Nigeria's former minister kidnapped in Kaduna

• Gunmen have reportedly abducted Nigeria’s former minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bagudu Hirse in Kaduna state. Daily Trust reports that Hirse was abducted “right in front of the residence of President Muhammadu Buhari’s powerful nephew, Alhaji Mamman Daura, on Inuwa Wada road in Kaduna.”
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• It was learnt that the former minister, with his friends, had gone on a condolence visit to the family of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki on kabiru road. This is a few meters from Inuwa Wada road. He then decided to make a quick stopover at the house of Daura who was reportedly at home and was receiving guests and other family members.
• The report quoted a witness as saying that Hirse alighted from his car with a friend he simply identified as Talba and was exchanging pleasantries with some guests who were standing in front of Daura’s house when an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla drove into the street at top speed and stopped in front of the former minister and his friends.
• The witness said the three young men, armed and masked, jumped down from the car and accosted the former minister almost immediately. The witness said: “From what I could hear, they were asking him to get into their car but he was trying to seek further explanations from them but at that time, people started approaching the scene so one of them raised the gun he was holding and made to shoot but it did not fire, he tried it the second time and it failed, but the third time, a shot rang and people ran for dear lives.”
• At the time of this report, the whereabouts of the victim was yet to be ascertained and the police was yet to react. Kaduna has gradually become a hub for kidnappers in Nigeria. In October, Laurentia Laraba Mallam, the minister of the environment during the government of Goodluck Jonathan, was abducted along with her 73-year- old husband, Pius in Jere, in Kaduna state. She was released about 24 hours after the incident.

Prices of commodities crash amid recession worries

• – As prices of basic staple food items in major markets in Lagos continue to rise, the plight of most Nigerians following the general increase, has been described by many as unfortunate – A survey conducted by NAIJ.com at Ogba Retail market, Lagos, reveals the continuous rise of some basic items and a stable price of others – Traders across various markets continue to lament low patronage while buyers on the other hand complain of the hike in price of basic commodities and worsening economic situation As the prices of basic staple food items in major markets in Lagos continue to rise, the plight of most Nigerians following the general increase in the price of goods and services has been described by most traders as unfortunate. Findings across the country have shown that the prices of virtually all commodities have skyrocketed, leading to financial pressure on most families. A survey conducted by NAIJ.com at Ogba Retail market, Lagos, shows the continuous rise of some basic items and a stable price of others. Checks revealed that the prices of staple foods like rice, vegetable oil, meat, vegetables and soup ingredients have increased significantly. Speaking with our correspondent, a trader at the market, Vincent, said the price Egusi, Ogbono, crayfish and other commodities have increased. “Things are difficult and expensive. The amount we used to buy the commodities before is not the amount we buy now; even the quality and content have reduced. The amount of purchase is higher than before. 
•  “Before, I buy and sell bag of egusi, ogbono and even crayfish but now, it is not so. It is very expensive. We cannot afford it. The price has not changed. The money we were using to buy a bag of egusi before is what we use to buy one olodo of egusi while ogbono is a no-go area. Everything in the market now is costly. “For crayfish, it is seasonal. It is also expensive and a paint is N3,000. A 25-litre keg of palm oil is N17,500 while groundnut oil costs N16,000, this depends on the quality, the brand and the purchasing price. “People tend to buy according to their pockets, cutting their coats according to their size. The present administration has the right answer to the economic situation. “The fuel price increment has led to the increase in the price of the commodities. The market is not moving and even people you see selling goods only sell to clear off the old items so as to go get a new one. We are just trying to survive,” the man lamented. Similarly, it was gathered that the price of fish has increased. While some blamed it on import duties, market price and the demand, others blame it on the current economic situation. Madam Ify, a trader in the market who sells fish, turkey, chicken and other food items, attributed this to the current economic situation, import duties, market forces and cost of purchase. She said: “Like before, I sell three cartons of fish daily but now I sell a carton of fish for a whole week only if there is electricity to ice in otherwise, it will get spoilt before then. “That is the situation we have found ourselves in. Things are expensive and people are complaining and looking for money. You cannot cook a nutritious soup with a N1000 lately.
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• “A 20kg carton of Titus fish now costs N19,000 but before, it cost N9,800. A carton of croaker was N12,000 before, but now we buy at N22,000. A carton of kote fish cost N7,000 before but now it is N15,000. A 30kg of kote is N24,000 now but before it costs N15,000. A carton of chicken before was between N5,000 and N6,000 but now, it costs N8,500 or N9,500 depending on the seller and the purchase price. A carton of turkey costs between N7,000-N8,500 but now it costs N10,500. “Market is not moving like before. We do not even have the slightest idea of how we got to this point. When we go to buy these items, we get to pay a particular amount on each bags of item purchased, pay the touts at the market as well, all these have brought about the increase of the price of the items. Aside the commodities imported, the local produce are more expensive than the imported ones.” A rice retailer, who identified herald as Mrs Jane, said that the price depends on the brand, the quality, the market and the type. She added that the commodity has increased due to the restriction placed on the importation of rice, the cost of transportation and other expenses charged. “The price of rice continues to rise and sometimes the amount purchased determines the amount it will be sold. Same goes for beans and garri. The restriction placed on the importation of rice led to its increase and often times, the ones that are produced here also is expensive,” she began. “Market is moving slowly compared to previous months. People only buy things because they must eat hence they die of starvation. But I must confess that the purchasing power of the buyers has been affected greatly which therefore leads to low patronage on our part. “A bag of aroso rice before as at last week cost N18,000 but now it cost N19,000. We cannot tell if it will rise higher in coming weeks. While that of agric rice cost N17,000 before but now N18,000. For beans, a small bag of Olo one beans cost N8,500 before but now it is N14,000. While a medium bag of white garri cost N9,000 before but now N15,000. I buy my items at Agege, but the price I sell them is determined on the amount of purchase,” Madam Jane added. Also, a wholesaler who pleaded anonymity, informed that the wholesale price of the food items has been relatively stable, but informed that retailers deliberately increased it so as to make extra profits. Mr Jimoh, a meat seller at the market, said the price of meat has also risen, as he blamed the current economic struggle, cost of purchase and market prices for the issues. He said: “the price of meat continues to rise because everything in the market has risen. Big cows which was sold then from N70,000, now sells from N100,000 and above while the smaller ones can be purchased from N60,000 depending on the situation of the market and location of purchase.” In addition, the price of perishable goods like tomatoes, pepper and onion has been stable as observed. A basket of Hausa tomatoes which cost N15,000 a few weeks back, now costs N12,000 and even less as revealed by the traders in the market. Also, a bag of pepper ranges from N7,000 – N10,000 depending on the type and the quality (how fresh and size of the basket). While the price of onion remains the same. Traders are of the opinion that the price fluctuates and is not fixed compared to other products. Meanwhile the prices of provisional items such as grains, beverages, perishables and wines have gone up as observed in the market. 
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What To Do When Your Anger Is Out Of Control

How frequent is it when you notice that your anger and emotions are getting out of control that's driving you to commit all sorts of inappropriate, reckless, crazy behaviors?

To the majority of us, it's undeniable that life is tough, challenging and stressful these days. However, it is still important to learn how to control your temper.

One critical thing to remember is that you are always 100% in control of your emotions.

While you should never find yourself in a situation that you can't control, you always have choices as to how to react to any kind of situations.

By allowing yourself to even think that your temper is controlled by other people or circumstances, you are just making an excuse for yourself!

To a certain extent, anger is actually a powerful emotional response.

It reminds you what you don't like about your life, other people and what matters to you. It allows you to freely express your frustrated feelings, but it should never overpower your self-control.

If you find that you are turning into a violent beast when anger hits you, you have an imminent dangerous problem to fix. If you really find it difficult to handle, you might as well consult some anger management experts for advice.

Remember this powerful paradigm shift: It is not how you are feeling that is wrong. It is what you do with your feelings that become the issue.

If you allow yourself to throw a tantrum and fling your arms around, ranting wildly like a lion king, this is obviously not a good sign. You are liable to hurt other people's feelings as well as possibly causing them physical harm.

When you let your temper get the better out of you, you may face serious consequences like:

1. Detrimental to your unstable mental health

2. Severely damaging your physical health, some may even trigger heart attacks or latent diseases

3. Ruining your professional career because you're confronting your boss, colleagues or even clients in a mindless way

4.Destroying relationships with friends, family, lovers and co-workers

5. Failing to create the kind of impact you want in the world because no one wants to help you with your vision and mission

Luckily, there are solutions to this problem.

Your first step is to seek out help and learn to manage your temper in a more effective way. This can include group discussion on possible solutions with family and friends or it can consist of you learning how to manage your anger by yourself either in books or online.

Learning to control your temper will take time, energy, effort and patience. One of the first things you should do is to try to determine what the root cause of your anger is.

Did you grow up in an angry household where you witnessed a lot of fights and dramas?
Have you experienced a traumatic event in the past about people?

Sometimes the root cause of anger can be hidden deep inside. It is only with a lot of self-reflection, soul-searching and meditating that the answers will be revealed.

Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and start making a list of all the things that make you angry. Then put them in order of importance - which one lights your fuse first. Once you know what your root cause is, you will be able to devise a better strategy to deal with it and slowly change your behavior.

As for me, the single root cause that lights my fuse the most is "people getting angry and reacting with anger for no justifiable cause." i have identified mine and i am already working tirelessly towards accommodating it. lets hear yours 

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Senate Forgery: Police Submit Fresh Report, Indict Saraki, Ekweremadu

There are strong indications that the police have submitted to the National Prosecution Coordination Committee, another report on the investigations into the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that in the fresh report, the police indicted the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu.

It was gathered that the Special Investigation Panel, headed by the retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ali Amodu, explained that a former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, could not have committed the alleged offence without the connivance of the two principal officers.



The SIP was set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to investigate high-profile cases.

The Federal Government had, on October 6, 2016, withdrawn the charges of criminal conspiracy relating to the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015, filed against the Senate President and his deputy at an Abuja High Court.

The government, it was reported, had found out that the investigation was inconclusive and the evidence was not strong enough to sustain a diligent prosecution of the accused persons.

Following this discovery, the Ministry of Justice filed an application to amend the charges.

In the new charges, only Maikasuwa and a former deputy clerk, Mr. Ben Efeturi, were listed as the accused persons.

Saraki and Ekweremadu were earlier charged alongside Maikasuwa and Efeturi for allegedly forging the Senate Standing Orders, which were used for the inauguration of the Eight Senate.

All of them pleaded not guilty to the charges before Justice Yusuf Halilu and were granted bail on June 10, 2016.

Following the amendment of the charges, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), directed the police to conduct fresh investigations into the case.

Saraki, Ekweremadu may face conspiracy charge again.

A top police operative, who confided in SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, said the SIP had addressed the loopholes the AGF identified in the former report.

He said, “The police have concluded investigations into the case and submitted the report to the NPCC. This was done about a month ago.”

Giving an insight into the report, a top source at the Force Headquarters said, “Conspiracy is a very wide offence and Maikasuwa couldn’t have done what he did without the connivance of Saraki and Ekweremadu.

“There is no doubt about it; they were the beneficiaries and they have to be joined in the case.”

When asked if the panel made any recommendation for the prosecution of the beneficiaries of the forgery, he stated, “There is no need to make any recommendation to prosecute them because the investigation did not exonerate them.”

On the non-interrogation of Saraki and others by the former investigators, the source stated, “It is not totally out of point. It is for Saraki, Ekweremadu and others to defend themselves in court. The fact that they were not questioned did not mean they didn’t commit the offence as alleged. The circumstances were that the investigators could not reach them just like the way the House of Representatives leadership was dodging police summons on the budget padding probe.”

He added that the evidence and corrections made on the report had been sent to the AGF by the police.

He stated, “There were certain documents and evidence they asked us to fine-tune, which we did. We got all the necessary documents, including the Hansard, where publications were made and notices were given. We looked at the Hansard. Was there any amendment during the 7th Senate? There were no amendments; nothing was adopted during the 7th Senate. We got the papers and there was nothing like that.

“So, where did Ekweremadu and Maikasuwa derive their authority from when no amendment was done on the floor of the Senate?”

Another highly-placed source, who was familiar with the police probe, informed one of our correspondents on Saturday that the SIP was able to gather the necessary evidence about how the alleged forgery at the Senate was carried out.

The source said it was now up to the AGF and the NPCC to decide whether to re-arraign Saraki, Ekweremadu and others or not.

It was gathered that the detectives were able to verify the extent of amendment to the Senate Standing Orders 2011, the individuals who authorised it, and the official who ordered the printing of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015.

The source added, “The SIP, through painstaking efforts, was able to identify who distributed the printed copies of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015, to senators-elect and it also obtained the complete Hansard of June 9 and 24, 2015, which indicated what transpired on the floor of the Senate as well as other relevant evidence. These were issues the former probe did not resolve.

“It is now up to the government to decide whether Saraki and Ekweremadu should be re-arraigned or only Maikasuwa and Efeturi would carry the can.”

One of our correspondents gathered that the SIP had to bypass the Clerk, National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, to get the necessary evidence and documents relating to the case.

When contacted on Saturday, the spokesperson for the AGF and the NPCC, Mr. Salisu Isah, said he was not aware of any fresh development in the case.

“Just give me some time to find out and revert to you,” he said.

Besides the AGF, who is the Chairman of the NPCC, the committee consists of 19 members, including the Solicitor-General/Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Taiwo Abidogun and Mr. Dipo Opeseyi.

When contacted on Saturday, Saraki decline to comment on the matter, while Ekweremadu said he was not aware of the new development in the forgery case.

The Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said, “I have no comment on the matter,” when he was called on the telephone by one of our correspondents.

Ekweremadu, who spoke through the Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, said, “We are not aware of that” when he was told that the police had submitted a fresh report to the AGF-led committee.

Another aide to Ekweremadu, who spoke on condition of anonymity, wondered why the police would file another report from a fresh investigation when the security agency had sworn to an affidavit that it had concluded its investigations into the case and presented it before a court.
THE PUNCH

Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic to win ATP World Tour Finals title and seal world number one spot

Britain's Andy Murray beat five-time champion Novak Djokovic to win his first ATP World Tour Finals title and end 2016 as the world number one.

With the year-end top ranking on the line, Murray won the much-anticipated final 6-3 6-4 at London's O2 Arena.

"I'm very happy to win and to be world number one is very special," said the Scot. "It's very special playing against Novak in a match like this."

Murray, 29, extended his career-best winning run to 24 matches.

The victory also ends Djokovic's four-year run of success at the tournament and the Serb's bid to equal Roger Federer's record of six titles.

Murray, who had won 10 of the pair's previous 34 encounters, added: "We've played Grand Slam finals and in the Olympics before, but I am very happy to win.

"It is something I never expected."

A capacity crowd of 17,000 packed into the O2 Arena to witness a match that felt more like a heavyweight championship bout than a tennis match, and it was Murray who rose to the occasion.

"Andy is definitely number one in the world," said Djokovic. "He deserved to win. He is the best player.

"In the decisive moments, I wasn't able to come back. I played better late in the match but it wasn't enough."

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Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic: Best shots from ATP World Tour Finals

Murray simply grew stronger and Djokovic more error-prone as the second set unfolded, two breaks giving him a seemingly impregnable 4-1 lead, before the champion fought back.

Djokovic recovered one break and raced through a service game to cut the deficit to 4-3, but Murray steadied the ship with a solid service hold to move within a game of victory.

When he beat Djokovic to win Wimbledon in 2013, Murray had to come through a tortuous 14-minute final game, and there was more tension this time.

The crowd were gripped as two match points passed before Djokovic finally succumbed on the third to give up his title - and the mantle of best player in the world.

Buhari Presidency Kicks Off Job Scheme For Half A Million Unemployed Graduates

PRESS RELEASE

BUHARI PRESIDENCY KICKS OFF JOB SCHEME FOR HALF A MILLION UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES

*200,000 Nigerians selected to start work as teachers, agric & health workers in their communities December 1

*Names of successful first batch participants to be posted on N-Power Portal

ALL IS NOW SET FOR THE deployment of 200,000 unemployed graduates selected in the first batch of the Buhari administration's plan to hire half a million Nigerians.

While the 200,000 have been selected about two weeks ago, their names have now been sent to state governments and the FCT who would deploy them to their specific programme assignments. The names would also be published this week on the N-Power internet portal, while the participants would start receiving SMS messages informing them of their selection as from Monday November 21, 2016.

State governments and the FCT are also encouraged to post the names of the successful first batch applicants in their local government areas while there would be further public announcements.

Between now and the end of the month, the states and the FCT would be engaged in deploying the graduates who would formally start working and earning their stipends on December 1, 2016.

Of the 200,000 first batch, 150,000 of them would teach, 30,000 would work in the Agric sector and 20,000 in Healthcare delivery covering the three specific programme assignments.

The N-Power Volunteer Corps is an expression of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to invest in the human capital development of Nigerian citizens, particularly our young people. The N-Power programmme is also an innovative means to enhance ailing public services in the area of basic education and primary healthcare. Also in the agric sector, it is aimed at achieving self-sufficiency by giving our farmers relevant advisory services.

The Federal Government of Nigeria hereby congratulates all 200,000 successful applicants in the first batch, and they are encouraged to take this opportunity seriously by learning the skills that will brighten their future. They are also implored to serve their communities with commitment and dedication.

For those who have not been selected at this time, there is a waiting list based on the total number of applicants, and subsequent batches will absorb more of the qualified applicants.

All together, the N-Power will engage and train 500,000 young unemployed graduates. It is a paid volunteering programme of a 2-year duration that engages graduates in their immediate communities, where they will assist in improving the inadequacies in the education, health, and agriculture sectors.

The 500,000 graduates under the N-Power Corps programme will be trained in skills that will enable them exit after two years to economically viable job and business opportunities.

As part of the programme, the participnts would own tablets that will contain information necessary for their specific engagements, as well as information for their continuous training and developments.

Participants will be provided teaching, instructional, and advisory solutions in 4 main focus areas, and will be paid a monthly stipend of N30,000 during the programme. The 4 main focus areas are in basic education, agriculture extension services, public health and community education (civic and adult education).

Besides the N-Power programme for undergraduates, there are other schemes for non-graduates. These are: N-Power Knowledge, which would select 25,000 young Nigerians and N-Power Build 75,000, all of whom shall be trained and paid during the duration of the scheme.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
In the Office of the Vice President
November 20, 2016

Diego Costa fires Chelsea to top of EPL standings

Diego Costa's 10th goal of the season moved Chelsea top of the Premier League as their sixth straight win saw off Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

After an even start, Chelsea upped the tempo and deservedly led at the break when Costa reacted quickest to drill in a loose ball inside the Boro box.

The Blues continued to create chances, Pedro going closest when he smacked a rising drive against the crossbar.

Boro's best chance came when Alvaro Negredo's 78th-minute volley was saved.

It was the only time the home side forced Blues keeper Thibaut Courtois into a serious stop as they lost for the first time in four matches.

Chelsea leapfrogged Liverpool and Manchester City to go a point clear, while Boro remain one point above the relegation zone in 15th place.

Conte masterstroke moves Chelsea top

Following the arrival of former Juventus and Italy coach Conte, many expected to see a defensively-focused approach adopted by the Blues.

However, they were porous in the opening two months of the season, culminating in the chastening 3-0 defeat at Arsenal on 24 September.

Since then, the Blues have been impregnable in the Premier League.

Conte made a tactical tweak to a 3-4-3 formation for their next game at Hull - and they have won all six league matches since without conceding a goal.

Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso have been revelatory in their adopted wing-back roles, while Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta have looked assured in a back three.

It has proved to be a masterstroke by Conte. And it has helped the Blues move top of the table for the first time since they were crowned champions in May 2015.

Now back-to-back matches against Tottenham and Manchester City will be another measure of their recent improvement.

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Why Hazard is reborn in Conte's 3-4-3

Costa the fulcrum for Blues

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte was effusive in his praise of Costa before the game, labelling the Spain international as "one of the best strikers in the world".

On this evidence it is hard to disagree.

While the former Atletico Madrid frontman did not find himself presented with plenty of goalscoring chances, he was constantly bothering the Boro centre-backs with his movement, strength and willingness to chase seemingly lost causes.

And, most importantly, he was clinical when a sniff of an opportunity arrived.

Boro failed to deal with Eden Hazard's inswinging corner just before half-time, Costa reacting quickest to instinctively stab in an angled effort from inside the six-yard box.

With Hazard quiet in comparison to recent weeks, Costa was the fulcrum of the visitors' attacking play.

The 28-year-old matchwinner also teed up chances for Pedro, Marcos Alonso and Hazard, showing once again he is back to the form which helped the Blues win the Premier League title 18 months ago in his first season at the club.

Shy Boro lack attacking edge

History was not on Middlesbrough's side going into the match, having lost their previous six matches against Chelsea without managing to score.

A lack of cutting edge proved to be their undoing again.

Marshalled by skipper Ben Gibson, the home side were organised and restricted one of the title contenders to a handful of clear-cut chances.

While they only trailed by a single goal, Boro - who fought back to snatch a draw at Manchester City in their last outing - had hope.

However, just one shot on target tells you where their problems lie.

"We stayed in the game until the end but didn't get the point we think we deserved. There are positives to take," said Gibson.

Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka told BBC Sport: "It is frustrating. We knew before the game we were playing against a top-of-the-table team.

"But after our last performances against Arsenal and Manchester City we were confident and we showed again we can compete against those teams.

"One mistake punished us. But if we keep playing like we have done in the past few games. we will win more games. The team is improving."

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte told BBC Sport: "I knew this game would be difficult because this team is well organised and they are in good form.

"But we deserved to win because we scored the goal and created many chances for a second goal.

"The first five minutes wasn't good for us. Middlesbrough started very well and we started badly but during the game our possession got better and we started to move the ball quicker. We didn't concede and stopped any opportunity for them to score."

No home comforts for Boro...

• Chelsea have won six Premier League games in a row without conceding - the 10th time it has happened in Premier League history and the fifth time for Chelsea
• Diego Costa is the first player to reach double figures in Premier League goals this season
• Costa has scored in six of his past seven league away games, netting seven goals in total in that run
• Only Swansea (two) have won fewer points at home in the Premier League than Middlesbrough this season (four)
• No side has scored fewer top-flight goals at home than Boro (five, level with Hull and Swansea)
• Boro winger Adama Traore completed 12 dribbles in this match, more than any other player in a single Premier League game this season

What's next?

A big test of Chelsea's title credentials. The Blues host Tottenham at Stamford Bridge next Saturday (17:30 GMT). Meanwhile, Boro go to champions Leicester City earlier on the same day (15:00 GMT).

FG set to extend international passport validity to 10 years

– International passport validity is set to be extended to 10 years – The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS) revealed this on Saturday, November 19 – This extension comes as a result of several complaints from Nigerians It is good news for many Nigerians to hear that the federal government has plans to extend the validity period for international passports from the current five years to 10 years. Speaking on this development, the Comptroller-General of NIS, Muhammad Babandede told the press in his office on Saturday, November 19, that Nigerians should expect an announcement on this matter in the coming months. Babandede said: “We have submitted a memo to the president and we believe we’ll get a positive response to that soon.” The immigration chief also revealed the reason for the policy change, he explained that the review was the government’s response to several months of complaints from Nigerians and other foreign elements who said the five-year validity period is too short. “We have received complaints that passports only take five years,” Mr Babandede said: “The international community is not happy, wondering why passports will only be five years. “They’re saying it should be 10 years and we’re already considering that. We need to make sure that we have age validity expansion.” Explaining why the current validity period was unnecessarily short, he said that for people above 18 years, they’re already fully grown and rarely wear a totally different look. READ ALSO: EFCC grills APC legal adviser for bribing judge, seizes his passport Using other countries as examples, Mr Babandede said: “For example, in some places in the world, they say if you’re below the age of 18, you can have five-year validity passport. But if you’re above the age of 18, you can have 10-year validity because your physical features may not change again within 10 years.” Meanwhile about one week a report by Daily Sun claimed that the NIS have run out of booklets causing several applicants to be stranded in several passports offices across the country. An applicant, Iyare Odili said he had paid about N30,000 for a 64-page passport but had not been able to receive the document in the last two months. Read more: https://www.naij.com/1055598-good-news-fg-set-extend-international-passport-validity.html

Nigerian Football Stars Blown into Oblivion

They showed a lot of promise when they played for Nigeria but soon faded away when they should have been calling the shots at the Super Eagles. Idris Adesina takes a look at Nigerian players, who have slipped into oblivion SUNDAY MBA Mba will always be remembered for his lone goal against Burkina Faso in the final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, which won Nigeria its third continental title on February 10, 2013. His goal in the final was a scorcher, after getting the better of a Burkinabe defender. The former Warri Wolves forward was one of the six home-based players discovered by the late former Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi. Before the final, Mba caught the eyes with his powerful display in the quarterfinals against Ivory Coast, where he scored the winning goal for the Eagles in their 2-1 victory over the Ivoirians. After the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, he was a subject of disagreement between Enugu Rangers and Wolves before he left the country for CA Bastia in the third tier of French football in 2014. He scored four goals in 16 appearances for the club before moving to Yeni Malatyaspor in Turkey in 2015. He has played 36 matches and scored eight goals for the club – two of which have come this season. His contract with the Turkish second tier side will end in June 2018. Malatyaspor currently sit atop the league with 25 points after 10 matches. The 27-year-old, who has yet to return to the national team since Keshi left the team in 2015, was left out of Nigeria’s squad to the Brazil 2014 World Cup. He was however a part of the Eagles team to the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil. MNAMDI UDUAMADI Another of Keshi’s revelation in the Eagles, Oduamadi gained attention at the 2013 Confederation Cup after scoring a hat-trick in Nigeria’s 6-1 defeat of Tahiti as Nigeria finished third in Group B. Before then, the former U-17 star scored Nigeria’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw against Kenya in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on March 23, 2013 at the U J Esuene Stadium, Calabar. Oduamadi, who was a product of the Pepsi Football Academy, left the country in 2010 for AC Milan in Italy but only featured in one match for the senior team. The 26-year-old had been on spells at several clubs in Italy. He has gone on loan to Torino, Varese, Brescia, Crotone and Calcio. He however spent the latter part of 2015 at Turkish club, Sanliurfa, before joining HJK Helsinki in the Finland Premier League in 2016. His loan spell in Finland ended in September as he finished second with Helsinki in the league, scoring seven goals in 28 appearances. Like Mba, Oduamadi also missed out on the final list of players for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and has yet to make a return to the team since 2013. Ejike Uzoenyi Another Keshi-discovered star, Uzoenyi, was a part of the six home-based players at the 2013 AFCON but he came into limelight after his brilliant performance at the 2014 African Nations Championship in South Africa. The former Rangers midfielder, who was named player of the tournament, scored three goals as the Eagles finished third. He signed a four-year deal with South African club, Mamelodi Sundowns, immediately after the tournament. Uzoenyi went on to feature in 10 matches for the club before falling down the pecking order. He has however found playing time hard to come by and was recently reported to be training with Supersports United in the Premier Soccer League. The 28-year-old was also named in the provisional squad for the 2014 World Cup, making the final squad after defender Elderson Echiejile was excluded because of injury. Uche Nwofor Former U-20 striker, Nwofor, became noticed in the national team in a friendly match against South Africa in July 2013, where he scored two goals. Nwofor was tipped to battle Fernabache star, Emmanuel Emenike, for the Eagles striking role but later fizzled out of the team. The 25-year-old scored a last minute equaliser in the Eagles 2-2 draw with Scotland in the build-up to the 2014 World Cup, which earned him a place in the team as Nigeria finished in the round of 16 in Brazil. The former VVV Venlo forward, who scored 13 goals in 57 appearances for the Belgian club, is currently playing for AS Trencin in Slovakia. Michael Uchebo Popularly called Flavour after the Nigerian highlife musician because of his hairstyle, Nigeria midfielder, Uchebo, who currently plays for Boavista in the Portuguese Primera Liga, was a surprise inclusion in the Eagles Brazil 2014 World Cup team. Uchebo played his first match for the Eagles in March 2014 against Mexico, which ended goalless. He scored his first goal for Nigeria in the 2-2 draw against Scotland in a friendly ahead of the 2014 World Cup. He featured in only one match – in the 3-2 loss against Argentina. Rabiu Ibrahim Dubbed the next Jay-Jay Okocha after his exploits for the country at the 2007 U-17 World Cup, which Nigeria won, Ibrahim made his Eagles debut in June 2015 in a 2-0 win over Chad in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. However, he only played for 30 minutes of the match before he was substituted following an injury. Since then, the former AS Trencin player has yet to be called to the national team. Known for his creative ability and precise passes, Ibrahim failed to shine in the national team when he got his chance under former Nigeria coach, Sunday Oliseh. The 25-year-old is currently playing for Belgian side Gent, who he joined at the start of the season along with other Nigerians like Anderson Esiti and Moses Simon. Michael Babatunde Babatunde’s failure to hold on to a regular club has often been said to be responsible for his continuous omission from the national squad. A member of Keshi’s team to the 2014 World Cup, where he played in two of Nigeria’s four matches, he got injured in the Eagles 3-2 loss to Argentina. The 23-year-old played his first international match in the 2-2 friendly draw against Mexico in June 2013. He also played in the 2013 Confederation Cup in Brazil. He has yet to score a goal for the country. After a four-year stay in Ukraine, which ended in December 2015 at Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, the 23-year-old joined Raja Casablanca in Morocco, where he played 13 matches and scored six goals. However, in May, he joined Qatari second division side Qatar SC. Joel Obi His career has been blighted by injuries – and his international career has suffered a lot. The 25-year-old, who was at Inter Milan in the Italian Serie A since 2010, joined Torino in 2015. After making a few appearances for the country in 2011, Obi got injured and was out of the national team for a long while. He returned when he was named in the preliminary squad for the 2014 World Cup, playing in the 2-2 draw against Scotland in a friendly. He however missed the final list for the competition. He has not been invited to the national team since he was snubbed for the World Cup in Brazil. Sone Aluko Fulham forward Aluko recently regained his form at the Championship side Fulham, after being released at the end of last season by Hull City. The 27-year-old, who shunned England for Nigeria, missed out on the 2010 World Cup and the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations after making the initial list on both occasions. He has made seven appearances and scored two goals for Nigeria. Aaron Samuel Currently on loan at CSKA, striker Samuel shot to national limelight during the qualifiers for the 2015 AFCON, scoring two goals as Nigeria failed to qualify for the continent’s football showpiece. The 22-year-old, who is currently injured and billed to return to action in January, has scored two goals in seven matches for CSKA. Samuel was last invited by interim Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, for the double-header 2017 AFCON qualifiers against Egypt in March. He has seven caps and has scored two goals for Nigeria. Chrisantus Macaulay Along with Rabiu Ibrahim, Chrisantus won the South Korea 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup. He emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals. He won the Silver Ball while Germany and Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kross won the Golden Ball.A good right-footer, Chrisantus was tipped to challenge for a role in the Super Eagles in the future after South Korea 2007 but soon faded away after playing at the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt. He currently plays for Deportiu Reus in the Spanish lower league. The 26-year-old joined the club at the start of the season after leaving AEK Athens, where he scored seven goals in 24 appearances. He has made only three appearances for Reus and yet to score a goal.

Why I didn’t marry Pasuma — Ronke Odusanya, aka Flakky Ididowo

Background I hail from Ogun State. I was born into a Christian home and I had a strict upbringing. Even though my parents separated, my childhood was fun and I have so many good memories. While my mum has yet to remarry, my dad remarried and I lived with him for some time. Education I attended St. Benedict Nursery & Primary School, Lagos, and Federal Government Girls’ College, Akure. Afterwards, I studied Mass Communication at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye. Acting I became interested in acting when I was at the university. As an undergraduate, I used to feature in plays that were staged in school. Professionally, I started acting about 16 years ago. I joined Nollywood and took part in some English movies. I joined Oga Bello’s Awada Kerikeri Theatre Group, in the year 2000, and that was where I honed my acting skills. Movies In 2001, I featured in my first Yoruba movie, Baba Ologba, alongside Adebayo Salami, aka Oga Bello, and Femi Adebayo. Since then, I have featured in several others and I have played lead roles in many movies as well. Challenges Life is full of challenges and I encountered so many obstacles when I started acting. Firstly, my father was not happy that I became an actress. When he discovered, he was very angry because he thought I would get a proper job. Besides, nobody in my father’s family had ever become an actress. Most of them were doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. My father and my stepmother did not support me and they tried to frustrate my ambition. At some point, he asked me to move out of his house if I was bent on becoming an actress. I went to live with my mum and even though she was not happy at what I had decided to do with my life, she did not fail to support me. Another challenge I faced was the poor remuneration. There were times when I was not even paid at all but I did not allow that to discourage me because of the passion I have for the job. Nicknames I have several nicknames. At the beginning of my career, I used to be known as Ronke AKO (Awada Kerikeri Organisation). I am also known as Becky, which was the character I played in Funke Akindele-Bello’s two-part movie, Jenifa. I think the nickname that has stuck with me is Flakky Ididowo. I got that pseudonym after I played Folake in a movie produced by someone I respect so much, Fathia Balogun. Movie production I am not only an actress, I am also a producer. I have produced several movies in the past and I just finished work on two movies. I like to make good films and that is why I don’t come out with movies every now and then. I am a professional and I know what a good movie should look like. I have set a standard for myself and I don’t want to disappoint my fans. Physique People say I have a provocative figure but I did not create myself. When I was younger, people used to taunt me and I would cry. Over time, I have come to love my body irrespective of whether I have unusually large breasts or buttocks. When I walk on the streets of Lagos, men look at me in a seductive manner but I don’t care as long as I am not indecently dressed. In fact, some people scream obscenities at me. Some call me Cowbell and I either laugh it off or just ignore them. Fame I do not care about fame. It has not changed who I am and it has not altered the way I relate with people be it my family, friends or fans. I am a very simple person and generally down-to-earth and forthright. To a large extent, I am an introvert and I like to spend a lot of time indoors. I rarely go out except it is very necessary. Marriage Being in the limelight has it disadvantages. One of the demerits of being in the limelight is that one finds it difficult to find true love. You can’t tell if that man or woman loves you for who you are or because you are a celebrity. I will get married when God says it is my time. My time has yet to come and that is why I am still single. Anyone who rushes into marriage will definitely rush out, so I am taking my time. Unlike it was speculated sometime ago, I have never been married. Pasuma and I Not all relationships lead to marriage and such was my relationship with Pasuma. Even though we are no longer dating, we are still good friends. The fact that we are both celebrities may have been responsible for our inability to get married. A lot of times, celebrity marriages don’t work out because both parties are in the limelight. This breeds a lot of distrust and problems in the marriage. Style I like simple, nice and classy wear. I also like traditional wear because I look good in them and they are super comfortable.

UCC final year student releases her own sex video

A student of the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, Nana Abena Korkor Addo, whose sex video went viral has revealed interesting details after the ordeal that nearly ruined her life. She revealed how she was the one that leaked her own sex video on social media, blaming it on mental ailment. According to Nana Abena, her bipolar disorder caused her to leak the explicit video showing her private parts on social media. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter A screenshot from the video In a candid interview with Adom News on Friday, November 18, Nana Abena said before the sex video was released, she was aspiring to be the SRC president. The release of the sex video crashed her dreams and nearly forced her to lose her life. In the controversial video, she was filmed stripping and dancing seductively in the presence of a female friend while revealing her private parts. The video generated a lot of controversy given the position she was vying for in school. Many thought it was rather her competitors in the race for the SRC President position who might have leaked the video to thwart her chances of winning the election. However, Nana Abena Korkor Addo shocked everyone when she admitted to posting the explicit video herself. But years after the incident, the repentant lady said her action was due to her mental condition diagnosed by doctors at the Accra psychiatric hospital. She however noted that, through the positive encouragement from family, students and faculty at UCC while on admission, she has been able to recover. Nana Abena who was then in her final year said she had to repeat because the condition adversely affected her academic performance. She also appealed to young women not to ever attempt recording themselves when naked since “you might not know what would happen to it”. Read more: https://www.naij.com/1055406-female-ucc-student-releases-video.html