Author: Chief Editor

Manchester United were given a controversial helping hand by VAR in their 3-0 win at Aston Villa, while Tottenham suffered fresh frustration at the hands of the review system in their 0-0 draw at Bournemouth on Thursday. United were far too strong for lowly Villa, but their opening goal came from a dubious penalty that left the hosts fuming. In the 27th minute, United midfielder Bruno Fernandes spun into Ezri Konsa before tumbling in the area despite little evidence of a foul by the Villa defender. The penalty stood after a VAR review and Fernandes slotted home his eighth goal…

•Demands files of cases, forfeited assets’ register, cash releases since 2015 •My house not searched by anti-graft agency, says Abdusalami Abubakar The presidential panel probing alleged corrupt practices against the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, yesterday widened the scope of its investigation, quizzing the commission’s Secretary, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, and other directors of the commission. The EFCC’s top officials appeared before the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel investigating the 21-point allegation of financial impropriety and fund diversion levelled against Magu, whose interrogation entered the fourth day yesterday. THISDAY learnt that the panel summoned…

Barcelona kept their faint title hopes alive and doomed Espanyol to relegation on Wednesday as Luis Suarez’s goal proved the winner in a pivotal Catalan derby at the top and bottom of La Liga. A cagey contest at Camp Nou exploded into life for six frantic minutes at the start of the second half as Ansu Fati and Pol Lozano were sent off, leaving each side with 10 men before Suarez struck. Suarez profitted after another superb contribution from a reinvigorated Antoine Griezmann, his backheel setting up Lionel Messi to shoot, with Suarez turning in the rebound. This 1-0 victory…

Paul Pogba has applauded Manchester United’s “beautiful” attack, relishing his role in the team’s push for a Champions League spot after a season ravaged by injury. The French World Cup winner’s return to fitness has been a key factor in United’s run of four wins and a draw in five games since the restart. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men, who play Aston Villa on Thursday, are fifth in the Premier League, four points behind Leicester with a game in hand, and on a 16-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Pogba looked destined to leave Old Trafford for the second time in…

Abimbola Adelakun In the past 10 months, Karma has dealt with young Nigerians allegedly involved in transnational crimes. In August 2019, Obinwanne George Okeke, aka Invictus Obi, was arrested in Virginia by the FBI over an alleged $11 million fraud. Three weeks later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested another 14 Nigerians and indicted 57 others who had allegedly fleeced up to $6 million from unsuspecting businesses and elderly folks through romance scams. Just this June, the Dubai Police, in conjunction with the FBI, arrested Ramoni Olorunwa/Igbalode Abbas, aka “Hushpuppi” and one Olalekan Jacob Ponle, aka Woodberry. Along with…

Niran Adedokun Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo’s insistence on holding on to his confrontation with the National Assembly is unnecessary, politically immature and unhelpful to the Buhari regime. It rubs mud on the face of the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, indicates that the ministry has no capacity for coherence and puts more questions on the ability of members of this regime to agree on a common good and pursue the same without distraction. In addition, it gives Keyamo away as yet unable to distinguish between his old posturing as a rights activist and the high office…

Jide Ojo The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was established in 2003 by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. According to information gleaned from its website, the EFCC Act mandates the commission to combat financial and economic crimes and also to prevent, investigate, prosecute and penalise economic and financial crimes. The commission  is  as well charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of other laws and regulations relating to economic and financial crimes, including: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act (2004), The Money Laundering Act 1995, The Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004, The Advance Fee Fraud and…

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will not seek huge funds for transfers this summer due to the economic realities of the coronavirus crisis, but is keen for the club to tie down Paul Pogba to a long-term contract.United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has warned it will not be “business as usual” in the transfer market and said during football’s shutdown from COVID-19 that “speculation around transfers of individual players for hundreds of millions of pounds this summer seems to ignore the realities that face the sport”. The form of Solskjaer’s men since returning to action last month has also…

Jose Mourinho’s fear of getting “in trouble” put the Tottenham boss on the defensive regarding the subject of Eric Dier’s four-game ban. Spurs midfielder Dier was hit with the sanction, along with a £40,000 fine, by the Football Association on Wednesday after his altercation with a fan following the penalty shoot-out FA Cup defeat to Norwich City in March. The England international climbed into the stands having been angered by the actions of a supporter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Dier was handed a misconduct charge in April and, though he denied his actions had been threatening, an independent regulatory commission…

Jose Mourinho has told his Tottenham players that showing the right attitude is “not negotiable” as he looks to create a stronger sense of unity within the squad. Mourinho accused his players of a lack of desire in a 3-1 Premier League loss to Sheffield United and claimed the sight of his team being beaten through a basic will to win “destroys me a little bit on the inside”. Monday’s 1-0 victory over Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium included a clash between Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min shortly before half-time, in which team-mates had to keep them apart, although Mourinho insisted…