nigeria news lead

July 25 Limp. Bizkit. Is. Back... Again. It’s not just aging boy bands and Fueled by Ramen artists that are creeping out of the woodwork for an attempt at excellence again. Somewhere, deep within a pool of hotdog flavored water, Fred Durst’s inner superstar doesn’t know when to quit. Limp Bizkit —the late ‘90s nu-metal ensemble that made backwards baseball hats cool, and subsequently made them lame—has returned with their video “Ready to Go,” the lead single off their forthcoming album Stampede of the Disco Elephants . In the video, a greying Durst announces his glorious follow-up to the mediocre-fated 2011 LP, Gold Cobra , from the most reasonable place imaginable: the toilet. The gang’s all here for the fun, including Wes Borland, who still loves playing dress-up. There’s a blow-up pool, hot chicks, and dirty summer goodness at every cut. Also, Lil Wayne drops by to rap about, well… pretty much nothing.

July 25 Sunday Mba says he is ready for the big move The Super Eagles midfielder has disclosed that he will soon join the foreign train after putting behind him all the problems of his club entanglements Super Eagles midfielder Sunday Mba has disclosed that he is ready for the big move to Europe. Mba who scored the winning goal for the Super Eagles in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations told Goal that he is back to his best after the battle from two Nigeria Premier League clubs almost derailed his plans to join the foreign League. But with the declaration of Warri Wolves that he can play for Rangers on loan for free, Mba is confident that he will soon realise his ambition of playing abroad. "I am a happy man now because all the problems associated with my career at home are now over. Now I can say that I am ready to finally make the big move to Europe since there is no contention about my status," Mba told Goal. "I want to say that Warri Wolves did a go...

July 25 Katy Perry Topless in Esquire   Katy Perry isn’t shy. That’s why we’re not surprised she decided to pose in next to nothing for Esquire UK magazine's August issue. That’s one way to draw extra attention to her upcoming album Teenage Dream . Perry posed wearing high-waisted underwear, black heels, and a long necklace that conveniently hung in her cleavage. Russell Brand and Katy Perry: Latex Please! "It's Lucille Ball meets Bob Mackie. It's about innuendo," she said of her sense of style. "I want everybody to get the joke, but I want them to think about it for a minute. Katy Perry Wants Rihanna to Strip for Her "I aimed a little bit sexy with the hair. I wanted to just grow up a little bit. I'll be 25 this year." Katy told the mag that her stylist helps her style to be so unique. “My stylist is a continuous burst of ‘Yes we can.’ He dreams just as retarded as I dream,” she said. The album comes out in August, a...

July 25 Red Raven From Ghana! Actress Helen Asante Rocks The Look In New Promo Shots

July 25 Album Title Need An Explanation More Later Yeahhhhhhhhh....

Jul 25 The Premier League champions will return with one last offer for the Spain midfielder, but are pessimistic about their chances and have lined up a number of alternative signings Manchester United will make an improved third bid worth €41 million for Cesc Fabregas after Barcelona rejected their latest offer for the midfielder, Goal understands. The Blaugrana have turned down United’s second bid for Fabregas - worth €35m plus add-ons - and have told the Premier League champions the former Arsenal captain is not for sale. United, however, are preparing a third and final bid to test Barcelona’s reserve as the club’s vice-president, Ed Woodward, looks to provide new manager David Moyes with a stellar midfield signing this summer. The Premier League champions would offer Fabregas a wage package worth around €233,000-a-week but fear they will be unable to agree a fee with Barcelona to take the player to Old Trafford. Moyes confirmed on Monday that Uni...

july 25   Album Releases: Selena Gomez, Marc Anthony, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Plus More There is only one more Tuesday in July and summer is flying by fast. Take the time to enjoy some of the month’s last few offerings. Drug Church to F*ck Buttons to Selena Gomez will have you thrashing, dancing, and singing along throughout this next week. Be sure to check out these new album releases. Drug Church – Paul Walker. Their debut LP will help you get out of bed in the morning with its screamy, thrashy goodness. Via No Sleep Records. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Self-Titled. With their choir-like vocals and large sound, this album is perfect if you want to feel spiritual or commune with nature. From Community Music. Selena Gomez – Stars Dance. Finally, Selena has dropped her first album and it has everything you can imagine, from dance to hip-hop, even some electro-punk. Via Hollywood Records.    F*ck Buttons – Slo...

July 25 “Me, My Mouth & Eye”.! It’s Album No.6 For Veteran Sound Sultan   12 years has gone by since Sound Sultan took his first taste of the Nigerian music industry and clearkly he’s savoured that flavour, holding tenaciously and keeping his head above obscurity. Now he’s here again with a new one; “Me, My Mouth & Eye” which holds the honour as his album No.6. Six times the voice, six times the sweat, six times the joy, six times the charm! His hit singles “Gud Gal” and “Natural Something ” has raised our expectation levels (because they’re damn good), and made us lick our lips in anticipation of the lyrical goodness he has, obviously lined to serenade our hearts, and lift us into musical bliss. A follow-up to 2010′s “Back to The future (Mission 2010)” , The collection of new songs is slated to feature such prominent acts as Wizkid, Duncan Mighty, Sean Tizzle, Flavour, Baba Dee, Reminisce and long-time collaborator, 2Face Idibia. It will also f...

July 25 FYI: Lady Gaga's New Single, Jimmy Eat World Cover Taylor Swift Lady Gaga Jimmy Eat World Chris Brown Selena Gomez Beyonce Taylor Swift Music News New Music Pop ARTPOP Concerts   Lady Gaga ’s next single might be called “Applause,” or she might just be doing some random arts and crafts in a recent social media upload. ( Idolator ) Even though she was dropped by Warner Bros. back in the day, Bonnie McKee doesn’t have hard feelings. “Everybody gets dropped. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry…” ( Idolator ) Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty in the hit-and-run case that has been hovering over him since May. The next court date is August 15th. ( Rolling Stone ) If you need something new to listen to, Icona Pop ’s “All Night” is now available for consumption. ( MTV ) A photo from the film All Is By My Side has been released,  André 3000 can be seen in character as Jimi Hendrix . ( Pitchfork ) In ...

July 25 I didn’t kidnap Briton but collected ransom – Suspect     The Lagos State Police Command on Monday paraded a 27-year-old man, Chukwuemeka Benson, for the alleged kidnap of a British expatriate, Dickson Lee. The PUNCH had reported that Lee, who was kidnapped in Mafoluku area of the state on his way from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport last Thursday, had been rescued by the police on Sunday. It was learnt that after kidnapping the victim, the kidnappers demanded $1m (N159m) as ransom. However, police detectives working undercover were able to negotiate N7.5m with the kidnappers. It was learnt that the suspect was arrested while he was attempting to collect the ransom. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, said the suspect was arrested along Lagos-Badagry Expressway. Manko said after his arrest, Benson led detectives to an uncompleted building in Okota area of the state where the victim was found. He said, “Benson came to c...

July 25 Man electrocuted in Jos     PHCN power station Tragedy struck in Apata area of Jos North after a 28- year-old electrician was electrocuted while trying to fix a problem on an electricity pole in the area. The victim, identified as Chukwuebuka Eze, was also said to be a musician, having presented an album recently. Eze, according to eyewitnesses, climbed the pole in Agwan Lambu quarters around 12 .05pm in a bid to change the supply phase to his shop. It was while he was in the process of doing so that the Power Holding of Nigeria suddenly restored supply. He was instantly electrocuted. His shirt caught fire and burnt out even as his body remained hanging on the wires. A loud spark was said to have followed the incident, which attracted passersby and neighbours who watched helplessly. A neighbour of the deceased, who came out and saw him on fire and dangling from the pole described the incident as “terrible and horrifying.” Some onlookers r...

July 25 Jonathan stops arbitrary contract cost variation by ministers     President Goodluck Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday ordered his ministers to, henceforth, stop their penchant for indiscriminate requests for augmentation or variation of the cost of projects. He said in a situation where augmentation became inevitable, such cost variation should not exceed 15 per cent of the original cost of the projects. The President gave the directive during the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The ministers of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, and Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Muhammed, briefed journalists on the outcome of the meeting. Maku said the President expressed displeasure over situations where the variations being sought by ministers were more than the original costs of the affected projects. He said Jonathan was of the view that if officials in Ministries, Departments and Agenci...

July 25 Ex-convict shot by friends after release from prison     Ojoye One of the warring factions in the Mushin crisis turned on its own recently, shooting an ex-convict, Kunle Ojoye, barely a week after his return from prison. Ojoye was allegedly shot at Akobi Crescent, Surulere, by his old friends. Ojoye, also known as Obama, was said to be an active member of the Akala boys’ faction at Mushin before his arrest. Since the incident on July 16, 2013, Ojoye’s whereabouts had remained unknown as he was said to be critically injured. A source at Fadeyi community where Ojoye lives, told PUNCH Metro , on the condition of anonymity, said ‘Obama’ was arrested in Feburary 2013 by the Special Anti Robbery Squad for his alleged role in the Mushin crisis and the supremacy battle in the National Union of Road Transport Workers. A friend to Ojoye, who also requested anonymity, said, “When Ojoye was convicted and sent to Kirikiri Minimum Prison, he sent message...

July 25 PHCN official in ICPC net for collecting bribe A top official of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Mr. Omololu Gabriel, has been arrested by the  Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission for allegedly collecting bribe. Omololu, the Principal Manager, PHCN Abuja Distribution Company, Wuse Zone 4, was arrested by the commission following a petition by a customer. A statement by the ICPC Head of Media, Folu Olamiti, said he allegedly demanded a bribe of N100,000 from a customer to install two transformers– a 100 KVA/33/0.415 KV and a 50 KVA/33/0.415 KV. ICPC said the petitioner had formally applied to purchase and install the two transformers through Omololu, who on receiving the application demanded a bribe of N100, 000 and had subsequently taken N50, 000 from the petitioner. According to the statement, infuriated by Omololu’s insistence on collecting the balance of N50,000 as a condition for releasing the second transfo...

July 25 Two steal iron bed from Police College The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned two men- Mundansul Abubakar and Umaru Abdullahi- before the Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing from the Police College, Ikeja. Abubakar, 25, and Abdullahi, 21, allegedly stole iron beds from the college valued at N50,000. The charge sheet read, “That you Mundansul Abubakar and Umaru Abdullahi on July 20, 2013, about 1500hrs at Senior Police Officer Quarters GRA, Ikeja, in Ikeja Magisterial District did conduct yourselves in manner likely to cause the breach of peace by entering into Police College, Ikeja, and stealing iron beds and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 166 Law No. 11 Vol. 44 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. “That you Mundansul Abubakar and Umaru Abdullahion the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district did enter into Police College, Ikeja and stole iron beds valued at the sum of N50,000 only, property o...

July 25 Police arraign down-syndrome patient   A 17-year old girl, Olajumoke Ogundumi, has been arraigned before the Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing money put in her trust. The police said Ogundumi, a down-syndrome patient, allegedly stole N110, 000 belonging to Blessing Arambambi and Falilat Soko. The two counts read in part, “That you, Olajumoke Ogundumi,f, sometimes in the month of June,2013 at No. 5, Onayingbo NEPA street Mushin in the Lagos Magisterial District did steal the sum of Ninety thousand naira (N90,000.00) given to you in trust to keep by one Blessing Arabambi,f, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 285 (9)(b) of the criminal laws of Lagos State Nigeria, 2011.” The Investigating Police Officer, Ogunmefun Sakirat, told the court that the complainant was in court. However, as the suspect was helped into the dock, the magistrate, Ms S.O Solabo, objected to the continuation of the arraignment. She asked...

July 25 Lagos dumps 70 beggars, others in Onitsha   No fewer than 70 beggars and the homeless were on Wednesday dumped at the Upper Iweka Bridge, Onitsha, Anambra State. Agents of the Lagos State Government reportedly brought the destitute to Onitsha. The destitute told journalists that they were dumped about 3am at Upper Iweka after being detained in Ikorodu, Lagos, for over six months for alleged wandering and other minor offences by the Lagos State Kick Against Indiscipline officials. The destitute said they were brought to Onitsha in four buses, escorted by riot policemen.  One of them, Mr. Osondu Mbuto, from Ohaozara in Ebonyi State and a petty trader in Lagos, said he was arrested by the Lagos State Government officials while going to his shop on December 18, 2012. Mbuto added that the Lagos State Government officials were in company with some policemen. The Chairman of Nigeria Red Cross Society in the South-East, Dr. Peter Katchy, described the ...

July 25 FIFA lifts Cameroon ban   FIFA boss, Sepp Blatter FIFA lifted Cameroon’s indefinite suspension from international football on Monday, clearing the way for the team to finish their World Cup qualifiers. World soccer’s governing body said the conditions it had made when it imposed the suspension on July 4 had been met. “As requested by the FIFA Emergency Committee, the normalisation committee that was appointed on 20 July 2013 was able to take up its duties this Monday… at the FECAFOOT headquarters, with FIFA and (African federation) CAF observers present,” FIFA said in a statement. “The lifting of the suspension means that FECAFOOT’s clubs, officials and other representatives can immediately resume their activities, which had been interrupted.” FIFA, which said it would continue to closely monitor the situation, suspended Cameroon because of government interference in FECAFOOT’s affairs. The lifting of the ban will allow Cameroon to play their f...

July 24 Electricity distribution companies made N189bn revenue •Afam, Kaduna financial bids to be opened July 31   Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo As of May this year, electricity distribution companies in the country realised N189bn as revenue despite poor supply to consumers. This was against the N151bn collected as total revenue by the companies in 2011. This was contained in a document obtained by our correspondent from the Federal Ministry of Power on the achievements of the government in the sector. Speaking on the development at the Ministerial Platform in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, described the revenue rise as a key achievement of his ministry. The rise in revenue may not be unconnected with the increase in electricity tariff being collected by the distribution companies, as only last week, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission insisted that the fixed electricity charges must increase despite errat...

July 25 NAFDAC warns public against eating processed rice seedlings The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned the people in Jigawa against buying treated rice seedlings meant for planting for consumption. The NAFDAC Director in the state, Malam Abduljalal Manzo, issued the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Thursday. Manzo said NAFDAC had  carried out a mop up operation in the area following reports by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) on the processing and sale of treated rice seedlings in Kazaure Local Government Area. He said that the mop up revealed that some market women were processing rice seedlings and selling to the public for consumption. Manzo said that two suspects involved in the activity were arrested and handed over to the agency by men of NSCDC.  

July 25 Impeachment by minority not new –S’South elders   Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi Some leaders from the South-South geo-political zone said in Abuja on Wednesday that there was nothing new in using the minority to impeach the majority. The leaders, who were 14 in number, spoke at the residence of their leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on the attempt by five lawmakers in the Rivers State House Assembly to impeach the Speaker, who had the backing of 27 members. Though the South-South leaders said they were not in support of any form of impeachment process other the one provided for in the Nigerian Constitution, they however said it was unfortunate that those criticising the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly kept quiet when such actions were carried out in other states. Reading a prepared speech, the Deputy Chairman of the group, Air Cdre. Idongesit Nkanga (retd.), said, “When the Ogun State House of Assembly was enmeshed in crisis, wh...

July 25 ‘We didn’t sign fresh death warrant’   Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole Edo State Government has denied the allegation that Governor Adams Oshiohmole recently signed the death warrants of two more prisoners in the state. The governmet’s position was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Peter Okhiria, on Wednesday in Benin. The statement described media reports on the issue as false, saying they were intended to cause disaffection in the state. It, therefore, advised members of the public to disregard the information, adding that the governor would not shy away from carrying out his constitutional duties when the need arose. Meanwhile, the state government has appointed Mr. Aremiyau Aligame-Momoh as the Executive Director, Revenue Matters. The government desribed this as part of efforts “to improve on its revenue generation and effectively monitor same.” A statement by the Secretary to the State Go...

July 25 Senate will reconsider resolution on child marriage – Mark   President of the Senate, David Mark President of the Senate, David Mark, has promised that the Senate will revisit its decision to amend  Section 29(4)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which defines the full age of a woman seeking to renounce her citizenship. The Senate Committee on Constitution Review led by Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, had recommended that sub-section 4b be deleted because it was “discriminatory.” It   suggested that a woman of any age, once married, was an adult. Although Section 29 deals with the right of citizens to renounce their citizenship  and subsection 4 defines the age at which a citizen could do so, a religious connotation brought in by Senator Ahmed Yerima swayed  Senators’  votes to retain the clause. The Senate had initially voted to delete it as recommended by the committee, but had to retake its  voting ...

July 25 APGA crisis: Obi disowns campaign against Jonathan   Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi Governor Peter Obi of  Anambra State has denied being behind a media campaign accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of betraying him in his alleged  bid to  take control of the All Progressives Grand Alliance. Obi, in a  statement on Wednesday   by his  Special Assistant   on Media and Publicity,  Mr. Valentine Obienyem,  said  the  claim contained in the  advertorial  that Jonathan “stabbed  him in the back” for losing the APGA  case at the Court of Appeal,   did not emanate from  him  or any of his associates. The Court of Appeal had last week ruled that Obi’s political opponent, Chief Victor Umeh, was   the National Chairman of APGA. Describing the publication as another plot by “enemies of progress to cause disaffection between friends,”  the g...

July 23 , 2013 by Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt. Patience Jonathan’s mother dies in crash Mrs. Patience Jonathan   THERE was anxiety in Port Harcourt on Monday as news of the death of Mrs. Iwari-Oba, the mother of the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience,  spread in the Rivers State capital. The mother of Mrs. Jonathan was said to have been involved in a ghastly motor accident along Elele Road in Rivers State. It was gathered that the woman, who is from Okrika Local Government Area, was on her way to Bayelsa State when the accident happened. Unconfirmed report indicated that her corpse was taken to Kpaiyama Mortuary by a team of policemen and a member representing Ogu Bolo State Constituency, Mr. Evans Bipi, who is a relative to the deceased. Though, the police and the Federal Road Safety Commission in the state could not confirm the incident, an aide to Bipi said the First Lady’s mother died in a road accident, which occur...

July 24 Mixed reactions greet govs’ visits to ex-leaders   Mixed reactions have continued to trail the visits of some Northern states’ governors to three former Nigerian leaders – Generals Olusegun Obasanjo,   Abdusalami Abubakar and Ibrahim Babangida. Four of the governors – Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Sule Lamido(Jigawa); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); and Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano) – had  last Saturday visited Obasanjo in Abeokuta where they discussed issues that have to do with the polity, especially the 2015 general elections. On Monday, Wamakko, Lamido, Kwakwanso and Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu  headed for Minna, where they reportedly discussed similar issues, including the political crisis in Rivers State with Abubakar and Babangida. At the meeting which was to have also been attended by Nyako, the governors appealed to Abubakar and Babangida to ask President Goodluck Jonathan to  urgently bring the Rivers State crisis to...

July 24 Pate, Minister of State, Health, resigns Dr. Muhammed Pate   The Minister of State, Health, Dr.  Muhammed Pate, on Wednesday voluntarily resigned from President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet. In his resignation letter dated July 22 and addressed to the President, Pate said he was leaving the cabinet to take up the position of  Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute USA in which capacity he will participate in a university-wide Africa initiative, and will also serve  as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates  Foundation based in Washington DC.  

July 23 Vandals rupture NNPC pipeline in Lagos   A vandalised pipeline site at Arepo, Ogun State. Pipeline vandals ruptured a pipeline belonging to the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in Lagos on Monday, few weeks after an explosion occurred at the Atlas Cove area of the state. It was gathered that the pipeline was vandalised at Ita-Iyalode, a community in Idimu, and the PPMC said a major explosion was averted as officials of the National Emergency Management Agency and the Lagos State Fire Service swiftly responded to distress calls made to them by residents of the community. NEMA and fire officials were said to have prevented a possible explosion by sprinkling foam on the spilled petrol, re-directed traffic and enlightened the residents about the spills and how to manage it. The Manager, Media Relations and External Affairs, PPMC, Mr. Nasir Imodagbe, who confirmed the incident, said, “A section of our pip...

July 22 Big transfer moves still elude Nigerians   Godfrey Oboabona Nigeria’s success at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations is yet to rub off on the players who had featured in the tournament not only to bring glory to their fatherland, but also with the hope of impressing big clubs reports Kazeem Busari It is an accomplished fact that the AFCON produces some of the continent’s best players to feature in some of Europe’s best clubs. Scouts seem to prefer recruiting from the tournament after seeing African players take on one another in their domain. To the scouts, it is probably the best way to assess raw talents before taking them to Europe for refining. The 2013 AFCON did not disappoint in revealing talented footballers, but very few of the players gone on to sign for European clubs. The worst hits are the Super Eagles who won the tournament for the first time since 1994 with a relatively young squad. The home-based players in the Nigeria squad – Sunday Mba,...