US national team cancel winter training camp in Qatar after killing of Commander of Iran's Quds Force by US government

The men's US national team has called off plans to go to Qatar for a winter training camp due to the tension in the Middle East after the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Unit, Qasem Soleimani, was killed in a United States airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump. 

'Due to the developing situation in the region, US Soccer has decided to postpone traveling to Qatar for the Men's National Team's scheduled January training camp,' US Soccer said in a short statement.

'We are working with the Qatar Football Association to find an opportunity in the near future for our team to experience Qatar's world-class facilities and hospitality,' US Soccer added.

The men's US national team were to play closed-door games at Doha's Aspire Academy before heading home to face Costa Rica in Carson, California on February 1.

This comes after the Iranian general and his deputy Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were among those killed on Friday, January 3, 2020, at Baghdad International Airport. The attack was ordered by President Donald Trump. 

Iranian President, Hasan Rouhani has since announced that they will be avenging the death of its Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleiman and others killed in the attack.

Buhari warns against Nigerian Going overseas for Treatment

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday, said Nigerians should not continue going abroad for medical treatment.

“Nigerians have suffered so much going abroad for medical treatment. This is not good for us and it must stop because we can’t afford it again,” he said.

The President, who himself had travelled to the United Kingdom for treatment on several occasions, stated this at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, during the inauguration and handover of completed projects to the management of the hospital.

He explained that the project was executed to check flooding and gully erosion in the hospital.

The President, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, lamented the devastating effects of flooding in the South-East geo-political zone, saying the intervention project would bring relief to the hospital, the state and its neighbours.

He said the siting of the project in Ebonyi State signalled an end to the era in the country where some parts of Nigeria were neglected as a result of corruption and favouritism. He stressed that the location of the project in major teaching hospitals across the country showed that no part of the country would be neglected again.

He said, “We have paid very serious attention to the health of our people and will continue to do so. The projects you celebrate their completion today were seriously affecting the workings of this teaching hospital. But today, we can say their completion have started helping to improve on the performance and welfare of both the staff and patients of this hospital.

“I wish to use this medium to congratulate the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, and his team in the Ecological Fund Office; the project contractor, Messrs Amayaro Nigeria Limited, as well as the project consultant, Messrs Kanode and Associates Limited, for their commitment to ensuring timely and speedy completion of the project.”

Fulani herdsmen sue Oyo government, Assembly over anti-grazing law

The Oyo State Government, its House of Assembly and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Oyo State, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo have all been dragged to court by Fulani herdsmen in the state under the aegis of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria, over an alleged gross violation of their fundamental rights.

In the lawsuit filed on their behalf by Professor Yusuf Dankofa, the herdsmen asked the Oyo State High Court to declare the law which allegedly victimized them as “illegal, unconstitutional, null and void” because it is “a coordinated attempt or strategy at curtailing their livelihood and further frustrating their lives in breach of constitutional provisions particularly section 33(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended)."

They also sought for perpetual injunction “restraining all the respondents, whether by themselves, their servants, agents, officers or otherwise from carrying out any acts or omission which is likely to aid the enactment or even enact or pass the purported anti grazing bill into law as this would amount to a denial of their fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution of Nigeria.”

The herdsmen who also asked the court to grant a sum of N100, 000 million in their favour against the respondents jointly and severally for the violation of their fundamental rights, justified their claims by stating that “as a matter of cultural heritage, open rearing or grazing of livestock having been passed onto generations to generations is the life and economy of the Fulani group on which the Fulani survives.”

This is coming after a bill which prohibited open rearing and grazing of livestock in Oyo state and establishment of ranches for purposes connected to rearing of livestock was passed into law. 

EFCC's acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu reacts to video of Fayose dancing with a white woman

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu has reacted to a video of former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose dancing on a cruise ship with a white woman after being granted permission to travel abroad for 'medical treatment' by a federal high court. 

Special assistant on media and publicity to Mr Magu, Tony Amokeodo told Premium Times that they won't be reacting to the video on grounds of the anti-graft agency only prosecuting the former governor and not persecuting him.

He stated that they can only wait till Fayose returns on the next adjourned date for the continuation of his trial over an alleged N2.2 billion fraud. 

”We are not going to react to that video (on) the grounds that the EFCC is prosecuting him, not persecuting him. 

”Besides, the court granted him permission to travel abroad for medical attention. We are of the opinion that the former governor would have to be in court and that his trial is on course. And we will definitely meet him on the next adjourned date."

Kwara state government demolishes political home of ex-Senate President, Bukola Saraki's family

The Kwara state government has demolished the political home of the family of former senate President, Bukola Saraki. The demolition exercise took place in the early hours of today January 2nd.

The building which is popularly referred to as ‘Ile Arúgbó’ in Ilorin, the state capital, was demolished under the supervision of security operatives who kept protesters including aged women away.

Recall that in December 2019, the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, had announced the decision of the state government to demolish the property on grounds that the land on which the property was erected, was illegally acquired by the Saraki family.

According to the state governor, the land was originally designated for the construction of a secretariat and parking lot of the civil service clinic, but was unlawfully allocated to a private firm — Asa Investments Limited which is allegedly owned by the Sarakis.

In his defence, the former Senate president, Bukola Saraki, in a statement released, argued that his late father lawfully acquired the land from the state government.

“The property had been rightfully allocated to my late father under the name of one of his companies, Asa Investment Limited, since the 1980s and contrary to the claim of the Governor, the land was properly allocated and a Right of Occupancy title issued on it” Saraki said

I won’t contest in 2023, President Buhari insists

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his intention not to contest the 2023 presidential elections but determined to help strengthen the electoral process both in Nigeria and across Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that several ECOWAS members will be going to the polls in 2020.

Buhari made his feelings known in a letter to Nigerians issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Wednesday to mark the commencement of 2020.

He said his decision to help strengthen the electoral process, particularly in Nigeria, was informed by the frustrations the nation’s electoral system had triggered.

“Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy.

“I salute the commitment of the millions who voted in peace last February and of those leaders who contested for office vigorously but fairly, submitting to the authority of the electorate, the Independent National Electoral Commission and judicial process.

“I understand very well the frustrations our system has in the past triggered. I will be standing down in 2023 and will not be available in any future elections.

“But I am determined to help strengthen the electoral process both in Nigeria and across the region, where several ECOWAS members go to the polls this year,’’ he said.

On security, the president said: “As Commander-in-Chief, my primary concern is the security of the nation and the safety of our citizens.

“When I assumed office in May 2015 my first task was to rally our neighbours so that we could confront Boko Haram on a coordinated regional basis. Chaos is not a neighbour any of us hope for.

“We have been fighting on several fronts: violent extremists, cultists and organised criminal networks. It has not been easy.

“But as we are winning the war, we also look to the challenge of winning the peace, the reconstruction of lives, communities and markets.’’

According to the president, the North East Development Commission will work with local and international stakeholders to help create a new beginning for the region.

He also expressed government’s readiness to continue to work with State Governors, neighbouring countries and the international partners to tackle the root causes of violent extremism and the networks that help finance and organise terror.

“Our security forces will receive the best training and modern weaponry, and in turn will be held to the highest standards of professionalism and respect for human rights.

“We will use all the human and emerging technological resources available to tackle kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery.

“The new Ministry of Police Affairs increased recruitment of officers and the security reforms being introduced will build on what we are already delivering.

“We will work tirelessly at home and with our allies in support of our policies to protect the security of life and property,’’ he added.

Buhari maintained that his administration’s actions would be governed by the rule of law as well as engagement with well-meaning leaders and citizens to promote dialogue, partnership and understanding.

“We need a democratic government that can guarantee peace and security to realise the full potential of our ingenious, entrepreneurial and hard-working people.

“Our policies are designed to promote genuine, balanced growth that delivers jobs and rewards industry.

“Our new Economic Advisory Council brings together respected and independent thinkers to advise me on a strategy that champions inclusive and balanced growth and above all fight poverty and safeguard national economic interests.

“As we have sat down to celebrate with friends and family over this holiday season, for the first time in a generation our food plates have not all been filled with imports of products we know can easily be produced here at home,’’ he said.

He also noted that the nation’s revolution in agriculture had become a reality in all corners of the country.

The president expressed the hope that the new agreements with Morocco, Russia and others would help access on attractive terms the inputs the country needed to accelerate the transformation in farming.

“A good example of commitment to this inclusive growth is the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the creation of the National Action Committee to oversee its implementation and ensure the necessary safeguards are in place to allow us to fully capitalise on regional and continental markets.

“The joint land border security exercise currently taking place is meant to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and security. No one can doubt that we have been good neighbours and good citizens.

“We have been the helpers and shock-absorbers of the sub-region but we cannot allow our well-planned economic regeneration to be sabotaged.

“As soon as we are satisfied that the safeguards are adequate, normal cross-border movements will be resumed,’’ he added. (NAN)

Let’s make Nigeria a nation of prosperity, peace in 2020 -Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has enjoined Nigerians to be tolerant, law abiding and peace loving as the nation enters a decade of “prosperity and promise for Nigeria and for Africa’’.

“This is a new year and the beginning of a new decade – the Nigerian Decade of prosperity and promise for Nigeria and for Africa,’’ the president said in a letter to Nigerians to mark the beginning of 2020.

The letter was released by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Nigerian leader attributed the successes recorded by his administration to the support of Nigerians.

“This is a joint initiative. Where our policies have worked best, it has been because of the support of ordinary Nigerians in their millions, numbers that even the most powerful of special interests cannot defy. I thank you for your support.

“Transition by its very nature carries with it change and some uncertainty along the way,’’ he added.

According to him, his administration’s policies are working and the results will continue to show themselves more clearly by the day.

He said: “Nigeria is the most tremendous, can-do market, offering extraordinary opportunities and returns. 

Investors can look forward with confidence not only to an increasing momentum of change but also to specific incentives, including our new visa-on-arrival policy.’’

On the ongoing crusade against corruption in the country, the president reiterated the determination of his administration to fight all forms of corrupt practices to a standstill

“They can also be certain of our unshakeable commitment to tackle corruption.

“As we create an environment that allows initiative, enterprise and hard work to thrive, it is more important than ever to call out those who find the rule of law an inconvenience, or independent regulation an irritation.

“We are doing our part here in Nigeria. We will continue to press our partners abroad to help with the supply side of corruption and have received some encouragement.

“We expect more funds stolen in the past to be returned to us and they will be ploughed back into development with all due transparency,’’ he said.