NAIJAFEED

Monday, June 7, 2010

Video report - 20 people injured during Nigeria, N. Korea World Cup warm up match

Fake Tickets and wild crowds meant for a chaotic scene at the Nigeria and North Korea match in Johannesberg.

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Super Eagles beat North Korea 3-1

Nigeria Yesterday Defeated North Korea 3-1 in a pre-World Cup warm-up match played at the Makhulong Stadium, Johannesburg.

A goal from Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the first half and one each from Obinna Nsofor from the spot and Obafemi Martins in the second half sealed victory for the Nigerians, their first under coach Lars Lagerback.

A careless back pass by Elderson Echejile gave the Koreans the leeway to beat Enyeama for their lone goal.

The match was temporarily stopped early in the second half by the match commissioner when reports reached him that at least 20 people, including one policeman, were injured after a stampede broke out at the stadium.

The match was suspended for about five minutes because of the reported injuries and safety of the fans in the overcrowded main stand where the fencing had been removed.

Police spokesman, Mveli Nhlapo, said the number of injuries had risen to 20, some of whom were taken to hospital. Precise figures were not immediately available.

The police officer sustained serious injuries when mostly Nigerian fans pushed the gate on to him in their effort to enter the 10,000-seater stadium to watch the match between the two World Cup participants.

"He was crushed by the gates as people stormed them, trying to get in," a police official at the scene told Reuters.

Among those injured was at least one child, according to an eye witness account.

Hundreds of fans, holding what police said were photocopies of tickets, tried to break down the gates after the match had started and police had closed them.

Medics said they had transferred 13 people to hospital but some of them had only minor scrapes.

Some 500 fans remained in the area around the stadium after the stampede. Inside the stadium there were still many empty seats as the match was not sold out. The standard of the game was, however, not impressive.

Vanguard

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Friday, June 4, 2010

Nigeria's growing mobile market

Major internet companies like Microsoft and Google are turning to countries like Nigeria, where new developers are emerging.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Virgin Nigeria changes name to Air Nigeria

Barely 10 months after Virgin Nigeria changed its name to Nigeria Eagle Airlines, the airline has again changed its name to Air Nigeria.

This new name brings to two the number of times the airline has changed its name since it started operations in July 2005 till date.

The new name was made known to aviation journalists by the Chairman of the airline, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, at a media conference in Lagos.

According to the chairman, the new name was effected sequel to the board resolution on May 14, 2010, adding that it (the new name) has already been approved by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and that it was registered with a certificate number RC501975.

He said the full name of the company is Air Nigeria Development Limited (ANDL).

"Air Nigeria is born out of the need to have a national carrier that reflects the Nigerian identity and safeguard the integrity of the Nigerian people," he said.

The name, he added, became necessary in order to make the airline fully indigenous, noting that everything about the airline would reflect the Nigerian cultures with integrity show casing that Nigeria, as a nation, can do it.

The chairman also disclosed that the first branded aircraft in the new mane would arrive Nigeria before the end of next week from France and that other air planes in the airline's fleet will follow suit.

He disclosed that by October 1, 2010, a minimum of 10 aircrafts would be launched at a time in Abuja, assuring the staff that there would be no job lost.According to him, "As we increase the number of our fleet, job security is guaranteed as much people will be required to run the airline."

On the diagnose review of the company, Ibrahim said the diagnose review shows an enterprise in financial distress leading to operational delays but with a first class technical services.

Ibrahim assured that in a matter of days financial distress would have been over by 95 per cent, just as he also disclosed that the turn around which he said will last for six months will be limited to financial areas and not engineering department which the chairman described as first class.

On his meeting with Richard Branson, the Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, Ibrahim, said it was fruitful.

Daily Independent recalls that the former Managing Director airlines, Capt Dapo Olumide, on September 17, 2009, announced the changed the name and logo of the airline from Virgin Nigeria to Nigeria Eagle Airlines, a situation that pitched the airline against one of the commercial banks who the airline was indebted to.

The fear of the bank Daily Independent learnt was that the airline may not want to service its debt, as it may agued that it was Virgin Nigeria that owed the bank and not Nigeria Eagle Airlines.

Daily Independent

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