ONE WORD

Former Super Eagles defender, Sam Sodje has reacted to the retirement of Chelsea legend, John Obi Mikel, from international football. Sodje pointed out that no player is irreplaceable at Super Eagles, adding that Nigeria’s legend, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha was untouchable, but when he left, the national team moved on. He, however, hailed Mikel for his contributions to the National team during his time. Sodje told Brila: ”I don’t think any player is in replaceable, well we will miss him [Mikel] but at the same time, there is always an end to every football players’ career in the National team. “There was a time Okocha was unplayable or untouchable, but when he left, the national team moved on, so I don’t think there is an irreplaceable player, we all played and retired at one time so, it’s all good.” Also, former Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju described Mikel as one of the country’s most outstanding players. “I want to congratulate and commend him [Mikel] for what he has d...

The Lagos State Public Works Corporation  (LSPWC) is currently on an aggressive campaign to rid roads in Lagos state of potholes and failed sections. This project is in compliance with the Executive Order issued by the Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. A long list of roads has been marked for rehabilitation. The project will see workers of the LSPWC working at affected spots on the roads day and at night. In order to notify and guide motorists, the  LSWPC   releases a schedule of where they should expect to encounter repair works. Below is the list of roads that repair works would be carried out today (Day and Night), July 19th 2019.  Autojosh

There was serious commotion in Warri area of Delta state today after protesters stopped SARS officials from arresting suspected Yahoo boys.       A dramatic scene played out today in Delta state as protesters and SARS operatives clashed over arrest of suspected internet fraudsters.   It was gathered that the operatives stormed a street in Warri to arrest some suspected internet fraudsters otherwise known as yahoo boys.   These angered some of the people living in the area who decided to resist the actions of the police officers.   The action caused enough pandemonium which invited fear to many as the SARS operative threatened to do the unthinkable.   The scene was captured on camera where a SARS official fired a gun and the crowd shouted to chase them away.   Watch the video below: #BBNaija Laila Ijeoma @LailaIjeoma SARS Officials attempted to arrest some alleged yahoo boys in Warri but the peo...

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is set to compensate the families of two corps members who were killed at their places of primary assignment in Bayelsa State. The Director of Corps Welfare and Inspectorate Department, Sanusi Abdulrasheed, disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday evening. PREMIUM TIMES reported how some hoodlums attacked the hostel given to some corps members by the proprietor of Victory International School, Swali Yenagoa in Bayelsa State where they were posted to, on March 20. The attack led to the death of two corps members, Oluwatobiloba Popoola and George Onakpoma. Four months after, the families of the victims said the NYSC and police have denied them the consolation of getting a clear picture of the incident. Also, the only survivor of the attack, Gbenga Dada, who was earlier denied his April and May monthly allowances while in the hospital receiving treatment after being shot, has been paid. This came a day after PREMIUM TIMES wrote on ...

A mother-of-two has been left traumatised after bungling doctors wrongly told her she had breast cancer and put her through several rounds of unnecessary chemotherapy. Sarah Boyle, from Staffordshire, was misdiagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at Royal Stoke University Hospital at the end of 2016. The 28-year-old was put through gruelling chemotherapy, which saw her lose most of her hair and left her drained. She also underwent a bilateral mastectomy - the surgical removal of both breasts - to 'stop the cancer spreading' and had reconstructive surgery to put breast implants in their place. A spokesman from University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust said: 'A misdiagnosis of this kind is exceptionally rare and we understand how devastating this has been for Sarah and her family. 'In addition to an unreserved apology to Sarah, the findings of the investigation have been shared with her and the case is now part of an on-going legal claim with whic...

Aviation security officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have arrested an unidentified man who climbed on an Azman aircraft waiting for clearance from Air Traffic Controllers. A statement by FAAN’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, said that the pilot of the aircraft reported the incident and Avsec officials swiftly responded. “At about 1009 hours, aviation security officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria arrested an intruder who was sighted trying to climb into an Azman aircraft waiting for clearance from Air Traffic Controllers. “The pilot of the Azman aircraft with registration number 5N-HAI departing Lagos to Port Harcourt reported the incident and Avsec officials swiftly responded. The man has been apprehended and is now in Avsec’s custody.” She added that a thorough check was later carried out on the aircraft and authorities have commenced investigations into the incident. “The aircraft taxied back to the ...

The Centre for Protection of Nigerians in the Diaspora (CPND), says many Nigerians living abroad are now in palpable fear as a result of Xenophobic attacks, especially in South Africa. The President of CPND, Alex Orji made the assertion on Thursday during the candlelight procession in honour of the slain Nigerian Insurance chief, Mrs Elizabeth Ndubuisi-Chukwu, who was killed in a hotel in South Africa. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the procession was held at the Liberty Bridge, Maryland Lagos. Orji said that that Nigerians deserved better treatment from the South African Government away from the killings being experienced. “The reason for these ugly incidents was because the government of South Africa refused to act on those killings. “It has got to the level that the woman killed was just visiting South Africa, with this ugly trend; there is a need to speak out veraciously. Nigerians have been so good to their South African hosts. “No one is allowed to t...

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC has expressed its readiness to continue to supply over 10 percent of India’s crude oil demand in the face of competing demand for the product from other countries. This commitment was made by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, when the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency Abhay Thakur, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja. In a statement, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, stated that Mr Kyari noted that Nigeria, through the NNPC, would continue to support India’s energy security, adding that the recent Memorandum of Understanding in the area of energy between Nigeria and India would be consummated to further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries. Mr Kyari said that the NNPC was desirous of growing the energy co-operation with India and that it was time to progress from just talking to walking the talk. He noted that ...

PDM loses bid to withdraw from a petition against Buhari …As tribunal rejects ‘strange’ motion to sack Buhari INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu and Atiku Abubakar This is even as the tribunal dismissed an application that sought to de-list Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, as a party to a petition challenging the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the election. It also in a dramatic twist, rejected a strange motion that sought to sack President Buhari and declare Chief Ambrose of Hope Democratic Party, HDP, president. Though the tribunal had on Wednesday, adjourned further hearing on the joint petition Atiku and PDP lodged against Buhari’s re-election till today, the Justice Mohammed Garba-led five-member panel, however, acknowledged receipt of the sensitive electoral materials INEC produced on Thursday. It will be recalled that the tribunal had, pursuant to an application by the petitioners, issued a subpoena against INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu a...

VP Osinbajo, and his wife Dolapo pose with the son Fiyinfunoluwa Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo, have attended the graduation of their son, Fiyinfunoluwa from Warwick University in the United Kingdom.  The graduation held yesterday Wednesday, July 17th.  The VP who no doubt has a busy schedule made out time to be with his son on this worthy occasion. He returned to Abuja today, according to the senior special assistant to the vice-president on media and publicity Laolu Akande.  Their two daughters, Kanyisola and Damilola, as well as their son-in-law, Seun Bakare, all, attended the graduation ceremony, from photographs shared by Osinbajo’s wife, Dolapo on Instagram.  Fiyin attended Bensworth Independent College before moving on to Warwick, one of the Top 10 universities in the UK, according to the latest ranking by Times and Sunday Times.  Fiyinfoluwa is the only son of the family. See more photos below: ...

Besides negative narratives of Port Harcourt, the Rivers capital, being ravaged by cult gangs who are making living difficult for many, there are other things to cheer about in the oil city. For instance, a first time visitor to Port Harcourt, you cannot miss the allure of the roasted plantain popularly known as “Bole” and complimented by specially prepared irresistible pepper sauce at different street corners of the city. This popular delicacy is now the subject of an annual festival called Bole Food festival which started in 2016. For this year, the organizers have announced programmes for the 2019 edition themed ‘Our taste, Our Culture’, a one-day event aimed at celebrating the rich heritage of the Niger Delta through food with emphasis on the various creative ways people prepare roasted plantain known as ‘Bole’. “We expect another successful and fun-filled event that will also set the standard in highlighting the importance of celebrating our culture and local cuisine,” ...

 Boko Haram terrorists ambush aid workers in Nigeria's northeast, kill some, abduct others. AFP Nigerian soldiers on duty in the northeast (AFP) Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a convoy of humanitarian workers in the early hours of Thursday, July 18, 2019, along the Maiduguri-Damasak road, killing two staff of the aid agency and abducting a couple others. A source told  Pulse  that humanitarian workers on the bill of  Action Against Hunger —a global organization committed to ending world hunger, with origins in France—were ambushed and attacked as they traveled the Maiduguri-Damasak road.  “The terrorists killed two male staff of the organization and kidnapped two female staff. The insurgents left the scene with the Hilux vehicle the aid workers were traveling in”,  the source who spoke to  Pulse  on condition of anonymity, stated. Attempts to confirm the incident from Action Against Hunger and the military high command, p...

A 47-year-old tailor, Popoola Abolade, was on Friday brought before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a company of N1.48 million. Abolade, who resides in Ikeja area of Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining by false pretenses, to which he pleaded not guilty. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Oriabure, told the court that the defendant committed the offences at 1p.m. on Jan. 19, at No. 33, Olorunlogbon St., Anthony Village, Lagos. Oriabure said that the defendant was contracted by Slloyd Nigeria Ltd., to sew 222 uniforms worth over N1.6million for its workers. He said however that the defendant delivered only 48 of the uniforms to the company and promised to deliver the remaining 174 uniforms, which he failed to do. Oriabure told the court that instead of meeting his contractual obligations, the defendant locked up his shop and absconded with the balance of N1.48million. “My Lord, it was the company’s Human Resources consultant,...

Amid intractable traffic congestion undermining its domestic economy, the Lagos State Government Thursday disclosed that it had started working with the federal government to construct Light Rail (Red Line) valued at $2 billion. This is coming as the state government has promised to fund the completion of the completion of Blue Line, a 27-kilometre rail line starting from Okokomaiko to Marina, initially projected to cost $1.2 billion. The state Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance at the fourth Lagos Traffic Radio Lecture Series held at the Radio Lagos/Eko FM Multi-purpose Hall, Agidingbi yesterday. Among others, former Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Senator Olorunimbe Mamora; and Chairman, Institute of Strategic Management, Lagos State Chapter, Dr. Oladimeji Smith attended the lecture. Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat at the le...

Apostolic Sect members By A Correspondent| Leaders of an apostolic sect, the St Noah Taguta led Johannes Marange Apostolic church have thrown their weight behind President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Apostolic Sect members The elders assured Mnangagwa of their support during their Passover which was held at St Noah headquarters in Mafararikwa, Bocha in Marange recently. Apostolic Sect members One of the elders told the crowd that President Mnangagwa was in power by divine decree Apostolic Sect members in Marange He said: We don’t oppose the ruling party; we follow instructions from our leader. He (Taguta) told us to go and vote for President Mnangagwa. We did so and he (Mnangagwa) won. Your (Mnangagwa) groups you work with had plotted a bhora musango (vote sabotage) but vapostori said our President is Mnangagwa. That’s why you are there today. … Even when our economy is struggling, we tell our people to be calm because the President was chosen by God. If our servic...

A strong earthquake has been felt in the Greek capital of Athens, causing people to run out into the streets. Details soon..... 

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says starting from 2020, candidates will register for its examinations with their National Identity Management Number (NIM) to solve the challenges of multiple registration. Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Head of Media of the board made this known at a one-day capacity building workshop organised by the National Examination Council (NECO) for education correspondents in Keffi, Nasarawa on Friday. Benjamin, who spoke on the topic: “Understanding Reporting in the 21st Century”, said the development would be facilitated through partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). According to him, experience has shown that malpractice in the conduct of public examination, especially the UTME, actually begins with the registration exercise. “Four days ago, we cancelled results of four candidates because of examination malpractices we discovered after the examination. “The board is on top of the situation as it has the deter...

The immediate past governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi has said he prefers going to the Senate than becoming a minister in President Muhammadu Buhari’s expected cabinet. Ajimobi in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan on Thursday, explained that the ministerial appointment should go to younger members of the party in Oyo State since he is not the only APC member in the state. According to him, retrieving his mandate in the last senatorial election in court is more important to him than pursuing a ministerial appointment. Ajimobi, however, noted that President Buhari has not offered him any ministerial appointment, stressing that it was the reason he was committed to the petition his party filed against Senator Kola Balogun at the tribunal. Ajimobi said: “I am in court for my senatorial election. I only expressed my preference that I am in court because I prefer the Senate. “How can I be pursuing the Senate and ministerial appointment at the same time? I prefer the Senate....

Five soldiers including a Captain lost their lives as troops of the of 212 Battalion repelled a Boko Haram attack on their military base in Jakana area of Borno State. Confirming the incident to Channels Television, the spokesperson of Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Ado Isa said the lost significant number of both equipment and personnel during the exchange of fire. “Troops of 212 Battalion deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Jakana, on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, dealt with and neutralised an unconfirmed number of Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists when they woefully attempted to infiltrate their base in dire need for logistics. “The terrorists came at about 1845 hours in 7 Gun Trucks and fought fiercely to infiltrate the camp, but the attack was thwarted with heavy fire and bombardment by the gallant and patriotic troops who were vigilant and battle-ready,” Isa’s statement read in part. The colonel revealed that the terrorists “lost initiative and withdrew in disarray along th...

A Nigerian soldier has been killed by Boko Haram just two months after he welcomed twin daughters.   Abdulazeez Mohammed   One of the Nigerian soldiers killed by Boko Haram members along Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway in Borno state on Wednesday, July 18th, has been identified as Abdulazeez Mohammed. Abdulazeez and his colleagues were repelling an attack from Boko Haram when he was gunned down alongside five of his colleagues.   His death was announced on social media by popular anti-corruption campaigner, Kayode Ogundamisi.   His friends who are mourning him on social media, revelead he welcomed a set of twins two weeks ago.    tori.ng

An Australian Supreme Court on Friday sentenced a 25-year-old man, Anthony Harvey, who admitted to killing his three young daughters, twin, two-year-old and three-year-old with their mother and grandmother to life imprisonment. The people were found dead inside their home in suburban Perth in Sept. 2018, after Harvey, walked into a police station in the Pilbara region and reported the himself. Supreme Court Justice, Stephen Hall, held that Harvey’s crimes were exceptionally horrific and sentenced him to life in prison. Hall said, Harvey was the first person in Western Australia that will never be released from jail, a provision that was introduced to the state’s homicide laws in 2008. “There is no other case that is truly comparable,’’ the judge said, as the women were unsuspecting, while the children were asleep before they were horribly murdered. However, Harvey had written in a journal about embracing his “darkness and animal instincts and eliminating’’ his family. “I ...

Romelu Lukaku will miss his third match in a row on Manchester United's tour when they play Inter Milan – the club bidding to sign him – in Singapore on Saturday. Lukaku has been unavailable for United's first two games against Perth Glory and Leeds United with an unspecified 'niggle' as transfer talks between the two clubs continue. United want to recoup in the region of £90m – the total fee agreed with Everton when they signed Lukaku two years ago – but Inter are looking at closer to £75m. 'I think both (De Gea and Shaw) will be available. Luke did a decent training session yesterday and David will train today, so we will try to get 60 minutes or longer out of him. 'Today, we're going to see where they (Fred and Darmian) are at because they've been training back home. Fred's been over in Brazil and got married, so probably he has got loads of energy and I'm sure he is keen to join in.' Solskjaer expects to see more from the Braz...

Build-up to the fight After the fight in Madison Square Garden on June 1, rumours floated around that Joshua was knocked out during a sparring drill in the build-up to the contest. Joshua quickly quashed these accusations, however,  as he said in the video : 'People were saying "Anthony was knocked down or hurt in sparring" but that's never been the truth.  'And the most recent allegation was when I was in Miami, "I was knocked down or knocked out or wobbled". 'None of that has been true, we are soldiers. I have been doing it for a long time. I have taken heavier shots. 'I was in a good place in my training camp. I am just trying to explain that rumours are rumours for a reason.' Joshua was due to fight Jarrell Miller but the American was banned after he was found to have taken three illegal substances in a drugs test. Up stepped Ruiz Jnr. AJ revealed what his uncle had told him about the Mexican heavyweight in the past: ...