Author: Chief Editor

Olivier Giroud’s magnificent bicycle kick broke Atletico Madrid’s resistance and earned Chelsea a crucial away goal on Tuesday, a 1-0 victory giving Thomas Tuchel’s side a slender advantage in the Champions League last 16. Giroud’s acrobatic strike was initially ruled out for offside but stood after VAR showed Mario Hermoso had got the final touch, delivering a huge blow to Atletico’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals. “I didn’t know what to think about the goal, I just focused on hitting the ball,” said Giroud. “I love an overhead kick and I was just pleased to see the ball hit the…

Stalwarts of the National Consultative Front (NCFront) movement have launched what they described as People’s Constitution Dialogue aimed at rescuing the country from civil anarchy. Members of the movement include former Speaker, House of Representatives, Ghali Na’aba; professor of Political economy, Pat Utomi; former President, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN); economist and politician, Baba Ahmed; former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Mrs. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu; lawyers and human rights activists, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) and Najatu Mohammed. In a communiqué issued after a webinar held across the country, yesterday, Head, Public Affairs Bureau of NCFront, Dr. Tanko…

Assures NDLEA of support Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike, yesterday, declared that Nigeria must address the menace of drug abuse to be able to surmount the current security challenges facing the country. He stated this when Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig.-Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd.) visited him at Government House, Port Harcourt after his tour of the agency’s commands in Rivers State. His words: “Nigeria cannot continue to fight insecurity without addressing drug abuse. As government fights insurgency, rape, banditry, kidnapping and other security challenges, we must not ignore drug abuse as a major cause. “If…

The Pan Niger Delta Forum, (PANDEF) has condemned comments credited to Islamic Cleric, Ahmad Gumi, in which he likened armed Fulani herdsmen as militants fighting for ethnic survival and not bandits. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, the group said it was vexatious and a huge nonsense for Gumi to say that killer herdsmen and murderous bandits should not be referred to as criminals, but militants fighting an ethnic war and for their existence. Robinson said it was unfortunate that the country had continued to hear absurd statements from a man he described as ‘leader…

President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has canvassed economic restructuring of the country and suggested a United States of Nigeria or Commonwealth of Nigeria to have a more viable nation. Adesina said this during the second term inauguration lecture of Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, in Akure yesterday, titled: Towards A New Nigeria: From Federal Fatherism To A Common Wealth. He faulted Nigeria’s federalism, saying it was essentially a revenue sharing system compared to the United States of America federal system. He argued that Nigeria’s system of government was a federalism of fiscal dependency, as most…

Panel summons IGP over alleged brutality Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Musiliu Smith, yesterday, blamed the recent #EndSARS protests in the country on misconduct of some police officers. Smith, a former Inspector General of Police (IGP), who made the declaration in Abuja during a retreat with the IGP Mohammed Adamu and police management team, decried the level of misconduct in the Nigeria Police Force saying the PSC was often inundated with complaints from Nigerians across the country. Smith under whom the PSC had been at loggerheads with the IGP, charged Adamu to work closely with the commission on…

Unveils national cyber security policy, strategy for 2021 President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, lamented that increasing usage of the Internet has caused corresponding rise in threats posed by cyber criminals, online fraudsters and cyber terrorists, who he said, cause tension in the country. He stated this at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while unveiling the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy for 2021. Noting that the country was currently at a turning point in its history, President Buhari said Nigeria’s young and vibrant population had the potential to exploit Internet revolution in developing the economy and improving national security. He said Nigeria…

• Lawan rejects petition against nominees • Ex-envoy, Keshi, says non-career envoys weakening diplomatic mission • Profs fault action • Appointment can’t stop ICC probe, says PDP The Senate, yesterday, confirmed the appointment of the immediate past service chiefs as ambassadors. The appointees are former Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin; former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; former Chief of Air Staff, Ibok Ibas; and former Chief of Naval Staff, Abubakar Sadique. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Adamu Bulkachuwa, while presenting the committee’s report, said the committee screened the nominees carefully and thoroughly and was satisfied…

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel revealed he is such a fan of Luis Suarez that he tried to sign the Uruguayan for Paris Saint-Germain before he made the move from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid in September. And Atletico coach Diego Simeone admitted on Monday that Suarez could be key to his side’s hopes of beating Chelsea in the Champions League last 16. Seven games into his reign as Chelsea manager, Tuchel remains unbeaten, with the Londoners fifth in the Premier League and into the FA Cup quarter-finals. However, the German is aware he faces his biggest challenge yet against an Atletico…

In the face of the intractable conflicts being witnessed across the country, Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has reaffirmed that the country is prominent and could be better if unity of all the federating units is cultivated and sustained. A statement by his media adviser, Muhammed Bello, said Gov. Tambuwal stated this while signing into law the State’s Hisbah Commission Bill passed and submitted to him for assent by the Sokoto State House of Assembly. Harping on recent happenings across the country, the Governor said: “we must learn from what has happened in the past, particularly in recent…