Former Nigerian minister alleged to have stolen $6 billion

A former government minister in Nigeria stole $6bn (£3.8bn) of public money, a state governor has alleged.

Adams Oshiomhole said US officials informed President Muhammadu Buhari of the alleged theft during his visit to Washington last month.

Mr Buhari took office in May, ending the rule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP has repeatedly denied allegations of widespread corruption during its 16-year rule.

Mr Oshiomhole, who accompanied Mr Buhari to Washington, did not name the minister who allegedly stole the money.

During his visit to the US, Mr Buhari said he had asked the US to help recover $150bn "stolen in the past decade and held in foreign bank accounts".

US officials described the theft during the PDP's rule as "earth-quaking", Mr Oshiomhole, the Edo State governor, told journalists in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

The PDP said Mr Buhari's visit to Washington was a failure, in particular for failing to obtain "any sort of tangible gain for the fight against terrorism".

Mr Buhari, a former military ruler, was invited to Washington shortly after becoming the first opposition candidate to win a national election in March.

He succeeded President Goodluck Jonathan.

Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer, but the majority of its citizens live in poverty. Its oil sector has often been hit by allegations of corruption.


BBC

Video - Boko Haram spreading attacks to Cameroon

A wave of suicide attacks has left dozens of people dead across Nigeria and Cameroon within a week's time. No groups have claimed responsibility for the attacks, but officials suspect they were carried out by Boko Haram.

Former Nigeria Super Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi demanding $5 million pay-out

Former Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has demanded US$5m (£3.2m) compensation from the Nigeria Football Federation following his dismissal from the job.

Keshi was sacked at the start of July and has been replaced by Sunday Oliseh.

He has written to the NFF through his lawyers demanding the money, claiming damages for defamation.

However, NFF officials believe the claim has no substance and are confident the body will not be forced to compensate Keshi.

BBC Sport understands that Keshi is anxious to protect his reputation and profile in football circles after the NFF disciplinary committee made various allegations against him.

Keshi has yet to take the case to court as he is hoping the matter can be resolved amicably.

The former Togo and Mali coach becomes the second former Nigeria coach in five years to protest against dismissal by the NFF - his predecessor Samson Siasia launched legal action in October 2011 but later withdrew his case and said he wanted to look ahead.

Keshi, a former captain of the national team, led the side to the 2013 Nations Cup title in South Africa and also steered the Super Eagles to the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

His contract was not renewed after the World Cup but he later returned on a match-by-match deal, which ended in November after the team's failure to reach the 2015 Nations Cup finals.

As caretaker coach, Keshi endured a turbulent 2014, in which he was sacked by the NFF and only reinstalled after intervention from then Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan. The 53-year-old, who returned for his third spell in April, led his side to a 2-0 home win against Chad in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in June, but was shown the exit door after less than three months into a two-year deal.

BBC

Video - The struggle of buying a house in Abuja, Nigeria

Many Nigerians aren't able to own their homes, as very few banks there offer mortgages. But it's hoped that new government initiatives will be able to boost the rates of home ownership.

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Video - Housing crisis in Abuja, Nigeria

10 year old female suicide bomber kills 19 in Nigeria

A blast set off by a female suicide bomber tore through a crowded market in the northeastern Nigerian city of Damaturu on Sunday, killing 19 people and wounding 47, the emergency response agency said.

No one claimed responsibility for the explosion but it is the latest attack in the last few weeks that bear the hallmarks of militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

Hundreds of people have been killed in bombings and shootings across northern Nigeria since Muhammadu Buhari, who has promised to crush the group, was inaugurated as president on May 29.

"The death toll has gone up to 19 dead and 47 injured," National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesman Mohammed Kanar said.

The attack took place six days after a suicide bomber killed three policemen at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city.

And earlier this month at least nine people were killed in the city by a female suicide bomber as worshippers gathered to mark the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr.

Boko Haram controlled a swathe of land around the size of Belgium at the end of 2014 but have been pushed out of most of that territory by Nigerian troops in the last few months, with military help from neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Since then the militants have carried out attacks in the north and neighbouring countries.

At least 19 people were killed in a suicide bombing in the northern Cameroonian town of Maroua on Saturday.

Since becoming president, Buhari has made a number of changes aimed at tackling the insurgency, including the replacement of his defence chiefs.

He moved Nigeria's defence command centre to Maiduguri, the birthplace of the jihadi sect, and has worked with counterparts in neighbouring countries to set up a multinational force with headquarters in Chad's capital, N'Djamena.


Reuters