Real Madrid sack Solari, reappoint Zinedine Zidane as manager

Former France midfielder and captain, Zinedine Zidane has been reappointed as coach at Real Madrid, after the Spanish La Liga side sacked Santiago Solari on Monday.

Zidane won an unprecedented three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles with the Spanish giants before resigning in May last year.

Julen Lopetegui, who replaced him was sacked in October, with Solari his replacement lasting just over four months in charge.

A club statement confirmed Solari’s sacking and said Zidane’s appointment was with immediate effect.

It added that the 46-year-old would be in charge for the rest of the season and three more seasons until 2022.

- DAILY POST

N10.3m scam: Court orders Nigerian surety to produce Briton

A Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere has given a Nigerian surety, Nurudeen Ekundayo, till June 24, 2019 to explain his failure to produce a British man, Syed Mohammed Kamran, who is standing trial before the court for alleged N10,320,000 fraud.

The presiding Judge, Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay renewed her order made on January 21, 2019 for the surety to either produce Kamran, or forfeit his bail bond or be ready to serve jail term.

The judge warned Ekundayo, who was absent in court on account of ill-health, that unless he appeared in person in court at the next sitting, a bench warrant for his arrest would be issued against him.

The warning followed an application for a bench warrant to be made by Lagos State counsel Bisayo Apata. The application was opposed by Ekundayo’s counsel, Mrs O. Adeniyi, who pleaded for more time, because the surety is gravely ill.

Syed Mohammed Kamran, a Briton was arraigned by the police in 2015 before Mrs Abimbola Komolafe presiding over an Ogba Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for allegedly swindling 11 Nigerians to the tune of about N120 million.

He was alleged to have been supplied diesel but failed to pay for the products. He pleaded not guilty.

The Briton spent several months in Kirikiri Prison following his failure to meet his bail conditions but as soon as he met his bail bond, he absconded, and has since then relocated from Nigeria to Essex, United Kingdom. He was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command, at the Murtala Muhammed Internation­al Airport en- route the United Kingdom .

Kamran was re-arraigned before Justice Nicol-Clay in 2016 on a two count charge of conspiracy and obtaining the sum of N10,320,000 by false pretence from a traditional ruler in Imo State, His Royal Highness Ubochi C. Ubochi.

The offences were allegedly committed by the defendant “through “an elaborate diesel Local Purchase Order (LPO) scam.”
Kamran pleaded not guilty, following which he was granted bail.

But soon after he fulfilled his bail bond, Kamran missed court dates, prompting the judge to summon Ekundayo to show cause.

Last January 21, 2019 the prosecutor, Mr. K Sarumi told the court that Kamran had jumped bail, and was believed to have fled abroad.

Sarumi stated this following Ekundayo’s failure to produce the Briton for trial.

Ekundayo’s counsel, Mrs O. Adeniyi, told Justice Nicol-Clay that her client was ill and had sent his eldest son to inform the court that he was on admission at a general hospital, but Sarumi opposed her.

Thereafter, the surety was brought to court to explain the defendant’s absence. The court directed him to produce the defendant.

The prosecutor then applied for a Bench Warrant to be issued against Ekundayo, following which Adeniyi tendered a medical report from a general hospital on her client’s behalf.

Adeniyi prayed the court for an adjournment to give the surety time to recover from his ailment.

She added: “This matter escalated the surety’s blood pressure. He and the foreigner met in a club and became good friends.”

However,Justice Nicol -Clay turned down her application.

In her ruling, Justice Nicol-Clay said “The surety has three options: produce the defendant, forfeit his bail bond or be ready to serve his jail time. The medical report says he is hypertensive. That shouldn’t stop him from appearing before the court.”

- PM NEWS

We’re shocked, pained by death of Adesanmi – Kogi Gov

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Monday expressed shock over the tragic death of Kogi-born Professor, Pius Adesanmi, on the ill-fated Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 on Sunday.

Bello in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, described Adesanmi as an illustrious and proud ambassador of Kogi and Nigeria at large.

The governor described the death as a personal loss, stressing that Kogi had lost an accomplished academics.

He condoled the departed scholar’s wife, daughter and family members.

“We are really pained and shocked over the tragic death of our great son and proud ambassador.

”This is one death too many. The whole of Kogi State has been thrown into deep mourning.

“Our sincere prayers and words of encouragement go to his young family, mother and the beloved ones he left behind.

”We shall continue to remember him for the honour and glory he brought to Kogi State and Nigeria through his literary accomplishments.

“Prof. Adesanmi never denied his Kogi roots as he continued to draw our attention to areas that we needed to accord priority as a state.

”His words and submissions were always hinged on the need for government to address challenges facing our people.

”As sad as we are over this unfortunate occurrence, we have taken solace in the fact that his creator has called him home for good,” Bello said.

- PM NEWS

CDD: Threats of violence kept some voters away

The Centre for Democracy and Development’s (CDD) election analysis centre (EAC) has raised concerns over the conduct of the governorship and state house of assembly polls.

In a statement on Sunday, it listed violence, faulty card readers, arson, vote buying as some of the abnormalities that plagued the polls.

Voter apathy, electoral irregularities, payment and training of ad hoc staff and collation challenges are also among the hitches listed by the centre.

CDD EAC, however, said there were some improvements on INEC’s handling of logistic.

The electoral body had postponed the presidential and national assembly polls by a week over logistic issues.

“Generally, there appears to be some improvement in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) handling of logistics, with our observers reporting early arrival of election materials and personnel in most locations. This is in sharp contrast with the Presidential and National Assembly polls in which late opening of polls was widespread,” the statement read.

“However, there were significant challenges which affected the smooth conduct of the polls yesterday. The Smart Card Readers (SCRs), which authenticate the Permanent Voters Card, accredit voters and matches voter biometrics to the INEC database, was dogged by glitches, mainly when it came to reading and matching the fingerprints of voters.

“We are monitoring INEC’ compliance with her guidelines on cancellation of results where the SCR were not used.”

On voter apathy, the EAC said threats of violence caused people to shun exercising their franchise.

Commenting on the violence recorded across various states, the centre said not less than 30 people lost their lives.

“The elections of 9th March were characterised by low voter turnout in many parts of the country. Some of those interviewed by our observers expressed interest only in the outcome of the Presidential elections, while some expressed doubt as to whether their votes will count. The threat of violence also kept away some voters from the polls,” it said.

“The CDD EAC finds worrying the quantum of violence that characterised the elections this year. A total of thirty people have so far been killed across the country. Armed thugs turned their guns on citizens and opposing political parties. We also noted the actions of armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents in Katsina and Adamawa states.

“We also note with dismay the activities of security personnel around the country, who have been accused of interference in the electoral process and failure to protect electoral staff and materials.

“Different forms of threats, harassment, intimidation and assault were reported during the elections. We reckon that these attempts are aimed at undermining the system usually to favour the perpetrators. Our monitors on the ground did not only report cases of intimidation but were victims, too.”

- THECABLE

EFCC arraigns man for stealing

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office on Monday arraigned one Ibraheem Adeyemi before Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court Ring Road, Ibadan for stealing.

The accused was arraigned on one count charge which reads, “That you Ibraheem Adesina Adeyemi ‘m’ sometimes in the month of April, 2016 or thereabout, in Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, with intent to defraud, did convert to your personal use the sum of N3m only, property of Alhaji Kamoru Atilola, which he gave to you on trust for keep and thereby committed an offence.”

According to EFCC, the offence is contrary to section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap. 38, Vol.2, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the offence when it was read to him. His defence counsel, Bolarinwa Lawal, moved a bail application demanding that his client be granted a bail.

EFCC’s counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi, prayed the court to fix a date to commence the trial of the accused.

In his ruling, Justice Akintola granted the defendant bail in the sum of two million naira and two sureties in like sum and the sureties shall be resident within the jurisdiction of the court, and present their tax clearance certificates for three years which would be verified by the court.

The case was adjourned to April 15, 2019 for trial.

- PM NEWS

Female bank manager arraigned over alleged theft of customers’ N6.7m

The female Manager in charge of the Nnewi, Anambra State branch of the Self Reliance Economic Advancement Programs (SEAP Micro-finance Institute), Ralphael Lawrence, 38, has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly defrauding her employer of N6,768,050 within a period of time.

The accused was arrested by the operatives of the Police Special Fraud Unit, PSFU in Ikoyi, Lagos and charged before the Igbosere Magistrate Court, on a two-count of stealing.

Police Counsel, ASP George Nwosu informed the court in charge No T/17/2019 that the accused and others still at large committed the alleged offence between November, 2014 and November, 2016 in Lagos.
.
Nwosu told the court that the complainant reported to the Police that the accused used her position as the Head of the branch of the Micro finance Bank in Nnewi, Anambra State to steal customers savings valued N6,768,050 and converted the money to her use.

He said that the complainant further stated that they uncovered the fraud when they audited the account books of the branch.

Nwosu said that the offences, the accused committed were punishable under sections 409 and 285(7) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime and Magistrate M.F Onanusi granted her bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Onanusi adjourned the case till 20 March, 2019 for mention and ordered that the defendant be kept at the Kirikiri Prison, Apapa, Lagos pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.

- PM NEWS

Nigeria Decides: EU calls for electoral reforms, speaks on 2019 election

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) to Nigeria has called for electoral reforms after the 2019 general elections.

Ms Maria Arena, the missions Chief Observer, made the recommendation at the second presentation of its preliminary report on Monday in Abuja, NAN reports.

Arena said that the Election Observation Mission supported the electoral reforms proposed by civic society organizations in Nigeria.

“Following the 2019 general elections, the mission has observed that there is urgent need for electoral reform in Nigeria.

“The systemic failings and electoral security problems of the last few weeks and months show that there is real need for serious electoral reforms in Nigeria.

“While there were operational improvements in the March 9 elections, they were overshadowed by troubling electoral security and violence, abuse of incumbency and institutional failings.

“We echo the view of civic society organizations calling for an urgent need to restore faith in the electoral process.

“We solidly support the civic society organizations calling for reforms that will bring greater integrity to the electoral process in Nigeria,” she said.

Ms Arena emphasised on improving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and other important actors prior to the next general elections.

“As the 2019 elections in Nigeria demonstrate, there are important improvements to be made.

“The systemic problem evident in the 2019 election process shows there is the need for an inclusive national discussion on reform for greater electoral integrity.

“There are important improvements to be made, trust needs to be restored to the electorate.

“INEC should be able to carry out its work freely, securely and neutrally,” she added.

The Chief Observer hinted that one of the mission’s recommendations would be encouraging Nigeria to revisit the electoral rules.

“Nigeria needs to revisit the electoral rules and agree on key reforms long before the next general elections.

“Change and improvements don’t happen overnight, reforms should neither be rushed nor left to the last moment.

“We encourage a national conversation on electoral reforms, and strongly believe that it would contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s democratic development.”

- DAILY POST

Gunmen kill 16 in Kaduna fresh attack

The Kaduna State Police Command on Monday said no fewer than 16 persons were killed by unknown gunmen at Barde Village under Maro in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

Sabo said at about 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, some unknown armed men entered Barde Village under Maro in Kajuru Local Government Area and started shooting sporadically which resulted to the death of 16 persons.

He said on receipt of the information, the command mobilised teams of police operatives led by Kajuru Divisional Police Officer (DPO) alongside military personnel with a view to apprehend the perpetrators and restore normalcy to the area.

He added that operation was ongoing and the situation had been brought under control.

“While investigation is in progress, the Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdurrahman, has vowed to uncover the masterminds of this dastardly act and bring them to justice,” he said.

He appealed for calm and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were affected by the recent carnage.

- DAILY POST