 29, compared to 37% who cast ballots for Trump. But Obama secured 60% of these young voters to Romney's 37%.

When it came to women voters, Clinton won 54% compared to Trump's 42%. Even though 70% of voters said that Trump's treatment of women bothered them, they still didn't flock to the woman who could have broken the glass ceiling. Obama won 55% of the women's vote in 2012.

CNN

Italian league: Inter sack De Boer

Frank Boer

Frank Boer has been sacked as the head coach of "FC Internazionale Milano after suffering another defeat against Sampdoria on Sunday.

The Ducthman was sacked after 14 games and won five of those games.

Pressure had been mounting on De Boer, who only took charge in August, with the club sitting 12th in the table after four wins from 11 matches.

Chief executive Michael Bolingbroke insisted that De Boer had "100 per cent" backing before the defeat at Sampdoria but, with just five wins from his first 14 games at the helm, the Dutchman has been given the axe.

The club have placed Primavera coach Stefano Vecchi in temporary charge ahead of Thursday's Europa League game against Southampton.

"FC Internazionale Milano announce that it has today terminated the contract of coach Frank de Boer with immediate effect," an official club statement read.

Goal.com

Beware of MMM, it is fraudulent – CBN warns Nigerians

At a time when there are growing apprehensions that the Mavrodi Mondial Movement, MMM, scheme is fraudulent, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has warned Nigerians to be wary of it, Daily Post report.

This is coming shortly after the Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, dissociated himself from the MMM, saying he has nothing to do with it or any other online financial aid community, projects or contracts.

The head of the consumer protection department of the CBN, Kadija Kassim, on Monday said the activities of the scheme are not regulated by any institution.

Speaking during a mentoring program for students of Government Secondary School, Suleja, Kassim warned against the use of MMM Federal Republic of Nigeria, a Ponzi scheme company, referring to the scheme as a “wonder bank”.

“Don’t save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”

DAILY POST learnt that many Nigerians have been lured into MMM which functions as an online investment scheme.

The scheme claims to allow a 30 per cent monthly return on investment for every investor.

‘UNILORIN to admit 11,000 out of 103,238 applicants’

The Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali has disclosed that the University can only admit 11,000 out of 103,238 applicants.

Ambali said this on Monday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during Unilorin’s 32nd convocation media briefing.

The VC said 67 of 6,069 first degree graduands bagged first class.

He added that 1,505 made second class upper division, 3,200, second class lower; 1,124, third class while 70 got pass.

Ambali said, “We received a letter to the effect that the Nigerian Army highest hierarchy has approved a collaborative programme leading to the award of a Master of Arts Degree in Peace and Security Studies with Unilorin, through its Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies.

“Through this programme, senior officers of the Nigerian Army will be trained at Unilorin. With this, the university is poised to impact more and contribute further to the Nigerian project,” the Professor said.

Ambali, who is also the Chairman of the Association of West African Universities, also said it was unsavoury that no Nigerian university was ranked in the first 100 of the global university ranking.

Dozens dead in Aleppo airstrikes

*** including 14 from same family

Fourteen members of the same family -- including two infants and eight other children -- were killed on Monday, according to the activist group Aleppo Media Center, CNN report.

More than 30 people were killed in airstrikes that hit the Al-Qaterji neighborhood Sunday night, both the AMC and the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Monday morning another round of airstrikes killed 14 more people in the al-Marjah neighborhood, all from one family, according to the AMC.

Among them, a pair of six-week-old infants and an eight year old, AMC said.

The death toll continued to climb as Russians helped bolster the Syrian army's air attack, after Moscow vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Saturday to halt the action in Aleppo and allow access for humanitarian aid.

As the strikes have continued, Western powers accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his supporters of war crimes.

Both the US and UK have mulled potential economic sanctions against Syria and Russia due to the Aleppo crisis.

University of Lagos expels 125, rusticates 198

Management of the University of Lagos, Akoka, have expelled 125 students and rusticated 198 others for various offences, including examination malpractices during last academic session.

This as disclosed by the University's Deputy Registrar (Information), Mr Toyin Adebule, on Sunday to newsmen. 

According to the registrar, “will soon publish and display the names and photographs of the students in the media’’.

“Yes we have published some names on our website and these students will be punished in various degrees, depending on the severity.

“Last session, a number of students were caught in various forms of malpractices during their examinations.

“Some were found cheating during the examination with “micro sheets” while others were hired as surrogates to write papers for others.

“Others were caught smoking weeds (Marijuana) right in their halls of residence by their colleagues and reported to the university authorities.

“For those who were caught impersonating, writing examinations for others, they will face outright expulsion,’’ Adebule said.

Adebule said the other categories of students, such as those caught with micro sheets and the smokers, would face suspension ranging from two to four semesters.

“In other to get the desired effect of their various punishments, we are planning to publish all their names as well as display their photographs all over the campus in the next one week.

“We shall carry out this measure in all the departments and faculties in the institution.

“This is to help the university ensure that the affected students will have nowhere to hibernate on campus.

“By doing this, the affected students would know that the university want to ensure total compliance to the sanction and would not want to be seen anywhere around the campus,’’ he said.

Adebule said that before every examination, the university normally make available the rules and regulations for the students to abide by.

According to him, the university will continue to do all it can to sustain set standards and best practices as obtained in other top universities around the world.

Germany records highest birth rate in decades

***1.5 births per woman

Germany has recorded its highest birth rate in more than three decades, with an average of 1.5 births per woman.

This was in a post released by country’s office of Federal Statistics on Monday.

According to a statement from the Statistics office, there was an increase of 27 births per 1,000 women in 2015, taking the overall birth rate from 1.47 in 2014 to 1.5 in 2015.

It noted that it has been the highest figure posted since 1982.

“The increase is more marked among women without German citizenship, rising from 1.86 to 1.95 births per woman in 2015.

“Among women with German citizenship, the birth rate grew only marginally from 1.42 to 1.43 births per woman,’’ it said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has singled out Germany’s birth rate, one of the world’s lowest and its ageing population as among the biggest challenges facing the country’s economy.

Report says in spite of the increased number of births in 2015, the country’s birth rate still falls significantly short of the 2.1 births per woman required to maintain a stable population.

Daughter of US sprinter Tyson Gay killed

Tyson gay and daughter

The teenage daughter of US Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay has been shot dead on Sunday after a shooting at a restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.,  local media reported.

Trinity Gay, 15, – herself a rising track athlete – was shot in the neck police said.

According to the Lexington Herald Leader, she died in hospital within an hour of being transported.

Witnesses said Gay was hit during an exchange of gunfire between two cars, according to police.

Two people in one of the cars have been detained for questioning.

Tyson Gay, who holds the US record in the 100m, told local television station WLEX, “She didn’t make it. I’m so confused. She was just here last week for fall break. It’s so crazy. I have no idea what happened.”

Trinity Gay was a top high school sprinter who dreamed of competing in the Olympics and becoming a surgeon, according to her mother, Shoshana Boyd.

“She was so innocent. She was so innocent,” Boyd told the New York Daily News.

“I just want people to stop shooting and realize who they’re hurting. It’s just random. They don’t understand. They don’t understand who they’re hurting.”

Gay competed in the 2016 Olympics on the 4×100-metre relay team but didn’t win a medal.

He was also a member of the 4×100-metre relay at the 2012 Olympics but was disqualified due to a positive doping test.

Two missing after hydroelectric dam bursts in Vietnam

Vietnam authorities on Wednesday said two workers were still missing after being swept away by rushing water when an hydroelectric dam burst in central Vietnam.

According to reports,  the accident occurred on Tuesday, when water overflowed in an underground tunnel at the dam in Quang Nam Province.

The Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, Huynh Toan, told newsmen that heavy rain caused by tropical storm was responsible for higher than usual water levels at the dam.

Initial media reports also said 30 local inhabitants went missing after being hit by rushing water further down the river from the dam.

However, Local Chief of Police Nguyen Loi said that all those reported missing had since returned home safely or found.

According to reports, construction of the Song Bung 2 hydroelectric plant started in late 2012, and has a total capacity of 100 megawatts and is expected to go online later this year.

My conscience is clear- Platini

***bid farewell to UEFA

Michel Platini

Banned UEFA President Michel Platini on Wednesday insisted his conscience was clear as European football’s governing body prepared to elect his successor at an extraordinary congress in Athens, News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Platini told delegates having been given special permission to address the congress by world governing body FIFA.

“You are going to continue this wonderful mission without me.

“I have a clear conscience, I have not made mistakes and will continue my fight in court,’’ he said.

He was banned from football in connection with a disloyal payment of some 2 million Swiss francs (2 million dollars) he received from then FIFA president Joseph Blatter in 2011.

Platini said that the money was for work done as a FIFA presidential adviser a decade earlier.

Report says the 55 member associations of UEFA will choose between two candidates, Aleksander Ceferin of Slovenia and Michael van Praag of the Netherlands as Platini’s replacement.

“The winner will complete Platini’s third four-year presidential term, which expires in March 2019,’’ UEFA said. 

Powell: Trump is an International disgrace

Colin Powell

The former U.S Secretary of State Colin Powell has labeled Republican presidential,  nominee, Donald Trump as “national disgrace and an international pariah.”

Colin Powel in his leaked e-mails also described Trump as racist. CNN reports.

The former secretary of state tore into Trump as an embarrassing figure to represent the United States.

“Trump is a national disgrace and an international pariah,” Powell wrote in June.

“He appeals to the worst angels of the GOP nature and poor white folks,” Powell wrote in another email.

As Trump’s lead in the Republican primary solidified, Powell complained to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria about the network’s political coverage.

“That’s what the 99% believe. When Trump couldn’t keep that up he said he also wanted to see if the certificate noted that he was a Muslim,” Powell wrote in an August email.

The messages, the existences of which were first reported by BuzzFeed and The Intercept, were posted to DCleaks, an organization affiliated with other recent hacks of high-profile figures.

The emails are notable for their candor about Trump. Powell, who oversaw the State Department during the beginning of George W. Bush’s administration, hasn’t endorsed Trump and has largely sidestepped questions about his thoughts on the controversial GOP nominee.

Powell also lampooned Trump’s proposal that he could win over the African-American population.

World Jollof rice day: basic facts about jollof rice

Sijuwola Ayibiowu

Jollof rice has been a major delicacy at every events ranging from wedding ceremony, burial, naming, coronation and other activities that requires dishing of foods.

When you go to the parties, what do we always look out for? .What’s that special food, we always look for, every Sunday and when we visit our relatives? Yes, it’s our favorite JOLLOF RICE.

The 22^nd of August of every year is regarded as the World Jollof Rice Day. It’s a day that is set aside to celebrate this very wonderful cuisine. But do we really understand where, when and how this favorite food came about.

Jollof rice is a dominant name amongst African dishes. Any country can prepare their own kind of jollof rice using ingredients best known to their environment, but the Nigerian jollof rice is one unique dish that is always talked of by anyone from any part of the world, who happens to have ate it.

Here are ten (10) things, we didn’t know about Jollof Rice;

Ø  The rice cuisine that is now called jollof rice is originally from the Wolof tribe that’s cuts across the Gambia and Senegal.

Ø  The rice cuisine is originally a fish-based recipe. But now, its normal to find jollof rice as chicken garnished.

Ø  The Wolof rice which is now called jollof rice is not a morning meal. It’s an evening meal.

Ø  The major ingredients for the meal are the tomato sauce. It gives rice to its redness.

Ø  Many of us don’t know that palm oil and tea-bush leaves are also part of the ingredients used for the preparation of jollof rice.

Ø  There is a dance that is done in honour of the cuisine.

Ø  The bottom of the jollof rice pot is more delicious compared to the top.

Ø  Homemade jollof is not as delicious as the party made jollof rice because it is over spiced with lots of condiments.

Ø  Jollof rice is better eaten when hot, I mean steaming hot.

Ø  Take note, Nothing can rival Jollof rice not even EBA (some people’s favourite).

200 Indonesians celebrate country’s Independence in Nigeria

L-R: ASIAN AMBASSADORS TO NIGERIA, JOSE CABRERA (PHILIPINE); LIM JUAY JIN (MALAYSIA); HARRY PURWANTO (INDONESIA); HOANG NGOC HO (VIETNAM); AND CHAILERT UNSOMBOON (THAILAND).

The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Harry Purwanto, on Monday announced that no fewer than 200 Indonesians in Nigeria recently joined their compatriots globally in celebrating their country’s 71st Independence anniversary.

Purwanto told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that about 50 Indonesians participated in the celebration in Abuja, while about 150 converged in Lagos for the anniversary.

The envoy said that the uniqueness of the celebration in Nigeria was that it had further strengthened ties between Indonesians and their Nigerian friends and business partners.

“Because of our friendship and the importance of Nigeria and Nigerians to us, about 200 Indonesians living in Lagos and Abuja decided to celebrate our country’s 71st Independence anniversary in here.

“Many of us did not want to travel to Indonesia for the celebration because we now see Nigeria as our second country.

“The celebration of the anniversary in Lagos and Abuja has further fostered Nigeria and Indonesia people-to-people relationships as well as promoted our two countries bilateral relations,” he said.

The ambassador said that there was a growing interest of more Indonesian investors and products manufacturers in coming to live and do business in Nigeria.

He said that Indonesians currently living in Nigeria had expressed satisfaction with the peaceful co-existence they had continued to enjoy in Nigeria so far.

Purwanto also said that cultural exchanges between Nigeria and Indonesia were gradually increasing through marriages, tourism, products exchanges and in other areas.

He also said that more Nigerians were becoming interested in travelling to and doing business with Indonesian businessmen and manufacturers.

“Let me say that Indonesians and Nigerians have a lot in common, and for those of us living here, we have continued to enjoy Nigerians’ hospitality.

“Indonesians really like Nigeria and many more will in the near future want to come and invest and do business in Nigeria,’’ he said.

Purwanto urged Nigerians to always see Indonesians in their communities as their friends, brothers and sisters, as well as business partners.

‘Kaduna Govt to ban sale of high energy bulbs’

El-Rufai

The Kaduna State Government said on Monday that it would soon ban the sale of high energy consuming bulbs, as part of strategy to boost energy efficiency.

The state’s Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Abdullahi made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

According to him, a state-wide campaign would be carried out next year for electricity consumers in the state to move to energy saving bulbs, before the ban is effected.

“We have already started moving from high-energy consuming bulbs to energy saving bulbs in ministries departments and agencies”.

Abdullahi said that the effort would cumulatively save N360 million, representing 30 per cent of the amount spent on light bills and fuelling of generators annually by electricity consumers in the state.

He explained that that strategy was an idea postulated by Dr Abdulkarim Mayere, who came third in the “My Great Kaduna Competition'' organised by the state government in 2015.

He said that the competition was organised to source for ideas from members of the public on how to move the state forward and make Kaduna great again.

The commissioner, disclosed that Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa'i had since appointed Mayere as the General Manger of Kaduna Power Supply Company, a new company set up to ensure energy efficiency in the state.

He also said that plans were on to generate electricity from domestic waste, adding that the idea was also developed during the competition by Lwahas Adoniram, who emerge the best.

“Adoniram suggested that waste could be converted into huge employment opportunities with the local construction of turbines powered by domestic waste.

“We have already entered into discussion with the Federal Ministry of Environment and has shown interest to partner with us to make the project a reality.

“The people of the state have as much contribution to make, so we opened up the competition last year and received about 500 entries out of which 15 were selected and integrated into the state development plan.

“The state government would continue to engage citizens in policy formulation and implementation processes in order to run a holistic people-oriented government,'' the commissioner said. 

Police rescue 28 persons, including 13 teenagers

The Lagos State Police Command had rescued 28 persons that included 13 teenagers found in chains in a house at Oke-Ira, Ojodu area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that the victims were rescued on Friday.

Badmos said that the command had also arrested one Emmanuel Adeyemi alleged to have been responsible for the crime.

She said that the rescued people comprised: six male adults, nine female adults, seven female children and six male; adding that they had been taken into protective custody.

“On Aug. 19, at about noon, the command received information that a child was in chain in a house at Oyinbo Unity Estate, Olamidun Close, Yakoyo, Oke-Ira, Ojodu.

“Consequently, he command mobilized a team of policemen to the location, where a 17-year-old boy, (names withheld) was found in a room with a chain around his legs.

“The victim was allegedly chained by the suspect who claimed to be his father to restrain him from going out.

“Further search of the premises led to the discovery of 27 others chained by the same suspect,’’ Badmos said.

The image-maker said that the suspect was currently undergoing interrogations, stressing that the command was working assiduously to get to the roots of the matter. 

LASG begins training, accreditation of bus conductors

The Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI) on Monday urged bus conductors in the state to be civil in their dealings with commuters and other road users.

Mr Philip Ogunlade, the Chief Executive Officer of LASDRI, gave the charge in his address at a one-day training and accreditation of bus conductors in Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 55 executive members of the Bus Conductors Association of Nigeria (BCAN) participated in the exercise which began with medical checks.

According to Ogunlade, the purpose of the exercise is to impart professional skills in the association’s members, as well as improve public confidence and perception among them.

He said: “What we do at the institute is to train and re-train drivers, as well as re-certify them.

“But for the first time in the history of the country, bus conductors are being trained to become better human beings on the road, and relate better with the commuters and other road users.

“We are happy to be part of this noble invention because it will enable us take their data, identify whom they are and the vehicle they work with.

“This will help the government in security areas, so the problem of `one-chance’ vehicles will be reduced to the barest minimum.

“That is why we have started computing their data for easy identification,’’ he said.

Ogunlade added that the institute would not rest on its oars at ensuring that bus conductors and transport unions in the state embrace the state’s traffic laws.

“It is not going to be an affair of the executive alone; we will go all out to ensure that other members of the association undergo training at the institute.

“We will work assiduously with the association and other unions to ensure that they bring their members for training.

“On our part, we have begun an enlightenment campaign for the various unions; starting with the Iyana-Ipaja branch; and next week, we will be conducting the training going for the Mile 2 branch,’’ he said.

Mrs Bola Tiamiyu, LASDRI’s Director of Training, in her reactions said that the roles of bus conductor were very important in the society.

“This is why we have invited you to attend the training that will make you relate better with other members of the public and become better on the job.

“We believe that at the end of the exercise you will become better conductors on the road,’’ Tiamiyu said.

ITTF World Juniors: Animasahun, Oribamise lead others

Olalekan Okusan

National junior sensations – Abayomi Animasahun and Tosin Oribamise will lead 18 others to the National Training Centre of the Lagos National Stadium for the camping ahead of the ITTF World Junior Championships in Cape Town, South Africa.

Under the tutelage of seven-time Olympian, Segun Toriola, the players will be groomed in readiness for the world championship while the 10-man team will also be selected at the end of the camping on September 3.

Some of the invited players were part of the team that featured at the ITTF African Junior Championship in Algiers where they qualified for the World Juniors, while outstanding players from the National U-16 tournament also made it to the camp.

According to the President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Wahid Oshodi, the camping is necessary as some of the players would gain from the experience of Toriola, who has been celebrated globally for his consistency and discipline in the sport.

“We are blessed with talents just like Aruna Quadri and we don’t want to lose the momentum by ensuring that we come through with our programmes. This camping becomes necessary as we want to select the best hands among the junior players so that they can also test might with their foreign counterparts at the world juniors. With the experience of Toriola and Michael Oyebode, who were both in Rio Olympic Games, I am confident that camping would have impart on the players and prepare them for the championship,” Oshodi said.

He added: “The selected players will later go into close camping before the championship in November and they will continue to train in readiness for the competition. Toriola will surely depart to his base after the camping and we hope the coaches around can continue to sharpen the skills of the players before the tournament which has Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria and Tunisia representing Africa in Cape Town, South Africa.”

The invited players are Abayomi Animasahun, Azeez Solanke, Amadi Umeh, Michael Abayomi, Augustine Emmanuel, Jamiu Ayanwale, Ololade Oyenekan, Tobi Falana, Etim Orok, Babafemi Babatunde and Umar Ibrahim for boys and the girls include Tosin Oribamise Agnes Onoja, Ajoke Ojomu, Alimot Ayinla, Rofiat Jimoh, Iyanuoluwa Falana, Vivian Akpan and Sukurat Aiyelabegan. 

NTTF will cater for the players’ feeding and accommodation while their states are expected to offset their transport fare. 

Beyonce dominates MTV video nominations

Beyonce. Source: www.ew.com

Beyonce's critically-praised visual album "Lemonade", has earned the R&B singer a career-best 11 nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards.

The list included multiple nods for Adele and rapper Kanye West, but nothing for Taylor Swift.

Adele's YouTube-shattering video for her 2015 comeback single "Hello" notched seven nominations, while the sultry British singer earned an eighth mention for "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)".

The controversial video for West's "Famous" which featured portrayals of 12 nude celebrities including Swift sleeping next to the rapper got two nominations, including the top award of video of the year.

Swift and West had been publicly feuding for months about whether the pop star approved lyrics in which West boasts about making her famous.

Swift, 26, the top-earning celebrity in the world, had dominated music awards shows in the past five years and won four MTV music video prizes in 2015, including her single "Bad Blood" with Kendrick Lamar.

But this year, she did not score any nominations after touring worldwide for much of 2015, in spite releasing videos for "Out of the Woods" and "New Romantics" in late 2015 and early 2016.

The coveted video of the year category pits Beyonce's politically-charged video for "Formation" against Adele's "Hello", Canadian rapper Drake's "Hotline Bling", Justin Bieber's "Sorry" and West's "Famous".

The MTV Video Music Awards, which had a reputation for irreverence and shock tactics, held this year in New York City on Aug. 28 and would air live on MTV.

The awards would be voted on by fans, starting on Tuesday. A host for the 2016 show has yet to be announced.

Beyonce's album "Lemonade" in April featured music videos for each track and was praised for its bold songs about betrayal and revenge.

Videos from the album also scored nominations for choreography, art direction, and editing.

Rihanna scored multiple nominations for her collaborations with DJ Calvin Harris on "This is what you Came For," and with Drake on "Work".

British artist David Bowie died unexpectedly in January of cancer, days after releasing a new album.

He also made it onto the list with nominations for best direction, art, editing and cinematography for his singles "Blackstar” " and "Lazarus".

Troops arrest suspected supplier of fuel to Boko Haram

The Nigerian Army says its troops have arrested a suspected supplier of fuel to Boko Haram terrorists in Borno.

A statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said the suspect was arrested at Molai check point in the outskirt of Maiduguri at about 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

He added that the suspect was arrested with a truck loaded with 25 jerry cans of petrol and other goods cleverly covered in cartons.

Usman said preliminary investigation indicated that the suspect had for long engaged in supply of fuel and other goods to terrorists in Sambisa.

He said: “the Quick Response Force (QRF) of 251 Battalion, 7 Division Garrison on routine check arrested a truck loaded with 25 jerry cans of PMS and other goods.

“The PMS and other goods were cleverly covered and concealed in the truck.

“The driver of the vehicle, Muhammadu Adamu, claimed ignorance of the contents of the vehicle and called the owner of the goods, Tijjani Gambo to explain.

“He too denied supplying the terrorists’ fuel and other items. Rather he claimed to be a mere trader that supplies goods to customers in Damboa based on demand.

“However, preliminary investigation revealed that he has been sending PMS and other goods through the same route at regular intervals without an identifiable corresponding recipient in Damboa.

“Although investigations are still ongoing, it is suspected that it could be the means through which he had been supplying the terrorists with dire logistics in Sambisa forest."

Usman said authorities in the region had banned the purchase and transportation of petrol in containers in Borno and its environs.

He said both suspects and the exhibits had been handed over to Joint Interrogation Centre for further investigation.

Bayelsa students protest closure of varsity

…action politically motivated- govt

 Students of the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), on Thursday, took to the streets of Yenagoa, the state capital, to protest the closure of their school following an industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU and other categories of workers in the university kicked off an industrial action in April demanding their backlog of unpaid salaries.

The students were, however, angry over prolonged negotiations to end the industrial dispute between the workers and the state government.

The protesters disrupted vehicular movements and business activities in the capital city as they marched the Mbiama-Yenagoa road from Tombia roundabout to the Government House.

Their presence caused tension among residents, but the atmosphere was calmed by a retinue of security operatives who monitored the protest.

The students marched the roads chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with various inscriptions such as “Bring back NDU", “We are tired of staying at home”, “Save NDU", “We want to go back to school”, “ASUU, agree with government, government agree with ASUU,”.

Attempts by some suspected hoodlums to hijack the peaceful protest was, however, prevented by scores of armed security men, who monitored the event.

Some officials of the state government accused a human right activist, Ebiserikumo Jason Gbassa, who led the protesting students of allegedly playing the script of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

One of the protesters, a 300-level engineering student, Mr. Omiela Dumotonye, said the protest was peaceful and not sponsored as alleged in some quarters.

"What the students want is for the state government and ASUU to return to the negotiation table and ensure that issues of salary payment are resolved. We are not harming anybody", he said.

Another speaker, a 300 level student of Philosophy, Mr. Dee Mitin, added: The protest is not a civil servant matter. It is a wakeup call for the state government and ASUU to return to the dialogue table and resolve their differences. They should come to an agreement within seven days".

Mitin threatened that the students community in NDU resolved to embark on a mega rally and shut down the state if the issues were not resolved within the period.

Addressing the students, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, blamed the closure of the school on ASUU.

He said ASUU refused to honour its part of the agreement it reached with the state government.

Spiff said:  “I feel your pains you need not suffer what you are suffering but it is because  ASUU has refused to sit down to sit down with the state government talk.

He said: “ASUU gave government many conditions and promised to resume work when the conditions are met and after government had met the conditions, ASUU came back again with more conditions and the government asked them to resumed work first as promised of which they have refused.

“ASUU has been disappointedly uncooperative with government and using the students a as pawns, they have connived with politicians to portray the government in bad light".

He appealed to ASUU to see reasons with the state government and call off the strike.

Speaking on the matter, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, accused the opposition of instigating the protest to cause insecurity and a breakdown of law and order in the state.

He said:  “Politicians are behind the protest. One Gbasa and a self-acclaimed alumnus of the school, who we know as an APC stalwart, was part of the protest