Former Nigerian goalkeeper, Andrew Aikhoumogbe has expressed utmost confidence in the list of players invited by the interim coach of the Super Eagles, Austine Eguavoen to take the Black Stars to the cleaners in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff.
Recall that the Black Stars will host Nigeria on March 25 before the reverse fixture at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on March 29, with the winners securing a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking ahead of the game, Aikhoumogbe in a chat with Completesports.com from his Cairo base in Egypt, stated that the Super Eagles will approach the game like a cup final. knowing there is no other option than to win.
“This is a game the Super Eagles know they must have to prove a point and take something valuable to Nigeria if they are to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
“Yes, I agree that the game won’t be an easy one for Nigeria, however, I have so much confidence that the Super Eagles will take their Ghanaian counterpart to the cleaner regardless of where the game will be played.
“It’s Eagles all the way and I believe victory shall be achieved at the end.”
Nigeria is seeking to qualify for the World Cup a seventh time and, since 1994, have missed only one of seven editions. The last of three appearances by Ghana was in 2014.
Super Eagles interim technical adviser Augustine Eguavoen claimed he already knows his starting line-up for the crucial 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff against the Black Stars of Ghana.
The two West African giants will clash in a two-legged playoff later this month.
The overall winner will proceed to the World Cup in Qatar.
“We have the 11 that will start,” Eguavoen told Elegbete TV.
“We don’t need distractions, all we need is support to cross this hurdle.”
Eguavoen also defended the inclusion of midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo on his squad even though he has only returned from a long-term injury.
“Etebo I have worked with closely, Bonke I haven’t and I have had no chance to go to France to watch him play,” the former defender explained.
“I have watched Etebo closely, I’ve watched him closely when he played in the U23s and when he played for the former coach Gernot Rohr in the Super Eagles.
“Etebo coming in now does not say he would be in the starting line-up.”
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on Monday, urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to deny the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, bail.
Abba Kyari
The agency, in a 21-paragraph counter-affidavit it lodged before the court, insisted that Kyari posed a flight risk.
It told the court that Kyari, who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, would excape from the country and make himself unavailable for trial, should he be released from custody.
While adopting the counter-affidavit before trial Justice Emeka Nwite on Monday, the NDLEA, through its Director, Prosecution & Legal Services, Mr. Joseph Sunday, equally maintained that the former IRT boss has the capacity to interfere with its witnesses.
The Prosecution counsel told the court that bundles of exhibits marked NDLEA 1 to 5, where attached to the counter-affidavit.
However, Kyari, in his bail application that was moved by Mr. Mahmud Magaji, SAN, prayed the court to grant him bail on liberal conditions.
Arguing that the charge against him contained bailable offences, the embattled DCP, urged the court to invoke the powers donated to it by the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to exercise discretion in his favour.
The bail application was anchored on Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as Section 164 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.
The Defendant, who earlier beefed up his legal team with four SANs led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi, SAN, argued that the Constitution provided that he must be accorded every facility to adequately prepare for his defence.
Meanwhile, while the 2nd, 4th and 5th Defendants, through their respective lawyers, also prayed the court to release them on bail, pending the determination of the case against them, the 3rd Defendant, applied for time to respond to a counter-affidavit the NDLEA filed in opposition to his bail request.
The NDLEA equally urged the court to deny all the Defendants bail and rather okay accelerated hearing of the case.
The other Defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, were four former members of the Police IRT, ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu, as well as two drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne.
It will be recalled that Umeibe and Ezenwanne, who were cited as the 6th and 7th Defendants in the charge, had on March 7, when they were arraigned alongside DCP Kyari, pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge against them.
Following an application by the NDLEA, trial Justice Nwite, slated March 28 to review the facts of the case so as to sentence the two Defendants, accordingly.
Kyari’s lead counsel, Agabi, SAN, had contended that it would be prejudicial to his client for facts of the case to be reviewed and decision reached on it, while the trial is still subsisting.
He made reference to cases where Defendants, out of ignorance, pleaded guilty to a charge against them.
“It is not in the interest of justice for the facts to be reviewed while the trial is still ongoing”, he argued.
More so, Agabi, SAN, noted that both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were also mentioned in some counts in the charge that involved Kyari and the other accused police officers.
Before the court adjourned the matter till March 28, the NDLEA, said it was no longer willing to retain the 3rd, 4th and 5th Defendants in its custody due to their “unruly behavior”.
It told the court that the Defendants were “causing a lot of disturbances”.
“We can take the others in our custody except these three Defendants.
“But if they undertake to be of good behaviour, we have no problem, we can take them”, NDLEA’s lawyer added.
Consequently, lawyers to the three Defendants, took turns to enter an undertaking before the court, pledging that their clients would be of good behaviour “from now onwards”.
Justice Nwite said he would order the transfer of the three Defendants to a Correctional Center, should the court receive any further report of their unruly behavior.
The NDLEA had in the charge, accused DCP Kyari who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, and the other four officers of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine worth 17.55 kilograms.
It alleged that Kyari and his men unlawfully tampered with 21.25kg worth of cocaine that were seized from the two apprehended drug traffickers, Umeibe and Ezenwanne.
The police officers were said to have committed the offence between January 19 and 25, 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) IRT, Abuja, in connivance with one ASP John Umoru (now at large), contrary to section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Kyari was said to have attempted to bribe a senior officer of the NDLEA with $61, 400. 00 at a restaurant in Abuja to prevent the testing of part of the cocaine that was seized from the two arrested drug pushers.
On the other hand, the agency alleged that the duo of Umeibe and Ezenwanne, conspired with one IK that is currently at large, to import 21.35kg of cocaine into the country without lawful authority and knowingly possessed same, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(d) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Some of the charges against them, read; “That you, DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba and Inspector John Nuhu, all male, Adult on or about the 19th to 25th January 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dealt in 17.55kilogrammes of cocaine without lawful authority and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you, DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday J Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu, all male, all male, Adult on or about the 19th to 25th January 2022, within the office of the Inspector-General of (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves and with ASP John Umoru (now at large) to unlawfully tamper with 21.35 kilogramames of cocaine seized from Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwannne in the custody of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), by removing and disposing 17.55 kilogrammes of the cocaine and by substituting same with some other substance and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation 2004.
“That you DCP Abba Kyari, on or about 25th January 2022, at a restaurant on Port Harcourt Crescent, Area 11, Garki Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court, attempted to obstruct the Agency and its authorised officers in the exercise of their duties by offering the sum of $61,400.00 USD (sixty-one thousand, four hundred United States of America Dollars) to a senior officer of the Agency as inducement to prevent the testing of the 17.55kilogrammes of substance used to replace the cocaine seized from Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 23 and punishable under section 49 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004”.
Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel has spoken out about his future at Stamford Bridge, amid speculations he could move to Manchester United following the turbulence at Stamford Bridge.
The German said he will at least see out the current season with the Blues at the bare minimum.
Following the sanction on Russian Oligarch, Roman Abramovich, Tuchel has become United’s number one target as they continue the search for a permanent boss.
Chelsea is currently in a precarious situation where they cannot buy or sell players, offer contracts to existing staff, or sell match tickets.
Tuchel said he will ‘absolutely’ remain at Chelsea until at least the end of the campaign.
“There’s no doubt I’ll stay until the end of the season. Absolutely,” Tuchel told reporters after Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Sunday.
“We just have to wait and we still have to go day-by-day because everything can change.
“But it’s pure speculation and I have no further information than you already have.”
Fresh facts have emerged on how suspended super cop and former Commander of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari; as well as his deputy, ACP Sunday Ubua, allegedly received a combined N4.2bn from their separate bank accounts.
Abba Kyari
The details are part of a report sent to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, by the NDLEA.
According to the drug enforcement agency, not less than N1.4bn passed through Kyari’s account while he was commander of the IRT.
However, Kyari’s deputy, Ubua, may have received far more than him as not less than N2.8bn was traced to his eight bank accounts.
According to investigations, Ubua allegedly received a lump sum of N2.664bn on August 15, 2019. The NDLEA is now working on the assumption that the sums traced to Kyari and his deputy may be connected to the sale of some illicit substances including Tramadol worth N3bn.
A source said, “You will recall that the NDLEA is investigating an allegation that Kyari and his team seized a large consignment of tramadol in a warehouse at Amuwo Odofin in Lagos. The consignment was worth about N3bn.
“The IRT under Kyari’s command seized these drugs and they are believed to have sold the consignment to a cartel afterwards. It was around the time of this seizure that Kyari’s deputy received a deposit of N2.664bn in his personal bank account. Out of this money, he purchased FBN Insurance shares worth about N100m.”
NDLEA seeks AGF’s approval to confiscate Kyari’s assets, bank accounts
Meanwhile, the NDLEA has written a letter to the AGF seeking his approval for the confiscation of properties and assets belonging to the once-revered super cop.
It was gathered that the NDLEA’s request was dispatched to the justice minister last week following the March 7 arraignment of Kyari and his men for dealing in cocaine.
Kyari is facing eight counts of conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine, and other related offences at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The other defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, are four members of the IRT, Ubua, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba and John Nuhu.
Two other suspects arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, were also listed as defendants.
Kyari, has been indicted in the United States for alleged involvement in a $1.1m scam carried out by a notorious Internet scammer, Ramon Abass, a.ka. Hushpuppi was suspended by the police last July.
A source said the drug agency’s request is receiving the AGF’s attention, noting that Malami was in the process of approving the seizure of the embattled DCP’s assets and property to ensure he did not benefit from the proceeds of crime.
Our correspondent gathered that the ex-IRT commander’s assets that will be confiscated include cash and money in bank accounts, vehicles, real estate, notably hotels, residential and commercial buildings; personal effects such as wristwatches, jewellery and other valuable possessions.
The PUNCH learnt that the AGF’s approval was required by the NDLEA to seize a suspect’s property pending conviction by the court.
A senior officer stated, “Under the NDLEA Act, the NDLEA cannot forfeit his assets unless based on the consent of the Attorney-General. The NDLEA wrote last week and the AGF is considering the request.”
The NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development, saying, “It’s a normal procedure to seek approval for a no debit order on suspects’ bank accounts when suspicious transactions are noticed in such accounts.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice has denied changing its legal opinion in respect of the money laundering case against Kyari, stating that the prima facie case against him still subsists.
The Director of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar, said the AGF has not issued another opinion on the case, noting that the legal advice issued to the police in January still stands.
Abubakar told our correspondent on the phone on Sunday that the police were expected to probe the allegation but failed to carry out the necessary forensic analysis of the phones of the suspects which could have provided the money trail linking the senior police officer to Hushpuppi’s syndicate members.
He said, “You rightly quoted our first opinion where we said they (police) should establish the linkages- trace the money trail. We didn’t say the case file doesn’t contain sufficient evidence. It was their (police) response we were referring to. The prima facie evidence we said exists still exists.
“The response they sent to us after we sent in our opinion did not sufficiently address the issues we raised. That was the point we raised; maybe, we should have done it differently. We didn’t abrogate our opinion. Our legal opinion still subsists; you don’t seek for legal opinion twice.
“There is nowhere we said we changed our position. If you look very well, our position is the same as that of the Police Service Commission. When you have a case and you need further investigation and that further investigation is not conducted, you cannot go to court with half evidence.”
Speaking on the gaps in the police investigation, the DPP added, “Normally, they should have done the forensic analysis of the phone records of all the suspects and that would have given them an idea of how they dealt with the money, which sent the money, when they collected the money, what they did with it. They didn’t do all of these.”
In a separate statement by his Spokesman, Umar Gwandu, the AGF stated that he had not changed his opinion on Kyari’s indictment. Rather, he only called for a further probe, a demand which may have been misunderstood.
The statement read in part, “It was a case of work in progress in respect of which the office of the AGF requested for further probe in relation to some aspects of investigation.
“It was clear that the conclusion on the alleged contradiction on the issue was a clear misconception. The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice’s stance is that no conclusion has been reached in the direction of absence of evidence relating to the first report.”
Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has called on Nigerians to adopt the attitude of appreciating public office holders whenever desirable.
Yakasai
Alhaji Yakasai, who addressed some newsmen at his Life Camp, Abuja, residence particularly mentioned the GMD of the NNPC Mele Kyari, in relation to the petrol queues that affected some parts of the country recently.
He said: “The speed at which the NNPC management moved to arrest the spread of contaminated petrol which triggered the shortage, is worthy of commendation”.
He added: “We should not criticise all the time, especially in times of national emergency like what the country has gone through “
Alhaji Tanko Yakasai said the purpose of his message is to encourage public officers who show courage when it is needed, as well as to draw the attention of Nigerians to imbibe the culture of supporting their best leaders whenever possible and criticise only when it is necessary.
“That is how great nations are built,” he said.“The elder Statesman, who is from Kano state also stated that he is quite impressed with the changes the National Oil Company is going through.
Specifically, he said “The NNPC which had been operating at a loss since it was established more than forty years ago started making a profit under Mr Kyari.
“I am also happy with the progress of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline that is sure to improve the economic performance of the whole country. As a country we must learn to appreciate our public officers whenever desirable,” he concluded
For many Nigerians, the 2023 polls present an important opportunity for a change in trajectory. The attention is however, mostly on the All Progressives Congress (APC) where its leaders are divided over who becomes the flag bearer of the party.
While the former Lagos State governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has long declared his ambition and has been to different parts of the country to inform traditional leaders about his plans, Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, and Senator Rochas Okorocha have also declared their interest in the presidency on the platform of the APC.
There has also been speculations about the potential candidacies of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele and the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi
A week after the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) created a directorate for politics and governance, to help mobilise support for members of the church who are into politics, Yemi Osinbajo, is said to have informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his plan to run in 2023.
Multiple sources told ABN TV that Osinbajo, who already has the backing of his political friends, briefed President Buhari mid-last week and in response to this, the president simply gave a nod, wishing his vice president best of luck ahead of the APC primary election.
“The president said he was aware of the vice president’s moves and said he has never doubted his capabilities. He wished him well but did not outrightly speak about supporting him or not. The president was open and jokingly said it is now a race between you and Asiwaju, ” an aide to Osinbajo who pleaded anonymity said.
On Sunday, another top source in the Aso Villa informed our correspondent that all is set for Osinbajo’s formal declaration for the presidency, and might be done before the end of the week.
Asked if Tinubu has got the hint that Osinbajo who served as justice commissioner during his tenure as Lagos governor, would be running against him, our source said; “many people including Asiwaju thought it was speculation before now but the information of Osinbajo’s brief to Buhari has gotten to Tinubu’s camp and they are aware of his planned meeting with APC leaders in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Kaduna, Osun, Adamawa, Bauchi, among other states.”
The latest development is, however, said to be causing disputes among APC leaders in different states.
A top official in Lagos APC said the state chapter was supporting Tinubu because the former governor was the only aspirant from the South West who had declared his intent but they might be forced to weigh their options since there is another ‘heavyweight’ showing interest from the region.
A chairman in one of the Southwest states, however, said Osinbajo’s declaration would mean betrayal. “I am among APC chairmen working to ensure the victory of Tinubu and will never be part of those endorsing Osinbajo. It is a betrayal of trust.”
An aide to Osun APC Chairman, Gboyega Famodun, said his principal has been invited for a meeting with Osinbajo but he turned it down.
While Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President did not respond to enquiries on this subject, a member of Osinbajo’s media team told ABN TV“As long as President Muhammadu Buhari is alive, he will support my principal and is most likely to get the ticket.”
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has extended its warning strike for another two months.
The decision to extend the strike was taken at the union’s National Executive Council, NEC meeting held in Abuja last night.
Although the union has not made any public statement regarding the outcome of the meeting, a source told Vanguard that members resolved at the meeting held in an undisclosed location that the industrial action be extended for two more months.
The outcome of the meeting, the source said, was being drafted to be released in a statement to the media soon.
Award-winning American journalist, Brent Renaud was killed by Russian forces in Irpin, Ukraine, according to Kyiv region police in social media posts yesterday. Kyiv police said another American journalist was wounded by Russian troops.
Brent Renaud
In a tweet, Kyiv region police named the 50-year-old American journalist, who was killed as Brent Renaud. Police posted a photo of his body and his American passport as evidence, as well as a photo of an outdated New York Times press badge with Brent Renaud’s name.
An adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, Anton Gerashchenko, said in a statement that Renaud “paid with his life for attempting to expose the insidiousness, cruelty and ruthlessness of the aggressor,” according to a New York Times report.
CNN has been unable to verify which media outlet the American journalists were working for in Ukraine.
The New York Times said in a statement yesterday, “We are deeply saddened to hear of Brent Renaud’s death. Brent was a talented filmmaker who had contributed to The New York Times over the years. Though he had contributed to The Times in the past (most recently in 2015), he was not on assignment for any desk at The Times in Ukraine. Early reports that he worked for Times circulated because he was wearing a Times press badge that had been issued for an assignment many years ago.”
The northern Ukrainian city of Irpin, just outside Kyiv, has been the site of substantial Russian shelling in recent days and has seen extensive destruction, according to the Kyiv regional government on Friday.
Brent Renaud was a Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker, producer, and journalist, who lived and worked in New York City and Little Rock, Arkansas, according to his biography on the Renaud Brothers website.
With his brother Craig, Renaud spent years “telling humanistic verite stories from the World’s hot spots,” including projects in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, Egypt, and Libya, according to his website bio. Brent Renaud was a 2019 Harvard Nieman Fellow.
A post on the Renaud Brothers Facebook page, dated March 8, urged readers to follow their coverage of the war Ukraine.
The director of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard said on Sunday that the foundation is “heartsick” over the death of American journalist Brent Renaud in Ukraine.
“Our Nieman Fellow Brent Renaud was gifted and kind, and his work was infused with humanity. He was killed today outside Kiev, and the world and journalism are lesser for it. We are heartsick,” said foundation curator Ann Marie Lipinski in a tweet.
The Committee to Protect Journalists also yesterday condemned the killing of Renaud and called for the killers to be brought to justice.
The New York-based organization said in a statement, “U.S. reporter Brent Renaud was shot and killed, and another journalist was injured yesterday in the city of Irpin, outside of Kyiv, according to a Ukrainian police official and news reports. In denouncing the shooting, the Committee to Protect Journalists called for the killers to be brought to justice.”
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the death of U.S. journalist Brent Renaud in Ukraine. This kind of attack is totally unacceptable, and is a violation of international law,” added the CPJ’s program director Carlos Martinez de la Serna in the statement. “Russian forces in Ukraine must stop all violence against journalists and other civilians at once, and whoever killed Renaud should be held to account.”
Seven members of Omega Power Ministries (OPM) sponsored abroad by the Founder of the ministry, HRM King Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, have officially commenced...
