Emir of corruption ! ‘Unexplained wealth’: Saraki listed as owner of £15m London mansions

Senate President Bukola Saraki has been listed as one of the five owners of “unexplained wealth” in London.

According to Transparency International, the report was conducted by Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs), a new investigative power designed to help law enforcement agencies act on corrupt assets.

Two buildings, located at 7 and 8 Whittaker street, Belgravia, London, are allegedly owned by Saraki.

The houses are said to be worth £15 million.

According to the report, the said addresses are owned by Landfield International Developments Limited and Renocon Property Development Limited.

The report said the companies are managed by Toyin Saraki, wife of the senate president and one of Saraki’s personal aides.

“The report is particularly useful where there is no realistic prospect of cooperation or conviction in the country of origin, but there are sufficient grounds for suspicion that an asset has been acquired with the proceeds of corruption,” UWOs said.

In November 2017, Saraki was named among over 120 politicians and leaders in nearly 50 countries who have reportedly been utilising shell companies in tax haven to either conceal assets, evade tax, or launder funds.

Eighteen months earlier, a similar investigation exposed his ownership of at least three secret offshore firms which he allegedly used in concealing assets abroad.

Saraki has however denied both allegations, saying he is rich because he comes from a wealthy family.

Other people indicted in the report include Igor Shuvalov, Russian first deputy prime minister, Ahmed Mahmoud Azwai, former Libyan major-general, Nawaz Sharif, former prime minister of Pakistan, and First family of Azerbaijan, a country in Asia.

Efforts made to get the reaction of the senate president to this report did not yield the desired result as Yusuph Olaniyonu, his spokesman cut off the call put through to his telephone line.

He also refused to reply a text message sent. - Cable Nigeria

Security man caught raping a minor in Niger

A 55 years old Security Man, Mohammed Sani have been apprehended for sleeping with a 14 year old girl in Minna, Niger state.

Sani who is a Security man with a popular car wash, Clean-Clean Car Wash located opposite the Federal Secretariat in Minna was caught in the act of sleeping with the girl identified as Amina in the car wash toilet.

According to Amina who is a groundnut cake (kuli-kuli)  hawker, the Security Man have been having carnal knowledge with her for over six months adding that it started when she saw a hawker going into the toilet with the security man and when she asked what went on there, Sani invited her into the toilet and had carnal knowledge with her and it have continued from then on.

She disclosed that after each escapade, Sani gives her between N300 to N500 stating that she was not the only one he was sleeping with.

When asked why she did not report the case,  Amina said she felt she was grown up and can take care of herself and since other hawkers were doing it, she felt there was no problem in doing it.

The Director General of the Niger State Child Rights Agency,  Barrister Mariam Kolo said that the Agency received a call that the security man was having carnal knowledge with an underage girl and on getting to the car wash, they caught Sani in the act.

She lamented on the molestation of child hawkers in the state adding that the agency is working out ways to minimize the level of child hawking in the state.

Kolo urged parents to always examine their children after hawking to know if they are intact and to regulate the time of the hawking cautioning on the need for child hawkers to hawk in groups if need be.

She declared that the agency would ensure that justice is done regarding the incident adding that the accused would be handed to the CID for further investigation and if possible, the other victims would be unraveled.

The accused, Sani who accepted that he was wrong asked for forgiveness saying it was the handiwork of the devil.

He pleaded that the matter should not be taken further adding that he would not want his wife and children who lives in Zamfara state to know about the matter.

Fresh killings as herdsmen, villagers clash in Adamawa

An unconfirmed number of persons have been killed in a clash between herdsmen and villagers in Song local government area of Adamawa state.

The clash, which occurred in Simba and Shure villages on Friday, also left many houses destroyed.

Trouble started when the herders took their cattle to a pond said to be the only source of water in the area.

This led to a confrontation between the herdsmen and one of the villagers who was said to have been injured upon confronting the herders.

On learning about the incident, the villagers subsequently attacked the herdsmen, reportedly killing an unconfirmed number of them.

The herders, thereafter, launched a reprisal attack on the community.

Some persons were also said to have died in the reprisal attack, while houses were also burnt down.

TheCable was unable to confirm the number of casualties in the incident as of press time.

Othman Abubakar, spokesman of Adamawa police command, confirmed there was an attack but could not give details.

“When I get the details, I will call you back. I’m not sure of the casualties yet,” he told TheCable on Sunday.

He also said the command had not been able to make any arrest regarding the incident. - Cable Nigeria

Nigerian allegedly stabs two countrymen to death in South Africa

The Nigerian Community in South Africa has confirmed the death of two members who were stabbed to death by a fellow Nigerian on Saturday.

It was gathered that the suspects Sunday from Anambra State stabbed 34 year old Ekweghiariri Chidi Isaac and one Nzechukwu Alabuche over business dispute.

The Secretary of Nigerian Union in South Africa, Emeka Ezinteje told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that “We have received a report that at 3.00am on Saturday, Mr Ekweghiariri Chidi Isaac, 34, a native of Ehime in Isiala Mbano Local Government of Imo and Mr Nzechukwu Alabuche, 35, from Azia in Anambra were stabbed to death by one Sunday from Awgbu in Anambra.

“The incident occurred at Rossetinville, south of Johannesburg.

“We understand that there was a business dispute between them, that made the assailant to stab the victims to death,”

He said that the union had reported the incident to the Nigerian mission and the South African police.

“The assailant is on the run while the police have commenced investigation into the incident.

“The union condemns the killing of any Nigerian and will partner with relevant government agencies to ensure that justice is done in the case,”

The secretary said that the police had taken the bodies to the hospital for autopsy. - Daily Post

Transfer news : Arsenal eye summer move for Mahrez

Arsenal will reignite their interest in Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez this summer, with the player likely to leave the Foxes at the end of the season, according to the Daily Star. 

The Foxes star hasn’t returned to the club since his deadline day move to Manchester City collapsed and his whereabouts remains unclear at the moment.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been a long-term admirer of the player and has extensively scouted the Algerian in the past.

Arsenal may struggle to find a place for Mahrez in their current side after signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Manchester United during the January window.

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Leicester City boss Claude Puel has spoken about the situation.

“After some time, he will come back with us. He is our friend and I think all the staff and all the players will help him to come back with a good mentality and a positive attitude and to enjoy his football with his team-mates.”

 Wenger faces the prospect of finishing outside of the top four this season, putting extra emphasis on their summer transfer business.

- Read Sport

PL : Joining Chelsea was the 'obvious' choice - Olivier Giroud

Giroud says the decision to join Chelsea was an "obvious" one when it became clear Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was to join Arsenal.

Giroud left for Stamford Bridge on the final day of the January transfer window, completing a move reportedly worth £18million.

The Frenchman looked set to become third choice at Arsenal behind Alexandre Lacazette and Aubameyang, who joined the Gunners on the same day.

Giroud had been linked with a switch for much of the month after struggling to oust Lacazette from the starting XI in the first half of the season and he revealed that Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Roma were all in the hunt.

However, once Antonio Conte's interest was known, Giroud's mind was made up.

"Dortmund was interested, but for a loan," said Giroud. "There was Sevilla too and at one point my agent received a call from Roma.

"But my choice was quite clear and obvious when I knew that Antonio Conte wanted to work with me.

"I know that Conte appreciates my profile, we'll work well together."

Giroud was unperturbed when Lacazette signed from Lyon in pre-season and was ready to fight for his place, but his mind changed when Aubameyang was also brought in.

"I wanted to stay at Arsenal [in pre-season] to try my luck even though Alex Lacazette arrived," said the 31-year-old.

"But the fact is, the coach wanted to recruit a new forward [Aubameyang]. With his signing, there were three top strikers and that's why I decided to leave.

"It made sense for me to give a new direction to my career. There was an element of disappointment, even though I spent five wonderful years there. "I could have stayed. I wanted to stay in the Premier League and Chelsea was a great opportunity for me." - Goal

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"I could have stayed. I wanted to stay in the Premier League and Chelsea was a great opportunity for me." - Goal

PL news :Conte tells Chelsea they need three world class stars

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has informed the club that they need at least two or three world class signings to compete with Manchester City.

As reported by the Telegraph, the Italian has told the club exactly how they can catch Pep Guardiola’s side next season.

“We must be realistic. We must be strong to accept this type of situation. Then, in the future, if there is the possibility, you have to try to buy only two or three players – not eight players. Don’t forget, this summer, we brought in eight players and spent a lot less than other teams who bought only two or three.”

Chelsea’s title defence was over before it really began as Guardiola’s men set a frantic pace, running away with the league title.

City currently sit 13 points ahead of Manchester United with 12 games remaining this season.

Conte endured two tough transfer windows, missing out on key targets and he now faces a battle to finish inside the top four.

The Blues could start Monday night’s game against Watford outside of the Champions League places with Liverpool and Spurs set to play on Sunday afternoon.

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Pressure is mounting on the 48-year-old with some reports going as far as suggesting he could be dismissed before the end of the season. - Read Sport