Referees chairman wants foreign coach for Super Eagles

Owing to what he described as the failure of Nigerian coaches to separate coaching from business, the President of the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA, Tade Azeez has advised the Nigeria Football Federation to hire a foreign coach to rebuild the Super Eagles.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN in a telephone chat that a foreign coach is the only way forward for the NFF.

"If the board believes they can get a foreigner that will work very well and they know that they have a way of paying the salaries without affecting them, I support the agitation for a foreign coach.

"This is because our indigenous coaches cannot separate their coaching abilities from business.

"They are all businessmen, who have interest in one player or the other and because they want to make money, they force such players on Nigerians.

"That has been the problem with them. They are not after the best players representing us and I think as professionals, they should be able to differentiate between coaching and business. I doubt if any of them can do that,’’ he said.

The Super Eagles have not had a substantive coach since the shock resignation of Sunday Oliseh on February 26, 2016.

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Federal government must take action to disarm cattle rearers - Murray-Bruce

Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (PDP Bayelsa East) has called on the Federal Government to disarm cattle rearers in the country.

He said while speaking on the floor of the Senate in the wake of Monday's killings at Nimbo community in Enugu State that if the activities of Fulani herdsmen were the checked, the situation could lead to reprisals and ultimately plunge the country into war.

"That day is here and that day is now when retaliation begins. The civil war was fought in a conventional fashion with one army facing another army.

"You are going to have a guerrilla warfare; it is not a war anybody can win; it will cause a destruction of Nigeria.

"We must urge the Nigerian government to take action to disarm cattle rearers.

"As far as I am concerned you need a license to own a gun; nobody has a right to own a gun without a license.

"This is a very serious issue. Motion after motion has been presented here. From the North, from the South, from the East to the West, everybody is affected.

"What is going to happen now people are going to read religion and ethnicity into this fight.

"Once that happens illiterates who do not have the knowledge that we have will start retaliating and that day is now,” he warned.

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Fleeing terrorists: Senate invites security chiefs for update.

Following a motion by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDP Enugu North) on the recent attack on Nimbo Community in Enugu State by armed Fulani herdsmen, the Senate has summoned the nation's security chiefs to brief it on the activities of terrorists fleeing the Northeast.

Sen. Utazi had raised a point of order to make the subject matter an issue of public concern with a seven-prayer motion.

"There is wide spread fear of more attacks as there have been recurring attacks on communities in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.

"About three months ago, a neighbouring community to Nimbo was attacked, scores of people killed, houses, barns, farm produce set ablaze.

"The regularity and audacity of these attacks has become a pattern and the whole people of Uzo-Uwani are facing a clear danger of extermination.

"I am worried that Boko Haram terrorists fleeing the sustained onslaught of the military in the North East, may be fleeing South West massing around communities and wreaking havoc on their way.

"We are witnessing terrorism in the southern part of Nigeria beginning with the South East.

"By some reports, herdsmen attacks killed about 80 people in 2013 and by 2014 it had risen to 1229," he said, urging the Federal Government to urgently check the activities of herdsmen.

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Giwa FC in fresh trouble, fined N3.65m

The League Management Company, LMC has imposed an additional fine of N3.65m on Giwa Football Club for failing to honor its rescheduled week 11 Premier League game against Rangers International FC in Abuja.

An analysis of the new fine shows that Giwa would pay a penalty of N2m to LMC for failing to show up in Abuja for the match against Rangers,N1m to Rangers to offset their bills and N650,000 to the match officials in accordance with Rule B (13.25) of the laws governing the league.

The club had previously been fined N6.5m for crowd trouble and banished to Ilorin for her next three home games.

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Giwa FC in fresh trouble, fined N3.5m

The League Management Company, LMC has imposed an additional fine of N3.65m on Giwa Football Club for failing to honor its rescheduled week 11 Premier League game against Rangers International FC in Abuja.

An analysis of the new fine shows that Giwa would pay a penalty of N2m to LMC for failing to show up in Abuja for the match against Rangers,N1m to Rangers to offset their bills and N650,000 to the match officials in accordance with Rule B (13.25) of the laws governing the league.

The club had previously been fined N6.5m for crowd trouble and banished to Ilorin for her next three home games.

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Buhari assures of task force to patrol Gulf of Guinea

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that plans are underway to raise a multilateral task force to patrol the Gulf of Guinea.

Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adeshina said that Buhari gave the assurance during a meeting with the French Minister of Defence, Jean-Yves Le Drian in Abuja.

He said that Buhari thanked the French government for assisting his administration in its efforts to end Boko Haram insurgency.

“When we got into office in May last year, Boko Haram was effectively controlling at least 14 local government areas. But now, it is no longer so, and they have resorted to attacking soft targets with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

“We are determined to secure all of our territories effectively. We are doing our best and our troops are now operating in the Sambisa Forest,” he said.

Le Drian who noted that all terrorists are common enemies of the free world promised France's continued support for Nigeria's fight against terrorism.

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Enugu Gov Ugwuanyi smiles as he's condoled by Buhari on herdsmen attacks (Photos) .

President Muhammadu Buhari conveyed his condolences to the government and people of Enugu State on Thursday when he received  Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the Statehouse, Abuja.

More than fifty persons were killed and many houses burnt down when armed Fulani herdsmen attacked some communities in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State on Monday.

See photos below.

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