Martins will be back for Nations Cup

Nigeria's striker Obafemi Martins has assured his countrymen of his services as the nation prepares to play in the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

The Wolfsburg striker who recently underwent surgery on his troubled shin says he is well on his way to recovering in time for Nigeria's preparations for the continental tournament.

"Let me first assure Nigerians that I will be very fit for the Nations Cup" Martins told Complete Sports in an interview.

"The operation went very well and I am happy to report that I have started doing some stuff with the bike. I believe in about [ten] days from now I should be back on the field to commence full training."

Martins, popularly referred to as the Weapon of Mass Destruction by his countrymen said he looks forward to a very interesting tournament in Angola in January.

"I am happy too that I will have an opportunity to play for my country at the Nations Cup again. I was there in 2008 in Ghana but the experience wasn't a good one. I hope we can do better than we did in Ghana this time around in Angola."

Martins also commented on Nigeria's draw in the World Cup where the Super Eagles have been grouped alongside two-time former champions Argentina, former European champions Greece and two-time Asian champions South Korea.

"I think it is a good draw for us. The Super Eagles are a big team and should think and act as such. We already know it won't be a stroll in the park for us in South Africa and this should determine the kind of preparation we make for the championships.

"This is better than drawing teams we feel we can run over easily and (then) fail to prepare adequately. In Argentina we know we will be playing against a former world champion while Greece were also once champions of Europe.

"South Korea are no pushovers too. I still remember what they did in 2002 when they co-hosted the FIFA World Cup with Japan. I think they went as far as the semi-final which means they have the experience at that level as well."

In conclusion, Martins who scored two goals in the 3-2 win over Kenya that saw the Eagles qualify for the World Cup said, "I am always ready to help my country and Nigerians should give us the support we will need to succeed in Angola."

Daily Trust

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FIFA congratulates Nigerian police on security

World soccer governing body, FIFA, has congratulated Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force for how they handled security for the FIFA U-17 World Cup competition last month, saying that the country deserves to be praised for performing beyond expectation. In a message it issued recently, FIFA  praised the police for providing what it called "excellent security services" during the championship.

FIFA's National Security Officer in Nigeria, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Gideon Akinsola said yesterday that the soccer body was satisfied that no hitch was recorded in the country while the tournament lasted. He said that the security arrangements put in place allayed fears that the country was unsafe.

Akinsola who was the tournament's Security Operations Officer, disclosed that in one of their meetings, FIFA's Security Liaison Officers from other countries, gave Nigeria a pass mark for ensure security. He therefore said that the Nigeria Police deserved commendation for a job well done.

"After the tournament, FIFA Security Liaison Officers from various countries, while assessing security arrangements during the period, praised the country for a good job. I think their comments were in order. During the fiesta, I shuttled from one sub-seat to the other, and in each one, I noticed that law and order were highly maintained.

"To this end, it is fitting to appreciate the country for organising a peaceful tournament. FIFA's appreciation goes to the Inspector General of Police, Ogbonna O. Onovo; Chairman of the tournament's Security Committee, Assistant Inspector General of Police MD Abubakar as well as the Secretary of the Security Committee, Col. T Fagbemi for their kind contributions in hosting a hitch-free tournament.

"Coming at a time we are re-branding Nigeria, there was probably no better period to organise a global championship than when the cadet tournament was held. Some of the visiting teams and their handlers enjoyed themselves so much that they would have loved to stay back in the country," Akinsola enthused.

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Nigerian government to sign deal with Real Madrid

A deal between the Nigerian government and one of the most richest football clubs in the world, Real Madrid FC will soon be signed according to Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State. "The commissioners for sports and investment are going to Spain to confirm and sign an agreement with Real Madrid for sporting and football collaboration," he said.

Once the deal goes through, Real Madrid will use Nigeria as a ground to scout for talents to train and market. The governor said a stadium will be built for the project, stressing "land has already been set aside for that purpose".

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Man stabs friend to death over woman

26 year old Udoka Ibemesi has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his friend Okechukwu Agbana to death during a fight over a lady named Judith Chukwu.  The suspect is currently being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department as homicide detectives conduct their investigation.

It has been gathered that the two friends started out verbally assaulting each other. Udoka accused Okechukwu of stealing his girlfriend, while Okechukwu accused Udoka of stabbing him in the back because he was financially buoyant. Verbal assault later escalated to physical assault and Udoka  allegedly stabbed Okechukwu in the neck with a kitchen knife. Okechukwu was rushed to a hospital by neighbours but died before arrival.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Fank Mba confirmed the incident and said the body has been taken to a mortuary and an investigation is ongoing.

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Nigerian police out of control according to Amnesty International

A  report by Amnesty International released on Wednesday exposed a shocking level of unlawful killings committed by the Nigerian police force. The director of Amnesty International's Africa Progamme, Erwin van der Borght, made these statements:

"The Nigerian police are responsible for hundreds of unlawful killings every year,"

"Police don't only kill people by shooting them; they also torture them to death, often while they are in detention."

"The majority of the cases go un-investigated and the police officers responsible go unpunished. The families of the victims usually get no justice or redress. Most never even find out what happened to their loved ones."

Amnesty International said that some police officers see the killings of 'armed robbers' in dentention as acceptable practice. The orgianisaiton also pointed out that one of the main issues is 'Nigeria Police Forcer Order 237' under which police officers are allowed to shoot suspects and detainees who try to escape or avoid arrest, whether or not they pose a threat.

"Force Order 237 is so impermissibly broad. It simply gives police officers permission to shoot people. It is against international standards, and is being abused by police officers to commit, justify and cover up illegal killings," said Erwin van der Borght.

"The government must repeal Force Order 237 and publicly announce that the use of lethal force is only allowed when strictly unavoidable to protect life. This simple step could make a big difference to the number of unlawful police killings we are seeing in Nigeria."

Enforced disappearances in Nigeria are rife. Typically, in the first days or weeks following arrest, families are allowed to visit their relatives in detention. Later on, police tell them their loved ones have been "transferred to Abuja". Other times, they simply deny any knowledge of their whereabouts.

The Nigerian government says that they do not condone extrajudicial killings. But they are not doing enough to stop them and bring the police perpetrators to justice. Even on the rare occasions when police officers implicated in an unlawful killing are prosecuted, they are often released on bail or escape custody. Some are simply transferred to other states.

"Ending unlawful killings and enforced disappearances by the police will require serious legal reform and commitment and support from the Nigerian police force," said Erwin van der Borght. "The Nigerian Police Force must introduce a new code of conduct throughout its chain of command – from the very top to the bottom. If not, the cycle of violence will simply continue."

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