Author: David Great

Dr Hafsat Abiola-Costello, the Director-General, Hope 23, Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, says the masses will be the godfather of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, when he is elected president of Nigeria. Abiola-Costello stated this while addressing a World Press Conference in Abuja on Sunday on the candidacy of Bello for the 2023 presidency. She said the fact that Bello was independent and never accepted to have a godfather was a big plus for him, noting that the Nigerian people (masses) would be his godfathers once elected President. “I am leading this campaign because I believe in the candidate. “I…

Troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), have eliminated no fewer than 100 Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, including 10 key commanders in Lake Chad region. The Chief of Military Public Information for MNJTF, Col. Muhammad Dole, in a statement on Sunday, said the forces successfully hit the enclaves in a well coordinated land and air offensives. Dole said the offensives were conducted under “Operation Lake Sanity”, joint operations involving the MNJTF troops from Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon and troops from Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK- Nigeria). He said the operation also included the combined Air…

Prince Bola Ajibola, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, once described his then Special Adviser, Yemi Osinbajo, as a “miracle worker” following his hard work and astute performance in the delivery of assignments given him. In a July 19, 1989 ‘Thank you’ letter written by the former Attorney-General and seen by a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, Ajibola described Osinbajo as an experienced and efficient assistant who delivers on his job in record time. Ajibola gave Osinbajo his first political appointment in 1988, 11 years before he became Lagos State Attorney General. In the letter,…

Chelsea set up a second Wembley meeting with Liverpool this season as they overcame Crystal Palace’s stubborn resistance to reach the FA Cup final. Liverpool won the Carabao Cup final on penalties in February but Chelsea will have the chance for revenge as second-half goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount underlined their supremacy. Unlike the first semi-final between Liverpool and Manchester City, chances were at a premium until substitute Loftus-Cheek, on for the injured Mateo Kovacic, broke the deadlock with a deflected shot after 65 minutes. Palace had their opportunities, Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saving well from Cheikhou Kouyate…

There has been a third night of unrest in Sweden after protests against a far-right group which burned a copy of the Quran and planned to do so again. Violence broke out in the city of Malmö late on Saturday after a gathering of the Stram Kurs, or Hard Line, movement led by the extremist Rasmus Paludan. Vehicles were set on fire, and some protesters threw stones at the police. A number of other clashes between the police and counter-demonstrators have hit Sweden in recent days. At least 16 police officers are reported to have been injured and several police…

Kaduna Police Command rescued four kidnap victims on Friday, the spokesman, ASP Mohammed Jalige, stated in Kaduna on Sunday. Jalige stated that an unspecified number of bandits stormed Gabari Community, Samaru, in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna state on Friday. An anonymous caller promptly reached out to the Divisional Police Office at Danmagaji, Zaria, he stated. “The caller said an unspecified number of suspected bandits, dressed in military gear invaded the community, shot sporadically and whisked four victims into the forest,” Jalige also stated. He added that on receiving the information, men of Operation Puff Adder II, a…

West Ham came from behind to dent managerless Burnley’s hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League in a match tainted by Ashley Westwood’s injury. Tomas Soucek equalised from close range to cancel out Wout Weghorst’s opener as West Ham extended their unbeaten home run to eight games in all competitions. The Hammers could have snatched victory late on but they found an inspired Nick Pope, who produced three big saves in the final stages, standing in their way. Both sides started with attacking intent but the game took a turn for the worse when Westwood was stretchered off with…

Rangers will play Hearts in the final of the Scottish Cup on 21 May after coming from behind to beat Celtic in extra time of a relentless and pulsating Old Firm derby. Celtic defender Carl Starfelt turned Calvin Bassey’s cross into his own net with five minutes of extra time left to send the blue end of Hampden wild. It sealed an impressive turnaround for the Ibrox side, who fell behind to Greg Taylor’s goal in the second half before Scott Arfield equalised, and a chance at a first domestic cup for 11 years. The rousing comeback also ends Celtic’s…

Bruno Guimaraes struck deep into stoppage time as Newcastle came from behind to beat Leicester and edged a step closer to Premier League survival. The Brazilian midfielder cancelled out Ademola Lookman’s opener on the half-hour mark before the two sides played out a strangely subdued second half. But in the five minutes of added time, a low cross by substitute Joe Willock deflected kindly for Guimaraes to snatch the winner with a diving header. Guimaraes was Newcastle’s first big signing under their new owners, arriving from Lyon in the January transfer window for an initial £35m, and has helped provide…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to use his “good offices to urgently review and withdraw the pardon granted to former governors of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, and Taraba State, Rev Jolly Nyame who are serving jail terms for corruption.” SERAP is also urging him to “propose constitutional amendment to the National Assembly to reform the provisions on the exercise of the prerogative of mercy to make the provisions more transparent, and consistent and compatible with Nigeria’s international anti-corruption obligations.” Mr Dariye and Mr Nyame were jailed for stealing N1.16bn and N1.6bn, respectively. However,…