Victor Osimhen and Alhassan Yusuf were not involved in training as the Super Eagles began preparation for Thursday’s heavy clash against hosts Cote d’Ivoire.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that although the duo turned up for the training, they were barred from participating in the exercise.

Yusuf sustained an injury in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, but no one knew the nature or extent of the injury that got Osimhen off the training.

But OC Nice of France striker, Terem Moffi, was sighted in a tedious training while Leicester City of England striker, Kelechi Iheanacho also took part to give Jose Peseiro options in the attack.

The Super Eagles will take on the host, Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire on Thursday at the Stade Olympique Alassan Ouattara Stadium.

The Media Officer of the team, Babafemi Raji, however, confirmed that their withdrawal from training on Monday was only a precautionary measure.

The manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola has been named the winner of the Fifa Best Men’s Coach at the award ceremony held in London on Monday, January 15.

Pep Guardiola won the award ahead of Filippo Inzaghi who led Inter Milan to the final of the UEFA Champions League during the 2022-2023 season, and Luciano Spalletti who led Napoli to win the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years last season.

Note that Inzaghi is currently the manager of Salernitana in Italian Serie A and Spalletti is currently the head coach of Italy national team.

Pep Guardiola won the award ahead of the aforementioned managers after leading Manchester City to win the historic treble – Champions League, Premier League, and the FA Cup – last season.

Manchester City have won the Premier League and the FA Cup a couple of times but last season was the first time in the history of the club for them to win the Champions League.

After winning the award, Pep Guardiola said: “I want to share this award with Simone Inzaghi and Luciano Spalletti.

“Our owners of Man City and our CEO for starting the brilliant idea of the city football group. thank you to my backroom staff and our players. eight years we’ve been together. living with them has been a pleasure.

“Thank you to my dad. I am so happy he is here tonight and of course my brothers and sisters. Thank you to my kids and my wife. It would never be possible to live as a professional without her.”

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has suggested that the increasing spate of hunger and poverty is fueling insecurity in Nigeria.

Reacting to the recent increase in insecurity across the country, the former vice president, in a tweet via his official X account on Monday, lamented that he was distressed by the escalating violence and lawlessness in the nation.

Naija News reports that he called on the President Bola Tinubu led government to urgently address the dire security situation to regain the trust of Nigerians.

He wrote, “The escalating violence and lawlessness in our nation deeply distresses me as bandits and kidnappers continue their reign of terror unchecked. Our youths and innocent citizens are being murdered daily. Just last Saturday, we lost Nabeeha to her captors. Yesterday, the tragedy deepened with the murder of more victims, including Folorunsho Ariyo, a 13-year-old student. Folorunsho was one of ten people kidnapped from Sagwari Estate Layout in Dutse, Bwari Area Council of the FCT, on January 7th, 2024.

“It is obvious that the worsening poverty and hunger in the land is escalating the level of kidnapping and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja, the federal capital.

“When the government fails to fulfil its constitutional obligations of protecting the lives and property of citizens, it is an invitation to kidnappers and other criminal elements to have a free rein visiting houses and hotels in and around the capital city, kidnapping citizens without resistance. This is a sad development.

“It is imperative that the authorities address this dire security situation urgently to regain the trust of the Nigerian people.

“While I mourn with the deceased families, I pray to the Almighty to comfort them, grant the dead eternal peace and protect our nation.”

President Bola Tinubu says his administration will give more attention to education and healthcare, as well as provide the enablements for industrialization and investments in consonance with his vision of creating an economically stable and prosperous country.

Speaking at the second-term inauguration of Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, in Owerri, on Monday, President Tinubu said he is well-attuned to the concerns of citizens, assuring them that the challenges brought on by very essential reforms are being addressed.

"In the past 40 years, a few people were cornering our common wealth, and calling it subsidy, but I call it wasteful. Right now, we are all bearing and sharing that pain. But things are looking up. Things will get better for the good of all Nigerians. With me, there is hope.

"I assure you that there will be substantial development in education for your children; priority on industrialization; healthcare will receive more allocation and attention. We will train more health workers," the President said.

President Tinubu commended Governor Uzodinma for his stewardship in Imo State, describing him as the "real hope" of the state.

"It is a great honour for me to be here in Imo State. And to congratulate the people of Imo for being discerning and determined to vote into a second term, a very unique individual who resonates with a progressive agenda, Senator Hope Uzodinma," he said.

The President said he is committed to building a united and secure country, noting the peace and security in the state, adding: "Before now, people were afraid of coming to Imo state, but today Imo is safe and open for business. What we have learned from this experience is the importance of unity, cooperation, and a focus on our internal security."

President Tinubu implored the governor to work even harder for the people, emphasizing that hard work is the reward for a re-election.

"I assure you that your hopes are renewed. Be assured of the support of the federal government to ensure rapid development of your state," he concluded.

Speaking after the administration of oaths of office by the Imo State Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka, Governor Uzodinma pledged that his second tenure would be an uncommon tenure in the execution of policies.

"We have been able to lay a solid foundation for accelerated economic growth and development of our state. We also addressed the decay we met in the civil service, the decay we met in the education sector, and the health sector. In addition, we addressed the lingering problem of unemployment through the variety of youth empowerment initiatives.

"We carried out a digital version of dealing with the unemployment market, which included the provision of digital and other portable skills, including artificial intelligence to our teeming young men and women," he said.

Unfolding his priorities, the governor said the next four years of his administration would focus on deepening the shared prosperity mantra through massive infrastructural expansion, adding that the vision of his government is anchored on a 10-year development plan which has the capacity to make the state self-sufficient.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

January 15, 2024

Political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has said the presidential candidates of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, and New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, have agreed to form a mega party that would wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2027.

Utomi disclosed this in an interview on Channels TV on Sunday night.

Asked if Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Peter Obi and Okey Nwosu have agreed to come together, Utomi simply said “yes.”

On what name they had decided to call the coalition. Utomi said: “We’re not talking about names yet. Besides, these politicians I mentioned, I’m talking about leaders of social movements, the labour movement and so on.

“I have even been part of creating a new tribe, Nigerians who are committed to certain values, who say I will not give a bribe; I will not take a bribe. And you can then create a set of values that can lead to progress in the country.

“The way we are today, a few people in the world are willing to engage with Nigeria. They think there’s a collapse of culture and values in Nigeria. You can’t trust Nigerians. All kinds of things are here. It’s a clean start.

“It’s a really clean start. You have to start from the premise that Nigeria has not had a political party since 1999.

“Let’s be very honest with ourselves, what we have managed is to create platforms that enable machine politics from which to grab power, usually for state capture.

“If you want to test that, check how much the quality of life of a Nigerian has improved since 1999.
“It’s frightening but the truth of the matter is that in 1999, a political class managed to build a certain coalition of accommodation to keep the military out and share the spoils of power.

“Somehow, they did not manage to create an alignment with the Nigerian people to improve the quality of their lives. This is why you can see Nigeria deteriorating, becoming the poverty capital of the world, becoming the centre of widespread violence.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced its intention to hand over the operation and maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refining Company to private entities.

This strategic move aims to boost the refinery’s reliability and contribute to Nigeria’s fuel supply and energy security.

The NNPCL, in a statement published on its website on Monday, detailed its search for reputable and credible operations and maintenance companies to take over the refinery’s management.

The selected company will be responsible for various aspects of refinery business processes, including production and operations planning, execution, health and safety management, environmental management, and overseeing minor projects.

Prospective companies interested in this opportunity are required to demonstrate a significant financial capability, with a minimum average annual turnover of at least $2 billion USD for the financial years ending 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively.

This requirement is set to ensure that the chosen operator has the necessary financial stability and resources to manage the refinery effectively.

Recently, the NNPCL commenced the supply of crude oil to the Port Harcourt refinery as part of a test-run, signaling a revival of the facility’s operations.

On December 21, 2023, the Federal Government announced the mechanical completion of rehabilitation work on the Area-5 Plant of the refinery, located in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

The first phase of the plant’s renovation has been completed, allowing it to refine 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily after the Christmas break.

The decision to involve private operators in the management of the Port Harcourt Refinery, operational since 1965, aligns with the Nigerian government’s broader strategy to modernize and enhance efficiency in the nation’s oil sector.

In March 2021, the government approved a significant budget for the renovation and modernization of the refinery complex, marking a substantial investment in the nation’s energy infrastructure.

The move to privatize the refinery’s operations is expected to improve management, increase production capacity, and reduce reliance on imported refined petroleum products.

The former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, expressed disappointment over security agencies’ failure to use the National Identity Number linked to Subscriber Identity Module data to combat crime, especially kidnappings and phone-related offences.

This criticism follows the 2020 directive by then-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, mandating the linking of SIM cards to the NIN of every citizen.

In a Sunday tweet, the Media Aide to President Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, raised the alarm about the ongoing surge in kidnappings for ransom, calling for new legislation or the revision of existing laws to enforce the death penalty as punishment for banditry and kidnapping.

In reaction to the tweet, Pantami blamed security agencies for not utilising the NIN-SIM data to tackle rising kidnapping for ransom and banditry.

“NIN-SIM policy has been working,” said Pantami. “However, the relevant institutions fighting criminality are to be requested to ensure they utilise it effectively when a crime is committed.

“Lack of utilising it is the main problem, not the policy,” Pantami said.

The former minister, who decried the non-utilisation of the policy, claimed criminals threatened his life for reintroducing it.

He said, “On the lack of utilisation, I am more worried than anyone, as my life was threatened by criminals for reintroducing it, including on BBC Hausa and national dailies; I resisted and ensured its implementation.

“If it is not being utilised by the relevant institutions in charge of securing lives and property, then I am more frustrated than any person, as I sacrificed my life and ignored all the threats to my life. This is just a point out of 100 on the policy,” the former minister added.

He championed the NIN registration policy under Buhari’s administration.

He vowed that linking citizens’ NIN to their SIMs would be a crucial tool in combating banditry, kidnapping, and phone-related crimes.

An international human rights organisation, Global Rights, has said the administration of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, was characterised by threats or intimidation of journalists and protesters.

The organisation added that Buhari made frantic efforts to suppress access to information, curtail freedom of expression, and monitor how and for what purposes citizens assembled.

Global Rights stated this in its report titled, “Shege! A scorecard on the Buhari administration’s impact on Nigeria’s civic space,” which was published on January 13, 2024.

The organisation said in the report, “In the eight-year term of President Buhari’s administration, Nigeria witnessed a notable decline on all frontiers of the civic space and basic freedoms. The administration was characterised by a suspicious relationship with the media, a frosty relationship with civil society organisations, and a clear desire to control access to information, curtail freedom of expression, and monitor how and for what purposes citizens assembled.

“There were also several legislative attempts made by the administration with regard to the civic space. If all these attempts made it into law, it is safe to say Nigeria would have emerged as one of the most repressive democracies globally.”

The report added that no fewer than 69 protesters were killed during the Buhari-led administration.

The organisation also said that an estimated 250 protesters and 189 journalists were arrested, detained, or harassed under the former president.

“The number of peaceful protesters killed: at least 69. Number of arrests made during peaceful protests: 250 (estimated based on available data)

“Instances of government interference in the activities of CSOs: At least four. Number of journalists arrested, detained, or harassed: more than 189,” it said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the former President, Garba Shehu, declined comment on the issue, saying former Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, was the appropriate person to speak.

Efforts to reach the ex-minister were unsuccessful as calls to his mobile line did not connect.

Commenting on the report, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, said, “Under Buhari, there were a lot of unlawful arrests and detentions of journalists and civil society activists. Do not let us forget the atrocities committed against the Shiite, that alone is enough to send him packing. Buhari also came up with legal frameworks to gag the civil society.”
He urged President Bola Tinubu not to toe that path.

President Bola Tinubu has performed the wreath-laying ceremony with other dignitaries to mark the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Abuja.

All services chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff Gen Christopher Musa, and heads of other security agencies among others also took part in the ceremony.

They also laid wreaths during the event.

The programme, which is organised yearly to commemorate Nigerians’ fallen heroes, also witnessed other activities such as prayers, gun salutes, and the releasing of pigeons at the National Arcade, Eagle Square, Abuja.

President Bola Tinubu goes through the wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day. pic.twitter.com/elYgYgbMPO

— Channels Television (@channelstv) January 15, 2024

In attendance to witness the ceremony were members of the Federal Executive Council, members of the diplomatic corps, and other dignitaries.

Highlights:
Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration 2024. #ThankASoldier???? pic.twitter.com/dJGKTkQbx2

— DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DefenceInfoNG) January 15, 2024

On the sidelines of the event, Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured that the lawmakers will work for better welfare for the country’s military.

Govs Remember Fallen Heroes

Across the country, state governors and other dignitaries also performed several rites to mark the day.

In Kaduna State, members of the Kaduna State Executive Council, led by Governor Uba Sani and his deputy Hadiza Balarabe, attended the wreath-laying ceremony at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.

A similar thing also played out in Taraba State when Governor Kefas Agbu led other dignitaries in a wreath-laying to honour the fallen heroes. That was at the Jolly Nyame stadium in Jalingo, the state capital.

Governor Godwin Obaseki also inspected a guard of honour at the cenotaph in Benin City, the Edo State capital to mark the day.

Governor of Lagos State, Mr @jidesanwoolu today at the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Parade and Laying of the Wreaths Ceremony at the Remembrance Arcade, Tafawa Balewa Square Lagos. #ArmedForcesRemembranceDay #ArmedForcesRemembranceDay2024 @DefenceInfoNG @HQNigerianArmy… pic.twitter.com/mF8cwNYIoN

— Jubril A. Gawat (@Mr_JAGs) January 15, 2024

At the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu also laid wreaths in remembrance of the fallen heroes.

‘Paid Ultimate Sacrifice’

On this Armed Forces Remembrance Day, I join other Nigerians in appreciating our military men who, in order to ensure peace and security within our borders, are willing to pay untold sacrifices.

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) January 15, 2024

Aside from governors, political top shots in the country including Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) paid glowing tributes to the fallen heroes.

Obi, a former Anambra governor and the presidential candidate of the LP in the 2023 election, lauded military men and women for their sacrifices to ensure a safe Nigeria.

“On this Armed Forces Remembrance Day, I join other Nigerians in appreciating our military men who, in order to ensure peace and security within our borders, are willing to pay untold sacrifices,” he wrote on his X account early Monday.

“Today, we encourage them to remain resolute in their resolve to conquer the ugly monster of insecurity currently ravaging our dear nation. We remember especially our fallen heroes who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending the peace, unity, and territorial integrity of our dear nation. We appreciate and honour them for their heroic deeds while showing love and support to their bereaved families. Great nations are built by rulers, citizens, and the protectors of freedom – the military.

“Our story as a nation, therefore, will not be complete, without their courageous sacrifices which take them away from the comfort of their homes and the embrace of their loved ones.

“With the country going through very challenging times in its war against terrorism, violence, crime, and all manner of insecurity, we show our support and solidarity to our military men, and urge them not to be despirited, even when they feel overstretched by the war.

“May this day renew their love, zeal, and courage to remain firm in their struggles for a peaceful and crime-free Nigeria. May we the leaders, ensure that the welfare of our armed forces and their families are well taken care of, as they graciously serve our nation. “

In a bid to stop criminality among herders, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has announced a schedule for the launching of a Nomad Vigilante Group in Nasarawa State.

The President of the Fulani socio-cultural association, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, confirmed the arrangement in a statement made available to journalists on Monday, Naija News reports.

Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore had last year declared its commitment to assist the Federal Government in its endeavours to tackle the escalating security challenges faced by the nation.

Bodejo emphasized that this quasi-security outfit would identify and apprehend criminal elements among the cattle herders in the community, thereby reducing false accusations against those who are unjustly treated for crimes they did not commit due to the actions of a few bad individuals.

With a strength of 2,140 members, the vigilante group aims to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies in addressing insecurity and fostering peaceful coexistence in Nasarawa State.

The announcement was made by Bodejo, highlighting the necessity for additional security measures to ensure the safety of the state’s residents.

The statement issued through the association’s Publicity Secretary, Mallam Suleiman Tasiu, announced that the launch will take place on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at the City Square in Lafia, starting at 11 am.

According to the statement, the association has cordially invited Governor Abdullahi Sule, along with other high-ranking government officials and stakeholders, to grace the occasion as distinguished guests.

Additionally, notable Fulani figures in the state have been extended invitations to partake in this momentous event.a