NAIJAFEED

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Portsmouth coach Ian Woan tags Nwankwo Kanu a magician

Nwankwo Kanu came on over the weekend and scored the winner in Portsmouth's 1-0 win over Barnsley at Fratton Park on Saturday and first-team coach Ian Woan has tagged the former Nigeria captain, Nwankwo Kanu as a magician.

"There were a few raised eyebrows from the fans (when we brought him on), but you want your subs to make an impact. He's an absolute magician. You see him day in, day out on the training pitch and some of the things he does with the ball are phenomenal. He's a top, top professional given where he has played and the enthusiasm he gives us every week in training," the coach said.

Woan added: "His legs can't carry him for 90 minutes sometimes now. But in a game that is crying out for someone to get hold of it, you throw the big fella on and he is a magician.

"You can't get the ball off him. People get to the stage where they don't want to go and challenge him. He embarrasses you. The whole stand starts cheering, he does the step-overs - you know they're coming but you can't do anything about it. We just didn't have that and he was perfect for the situation," Woan stated.

On picking up a second straight clean sheet, Woan added: "I think it's a major plus for us. We have struggled to keep clean sheets.

"The back-line in the last two games has been the same. That has made a big difference. We've done a lot of work with them on the training field. Continuity is a big thing with the back four. You need to know what everyone is doing. When you pick the same back four, it makes a big difference to them."

However, Kanu, while down playing the coach's compliments, stressed that his goal was to always give his best for the team.

"I'm happy with what he (Woan) said about me but I'm just doing the job I am being paid to do," Kanu said over the phone on Sunday.

This Day

Nwankwo Kanu to retire from international football after World Cup

Monday, February 21, 2011

Nigerians killed in Libyan Protests

Dozens of Nigerians are among hundreds killed in the on-going protests in Libya, according to a U.S.-based rights group.

Human Rights Watch reported that Libyan government's crackdown on anti-government protesters in the eastern part of the country has led to the death of at least 200 people in five days of unrest.

The group said Nigerians and other nationals died when Libyan security forces fired on protesters in the second largest city of Benghazi, where crowds gathered for the funerals of other activists.

Arab media reports say at least 15 protesters were killed in Saturday's shootings, which some residents described as a "massacre."

Witnesses say snipers opened fire after the mourners tried to storm a military building and prison where some Nigerians were detained.

The demonstrations have been largely confined to Benghazi and other cities in eastern Libya since they began last Tuesday.

They represent an unprecedented challenge to the four-decade rule of Libyan leader, Moammar Gadhafi, whose supporters have staged small rallies in the capital, Tripoli, in recent days.

The U.S. State Department has issued a warning to Americans to stay away from eastern Libya, saying more demonstrations and violent incidents are possible in the coming days. It also said even peaceful protests can quickly become unruly and foreigners "could become a target of harassment or worse."

Libyan authorities have also cut off Internet services in the country, denying cyber activists, a key tool to mobilise demonstrators.

There was no independent confirmation of Libyan witnesses' accounts of the violence, as the government has barred local and foreign journalists from covering the unrest.

British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, issued a statement urging Libya to stop using force against demonstrators, even as he said the violence is "clearly unacceptable and horrifying."

He also expressed concern about Libyan restrictions on media access.

Gadhafi has tried to defuse the protests by doubling the salaries of state employees and releasing 110 suspected Islamic militants.

He took power in a 1969 coup and has built his rule on a cult of personality and a network of family and tribal alliances. Speaking to Daily Independent on telephone, spokeman of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Daniel Agwu, neither confirmed nor denied the report, saying only the Minister, Odein Ajumogobia, can speak on the matter.

Attempt to reach the Minister were usuccessful. However, a Ministry official that pleaded anonimity said they were yet to get such report from the Nigerian embassy in Tripoli.

Daily Indepenent

500 Nigerians Return From Egypt

50-Year-Old Drug Trafficker Dies in Custody after excreting 72 Wraps of Narcotics

A 50 years old suspected drug trafficker, Offiah Gozie Vincent, has been reported dead during the process of excreting 72 wraps of narcotics he allegedly ingested.

The late suspect, described as an importer was nabbed by operatives of the NDLEA at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos last Sunday in connection with unlawful exportation of narcotics. Expressing regret over his death, the Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said Vincent tested positive to drug ingestion with the aid of scanning machine at the central screening section during the outward clearance of passengers on a flight to Korea.

The NDLEA boss in a statement signed by the head of Public Affairs, Ofoyeju Mitchell, said the suspect excreted 72 wraps of substances that tested positive for methamphetamine weighing 1.115kg.

" In a post mortem examination carried out on the corpse Friday afternoon February 18, 2011 in a Lagos hospital, 43 additional wraps that got stuck were recovered from his stomach.

"This brought the total wraps ingested to 115. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had bought the drugs he ingested with the intention of selling when he gets to Korea unlike others who smuggle drugs for a fee. "

The late suspect was said to be a professional courier for ingesting 115 wraps and having $10,000 cash on him.

Offiah, who hailed from Anambra state, was said to have been very aggressive shortly after his arrest. "He claimed to have invested his last savings in the illicit drug trade with the hope of buying more goods.

Vanguard

CNN's video report on the Illegal drug trade in Nigeria

Cocaine and politics

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Video - Enoch Adeboye talks Religion and Politics

Dressed in simple trousers and a shirt and bowtie, Enoch Adeboye's modest appearance belies the enormous influence and power he wields.

The Nigerian pastor, known to his flock as "Daddy," is one of the world's most influential spiritual leaders. On any given night, he can draw more than a million to his service at Nigeria's Redeemed Christian Church of God.

His fervent sermons, coupled with his magnetic personality, have turned the Pentecostal church into one of the fastest-growing evangelical congregations across the globe.

CNN

Video - Catholicism in Nigeria

Video - Attacks in Jos kill 38

FIFA Threatens to Ban Nigeria again

World football governing body, FIFA, has threatened again to ban Nigeria over court cases instituted by the National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF).

In a letter to the Nigeria Football Association, dated February 3 and signed by its secretary, Jerome Valcke, FIFA said that Nigerians should hold NANF responsible for any action taken against Nigeria over the numerous court cases.

FIFA said NANF does not qualify to contest the results of elections into the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) since the World Players' Union, FIFPRO, does not recognise it. It also said that since NANF is not a member of the NFA, it has no legal rights in seeking redress in court of law.

Consequently, it said, NANF cannot contest the results of the elections and should NANF "action before a court materialised in any judicial action against NFA, it would then bear all the responsibility in the eyes of the Nigerian public, if FIFA should take action because of interference."

NFA had reported NANF to FIFA on January 24, claiming that NANF is an illegal body not recognised by FIFPRO. It said in the letter that all efforts at settling the matter out of court have been rebuffed by NANF.

But the NANF president Harrison Jalla has asked FIFA to go hell,saying if it wants to ban Nigeria that is its business.

Jalla said in an interview on Tuesday that without a country known as Nigeria, there can be NFA. "Nigeria is not a lawless society, our laws not be obeyed, to hell with FIFA. We are asking for a change and people are running to FIFA. Is it now that we want to get them out of office that they just realised that NANF is an illegal body?

"They are just using the media to blackmail us, we will not be deterred. If FIFA want to ban Nigeria so be it. That is there business. Nigeria laws must be obeyed and I will not belong to the class of people who will trample on the laws of the land," he said.

Jalla added that NANF has been dealing with NFA during the time of Ikpeazu, adding that why did FIFA recognise NANF when it took up the matter of the former Ranger player, John Kromah who died in 2001 with it.

"We took up the matter with FIFA and when we did not get justice we went to CAS. Rangers FC and NFA were parties in the suit, then NANF was not an illegal body.

He said NANF is working with the Nigerian Police to ensure that the Federal High Court order of September 6, 2010 declaring the elections that brough Aminu maigari and others to NFF illegal was obeyed.

"The Police have been served the order and the Inspector General of Police is aware of it. In fact, the IG has asked the Commissioner of Police, Legal Unit, to advise him on the order," Jalla said.

Daily Independent