Italian sculptor, Silvio Gazzaniga who designed and created the current version of the FIFA World Cup trophy has died at the age of 95. Silvio designed the trophy in 1971. He passed away in his sleep on Monday October 31 following series of minor aliment.
A released statement from his son, Giorgio, announced his father’s demise. ‘He just didn’t wake up this morning. It was a peaceful death.’
A Non-Governmental Organisation known as Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International yesterday filed a suit at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, asking the court to issue an order of mandamus compelling President Buhari to immediately sack Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and his counterpart in Science & Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu.
According to the group, the sack of both Ministers is important after two Supreme Court judges, Inyang Okoro and Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, who are currently being investigated for corruption, accused both men of offering them bribe some years ago, Vanguard reports.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/857/2016, the group also asked the court to compel the Department of State Security Service, DSS, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to investigate the allegations of bribery. Cited as 1st to 5th Defendants in the suit were Amaechi, Onu, the DSS, EFCC and President Buhari, respectively.
Specifically, the group through their lawyer, Okere Nnamdi, asked the court to determine
“Whether or not the allegation made by two Justices of the Supreme Court namely Inyang Okoro and Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta in connection with the criminal-like invasion of their houses by agents of the State Security Service on alleged allegation of corruption, which matter is already in public domain should be investigated and those accused arrested and prosecuted by the 3rd and 4th Defendants.
Whether or not the allegation made by two Justices of the Supreme Court namely Inyang Okoro and Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta in connection with the criminal-like invasion of their houses by agents of the State Security Service on alleged allegation of corruption, which matter is already in public domain, is a reasonable ground to warrant the 5th Defendant who is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and who claims that his administration is fighting corruption, to sack or compel the 1st and 2nd defendants to resign from office as Ministers, pending when they are cleared of every allegation of corruption.
Whether or not the 3rd, 4th and 5th Defendants have failed to perform their constitutional and statutory mandates by failing to: (a) for the 3rd and 4th defendants to commence investigation, arrest and prosecute the 1st and 2nd defendants in this suit based on the allegation by two Justices of the Supreme Court, namely Inyang Okoro and Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta; and (b) for the 5th defendant by refusing to sack the 1st and 2nd defendants as Ministers pending when they are cleared of every allegation of corruption”.
Upon determination of these questions, the group wants a declaration that the allegations made against Ameachi and Onu are “grievous enough to warrant their arrest, investigation and prosecution by the 3rd and 4th defendants.
A declaration of the court that allegations against the Ministers are grievous enough to warrant their removal from office without any further delay by the 5th Defendant (President Buhari) who was also accused to have sent the 1st defendant (Amaechi) on the mission to ensure that the All Progressives Congress, APC, wins all their governorship election cases at all costs and by all means.
A declaration that the allegation made against the 1st and 2nd defendants by the two Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as deposed in the affidavit in support of this application, and the refusal of the 5th defendant to sack the 1st and 2nd defendants are grievous enough to conclude that the 5th defendant’s fight against corruption is window-dressing, witch-hunt, selective, high handed, vindictive, malicious and prosecuted with gross disregard to the rule of law.
An order of mandamus compelling the 3rd and 4th defendants (DSS and EFCC) to immediately and without further delay whatsoever, arrest, investigate and prosecute the 1st and 2nd defendants in this suit, based on the allegations of corruption and attempt to induce or bribe the Justices of the Supreme Court, in other to influence/induce them to subvert the cause of justice. As well as, “An order of mandamus compelling the 5th defendant to immediately and without any further delay whatsoever sack or cause the 1st and 2nd defendants to resign from offices as Minister of Transport and Minister of Science and Technology (respectively) without any further delay on the ground of public interest, public morality and to unable the 3rd and 4th defendants speedily carry out their statutory responsibility of arresting and prosecuting the 1st and 2nd defendants, based on the allegations of Hon. Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta and Hon. Justice Inyang Okoro”.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the case.
A former spokesperson to Goodluck Jonathan is set to return N5 million to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Rueben Abati, currently in detention in an EFCC holding facility in Abuja said he only has N5 million out of N50 million he allegedly received from the former national security adviser, Premium Times reports.Abati is said to have offered to reimburse the federal government the money after spending some days in detention.
The money he received, the EFCC said is part of the $2.1 billion arms deal, popularly referred to as the DasukiGate.
DasukiGate was coined from the last name of the former national security adviser who allegedly doled out huge sum of monies to many Nigerian politicians for the purpose of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign in 2015.
Also, Dasuki, who is currently being held by the Department State Services is facing criminal charges before different courts in Abuja.
The charges against Dasuki borders on money laundering, criminal abuse of public office and public funds and the illegal possession of firearms.
Meanwhile, Abati who is held alongside former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode and former junior minister of defence, Musiliu Obanikoro were yesterday, October 31, visited by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Matthew Kukah.
Kukah during his visit was said to have prayed for the detainees.
The Bishop also encouraged and urged them to stay strong in their most trying time.
German defender will see his current deal expire at the end of the season, but he is hoping to be offered fresh terms by the Gunners
Per Mertesacker has revealed that earning a contract extension at Arsenal is his ‘absolute priority’.
The German defender’s current deal expires at the end of the season, which has led to speculation suggesting that his days in north London are numbered.
No fresh terms have been offered as yet, but Mertesacker has no qualms at being allowed to enter the final few months of his agreement, with making a full recovery from knee surgery dominating his thoughts at present.
He is, however, determined to show Arsene Wenger that he is worth keeping around past the end of his fifth season in the Premier League.
“An extension at Arsenal is an absolute priority for me,” Mertesacker told Spox.
“But there are no agreements on a schedule for this at the moment.”
The 32-year-old World Cup winner added on reports linking him with a return to his homeland at either Werder Bremen or Hannover: “As I said, Arsenal is a top priority for me.
“Everything else is pure speculation and I don’t want to get into that.”
The Imo State Police Command on Monday paraded over 40 suspects allegedly involved in various crimes ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, unlawful possession of fire arms and cultism, among others.
It also announced the reintroduction of the ‘Operation Mkpochapu’, meant to flush out criminals from the state and ensure a crime-free Christmas period.
The state Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, stated that on October 10, operatives of the command arrested a four-man gang, who allegedly kidnapped and robbed 52-year old Cordelia Chikere of Umuokanne community in Ohaji/Egbema Council Area of the state.
“The victim was kidnapped along the Oburugo-Obiti Road, Ohaji at gun point. The sum of N9,000 was stolen from her,” Lakanu added.
The commissioner said that a cordon and search operation by the operatives of the command led to the rescue of the victim inside a hut in the forest without any ransom paid.
He listed two of those involved in the kidnap as Onyinechi Ezengwu (26), who is also known as “Mosquito”, from Obiti, and Chinemerem Ohale (21) of Amuri Awomama in Oru East Local Government Areas of the state.
The CP also said that on October 26, another four-man gang that allegedly masterminded the kidnap of a Catholic ex-seminarian, Peter Chukwuemeka, was nabbed.
He said that the victim was kidnapped in front of St. Peter’s Seminary, Okigwe, and rescued by the operatives of the command two days later.
Those arrested are Emmanuel Nnadi (25) of Umulolo Okigwe, Chukwuemeka Desmond (22) of Avutu Obowo, Promise Alamanjo (24) of Umulolo Okigwe and Odii Ekwe (26) of Uburu Ohazara in Ebonyi State.
Lakanu said the suspects had made useful statements about their roles in the crime and would soon be charged to court after police investigations.
The CP also said that the command had introduced protective units for banks, filing stations and hotels where police operatives would be dispatched to ensure that crime was checked in the area.
“We chose the three areas first because these are where crimes are perpetuated in the state. I am assuring all Imo indigenes that this forthcoming Christmas celebration will be crime-free. They will sleep with their two eyes well closed. Various strategies that will guarantee the above-stated are already in place,” he added.
One of the suspects, “Mosquito,” said that he did not indulge in raping, but that he was involved in most crimes committed in the Ohaji/Egbema area.
“I don’t rape women; it is against my principle, but I was involved in major crimes in my area,” he said.
A member of the National Youth Service Corps serving in Oyo State, who gave his name as Ogbonna Godwin, said he came to collect his transcript from Federal University of Technology, Owerri before he was nabbed for armed robbery.
“I was with my friends and they said I should go somewhere with them. When we got there, it was robbery they took me to participate in. They all ran away but I was caught by the police,” he said.
No fewer than seven people lost their lives in a road accident that occurred in Amurin village on Akure-Owo Expressway in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Tuesday.
About 13 people were also reportedly injured in the accident.
According to an eyewitness, the accident involved a Peugeot J5 bus with registration number BKK 424 XA and a truck belonging to the Nigeria Army with registration number NA 1087 BO5.
It was gathered that the accident occurred as a result of reckless driving on the part of the vehicles that were involved.
The identity of the victims were not known as of the time of this report.
All officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Ondo Sector Command contacted declined to comment on the matter.
But the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident and said the accident occurred at about 2am on Tuesday.
He said, ” The army truck, driven by one Sergent Ashima Abdullahi broke down and parked beside the road when the bus rammed into it.”
The PPRO also stated that the remains of the victims had been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, while the injured were also receiving treatment at the hospital.
The Nigerian Senate has rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for approval of $29.6bn external borrowing. The matter went into a voice vote when it was brought forward and the nays had it. .
The senators turned it down due to what they called “lack of documents supporting the request as referenced in the letter”. The president, last Tuesday, forwarded a request to the National Assembly to approve external borrowing plan of $29.960 billion to execute key infrastructural projects across the country between 2016 and 2018.
Mr. Buhari said the external loan, the biggest in Nigeria’s history, will fund targeted projects cuts across all sectors with special emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, growth and employment generation.
Other sectors, he said, included poverty reduction through social safety net programmes and governance and financial management reforms, among others.
Catholic Sister Begs Nigerians Over Chidinma Okeke’s Leaked Lesbian SexTape
The National Coordinator of the Association for Universal Moral Education Nigeria, Rev. Sis. Therese Nwodo, has added her voice to the controversial leaked lesbian sex video of former Miss Anambra, Chidinma Okeke who was involved in a sex scandal
According to her, poor family orientation made youths susceptible to societal and peer influence and called for a stronger relationship between the family and the child. She begged Nigerian public not to traumatize the beauty queen the more by dramatizing her situation, but to offer her psychological and spiritual succour to overcome the crisis. She said the incident can be attributed to a breakdown of morals and values in the society
She said 
Nwodo said the conference, with the theme, “Gardening the Mind as a Way Toward National Unity”, would address some of the moral issues facing the society.
Rob Kardashian is now being investigated by the FBI for threatening the man.
After picture surface on the internet of Pilot and Chyna kissing and also said that they were doing each other behind Rob’s back. Source also said that many of Chyna’s friends believe that the baby growing in her body was made with Pilot Jones’
However, Rob Kardashian is said to be under a criminal investigation for allegedly making threats against a former kissing mate of Blac Chyna’s, named Pilot Jones
Reportedly, the LAPD’s Threat Management Unit got called when the KUWTK celeb sent some pretty offensive texts to Jones for selling pics of himself kissing the former video vixen and implying he might be the father of Chyna’s unborn baby
He wrote … “And u fa*t ass bitch. This is ROB and u did the most DISRESPECTFUL sT ever by releasing pics and a story to a pregnant Woman who is 17 days from having a baby!”
“This is my Wife and you about to get your ass beat by every Mexican in LA including me…U f***ed with the wrong Woman and the wrong dude.”
“I hope you religious cuz after I beat your ass with about 30 Mexicans u better hope God lets u into heaven.”
“Its a wrap for u and after we beat your ass we will all be good and never contact Chyna. U pu**y ass n***a… Don’t ever come for me and my wife ever U corny ass n***a”
I mean if a man tried this to me and my wife I’d do worst than send him a text, I would beat him so much he’d be scared of his own shadows for years.
The Germany legend, and all-time leading scorer in World Cup finals, has decided to hang up his boots after a long and successful career
All-time Germany top-scorer Miroslav Klose has opted to hang up his boots after leaving Lazio at the end of the 2015-16 campaign following the expiry of his contract.
Klose had been linked with a move to MLS and former club Kaiserslautern over the past few months, but has opted to retire instead and take up a position with Germany’s national team.
The 38-year-old will be following an individual education and traineeship under national team coach Joachim Low and sporting director Hansi Flick with an eye on a future coaching career, while also joining Low’s backroom staff.
“I enjoyed my biggest successes with the national team. It was a great time and unforgettable for me. That’s why I am happy to return to the DFB,” Klose told the DFB website.
“Over the past few months, the idea of staying on the pitch in another position, as a coach, got into my mind. I already enjoyed developing tactics, preparing for games and reading the game during my playing days.
“I am grateful to Jogi Low and Hansi Flick that they are offering me this opportunity.”
Klose started his professional career with Homburg and also wore the jerseys of Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich and Lazio.
He enjoyed his biggest successes with Bayern, where he won two Bundesliga titles and two DFB-Pokals. The striker won the Bundesliga top-scorer award in 2005-06.
The attacker made 137 appearances for Germany – with only Lothar Matthaus winning more caps – and scored an impressive 71 goals to become his country’s all-time top goalscorer.
He won the World Cup in 2014, having finished as a runner-up in 2002. Klose is also the all-time top scorer at World Cup finals, with 16 strikes spread over four tournaments.
