NaijaCarryGo

Southampton's record signing Dani Osvaldo has completed his loan move to Serie A leaders Juventus.



The deal gives the Italian side the option to buy the 28-year-old striker for a fee of about £15m in the summer.





Osvaldo is currently suspended by Southampton after a training-ground fight with team-mate Jose Fonte.



The Italy international, who moved to St Mary's from Roma last summer for a club-record fee of £15m, has scored three goals in 13 appearances.



His last goal came in Saints' 1-1 draw with Manchester City in December, but a week later his part in a touchline fracas at Newcastle saw him banned and fined £40,000 by the Football Association.



Osvaldo, who was born in Argentina and started his career at Huracan, was suspended by Roma in 2011 for punching team-mate Erik Lamela, now of Tottenham, during a 2-0 defeat by Udinese.



His departure leaves Southampton with England internationals Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez and 18-year-old Sam Gallagher as recognised strikers.



via nigerianeye

The arrival of 11 vessels carrying petroleum products at Lagos ports on Friday is expected to quell rumours of an impending scarcity which has seen some dealers of petroleum products odd the ones they have.

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said that the vessels laden, with petrol, kerosene and base oil, were waiting to berth at various terminals at the ports.

The ships position was contained in NPA’s daily publication, ‘Shipping Position’, made available in Lagos.

According to the publication, two other vessels carrying containers are also waiting to berth.

The NPA also said that it was expecting the arrival of 106 vessels from Jan. 31 to Feb. 28.

It said that 44 of the 106 vessels would arrive at the ports with containers, while 21 other vessels would sail in with food items including buckwheat and rice.

It also said that 18 vessels would arrive with petroleum products including base oil, aviation fuel, diesel and kerosene.

The vehicles are expected to arrive at the ports in 16 vessels, while seven vessels will bring in general cargoes including steel products, the NPA disclosed.

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Members of the dreaded Boko Haram sects have adopted new strategy in their terror attacks in Borno state.



Seven passengers were killed, yesterday, when an improvised explosives device (IED)planted along Gwoza-Madagali road exploded when a bus conveying them got to the spotwhere the bomb was placed.



Gwoza-Madagali is an inter-state road connecting Borno and Adamawa state.





It was gathered that the road has been closed after the unfortunate incident by security operatives as the anti-bomb team are combing the area for explosives.



According to a reliable security source, who spoke to our Correspondent on condition of anonimity said, ” at about 0700hours of Thursday, some insurgents planted IEDs in Kutura village along the Gwoza- Madagali federal highway which exploded with a Toyota Bus conveying passengers where seven of them died on the spot, while three others sustained injuries.



He gave the name of some of the deceased as; Suleh Adamu, aged 43, Zakariya Shuaibu 40, Bako Suleiman 35, Lami Baba 40 and Mohammed Maikanwa a 50 year-old man from Damagaram town of Niger



The Police Commissioner of Borno state, Mr. Lawal Tanko confirmed the incident when contacted on phone.



Tanko said, ” Yes we received an information from the Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Gwoza Local government area that a bus conveying passengers stumbled on a Bomb planted by the side of the federal highway in Kutura village killing 7 passengers on the spot.”



Vanguard



via nigerianeye

A businessman, Mr Seyi Ogundeji, on Friday pleaded with a Customary Court in Ake, Abeokuta, to dissolve his marriage to Biola on grounds of threat to life.





Ogundeji, 34, who resides at 17, Oke-Bode, Abeokuta, accused Biola, 29, of public embarrassment and incessant fighting.



“My wife is very troublesome; she usually curses and embarrasses me in the public anytime we have a little misunderstanding.



“She also squanders the rents I collect from my tenants. Sometime ago, she stole my N200,000. She denied stealing it.



“Her behaviour made me to marry a second wife. Please separate us before she kills me’’, Ogundeji urged the court.



Biola, a petty trader, did not deny the allegations, but pleaded with the court not to grant her husband’s request.



“All he had said is true, but I am ready to change my ways.He wants to send me away so that the second wife can move into our apartment.



“Help me to appeal to him because there is no man that will marry me at this age”, she said.



The couple is blessed with a child.



The President of the court, Mr Israel Fajebe, said that there was little room for reconciliation and fixed Feb. 13 for judgment. (NAN)



via nigerianeye

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu on Friday held a closed-door meeting with former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, in continuation of his nationwide consultation with elders of the party.





Mu’azu, who led a 15-man team, arrived the Minna Uphill residence of the former Military President at about 12.05pm and went into a closed-door meeting, which lasted till 1.05pm.



Members on the entourage of Mu’azu, which included the PDP National Youth Leader, Alhaji Abdullahi Maibasera; former House of Reps Speaker Gali Na’aba and the state PDP acting chairman, Tanko Beji, were excused from the meeting to enable the two leaders to have a confidential and private session.



Emerging from the meeting, Babangida declined to speak with journalists on the meeting.



The former leader bluntly told newsmen that he was not prepared to talk.



“I am not going to say a word. I am not talking,” he said.



Muazu said he was in Minna as part of his reconcilatory move and in continuation of his meeting with some elders of the party since he emerged as the chairman of the ruling party.



He said, “I am here in continuation of my visit to our elders and I had a fruitful meeting with the former President. It was a fruitful meeting.”



Mu’azu, while declining to give details of the meeting, said, “What we discussed is not meant for public consumption. All I can say is that we had a fruitful discussion”.



He also met with the Niger State governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu.



via nigerianeye

The Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, Kaduna, on Friday said it trained 937 soldiers on counter terrorism as part of efforts to strengthen the fight against terrorism.

A breakdown of those, who attended the six-week training in the school, showed 489 were from Headquarters Infantry Corp Centre; 200, 7 Division; and 248, Nigeria Army Ordnance Corps (NAOC).

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, said the training was organised to prepare the soldiers to efficiently handle the current security challenges in the country.

He said as part of its efforts to fight terrorism, the army established new Division in Borno in the North-East to add brigades and strengthen army operations.

“The current security challenges facing the country, most especially in the North-East zone of the country, has made the Nigerian Army concerted efforts in fighting against terrorism,’’ he said.

Represented by Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab, the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division, Nigeria Army, Kaduna, Minimah commended the soldiers for their level of discipline and proficiency.

He directed them to deploy their new knowledge “to counter terrorists acts in real battle and other emergency situations”.

Minimah also directed them “to react swiftly and efficiently” during counter terrorism operations.

“It is the desire of the Nigeria Army to make you better professionals in your respective fields. This can only be achieved through continuous training.”

In his speech, the Commandant of the school, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said that the participants had distinguished themselves during the training, and expressed confidence in their ability to rise to any security challenge.

He said: “Nigeria Army School of Infantry (NASI) has been a major facilitator and force multiplier in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria’’.

He appreciated the support of the Army high command, saying that the school would continue to discharge its role more effectively. [NAN]

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What a shocking revelation!!! He made this revelation while performing at the second anniversary edition of the monthly Loud ‘N’ Proud Livemusic concert which held at Soul Lounge, Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos on Thursday, January 30, 2014.

Before kicking off his performance, the rapper (who’s known for taking his time to give shout outs) revealed that Eva was the first girlfriend he had when he came to Lagos back in 2008.



‘Let me tell you something I’ve never said before in public,‘ Ice Prince announced as he pulled Eva from her seat onto the stage. ‘Eva was the first girlfriend I had when I came to Lagos; that was way back.‘

A surprised looking Eva then grabbed the mic, laughed and said, ‘I don’t know what he’s talking about.‘

via NaijaGossip

Another veteran Nollywood actor, Charles Warren died yesterday, Thursday night.






via NaijaGossip

I am about to get married. In fact my wedding is in 16 days from now. But thing is I just realized I don’t love him like I used to.

I don’t even know how to tell him how I feel. I am so scared of breaking his heart. I have been trying my best to rekindle my feelings but its not working.

I am so confused and don’t know what to do. I know I can’t cancel the wedding because everything is set but I can’t help but feel I’m making a mistake. What should I do?

via NaijaGossip

Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Kano said on Friday that 2,499 persons were involved in various road crashes in 2013 across the state.

FRSC Kano Sector Commander, Mr Ibrahim Garba, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that 1,692 persons involved were males while 807 were females.

“This may not be unconnected to the high number of male driving vehicles.

“Also, of the casualty figures, we had 308 deaths and 1,484 injured persons.

“This figure was collated from all the seven units of the sector in Kano State during the preceding year,’’ he said.

Garba said that commercial drivers were more prone to accidents because passengers failed to caution them while they were driving.

He said the commission would continue to do enlightenment campaigns on the need for drivers to obey traffic laws to ensure safety on our roads.

“We shall keep on with our campaign targeted at high risk drivers, like commercial drivers and underage drivers.

“We want to ensure that sanity is brought to Kano roads before the completion of the various road projects in the city,” he said. [NAN]

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The Plateau Government said it had concluded arrangements to close down all unregistered private primary and secondary schools for their failure to remit taxes.

Mr Samuel Pam, the Executive Chairman of the Plateau Board of Internal Revenue, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Jos that the board would carry out the exercise in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

“The board in conjunction with the ministry of education has established an enforcement committee that will go round and fish out such schools.

“Some proprietors of the private schools as well as their staff have not been remitting any form of levy or revenue to the state coffers.

“Such private schools have been enjoying the social amenities provided by the state government at the detriment of other tax payers,” he said.

Pam said all registered schools would henceforth pay their taxes through the banks instead of paying cash at the counter of the board.

He called on all the unregistered schools to get properly registered with the ministry of education to avoid being penalised.

According to him, the government has consolidated all forms of revenue or tax payment from both local and state governments through the banks.

The chairman urged individuals and corporate organisations to process their Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) as all revenue payments would be through it.

He said processing of TIN was being carried out by the board free of charge for all categories of tax payers.

“If you have your TIN number you will not pay multiple taxes. TIN is a special number that will be given to either individuals or organisations that contains their details,” he said.

The chairman called on citizens of Plateau to immediately process their TIN numbers, as personal income tax and pay as you earn, will all be paid through the method to the board. [NAN]

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has pledged to deepen its collaboration with the Committee of Chief Compliance Officers (CCO) of commercial banks to eliminate financial scam.

The collaboration was the fallout of a recent meeting between the two bodies in Lagos at which they stressed the need for mutual trust and respect in sanitising the nation’s financial sector.

The EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, said that banks were not targets of investigations, but the criminals who use bank platforms to commit crime or launder proceeds of crime.

“Unfortunately, some banks, perhaps as a result of nascent pressure to post profits, shelter criminal elements to the detriment of the law,” he said.

According to Lamorde, Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) remain a partnership between law enforcement and regulators on one side and reporting entities on the other side.

The EFCC chairman also urged banks to support law enforcement agents, adding that there was need to further expose law enforcement officers to the dynamics of AML/CFT.

“It is not expected that the bank should play the role of a law enforcement officer, but at the same time, the bank must discharge all the AML/CFT reporting obligations required by law.

“Once a bank does that, it has done everything required of it by law.

“Build capacity within your staff and appreciate that the collateral damage of non- compliance will make nonsense of any profit,” Lamorde said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Mr Pattison Boleigha, who is also the CCO of Access Bank, said that the committee was established in June 2007 with to ensure that banks operated on the same platform.

Boleigha also commended the proactive character of Lamorde and expressed determination to co-operate with the AML/CFT compliance, and promised to support the war against financial crimes in the county. [NAN]

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Guys, do you like what you see???





via NaijaGossip

Several Ukrainian politicians are accused of vote rigging inside the country’s parliament in order to push through a new protestor amnesty law, as President Victor Yanukovich went on sick leave citing respiratory problems.







In a parliamentary session in Kiev on Wednesday evening, pro-government politicians were seen voting illegally in favour of the new law on behalf of absent opposition members.



Pushing through the amnesty law was one of the government’s latest attempts to end the unrest that has gripped the country since mid-November. The sharp escalation of street unrest was prompted by Yanukovich’s rejection of a European Union deal in favour of closer ties with Russia.



The new law offers amnesty to dozens of arrested anti-government protesters, but only if opposition demonstrators vacate most of the government buildings they occupy and demolish their barricades.



The official count of the vote registered 232 members of parliament in favour. Two politicians abstained from voting and 11 others went against it. Yanukovich’s party pushed through its preferred draft of the law with a majority of just six votes.



AlJazeera



via nigerianeye

Ejike Uzoenyi has vowed that disappointed Nigeria will still fight to win the third-place at CHAN against Zimbabwe on Saturday.



Uzoenyi, who said he was disappointed the Eagles lost to rivals Ghana on penalties in Wednesday’s semi-final, promised that the team will fight to win the bronze to make up for not reaching the final.





“It’s the only thing we have to leave here with and we are determined to compensate Nigerians with a third-place finish,” MTNFootball.com quoted the Enugu Rangers winger as saying ahead of the classification match.



Uzoenyi almost passed out when Ghanaian defender Kwabina Adusei, elbowed him around his neck leading to a minor concoction mid-way into the first half of the CHAN semi-final in Bloemfontein, South Africa.



The medical staff described Uzoenyi’s condition at the time as Cortica Artery seizure, noting that it took quite a while to get his pulse back from the leg region.



“It was scary but we thank God, it didn’t degenerate more than that and the player’s recovery rate was phenomenal,” one of the medical official attached to the team noted.



He said: “That player wanted to kill me with that vicious elbow and I was blank and did not know where I was until I started hearing noises, but I was determined to continue that was why I was rushing back to the pitch.



“But I think it was God that saved my life because some lesser cases have resulted in fatalities.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria sports minister Bolaji Abdulahi has fulfilled his cash promise to the team by doling out the sum of $200,000 for their victory against Morocco and the loss to Ghana.



via nigerianeye

A first round of peace talks on Syria ended on Friday with both sides in entrenched positions and the UN mediator expressed frustration that he had not even produced agreement for an aid.





After a week of talks at the UN headquarters in Geneva, the opposing sides in Syria’s civil war were still stuck on the question of how to proceed and agreement could not be reached for an aid convoy to rescue trapped civilians in a besieged city



Friday’s closing session was expected to be largely ceremonial, with government and opposition delegates expected to meet again around Feb. 10.



“I hope that in the next session, when we come back, we will be able to have a more structured discussion,” mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said.



He said he was “very, very disappointed” that a UN aid convoy was still waiting fruitlessly to enter the rebel-held Old City of Homs, where the U.S. says civilians are starving.



UN spokesman Jens Laerke said negotiations were still under way with both sides on the ground to try to get the aid convoy through.



“Unfortunately, I have just received an update that there is no movement on that convoy as of this morning.”



With no achievements on substance, diplomats say the priority now is just to keep the talks process going in the hope that hardline positions can be modified over time.



The first meeting between President Bashar al-Assad’s government and foes in three years of war began last week with an international conference at which both sides set out firm positions from which they never yielded.



The talks repeatedly seemed on the verge of collapse before they began, and just getting the delegates to sit in the same room was deemed an achievement.



The sides took a first tentative step forward on Wednesday by agreeing to use a 2012 document as a basis for discussions, but it was soon clear that they were still at odds.



Thursday’s final negotiating session began with a rare gesture of harmony when all sides observed a minute’s silence for the 130,000 people killed during the war.



“All stood up for the souls of the martyrs. Symbolically it was good,” opposition delegate Ahmad Jakal told Reuters.



But the sides quickly shifted back to their disputes. The government delegation accused the opposition of supporting terrorism for refusing to sign up to a resolution opposing it.



“We presented a proposal that the two sides might agree on the importance of combating violence and terrorism.



“The other side rejected it because they are involved in the issue of terrorism,” Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said.



Damascus uses the word “terrorist” to describe all rebel fighters; Western countries have declared some Islamist groups among the rebels, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant to be terrorists but consider others to be legitimate fighters in the civil war.



The 2012 agenda adopted for the talks sets out stages to end the conflict, including a halt to fighting, delivery of aid and setting up a transitional government in which the opposition and its foreign allies say must exclude President Bashar al-Assad.



While the opposition wants to address the transitional body first, the government says the first step is to discuss terrorism.



US and Russian officials, co-sponsors of the conference, have been in Geneva respectively advising the opposition and government delegations.



The 2012 agenda was drawn up at a time when Western countries mainly believed Assad’s days were numbered.



But the past year has seen his position improve on the ground and diplomatically.



Meanwhile, carnage has continued, with nearly a third of Syria’s 22 million people driven from their homes and sectarian violence spreading to neighbouring Lebanon and Iraq.



NAN



via nigerianeye

All the 16 Local Government Area Chairmen, Supervisory Councillors and 194 Councillors in Kwara State elected under the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday publicly defected to the All Progressives Congress.





The decampees, under the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Kwara State chapter in Ilorin on Friday jointly declared their unalloyed allegiance to the APC.



The Protem Chairman, ALGON, Kwara State chapter, Mr. Abdulateef Okandeji, attributed their defection to the alleged failure of the national leaders of the PDP to address their complaints and grievances.



“I recall that following the refusal and failure of the national leaders of the PDP to address the observations and complaints of its founding members especially about the lawlessness, impunity and injustice which had become the norm and which led to the factionalisation of the PDP, our leaders decided to team up in what is known as the newPDP under the national Chairmanship of our own Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.



“After exhaustive consultations and deliberations by our leaders spearheaded by Senator Bukola Saraki, it was unanimously decided that the best option for us would be to merge with the newly formed APC and work together in the overall interest of the good people of this country towards the advancement of democracy,” he said.



via nigerianeye

Chelsea have announced the signing of St Etienne defender Kurt Zouma.





Chelsea announced in a statement today:



"Chelsea Football Club has today (Friday) signed Kurt Zouma from St. Etienne. He will remain on loan at the French club for the rest of the season.



"The 19-year-old central defender has joined Chelsea on a five-and-a-half year contract. This season he has made 12 league appearances for France's fourth-placed side.



"The 6ft 2in Zouma is a French Under-21 international. He was born in Lyon and joined St. Etienne as a 15-year-old in 2009, turning professional in 2011. In total he has made 52 league appearances for 'Les Verts' and scored four goals."



via nigerianeye

What is the matter with this chinese people. This is sick,can a Nigerian employer do this in China? I guess no is the answer. I personally believe Nigerian government gave them (Chinese, lebanese and some other foreigners) an upper hand and something must be done to curtail this madness.

According to Punch report, The State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Ogun State, has detained two Chinese nationals, Mike Jackson and Tony Jackson, for allegedly brutalising Adeleke Owolabi, an employee of their company, Jivan Plastic Company.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Thursday that Owolabi, a graduate of Mass Communications from Olabisi Onabanjo University, was beaten black and blue by the suspects on his first day at work after a disagreement with Mike.

Owolabi had said the police refused to arrest the Chinese men due to their status as foreigners.

However, it was learnt that after PUNCH Metro’s publication, the police immediately stormed the PVC manufacturing company in Sagamu and whisked the suspects away. It was learnt that the suspects apologised to Owolabi, who was also at the SCID to write a statement.

Owolabi said, “Yes, the Chinese men have been detained at the SCID and I am satisfied with the action of the police so far. I am happy that the media are helping to ensure that the matter is not swept under the carpet. “I am not after money but I just don’t want a situation whereby Nigerians are treated badly by foreigners in their own land.”

It was learnt that the suspects would remain in police custody until the completion of investigation.

Owolabi had said, “I was bringing out PVC materials out of a bag and Mike said I was not handling the materials properly. He kicked me and slapped me repeatedly so I held unto his shirt to prevent him from beating me further.

“However, his cousin, Tony, smashed a bottle on my head and they beat me until I fainted and woke up on the way to Makun Police Division covered in blood.”

via NaijaGossip

The Federal Ministry of Environment has developed a draft action plan for the phasing out of light weight non-biodegradable plastics in the country, a top official of the ministry, said, yesterday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja, said that the draft action plan had already been adopted by stakeholders in the sector.

He recalled that the ministry, in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO, had in December 2013, organised a workshop to sensitise Nigerians on the process.

“What we intend to do now is to follow the implementation of the action plan since the awareness has already started; the next step is to source funds from UNIDO to implement the plan.

“Once we have funds, we will continue with other activities in the process of phasing out heavy non-biodegradable plastics.”

The official said it was not possible to completely phase out non-biodegradable plastics because of its importance in the society.

He cited the example of a plastic chair, which is a non-biodegradable component, to buttress his point.

He said that the ministry would start with the phasing out of light weight non-degradable plastics such as table water sachets and polythene bags.

“Those countries that have succeeded in phasing out the substance started with placing a ban on the light weight ones.

“Countries like China and South Africa have placed outright ban on light weight plastic bags while some other countries have placed tax levies on the manufacture, retailer and buyers of light weight bags.

“We are going to be gradual in the phasing out process as well, so that we will not cause havoc to the livelihood of people working in the industry.

“We will also use alternative sources that are economically feasible and environment-friendly to replace the non-degradable products,” the official said.

via NaijaGossip

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey will be unavailable for up to six weeks after suffering a setback in his recovery from a thigh injury, manager Arsene Wenger revealed on Friday.





The 23-year-old Wales international has been one of the London club’s star performers this season, but he has not played since December 26 due to the problem.



He returned to full training earlier this week, only to aggravate the injury, which prevented him from making a comeback in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw at Southampton on Tuesday.



As a result, and with Arsenal having conceded top spot in the Premier League table to Manchester City, Wenger has revealed that he will try to sign a new midfielder before the January transfer window closes later on Friday.



“Aaron Ramsey will be out for four to six weeks. I count six weeks,” Wenger said, in quotes published on Arsenal’s official Twitter account.



“We are still trying to bring one body in because of Ramsey’s setback and (Mathieu) Flamini’s suspension.”



via nigerianeye

A thirty-two year old cell phone dealer at Computer Village in Lagos, western Nigeria, has been arrested with 22.490 kilogrammes of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis, the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said.







NDLEA said the suspect, Okafor Obinna Michael, was arrested while attempting to board an Emirate flight to China at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.



“The drug was disguised as food ingredients labelled African Food Source, ” said Mitchell Ofoyeju, NDLEA spokesperson.



NDLEA Airport commander, Mr Hamza Umar was quoted as saying: “A business man by name Okafor Obinna Michael was found with 22.490kg of cannabis hidden inside foodstuff and cooking spices. The cannabis packed with crayfish, pepper and food ingredients was detected by officers during search operations,”



The suspect in his statement was quoted as saying that he was tempted to smuggle drugs in search of basic travelling allowance.



The suspect hails from Aguata Local Government Area in Anambra State, southeast Nigeria, the agency said.



via nigerianeye

Has Mourinho lost so much confidence in his boys. If you recall he said few days ago that Chelsea will not win the league title this season. Again, he has admitted that current league leaders, Manchester City, could score up to six goals against the Blues, in Monday’s night six-pointer.

The Portuguese was left fuming on Wednesday, after West Ham snatched a point at Stamford Bridge, but will be preparing his team to face City at the Etihad, where they have put six past Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Manuel Pellegrini’s men have scored 42 goals in 11 home games and still hold a 100% home record.

Mourinho once again stated that City were on another level and it could get worse for Chelsea, who are now three points behind Pellegrini’s men.

“For how many months have I said the same thing? – one team is an end product. The other is a team trying to build. For me, it’s not a surprise,” said the Special One.

“We go there next Monday and the result at this moment is 0-0. Are they favourites? Yes. Are they favourites to score, again, four, five, six goals? Yes. But it’s 0-0 now, and we go there to compete.”

via NaijaGossip

A schoolteacher has been arrested after hundreds of living and dead pythons in plastic bins were found stacked floor to ceiling inside his stench-filled suburban California home.

As investigators wearing respirator masks carried the reptiles out of the house by the score and stacked them in the driveway, reporters and passers-by gagged at the smell. Some held their noses or walked away from the five-bedroom home to get a breath of air.

“The smell alone I feel like I need to take a shower for a week,” said police Corporal Anthony Bertagna. “They’re pretty much in all the bedrooms everywhere.”

Officers said they found more than 400 snakes at least 220 of them dead as well as numerous mice and rats, in the Santa Ana home of William Buchman after neighbors complained about the smell. He was arrested for investigation of neglect in the care of animals, Bertagna said.

Buchman, 53, was still in custody Wednesday afternoon, Bertagna said. The Newport-Mesa Unified School District, where he works, declined comment, saying it was a police matter.

Buchman has not yet had a court appearance or been formally charged and it wasn’t clear if he had an attorney.

Authorities said he lived alone, and neighbours said his mother, who once lived with him, had died within the past few years.

Sondra Berg, the supervisor for the Santa Ana police department’s animal services division, said four of the five bedrooms in the home were stacked from floor to ceiling and wall to wall with plastic bins on wooden and metal racks. The bins were packed so tightly, Berg said, that they didn’t require lids because there was no room for the snakes to slither out.

Each snake was catalogued by name and type, and Berg said Buchman told authorities he was involved in a snake-breeding enterprise.

“House of horrors: That’s the best way to describe it,” Berg said of the house. “I mean there’s so many dead snakes … ranging from dead for months to just dead. There’s an infestation of rats and mice all over the house. There are rats and mice in plastic storage tubs that are actually cannibalising each other.”

Some of the living snakes were little more than skeletons, police said, while others, only recently dead, were covered with flies and maggots. Peep more photos after the cut:

via NaijaGossip

Talented Nollywood actress and a caring mother, Opeyemi Aiyeola who relocated to the U.K with her husband, Olayiwola Owolonse, several years after the marriage shared the photos from her family collection.












via NaijaGossip

You will all agree with me that showing massive cleavage is the new trend in town now. Would you call it civilization or "custom" madness? More pics after the cut:












via NaijaGossip

This is definitely the hottest hips in Africa!!! Ghanaian video vixen and model Matilda Quaye is mightily endowed. Check out the hips on this one woman. Damn!! If you say you don’t like this …. hmm…..hmmm…More pics after the cut:


















via NaijaGossip

The Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency has nabbed a 32-year-old cell phone dealer at Computer Village, Lagos for being in possession of 22.490kg of dried weed that tested positive for cannabis.

The suspect, Okafor Obinna Michael, was arrested while attempting to board an Emirate flight to China at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA.

The drug was disguised as food ingredients labelled African Food Sauce.

Speaking on the arrest, NDLEA Airport commander, Mr Hamza Umar, said the seized cannabis was concealed in foodstuff and spices.

According to him, “A businessman by name Okafor Obinna Michael was found with 22.490kg of cannabis hidden inside foodstuff and cooking spices. The cannabis packed with crayfish, pepper and food ingredients was detected by officers during search operations.”

The suspect in his statement said he was tempted to smuggle drugs in search of basic traveling allowance.

“My intention was to seek greener pastures in China. After buying my ticket, I no more had money on me. It was in the process of trying to get some money that made me to smuggle drugs.

“I was given the bag at the airport by a man who promised to pay me $1,000. He gave me $500, I was to collect another $500 when I deliver the bag in China,” Michael said.

He hails from Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, therefore called on members of the public not to travel out of the country without having enough money to take care of their basic needs.

He said: “It is very risky to embark on a journey outside your country without having basic travel allowance. Such persons are exposed to temptations and vulnerable to crime in order to survive. People should look inwards to discover the economic opportunities that abound in our country.”

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Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Thursday insisted that the defected governors of the Peoples Democratic Party would not return to the PDP.





Amaechi said that their defection to the APC was not basically because of the former PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, but as a result of President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to address issues of constitutionalism and accountability.



He maintained that the only way to address such issues was through Nigerians and not President Jonathan.



Amaechi spoke on Thursday when Knights and Ladies of St. John International, Port Harcourt Grand Commandery paid him a solidarity visit in Government House.



He said, “The reason we broke away from PDP and joined the APC is not basically because of Bamanga Tukur. Bamanga Tukur is not the big issue. There were issues we raised before the President and he has not addressed them.



“He (President Jonathan) said oh! I have removed Bamanga Tukur, so, you people can come; come to do what? There are other issues; there are issues of constitutionalism.



“There are issues of accountability, we raised them before Mr. President and those issues have not been addressed and we think that the only way to address them is through you Nigerians. The President is not our problem; we are our own problem.”



Promising that the APC would restore sanity to the country’s polity, the governor urged Nigerians to vote out the PDP in the next election.



Amaechi explained that the APC would not be a religious party, even as he condemned those attempting to fan the embers of religious crisis in the country ahead of the 2015 elections.



He maintained that leadership transcended religion and ethnicity, saying, “Don’t let anybody confuse you, they have been going from church to church, telling you it is Christians versus Muslims. No! The money they are stealing does not have Christian or Muslim emblem.



“So, it is not Christ versus Mohammed. They are using that to hoodwink you to continue to siphon our resources. Their wives are building houses all over, hotels all over and we are watching.”



via nigerianeye

About 20 soldiers allegedly beat up health workers at the General Hospital in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Wednesday afternoon.





It was learnt that the soldiers assaulted anyone in sight.



An eyewitness said many workers got injured while trying to escape from the soldiers.



Those unlucky were rough handled and are recuperating at various hospitals.



The Chief Medical Director (CMD) and other senior staff reportedly went into hiding.



It was learnt that the soldiers were protesting against the rejection of their colleague’s body by the hospital’s mortuary.



Sources said the soldiers brought the body on Tuesday evening but the management said the mortuary was congested.



One of the injured workers said: “Efforts made by the soldiers to deposit the body here were unsuccessful, so they went back with it .



“On Wednesday morning, the soldiers came here fully armed, as if they were going to war. They started beating up the people they met on their way and disrupted activities in the hospital. Doctors, nurses and other health workers were beaten up.“



Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said he was not aware of the incident.



The Army Public Relations (APR) Unit of the 232 Brigade Command, Owena Barracks, Akure, could not be reached for comments.



A high ranking officer in the command denied the allegation, saying: “Today’s Nigerian Army is more discipline and civil to commit such crude acts.”



He said the people that attacked the hospital could be miscreants disguised in fake army uniforms.







via nigerianeye

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday appealed to members of the National Assembly to expedite action on the 2014 Appropriation Bill in order to enable his administration to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.





Jonathan made the appeal during a stakeholders’ forum of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme held inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.



When the debate on the bill entered the second day in the Senate on Wednesday, some Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress senators had described the document as anti-people.



They chided the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for the way the bill was packaged and therefore called for its review.



It will be recalled that the APC had last week directed its members in the National Assembly to block the passage of the bill and the screening of ministerial nominees as well as the Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs.



The CDS and the service chiefs were however cleared on Thursday by the upper arm of the National Assembly.



Jonathan, who was represented at the SURE-P stakeholders forum by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, told the Chairman of the Senate Committee on SURE-P, to carry out the assignment of pleading with his colleagues on his behalf.



“Let me appeal to Senator Ningi who chairs the Senate committee on SURE-P to please help urge his colleagues in the National Assembly to expedite consideration of the 2014 budget which is currently before them in order for us to continue to deliver dividends of democracy to our people,” he said.



He reiterated his administration’s determination to continue to improve on the country’s infrastructural needs.



While saying that the SURE-P had since its inception in 2012 become a critical unit of his administration’s transformation agenda, the President disclosed that over 190,000 youths had so far been employed in various categories.



He said that the programme had also intervened massively in railway, road construction and health sectors.



The Director-General of the Budget Office, Dr. Bright Okogu, put the Federal Government’s share of the SURE-P’s fund at N180bn per annum.



Earlier, Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State, had thanked the Federal Government for introducing SURE-P, saying its footprints were all over the place in many parts of the country.



Wada said, “In Kogi State, our first focus was on youth employment and empowerment. The first target was school dropouts. So far, we have trained about 6,000 youths.



“We started with 500 youths per quarter who were trained at the NYSC orientation camp. They were taught various types of orientation. We have also used the fund for rural roads.”



The governor however appealed for an increase in the amount accruable to states under the programme.



The acting Chairman of SURE-P, Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai, agreed that there were challenges in the implementation of the SURE-P’s programmes.



Agwai explained that the forum was organised to review past operations to assist the programme achieve its mandate.



Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Thursday blamed its failure to debate the 2014 budget this week on the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.



It said much of the week was devoted to voting on 19 new clauses proposed by the House to be added to the constitution.



The spokesman for the House, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said, “We said last week that the budget debate would be on this week.



“There was an adjustment because we now took the constitution first; all of Thursday was used to vote on the new clauses.



Mohammed dismissed speculations that tension between PDP and APC lawmakers over the control of the House leadership was responsible for their failure to debate the budget.



He said, “I have heard people say we didn’t treat the budget because of disagreement between parties in the House.



“No, it was the constitution that delayed it; now that we have concluded voting today(Thursday), the budget will be up next week.”



The Speaker of the House, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, had during plenary announced that the debate on the general principles of the N4.6tn budget would start on Tuesday next week.



via nigerianeye

Former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu has urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Atahiru Jega, to resign, if he cannot guarantee perfect elections next year.





He was reacting to Jega’s comment that Nigerians should not expect perfect elections in 2015.



Speaking with reporters yesterday after the All Progressives Congress’s (APC’s) membership registration sensitisation meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Lagos, Tinubu said: “With such comment, Jega is already admitting failure and laying the foundation for failure. If he cannot do the job, let him quit. What do we pay him for? A perfect election makes a perfect society. We must strive to give the people what they want.



“There have to be perfect elections in 2015. They have to be 99.9 per cent perfect. If he wants to lecture again about perfect and the imperfection of the electoral process, let him go back to the university.”



Lamenting that the country should have learnt enough from past polls, the APC National Leader said: “Jega is presently moving from one country to the other. Is he saying he has not learnt enough from this country to give us a perfect election? He is in America now, gallivanting around the countries. Is it the estacode of his speeches that is enough for us? If he has not learnt from these countries in the last few years, then we can excuse him.”



On the series of defection of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the National Assembly to the APC, Tinubu said the lawmakers have the right to “choose their alliance as it suits the mandate given to them by the people”.



via nigerianeye

At least 48 critical pieces of transmission equipment are currently out of service across the country due to fault, fire incidents and vandalism, thus worsening the already precarious power supply situation nationwide.





Information obtained from the National Control Centre, Osogbo, Osun State, revealed that nine transformers, 39 critical transmission lines, ground switches and breakers/isolators were currently unavailable.



The pieces of equipment, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, are responsible for massive transmission handling.



For instance, the 162MVA 330/132/33kV transformer at the Ajaokuta Transmission Station is out due to unavailable secondary lightning arrester, while the 90MVA 330/132/33kV transformer at the Brinin Kebbi Transmission Station is also said to be out due to yellow and blue phases’ bushing problem.



Similarly, a 150MVA 330/132/33kV transformer at the Ikeja West Transmission Station located in Ayobo area of Lagos State was razed on May 14, 2013 and it has yet to be replaced.



The TCN had said then that the fire was caused by some defects in the transformers, but eight months after the incident, the transformer has yet to be replaced.



Also, the 45MVA 132/33/11kV and 40MVA 132/33kV transformers at the Akoka Transmission Station are down due to a fire outbreak that affected the blue and yellow-phase CVT and the lightning arrester.



While the 40MVA 132/33kV transformer at the Ado Ekiti Transmission Station lost its primary breaker to pole discordance, the National Control Centre, Osogbo, said two 15 MVA 132/11kV transformers at the Onitsha Transmission Station lost their primary breakers to explosion on January 23, 2014.



Another 60MVA 132/33kV transformer at the Onitsha Transmission Station was said to have been isolated due to oil leakage on the same day.



According to the NCC, five transmission lines were unavailable as of Sunday, January 26, 2014. They include the Afam/Alaoji 132kV line 1 in the Port Harcourt region, which was said to have been vandalised; and the Omoku-Port Harcourt main 132kV line, which is out as a result of a collapsed tower.



The other non-functional transmission lines, which are located in the Lagos region, include the 132kV Akangba/Itire line 1, which is affected by a faulty line isolator at the Akangba Transmission Station; the 132kV Ikeja West-Ilupeju line 2, which is out due to a cut red phase conductor; and the 330kV Egbin/Aja line 4.



Thirty other transmission lines are currently out due to missing sky wires. The NCC records showed that the Omotosho/Ikeja West line, Egbin/Ikeja West line 3; Ikeja West/Olorunsogo line; 330kV Ikeja West/Osogbo line; Ikeja West/Alimosho/Ogba 132kV lines 1 and 2; and the Ikeja West/Akangba 330kV line 2 are all out due to missing sky wire.



Others are the Ikeja West 132kV Ilupeju lines 1 and 2; Akangba/Itire 132kV lines 1 and 2; Ikeja West/Agbara 132kV lines 1 and 2; Ikeja West/Otta 132kV lines 1 and 2; Ogba/Otta 132kV line; and Ikeja West/Otta 132kV lines 1 and 2.



The NCC said the 330kV Osogbo lines 1 and 2 and the Ganmo line under the purview of the Jebba Transmission Station; as well as the 132kV Bida line at the Minna Transmission Station; 132kV Keffi line under the Apo Transmission Station; and the 330kV Jebba line 2 under the Shiroro Transmission Station, were all vandalised.



Nine other lines are unavailable due to faulty breakers and isolators, and the lines, according to the NCC, are located in the Port Harcourt, Lagos, Shiroro and Benin regions.



Some of them were said to have been vandalised.



At least, three ground switches are also said to be unavailable due to defects.



Stable power supply has remained a challenge in the country because of very poor infrastructure base and the transmission aspect of the entire value chain is considered to be the most troubled.



The TCN is the only Power Holding Company of Nigeria successor company still owned by the Federal Government, but it is considered as the weakest link in the country’s electricity network.



via nigerianeye

The Federal Government released yesterday modalities for the conduct of the National Conference tentatively fixed to last for three months.





According to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, 492 delegates are expected to be nominated between January 30 and February 20.



To nominate the 492 delegates are the President, states and local governments, traditional rulers, political parties, retired civil servants, organised private sector, selected associations and professional bodies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.



Anyim said the national conference is entitled to discuss all subject matters, except divisibility and dissolubility of Nigeria as a nation.



Decisions at the conference, he said, shall be by consensus and, where not achievable, it shall be by 75 per cent majority.



The conference at the end of the three months, he said, would decide whether there would be a referendum on its decision or not.



To conclude everything that has to do with the National Conference before the 2015 election season sets in, he said, the President will nominate delegates for any state that fails to nominate delegates before the time specified.



Anyim said: “I now have the privilege to announce that the Government, after long and mature deliberations on the Committee’s Report, accepts the following recommendations for immediate implementation.”



“(a) The official name of the conversation/conference shall be ‘The National Conference’ (b) The National Conference shall hold in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, (c) The National Conference shall tentatively last for three months and shall discuss any subject matter, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation. Therefore the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable.”



“(d) A Conference Management Secretariat shall be established to manage, administer and run the affairs of the Conference (e)Decisions at the National Conference shall be by consensus; but where it is not achievable; it shall be by 75 per cent majority.”



“(f)The National Conference shall advise the government on the legal framework, legal procedures and options for integrating the decisions and outcomes of the national conference into the Constitution and laws of the country; and (g)The National Conference shall have a Chairperson and a Deputy Chairperson of unimpeachable integrity.”



On steps to be taken, he said: “Furthermore, the Federal Government has since approved the next steps necessary towards actualising the National Conference as follows: (i)30th January, 2014 -Formal release of the modalities for the National Conference; (ii)30th January, 2014 -20th February, 2014Nomination of Delegates;



(iii) Inauguration of the Conference will follow soon after the delegates’ list is concluded.



“Pursuant to the foregoing, the modalities for the nomination of delegates to the Conference are as provided in the attached table.The list of nominees shall be submitted either online to www.osgf.gov.ng or in hard copy to the Office of the Permanent Secretary (Special Duties Office), Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase I, 3rd Floor, Central Business District, Abuja.”



On the nomination of delegates, Anyim said the President will nominate Elder statesmen, one per state and the FCT making 37.



There will be 18 retired military and security personnel comprising three delegates per geopolitical zone for Military, Police and State Security and NIA to be nominated by stakeholders.



Traditional Rulers, two per zone and one from the FCT, making 13 delegates, are to be nominated by Stakeholders.



Retired civil servants, one per zone, are to be nominated by stakeholders.



The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) shall each nominate 12 delegates, making 24, which should reflect geo-political and gender balance.



The Organised Private sector, including NECA, MAN, NACCIMA, NESG shall each nominate two delegates.



Youth organizations, comprising National Youth Council of Nigeria, NANS, shall each nominate six delegates, one from each geo-political zone. The Federal Government shall nominate six delegates, one from each geo-political zone, for other (outstanding youths and role models), all totalling 18 delegates.



For women groups, the National Council of Women Society (NCWS) shall nominate 12 delegates, two per geo- political zone. Market Women Association shall nominate one per geo-political zone. FIDA, NAWOJ, WINBIZ shall each nominate two delegates.



Political Parties that have representation in the National Assembly, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), APGA, Accord, Labour Party shall each nominate 2 delegates, totalling 10 delegates.



Stakeholders shall nominate six Christian and six Muslim Leaders while Civil Society Organisations shall nominate 24 delegates across board.



Nigerians in diaspora in four categories of Europe, America, Africa, Asia, and Middle East shall nominate two delegates per location totalling eight delegates.



People living with disabilities shall nominate six delegates, one per geo-political zone.



Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria shall nominate two delegates each.



Socio – political/ cultural and ethnic nationality groups shall nominate 15 delegates each, per geo-political zone to reflect religious and ethnic diversities, all totalling 90 delegates.



Professional bodies, including NBA, NSE, CIB, NMA, NIM, NIA, ICAN, ANAN, NIPR, AAPN, NIESV, Nigerian Environment Society and Nigeria Economic Society, shall each nominate one delegate, totalling of 13 delegates.



National Academies, including the Academy of Science, Academy of Engineering, Academy of Education, Academy of Letters and the Academy of Social Sciences shall each nominate one delegate.



The President shall nominate six persons who are not on the bench from the Judiciary.



Former political office holders including former governors, Senators Forum, House of Reps Forum and the Association of former Speakers shall each nominate one delegate per geo-political zone, totalling 24 delegates;



The Federal Government shall nominate 20 delegates, six will be women.



The state governments shall each nominate three delegates. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) shall nominate one delegate, based on senatorial district. At least, one of the nominees must be a woman. The nomination shall be done by the governors and where the state fails to nominate, the President shall nominate the required number from the state;



The ALGON shall nominate one former local government chairman each from the six geo- political zones.



The President shall nominate the chairman, deputy chairman and secretary, but will observe geo-political spread in the nomination.



The formal inauguration of the conference will take place as soon as the nominations are received and collated, Anyim said.



via nigerianeye

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho feels Manchester City are favourites for Monday’s Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.





While Mourinho saw his side draw 0-0 with West Ham on Wednesday, City moved top of the table thanks to a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane.



Manuel Pellegrini’s free-scoring side are now a point ahead of Arsenal and three clear of third-placed Chelsea.



Ahead of Chelsea’s visit to City, Mourinho said: “Are they favourites? Yes. Are they even favourites to score again four, five, six goals? Yes.



“But the result is 0-0 and we go there to compete and to play.”



Mourinho, who won the Premier League twice in his previous stint with Chelsea, has tipped City for the title on numerous occasions this season.



He told the Daily Mail: “For how long have I said the same thing? For how many months?



“For me it is not a surprise but we go there next Monday and the result at this moment is 0-0.”



Mourinho’s men came out on top against City earlier this season – winning 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in October.



Chelsea are left three points behind new leaders Manchester City at the summit following the draw against West Ham. Although Mourinho respected West Ham’s motives, he was scathing of their methods.



“I just told the boys it is very difficult to play a football match when only one team wants to play,” he said.



“Football matches are about two teams playing and this match was only one team playing and the other team not playing.



“I told ‘Big Sam’, and I repeat my words, they need points and because they need points to come here the way they did, is it acceptable? Maybe, yes.



“I cannot be too critical because if I was in this position I don’t know if I would do the same. Maybe, so I don’t want to criticise that.



“But at the same time I told (him) also, this is not the Premier League, this is not the best league in the world – this is football from the 19th Century.”



Asked to expand on his comments, Mourinho added: “Cheating – I don’t know if that’s the right word; pretending injuries, the goalkeeper winning time since the first minute. Not after 70 minutes, the first minute.



via nigerianeye