U.S. warns its citizens against trips to Nigeria

The United States yesterday drew the attention of its citizens to the risks associated with visiting Nigeria and asked them to avoid non-essential trips to the country.

The U.S. Department of State, which issued the warning, particularly pointed out 10 states in the country that were very risky because of the growing incidents of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks.

The risky states are: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers, Abia, Edo, Imo; the city of Jos in Plateau State, Bauchi and Borno states.

A statement by the State Department says that violent crime committed in Nigeria by individuals and gangs, as well as by persons wearing police and military uniforms, remained a problem throughout the country.

The advisory recalled several violent crimes that have been unleashed on the nation by armed gangs and religious sects, among them the bombing of the United Nations building and the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja as well and other locations in the country.

The statement further maintained that travel by foreigners to areas considered by the Nigerian government to be conflict areas without prior consultation and coordination with local security authorities was not recommended.

"The Nigerian government may view such travel as inappropriate and potentially illegal, and it may detain violators," it noted.

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The sister of late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua dies at 68

The elder sister of late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, Hajiya Mairo Tafida is dead.

Aged 68, late Mairo died at Federal Medical Centre Katsina on Thursday night. Until her death, she was acting as the head of the Yar'Adua family as she was considered to have influenced major decisions of the family.

Family source said late Mairo was asthmatic and had an attack on Thursday evening and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre for treatment.

Until her death, late Mairo was a stalwart of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and actively participated in the party's campaign during the last election.

The deceased was survived by her elderly Mother, Hajiya Dada, six children and many grandchildren.

Late Mairo was buried on Yesterday at popular Dan Marina Cemetery were late President Yar'Adua was buried.

Meanwhile, President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has condoled the family of former President Yar'Adua over the death Hajiya Mairo Tafida.

In a condolence message to the matriarch of the Yar'Adua family, Hajiya Dada, Mark said: "I received the news of the death of Hajiya Mairo Tafida with rude shock", adding, "At a time like this, her able hands and experience are needed for contribution to the socio-political development of the nation."

He prayed to Almighty Allah to grant the entire family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Mark however asked the family to take solace in the fact that late Mairo lived a short but eventful life worthy of emulation.

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US government to award $3 million scholarship to Nigerian students

United States Government has offered $3 million scholarship grants to Nigerian students for the 2011 and 2012 academic year, the US Embassy disclosed yesterday.

The scholarship scheme, under the Educational Advisory Centre, according to the Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy, James McAnulty, will afford Nigerian students the opportunity of studying in the United States. There are also many affordable degrees courses online

Speaking during 2011 Annual College and career Fair in Abuja, McAnulty said: “During the 2011 to 2012 academic year, we anticipate that Nigerian students participating in our Educational Advisory Centre will receive nearly three million dollars in financial aid and scholarships.

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Umar Farouk 'Underpants Bomber' Abdulmutallab pleads guilty

A Nigerian accused of trying to bomb a US-bound flight on Christmas Day 2009 has told his trial in Detroit that he is pleading guilty to all charges.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 24, told a judge he was admitting all eight counts against him, including terrorism and attempted murder.

Abdulmutallab was badly burned when a bomb sewn into his underwear failed to detonate fully, prosecutors say.

Almost 300 people were on the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.

Abdulmutallab will be sentenced on 12 January 2012 but the BBC's Jonny Dymond, in Washington, says this is now a formality - Abdulmutallab will spend the rest of his life in prison.

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US Federal Judge Nancy Edmunds verified that Abdulmutallab understood his right to silence before asking him if he wished to make a plea.

"Do I understand correctly that you wish to waive that right [in order] to plead guilty to all the charges in the indictment?" she asked.

"Yes," the defendant replied.

He told the court the bomb was a "blessed weapon to save the lives of innocent Muslims".

"The US should be warned that if they continue to kill and support those who kill innocent Muslims, then the US should await a great calamity... or God will strike them directly," he said.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which is based in Yemen, said it was behind the attack on 25 December 2009.

US investigators have said Abdulmutallab told them he was working for AQAP and had received the bomb from them, as well as training.

US and Yemeni officials have linked Abdulmutallab to radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, whom he is said to have met while in Yemen before the attack.

Abdulmutallab flew from Nigeria to Amsterdam, where he boarded Northwest Airlines Flight 253 to Detroit, which was carrying 279 passengers and 11 crew.

He was already on a US watch list, but not a no-fly list.

Passengers had to put out the fire after the bomb failed to detonate fully, the court heard on Monday.

Abdulmutallab's father, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, an influential banker who is well connected in Nigerian politics, said he had approached the US embassy officials and Nigerian authorities in 2009 to warn them about his son.

Abdulmutallab was denied a request to ban statements he made while being treated for burns at a hospital, as well as other material, from appearing at trial.

During the first day of his trial, on Monday, prosecutor Jonathan Tukel showed the court a picture of the remains of the burnt underwear which contained the explosive device.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) analysts found the high explosive pentaerythritol (PETN) inside the device. Officials say he planned to detonate it using a syringe filled with chemicals.

The bomb was not detected when Abdulmutallab passed through airport security in Lagos and Amsterdam.

The court was also shown a video of Abdulmutallab explaining his suicide mission.

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Nigeria Super Eagles draw with Ghana Black Stars

Under fire Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia expressed his delight with the way his team played in a goalless draw with the Black Stars of Ghana in their international friendly match, which held at Vicarage Road, Watford.

Only 72 hours earlier, fans had been baying for his and his players’ blood following the 2-2 draw the Eagles had played with the Syli Stars of Guinea at the Abuja National Stadium, which ended Nigeria’s Nations Cup 2012 dream.

“I’m delighted with the way they (Eagles) played especially after what happened over the weekend. I only hope that fans also saw the improvement. We’re building a team for the future,” said Siasia.

Commenting further, the former Nigerian international also said he felt his team had created the better chances to have broken the deadlock.

Although the match did end goalless one must commend the work the officials did on the players to ensure that they did not allow what happened in Abuja over the weekend to have drastically affected their game.

Instead after an initial wobbly start in which the Ghanaians had the bulk of the ball possession, the Super Eagles came back stronger in the second half and fashioned out a number of scoring chances.

Although the ground of Championship side, Watford was not filled a sizeable crowd did show up to enjoy a fairly decent show put on by both teams

On his part, Goran Stevanovic, Siasia’s opposite number, also believed that his players did well but refused to be drawn into specifics until later when he would have studied the match.

But the 45-year-old Serbian flatly refused to be drawn into the chances of the Black Stars at next year’s Nations Cup final when asked after the game.

However, Siasia will be the more relieved of the two because his current tenuous position as national team head coach would have become untenable had the Eagles followed up Saturday’s poor outing with defeat to West African rivals, the Black Stars.

But in spite of the slightly improved performance of his team, Siasia is scheduled to know his fate on Thursday when the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) meet in Abuja.

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