Arsenal agree Onyekuru price

Arsenal have agreed a £6.8m fee with Belgian club KAS Eupen for Nigeria striker Henry Onyekuru, according to Sky sources.

The Gunners have been in talks with the Belgian club since last week, having led a string of Premier League teams interested in the 19-year-old.

Personal terms have not yet been agreed with the player's representatives, Sky sources understand, but he is an avid Arsenal fan and understood to be keen on the move.

Onyekuru is the top scorer in the Jupiler League, notching his 20th goal on May 20, and has been of interest to Everton, Southampton, West Ham and West Brom.

He is thought to have a £6.8m release clause in his contract, and has already turned down moves to Belgian giants Brugge and Anderlecht.
Celtic are also understood to have come close to signing him in January but Eupen refused to sell him during the winter transfer window.

Onyekuru made his debut for Eupen in 2015 as a 17-year-old and helped the club achieve promotion to the Belgian top flight in his debut season.

The player is currently on international duty with Nigeria, who play a friendly against Togo in Paris on Thursday.

Adeleke Died Of Drug Overdose, Not Poisoning, Coroner Confirms

The Coroner appointed by the Osun State Government to investigate the cause of death of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke has declared that his death was caused by drug overdose.

The Coroner, Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara, while giving his verdict in Osogbo on Tuesday, said all the evidence before him in no way pointed to poisoning as the cause of death of the late senator, as alleged in some quarters.

“I have critically gone through all the evidence before me. From the totality of evidence, the possibility of poisoning of the deceased is not sustainable.

“I have not been able to trace any link to poisoning by anybody. The autopsy report and also the toxicologist’s report are very specific to say there was no trace of poison or heavy metal in the blood of the deceased.

“Therefore it is my firm opinion that he was not poisoned, I so hold,” he said.
He said the evidence of the pathologist, the toxicologist, police forensic expert, and the Chief Medical Director of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, where the autopsy was carried out, “all pointed scientifically to the fact that the death of the deceased was caused by aspiration of the gastric content which blocked his airwaves as a result of high level of alcohol, sedative, analgesic, which cause the vital senses centre in the brain to shut down resulting in death.”

Ayilara said the nurse who treated the deceased before he died, Mr. Alfred Aderibigbe, tried to puncture the scientific evidence, claiming he did not give him an overdose, but the evidence he gave in court and the police statement he gave were contradictory.

“The deceased did not die of food poisoning. The deceased had an administration of overdose of sedative and analgesic by an unqualified personnel, Alfred Aderibigbe, through intravenous means which action was hastened by the presence of alcohol in the system.

“The deceased had patronized the said Aderibigbe for about 20 years and had taken treatment from him without doctor’s prescription and that the high dose of sedative and analgesic with the mode of administration caused his death.

"The coroner, however, recommended that the qualification of Aderibigbe should be further investigated to be sure he was qualified as he claimed and that the office of the Department of Public Prosecution should look into the case file of Aderibigbe with them with a view to determine the appropriate charges, if any, to be pressed against him.
“The public should be sensitized by the government to the need to visit and patronize only qualified medical personnel in treatment of their ailments,” he said. - NAN

Senator Dino Melaye Caught On Tape Bribing Tribunal Judge Akoh Ikpeme

An audio tape obtained by Saharareporters has revealed how Nigerian Senator Dino Melaye compromised Justice Akon Ikpeme, the tribunal judge who handled his election case in 2015.

In the tape, which captures a telephone 

conversation between Justice (Mrs) Akoh and Mr. Melaye, the judge is overheard asking Mr. Melaye to give her a bribe in US dollars. She also asks Mr. Melaye to assist a person Dino repeatedly referred to as her "daughter" secure a job at the Cross Rivers State Ministry of Health.



Our investigation reveals that Justice Ikpeme is married to a Cross River medical doctor. She is reportedly number 3 in the hierarchy of the Cross Rivers judiciary.

Saharareporters could not confirm if Mrs. Ikpeme’s daughter got a job with the Cross Rivers state government, but in a second call between her and Mr. Melaye, the Senator bragged that he had already spoken to the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade.

In 2016, Justice Ikpeme dismissed a petition by Smart Adeyemi, Mr. Melaye’s opponent, in accordance to the plot to let Mr. Melaye off the hook at the election tribunal.

SaharaReporters contacted the spokesperson to the  Cross Rivers state governor, Christian Ita who said they could only locate a family member of the Ikpeme’s who was already a civil servant in the state before Prof. Ayade became the state governor in 2015.

 Dino Melaye Caught On Tape Bribing Election Tribunal Judge Akon Ikpeme. - Saharareporters

Goodluck Jonathan is broke, always complaining – PDP Chieftain, Adeyanju

Former Director of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, New Media, Deji Adeyanju, has revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan is broke.

Adeyanju, who made the remark in an interview with Saharareporters maintained that since leaving office, the former President frequently complained of experiencing paucity of fund.

The former PDP youth leader also insisted that though Jonathan was incorrupt, most people around him were corrupt.

According to Adeyanju, “I don’t think that the former President, Jonathan, was corrupt but he had too many corrupt people around him. He was a simple man, had trust on people.

“His problem was that he trusted so many people but they did not leave up to expectation. He gave them room to operate and now he complains that he don’t have money.

“If a former President can be complaining all the time, which he does frequently; he starts raising the issue of people that stole so much money and he just shake his head.”

I Caught My Husband Making Love In Our Bedroom

A 40-year -old trader, Mrs Folake Alimi, on Wednesday told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos that she caught her husband making love to a girl on their matrimonial bed.

The woman said this while responding to a divorce suit filed by her husband whom she accused of cheating on her. “I came home unannounced and I caught my husband making love to a girl; he jumped up when he noticed my presence.

“I also saw him with a woman in a hotel near our house when I went to buy food. “He begged me not to expose him because of his position in the church and I kept it a secret,” she said.

The respondent said her husband was always jealous and had often accused her of dating every man he saw her with. “My husband stopped me from working claiming men are dating me,” she said.

The mother of four said that what used to cause their frequent fights was his penchant for buying things for the children of his first wife and ignoring her own.

She begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of the marriage, claiming that she was still in love with him.

Her husband, Joseph, had approached the court seeking to end his 11-year-old marriage over his wife’s alleged infidelity.

“My wife is cheating on me, she receives calls from men at odd hours,” he said.

The petitioner accused his wife of going out and returning at will.

“My wife abandoned me and the children for one year for an unknown destination; she came back and left for another seven months.

“She was always going to parties and spending days before coming back,” the estranged husband said.

The 47-year-old businessman said that his wife’s son from another father, in company with a gang, attacked him in his church with cutlass, rods and other dangerous weapons.

“My step-son that I trained came to my church with his gang in order to beat me up because I beat his mother,” he said.

He urged the court to terminate the marriage, saying he was no longer in love with his wife.

The President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, adjourned the case till June 28 for further hearing.

EFCC Arrests Two For N1.5m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested two suspected fraudsters, John Onos Zino and Festus Otoigiahae, for N1.5m (One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fraud.

Their arrest on Thursday, May 25, 2015 in Lagos followed a petition written by one Victor Adoji, an employee of Zenith Bank Plc, to the Commission.

Zino, a 63-year-old property developer, had allegedly approached the complainant, Adoji, claiming to be a lawyer with the Commission.

Zino, who hails from Delta State, also allegedly told Adoji that he could help him “kill” a petition written against him by the second suspect, Otoigiahae, about his suspicious lifestyle, if he could pay the sum of N1.5

Investigation revealed that Otoigiahae, who had worked as a driver for the complainant, was introduced to Zino by one Chika, a member of his (Otoigiahae) church.

Thereafter, the complainant allegedly agreed to pay the sum of N1.5m to Zino to enable him “kill” the petition before the Commission.

However, the complainant, who suspected a foul play, approached Commission about his encounter with Zino, where he was advised to play along.

Consequently, the complainant allegedly arranged a meeting with the first suspect, Zino, to give him the sum of N1m as part payment.

Operatives of the EFCC, however, swooped on the first suspect, Zino  in a sting operation.

The suspects will soon be charged to court after investigations are concluded.

Video : Carriage horse gets loose in NYC

Putin Won’t Confirm if He Is Eyeing Another Term

  With less than a year from the election that Vladimir Putin is widely expected to win, he is still refusing to confirm whether he will even run. Speaking to French daily newspaper Le Figaro during his visit to France this week, Putin once again parried questions about whether or not he will run for a fourth term as president come next March.

“As far as candidates are concerned, well, it is too early to talk about that,” Putin said. His ruling, catch-all United Russia party and the heavily state-dominated media in Russia have entered the final year of Putin’s current term with few clues as to who could potentially succeed the man in power, suggesting Putin’s road to a fourth term is paved.

On the face of it, Putin’s refusal to make his bid for a new term may seem strange. If in good health and humor, it would be highly unlikely he would not be celebrating six more years at Russia’s helm next spring.

Following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Putin’s plummeting approval rating peaked and has stayed above 80 percent ever since. Russian lawmakers have already endorsed moving the election to the anniversary of the day that is personally important to Putin’s legacy. In January, his own press secretary Dmitry Peskov said he hoped Putin would run again. These seem to be auspicious signs for a fourth Putin term and it is not as if there are major rivals or heirs apparent threatening to offset the current order in the near future.

Last year’s parliamentary election saw United Russia win a record number of seats in parliament, beating the parties of two of the major candidates who also ran in Russian presidential elections—Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Evgeny Zyuganov. United Russia’s popularity is strongly dependent and tied to Putin’s own. Besides, Putin’s most popular critic, Alexey Navalny, had a controversial fraud conviction upheld last year, meaning legally he is not allowed on the ballot in March.

According to Mark Galeotti, Russia expert and senior researcher at the Institute of International Relations Prague, Putin’s coyness about his future plans does not stem from doubts about his chances of victory. Rather, recent signs suggest a Putin victory may not bring high turnout and represent a triumphant coronation that the president would prefer to carry him into his unprecedented fourth term. Putin may now seek victory with fewer fanfare than usual and without risk of denting his public persona of a leader adored by his people.

“The moment he confirms he is running, then in effect Russia goes into campaign mode,” Galeotti says. “Given that I think they have abandoned their grandiose early 70/70 strategy and now just want to get through the tedious necessity of an election with the least fuss and embarrassment as possible, there's no incentive to pull that trigger any earlier than they need to.”

Putin does not need adulation to win votes. But after 17 years in charge he wants to keep the apathy rampant across Russian politics as far away from his own political brand as possible. He will have already seen alarming signs. In parliament, United Russia’s record high share of seats last year came with a record low turnout of 48 percent. 

Earlier this month, independent pollster Levada Center found that only the same number—48 percent—would now vote for Putin in a presidential election, meaning he risks not winning the election outright for the first time. This is hardly a fatal problem for any presidency, but he will want his six-term mandate to run on a full tank of legitimacy.

Further, the slow recovery from Russia’s recession is a top priority for Russians and the earlier Putin announces he is running, the sooner he will have to answer questions about pensions, welfare spending and cuts.

Putin’s one-time successor Dmitry Medvedev’s campaign-style public events last year saw him repeatedly confronted by people about pensions and teacher’s pay. His unconvincing responses went viral on two occasions and triggered a backlash against him. Last year hundreds of thousands called for his dismissal as prime minister, his approval rating slipped to an all-time low last month and Navalny rallied the biggest protests in half a decade in Russia against him in March.

“I suspect they will wait as long as they feel is plausible and then use some suitable date for it,” Galeotti says. “Maybe 12 June, to eclipse Navalny's planned protests, but just as likely some later date, such as the next 'Direct Line’.”

Putin’s Direct Line program, in which he answers phone call queries from all over Russia, is often the setting for grand presidential gestures, including ordering the mending of country roads or sending gifts to children. It has also been postponed this year.

The Kremlin has denied that it was moved so as to avoid coinciding with Navalny’s anti-Medvedev protests in March. There is no date set for it now, though Kommersant reports that it will take place this summer, and will be the occasion where Putin confirms his candidature.

Russians parade in blackface ahead of Cameroon-Germany match

People in blackface and carrying bananas marched in an official parade in Sochi less than a month before the city hosts Cameroon for a Confederations Cup match, once again raising concerns about racism at football matches in Russia.

A photograph from state news agency Tass showed a man in a Cameroon jersey with his face and arms painted black beating a drum at the Carnaval Sochi Fest parade on Saturday. A second man in blackface is visible behind him, wearing an Afro wig and carrying a drum and bananas on a string.

Another man can be seen draped in a Mexican flag, wearing a sombrero and what appears to be a stick-on black mustache. Two young men in a different photograph were wearing what appeared to be Native American headdresses and fringed costumes.

Cameroon will play Germany at Fisht stadium in Sochi, which was built for the 2014 Winter Olympics, on 25 June. Mexico will play New Zealand at the stadium on 21 June.

Participants dressed in ‘bright costumes’. Mexico will play New Zealand at Fisht stadium in Sochi Photograph: Artur Lebedev/TASS
Sochi’s mayor led more than 3,000 marchers in “bright costumes” down a main street to officially open the southern city’s beach season. The marchers in blackface were part of a section dedicated to the Confederations Cup, which will serve as a dry run for the World Cup that Russia will host next year.

Late on Tuesday, the Sochi city government said in a statement that the parade was a “celebration of the different continents and a testimony of Russia’s open attitude toward traditions from around the globe.”

“By no means did the carnival parade intend to insult anyone,” it said. “On the contrary, it was organized with the friendliest of goals in mind: to create a positive atmosphere. We look forward to warmly welcoming the Cameroon national team and its fans, as well as the representatives of all other countries, during the FIFA Confederations Cup.”

But Russia’s track record of football-related racism has raised questions about whether non-white fans and players will be comfortable at the two huge international football tournaments.

A 2015 report by the Fare network and the Moscow-based Sova Centre for information and analysis documented 99 racist and far-right displays and 21 racially motivated attacks by Russian football fans during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. In one case, hooligans beat up fans of Anzhi Makhachkala, a club from Russia’s mostly Muslim Caucasus region, outside matches in Moscow and St Petersburg in August 2012.

International players have also been targeted. A banana was thrown at Brazilian left back Roberto Carlos at a match in St Petersburg in 2011, and fans in Moscow held up a banana banner directed at Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie in 2010.

Zenit St Petersburg’s Brazilian striker Hulk said in 2015 he encounters racism in “almost every game” in Russia, and Ghanaian player Emmanuel Frimpong said he was “racially abused” by the crowd while playing for FC Ufa.

Russia has promised racism will not be an issue at the tournaments it will host, and the Russian Football Union appointed former Chelsea midfielder Alexei Smertin anti-racism and discrimination inspector in February. But even this news didn’t come without controversy, as Smertin had said in 2015 that “there’s no racism in Russia”.

The head of the official Russians supporter group at Euro 2016, Alexander Shprygin, has far-right affiliations and has been photographed performing a Nazi salute. He was among fans detained after violent clashes at the Russia-England match and was later deported.

Lolade Adewuyi, a Nigerian journalist who was present at the Sochi parade, told Associated Press that he didn’t believe the marchers were trying to offend but were simply unaware of the impact of their actions. - The Guardian

'Everton made Lukaku promise'

Romelu Lukaku's agent Mino Raiola says Everton have promised the striker he can leave this summer if "certain clubs" made the Toffees a suitable offer.

Lukaku continues to be linked with a move away from Goodison Park after scoring 26 goals in all competitions for Everton last season.

The 24-year-old had looked close to signing a new contract earlier in the campaign - a deal Raiola claimed was "99.9 per cent" close to completion - but the Belgium international has refused to put pen to paper amid reported interest from Chelsea and Juventus.

Raiola insists no clubs have yet made a formal approach for Lukaku but admits the striker could leave before the end of the summer window.
"Lukaku had a promise that if certain clubs came this summer that he could leave this summer," Raiola told talkSPORT.

"We are not in concrete talks with anybody at this moment, but hearing the market I think some clubs will contact Everton
"If the price is right for Everton and the project is right for Lukaku then I think he will want to make another step, but we are not there yet."

Ibrahimovic wants Man Utd stay, but has 'a lot of offers'

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants to stay in the Premier League, with a Manchester United stay his preferred option despite having "a lot of offers", his agent Mino Raiola has revealed.

The 35-year-old impressed in his first season at United after joining from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, scoring 26 goals before a serious knee injury ended his season early in April.

Ibrahimovic is expected to be out of action until 2018, complicating his contractual situation with United, given his deal is due to expire next month.
But Raiola insists Ibrahimovic is keen to remain at Old Trafford, even though he acknowledged the possibility his client could leave as a number of offers sit on the table.

Asked if Ibrahimovic wanted to stay at United, Raiola told talkSPORT: "Oh, yes.
"He wants to stay in England, he wants to stay at the top, and if he sees that he can be a valuable asset for Manchester United, then why not Manchester United?

"He can be a valuable asset for some other top clubs also. But I think it is respectful to talk to Manchester United and to see what all parties want.

"There is a possibility [he stays] but also that he does not. We are talking about it. We have a lot of offers and ideas and we have to evaluate them.
"He has had a fantastic time at Manchester United and it is up to the club and myself to see what the future brings. 

"For now, it is important he recovers well and then we will see."

Trump's use of private cellphone raises security concerns

President Donald Trump has been handing out his cellphone number to world leaders and urging them to call him directly, an unusual invitation that breaks diplomatic protocol and is raising concerns about the security and secrecy of the U.S. commander in chief's communications.

Trump has urged leaders of Canada and Mexico to reach him on his cellphone, according to former and current U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the practice. Of the two, only Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken advantage of the offer so far, the officials said.

Trump also exchanged numbers with French President Emmanuel Macron when the two spoke immediately following Macron's victory earlier this month, according to a French official, who would not comment on whether Macron intended to use the line.

All the officials demanded anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal the conversations. Neither the White House nor Trudeau's office responded to requests for comment.

The notion of world leaders calling each other up via cellphone may seem unremarkable in the modern, mobile world. But in the diplomatic arena, where leader-to-leader calls are highly orchestrated affairs, it is another notable breach of protocol for a president who has expressed distrust of official channels. The formalities and discipline of diplomacy have been a rough fit for Trump — who, before taking office, was long easily accessible by cellphone and viewed himself as freewheeling, impulsive dealmaker.

Presidents generally place calls on one of several secure phone lines, including those in the White House Situation Room, the Oval Office or the presidential limousine. Even if Trump uses his government-issued cellphone, his calls are vulnerable to eavesdropping, particularly from foreign governments, national security experts say.
"If you are speaking on an open line, then it's an open line, meaning those who have the ability to monitor those conversations are doing so," said Derek Chollet, a former Pentagon adviser and National Security Council official now at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

A president "doesn't carry with him a secure phone," Chollet said. "If someone is trying to spy on you, then everything you're saying, you have to presume that others are listening to it."

The caution is warranted even when dealing with allies. As German Chancellor Angela Merkel's learned in 2013, when a dump of American secrets leaked by Edward Snowden revealed the U.S. was monitoring her cellphone, good relations don't prevent some spycraft between friends.

"If you are Macron or the leader of any country and you get the cellphone number of the president of the United States, it's reasonable to assume that they'd hand it right over to their intel service," said Ashley Deeks, a law professor at the University of Virginia who formerly served as the assistant legal adviser for political-military affairs in the U.S. State Department.

The practice opens Trump up to charges of hypocrisy. Throughout last year's presidential campaign, he lambasted Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for using a private email server while she was secretary of state, insisting she should not be given access to classified information because she would leave it vulnerable to foreign foes.

Presidents' phone calls with world leaders often involve considerable advance planning. State Department and National Security Council officials typically prepare scripted talking points and background on the leader on the other end of the line. Often an informal transcript of the call is made and circulated among a select group — sometimes a small clutch of aides, sometimes a broader group of foreign policy officials. Those records are preserved and archived. Culled from AP

Man aims to mow grass in all 50 states for those in need

A man on a mission to mow grass in all 50 states stopped in Kansas City on Monday according to FOX News report.

Rodney Smith Jr., started an organization that mows lawns for single mothers, veterans and older Americans.

He's based out of Huntsville, Alabama and says he got the idea a couple of years ago when he saw an older man struggling to cut his grass. He says his mission is rewarding.

"A small idea can change the world. I'm just cutting grass, I'm able, I'm able to help someone who's not able," Smith Jr., said.
"It means a lot, especially for a lot of elderly people who can't afford to get their grass cut because they're on fixed incomes. So when we can come here and cut their grass for free, it makes their day."

While in Kansas City he mowed the yard of a Northland widow whose husband served in the Korean War. His organization encourages young men to mow 50 yards where they live.

Woman sells her 4-month-old baby for N100,000

A 25-year-old woman, Sandra Ishaku, was yesterday arraigned at a Jos Upper Area court, for allegedly selling her four-months-old baby for N100,000.

Ishaku, along with three others — Amaechi Emmanuel, Jones Osim and Gladys Chukwuma — were charged with conspiracy, cruelty and child abandonment.

According to the prosecutor, Mr. L. O. Ocho, Ishaku, on May 10, sold her baby to Chukwuma for N100,000.

Ocho told the court that the transaction was carried out in Jos, in the chambers of Osim, a legal practitioner.

“Ishaku conspired with Emmanuel and sold her baby to Chukwuma, who had just relocated from Ebonyi State to Jos,” Ocho added.

The Presiding Judge, Yahaya Mohammed, did not take the plea of the accused, opting to remand three of them — Ishaku, Emmanuel and Chukwuma — in prison custody, while the matter was adjourned to June 1, when hearing would commence.

Mohammed, however, granted Osim bail after his counsel, Mr. Lawrence Anya, pleaded that he be released on bail to the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Plateau State chapter.

A similar appeal by Mr. Peter Ikeolu, counsel to the three others, had earlier been rejected after the prosecutor argued that freeing them would affect investigation into the matter.

Man with fake gun forces airport standoff

Nigerian banks lost N2.19bn to fraudsters ‎through e-channels in 2016

Nigerian Deposit Money Banks, DMBs, lost N2.19 billion to fraudsters through electronic channels in 2016 fiscal period, an official has said.

The Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Adebayo Adelabu, said this while unveiling a report on electronic frauds by the CBN on Tuesday.

Speaking at the first stakeholders’ workshop on cybercrime organised by the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum and themed: “Tackling Enforcement Challenges under the Cybercrime Act”, Mr. Adelabu said that according to the report, 19,531 fraud cases were reported by banks in 2016 as against 10,743 recorded in 2015.

A breakdown of the actual amount lost showed that across the counter transactions with a total value of N511.07milllion accounted for the highest losses.

This was followed by Automated Teller Machine, ATM, transactions with N464.5 million, Internet banking N320.66 million, Point of- Sale, POS, transactions, N243.32 million, and mobile banking transactions, N235.17 million among others.

Commenting on the workshop’s theme, Mr. Adelabu, who spoke on behalf of the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, noted that the challenges faced while enforcing the Cybercrime Act of 2015 had made a review of the Act imperative.

“It is now about two years into the commencement of the Act, and so it is not too early to conduct a holistic review of its implementation,” he said.

“Thus, your deliverables at this workshop should include a careful examination of the extent to which the obligations placed by the Act are fulfilled, and the general assessment of any challenges experienced in compliance with the provisions of the Act.”

He expressed confidence that the workshop would proffer the much needed solutions and make practical recommendations for the effective implementation of the Act.

On his part, the representative of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Sheriff Lawal, said the federal government will not deter in its resolve to enforce the relevant laws in dealing with perpetrators.

He said, “Though the law has challenges but we must work hard to protect our ICT infrastructure.”

“We are all connected to the cyber space for different reasons but we all need to stay safe and secure,” he added.

Chelsea considering move for PSG goalkeeper Alphonse Areola

Chelsea allowed backup goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to complete a £10m move to Bournemouth yesterday and now find themselves short of a backup to Thibaut Courtois between the sticks.

The Guardian report that Antonio Conte is considering a move for PSG’s Alphonse Areola in the summer to replace the departed Bosnian in the first-team squad.

Areola has come through the academy in the French capital and spent three seasons away on loan with Lens, Bastia and Villarreal before returning to PSG last summer to backup Kevin Trapp in goal.

A fine ‘keeper in his own right, the 24-year-old was PSG’s designated starter in the cup competitions and even spelled the German in Ligue 1 at times this season, making 27 appearances in total, keeping 13 clean sheets.

The former France U21 international is Chelsea’s top target to replace Begovic but it remains to be seen if they can strike a deal.

If Chelsea wanted to go down the ‘home-grown’ route to replace Begovic who also helped the Blues meet the mandatory quota, then David Stockdale remains a target should he leave newly-promoted Brighton.

England boss, Southgate hints at Man Utd snub

Gareth Southgate has suggested Manchester United may be one of a number of Premier League clubs that have stopped sharing sports science data with England due to fears the information could be leaked.

A deal had been struck between the Football Association and Premier League clubs for the sharing of data prior to Euro 2016 in order to help England build-up to the finals in France.

But the agreement was not binding beyond the competition and has prompted Southgate to reveal the difficulty he faced when attempting to name his squad for England's forthcoming matches against Scotland and France.

"To clarify. We share our data. We don't always receive data," the England manager said.
"So that's where we would like to head towards, because it helps more around working out a training schedule when they first come into camp.
"Particularly with what's gone on in the last few weeks that can be a big help. But we can't enforce it.
"That's got to be an agreement, sharing, and at the moment some clubs are more comfortable with it than others."

Asked specifically if United were among the clubs to have stopped sharing data, Southgate said: "Possibly so. As I say, it helps us in terms of preparing our training. One of the dangers I guess is the perception of it being leaked.

"But look, it's very rare the data throws up something you haven't clocked as a coach. But it can back up some of your thinking. The coach's eye is the main thing - how a player is performing."

Okorocha sacks cabinet, 27 LG transition committees

Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo on Tuesday sacked the state executive council and 27 local government transition committees with immediate effect.

A statement by the Principal Secretary to the governor, Mr Pascal Obi, in Owerri directed all former members of the executive to hand over to permanent secretaries or the most senior director in their ministries.

Obi quoted the governor as appreciating the invaluable contributions of the affected appointees to the success recorded by his rescue mission administration and wishes them well in their future endeavours.

According to him, the secretary to the government, the chief of staff, chairmen and members of statutory commissions such as ISEC, Civil Service Commission, local government service commission are not affected.

“Also not affected in the cabinet shake off are the state universal basic education board, the judicial service commission, and the House of Assembly Service Commission.

“The governor also dissolved the 27 transition committees (TC) of the 27 local government areas in the state.

“The Transition Committee (TC) chairmen are advised to hand over to the directors of administration and general services of their respective council areas.

“The governor appreciates the contributions of the TC chairmen to the success of the rescue mission and wishes them well in their future endeavours,” Obi said in the statement.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor, however, did not state any reason for the action.

Adultery Scandal : Former House of Reps Member Loses Marriage After Wife Allegedly Slept with Her Pastor

A Jos High Court on Tuesday dissolved the marriage between Mr Leonard Dilkon, a former member of the House of Representatives, and his wife, Joy.

 

Justice David Mann of High Court III, dissolved the marriage in his judgment on the petition filed by Joy, seeking an end to the union.

 

“The marriage between these two people has broken down irretrievably. It is hereby dissolved,” Mann declared.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Joy, through her Counsel, Mrs. Juliet Esoro, had filed a petition on Aug. 5, 2016 asking the court to dissolve the marriage because she was no more in love with her husband.

 

She also prayed the court to grant her access to the three children the marriage was blessed with. The children had been with their father since the marital crisis began in 2011.

 

She claimed that since July 3, 2011, when the crises started, she had lived separately with her husband “without any conjugal relationship between them”.

 

But Dilkon, who did not oppose her plea for divorce, accused Joy of committing adultery with her Pastor, Damjuma Fwenji.

 

The former lawmaker, through his counsel, Mr Francis Okafor, accused the wife of being unfaithful to him “for à very long time”.

 

In his cross petition to the court, Dilkon claimed Joy once took in for Fwenji, but alleged that the pregnancy was aborted.

 

Fwenji, however, denied the allegation, and filed a motion seeking N10 million as compensation for the damage to his image and reputation.,

 

Mann, in his judgement, declared that from all indications, especially from the evidences of the prosecution and defence witnesses, the marriage could not stand since all attempts to reconcile the couple had failed.

 

“From all indications, the marriage between Mr and Mrs. Dilkon has broken down irretrievable and I hereby declared it dissolved.

 

“As for the prayer for access to the children, the court hereby grants the mother of the three children equal access as their father, both at home and at school,’’ he declared.

 

On the issue of Dilkon’s claim of adultery against the wife and the clergy, the judge declared that that petition had failed as the “petitioner could not substantiate his claim before this honourable court.’’

“I hereby declare that Dilkon’s claim of adultery has failed and therefore is struck out.

“Fwenji’s demand for N10 million as damage can also not stand since he did not follow due process in filing his appeal. It is therefore discarded,’’ Mann further declared.

Obey court orders on Dasuki, El-Zakzaky, Sagay tells FG

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has asked the Federal Government to obey court orders regarding the detention of embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); and the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

Sagay said this during an interview with The PUNCH while reacting to calls by the Nigerian Bar Association for the release of Dasuki and El-Zakzaky.

The senior advocate advised the Federal Government to either obey the court order by immediately releasing them or to appeal the orders.

“The court orders should be obeyed and I don’t know what reason the government has for not releasing them. If they have good reasons, they should canvass the reasons before the court and leave the court to decide.

“If the court rules against them, then they should appeal against the ruling and then apply for stay of the ruling pending the appeal. That is what the government should do rather than detaining them perpetually,” Sagay added.

The PACAC chairman also agreed with the NBA regarding the prolonged probe of judges without trial.
The NBA had, on Monday, asked the Federal Government to immediately stop the investigation of the judges so that they could return to work.
Sagay, however, called on the government to wrap up the probe by prosecuting the judges immediately or by dropping the cases.

He added, “The Federal Government should hurry up and if they cannot file the adequate charges, then they should inform the people involved and allow them to continue with their careers on the bench.”

The PACAC chairman, however, disagreed with the NBA regarding the non-confirmation of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
The association had called on the legislature and the executive to work out their differences, adding that Magu’s issue had made Nigeria a laughing stock among the comity of nations.

Sagay argued that the NBA’s concern was misplaced as the President was empowered by the constitution to make some appointments without recourse to the Senate.

He stated, “What makes Nigeria a laughing stock in the face of the world?

“It is clear that the President can appoint an acting head of any of the agencies and that has been done. It is also clear from the terms of Section 176 of the Constitution that the President can appoint a person outright head, not even acting, without consulting anybody.” - Punch

Three police officers confirmed dead as Navy, Police officers clash in Cross Rivers

A clash between police officers and Naval officers in Calabar, Cross Rivers state Tuesday night, has resulted in the death of three police officers and a police station set ablaze by rampaging Naval officers‎. 

According to reports, trouble started when a police traffic warden stopped a group of Naval officers that reportedly tried to beat the traffic light at a check point opposite the Navy barracks in the Akim area of the town in the afternoon of that particular day.
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The Naval officers took offence at the police warden stopping them from breaking the law. This led to a faceoff which resulted in both parties calling for reinforcement. The Naval officers took their grievance to the Akim police station where they shot sporadically and set the station ablaze. They reportedly stopped fire fighters from stopping the fire at the station.

Three police officers reportedly died in the wake of the clash.

Meanwhile the Naval authorities are yet to comment on the unfortunate incident.

Residents Hear "Mad Amount Of Screaming" After Man Murders Mom & Two Kids

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman and two children were found dead in their home. Police were called to an address on Falkner Street in Toxteth, Merseyside, at around 7.30pm on Tuesday after concerns were raised for those inside.

One witness reported hearing a "mad amount of screaming". Police found the bodies of a woman and two children and arrested a 30-year-old man.

It is believed the victims were a mother and her two children. Officers said the investigation was in its early stages, but believe it is "domestic related". They added police were not looking for anyone else at this stage. Families in nearby properties were forced to flee their homes amid fears there was also a gas leak related to the tragic incident.


At least seven police vehicles, six ambulances and three fire engines responded to the scene, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Witnesses said a man was led out of a house in handcuffs.A man called Dan H appeared to give an account of the dramatic incident on Twitter.

He wrote: "Fire crews attempting to force the door of 34 Falker st. - next door to the house they've been in and out of.

"2 fire officers just forced into 34. Saw a woman outside being given oxygen about an hour ago"Called police after hearing 'mad amount of screaming' coming from 34.

"Then saw man running out the house in distress."Later saw man being carried from house followed by woman receiving oxygen.

"Rescue teams are still in and out 36 & continuing to evacuate residents."Forensic detectives were at the scene wearing protective clothing and gas masks.

Residents living nearby were asked to remain indoors and keep their windows closed as a precaution.
The arrested man has been taken to hospital after falling ill and police said a post mortem will be carried out to establish the cause of death of the deceased.

23 Banks Got N28.7bn Inflows From Dubious MMM Transactions

No fewer than 23 Nigerian banks received inflows amounting to N28.7 billion executed in 460,000 transactions through the Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox (MMM) Ponzi scheme within six months, the 2016 annual report of the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF) has revealed.

The amount, which was moved between June and December 2016, is 61 per cent higher than the budget of the Federal Ministry of Education and almost six times over the budget of the Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in the 2017 budget, the report erroneously stated.

A quick fact-check by THISDAY of the 2017 budget, as passed by the National Assembly, showed that N139.3 billion was allocated to the Ministry of Defence for its capital spending programme for the year, while N330.54 billion was allocated for recurrent expenditure.

In the case of the budget of the education ministry, the National Assembly passed a provision of N398.70 billion for recurrent spending and N56.72 billion for capital expenditure for the year.

The report disclosed that by the time the scheme “crashed” on December 13, 2016, over N11.9 billion had been lost by gullible subscribers.
The NeFF report, which was unveiled in Abuja Tuesday at a stakeholders workshop on cybercrime, organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), disclosed that since the MMM scheme had a 30-day cycle before return-on-investment (RoI) was realised, everyone who put money into it after November 12, 2016 did not get their money out.

“No fewer than 23 banks received inflows amounting to N28.7 billion executed in 460,000 transactions through the MMM Ponzi scheme. The amount put into the scheme between November 13th and December 15th, 2016 (through interbank transactions) totals over NGN11.9bn. This amount was largely not recovered.

“To put this amount into perspective, the 2017 budget for Defence Headquarters is N4.7 billion. This implies that the amount transferred by Nigerians under the MMM Ponzi scheme would have funded the Nigerian Defence HQ almost six times over.

“Majority of the transfers made by customers of banks that participated in the MMM Ponzi scheme were made through the account-to-account transfer platform.
“This was followed by the mobile channel, and lastly, through the web channels of other transfer platforms in the industry,” the report said.

It added that 34 financial institutions paid out money for investments into the MMM Nigeria Ponzi scheme, adding that the customers included those of commercial banks, mobile payment operators as well as mortgage banks.

“By the side are the amounts, in terms of volume and value for each financial institution that money was paid out from. Fewer banks received inflows of MMM transactions than the number of banks from which outflows occurred,” the NeFF report stressed.

It also stated that MMM followed the usual pattern of Ponzi schemes, pointing out that “they continue to build momentum and crash when the maximum amounts are already invested in the scheme”.

The NeFF report added that the peak of the MMM investment was in November 2016, when over N13 billion was transferred among the participants, pointing out that the CBN had in the middle of 2016 warned about the dangers of the scheme.

In a related development, the volume of fraud reported in 2016 indicated an 82 per cent increase in reported cases, with an estimated N2.19 billion losses.

The NeFF 2016 annual report titled, “A Changing Payments Ecosystem: The Security,” said the financial industry recorded an 82 per cent rise when compared to 2015 and over 1,200 per cent rise when juxtaposed with the situation in 2014.

According to the report, despite the 82 per cent increase in reported fraud cases, the industry was able to reduce fraud by 2.7 per cent when compared to the 2015 figure.

“Comparing the attempted fraud against the actual losses, the industry was able to salvage 49.7 per cent of the total amount attempted by these fraudsters within the year.

“These figures informed us that there are more attempts on a yearly basis with different innovation tricks or modus operandi to take advantage of the system,” the NeFF report said.
The report also noted that 2016 witnessed a significant transaction increase across all payment channels in both volume and value in spite of the economic recession.

“In contrast with 2015, there was a 71.43 per cent spike in the volume of transactions processed through the NCS (Nigeria Central Switch),” it said.

In his address at the unveiling of the NeFF 2016 annual report, CBN’s Director, Banking and Payments System and NeFF Chairman, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, stated that the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) report of the Nigeria fraud landscape for 2016 indicated that fraud cases grew by 82 per cent over the 2015 figures, attributing the trend to the increased usage of new payment platforms.

Meanwhile, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has called on stakeholders to ensure that the Cybercrime Act is effectively enforced, to serve as a deterrent and constant reminder to those who may wish to engage in illicit activities targeting the financial technology infrastructure.
“It is now about two years into the commencement of the Act, and so it is not too early to conduct a holistic review of its implementation, hence the theme of this workshop: ‘Tackling Enforcement Challenges under the Cybercrime Act’,” Emefiele said.

He noted that as the regulator of the financial sector, the CBN is constantly confronted with issues raised by operators who occupy the unenviable position of first line of defence against cyber attacks on the systems, networks and infrastructure through which financial services are carried out in the country.

“While the issue about cyber security is not wholly legal in nature, and while considerable efforts have been made by the CBN and banking operators, especially through the Bankers’ Committee and other bodies, leading to reduced incidents of fraud on the one hand, and very high consumer confidence in our payment system on the other, we are nevertheless desirous that the Cybercrime Act is effectively enforced, to serve as a deterrent and constant reminder to those who may wish to engage in illicit activities targeting our financial technology infrastructures,” he said. - Thisday