FIFA Decides Adamu's Fate Today

Dr. Amos Adamu will by the end of today know if he still has a future in football, as the Appeals Committee of FIFA sits to decide the fate of the Nigerian official.

Adamu along with fellow FIFA Executive Committee member, Reynald Temarii of Tahiti were both suspended last December after the governing body's Ethics Committee found them guilty following an inquiry into World Cup vote selling allegations levelled against them by British newspaper, The Sunday Times.

Adamu was given a three-year ban from all football related activities, while Temarii got one year.

However, both men, insisting on their innocence, subsequently lodged appeals with FIFA's Appeals Committee, which recently announced that it would be hearing their cases over 48 hours beginning from today.

But Adamu, who arrived Zurich on Monday for the hearing, has been sounding very confident of overcoming what is definitely a defining moment in his long and often controversial career as a top Nigerian sports administrator.

Speaking before leaving the country, Adamu, who is also a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee, said he expects to get a fair hearing, and ultimately, vindication.

"I don't want to say too much about the appeal but I know I'll get a fair hearing. It is important that I clear my name in this matter and I believe that will be done at the meeting," said Adamu, who is also WAFU President,

The man who will decide Adamu's fate is Bermuda Football Association President, Larry Mussenden, who chairs the Appeals Committee.

If exonerated, Adamu would be cleared to stand for re-election to his FIFA post. The Confederation for African Football has its annual assembly February 23 in Khartoum, Sudan, where it will choose two of its four delegates to the FIFA ruling body.

Apart from Adamu and Temarii's cases, the Appeals Committee will also hear three others. Aloulou, a Tunisian lawyer who chaired FIFA's disputes panel, is challenging a two-year sanction. FIFA referees committee member Amadou Diakite of Mali and Ahongalu Fusimalohi from Tonga were each suspended for three years. Bhamjee got a four-year ban.

A sixth official, Ismail Bhamjee of Botswana, has not appealed his ban.

However, even if their suspensions are upheld, the men can still seek redress at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS); because the Lousanne-based organisation has the power to overturn the Appeal Committee's verdicts.

The hearing will be held at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich.

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Mob Sets Bank On Fire in Abuja

What could have led a policeman to shoot a pregnant woman dead? That, is the mystery which the Federal Capital Territory Police Command was trying to unravel.

On Monday, tragedy broke out in Mpape, Abuja as stray bullet fired by a policeman guarding one of the banks (names withheld) in the area shot a pregnant woman dead.

The pregnant woman whose identity could not be immediately ascertained was passing by before the bullet fired by the trigger-happy policeman went off and sent her to her early grave.

An eyewitness said the policeman was trying to challenge a taxi driver who attempted to make a u-turn in front of the bank. The bullet he fired, apparently against the taxi driver, swerved and hit the passer by, stated the eyewitness.

The name of the officer could not be established and the real reason why he fired the shot.

However, the sound of the gun was said to have attracted people in the area who subsequently set the bank ablaze.

It was confirmed that employees of the bank escaped as the commotion raged while top officials of the bank who were later spotted by the Nigerian Tribune declined comment on the matter.

As at the time of filling this report, the area where the incident took place was deserted as passers-by feared possible arrest by the police.

The Police Commissioner in charge of FCT, John Haruna who later arrived the scene of the incident noted that the situation was under control.

He said the police would do everything possible to fish out the officer who committed the murder and ensure that he is brought to book.

Daily Champion

Nigerian president orders immediate evacuation of nationals in Egypt

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday directed National Security Adviser Andrew Azazi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Odein Ajumogobia to immediately evacuate Nigerians trapped at the Egyptian airport in Cairo.

President Jonathan who is currently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the 16th session of the African Union (AU) General Assembly according to his spokesperson, Ima Niboro gave the directive Sunday night when he got the news of the plight of Nigerians in Egypt.

The Nigerian leader said both Azazi and Ajumogobia (who is also in Addis Ababa) must coordinate the mission and return the trapped Nigerians home to their families and loved ones.

About 200 Nigerian including students, businessmen, government officials, and others on medical visits are said to be stranded at Cairo's International Airport due to the turmoil in that country.

According to findings, they are said to have been at the airport for days with no access to call home as Egyptian authorities had blocked mobile services as well as access to internet.

While Egypt air flights to Europe, Arabian cities and others are still operating, same cannot be said of flights to African cities including Lagos, Kano, Accra, Nairobi and Entebbe.

Egypt has cancelled flights to African cities without any excuse thereby subjecting Nigerians to harsh conditions.

Egypthians have been in turmoil for nearly a week, with hundreds of thousands protesting the continued stay in office of President Hosni Mubarak.

He has been in power for 30 years and the protesters have insisted that he must go beforean end to the crisis in the country. 

People Daily

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100 Nigerian Girls Trafficked Out Daily for Prostitution

Authorities in Nigeria should investigate and close down networks that traffic Nigerian women and girls to Côte d'Ivoire and Mali for forced prostitution, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.

The group also called for collaboration among regional leaders to improve border patrol efforts in combating trafficking in person.

In its 2010 end of the year review report, made available to LEADERSHIP in Lagos on Tuesday, the group said it traveled across the length and breath of Nigeria and interviewed over 30 Nigerian women believed to have been trafficked out for prostitution in neigbouring Cote d'Ivoire and Mali, but the victims managed to return back home.

Scores of similar cases involving Nigerian women and girls were documented by interviews with Ivorian officials, United Nations personnel, and Nigerian embassy staff. Most of the victims were either between the ages of 15 and 17 or had been minors when brought to Côte d'Ivoire and Mali.

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Obafemi Martins Returns to England

Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins has joined Premier League side Birmingham City on a six month loan deal from Russian club Rubin Kazan.

The striker, who last played in England for Newcastle, will stay with Birmingham until the end of the season.

Martins became a father for the first time in December, and his desire to be close to his young family is said to be the major reason behind the move.

He joined Rubin Kazan from German club Wolfsburg at the start of the current campaign, but has yet to light up the Russian top division.

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