NFF appeal to French Embassy after officials and a player are denied visa to France for friendlies

The Nigeria Football Federation has appealed to the French Embassy in Abuja to issue visas to its officials and a player after they were denied visas ahead of an international friendly organized by NFF to take place in France towards the end of May. Nigeria will play Mali in Rouen, France on Friday, 27th May before playing Luxembourg in Luxembourg on Wednesday, 1st June.

NFF protocol officials revealed that about 60% of the passports taken to the embassy on Friday, 29th April have been returned without visas according to reports by theNFF.com.

“We are appealing to the Embassy of France in Nigeria to reconsider its stance and issue visas to these officials. They are going to Europe for very important assignments as the two matches are key to the preparation of the Super Eagles for future engagements,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said on Wednesday.

'Before Jonathan increased fuel price in 2012, he increased minimum wage and NYSC pay' - Reno Omokri

He also slammed #OccupyNigeria for deciding not to protest. See more of his tweet after the cut...

 

Photo: Six homosexuals arrested in Edo

Six young men accused of being homosexuals have been arrested by the Edo state police command. According to the Nation, the young men whose names were given as Festus Osagiede (24), Hyacinth Imahanrebhor (20), Itama Omon (25), Onwukwe Prince (28), Monye Chukwuma (23) and Osadebe Kelvin‎ (26), were paraded by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 5, AIG Musa Daura at the state police command headquarters in Benin city today May 12th.

According to Daura, the suspected homosexuals were arrested in different parts of the state. The AIG said leader of the homosexuals, Festus Osagiede, lured one of the suspects, Itama Omon into the act after attending a night club in 2006.

“After the third suspect (Itama) got drunk, Festus Osagiede invited him to his house and forcefully had carnal knowledge of him. Since then, they have been committing the crime with others at large until May, 2016, when luck ran out of them and they were swooped on by zonal detectives.”he said

All of them are presently being detained by the police and would soon be charged to court.

'If you're not a rapist, you shouldn't be scared of having the genitals of convicted rapist cut off' - Florence Ita-Giwa

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa is proposing that rapists should be castrated once convicted of the crime.

Biafra protesters arrested near Buckingham Palace (Photo)

According to BBC Journalist: Will Ross, two Nigerian men protesting for Independence for Biafra, were arrested close to Buckingham Palace today. He however shared a photo of just one of the said protesters.

2Face Bags Honorary Degree From Igbinedion University

Music star 2face Idibia received an honorary master degree from Igbinedion University Okada, Edo State on Tuesday. He was bestowed with the honour courtesy of the Esama of Benin Kingdom.

After receiving the award, 2baba wrote: A Big thank u 2 all the good people of Igbinedion university okada. Words cannot express my gratitude.

Strong Warning for the Niger Delta Avengers Blowing Pipelines

The Defence Headquarters has warned against further attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta, and declared that it would deal ruthlessly with individuals or groups involved in the sabotage.

The military said all those who will start shouting "human rights" when they begin to deal with criminals in the guise of Niger Delta Avengers, should call them to other now. A words is enough for the wise!

Hunchback Man Murdered In Benin; His Liver, Private Part and Hunch Removed

People and their evil ways...na only God go save us! The police in Benin have confirmed the abduction of a 37-year-old man with a hunchback, identified as Usokpowu (alias Tokyo), in Benin, Edo state.

He was kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be ritualists. According to family sources, the victim said to be a musician and Master of Ceremony, was abducted at his residence at Okhokhugbo in Egor area.

Sadly, he was found dead three days later where his corpse was dumped at a primary school.
Vital organs such as liver, private parts and the hunch were found to have been removed.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, who confirmed the incident, said it all started as a case of missing person. He said investigation has commenced into the case and that he has directed the Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case.

Mixed Reactions as Government Increases Fuel Price to N145

It has been a long standing argument by critical assessors of the economy that deregulation remains the tonic to turn around the fortunes of the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry. Those who canvass this position argue that it will provide enduring solution to the recurring scarcity of petroleum products and halt the corruption in the subsidy regime.

The payment of subsidy has been digging a hole in Federal Government’s purse to the tune of about N1trillion annually.

Apart from halting the payment, which not a few Nigerians describe as a scam,
deregulation will also encourage investors to build refineries and sell products at market prices, boost investments and create jobs.

More importantly perhaps, those clamoring for deregulation say that it will end the paradox of a nation dependent on importation of petroleum products despite being world’s sixth largest oil producer.

However, the Federal Government’s announcement of an increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol to N145 per liter did not go down well with some.

Labour union leaders are literarily up in arms over the decision. Some of them, who spoke with The Nation, could barely hide their anger and frustration over what they termed as “wrong timing and ill-conceived” manner the Federal Government deregulated the sector.

But the Director-General, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Sir Emeka Okereke, said:“We have always said let subsidy go; deregulate so that market forces will determine the price of petroleum products and the dollar.” . He recalled that because of political exigency, Goodluck Jonathan failed to take the bull by the horns and deregulate the sector.

He said this was why the administration buckled under the pressure by labour unionists and civil society in 2012 when there was a nationwide protest against the removal of fuel subsidy.

“Subsidy doesn’t make economic sense anymore. It has become unsustainable. We will never come out of the woods as long as we continue to subsidize the price of petroleum products,” Okereke said.

The Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), which statutorily moderates pricing for the industry said Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Retail stations on the outskirts of major cities are advised to sell at price lower than N145/litre.

Labour kick, says increase is unacceptable
NLC President Ayuba Wabba claimed that increase in pump price of petroleum products would impoverish more Nigerians and distabilise the country. “Any increase in the price of petroleum products is unacceptable to labour and we are going to fight it,” he threatened.

London mayor reacts to Donald Trump exempting him from Muslim US ban, says he hopes Trump doesn't win the US Elections

US Presidential candidate Donald Trump had earlier mentioned that the newly elected London Muslim Mayor, Sadiq Khan is exempted from his Muslim US ban when he becomes president of America.

In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Sadiq Khan reacted to the comment and revealed that he hopes Donald Trump does not win the U.S. presidential election. He said,

"I’m really proud London choose Unity over division. My message to Donald Trump and his team is that, you know, your views of Islam are ignorant. It is possible to be a Muslim and to live in the West. It is possible to be a Muslim and to love America. By giving the impression that Islam and the West are incompatible, you are playing into the hands of the extremists. I'm not exceptional. So for Donald Trump to say, 'Oh, but Mayor Khan can be allowed, but not the rest is ridiculous’ and I’m hoping he’s not going to win.”