Libya frustrates Super Eagles

Nigeria’s senior male football team is currently stranded in Libya, where it is to play the second leg of the AFCON 2025 Qualifier game. 

Following Libya’s 1-0 loss to Nigeria in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Friday, both teams were expected to face off again in Benina, their fourth Group D match.

The Super Eagles had departed for Libya on Sunday afternoon, but according to reports from the camp of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), an hour to landing at Benghazi, their destination, the Nigerian aircraft was diverted to Al Abraq, a city which is more than two hours drive from Benghazi.

The players and officials will now travel by road to Benghazi, the location for the return fixture.

Videos released by the NFF on Sunday night showed Nigerian players and officials trying to resolve the issue at a Libyan airport.

The Libyan authorities failed to provide transportation for the Super Eagles to get to their destination, forcing the NFF to make alternative plan, which was reportedly frustrated by their host.

The airport gate was said to have been locked to prevent the bus from entering.

“The tactics is targeted at frustrating the boys and wearing them out ahead of the game. They want to make it difficult for them to prepare for the match,” an insider who spoke off the record told Daily Trust late Sunday.

With one point, Libya are currently at the bottom of Group D topped by Super Eagles which have seven points followed by Benin Republic (six) and Rwanda (two).

Source: Dailytrust.com

My Take 

This matter should be reported to CAF and FIFA officially so that Libya FA can be penalized or suspended indefinitely.

Nigerian arrested in South Africa for defrauding woman of R3 million

 By LindaIkejiblog

A 39-year-old Nigerian national, Gabriel Okori was remanded in custody for theft and fraud after his arrest in connection with an R3 million romance scam in South Africa.

Okori appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday, October 7, 2024, after he was arrested in Cape Town by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, assisted by the City of Cape Town’s law enforcement and a private security company.

"The complainant in the matter alleges that she met what she thought was a white male on Facebook by the name of Mark Hermanus, the two exchanged cellphone numbers and began chatting on instant messaging (WhatsApp),” said Gauteng spokesperson for the Hawks, Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela.

“While the pair were getting to know each other, ‘Mark Hermanus’ informed the complainant that his son was sick and asked the complainant to lend him money for his son’s medical bills." 

The Hawks said the woman kept giving “Mark Hermanus” money, and the bill escalated to over R3 million. 

The man promised he would pay her back, once he had paid all his son’s medical bills. However, he never paid back the money.

“The matter was reported to the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation (unit), which led to the arrest of the suspect who was traced and identified as Gabriel Okori, a Nigerian national in Cape Town on Thursday, October 3,” said Mavimbela.

“Okori made his first appearance before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where the matter was postponed to October 14.”

 

Source: Linda Ikejiblog

My Take 

This  wicked man deserves to rot in jail after refunding the money. The nonsense has got to stop,  folks. People should stop being fraudulent. It doesn't have any good effect because one day the fraudster will be caught. This is utterly wrong and disgusting. To those 'fake puritanical' Nigerians, please before you conclude he is Igbo make sure it is true because his name Okori doesn't seem to be Igbo.

Police Station, Vehicles Set Ablaze Over Alleged Protection Of Fulani Kidnappers By Police

 By  New Telegraph (Francis Ogbuagu)

Several persons on Sunday reportedly lost their lives, police station and vehicles burnt down by angry youths in the suburban town of Agenebode, the headquarters of Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State over allegations that suspected criminal Fulani, who have been kidnapping and kil3ling people in the area for organ harvesting were being protected by the police.

A resident said the incident that led to this carnage was the case of a young boy who was said to have been kidnapped some weeks ago and after ransom was paid, he was still not released.

It was gathered that the community youths were able to track the phone of the victim and the user was arrested and handed over to the police in the process, the user was traced to the head of the Hausa/Fulani community in the area.

Apparently not satisfied with the way the police were handling the matter, the youths of the community were said to have stormed the police station and taken away the suspect, who it was gathered, led them to the house of the Hausa/Fulani leader where on interrogation, allegedly confessed to them that several kidnapped victims have been ki3lled and buried in shallow graves after parts of their bodies were harvested.

The infuriated youths dug out the decomposing body of the young man in the compound of the leader of the Hausa/Fulani who had reportedly fled with his family and in the process of digging up the decomposing body, saw several bones believed to be that of human beings.

In anger, the youths were said to have burnt down the building and then the business centres of several other Hausa/Fulani youths ki3lling some of them and then storming the police station and setting it ablaze.

One of the youths said “Enough is enough, this must stop, police kill our children and still collect money from us, these kidnappers will kidnap our children, collect money and still ki3ll them. They will collect, N2.5 million sometimes N3 million from us and still ki3ll the victims.”

When contacted, the chairman of the Council, Mrs Benedicta Atoh was said to be too shocked to talk as claimed by one of his aides.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 5, Arungwa Udo and the Commissioner of Police in the State Nemi Edwin-Iwo have visited the place apparently to restore order and have an on-the-spot assessment

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Command, Moses Yamu replied through a text message that “Would get back to you ASAP (as soon as possible)”

Source: New Telegraph,  Nigeria

Massive new £11bn highway connecting five West African countries

By Rebecca Robinson ( Express.co.uk)

The coastal highway will stretch from Lagos in Nigeria to Abidjan in Ivory Coast, passing through Benin, Togo and Ghana.

The road is intended to boost the economies of five African countries. (Image: Getty)

A new highway set to span from Nigeria to the Ivory Coast is expected to significantly boost the economies of five West African nations and benefit over 40 million people.

The new highway is expected to significantly boost the economies of five African nations.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is organising funding for the project. In March 2022, the bank announced the funding target for the public-private partnership had been exceeded.

The majority of the road will be a six-lane motorway and will be constructed in three phases.

The road compromises a 295km stretch from Abidjan to Takoradi in Ghana; a 466km section from Takoradi to Akanu, also in Ghana; and a final 320km route to Lagos, passing through Lome in Togo and Porto-Novo in Benin. 

Eight border posts will also be established along the corridor.

The Nigerian portion of the project involves the 66km Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which will expand the existing road from four to 10 lanes, and include a light rail and a bus rapid transit system.

The project,  kicked off in 2020.

Source: Express.co.uk

35-Year-Old Man Nabbed In Forest While Allegedly Going To Supply Food To Bandits In Ekiti

 By tori.ng

Musa Abdullahi, a 35-year-old man from Sokoto State, who is suspected to be one of those supplying food and other courier services to armed bandits and terrorists terrorizing Ekiti state, has been arrested.

The man was nabbed by the men of the Ekiti State Amotekun Corps.

The Head of the Communications Department of the Corps, Officer Adeleye Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement at the weekend said Abdullahi, a resident of Shasha in Akure, Ondo State, was arrested in Ise Ekiti at about 6:30 pm on Monday 7th October, 2024.

He said the operatives acting on a tip off, combed the forest of lse-Ekiti at Oritan Forest Reserve during a patrol, where the suspect was apprehended.

Upon interrogation, Abdullahi was said to have confessed to the crime claiming that he was in the forest reserve as a food supplier to the suspected Fulani/Bororo bandits inhabiting the area.

The suspect and some exhibits recovered from him at the scene of the incident have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Ise-Orun Division, lse-Ekiti for further investigation.

Source: Tori.ng 

Sinner Wins Shanghai Masters To Deny Djokovic 100th Career Title

 By Channels Television

Sinner took a crucial break in the fourth game of the second set to defeat the Serb in 1hr 37min and deny him a 100th career singles title.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner (R) is greeted by Serbia’s Novak Djokovic after Sinner won their men’s singles final match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 13, 2024. (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

World number one Jannik Sinner defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters.

Sinner took a crucial break in the fourth game of the second set to defeat the Serb in 1hr 37min and deny him a 100th career singles title.

“He was just too good today, too strong, too fast,” Djokovic said after the match.

Sinner said it was a “very special day”, saluting his opponent as a “legend” who kept playing “incredible tennis… year after year”.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner lifts the winner’s trophy following his victory against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in their men’s singles final match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 13, 2024. (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

In a nod to former Djokovic rival Roger Federer, who was watching from the stands, the 23-year-old joked: “There are legends everywhere, I just try to keep up a little bit.”

Facing off before an impassioned crowd, neither player blinked in the first set, unable to break the other’s serve.

Sinner quickly took control in the tiebreak, breaking Djokovic’s serve on the first point and going 5-1 up.

The Serb steadied himself but then netted a volley to bring up set point at 6-3.

Sinner failed to convert initially but didn’t miss the second time behind serve.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic speaks while holding his runner’s-up trophy following his defeat by Italy’s Jannik Sinner in their men’s singles final match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 13, 2024. (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

The next key moment came in the fourth game of the second set when Sinner was up 40-15 on Djokovic’s serve.

Djokovic saved one break point with a fiery ace but couldn’t stop a superb forehand down the line from Sinner that saw him pull ahead.

All that remained was for the Italian to hold his nerve, hitting an ace to finish the match and claim the title.

 ‘Tough year’

Sinner’s victory is the latest triumph in a formidable season, in which he has won two Grand Slams and retained the top spot in the rankings since June.

But it is also a year that has seen him embroiled in controversy after he twice tested positive for a banned steroid in March.

In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted Sinner’s explanation that the drug entered his system unintentionally when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner (C) poses on the podium following his victory against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (2nd R) in their men’s singles final match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 13, 2024. (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency said last month it would appeal against the decision to clear him of wrongdoing and was seeking a ban of up to two years.

That news came as Sinner was contesting the China Open, where he lost in the final to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who was also watching from the stands on Sunday.

“This year has been very, very tough for me… At points I lost a little bit of smile,” Sinner said on Sunday.

“It’s never easy to play in these kind of circumstances,” he added.

“I feel like I’m strong when I go on the court trying to not think about it… When I wake up I try to focus on every single (match or practice) I do, but then of course I have moments when I think about it which is not comfortable.”

Djokovic said Sinner played “the big points better” and “deserved to win”.

The 37-year-old said that getting a 100th title was “not a live-or-die type of goal”, but he would keep trying.

Djokovic became the last man standing from tennis’ golden era after Rafael Nadal announced his retirement this week and said that, despite the loss, he was pleased with his performance in Shanghai.

“I played pretty good, which gives me, I guess, a reason to believe that I can still play with these guys that are the best in the world at this level,” he said.

“As long as that’s the case, I guess I’ll still feel the need to keep on competing and the motivation to be out there.”

Source: Channels Television 

GIG Motors passengers allegedly kidnapped on journey from Port Harcourt to Abuja, driver returns alone

 By Gistreel

A Nigerian woman has raised an alarm, alleging that passengers on a GIG Motors bus traveling from Port Harcourt to Abuja were kidnapped, with only the driver returning with the bus.

She shared this claim on her page via the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

According to her post, the incident occurred several hours ago, and as of now, none of the passengers who were on the bus have been contacted or located.

She wrote, “GIG passengers en route from Port Harcourt to Abuja were kidnapped, and only the driver returned with the bus. GIG is protecting the driver from giving an account. No police report or social media updates 💀😭. Interesting times.”

In her post, she emphasized that GIG Motors has yet to issue an official statement or contact the police, and there have been no public updates on social media.

At the time of this report, GIG Motors has not released an official statement to confirm or deny the claims made by the woman.

A video accompanying the post shows a confrontation between a woman and some GIG Motors staff, accusing them of withholding information about the driver and the missing passengers.

See some reactions below: 

@yosoreoluwaa: “Interesting. Only driver?🤣🤣 They definitely know about it because it’s the most secure tf.”

@Tony_runthings: “If they investigate very well you might be surprised some of the transport drivers work with kidnappers.”

@dike1of1: “The driver and GIG should be playing there oh.”

@kuntakinte565: “The werey just went and delivered them to kidnappers.”

SEE POST:

Source: GistReel