Global Naija Info

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai The Sambisa forest, beginning from 2017 will serve as training ground for personnel of the Nigerian Army, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff, has announced in Damasak. Buratai was in Damasak to celebrate the Christmas with troops of 145 Battalion after the road leading to the town was reopened by Governor Kashim Shettima, three years after closure. The army chief said that troops were already conducting a mop up operation in the forest after the last strong hold of the Boko Haram terrorists was captured. “We are also opening up roads to the forest – Sambisa, as well as Alagarno forest. This Sambisa forest is going to be one of our training grounds. “Next year, 2017, I have already directed that we should conduct our Nigerian Army small arms championship in that forest. “And we are going to use it also to test fire our fighting vehicles, as well as other key equipment and weapons that requires testing firing whene

Fun seekers at National Theatre Fun seekers on Monday thronged the National Theatre Complex, Iganmu, Lagos to celebrate the Boxing Day with their families and friends. The fun seekers were seen wining and dining and participating in different types of games. Boxing Day is a day celebrated after Christmas Day, marked every December 26. It originated in the United Kingdom, and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously belonged to the British Empire. One of the fun seekers, Mr Tunji Kasali, disclosed that he enjoyed himself on the Christmas Day, adding that he came back for a repeat of the merriment. “I have a lot of fun yesterday; that is why I came back to continue from where I stopped,” Kasali said. Also, Mrs Bukola Onilenla, who came for relaxation with her husband, expressed satisfaction with the activities available for fun seekers at the theatre complex. “I am here to watch a movie and for my kids to experience the fun of having horse ride. “So far, everythin

Outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama said he could have defeated Republican Donald Trump in the November 8 presidential election if he had run against him. Obama told his former senior adviser David Axelrod in an interview for the “The Axe Files” podcast, produced by the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN, aired on Monday. He argued that Americans still subscribed to his vision of progressive change, asserting that he could have succeeded in this year’s election if he was eligible to run. “I am confident in this vision because I’m confident that if I had run again and articulated it, I think I could’ve mobilised a majority of the American people to rally behind it. “I know that in conversations that I’ve had with people around the country, even some people who disagreed with me, they would say the vision, the direction that you point towards is the right one.” The two-term president also said that there was a difference between the hope-and-change vision he herald

Andy Carrol West Ham cruised to a third straight win to plunge Swansea City deeper into Premier League relegation trouble and increase the pressure on manager Bob Bradley. Former Swans forward Andre Ayew pounced on Lukasz Fabianski’s fumble to put the visitors ahead, before Winston Reid headed in from a corner to double their lead. Michail Antonio added a third and, although Fernando Llorente scored late on for Swansea, Andy Carroll’s firm strike sealed a convincing West Ham victory. Slaven Bilic’s side climb to 11th in the Premier League table, while Swansea remain second from bottom but now four points adrift of safety. Where Bradley is concerned, a seventh defeat from his 11 matches in charge leaves the American in grave danger of losing his job less than three months after his appointment. Swansea’s supporters called for his sacking during the second half, as well as accusing the club’s directors of greed following the Swans’ American takeover in the summer. Pressure mounts

Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring for Arsenal Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud struck a late winner as the Gunners ended a run of two Premier League defeats with victory over a stubborn West Brom. Giroud was making his first league start of the season and looped in an 86th minute header from a Mesut Ozil cross for his goal. Until that moment the Gunners had enjoyed nearly 80% possession, but had struggled to find a way past inspired Baggies keeper Ben Foster. He pulled off a number of key stops, including a double save when he parried an Alex Iwobi shot and blocked the rebound at the feet of Alexis Sanchez. The 33-year-old former England keeper also tipped over a fizzing shot from Sanchez before West Brom nearly snatched a goal, with Claudio Yacob skying his shot over the bar after Arsenal keeper Petr Cech dropped a corner. But Giroud finally broke the deadlock to keep Arsenal nine points behind leaders Chelsea, who beat Bournemouth. -BBC

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Manchester United recorded their fourth successive Premier League win with a dominant performance against a Sunderland side which remains in the relegation zone. United deserved the victory – enjoying 63% of possession and having a total of 25 shots on goal – but only a first-half Daley Blind effort separated the teams until the final 10 minutes. The Dutchman was put through by a delightful Zlatan Ibrahimovic pass and fired low into the bottom-right corner for his first goal of the season, before United doubled their advantage with Paul Pogba setting up Ibrahimovic with eight minutes remaining. Substitute Henrikh Mkhitaryan added gloss to the scoreline with a brilliant backheeled effort, though replays suggested the Armenian was offside. It is a victory which draws United level with fifth-placed Tottenham, although the north Londoners have a game in hand, against Southampton on Wednesday. Fabio Borini scored a wonderful late consolation for Sunderland, but def

Eden Hazard Chelsea moved nine points clear at the top of the table by beating Bournemouth to set a club record of 12 straight Premier League wins. Cesc Fabregas set up Pedro to break the deadlock with a deflected shot that looped into the top corner. Eden Hazard capped an impressive display by making it 2-0 from the spot after he was brought down by Simon Francis. Pedro added a third goal deep in injury time when his shot hit Steve Cook and the ball span over the line. Bournemouth’s best chance saw substitute Benik Afobe denied by Thibaut Courtois but the Cherries ended up well beaten. Manchester City can reduce Chelsea’s lead to seven points if they beat Hull later on Boxing Day. -BBC

•Sam Allardyce, Palace coach Troy Deeney scored a second-half penalty to equalise for Watford as Sam Allardyce took a point on his return to management with Crystal Palace. After dominating in the opening stages, Palace went ahead through Yohan Cabaye’s low strike in the 26th minute. The visitors missed the chance to double their lead when Christian Benteke’s penalty was saved by Heurelho Gomes after the Watford goalkeeper had fouled the Belgian. Deeney converted his penalty – after Sebastian Prodl was fouled – to end a 10-game goalless run and score his 100th Watford goal. The point for Palace, who sacked Alan Pardew as manager on Thursday before appointing former England boss Allardyce the following day, comes after back-to-back defeats and moves them two points clear of the relegation zone. Watford climbed to 10th before seven more Premier League matches on Boxing Day. Allardyce said he hoped to “bring some joy, particularly over Christmas and New Year” when he started his f

At least 30 people have drowned after a boat carrying a football team and their fans capsized on Lake Albert in Uganda, police say. The overcrowded vessel was carrying some 45 people. Police say the boat became unbalanced when too many passengers moved to one side. Nine bodies have been recovered, and 15 people have been rescued, reports say. Boat accidents are fairly common on Lake Albert and in other parts of Africa. Vessels are often packed with too many people and goods, and in a poor state. Police commander John Rutagira told AFP news agency most passengers were drunk by the time they embarked on the boat. The group, from Buliisa District, was on its way to a Christmas day football match in Hoima District, singing songs and blowing trumpets and whistles. Fishermen have helped authorities on the rescue operation. In November, 10 people drowned in Lake Albert on the country’s western shore.

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has revealed the arrest of a Boko Haram terrorist in Ikorodu area of Lagos State. Buratai said the terrorist, one of those fleeing from the hitherto Boko Haram stronghold of Sambisa Forest, was arrested on Saturday. Buratai made the revelation in a remark before Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno cut the tape to re-open two major roads in the state that were closed since 2013 at the height of the atrocities of the insurgents. The roads are Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak and Maiduguri-Monguno-Baga. They were opened in the wake of the declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari that the terrorists had been flushed out of Sambisa Forest. Buratai charged the troops not to relent until all the terrorists who had waged a war against Nigeria since 2009 are arrested. “You must maintain the momentum of the operation. We must pursue the terrorists wherever they are. We must not allow them to regrou

A prison The Catholic Bishop of Jalingo Diocese, Most Rev. Charles Hamawa, on Monday secured the release of six inmates at the Jalingo Main Prison. Hamawa received the freed inmates as part of activities of the diocese to mark the 2016 Christmas and the end of the Year of Mercy in Jalingo. He advised the freed inmates to take their freedom seriously by turning a new leaf and living a rewarding life for the good of society. Hamawa appealed to judges to save the system by dismissing cases without substantial evidence, rather than crowding the prison with persons not convicted. The clergy man said it was shocking to note that 85 per cent of the inmates at the Jalingo prison were either awaiting trial or had been on trial for more than 10 years. The bishop, who described the situation as pathetic, called on the government to reposition the prisons by making them reformative centres. Hamawa stated that the diocese will take temporary custody of the six inmates and rehabilitate them

Photo: olodonation A trip to some beer parlours in Lagos, has revealed that their operators recorded poor patronage this yuletide. It was observed that the number of people, who usually relaxed and socialised at some bars and joints in the evenings, has reduced drastically at yuletide. Mrs Chioma Nwanze, a beer parlour owner, lamented the fall in the number of customers this festive period due to the parlous state of the economy. “Many of us are no longer making it because there is no money in town, yet the prices of beer from brewers keep on increasing. “Soon, many of us may have to return to our villages because of poor records of sales in Lagos. “Sustaining our families is becoming a herculean task. There are rents and school fees to pay, in addition to feeding,” she said. Another pub operator, Mrs Chiamaka Chukwuma, said that not many people were coming out to booze these days. “A few of them, who come out now go for the cheapest brands of beer; take just one or two bottle

drugs Pharm. Elijah Mohammed, Registrar Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), has restated the Federal Government’s commitment to ending open drug hawking by Aug. 1, 2017. Mohammed gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja described this as part of efforts to regulate drug distribution system in the country. He said the move would assist in curtailing the menace of open drug sale. Mohammed attributed major challenges in the health system to open drug hawking. He added that a lot of the hawkers sold fake and adulterated drugs. The registrar stated that coordinated wholesale centres are currently being built in four states of the federation where open sale of drugs is predominant. H said that the drug dealers would be relocated to the centres to enable them to carry out their activities in a coordinated manner. According to him, the centres would go a long way to curtailing drug hawking, among others, as there would be strict regulation of drug distribution and sales at the centres

Boko-Haram-attack An attempt to attack a cattle market by two female suicide bombers was foiled by vigilant members of the Youth Vigilante in Maiduguri on Monday. According to a member of the group who spoke to our correspondent, the two suicide bombers were accosted by some of their members stationed at the market. He said: “Our members held them (the two female suicide) at gun point from a distance, ordering them to remove the explosives stripped on them. “It was while they were removing their clothes that the bomb exploded, killing the two instantly.” PUNCH reports that according to a trader at the Aji Babagana market, there was another loud bang some moments after the initial explosion which killed the two females. The spokesman of police in Borno State, Victor Isuku confirmed the attack but could not give the casualty figure.

NIPOST The Federal Government said on Monday that the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) would be repositioned to provide e-commerce and e-government services in 2017. The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, made this known when he featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja. Shittu said the e-commerce and e-government services would be in addition to its mandate of letter and parcel distribution. He said it was popular knowledge that ICT was the way to go for all economies today, whether an economy under recession, under slow growth or a fast growing one. “ICT assists in making life better, it enables businesses to be run more efficiently and even enables governments to be run properly and more beneficially to the citizenry. “That is why NIPOST wants to leverage on it to expand its scope of service delivery by engaging in e-commerce. “Today in Nigeria and throughout the world, individuals have set up companies for purpose of e-commerce, NIPOST has bet

President-Buhari The Federal Government says the country will achieve the 30 per cent national broadband penetration by 2018 as projected in the country’s National Broadband Plan. The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, disclosed this when he featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja. Shittu said the country had so far achieved between 18 to 20 per cent penetration as a result of private sector initiatives. The minister said government was encouraging all GSM and ICT companies to invest in the communication sector to expand the broadband penetration. He said the government was also encouraging a number of initiatives, including foreign companies coming to invest in the country, who had expressed interest. “I have had the privilege of attending a number of international platforms where I met a lot of them as the chief marketer of the industry. “The ministry of communications is not into business, government has no business in business, what the mini

Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors protesting in Abuja, recently The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the lingering crises in the health sector to avert an impending strike by doctors. NARD had issued a three-week strike notice that is expected to end on Jan. 2, 2017. The Public Relations Officer of the association, Dr Ugoeze Asinobi, told NAN in Yenagoa on Monday that the doctors had shelved the planned strike three times in the past four months and were bent on going n strike from January 2. Resident Doctors are agitating for a uniform template for the Residency Programme, infrastructure for tertiary health facilities, proper grading of doctors and payment of outstanding salaries amongst other issues “We don’t want strikes but we are going to have to resort to it again, the residency programme is fundamental to effective healthy care given the dearth of manpower as the country has les

FILE PHOTO: Nigerian troops The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has charged troops in the North East to pursue the fleeing Boko Haram terrorists and intercept them. Buratai gave the charge in a remark shortly before Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno cut the tape to re-open two major roads in the state that were closed since 2013 at the height of the activities of the insurgents. The roads are Maiduguri-Gubio-Damask and Maiduguri-Monguno-Baga. “You must maintain the momentum of the operation. We must pursue the terrorists wherever they are. We must not allow them to regroup,” the army chief said. According to Buratai, one of them, who fled to Lagos, was arrested on Saturday in Ikorodu area of the state. He said in spite of the takeover of the terrorists’ last stronghold in the Sambisa forest as announced by President Muhammadu Buhari, “we have no time to waste”. The chief of army staff described the seven-year fight against the Boko Haram terrorists as “quite sober and

MTN The Federal Government says MTN had paid N80 billion of the N330 billion fine imposed on it for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards. The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said that the company paid the sum for the first year. It will be recalled that MTN was initially fined 5.2 billion dollars (N1.04 trillion) for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards but was later reduced to N330 billion. “For the first year, they paid N80 billion, after paying the initial N50 billion, and they will have to pay for three years until they will complete the N330 billion. “MTN does not have a choice, when the law was made, it said for every unregistered SIM card in use, the fine is N200, 000, the law never anticipated that one company will be in violation to the tune of millions of lines. “It was inconceivable, so when the thing was added 200,000 times 5.2 million lines, it came to a trillion plus. “When it happened,

Simon Lalong, Plateau State Governor The Plateau Government has empowered 60 women with various skills and donated wheelchairs and hearing aids to people living with disabilities (PWDs) across the 17 Local Government Areas. Mrs Rufina Gurumyen, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social development disclosed this on Monday in Jos. Gurumyen said the empowerment of the 60 women was in partnership with the Industrial Trust Fund (ITF). She said the women were trained in beads making, catering and fashion design, amongst others. According to her, the training is aimed at providing the women with sources of livelihood through the suffering of their families would be alleviated. “We recently trained sixty women in collaboration with ITF and donated about forty wheelchairs across the 17 LGs in Plateau to People Living with Disabilities. “The ministry, in collaboration with an organization, Beautiful Gates, donated almost 40 wheel chairs each across the 17 LGAs to ease movemen

Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa State Hazy and cold weather on Monday forced residents of Dutse, the Jigawa capital, to remain indoor. A NAN correspondent who went round the town, reported that the busiest places in the capital were deserted due to extreme cold and hazy weather condition. Malam Rabiu Musa, a taxi driver in Dutse, said at the popular investment building that he had been at the road side park for more than two hours but did not get passengers. Musa explained that he plied Dutse -Birninkudu, which the car often got filled within 30 minutes, but had spent two hours with only two passengers. It was also observed that the ever-busy Hakimi Street was abandoned as only few people were seen at a tea vendor’s joint known as ‘Mai Shai’. A visit to the state-owned Children Amusement Park showed that only a handful of children were seen at the park catching fun in celebration of Christmas and Boxing Day Mrs Christiana Akwei said that she brought her kids to have fun at the

Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State Unknown gunmen killed six persons in an attack on Goska, a village near Kafanchan, in Jemaa Local Government of Kaduna State, early Sunday morning. Among those killed was Gimbia Morik, an SSS 2 student, and daughter of Mr Gideon Morik, former Deputy Speaker of Kaduna House of Assembly and also one-time Chairman, Jemaa Local Government. “The attackers just stormed the village and started shooting; they killed six people including my daughter, and five others,” Molrik told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kafanchan, on Sunday. He said that the attackers injured many others and burnt many houses. The local government and two others – Kaura and Zango-Kataf, have been under a 24-hour curfew, following incessant attacks by unknown gunmen. A senior police officer, who confirmed the incident, described the destruction at Gioskas as “very devastating”. He said that the corpses had been deposited at the Kafanchan General Hospital wher

George Michael Music legend George Michael has died peacefully at home at Oxfordshire at the age of 53. Michael’s publicist said that he had ‘passed away peacefully’ at his property in Goring at 1.42pm today. The Wham! singer had a successful solo career and sold more than 80 million records worldwide. Michael, who was set to release a documentary in 2017, rose to fame as a member of Wham!, known for their hits Club Tropicana and Last Christmas. The singer – whose real name is Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou – sold more than 100 million albums throughout a career spanning almost four decades. In a statement, the star’s publicist said: ‘It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period. ‘The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage. There will be no further comment at this stage. Daily Mail of L

George Michael Music legend George Michael has died peacefully at home at the age of 53. The Wham! singer had a successful solo career and sold more than 80 million records worldwide. Details later.

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti has given approval for the immediate promotion of 15,772 public servants in the spirit of Christmas. A statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Sunday and signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said the promotion cuts across workers in the local governments, teaching service and the core civil servants. The statement said that the beneficiaries consisted mainly of those whose promotions were due since 2012, 2013 and 2014. It said the governor had consequently ordered that letters of promotion be given the affected workers without further delay. The statement, however, clarified that the promotion status still remained nominal, as the cash backing for the exercise would be effective only from March 2017. It announced that all categories of workers in the state had been paid two months salaries in December, while Christmas bonus would be paid immediately after the Christmas holiday. The st

Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna State Governor Unknown gunmen killed six persons in an attack on Goska, a village near Kafanchan, in Jemaa Local Government of Kaduna State, early Sunday morning. Among those killed was Gimbia Morik, an SSS 2 student, and daughter of Mr Gideon Morik, former Deputy Speaker of Kaduna House of Assembly and also one-time Chairman, Jemaa Local Government. “The attackers just stormed the village and started shooting; they killed six people including my daughter, and five others,” Molrik told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kafanchan, on Sunday. He said that the attackers injured many others and burnt many houses. NAN reports that the local government and two others – Kaura and Zango-Kataf, have been under a 24-hour curfew, following incessant attacks by unknown gunmen. A senior police officer, who confirmed the incident, described the destruction at Gioskas as “very devastating”. He said that the corpses had been deposited at the Kafanchan General Ho