South Africa overthrows Nigeria as Africa's biggest economy

South Africa has regained the title of Africa's largest economy, two years after Nigeria rebased its GDP to claim the spot, according to IMF data.

A recalculation using current exchange rates put South Africa on top because the rand has strengthened against the dollar.

Nigeria's currency has fallen sharply since a peg to the dollar was dropped.

But BBC Africa Business Report editor Matthew Davies says both economies could be on the brink of recession.

Nigeria rebased its economy in 2014 to include previously uncounted industries like telecoms, information technology, music, online sales, airlines, and film production.

Most countries do rebasing, updating the measure of the size of the economy, at least every three years or so, but Nigeria had not updated the components in its GDP base year since 1990.

On the basis of these numbers, there's not a lot between the two. South Africa's economy is worth around $301bn (Ј232bn) and Nigeria comes in at $296bn.

The exercise in calculating the numbers using last year's IMF figures and this year's currency exchange numbers, technically puts South Africa back on top.

But look behind the league table and the light-hearted jostling about who has the largest economy in Africa and things, economically speaking, are a little bleaker.

Both economies contracted in the first quarter. Another contraction and they'll both be in recession.

Nigeria is almost entirely dependent on its oil exports. And as the price of oil slumps so does the flow of petrodollars coming into the country's coffers. South Africa's economy is more diverse.

Indeed, after Nigeria knocked it off the top spot two years ago, we started describing it as "Africa's most industrialised economy", rather than Africa second-largest economy.

But economic growth is unlikely to make it above 1% in South Africa this year and many, including the country's Reserve Bank, are forecasting it at zero.

Unemployment remains stubbornly high and a credit rating review is looming at the end of the year.

If the whole "largest economy in Africa" competition was a horse race, the two leading contenders would be virtually neck and neck.

But they wouldn't be galloping, they'd be trotting at best. And looking increasingly tired and in need of sustenance.

BBC

2 cases of polio reported in Nigeria

Nigeria has reported the first two cases of polio after more than two years, in an area newly liberated from Islamic extremists who attacked polio vaccinators in the past, the government and the World Health Organization said Thursday.

Nigeria's removal from WHO's list of polio-endemic countries in October had meant the entire African continent was free of the crippling disease.

Two children have been paralyzed by polio in northeastern Borno state in two different local government areas that had been cut off by Boko Haram's Islamic extremist uprising, Health Minister Isaac Adewole said in a statement Thursday night.

"Our overriding priority right now is to rapidly boost immunity in the affected areas to ensure that no more children are affected by this terrible disease," he said.

He ordered the deployment of a national emergency response team. WHO said it was working with the government to urgently prevent more children from being paralyzed, with large-scale immunizations and other measures.

It was unclear how accessible the two areas are. The United Nations last month suspended aid to newly liberated but still dangerous areas of Borno after Boko Haram ambushed a humanitarian convoy, wounding three civilians including a UNICEF worker. That came even as aid groups declared half a million people are starving in those areas and children are dying daily of starvation.

Because of the Islamic uprising in the northeast, health workers have been testing sewage and stool samples of refugees from areas too dangerous to access.

Nigeria's fight against polio has been dramatic. Two decades ago, it was recording 1,000 polio cases a year, the highest in the world.

The Islamic extremists opposed the anti-polio campaign. Boko Haram gunmen killed nine women vaccinators in northern Kano state in February 2013, but the vaccinations continued.

CTV

Related stories: Canada invests $20m in eradication of polio in Nigeria

Video - One year marked without polio in Nigeria

Video - Nigeria Central Bank allows commercial lenders to write off bad loans

The Nigeria central bank will allow commercial banks to write off bad loans this year to help the industry clean up its balance sheet. Pressure has been building on the country's banks, whose loan books have been hard hit by Nigeria's shrinking economy and low crude oil prices. Non-performing loans are expected to jump to 12.5% of total loans this year, up from the central bank's target of 5% at the end of last year. Permission to write off the bad loans is a once-off offer that will only apply until the end of this year.

Popular Nigerian blogger released by EFCC

A prominent news blogger in Nigeria has been freed on bail following his arrest on Monday for "offences bordering on cyber-stalking".

Abubakar Sidiq Usman's arrest by the anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was widely condemned in Nigeria.

His supporters launched a #FreeAbusidiq campaign on Twitter.

Last week, Mr Usman published allegations that EFCC acting chairman Ibrahim Magu was bullying his staff.

Mr Magu has not yet commented on the allegation.

An EFCC spokesman confirmed to the BBC that Mr Usman had been released on bail.

Mr Usman was grateful to Nigerians for speaking out against his detention of more than 36 hours, his lawyer Michael Bello told the local Premium Times newspaper.

His bail conditions required him to "make himself available to the EFCC whenever he received an invitation".

Mr Usman is an extremely popular blogger and a strong backer of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He is also a founding member of the youth wing of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement posted on its Facebook account after he was detained, the APC youth wing said he was being held on "spurious charges".

The EFCC was formed to investigate financial crimes and had overstepped its jurisdiction by detaining him, it said.

Mr Usman is the third blogger to be arrested in Nigeria since the Cyber Crime Act came into force in 2015, the Premium Times reported.

BBC

Related story: Nigeria arrests popular blogger

UK launches 24-hour visa application service in Nigeria

The UK has launched Super Priority Visa Service in Nigeria to allow customers to process their applications within 24 hours.

The British High Commission, on its website, said the new service was to particularly meet the needs of those who required urgent service to travel.

The High Commission quoted the British High Commissioner, Paul Arkwright, as welcoming the introduction of the Super Priority Visa service in Nigeria.

"I am pleased to see the Super Priority Visa service being launched in Nigeria.

"This comes with an additional cost but is designed to give greater flexibility to our customers and underlines our strong commitment to make improvements to the visa services we offer.

"We expect this new service to be particularly useful for business. We understand that business opportunities and urgent requirements can arise at very short notice.

"We recognise this and want to facilitate such travel to the UK with this new super-fast service", Arkwright said.

The High Commission said the introduction of the service allowed customers greater flexibility to choose from a number of visa products to meet their needs.

"It is offered alongside our current Priority Visa (front of queue processing five to seven-day) and standard (15-day) services.

"The UK is the only European country to offer a visa decision in 24 hours.

"The Super Priority Visa service is aimed largely at key business customers and those needing to travel urgently by providing a visa decision for collection at the Visa Application Centre the working day following submission."

It said the service costs 750 Pounds in addition to the visa fee and would be available to eligible customers applying in the Abuja and Lagos Visa Application Centres.

The High Commission said those applying in the "Visitors" or "Points Based System Tier 4" are eligible to use the Super Priority Service.

It said appointments are available from Mondays to Thursday from 8.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Fridays from 8.30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Abuja and Lagos centres only.

"Extending the Super Priority Visa service to Nigeria is another example of how the UK is leading the world in the provision of premium visa services for those coming to the UK to visit, do business or study."

AllAfrica

Columbia beat Nigeria 2-0 in Olympic men's football

Nigeria and Colombia were the first and second place teams respectively going into their match on Match Day 3 of the Olympic men’s soccer tournament.

Following Colombia's 2-0 win, that did not change as both teams advanced to the quarterfinals.

Colombia got out to an early lead as Teofilo Guitierrez opened the scoring for his team in the fourth minute.

Harold Preciado nearly doubled Colombia’s lead in the 19th minute, but Nigeria goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi made a reflex diving save to keep his side in it.

Nigeria had its best chance of the first half when Oghenekaro Etebo received the ball at the top of the box, but he dragged his shot wide of the goal.

In the 63rd minute Colombia’s Dorlan Pabon converted a penalty kick to double his team’s lead.

Colombia maintained its 2-0 lead for the rest of the second half to earn three points.

NBC

Video - CBN Says No Bias In Favour Of Worshippers

Video - Nigeria's currency traded at 350 to the dollar

The Naira lurched to an all-time low of 350 to the dollar in a single interbank market trade of 100,000 US dollars. A total of 3.1 million dollars had been traded by 1230 GMT. The currency has been in free fall since late June when the central bank decided to float it, ending a long untenable peg of 197 to the dollar.

Nigeria to offer free digital TV service

Nigeria will be the first African country to switch from analogue to free digital television – and it is looking to a small British company to roll it out.

Although several other African countries – including Rwanda and Tanzania – have migrated to digital and switched off their analogue signals, they work on a subscription model, so consumers have to pay.

The Nigerian government, though, is following the Freeview model pioneered in Britain, and is aiming to get 30 channels into 20m homes via subsidised digital set-top boxes that cost $7.50 (£5.70) each. Viewers will only have to pay for the boxes and a licence fee of $5 a year.

Because about 16 digital channels can fit in the space of an old analogue one, this will mean that a spectrum worth about $1bn is freed up. The government plans to sell it to mobile phone companies to feed Nigerians’ growing appetite for 3G and 4G.

The cost of subsidising the boxes and installing transmitters across the country is about $500m, which leaves another $500m profit. Nigeria needs this money to plug the holes in its budget caused by low oil prices and production, the latter caused by armed groups blowing up its pipelines.

“It’s a well-costed model, and the Nigerian government knows it works because they’ve already sold off some spectrum to MTN [a South Africa-based mobile telecoms firm] for $170m,” said Nick Markham, the chairman of Inview Technology, the British company launching FreeTV in Nigeria. “So basically there’s a payback, and this is what we’re telling all the different African governments.”

Inview is close to persuading Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ivory Coast to follow suit. There should be a domino effect, as digital signals in countries that make the switch interfere with their neighbours’ analogue signals.

The main competition, StarTimes, is Chinese, but it works differently. It offers African governments cheap loans in return for control of the television service under a pay-TV model.

FreeTV did its first launch in Jos, a city in central Nigeria, in May, and in November the analogue signal will be switched off.

There should be a knock-on effect on the local film industry – Markham estimated that Nollywood studios, which at the moment struggle with piracy, would get an extra $250m a year.

Some Nigerians have questioned whether the country will really be able to meet its target of switching off the analogue signal by next year, pointing out that the government has already missed targets in 2012 and 2015.

But others say it could be “the new telecoms” industry, as its 30m households means Nigeria is a bigger market than any of the countries that currently have free digital television. They welcome the potential jobs in manufacturing the boxes, advertising and TV production.

Guardian

Pele cancels trip to Nigeria

Football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento popularly known as Pele will not visit Nigeria this month as earlier announced because of ill-health.

Pele had also withdrawn from the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics citing health reasons.

In a statement, the three-time Fifa World Cup winner said: "I'm not physically able to attend the opening of the Olympics."

"Only God is more important than my health. In my life, I've had fractures, surgeries, pain, hospital stays, victories and defeats. And I've always respected those who admire me."

He said it was "my own decision, as a Brazilian. I ask God to bless all who participate in this event."

That statement has also had an effect on his appearance in Nigeria scheduled for this week.

Organisers of the trip, the Winihin Jemide Series and the Youth Experience Days Africa apologised for the inconvenience in a statement and revealed future dates will be announced as soon as Pele is fit to make the trip to Nigeria.

“The Winihin Jemide Series & Youth Experience Days Africa have both chosen to postpone the 2016 WJS/YEDA LEGEND EDITION with Pelé due to reports of his ill health on Friday 5th, 2016,” the statement read.

“We are sorry that we have to disappoint the many Pelé fans and Legend Edition supporters at this time, who were looking forward to this event. As we pray for his speedy and full recovery, we believe that it would be inconsiderate for us to put his health at risk.

“Our ticketing platforms will be offering a full refund on all tickets purchased and new dates for the event will be announced over the course of the next few weeks. We hope the new dates are suitable for everyone.

“The decision to postpone the event did not come easily and we want to express gratitude to sponsors and stakeholders.”

Pele, who recently got married to his long-time girlfriend has scored over 1000 goals in his playing career and won the World Cup with Brazil in 1954, 1962 and 1970.

Supersport

Related story: Football Legend Pele set to visit Nigeria in August

Nigeria arrests popular blogger

Nigerians on Monday night resorted to using social media platform, Twitter, to call for the release of a ‘controversial’ blogger, Abubakar Sidiq Usman, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of ‘cyber stalking.’

The anti-corruption watchdog issued a statement on Monday on its official Facebook page confirming the arrest of Usman following repeated calls for his release after news of his arrest went around.

‘‘The suspect who is the publisher of Abusidiqu.com was picked up at his Kubwa, Abuja home in the early hours of Monday August 8, 2016 by operatives of the EFCC and is currently being questioned over the alleged offence which contravenes sections of the Cyber Crime Act,’‘ the EFCC confirmed.

The hashtag #FreeAbuSidiq has been vibrant on Nigeria’s twitter space since his detention. With some questioning whether it was within the remit of the EFCC to deal with ‘cyber stalking.’

Tweets with the hashtag expressed worry at the seeming undertone of gagging the media. Others chose to look at the lighter side of the situation given that Usman is seen as a pro-Buhari advocate. The leading opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) also weighed in on the issue calling for his release.

Even though he had been granted administrative bail, some local media reported that he had failed to meet the conditions and was set to spend Monday night in custody of the EFCC.

AfricaNews

Sports minister apologizes for Nigeria olympic travel chaos

Nigeria's sports minister apologized to the Olympic men's soccer team and took responsibility Monday for the travel chaos that resulted in players arriving on the same day as their first game in Rio de Janeiro.

The team was delayed last week in Atlanta, with one official saying it was because they tried to buy plane tickets to Rio de Janeiro at the last minute and then found a charter plane was too small to carry the entire delegation.

They eventually all made it onto a chartered Delta Air Lines jet, arriving in the northern Brazilian city of Manaus about six hours before their first game at the Olympics against Japan on Thursday. Despite the issues, Nigeria won that game 5-4, and then beat Sweden 1-0 on Sunday to become the first team into the quarterfinals.

Sports minister Solomon Dalung took responsibility for what he called the "unfortunate incident" and said in a statement that he went into the team's dressing room after the Sweden game to apologize to players. He didn't give details on how the mess-up occurred.

"I want to assure you that we appreciate your efforts, and I want to say that it's when a man faces challenges that his true ability is tested," Dalung said. "I am sure we all have learnt our lessons and will take the lessons to heart going forward."

Delta said a "communications mix-up" had grounded an earlier flight the team was meant to take, but there were reports that the problem was because the Nigerian government hadn't paid for the original charter.

Nigeria's soccer team is regularly beset by problems, often involving money.

A dispute over bonus payments for players at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil led to them refusing to attend a training session and almost caused the Nigerian team to go on strike midway through the tournament. The team also arrived late for the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil — a World Cup warmup tournament — after problems over player payments.

Nigeria and Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel recently denied reports that he gave $30,000 of his own money to some of his teammates on the Olympic team as an incentive.

NBC

Militants kill 3 soldiers in Bayelsa state, Nigeria

Militants have killed three soldiers in Nigeria's southern Bayelsa state, in the latest violence in the restive oil region, the army said Tuesday.

Gunmen attacked an artillery unit at Nembe Jetty Monday morning, the army said in a statement.

"During the incident, three soldiers lost their lives," it said, adding that a manhunt has been launched.

Local media said the militants, who had been disguised as mourners to deceive the soldiers, also made off with gunboats and other military hardware as well as ammunition.

Residents of the area were said to be fleeing over fears of a reprisal attack by the military.

Since the start of the year, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) militant group has claimed a string of devastating attacks on oil pipelines and facilities in the volatile region.

Oil majors including Shell, Exxon, Chevron, Eni and the state-run oil group NNPC have been targeted.

The attacks have reduced Nigeria's output by a third, hammering government revenue at a time of global low oil prices.

The Avengers claim to seek a fairer share of Nigeria's oil wealth for residents of the region as well as self-determination and political autonomy. They have rejected a government truce.

Daily Star

Nigeria looks abroad for over $1 billion budget funding

According to the debt management office (DMO), the country is seeking two lead managers and a financial adviser to organise the issuance of $1 billion (N315 billion) of Eurobonds in 2015.

This is coming a few weeks after Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, informed Nigerians that the country would be borrowing from foreign sources in the third quarter of 2016.

“We have been borrowing largely from the domestic market because we needed to get the exchange rate sorted out to enable us to borrow from the international market. The international borrowings will begin to come in Q3,” Adeosun said in July.

The issuance of the bond is part of a $4.5 billion Nigeria global medium-term issuance programme, which is to run through 2018.

“The move will enable Nigeria to have the flexibility of quickly taking advantage of favourable market conditions in the international capital market to raise funds if and only when the need arises,” Bloomberg quoted the statement to have read.

The government is reported as seeking to appoint two international banks as joint lead managers and a local lender as financial adviser for the whole program.

With bids expected to be submitted by midday on September 19, the Eurobond sales would be the first since July 2013.

Nigeria is aiming at spending its way through one of the worst economic crisis in about three decades, with gross domestic product (GDP) projected in negative territories.

Nigeria’s GDP shrunk by 0.36 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Nigeria is expected to borrow about $10 billion to fund the 2016 budget deficit, around N3 trillion.

The Cable

Video - Boko Haram leader Shekau dismisses reports of his replacement in the group

Boko Haram's shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau has appeared in a new video shrugging off an apparent split in the hard-line jihadist group. Last week, Shekau said in an audio message that he was still the head of Boko Haram despite his purported replacement by former Boko Haram spokesman, Sheikh Abu Musab al-Barnawi. Shekau ridiculed suggestions that he was dead, and looked more composed and energetic than in previous appearances.

Video - German Gernot Rohr set to become new Nigeria manager

Nigeria's national soccer federation has finally found a technical advisor to the national team, the Super Eagles. After French coach Paul Le Guen turned down their offer, the NFF says ex-Burkina Faso coach Gernot Rohr is the new man for the job.

Video - Nigerian women trafficked to Europe for prostitution at 'crisis level'

The trafficking of Nigerian women from Libya to Italy by boat is reaching “crisis” levels, with traffickers using migrant reception centres as holding pens for women who are then collected and forced into prostitution across Europe, the UN’s International Office for Migration (IOM) warns.

About 3,600 Nigerian women arrived by boat into Italy in the first six months of this year, almost double the number who were registered in the same time period last year, according to the IOM.

More than 80% of these women will be trafficked into prostitution in Italy and across Europe, it says.

“What we have seen this year is a crisis, it is absolutely unprecedented and is the most significant increase in the number of Nigerian women arriving in Italy for 10 years,” said Simona Moscarelli, anti-trafficking expert at the IOM.

“Our indicators are the majority of these women are being deliberately brought in for sexual exploitation purposes. There has been a big enhancement of criminal gangs and trafficking networks engaging in the sexual exploitation of younger and younger Nigerian girls.”

Although a thriving sex trafficking industry has been operating between Nigeria and Italy for over three decades, there has been a marked increase in the numbers of unaccompanied Nigerian women arriving in Italy on migrant boats from Libya. In 2014, about 1,500 Nigerian women arrived by sea. In 2015 this figure had increased to 5,633.

“Already we have seen nearly 4,000 women come in the first six months of this year,” said Moscarelli. “We are expecting the numbers to have increased again by the end of this year.”

She warned that the current policy of placing Nigerian women in reception centres along with thousands of other migrants was playing to the traffickers’ advantage, with women regularly going missing.

“There is little understanding of the dynamics and nature of this form of trafficking,” said Moscarelli.

“The reception centres are not good places for trafficked women. Just last week six girls went missing from a reception centre in Sicily, they were just picked up in a car and driven away.”

Nigerian women who are entering Italy among migrants on boats from Libya should be immediately identified and treated as trafficking victims. Instead of being processed in reception centres, they should be placed in specialist shelters where they can be given the advice and support needed to break the chain of sexual exploitation, she said.

“Most Nigerian women who arrive in Italy are already victims of trafficking, many have been subjected to serious sexual exploitation on their journey. Many are forced into prostitution in Libya,” said Moscarelli.

“The women we are seeing are increasingly young, many are unaccompanied minors when they arrive and the violence and exploitation they face when they are under the control of these gangs is getting worse. They are really treated like slaves.”

Salvatore Vella, the deputy chief prosecutor in Agrigento, Sicily, who led the first significant investigation of Nigerian trafficking rings in Italy in 2014, said that the reception centres are increasingly being used as pick-up points by those intending to exploit Nigerian women.

The Nigerian women are given a phone number when they leave Nigeria, which they use to inform a contact in Italy that they have arrived.

“The mobsters just come to the camp and pick [women] up,” he says. “As easy as going to a grocery store. That’s what these women are treated like, objects to trade, buy, exploit and resell and the reception centres are acting as a sort of warehouse where these girls are temporarily stocked.

“They wait until the woman has her residence permit or refugee status document and then they just go and pick her up.”

Many Nigerian women arrive in Italy with debts of about £40,000 for their journey from Nigeria to Italy, which they are expected to pay back.

Nigerian trafficking gangs use a toxic mix of false promises of legitimate employment and traditional “juju” ceremonies to recruit and gain psychological control over their victims.

The women are led to believe that terrible things will happen to their families if they fail to honour their debts. They are then forced into prostitution on streets and brothels across Europe.

“Currently the shelters and services we have for those women we manage to identify are at breaking point,” said Moscarelli.

“We must give police prosecutors the financial resources to tackle the traffickers and improve access to legal services if we have any chance of reducing the numbers coming in.”

Guardian

Related story: Nigeria's international sex-trafficking ring

Argentina beats Nigeria 94-66 in Olympic Basketball

Perennial medal contenders Argentina eased past Nigeria 94-66 in each team’s Rio Olympic debut as Facundo Campazza scored 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from three-point territory.

Manu Ginobili of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs added 12 points and the Brooklyn Nets’ Luis Scola 18 as the more experienced Argentines proved too much for the sloppy African qualifiers.

Argentina is the only country since 1988 to have won an Olympic basketball gold medal other than the USA.

They won in Athens in 2004 on the strength of their “golden generation” of core players including Ginobili, Scola and Andres Nocioni.

But with Ginobili now 39 and the other two 36 years old, time is running out for that decorated cadre to take home another medal.

Cheered on by a boisterous turnout of fans from their nearby homeland, which borders on Brazil, Argentina jumped out to an 11-0 lead.

They never looked back, using tough defence and superior ball movement to set up eight first-half three-pointers and take a 50-31 halftime lead.

More of the same followed in the second half, with the Argentines cruising to the final buzzer. They finished with 15 three-pointers.

Nigeria was led by Ikechukwu Diogu’s 15 points and 13 rebounds, and 14 points from Ebi Ere.

AFP

Nigeria beats Sweden 1-0 in Olympic football

In the first match of Group B play on Match Day 2, Nigeria defeated Sweden 1-0.

Nigeria started on the front foot, holding possession and putting pressure on Sweden’s defense. Nigeria almost took the lead as forward Sadiq Umar gotin on goal against Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Linde, but the keeper was up to the challenge.

In the 23rd minute Sweden had its best scoring opportunities of the first half as Mikael Ishak made a run behind Nigeria’s backline, but his volley attempt went wide of the goal.

Sweden had few chances the rest of the half as Nigeria established control in the match.

Nigeria’s Oghenekaro Etebo, who had four goals in his team’s first Olympic match, had a golden opportunity in the 36th minute. Imoh Ezekiel found Etebo wide open in the box, but he sent his header just over the crossbar.

Just a few minutes later Umar put Nigeria in front. Stanley Amuzie sent in a curling cross to Umar who placed his header past Linde.

Early on in the second half Sweden’s Linde was forced into multiple diving saves to prevent Nigeria from building on its lead.

First, Nigerian captain John Obi Mikel sent a hard strike toward the goal. Then, minutes later, Linde got his fingertips to an Etebo shot that was heading for goal.

Despite the small margin of victory, Nigeria dominated Sweden throughout. Nigeria had 10 shots on goal compared to Sweden's one and held 56 percent of the possession.

Nigeria now has six points and is in a great position to advance to the quarterfinals. Sweden remains at one point.

Next up for Nigeria is its final group stage match against Colombia on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. ET. Sweden plays its next match on the same day and time against Japan.

NBC

Video - Nigerian government resumes monthly stipend to ex-militants

President Muhammad Buhari has met his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan to discuss how to pacify Niger Delta militants. The former president has cautioned against calls for the Niger Delta to break away from the country.

Nigeria lose U17 football squad after failing age test

Nigeria have been forced to make last-minute changes to their U17 squad as a 26 first team players failed their mandatory age tests ahead of Saturday’s crucial qualifier against Niger.

The Golden Eaglets have been severely depleted as ALL the starting players have now been disqualified following the compulsory MRI tests.

This coaches must now recall the remaining 24 players who were part of the original 60 players in camp.

The 26 players rocked by the scandal have already left the team’s camp.

Nigeria are five-time FIFA U17 World Cup winners.

Meanwhile, midfielder Abduljabar Sani has been named as captain of the team.

TVCNEWS

ISIS imposes new leader on Boko Haram

Two of the purported leaders of Boko Haram are apparently pitted against each other in a power struggle within Islamic State’s west African affiliate.

Isis announced on Tuesday that the group that has ravaged northern Nigeria for the past seven years had a new leader – Abu Musab al-Barnawi. An Isis magazine carried an interview with him and said he was previously a Boko Haram spokesman.

However an audio message apparently recorded by Abubakar Shekau, the long-time leader of Boko Haram, who has appeared in many of its videos, was released on Thursday denying al-Barnawi’s claim. In the recording, a man who said he was Shekau said that he was still in control of the armed terrorists whose most notorious crime was the abduction of about 300 schoolgirls from their dormitory two years ago, leading to the Bring Back Our Girls campaign headed by Michelle Obama.

Shekau has overseen the brutal and bloody growth of the group: since he became Boko Haram’s leader in 2009 more than 20,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million driven from their homes. Thousands have been raped, abducted and enslaved.

According to some analysts, Isis rejected Shekau because of Boko Haram’s deadly attacks on Muslims. More than 40 people were killed in a attack in July last year on a mosque and a Muslim restaurant in the central city of Jos in one of a spate of incidents.

Boko Haram announced in March last year that it was Isis’s west African affiliate, switching allegiance from al-Qaida.

In the recording released on Thursday, the man purporting to be Shekau said that al-Barnawi was “an infidel” preaching “false creeds”. He said Isis’s announcement was a coup. “Today, I woke up to see one who is an infidel whom they want me to follow. No, I won’t … We cannot subject ourselves to people who are in ignorance of all holy books and teachings,” he said in a speech, which was posted on social media.

In the struggle for control, Boko Haram factions could turn on each other, further splitting the insurgents who have been beaten back from their strongholds in northern Nigeria over the past year, mainly since the election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

An audio message that has been circulating in Maiduguri, Boko Haram’s “spiritual home”, says that the group’s third-in-command, a man known as Mamanmunari, had reported Shekau to the head of Isis for “killing his own members, particularly commanders, who are fighting for him just because they questions his attacks on mosques and markets … they tried to persuade Shekau to desist from giving orders to kill their fellow Muslims … but Shekau refuses.”

This message is believed to have led to the Isis announcement.

Freedom Onuha, of the National Defence College, was among experts who warned that it was difficult to verify that it really was Shekau speaking in the recording. However, he said he was not surprised that Isis would want to replace him. “Most of his members frown at the move to kill fellow Muslims. They, being the moderates, believe that any Muslims should not be targeted, unlike Shekau, who has never hidden that he is of the Takfir. Takfirism is a dangerous strand of salafi jihadi ideology.”

A UN security expert based in Maiduguri said that “massive movement” of the group around the borders between Nigeria, Chad and Niger in the past few weeks and new attacks on the army and a UN convoy suggested that its top echelons have been reorganised. “This suggests that there has been some renewed vigour in them. So it wouldn’t be a surprise that the leadership has changed,” he said.

Guardian

Video - Nigeria vs Japan highlights in Rio 2016 Olympics

After traveling the day of the game to Manaus due to an incredible traveling snafu, Nigeria beat Japan 5-4 on Thursday night in a crazy Group B showdown.

Japan had the first opportunity of the match in the 3rd minute. After nice link up play down the left side of the pitch, Hiroki Fujiharu curled in a cross to the backpost that midfielder Ryota Ohshima directed first time on goal.

No more than two minutes later, however, Nigeria would take the lead 1-0. Imoh Ezekiel turned his defender inside the penalty area and fired a shot on goal that was parried away by Japan goalie Masatoshi Kushibiki but right to the feet Sadiq Umar who tapped home the rebound.

Nigeria’s lead wouldn’t last long as defender Stanley Amuzie clumsily fouled a Japanese attacker in the penalty area in the 7th minute. Forward Shinzo Koroki promptly buried the penalty kick to even the match at 1-1.

However, the tie game wouldn’t last long. Nigerian defender Abdullahi Shehu broke free down the right side and lofted a long cross into the penalty area that was magnificently controlled and finished by forward Etebo.

But it seemed as though defending would be at a premium in this game as Japan would level things just two minutes later. Takumi Minamino took a weighted pass in stride towards goal and swiftly slotted the ball through Nigerian goalie Daniel Emmanuel’s legs. After only thirteen minutes, the contest was squared up at 2-2.

In the 19th minute, Amuzie ventured forward and rifled a long range shot that was pushed out for a corner kick by Kushibiki.

After a period of four goals in five minutes, the game settled down with both teams having spells of play in each others' ends of the field. However, out of virtually nothing, the back of the net would be struck again by Nigeria. On the stroke of halftime, Etebo would score his second goal of the game and give Nigeria a 3-2 lead as he capitalized on a failed clearance by a Japanese defender from six yards out.

That would be the final action of a crazy first half with the "Super Eagles" ahead 3-2 going into the interval.

Less than five minutes into the second half, Nigeria would earn a penalty after Umar was dragged down in the box by a Japanese defender. Etebo stepped up and ferociously completed his hat-trick, blasting the ball past Kushibiki to give his team a 4-2 lead.

As the game progressed, Nigeria's confidence continued to grow. Evidenced by spells of strong possession and attractive attacking movements, the Africans' grip on the game became stronger. A fifth goal was in the cards and that came in the 66th minute from Etebo, who impressively notched his fourth goal of the game. John Obi Mikel's cross was cleared by Kushibiki after he raced out of his net but it went right to the feet of Etebo, who then deposited the ball into the vacant net for the 5-2 lead.

After giving up three straight goals, Japan would get a goal back in the 70th minute after Fujiharu broke down the left side and slid a pass across the face of goal to Takuma Asano, who then cleverly backheeled the ball into the net to cut the scoreline to 5-3.

Japan pressed further in the final twenty minutes of the contest and were able to unlock the Nigerian defense one last time in stoppage time. Musashi Suzuku curled a shot from inside the box past Emmanuel Daniel after twisting his defender to shrink Nigeria's lead to one. And that was that. In perhaps the wildest game of the day, Nigeria emerged victorious over Japan 5-4.

The 2015 U-23 African Cup of Nations champions are now in first place in Group B, with Colombia and Sweden tied for second, and Japan in last place.

Nigeria’s next game is against Sweden on Sunday at 6pm in Manaus while Japan duels with Colombia at 9pm at the same venue.

NBC

Video - Nigeria army accepts inquiry's recommendations on murder of Shia Muslims

Nigeria's military says it will prosecute soldiers involved in the Zaria killings. At least 3-hundred and-49 people were killed in clashes in the northern city last December -- most of them dumped in mass graves. A judicial inquiry has found the troops used excessive force, and should be prosecuted.

Video - Nigeria resumes cash payoffs to former militants in Niger Delta

Nigeria has resumed previously suspended payments to former militants in the oil-rich Niger River delta. About 30,000 ex-fighters, who were receiving a $206 monthly allowance, were informed that the government would resume paying stipends after a "hiccup," according to the office of the coordinator of the presidential amnesty program. Africa's biggest economy is likely headed for a recession because of a slump in crude prices and a 15-month currency peg to the dollar that crippled foreign-exchange supplies. Peace talks that started last week with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND and the resumption of amnesty payments may however do little to halt attacks on wells and pipelines by a different rebel faction, the Niger Delta Avengers.

Video - Nigeria's Central Bank suspends operations of all but 3 remittance firms

A sudden announcement by Nigeria's Central Bank has limited the flow of remittances to the country, to just 3 entities, Western Union, Moneygram and Ria. The decision now leaves millions of Nigerians abroad with limited options to send cash back home. It was only 3 days later that the Central Bank made a public explanation for its actions, arguing that it was partly triggered by quote, "unwholesome of some unlicensed international money transfer operators". When CCTV's Ramah Nyang spoke earlier to World Remit's Alix Murphy, and CCTV's Deji Badmus, it emerged that the CBN's other motive, is tapping into the over 20 billion U.S. dollars of remittances that flow into Nigeria.

Split emerges over Boko Haram leadership

The disputed leader of Boko Haram has said he is still in charge of Nigeria's militant Islamist group despite a statement by so-called Islamic State that he had been replaced.

Abubakar Shekau denounced the IS declaration that Abu Musab al-Barnawi was now leader.

Shekau accused al-Barnawi of trying to stage a coup against him.

Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow Nigeria's government and establish an Islamic State in the north.

In the last 18 months it has lost most of the territory it had controlled after being pushed back by an offensive by the forces of Nigeria and its neighbours.

Shekau was last heard from in an audio message last August, saying he was alive and had not been replaced - an IS video released in April said the same.

In a 10-minute audio message in both Arabic and Hausa, Shekau appeared to distance Boko Haram from IS, but still called its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi "caliph".

He said that some in Boko Haram had stopped him communicating with al-Baghdadi.

"I was asked to send my ideology in writing to the caliph but it was manipulated by some people in order to achieve their own selfish interests," he added, describing a coup attempt against him.

He said he had sent eight different letters to IS leaders but they did not act on them, only to hear the news that he had been replaced.

He then described al-Barnawi and his followers as polytheist.

Shekau had been accused of hoarding food and ammunition and also of driving away IS military advisers.

BBC's Abuja bureau editor Naziru Mikailu says this split is likely to have a major impact on the way the group operates and could be a turning point in the fight against the insurgents.

Shekau took over as the group's leader after its founder, Muhammad Yusuf, died in Nigerian police custody in July 2009.

Under his leadership Boko Haram became more radical, carried out more killings and swore allegiance to IS in March 2015.

In numerous videos, Shekau taunted the Nigerian authorities, celebrating the group's violent acts, including the abduction of the more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls in April 2014.

Nigeria's army has claimed to have killed him on several occasions, and he has not appeared in a video since Boko Haram aligned itself with IS.

BBC

Nigeria olympic football squad were stranded in Atlanta

Nigeria’s Olympic men’s soccer team was locked in a race against time to make it to Brazil for its opening match on Thursday, following a farcical mix-up that saw the players stranded in Atlanta.

The squad remained on American soil on Wednesday night, and were due to board a flight that would land in the western Brazilian city of Manaus with just hours to spare ahead of their Group B clash with Japan on Thursday (9 p.m. ET).

Their delay, according to multiple reports from journalists following the team, was caused by a payment mix-up between the Nigerian sports ministry and a charter airline company.

“It has been an absolute shambles and the whole thing is a complete embarrassment,” Nigerian soccer expert Colin Udoh told USA TODAY Sports. Udoh said he had spoken to several members of the team who were “devastated and angry” at the situation.

Nigeria’s players had initially thought they would be leaving Atlanta on Wednesday morning. However, when they boarded a flight that their sports ministry had booked with a charter company it was not large enough to carry all of the players, so they disembarked.

A solution was eventually found when the group made contact with another airline, Delta, which was able to provide an aircraft that will depart Atlanta at 8 a.m. ET on Thursday. The scheduled landing in Manaus is at 2 p.m. ET, with the match starting seven hours later. However, the multitude of hold-ups affecting Olympic athletes and travelers to Brazil means there is still some trepidation in the camp.

“The players are really worried and so are the people in Nigeria,” Udoh said. “Anything can happen – more delays, bad weather. It is completely the wrong way to prepare for an Olympic game.”

At least they will get there in comfort. The aircraft that will take the team on Thursday morning is a plane normally used to transport NBA basketball players to games. Delta spokesman Anthony Black said the company flew the plane into Atlanta on Wednesday evening from Cincinnati, and prepared it overnight for the Nigerian party to use. The company arranged for landing clearance with Manaus airport officials.

“We realized there was a time crunch here because these guys were playing the next day,” Black told USA TODAY Sports. “Once we realized that logistically we could make this happen, we got things rolling quickly.”

“We understand, with the plans on ground, we will definitely be in Manaus for the game," said team spokesman Timi Ebikagboro.

Nigeria’s players have been locked in a dispute with their sports ministry after becoming increasing disgruntled with the handling of their travel plans. Their flight was first delayed because a payment to a prior charter company did not arrive on time. Once Wednesday’s flight was abandoned due to the size of the plane, the federal government stepped in to pay for the Delta trip.

Ebikagboro said on Twitter that the players’ performance would not be affected by the extraordinary saga. “The players can be comfortable all through the journey so they can arrive refreshed,” Ebikagboro wrote. He added the players “will be well taken care of by the medical team on the flight, all is happy.”

USATODAY

Video - Sections of Nigerian Olympics teams unsure about travelling to Rio

Sections of the Nigerian Olympics teams are unsure about their travel to Brazil for the game as funding crisis continues to hit the West African nation.

Mikel Obi officially changes his name to Mikel John Obi

In attempting to clarify his actual name, the Chelsea veteran has just made everyone very, very confused.

Jon Obi Mikel has been called many things by Chelsea fans during his decade at Stamford Bridge... many of which are far too rude. However, while he may have got used to the abusive slurs hurled his way by a section of the Stamford Bridge support, it seems the Nigerian midfielder has finally had enough of people getting his actual name wrong.

That is why the Chelsea stalwart who was was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna (the son of Michael Obi) in 1987, but a mistake in 2003 changed things for the midfielder. has just officially changed his name... to Mikel John Obi.

For starters, it turns out that he was never actually called 'Mikel'.

The Guus Hiddink favourite was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna - 'Mikel' only became a thing when the Nigerian FA mistakenly used Mikel instead of Michael on his submission form during the registration process for the 2003 Fifa Under-17 World Championships.

So much so, that despite the fact it's not actually his name, he's been happy to be called John Obi Mikel ever since he joined Chelsea in 2006.

It seems, he has now officially changed his name to... Mikel John Obi.

Vanguard

Mikel risking Chelsea career for Nigeria

Mikel Obi will be the flag bearer for Nigeria at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games, having been chosen as the captain of the nation's contingent.

He will also captain the football team.

"To be my first Olympics and getting this huge honour made the tournament 10 times as exciting for me," Mikel told the UK paper, Evening Standard.

But Mike said achieving all these is at a risk to his Chelsea place as he starts his 11th season with the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

The 29-year-old faces stiff competition for spots in manager, Antonio Conte's midfield with new purchase N'Golo Kante pushing the Nigerian, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas.

"To carry the flag of your country at an Olympics is absolutely amazing. You're leading a whole nation going into the biggest sporting event there is," he continued.

"To represent the flag of Nigeria, not just the football team, is incredible."

Mikel was jettisoned by Jose Mourinho before his sack last December but came to the fore during the interim regime of Guus Hiddink and he feels he is putting his Chelsea place at stake by leading Nigeria at Rio 2016.

"It is difficult to leave Chelsea at this time but I explained to the club why I wanted to go and I thank them for their understanding and allowing me to be a part of this.

He then added that it was a calculated risk. "Obviously, it is hard to be away because I want to impress the new coach.

"I had one week of pre-season training and you need more than that if you want to prove yourself to a new manager who wants to change everything around.

"It is a risk that I have taken but I am willing to stand by that. I hope after the Olympics I can go back and prove myself."

If he leads the Nigeria U-23 team to gold, then the risk would have been worth it.

AllAfrica

Nigeria Super Eagles get new kit

The Nigerian Football Federation has unveiled a new kit for the national football team.

According to the NFF, the team will take to the pitch this week in the new kit, designed by Nike featuring Dri-FIT technology.

“The home kit is a solid green, with white ribbing around the back of the modern crewneck collar,” it said.

“In keeping true to the national colours of Nigeria, the new away kit is white with a green stripe that runs the length of the sides of shirt and shorts, and a green stripe along the back of the collar.”

Explaining the technology used for the kit, the NFF said the Nike Dri-FIT technology “draws sweat away from the body to the exterior of the shirts and shorts, where it quickly evaporates”.

It added, “This allows players to perform at their best by remaining cooler, drier and more comfortable.

“The laser-cut ventilation holes and mesh panels in the key areas of the kit are designed to improve performance by increasing air circulation and helping regulate players’ temperatures.”

PUNCH

Former Super Eagle Taribo West remembers when Nigeria made history at the Olympics

On 3 August 1996, Nigeria made history as the first African nation to become Olympic football champions at the Atlanta Games.

For Taribo West, the former Auxerre, AC Milan and Inter Milan defender, that 3-2 triumph over Argentina in the final is still fresh in his memory.

"The Olympics in 1996 is one of the most fantastic periods in my career," West reminisces to BBC Sport.

"We had a team that could match any in the world."

West says the build-up to the Games, under the guidance of Dutch coach Jo Bonfrere, was ideal despite being beaten by Togo, in Lagos, in their final pre-Olympic friendly before travelling to the USA.

"Before the Olympics, we were well prepared in the USA. We were not distracted by the usual things we encounter back home in Nigeria, where family and friends can come and visit us in camp," he remembers.

"We were in a very remote place and we were very focused on the task at hand. Jo Bonfrere's preparation of the team was excellent."

After their opening 1-0 win over Hungary and a subsequent 2-0 victory over Japan, the West Africans lost 1-0 to Brazil in their final Group D match in Orlando, Florida.

With a 2-0 win over Mexico in the quarter-finals, the "Dream Team", as the Nigerians were nicknamed back home, collided with the Brazilians once again, in what was an epic semi-final.

The 31 July encounter is one that West, renowned for his dreadlocks and robust defending, will never forget.

After going 3-1 down in the first half, with Brazil's Flavio Conceicao scoring in the game's very first minute, the Nigerians were in a particularly tough spot.

"We knew that in the first half of that game, we had played very poorly," West admitted.

"But the key to our comeback in the second half was that we were our extraordinary determination.

"The voice of the leaders came up in the dressing room. We won that match in the dressing room.

"Fortunately, we had Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh and Uche Okechukwu. It was a big advantage for us."

Victor Ikpeba, the AC Monaco striker who was voted as Africa's top player a year later, reduced the tally in the 78th minute.

But when Jay-Jay Okocha blew the opportunity to draw level, fluffing a penalty with just minutes left on the clock, the match seemed well and truly over for Nigeria.

That feeling, however, was not in the mind of Nwankwo Kanu, the two-time African Footballer of the Year.

The former Ajax, Inter and Arsenal striker scored the equaliser in the 90th minute and displayed uncanny presence, agility and finesse to score the winner four minutes into extra-time, sending the Eagles' bench into delirium.

After such a dramatic victory against the team of Bebeto, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo, which had won the World Cup only two years before, West says the Nigerians were certain they had a golden date with destiny in the final against Argentina, at the Sanford stadium in Athens, Georgia.

"There was something in our spirit that made us realise that we going to win, although we didn't know how," West recalls.

"As soon as Argentina got the first goal, we were not discouraged. Amunike was able to give us the winning strike.

"When [Italian referee Pierluigi] Collina blew that whistle, I just collapsed on the field and knew my dream had come true.

"My [gold] medal in is the bank overseas. It is something to show to my children."

BBC

Video - Fraudster behind online $60 million fraud arrested in Nigeria

A Nigerian behind an online fraud network which engineered scams worth more than 60 million dollars has been arrested in the southern oil city of Port Harcourt. The suspect ran a network of at least 40 people working from Nigeria, Malaysia and South Africa which used malware and carried out the fraud. He also had money laundering contacts in China, Europe and the US who provided bank account details for the illicit cash flow. The fraudster and a second suspect face charges including hacking, conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences.

Related story: Nigerian online fraudster behind $60m scams arrested

Video - MSF appeals to United Nations for urgent assistance in Nigeria

International charity Doctors Without Borders has warned that north-eastern Nigeria is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster. MSF says at least 30 people die of hunger or illness every day in refugee camps in the region. With millions affected, the charity is calling on the United Nations to intervene -- as a matter of urgency.

Related story: Video - UN warns 49,000 children at risk of death due to malnutrition in Nigeria

Video - Nigerian chef transforms traditional cuisine into fine dining

Chef and blogger Ozoz Sokoh is turning traditional Nigerian recipes into an up market fine dining experience. Ozoz is part of a new generation of chefs, who are pushing the boundaries of African cuisine.

Nigeria resumes paying former MEND militants as oil output drops

Nigeria resumed payments to former militants in the oil-rich Niger River delta and the military targeted gangs involved in sabotage of pipelines, as the government responded to sustained attacks on infrastructure that dragged crude production back to an almost 30-year low.

Paul Boroh, coordinator of the presidential amnesty program, told former militants that their delayed stipends would resume on Monday, his office said in an e-mailed statement. He also assured them that "President Muhammadu Buhari appreciates their patience" and attaches much importance to the amnesty, according to the statement.

Nigeria’s government is trying to engage militants and other stakeholders to establish a cease-fire, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Emmanuel Kachikwu said in a meeting broadcast on state television. Oil production has dropped to 1.4 million barrels a day, he said, close to the May average that was the lowest since 1989.

After several years of relative calm, Nigeria’s oil wells and pipelines are being blown up again by a rebel group that says it wants to expose corruption and earn justice for impoverished local communities. Attacks resumed after Buhari ended security contracts and payments that had turned earlier militants into protectors. The return of violence has worsened economic problems in Nigeria, where oil accounts for two-thirds of government revenue and almost all exports.

Talks between the government and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta started last week, but the group claiming responsibility for the bombing of pipelines and platforms this year -- the Niger Delta Avengers -- did not take part in the discussions. Nigerian military aircraft attacked hideouts in the creeks used by criminal gangs that steal refined petroleum products near the commercial capital, Lagos, Rabe Abubakar, Defence Headquarters spokesman, said by phone from the capital, Abuja Monday.

The interruption of the policy of amnesty payments to rebels had been temporary, Boroh said. "The hiccups in the payment of their stipends are already being addressed" and Buhari has promised to invest heavily in the region, he said in the statement.

Reuters

Video - Team USA beats Team Nigeria 110-66 in exhibition before Rio Olympics

The U.S. men's national basketball team finished off its pre-Olympics showcase with a 110-66 win over Nigeria on Monday night. The Americans had no trouble sweeping through their four-game exhibition schedule and enter Rio looking like the heavy favorites to take the gold.

The game at Toyota Center started out close but quickly turned into a blowout. Team USA went on a 30-6 run in the first half to blow things wide open then steadily built on its lead with good defense and shooting.

Even though the U.S. wasn't playing its best, its talent advantage is almost always present. The team's ability to spread size and length across all five positions makes mismatches a near constant. A shorter three-point line compared to the NBA means elite shooters like Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson can start gunning from even closer than usual. Nobody has figured out how to score regularly on these guys, either.

Nigeria was able to get some penetration at times but found itself stuck from there. DeAndre Jordan, Durant and the other rim protectors were always ready to make things difficult. Nigeria doesn't have the three-point shooting to drive, kick it out and regularly make defenses pay, especially given the length that the U.S. has in closing out. Nigeria shot 4-of-29 from three in this game (including 0-of-23 to start), which was the biggest reason they fell behind so quickly. You can't shoot 14 percent from three against anyone, but especially not against Team USA.

The Americans shot 54 percent from the floor, including 13-of-33 from three. Carmelo Anthony led the team with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Klay Thompson wasn't far behind with 17 points, while Durant scored 14. Kyle Lowry almost had a triple-double with 11 assists, eight points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes.

For Nigeria, the leading scorer was Chamberlain Oguchi, who scored 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Oguchi hit all four of Nigeria's three-pointers. Alade Aminu, the brother of Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu, added 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. The other Aminu is no longer participating with the national team this year, reportedly due to complications over insuring his NBA contract. Former NBA players Ike Diogu and Ben Uzoh added 10 points apiece.

It was another strong defensive effort for Team USA, which will enter Rio looking very strong on that end of the floor. The team's shooting came and went during the showcase, but defense ensured that the final results were never all that close. Coach K's team allowed just 56.3 points per game during the four exhibitions.

The competition will be much tougher in Rio, where the stakes are higher and the talent is more plentiful, but the past few games have made it clear the U.S. is yet again the team to beat. They're going to be brutally tough on defense and spread the floor with shooting galore. As we saw again against Nigeria, most teams won't really be able to match up against that.

SBNATION

Video - Niger and Nigeria launch separate military operations to combat terro

Military forces in Niger and Nigeria have launched separate military operations to enable them deal with the current security threats they face. In the West African region, it's been Boko Haram and just recently, militancy in Nigeria's Niger Delta region.

Video - Turkey asks Nigeria to shut down Turkish colleges

Turkey wants Nigeria to shut down all Turkish colleges in Nigeria.The Turkish government claims Fethullah Gulen owns them.He is the man alleged to have sponsored a failed military coup on July 15.

Shell owned oil pipeline blown up in Nigeria

Nigerian militants on Sunday blew up a crude pipeline operated by Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell in the restive oil-producing south, residents said.

"The incident occurred at about 1am near Odimodi community in Delta State with the velocity of the blast shaking apartments in the community amidst a huge ball of fire," said local resident Endoro Newworld.

"The trunk line known as Trans Ramos belongs to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), he said.

"At sunrise, a group from the community in company of the SPDC surveillance team was able to locate the site of the blast," he said.

Another resident who did not want to be identified told AFP the pipeline had been previously targeted by militants.

"Precisely on the 22nd of this month, there was a failed attempt to attack the same facility, hence we were expecting that security in the area would have been tightened, but we are really disappointed that they succeeded this time," he said.

There were no details available about the damage or any possible casualties.

Shell officials could not immediately confirm the incident and no group has claimed responsibility.

The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) militant group has claimed a string of attacks against the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as well as oil majors Shell, Chevron, Exxon and Eni since February.

The attacks have slashed output at a time when Nigeria is grappling with low global crude prices which have hammered government revenues, weakening the naira currency and pushing up inflation to near 11-year highs.

The Avengers want oil majors to leave the Niger Delta, blaming them for contributing to widespread poverty and under-development of the region.

The group also wants self-determination for the oil-producing states and political autonomy.

The rebels have spurned dialogue to end the violence, prompting the government to warn of an imminent military showdown with the insurgents.

eNCA

Nigerian online fraudster behind $60m scams arrested

The alleged Nigerian ringleader of an online fraud network will face charges of hacking, conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences, Interpol has said.

The 40-year-old and a 38-year-old who was arrested with him on similar charges are out on administrative bail in Nigeria as investigations continue, it added.

The alleged ringleader was suspected to be behind scams totaling more than $60m (Ј45m) involving hundreds of victims worldwide, Interpol said.

The global police body added:

"The [alleged] network compromised email accounts of small to medium businesses around the world, including in Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Romania, South Africa, Thailand and the US, with the financial victims mainly other companies dealing with these compromised accounts."

The 40-year-old Nigerian national, known as ‘Mike’, is believed to be behind scams totalling more than USD 60 million involving hundreds of victims worldwide."

BBC

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.

This Day

Mikel denies giving cash to Nigeria Olympics teammates

Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel has denied media reports that he donated $30,000 to assist his cash-strapped teammates in the country's Olympics team.

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.

ESPN

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.

Reuters

Unicef suspends Aid to Nigeria

The United Nations Children’s Fund has temporarily suspended humanitarian operations in northern Nigeria, where as many as half a million people need assistance, after gunmen attacked a convoy and wounded two aid workers.

Unknown assailants ambushed the convoy on Thursday as it was traveling from Bama to Maiduguri, the capital of northeastern Borno state, a stronghold of Islamist militant group Boko Haram, Unicef said in a statement posted to its website. A Unicef employee and an International Organization for Migration contractor were injured and are being treated at a local hospital, it said.

“The convoy was in a remote area of northeastern Nigeria, where protracted conflict has caused extreme suffering and has triggered a severe malnutrition crisis,” it said.

Two soldiers were also wounded in the attack by suspected Boko Haram members, Nigerian army spokesman Sani Usman said in an e-mailed statement.

More than 500,000 people are living in “catastrophic conditions” in Borno state, Medecins Sans Frontieres said this week. At least 2.7 million people have been forced from their homes by the violent campaign by Boko Haram since 2009 to impose its version of Islamic law in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country of about 180 million.

Bloomberg

Turkey wants Nigeria to close 17 schools in the country due to failed coup

Turkey has turned to Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, in its continued crackdown on all elements linked to the failed coup of July 15.

Local media sources in Nigeria report that the Turkish ambassador to the country, Hakan Cakil, has requested the Federal government to close down 17 schools that have links to the alleged mastermind of the failed overthrow, United States based Fetullah Gulen.

“In Nigeria, there are 17 schools, which belong to the Gulen Movement, one in Kano, one in Kaduna, one in Abuja, Lagos etc and they are offering scholarships. We are starting some legal procedures to take the name of Turkey out of the name of the schools. They are not the schools of the Turkish government,’‘ Cakil is reported by Vanguard online portal to have said.

The ambassador made the call when he met with vice chairman of Nigeria’s senate foreign affairs committee, Senator Shehu Sani. The ambassador emphasized that his country had nothing to do with the said schools.

He further disclosed that plans were far advanced at the federal government level to ensure that Turkey’s request is affirmed. “We are requesting the Nigerian Government to close down the schools. I have requested officially, both orally and in writing, the closure of these schools,’‘ he added.

The Erdogan led government meanwhile continues its massive purge in several areas of its society back home in light of the recently failed coup attempt which the government insists was led by Gulen, even though he has repeatedly denied the accusations.

The ‘African purge’ of Turkey’s coup plotters started in Somalia where the government ordered all charities linked to Gulen to leave the country. The Turkish government has said that it would take over operations of all the abandoned charities which include educational institutions and medical facilities.

A day after the failed coup, people in Somalia gathered to protest and strongly condemn the actions of those behind the coup, while celebrating their failure to overthrow Erdogan.

Draped with Somali and Turkish flags and portraits of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as the Somali leader, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the protesters marched through the city and gathered near the Turkish embassy, where they declared their support for the embattled Turkish government.

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