Friday, July 29, 2016
Video - Concerns at the UN over the impact of Boko Haram
Nigeria's Boko Haram insurgency has not only devastated communities, but the economy of the entire Lake Chad region. That's according to the UN Under Secretary for Political Affair, Jeffrey Feltman. He's told the Security Council that economic growth has also dropped sharply due to the decline in oil prices and other commodities .Feltman says it's crucial that development projects run in the region - alongside the military intervention.
Video - Businesses unhappy as Nigeria's central bank hikes interest rate
In an apparent move to keep rising inflation in check, and stabilize its currency, Nigeria's central bank has increased the benchmark interest rate from 12 to 14 percent. However, it's left the cash reserve ratio at 22-point-5 percent and liquidity ratio at 30-percent. Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele says the recent rise in inflation is more of a structural issue than a monetary one. But the business community isn't happy.
Nigeria disqualified from Rio Olympics 4x400 relay
Nigeria's medals prospect in the track and field of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil diminished by one event yesterday following the disqualification of the country's women's 4x400m by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
ThisDay learned yesterday that a member of the Nigerian 1600 relay quartet, Tosin Adeloye, tested positive to a banned substance at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Super Grand Prix/Warri Relays which took place in Warri, Delta State on July 24, 2015.
The quarter miler was a member of the Nigerian quartet that placed fourth at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing last August.
Adeloye ran the third leg in the semi-finals where the team clocked 3:23.27 seconds, the second fastest time in Nigeria's all-time 1600 relay record. She also ran the third leg in the final.
Other members of that Nigerian team include; Regina George (first leg), Funke Oladoye (second leg) and Patience Okon-George who anchored the team to place fourth.
Going by IAAF rule, all the results she achieved during the period after the test individually and jointly will be annulled. She has been banned for eight years.
While the trio of Okon-George, Margaret Bamgbose and Omolara Omotosho who have been picked by the AFN for the Games may still be in Rio after meeting the qualification standard for the open 400m.
ThisDay learned yesterday that a member of the Nigerian 1600 relay quartet, Tosin Adeloye, tested positive to a banned substance at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Super Grand Prix/Warri Relays which took place in Warri, Delta State on July 24, 2015.
The quarter miler was a member of the Nigerian quartet that placed fourth at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing last August.
Adeloye ran the third leg in the semi-finals where the team clocked 3:23.27 seconds, the second fastest time in Nigeria's all-time 1600 relay record. She also ran the third leg in the final.
Other members of that Nigerian team include; Regina George (first leg), Funke Oladoye (second leg) and Patience Okon-George who anchored the team to place fourth.
Going by IAAF rule, all the results she achieved during the period after the test individually and jointly will be annulled. She has been banned for eight years.
While the trio of Okon-George, Margaret Bamgbose and Omolara Omotosho who have been picked by the AFN for the Games may still be in Rio after meeting the qualification standard for the open 400m.
Mikel denies giving cash to Nigeria Olympics teammates
The Nigeria under-23 squad, together with select overage players like Mikel, are training in Atlanta ahead of next month's Olympics in Brazil.
Reports on Thursday claimed that Mikel had pitched in with the money to assist the team, but the Chelsea star told ESPN FC there was no truth to them.
"I was first told of this story by a friend who called me from Nigeria," Mikel said from camp at Hyatt Place. "I thought he was joking until he sent me the link.
"I don't know the source of this story, which to me is all out to divide us as a team. I would have thought that stories that should be coming out in the media are stories that will unite the team instead of dividing us.
"Our target in Rio is to excel, but if they continue like this, then I wonder how we can be united.
"To me, this is just mere distraction that won't help this team going into a major tournament like the Olympics."
Nigeria will face Japan, Sweden and Colombia in the group stage, beginning Aug. 4 in Manaus.
Task force recaptures town in Nigeria
A multinational task force battling Boko Haram said on Thursday it had recaptured the only town in northeast Nigeria's Borno state that was still held by the Islamist militant group.
Boko Haram, which formed in Borno, has waged an insurgency since 2009 to carve out a state based on sharia (Islamic law) in the northeast of Africa's most populous country. More than 15,000 people have been killed and some 2.4 million displaced.
Damasak, captured by Boko Haram in October 2014, was part of an area around the size of Belgium that the jihadist group controlled in northeast Nigeria by the end of 2009.
Its attacks have spread to neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, which prompted those nations to combine troops to form the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
MNJTF spokesman Colonel Mohammad Dole said troops cleared militants from Dutse, a village in Niger, before moving to the Nigerian border town Damasak around 10 a.m. (0900 GMT).
"In continuation with clearance operation of towns and villages, troops of Sector 4 in Diffa (Niger) have successfully cleared Dutse village, captured and occupied Damasak town," he said.
"The forces are coordinating to stabilize the immediate environs," he added.
The troops were supported by an air force from MNJTF member states, he said. More than 30 Nigerian soldiers have been killed in previous attempts to recapture Damasak.
Since a push early last year led by the Nigerian army, supported by troops from neighboring states, most of the territory has been seized back from the militants but the group still stages guerrilla attacks in the region.
Boko Haram, which formed in Borno, has waged an insurgency since 2009 to carve out a state based on sharia (Islamic law) in the northeast of Africa's most populous country. More than 15,000 people have been killed and some 2.4 million displaced.
Damasak, captured by Boko Haram in October 2014, was part of an area around the size of Belgium that the jihadist group controlled in northeast Nigeria by the end of 2009.
Its attacks have spread to neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, which prompted those nations to combine troops to form the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
MNJTF spokesman Colonel Mohammad Dole said troops cleared militants from Dutse, a village in Niger, before moving to the Nigerian border town Damasak around 10 a.m. (0900 GMT).
"In continuation with clearance operation of towns and villages, troops of Sector 4 in Diffa (Niger) have successfully cleared Dutse village, captured and occupied Damasak town," he said.
"The forces are coordinating to stabilize the immediate environs," he added.
The troops were supported by an air force from MNJTF member states, he said. More than 30 Nigerian soldiers have been killed in previous attempts to recapture Damasak.
Since a push early last year led by the Nigerian army, supported by troops from neighboring states, most of the territory has been seized back from the militants but the group still stages guerrilla attacks in the region.
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