Jose Mourinho is appointed new coach of Nigeria Super Eagles

The ex-Chelsea man has been named the new Super Eagles’ handler, as he affirmed he was pleased to coach the three-time African champions.

Jose Mourinho has been named the new head coach of Nigeria following the departure of interim Samson Siasia.

Mourinho signed a four-year contract to take charge of the Super Eagles, while Mutiu Adepoju, Kanu Nwankwo and Peter Rufai join him as his backroom staff.

The former Chelsea coach will be tasked with qualifying Nigeria for the 2018 World Cup having missed out of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations billed for Gabon.

The 53-year-old had been linked with Manchester United job but has agreed a deal with Nigeria which is due to last until 2020, after Sunday Oliseh quit his post on February 25, 2016.

"I have the pleasure to confirm I have committed to a legendary African side, with the massive challenge of qualifying for the Russia 2018 World Cup," Mourinho told Goal.

"I am lucky because for years I had the fortune to coach big teams like Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, and now I have the opportunity to coach another big team like Nigeria. It is an honour and I want to keep winning.

"We have a duty to prove we are the best team in Africa and also do well at the 2018 World Cup.

“I’d like to thank the Nigeria Football Federation for believing in me and with their backing, I am confident that we can build a stronger Super Eagles,” he concluded.

Mourinho will be presented at a media conference on Friday at the Abuja National Stadium.

Happy April Fools!

GOAL

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Video - Super Eagles Legend Kanu calls Nigeria's failure to qualify for AFCON 2017 a disaster

Nigerian football legend Nwanko Kanu has dubbed his country's failure to qualify for the AFCON 2017 tournament a disaster.

Nigeria were held to a draw at home by Egypt before losing by a solitary goal in the return leg, the result meaning they failed to qualify for the tournament for a second consecutive time.

Related story: Nigeria Super Eagles fail to qualify for AFCON 2017 after defeat to Egypt

America to invest $600m in Nigeria in 2016

The United States Secretary of State, John Kerry has said that his country will invest more than $600 million in Nigeria this year.

He disclosed this during the opening session of the U.S.A – Nigeria Bi-National Commission meeting.

The delegation from Nigeria was headed by Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyema, flanked by other officials including Nigerian Charge d’Affaires Hakeem Balogun.

Kerry was accompanied by leaders from the State Department, USAID, the Defence Department, Commerce Department, and other key agencies and U.S. Ambassador James Entwistle.

Kerry, who praised Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari’s activities so far in office in the area of security and the push to diversify the economy, said, “Our development assistance this year will top $600 million, and we are working closely with your leaders – the leaders of your health ministry – to halt the misery that is spread by HIV/AIDS, by malaria, and by TB.

“Our Power Africa Initiative is aimed at strengthening the energy sector, where shortage in electricity has frustrated the population and impeded growth.

“And our long-term food security programme, Feed the Future, is helping to create more efficient agriculture and to raise rural incomes in doing that.

“Our Young African Leaders Programme, in which many Nigerians participate, is preparing the next generation to take the reins of responsibility….and in education, we are working together to try to fight illiteracy, especially in the country’s north, where the lack of opportunity has been holding people back, and where the terrorist organisation, Boko Haram, has murdered thousands and disrupted the lives of millions.”

He frowned at the Boko Haram insurgents, and assured of U.S. support to wipe off the sect and end its deadly activities.

On investment, he pointed out that the U.S. Commerce Secretary, Pritzker “has been among the first senior U.S. officials who have been to Nigeria recently.

“In her case, it was to highlight investment opportunities and that is a theme that has been reinforced by yesterday’s business forum here in Washington.”

He added, “Under President Buhari, Nigeria has been taking the fight to Boko Haram and it has reduced Boko Haram’s capacity to launch full-scale attacks.

“However, the group still remains a threat – a serious threat – to the entire region.

“And in recent months, our governments have been collaborating on new ways to institute security measures, including counter-IED equipment, improved information sharing, and training and equipping two infantry battalions.

“Now, I want to be clear, this aid is predicated on the understanding that, even when countering a group as ruthless as Boko Haram, security forces have a duty to set the standard with respect to human rights. One abuse does not excuse another.”

Onyema expressed hope on a successful outcome as the meeting went into a closed door.

Daily Post

Video - Fire destroys Sabon Gari market in Kano, Nigeria - $10 bln lost

Over the weekend—near the end of the Christian observance of Holy Week—a fire broke out in Kano’s Sabon Gari market. It eventually destroyed 3,800 shops, according to the Nigeria Emergency Management Administration (NEMA), obliterated at least 2 trillion naira (approximately $10 billion dollars) worth of goods, and affected at least 18,000 traders. The NEMA director general said, “This is the biggest market fire outbreak Nigeria has ever witnessed. This is a serious calamity.” (Despite the magnitude of the disaster it has not been reported in the mainstream Western media.)

There was a previous fire in the market only five months ago. The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, called on the federal and state governments to investigate the causes of recent fires at Kano markets and schools. The emir is the former governor of the Central Bank who blew the whistle on the national petroleum company’s failure to remit revenue to the national Treasury during the administration of the previous president, Goodluck Jonathan.

Kano’s Sabon Gari, the “foreigners’ quarter,” is often called the largest settlement of ‘non-indigenous’ people in northern Nigeria. Its population is made up of ethnic groups from all around the country, with the Igbo especially prominent. Most of the indigenous population of Kano is Hausa-Fulani, who are typically Muslim. Sabon Gari residents, on the other hand, are often Christian. The Sabon Gari is also known for its freewheeling atmosphere in otherwise observant Muslim Kano, with the ready availability of beer and prostitutes. Kano has been the site of ethnic and religious clashes in the past. Though not of late, Boko Haram has been active in Kano.

Officials are saying that the fire is electrical in origin, and it spread rapidly because there was nobody in the market shortly after midnight. This is plausible. Market fires are common. Even this weekend, there was another large market fire in Birnin Kebbi, capital of Kebbi state. Senate President Bukola Saraki commented on March 27 that fires in markets around the country were negatively affecting gross domestic product. Nevertheless, there is speculation that the fire in Kano’s Sabon Gari market was the result of arson, and that it involved Boko Haram. Boko Haram has carried out big operations before around the principal Christian holidays, and the Sabon Gari market would be a tempting target. Arson could also have been perpetrated because of ethnic and religious hostilities. Thus far, no group has claimed responsibility for the fire. It is to be hoped that the federal and state authorities will respond positively to the emir’s call for a thorough investigation.


Newsweek

Parents of kidnapped schoolgirls say captured suicide bomber is not one of their children

Parents from Chibok community in Borno State have denied a girl held by Cameroonian authorities, after an aborted suicide bombing mission, is one of 219 missing female students abducted by Boko Haram in 2014.

The girl had claimed she was one of the missing school girls, the Cameroonian government said.

The Murtala Muhammed Foundation, involved in efforts to identify the girl, said in a statement on Wednesday that three authorised representatives of the community confirmed the girl was not one the school girls kidnapped on April 14, 2014.

Read the group’s statement signed by Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, its chief executive.

“On Wednesday, March 30, three authorised representatives of the parents of the 219 missing Chibok girls arrived the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) offices from Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State to view photos of the girl claiming to be one of the 219 missing students kidnapped by Boko Haram.

“Mr. Yakubu Nkeki, chairman, Lawan Zana secretary, Mrs. Yana Galang women leader of the Chibok Girls Movement, all of whose children are amongst the kidnapped 219 Chibok girls were upon their arrival shown photos of the girl who was arrested along with another woman on Friday March 25th carrying explosives in Limani, Cameroon.

“A set of photographs had been sent to the MMF on the evening of Monday 28th of March by Garba Shehu, Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. A more recent batch of photos, taken at 2pm on Tuesday 29th of March was sent to the MMF by Ambassador Hadiza Mustafa, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Cameroon.

“The earlier set of photos showed the girl partially clothed and squatting on the sandy floor within a low cement wall enclosure, which was surrounded by soldiers and some civilians. In that same batch, the woman was being carried in the arms of a soldier, with her face swollen and plaster covering different parts of her body. She was also partially clothed.

“In the more recent photos, however, the girl was fully clothed, standing against a wall and looking into the camera. The woman was also standing straight beside what appeared to be a hospital bed, she was fully-clothed. Her face still appeared slightly swollen with dressing on her forehead.

“The Nigerian government by Tuesday afternoon had already informed the MMF that the girl has clearly identified herself as Maryam Alhaji Wakeel, 12 years old, originally from Maiduguri but abducted from Bama when the town was overrun by Boko Haram a year ago. The woman has identified herself as Aishatu Usman, a 35-year-old mother of two children.

“However the identification process was still carried out to lay to rest any claims that the girl is one of the 219 girls kidnapped from their school in Chibok on April 14th 2014. Mr. Nkeki, Mallam Zana and Mrs. Galang have confirmed that the girl and the woman do not fit the description of any of the missing daughters from Chibok.

“We have also made arrangements for other stakeholders to view the photos at the MMF office in Abuja as we are yet to ascertain how the girl came to describe herself as one of the missing Chibok girls.

“The identity of the girl notwithstanding, the MMF has informed the Nigerian government of its willingness to continue to pursue the matter, and is willing to provide the captured girl and woman any support they may require.

“These girls and women are merely victims, and must be treated as such by the society. They have already undergone grave violence at the hands of their Boko Haram captors. We must ensure that they are not made to undergo additional violence at the hands of their compatriots.

“Nigerian government officials have informed the MMF that both Maryam Alhaji Wakeel and Aishatu Usman have been handed over to the Nigerian military this evening and are currently on their way back to Nigeria.”


Premium Times

Related story: Video - Parents of kidnapped schoolgirls being used to identify suicide bomber