President Goodluck Jonathan takes ill in London

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has been taken ill and given medical treatment while overseas, but his condition is not said to be serious.

The president was in London for a business meeting, but could not attend.

"The Presidency wishes to assure all Nigerians that President Jonathan's condition is nothing serious," his aide Reuben Abati said in a statement.

He said the medical attention sought by the 56-year-old president was "only precautionary".

Mr Jonathan has been president since 2010, when his predecessor died in office and he was promoted from vice-president.

In recent days he was forced to delay presenting the annual budget to the national assembly indefinitely due to disagreements between the executive and legislators.

Mr Jonathan is also facing serious divisions within his own party, as rival factions jockey for power ahead of the 2015 presidential poll.

He is also battling an Islamist uprising in the north of Nigeria which has killed thousands.

BBC

About 200 Nigerian women illegally trafficked to Russia monthly

No fewer than 200 Nigerian girls are trafficked every month to Russia for prostitution, the nation’s ambassador to that country, Amb. Asam Asam has said.
Asam, who spoke against the backdrop of consular challenges faced by the embassy, disclosed this in an interview in Berlin.

Investigations reveal that the crime had decline in Western Europe following strict laws on illegal migration, and joint efforts by Nigeria and the governments of those countries to curb the menace.
However, attention has shifted to Eastern Europe as the new destination for the trade.

“The major consular challenge we face in Moscow is the influx of trafficked persons from Nigeria, not less than 200 girls are trafficked every month, and we have so many of them exposed to danger.
“Some are thrown out of the window and treated harshly, there must be a way of stopping these racketeering , these girls are not tourists, students or government officials yet they are given visas from the Russian embassy in Abuja”.

“So far we have deported over 240 girls since 2012, you will be shocked, at the extend of resistance from the girls, we tell them Russia is not a destination for prostitutes yet they still come” Asam said.
According to him, the mission tries to curb the menace by arranging deportation exercise for those caught, but the challenges are enormous.

The envoy said such intervention would be more effective at the point of entry “the strategy is to stop them from Nigeria, and fish out those involved in the trade.
“For instance a well known Russian human trafficker who has been in the trade for about 20 years was caught in Nigeria,’’

“The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons( NAPTIP) was on the verge of releasing her before I filed a protest from Moscow to the Comptroller General of Immigration,” Asama stressed.

He said even the parents of those trafficked encourage their children:
“I spoke to the mother of one of the girls and she said her daughter should remain in Moscow and try to survive the ordeal, this is very sad indeed coming from one’s parent.’’

He tasked the media on sensitising the public on the dangers of trafficking in Russia,“this East European nation has become a new destination for them, and believe me it is a very big crime here.’’
Asam, however, said that other Nigerians who reside in that country were students, and professionals in various fields of human endeavours.

Vanguard

Related stories: Documentary about human trafficking between Nigeria and Italy

Video - Corporation helps develop music talent in Nigeria

Nigerian music has taken over from Congolese music as the most listened to across Africa. The Musical Society of Nigeria champions classical music. It teaches students to play a wide variety of instruments.

Thief sentenced to death by hanging for stealing phones

A High Court in Effurun, Delta State, has sentenced a 24-year-old secondary school student, Moses Akatugba, to death by hanging for stealing mobile phones and recharge cards, just as a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called ‘Okada’ was also jailed for 15 years imprisonment for robbing a female passenger of her mobile phone.

Akatugba was convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery in contravention of Section 6 (b) and punishable under section 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R11 Volume 14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The prosecution told the court that the convict with others now at large “robbed one Mrs. Akpor Mazino of the sum of N113,930, three phone handsets, 54 various denominations of MTN recharge vouchers, 28 Airtel vouchers and 25 Glo vouchers valued at over N100,000 at No. 30 NNPC Housing Complex Road,
 Ekpan.”

The victim in her evidence gave a vivid account of how she was robbed of the items at her shop at gunpoint.

An Asaba High Court also yesterday sentenced a 30-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Paul Nwanegbo to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour for robbing a female passenger of her telephone handset. The incident, according to prosecution took place along Direct Labour Agency Road, Asaba, on October 5, 2011 before the ban on operation of commercial motorcyclists in Asaba metropolis and other designated cities.

The female passenger, Amaka Okafor told the court that on “realising the gun was a toy, I resisted him but he overpowered me after biting me with his teeth and snatched my phone from me.”

This Day

Video - Nigeria and Italy draw 2-2 in Football friendly

Italy and Nigeria played out a thrilling 2-2 draw which included a goal-of-the-season contender from Shola Ameobi in an entertaining friendly at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Monday. Italy dominated the game but the African champions, who joined their opponents at next year's World Cup on Saturday, produced a few magical touches and defended superbly as the Italians pounded their goal in search of a late winner.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli made eight changes from the team that drew 1-1 with Germany in a friendly on Friday and his side dominated the early stages after going ahead in the 12th minute when Mario Balotelli set up Giuseppe Rossi. Rossi, shrugging off a bout of tonsillitis, showed great composure to shift the ball from one foot to the other before scoring.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi made seven changes from the team which sealed their World Cup place by beating Ethiopia. The African side gradually played their way back into the game, Victor Moses troubling the Italian defence with bursts down both wings.

Nigeria equalised in the 35th minute when a deep raking cross from Ameobi was powerfully headed past goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu by Bright Dike. That meant that the first two goals were scored by two players born one day apart in the United States on February1 and February 2, 1987.

Rossi was born in New Jersey to Italian parents and Dike in Oklahoma to Nigerian parents. There was nothing strange about the third goal though - just sheer brilliance. Moses fed Francis Benjamin wide on the left with a perfect pass and his cross was volleyed in by the leaping Ameobi who slammed the ball into the net with the outside of his right foot.

Italy almost equalised when Balotelli lobbed the defence with an overhead kick, ran on to trap the ball and teed it up before volleying straight at goalkeeper Austine Ejide. Italy drew level just after halftime when Emanuele Giaccherini put the final touch to a fine move involving Rossi and Antonio Candreva, powerfully driving the ball past Ejide.

The introduction of the experienced Andrea Pirlo into midfield after 53 minutes tipped the balance Italy's way and they went close to a winner as substitutes Marco Parolo and Alessandro Diamanti hit the woodwork and Diamanti crashed a free kick against the bar. Italy have now only won one of their last 12 friendlies and drawn the last four.

The Star

Related stories: Nigeria beat Ethiopia in World Cup qualifier

Nigeria beat Mexico to win Under 17 World Cup