Arsenal business 'disgusting' - Ian Wright

Wright thinks the way Arsenal have handled the contract situations of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez has been "disgusting business", and believes the latter should be sold in January as he looks "disinterested" this season.

Ozil and Sanchez have been two of Arsenal's key players over the last few seasons yet both are entering the final six months of their contracts and will be free to negotiate with European clubs from January.

While Ozil has been one of Arsenal's better performers this season, Sanchez, who came close to leaving last summer, has been below his best.

Former Arsenal striker Wright said on The Debate: "It is terrible business for Arsenal, for a club that is accused of being a business to allow two players like that to run their contracts down.

"Sanchez on top form is easily a £100m player. Ozil on top form is worth £70m to £80m. Arsenal are letting that go. It is disgusting business on the management side for Arsenal.

"How are you going to sell players like that in January for £25m? It is like people are laughing at you. Manchester City could find £25m in the car seat or something. And you're going to get Sanchez for that kind of money? For it to get to this point where they can be offered that kind of money…and why would you offer £60m when they are free in a few months?

"With the way that Sanchez is playing and having seen him be substituted in recent times, something that never used to happen, I would probably take the hit on him now because it looks like the towel has gone in and his heart isn't in it now."

Arsene Wenger said recently that he thinks Ozil is keen to stay at Arsenal and is showing some of his best form since signing for the club in 2013.

"The cynics will say he has hit form at the right time for him," said Wright. "He's running down a contract and is linked with other clubs. He's on a free. It's very lucrative for him if he can see that out.

"I think it is more lucrative for him to leave and go somewhere where he thinks he can get Champions League football and might challenge for more trophies.

"It is a cynical view to have but it is very hard to be excited about a player that you need and know there is a good chance that they are going to leave. It is very hard because the kind of form he is showing is what we wanted to see from him and now it is happening we might be losing him."

While it could be argued that Ozil is playing for a move away, Wright added: "At least he is putting in a shift to help the team win points. But Sanchez you might as well recoup whatever money you can in January because he does not look interested." - Sky Sports

Jesus agrees new contract with Man City

Gabriel Jesus has agreed a new Manchester City contract, less than a year since he made his debut for the club,  Goal  can reveal.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed such a fine start to his City career that Sergio Aguero, the club's all-time record goalscorer, is no longer assured of a starting spot.

The Brazil striker signed from Palmeiras in the summer of 2016 but only joined up with the Blues in January, following the culmination of the Brazilian season.

City have been keen to tie their top assets to new deals ahead of next summer’s World Cup, and following Jesus’ start to life in England they believe his profile will rise even further following the tournament in Russia.

He will soon earn approximately £150,000 per week at a basic level, which is more than double his current pay packet.

That figure will be topped up with a number of performance-related bonuses, such as minimum games played in a season, and bonuses should City win trophies.

The new contract is expected to run until 2023.

Jesus is yet to put pen to paper on his new deal but senior City sources have told Goal that all parties have reached a total agreement, including a renegotiation of the striker's image rights. Official confirmation is expected in the New Year. - Goal

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City are also close to agreeing a new deal with midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, as first reported by Goal in October . 

How to make getting out of bed in the morning easier - Sleep expert

Getting out of bed is a hard enough as it is, so when it’s cold and dark outside, staying snuggled under a warm duvet seems like a far more inviting prospect. 

Unfortunately though, for the majority of us hibernating throughout winter just isn’t an option as work and the dreaded school run wait for no man. 

So, what can you do to prevent hitting that snooze button half-dozen times?

Luckily, Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, a physiologist and sleep therapist, has shared some top tips from her book, Fast Asleep Wide Awake, that will help you get out of bed in the morning, even when you don’t want to. 

Plan the night before

In the interest of starting the day off on the right foot, Ramlakhan says the best thing to do is prepare everything the night before so you’re ready to get going from the moment you wake up.

“Tell yourself and others that you’re going to get up. Get things ready the night before – your clothes, your breakfast bowl etc.,” she explains.

“I set my laptop up and left it exactly where I planned to work in the morning.”

Convince yourself that you can

If you’re constantly telling yourself that you’re not a morning person, it’s time to change that. Instead of grumbling about how awful it is to get up, “tell yourself how much you’re looking forward to waking up in the morning and keep saying it. Self-suggestion is very powerful,” Ramlakhan adds.

Put the heating on

While body temperature is important to get a good nights sleep, it also plays a big factor in your ability to get out of bed in the morning. To avoid the temptation of snuggling under the duvet to stay warm, “set up the heating to come on 10 minutes or so before you get up,” Ramlakhan suggests.

Let some light in

Starting your day with a good dose of sunlight resets your circadian rhythm and sends a “let’s wake up” message to your brain. As such, Ramlakhan says you should “go to bed with blinds partly open or invest in an alarm that mimics sunlight gradually, such as a Lumi Clock, to wake you up at times of the year when it tends to still be dark.”

Ban technology from the bedroom

Ramlakhan also suggests having an “electronic sundown” at least 30-45 minutes before you go to bed including turning off the TV and avoiding your phone. “This reduces anxiety levels and stops the bran from being over stimulated by the dopamine produced when you bombard the brain with blue light and information,” she says.

“Leave your devices out of the bedroom and don’t check the time during the night. It’s normal to wake during the night but if you have a tendency to wake up, check the time and then fret it will stop you getting back to sleep.”

Eat and drink the right things

Before you hit the hay it’s important to avoid alcohol or caffeine as “both will stop you achieving the pure deep sleep that you need in order to wake up feeling energised and optimistic.”

Ramlakhan suggests avoiding caffeine after 4pm, as the half-life of it is 5 hours. This means, “if you have a cup of coffee at 6pm, you will still have half the amount in your system at 11pm.”

Similarly, try drinking water as soon as you wake up as this will hydrate your cells and brain to get your energy moving. “Eating breakfast within 30 minutes of getting up will also raise your metabolism and entrain the body to start the day with more energy,” she adds.

Be optimistic

One of the most important things that will help you get out of bed in the morning is to ensure that you have something to look forward that day.

“We all have days when we wake up feeling less than great but if this is happening all the time then you need to take a good hard look at your life situation and ask yourself ‘What do I care about and how can I get more of it?’” Ramlakhan says.

“It’s a brave question to ask yourself but it will set you on the journey of finding out what you really want to wake up to in the mornings – and living the life you love.” - The Independent

EFCC Arraigns Three For N10m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, December 19, arraigned the trio of Muhammed Ali, Nasiru Sirajo and Muntari Sulaiman before Justice Bako Maikaita of the Katsina State High Court on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretense and Issuance of dud check. 

The accused persons were arrested by operatives of the commission following a petition by one Ibrahim Jidda, an Operations manager of FATUHATI investment Ltd. The petitioner alleged that he supplied 40,000 litres of Automated Gas Oil (AGO) to the accused persons worth N10,300,000 (Ten million Three hundred thousand naira only) through one Baba Nalami who is the business associate of the complainant. The supply was made in the name of said company, and the products was supposed to be delivered to Katsina State Ministry of Water Resources. 

After the delivery of the said product, the accused persons refused to pay the complainant; instead issued him with two checks in the sum of N5,300,000 (five million three hundred thousand naira Only) and N5,000,000 (five million Naira Only) respectively.

However, both checks were returned unpaid on presentation due to lack of funds in the account. 

One of the charge read that "you Mohammed Ali, Nasiru Sirajo and Muntari Sulaiman sometime in 2016 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court conspired among yourselves and obtained two trucks of diesel worth ten million five hundred thousand naira, property of Ibrahim Jidda thereby committed an offense contrary to section 8 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2016 and punishable as provided in section 1(3) of same Act”. 

The accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them. In view of their plea, the Prosecution Counsel Douglas Gift requested a date for trial and also urged the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody.

The defense counsel applied orally that his clients be admitted to bail.

Justice Bake remanded the accused persons in prison custody and adjourned the matter to 20 February, 2018 for hearing of bail application and commencement of trial.  - EFCC

EFCC Arraigns Banker, Another For N116m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, December 19, arraigned the duo of Temitope Oluwasanmi and Augustine Olayinka before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent diversion of funds to the tune of N116m.

The first defendant, Temitope Oluwasanmi, an employee of Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc, was arrested by operatives of the EFCC sometime in October 2017, following a petition received by the Commission from the bank.

Oluwasanmi is alleged to have diverted the sum of N116 million to the savings accounts of three individuals, who are said to be his friends: Augustine Olayinka (account no.: 0050657770), Oginni Opeyemi ( account no.:0046585982) and Ogbaro Oluwaseyi (account no.: 0061074951).

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Temitope Oluwasanmi, Augustine Olayinka, Oginni Opeyemi (still at large) and Ogbaro Oluwaseyi (still at large) sometime in 2015 in Lagos, within the Lagos Judicial Division, conspired to commit felony to wit stealing”.

Another counts reads:  “That you, Temitope Oluwasanmi, whilst being an operating staff in the e-business Department of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc., between March 2017 and October 2017, in Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, transferred the sum of N116, 000,000 (One Hundred and Sixteen Million Naira) into the nominee accounts of Augustine Olayinka Opeyemi (still at large) and Ogbaro Oluwaseyi (still at large) knowing same to be proceeds of crime.’’

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, E.A. Oyedotun-Laleye, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed the court to remand the defendants in prison custody pending the determination of charge preferred against them.

Counsel to the first defendant, Frank Eke, and counsel to the second defendant, Femi Banjo, moved applications for bail on behalf of their clients.

However, the prosecution counsel, Oyedotun-Laleye, opposed the bail applications.

Justice Dada, however, admitted the first defendant to bail in the sum of N2million with two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

The sureties must provide the court with a proof of payment of tax in the last three years.

Justice Dada also granted the second defendant bail in the sum of N1m and two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

The sureties must provide a proof of payment of tax in the last one year to the court.

Justice Dada ordered the defendants to be remanded in Ikoyi Prison pending the perfection of their bail conditions.

The case was adjourned to January 25, 2018 for commencement of trial. - EFCC

EFCC Arrests Innoson Motors Boss, Innocent Chukwuma

A well known industrialist, Innocent Chukwuma, popularly known by his company's name, Innoson, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was picked up at about 11 a.m. at his Savage Crescent, GRA Enugu residence on Tuesday, December 19.

His arrest followed his refusal to honor an invitation by the Commission having earlier jumped an administrative bail granted to him in a case being investigated by the Capital Market and Insurance Fraud Unit of the Commission's Lagos office.

Chukwuma, rather than honoring the invitation by the EFCC, mobilized six truck loads of thugs pretending to be staff of his company to his residence, where they manhandled EFCC operatives. 

It took reinforcement from the Enugu office of the EFCC to effect the arrest of the industrialist who is currently being grilled by a team of investigators. - EFCC

Shocking !!! My husband beats me, makes love to me in presence of our children - Woman

The Igando Customary Court, Lagos has dissolved the marriage between one Mr. Olasunkanmi Abdul-Kareem, 42,and his wife Bolanle Abdul-Kareem, over allegations of severe maltreatment, and forcefully making love to her in the presence of their children.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Bolanle had earlier told the court that her husband, Olasunkanmi, was always in the habit of molesting her whenever he got drunk.

She said, “Whenever my husband came home drunk, he would want to make love to me ‘by fire by force’ and I would caution him not to do it in the presence of our children.

“He beat me and made love to me by force while the children watched us.

“There was a day I came back from work and I met my children, one on top of another, doing what they always saw their father do to me,’’ the 40-year-old trader said.

The petitioner also said her husband always threatened to kill her.

“My husband derived pleasure in beating me. There was a day he beat me and broke my leg. One day, he threatened to kill me and I ran to one of my relatives’ house.

“My husband came there and met my sister’s husband ironing his clothes; he snatched the iron from him and started chasing me with it.

“Seeing his desperation, I ran into the street and my husband still chased me with the pressing iron.

“Each time I reported him at the police station, the police said it was family matter and refused to caution him,’’ she said.

The embittered wife described her husband as “irresponsible” and a father who did “not care” about the welfare and education of their children.

However, Olasunkanmi, who did not deny the allegation of making love to his wife in the presence of their children, however, begged the court not to dissolve the union.

Delivering judgment, the President of Igando Customary Court, Lagos, Mr. Moses Akinniyi, said the marriage between Mrs. Bolanle AbdulKareem and Mr. Olasunkanmi Abdul-Kareem had been dissolved.

Akinniyi said the petitioner had remained adamant despite mediation from the court and family intervention.

He said: “Both parties henceforth cease to be husband and wife. Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation.

“Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice than to dissolve the union in spite of the fact that the husband still claims he loves his wife. - Daily Post