Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Video - Nigeria cracks down on meth labs
Nigeria’s drug law enforcement agency says it's trying to stop a rise in methamphetamine production.
In the last four years, 11 laboratories have been dismantled across the country.
Related story: Video - Meth labs cropping up in Nigeria
Aide to former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan arrested
A top aide to former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was arrested by the country’s anti-corruption agency on Monday.
Waripamowei Dudafa, who served as a special assistant on domestic matters to Jonathan, was picked up by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria’s Premium Times reported.
Dudafa was wanted by the EFCC for his alleged involvement in an arms scandal in which $2.1 billion of government funds earmarked for fighting Boko Haram was diverted by government officials.
Nigeria’s former national security advisor, Sambo Dasuki, was arrested in December 2015 on charges of fraud and money laundering, which he denies. Dasuki allegedly distributed the funds among members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, including Dudafa, for use in campaigning ahead of presidential primaries in December 2014. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress defeated PDP candidate Jonathan in the March 2015 general election.
Newsweek contacted the EFCC for confirmation of Dudafa’s arrest but received no immediate reply. There is no suggestion that Jonathan did anything wrong and the former president has not been charged by the EFCC.
President Buhari has made tackling corruption a focus of his administration since his inauguration in May 2015. Endemic corruption costs the West African country millions of dollars per year, with Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed saying in January that the country lost of 1.34 trillion naira ($6.8 billion) in public funds between 2006 and 2013 at the hands of just 55 individuals, including government ministers and bankers.
Waripamowei Dudafa, who served as a special assistant on domestic matters to Jonathan, was picked up by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria’s Premium Times reported.
Dudafa was wanted by the EFCC for his alleged involvement in an arms scandal in which $2.1 billion of government funds earmarked for fighting Boko Haram was diverted by government officials.
Nigeria’s former national security advisor, Sambo Dasuki, was arrested in December 2015 on charges of fraud and money laundering, which he denies. Dasuki allegedly distributed the funds among members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, including Dudafa, for use in campaigning ahead of presidential primaries in December 2014. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress defeated PDP candidate Jonathan in the March 2015 general election.
Newsweek contacted the EFCC for confirmation of Dudafa’s arrest but received no immediate reply. There is no suggestion that Jonathan did anything wrong and the former president has not been charged by the EFCC.
President Buhari has made tackling corruption a focus of his administration since his inauguration in May 2015. Endemic corruption costs the West African country millions of dollars per year, with Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed saying in January that the country lost of 1.34 trillion naira ($6.8 billion) in public funds between 2006 and 2013 at the hands of just 55 individuals, including government ministers and bankers.
Nigerian military troops ambushed by Boko Haram
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents on Tuesday ambushed the convoy of the Acting General Officer Commanding, GOC, 7 Division, the Nigerian Army has said.
The Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said in a statement that “the leading elements of the Acting General Officer Commanding, GOC, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu’s leading convoy was about 8.30am on Tuesday morning ambushed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists enroute to visit troops in Bama, Borno state, north east Nigeria”.
He said “although 1 soldier lost his live and 2 others were injured, they were able to clear the ambush, killing some of the terrorists and recovered vehicle and weapons from them”.
He said the recovered items include a Toyota Hilux vehicle, 2 AK-47 rifles and several ammunitions.
The Acting GOC has continued his operational visit to Bama, while the body of the late soldier and the wounded had been evacuated to Maiduguri, the statement added.
He added that Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai, a lieutenant general, has also spoken with the GOC.
“The Nigerian Army wish to reiterate its unalloyed commitment and determination to continue to clear the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists wherever they might be hiding,” he said.
The attack came a day after soldiers clashed with Boko Haram militants in Borno State.
The Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said in a statement that “the leading elements of the Acting General Officer Commanding, GOC, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu’s leading convoy was about 8.30am on Tuesday morning ambushed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists enroute to visit troops in Bama, Borno state, north east Nigeria”.
He said “although 1 soldier lost his live and 2 others were injured, they were able to clear the ambush, killing some of the terrorists and recovered vehicle and weapons from them”.
He said the recovered items include a Toyota Hilux vehicle, 2 AK-47 rifles and several ammunitions.
The Acting GOC has continued his operational visit to Bama, while the body of the late soldier and the wounded had been evacuated to Maiduguri, the statement added.
He added that Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai, a lieutenant general, has also spoken with the GOC.
“The Nigerian Army wish to reiterate its unalloyed commitment and determination to continue to clear the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists wherever they might be hiding,” he said.
The attack came a day after soldiers clashed with Boko Haram militants in Borno State.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Video - Villagers return home after Nigerian military chase off Boko Haram
The Nigerian army says it has succeeded in chasing Boko Haram fighters from some of the territory they held.
Daniel Amokachi shares the incredible experience of winning olympic gold
The 1996 Nigeria team, nicknamed the Dream Team because of the numerous stars in the squad, became the first African team to win an Olympic football gold after defeating Argentina 3-2 in the final.
And last week Thursday, the current U-23 Eagles were drawn in Group B alongside Japan, Colombia and Sweden at this year's Rio Olympic Games.
In a chat with FIFA.com, Amokachi re- collects the impact winning the gold had in Nigeria 20 years ago.
“Back then Nigeria was on sanction from the United Nations and the football that we played during the Olympics made Nigerians forget about the problems they were going through by focussing on football,” said Amokachi.
“The manner in which we did it made us incredibly happy. Playing the giants of South America, and then coming back from behind against the likes of Brazil in the semi-final and Argentina in the final.
“It was an incredible experience being an Olympian and winning a gold medal. It’s something I'll cherish all my life."
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning assistant coach attributed the Super Eagles failure to qualify for next year's AFCON to poor mentality of the players.
“The players when they return to play in Africa on international duty forget to switch [mentally]. It’s something that we kind of struggle with – not only as Nigerians, but as Africans," Amokachi added.
"You play in Europe and everything you get is professional from A-Z and then when you come to Africa, the likes of transportation and accommodation can seem a distraction.
“The players forget to switch to being an African when they come back and that always makes them perform less than what they do at club level. I’m sure that has contributed to Nigeria not making it to back-to-back championships."
He went on to describe the Eagles' inability to be in Gabon as a setback for the country's football.
Amokachi said: "Not qualifying for the tournament is not good enough for a country like Nigeria, but that’s football. It makes you sit up and say: ‘We have a lot of work that needs to be done."
Speaking on his appointment as head coach of second division side JS Hercules, Amokachi expressed optimism that despite some of the setbacks, he believes he has what it takes to succeed.
“Freezing was the not the word, that’s an understatement – it was minus 35 degrees [Celsius] when I arrived!" he explained.
“I was leaving a country that was roasting, about 38 degrees when I left Nigeria. The day before I travelled, I checked the weather forecast with my wife and she joked: ‘Do you really want to go?’ [laughs] I said ‘Of course!’. The weather in Finland is an obstacle but with all obstacles when you’re trying to achieve something, you throw them out the window.
“The outdoor pitches are frozen and everything we do at the moment is indoor. You have a number of other teams using those facilities and it’s hard to get a full pitch to yourself, which can make the programme you’re trying to lay down difficult. But I am a Nigerian, an African. I’m used to challenges and I would love to see it through.
"It is my first experience as an African manager coaching in Europe and there are not many Africans who are head coaches in Europe,” said the former Club Brugge, Everton and Besiktas star. “They are giving me a platform as an African to showcase what I can do and if I do well, it's an open door for other African coaches."
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