Buhari reminds Golden Eaglets of winning U-17 World Cup like 1985

President Muhammadu Buhari has on Saturday reminded the defending champions of FIFA Under 17 world cup about the  first time Nigeria won the cup when he was then nation's head of state. 

NUJ Europe gathered that Mr President spoke to the team of Nigeria's Golden Eaglets for almost half-an hour and interacted with the boys who are playing Mali in the final of FIFA U-17 World Cup tomorrow in Chile. During a visual-mobile phone platform  conversation with the footballers President  Buhari urged the defending champion to do the nation proud again.

 President tweeted shortly after the conversation thus : "The Golden Eaglets first won the Under-17 FIFA World Cup in China in 1985, when President @MBuhari was military head of state."

Nigeria first won the same tournament in China in 1985, when President Buhari was military head of state, and he urged the team to repeat the same feat tomorrow against Mali, to make it the fifth time Nigeria will win the trophy.

Starting with the head coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, President Buhari congratulated him for leading the team to the final, and then said:”Your victory tomorrow will remind Nigerians of what happened in China 30 years ago, and it will raise the morale of Nigerians, especially the youths. We’re praying for you. We are anxiously waiting to receive the cup. Please put us on the world map of soccer again.”
Speaking to Udoh Akpan, the goalkeeper, President Buhari said he was a very strategic member of the team, noting:”If you don’t let in the goals, then none will be scored against us. We look forward to lifting the cup.”
To John Lazarus, a defender, the President said, “don’t allow anybody to penetrate the defense,” while charging Tobechukwu Ibe, another defender to “rest well today, because a lot of Nigerians will be depending on you tomorrow.”
To top striker, Victor Osimhen, who has scored 9 goals so far, President Buhari said:”Strike like thunder tomorrow. I believe you will bring us victory.”
The captain of the team, Kelechi Nwakali, was charged to maintain his winning leadership , while Joel Osikel, a midfielder, was told by the President that he was “the jewel of the team,” and challenged to contribute his quota towards victory.
Apart from the 21 players and head coach, President Buhari also had encouraging words for other members of the technical team, the team doctor, physiotherapist, media officer, and other officials.Nigeria first won the same tournament in China in 1985, when President Buhari was military head of state, and he urged the team to repeat the same feat tomorrow against Mali, to make it the fifth time Nigeria will win the trophy.
Starting with the head coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, President Buhari congratulated him for leading the team to the final, and then said:”Your victory tomorrow will remind Nigerians of what happened in China 30 years ago, and it will raise the morale of Nigerians, especially the youths. We’re praying for you. We are anxiously waiting to receive the cup. Please put us on the world map of soccer again.”
Speaking to Udoh Akpan, the goalkeeper, President Buhari said he was a very strategic member of the team, noting:”If you don’t let in the goals, then none will be scored against us. We look forward to lifting the cup.”
To John Lazarus, a defender, the President said, “don’t allow anybody to penetrate the defense,” while charging Tobechukwu Ibe, another defender to “rest well today, because a lot of Nigerians will be depending on you tomorrow.”
To top striker, Victor Osimhen, who has scored 9 goals so far, President Buhari said:”Strike like thunder tomorrow. I believe you will bring us victory.”
The captain of the team, Kelechi Nwakali, was charged to maintain his winning leadership , while Joel Osikel, a midfielder, was told by the President that he was “the jewel of the team,” and challenged to contribute his quota towards victory.
Apart from the 21 players and head coach, President Buhari also had encouraging words for other members of the technical team, the team doctor, physiotherapist, media officer, and other officials.

The coach, Emmanuel Amunike expressed appreciation to all Nigerians for supporting the boys and promised that Nigerians would be happy to see the footballers win the cup for the 5th time by tomorrow.

 Nigeria thrashed Mexico 4 goals to 2 in the early hours of Friday in the Semi finals of Chile 2015 Under 17 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria is playing against Mali in the final match on Sunday, (8th November, 2015) by 23:00 hrs Nigeria local time.

By Lashley Oladigbolu, London

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Violation: MTN Faces §5.2bn Fine by NCC Over Falae's Abduction

By: Chijioke Ohuocha and Tiisetso Motsoeneng

By September, other operators, had cut off those they could not verify while MTN had made a "partial attempt. Photo: REUTERS/SIPHIWE SIBEKO

LAGOS/JOHANNESBURG Nov 6 (Reuters) - When Nigeria failed to trace owners of SIM cards used by kidnappers of a prominent politician in September, it was the final straw for the west African country after what it called a string of violations by telecoms firm 

Africa's biggest mobile phone company was given a $5.2 billion penalty by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) last month after the South African company failed to cut off users with unregistered SIM cards from its network.

Nigeria has been pushing industry players to verify the identity of their subscribers on worries that unregistered SIM cards were being used for criminal activity in a country facing Islamic militant group Boko Haram's insurgency.

The fine, which is based on a $1,000 for each phone line MTN failed to cut off, has left investors, including its biggest shareholder, wondering how the company failed to comply with the law that carried that such a heavy penalty.

"We are equally concerned that MTN seems to have failed to anticipate the fine and take preventative actions," said the Public Investment Corporation, MTN biggest shareholder with about 16.6 percent stake.

The NCC raised the prospect of a penalty on MTN Group and other players in Africa's biggest economy at least two months before imposing the fine on the Johannesburg-based company.

But the final straw for MTN, according to an NCC source, came a month after the high profile kidnapping of former Nigerian Finance Minister and runner-up candidate in the 1999 presidential election, Olu Falae, on Sept. 21.

CONFLICTING NUMBERS

The company said this week that it was in talks with Nigerian authorities about a penalty which would wipe out more than two years of annual profit.

When the NCC imposed the penalty MTN had been talking with the regulator about the exact number of people that needed to be disconnected from the network, two sources familiar with the matter.

In a meeting with the state security agency and all operators on August 4, the NCC had asked MTN to cut off between 10 and 18.6 million users but MTN told the regulator that it only had 5.2 million users whose identity could not be verified, an NCC source said.

"MTN was under the presumption that it can carry on business as usual because it was still in discussion with the regulators," the source said.

MTN has said the fine related to the "timing of the disconnection" of subscribers and is expected to argue that it could not cut off any subscribers by the deadline date because it had been in talks with regulator.

By September, other operators, which include United Arab Emirates' Etisalat and India's Bharti Airtel, had fully verified their users and cut off those they could not verify their identity while MTN had made a "partial attempt", the NCC said.

Then, on Oct. 22, four weeks after the abduction of Falae and about two months after the August deadline, the NCC, on advice from the state security agency, decided to impose the fine but only made it public four days later.

“When I told the kidnappers that my family could raise N2m for ransom against the N100m they demanded, they rejected it and told me, ‘Is it Boko Haram you are giving N2m to?’ stated, Chief Olu Falae, while recalling his ordeal in the hands of kidnappers upon his release.

"These SIM cards with invalid registrations pose a grave security risk to the country," the NCC memo said. "The recent kidnapping of the former finance minister Chief Olu Falae is one example of this risk."

MTN also faces a Johannesburg bourse investigation on the timing of its announcement of the penalty. The company declined to comment.

($1 = 13.7782 rand)

($1 = 199.0000 naira) (b
Sources: Thomson Reuters 

Nigerian Senate Committee Chairmen Revealed!

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has unveiled the list of committee chairmen as well as that of the vice chairmen of the 8th Assembly.

The committees which was divided into 65 are saddled with the responsibility of overseeing certain sectors in Nigeria.

Here are the 65 committees

1.
Committee on Rules & Business
Babajide Omoworare
Ali Ndume
2.
Senate Services Committee
Ibrahim Gobir
Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
3.
Committee on Ethics & Privileges
Samuel Anyanwu
Bala Ibn Na’allah
4.
Committee on Public Accounts
Andy Uba
Gbolahan Dada
5.
Committee on National Security & Intelligence
Shaaba Lafiagi
David Jonah Jang
STANDING COMMITTEES
6.
Committee on Agriculture
Abdullahi Adamu
Theodore A. Orji
7.
Committee on Air Force
Duro Samuel Faseyi
Ali Wakili
8.
Committee on Army
George Akume
Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba
9.
Committee on Anti – Corruption & Financial Crimes
Godfrey Chukwuka Utazi
Sani Mustapha
10.
Committee on Appropriations
Danjuma Goje
Sunny Ogbuoji
11.
Committee on Aviation
Hope Uzodinma
Bala Ibn Na’allah
12.
Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions
Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim
Achonu Nneji
13.
Committee on Capital Market
Isiaka Adeleke
Ogola Foster
14.
Committee on Communications
Gilbert Nnaji
Solomon Adeola Olamilekan
15.
Committee on Cooperation & Integration in Africa & NEPAD
Abubakar Sani Danladi
Baba Kaka Garba
16.
Committee on Culture & Tourism
Matthew Urhoghide
Abubakar A. M.
17.
Committee on Customs, Excise & Tariff
Adamu Aliero
Samuel Anyanwu
18.
Committee on Defence
Ahmad Lawan
Jeremiah Useni
19.
Committee on Diaspora & Civil Societies
Rose Oko

20.
Committee on Drugs & Narcotics
Joshua Lidani
Phillip Gyunka
21.
Committee on Downstream Petroleum
Uche Ekwunife
Jibrin Barau
22.
Committee on Ecology & Climate Change
Bukar Abba Ibrahim
Achonu Nneji
23.
Committee on Education (Basic & Secondary)
Aliyu Wamakko
Rose Oko
24.
Committee on Employment, Labour & Productivity
Suleiman Nazif

25.
Committee on Environment
Olaka Johnson Nwogu
Oluremi Tinubu
26.
Committee on Establishment & Public Service
Emmanuel Paulker
Suleiman Nazif

27.
Committee on Committee on Federal Capital Territory
Dino Melaye
Mohammed Hassan
28.
Committee on Federal Character & Inter Governmental Affairs
Salihu Hussain Egye
Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi
29.
Committee on Finance
John Owan Enoh
Umaru Ibrahim Kurfi
30.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Munsurat Sunmonu
Shehu Sani
31.
Committee on Gas
Bassey Albert Akpan
Abubakar Ahmadu Moallahyidi
32.
Committee on Health
Lanre Tejuosho
Matthew Uroghdide
33.
Committee on Housing
Barnabas Gemade
Francis Alimikhene
34.
Committee on I.C.T & Cybercrime
Buhari Abdulfatai
Ogola Foster
35.
Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission
Abubakar Kyari
Olusola Adeyeye
36.
Committee on Information & National Orientation
Enyinnaya Abaribe
Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba
37.
Committee on Interior
Georgeb Sekibo
Bayero Usman Nafada
38.
Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs
Bayero Usman Nafada

39.
Committee on Industry
Sam Egwu
Buhari Abdulfatai
40.
Committee on Judiciary Human Rights & Legal Matters
David Umaru
Godswill Akpabio
41.
Committee on Land Transport
Olugbenga Ashafa
Phillip Aduda
42.
Committee on Local & Foreign Debts
Shehu Sani
Phillip Gyunka
43.
Committee on Marine Transport
Ahmed Rufai Sani
Ighoyota Amori
44.
Committee on Media & Public Affairs
Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
Murray Bruce
45.
Committee on Public Procurement
Abdulsalami Ohiare
Joshua Dariye
46.
Committee on National Identity & National Population
Marafa Kabir
Abubakar Sani Danladi
47.
Committee on National Planning & Economic Affairs
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso
Yele Omogunwa
48.
Committee on Navy
Isa Hamma Misau
Osinachukwu Ideozu
49.
Committee on Niger Delta
Peter Nwaboshi
Abubakar Abdulrahman
50.
Committee on Police Affairs
Abu Ibrahim
Stella Oduah
51.
Committee on Power
James Manager
Bukar Mustapha
52.
Committee on Primary Health Care & Communicable Diseases
Mao Ohuabunwa
Nelson Efiong
53.
Committee on Privatisation
Ben Murray Bruce
Abdullahi Yahaya
54.
Committee on Science & Technology
Robert Ajayi Boroffice
Marafi Bashir
55.
Committee on Solid Minerals
Joshua Dariye
Rilwan Adesoji
56.
Committee on Special Duties
Murtala Nyako
Sunny Ogbuoji
57.
Committee on Sports
Obinna Joseph Ogba
Marafa Kabir
58.
Committee on States & Local Government
Abdullahi Gumel
Kashamu Buruji
59.
Committee on Tertiary Institutions & TETFUND
Binta Masi Garba
Tijjani Yahaya Kaura
60.
Committee on Trade & Investment
Fatimat Olufunke Raji Rasaki
Sabo Mohammed
61.
Committee on Upstream Petroleum
Donald Omotayo Alaosaodura
Bassey Gershom
62.
Committee on Water Resources
Mohammed Ubali Shittu
Emmanuel Bwacha
63.
Committee on Women Affairs
Oluremi Tinubu
Stella Oduah
64.
Committee on Works
Kabiru Gaya
Clifford Ordia
65.
Committee on Poverty Alleviation & Social Welfare
Ali Wakili

Ebola Survivor, delivered a healthy baby in the US

Ebola survivor and public health advocate, Dr. Ada Igonoh, speaks in Lagos. (Reuters/Akintunde Akinleye)

Dr. Ada Igonoh, a Nigerian doctor who survived Ebola last year, has given birth to a baby girl. Igonoh—now a public health advocate and motivational speaker—detailed contracting, living with, and eventually recovering from the disease, providing one of the first accounts of surviving Ebola. Her new girl weighing 9 pounds 1 ounce was born at the Greater El-Monte Community Hospital, California and was certified Ebola-free. The World Health Organization says Igonoh is the only female medical doctor to have survived the deadly disease.

Igonoh was one of the physicians who treated Nigeria’s first Ebola patient, Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian. She tested positive for the disease soon after Sawyer died late July, 2014. She was taken to an isolation ward, where she spent 14 days praying and reading the bible, drinking oral rehydration salt (ORS) fluids, and researching Ebola from her iPad. When she was declared Ebola-free, she called her husband who couldn’t stop shouting on the phone, she wrote in her account, published in local media as well as on Bill Gates’ blog:

“I still believe in miracles. None of us in the isolation ward was given any experimental drugs or so-called immune boosters. I was full of faith, yet pragmatic enough to consume as much ORS as I could, even when I wanted to give up and throw the bottles away. I researched on the disease extensively and read accounts of the survivors. I believed that even if the mortality rate was 99 percent, I would be part of the 1 percent who would survive.

I read that Dr. Kent Brantly, the American doctor who contracted Ebola in Liberia and was flown out to the United States for treatment was being criticized for attributing his healing to God when he was given the experimental drug, Zmapp. I don’t claim to have all the answers to the nagging questions of life. Why do some die and some survive? Why do bad things happen to good people? Where is God in the midst of pain and suffering? Where does science end and God begin? These are issues we may never fully comprehend on this side of eternity. All I know is that I walked through the valley of the shadow of death and came out unscathed.”