Nigeria win seventh AYC title

The Flying Eagle

Nigeria became the first side to win the African Youth Championship for the seventh time after beating hosts Senegal 1-0 in the final of the 2015 edition at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium, Dakar on Sunday.

It was the second time the two sides would meet in the competition after the Flying Eagles had beaten the Young Lions 3-1 at the group stage where Nigeria topped the group to head into the semi-finals.

Nigeria’s captain Musa Muhammed won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Highest Goal Scorer’s awards after he scored four goals.

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A lone goal from Bernard Bulbwa handed the Nigerians their fifth win of the tournament.

Coach Manu Garba named the same side which defeated Ghana 2-0 in the semi-finals with all players retaining their starting roles.

It was a tale of missed chances for the Senegalese, who were searching for their first continental title. They attacked from the first blast of the whistle and almost went ahead in the fifth minute when goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo saved Malick Niang’s header from the first corner kick of the game.

The physical Senegal side pegged the Nigerians in their half and came close again in the 10th minute when a defensive error freed Malick again with Enaholo to beat but the keeper saved his effort.

In the 15th minute, the Young Teranga Lions came close to scoring again but Malick could again not direct his header towards the Nigerian goal.

Against the run of play, Nigeria took the lead in the 19th minute when Bulbwa right footed a shot from outside the penalty area into the top right corner of the Senegalese goal after a long ball from the defence.

Senegal thereafter searched for the equaliser and almost got it in the 27th minute but the header was saved by Enaholo, who was the busiest of the two keepers. But the Flying Eagles survived another scare in the 40th minute when Mouhamet Sane struck the upright with a header from a Sidy Sarr corner kick.

The second half began with Nigeria attacking for their second goal and in the 59th minute, Bulbwa’s shot from a Musa Muhammed free kick was saved by goalkeeper Ibrahima Sy.

Senegal continued the search for an equaliser but the Nigerian defence and Enaholo denied them chance after chance while Nigeria also had several chances from Taiwo Awoniyi and Ifeanyi Matthew saved by Sy.

Meanwhile, Nigeria will play in Group E of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand as African champions along with Brazil, North Korea and Hungary, while Senegal will play in Group D along with Mexico, Uruguay and Serbia.

Third placed Ghana, who defeated Mali 3-1 in the losers’ final, will play in Group B along with Argentina, Panama and Austria and Mali will play in Group C.

B’Haram: Nigeria pays Chadian, Nigerien soldiers N146m monthly

Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Minimah

Nigeria is bearing the financial burden of the operations by multinational forces against Boko Haram insurgents, findings by The PUNCH on Sunday have revealed.

The troops from Nigeria’s neighbours – Chad and Niger – it was learnt   in Abuja, receive N146.25m monthly as pocket and feeding allowances from the Federal Government.

The sum is however different from that paid by Nigeria for fuelling of the operational vehicles of the foreign troops and other logistics, which our source did not state.

A breakdown of the N146.2m shows that the 2,500 troops contributed by Chad receive N112.5m monthly while the 750 soldiers from Niger get N33.75m.

Thus each of the soldiers from the two countries gets N45,000 monthly as pocket and feeding allowances, the same amounts paid their Nigerian counterparts.

The joint war was initiated by the governments of Nigeria, Chad and Niger to flush out the   insurgents from the North-East and to halt their incursion into the two Francophone countries.

It was further gathered that the two Francophone countries, are in addition to the allowances   paid by Nigeria,   making demands for funding by the international community.

Our source, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not permitted to speak on the issue, said, “Although, it is a joint operation, a kind of sub-regional collaborative effort, Nigeria is the only country funding the operations.

“The arrangement is not such that each participating country funds its defence forces deployed for the operation.

“Nigeria is funding the operation to the extent of providing the allowances for all the Chadian and Nigerien troops involved.

“Apart from that, the country is also providing for the feeding of these troops and fuelling all their operational vehicles.”

It was further gathered that in spite of the sacrifices being made by the Federal Government, the joint operation is being threatened by mutual suspicion.

There are allegations that reports about the conflict in the international media are being manipulated by Chadians in the mission area to portray Nigerian troops in bad light.

It was learnt that the Defence Headquarters was not comfortable with the slanting of stories to highlight supposed exploits of the supporting countries to the detriment   of the Nigerian forces and indeed the country.

The report that Chadian troops liberated Damasak, a border community between Nigeria and Niger on March 9, 2015 was mentioned as one of such.

In it, the Chadians were reported to have killed 200 insurgents while liberating the town.

However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, told journalists on Monday that the town was still in terrorists’ hands.

It was further gathered that the mutual suspicion was exacerbated by an incident   which resulted in the killing of an unspecified number of Nigerian troops by insurgents on their way to Dikwa.

The New York Times quoted the Chadian Foreign Minister, Moussa   Mahamat, as having said that “the Nigerian Army has not succeeded in facing up to Boko Haram.”

He had   added,     “The occupation of these towns, this is up to Nigeria. My fondest wish is that they assume their responsibilities.

“Our biggest wish is that the Nigerian Army pulls itself together — that it takes responsibility in the towns. We are ready to disengage, right away.”

However, the Director Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, who dismissed the claim on Saturday, said, “It is not true that our soldiers are not willing to take over such communities. There is no town that our soldiers have liberated that is not being well secured and well patrolled at the moment.

“We have always warned against irresponsible comments in this collaboration and we are not ready to join issues with anybody. We will do everything to sustain this collaboration.”

Attempts to get Olukolade to comment on Nigeria’s financial commitment to the ongoing operation were unsuccessful on Sunday.

Calls to his mobile telephone number did not connect as of the time of 8pm.

Jonathan deserves praise for giving OPC contract –Gani Adams

Gani Adams

The National Coordinator of a Yoruba group, Odua Peoples Congress, Gani Adams, says President Goodluck Jonathan deserves praise from members of the All Progressives Congress for approving a contract for the OPC to protect pipelines across the South-West.

Adams said the contract would provide at least 5,000 jobs for his boys and 10,000 jobs for other youths in the South-West.

He said this while reacting to the allegation by the APC that Jonathan bribed ethnic militias with N9bn to scuttle the elections.

Adams, who came under fire for leading thousands of youths to protest against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in Lagos last Monday, said supporting Jonathan was in the interest of the Yoruba nation.

He said the APC should be commending Jonathan for approving contracts for the OPC because only the Niger-Delta militants were benefitting from the oil money before now.

He said, “The allegation is that the Federal Government gave us a contract: Pipeline security. What is the security of pipeline to the OPC? We have been running this organisation without getting a dime from any government but most of the security agencies saddled with the responsibility of protecting the pipelines have failed; people were dying every day.

“Nigeria was losing more than N3bn everyday to the activities of the vandals and the agitation of that contract started from Dr. Fredrick Fasehun one and a half years ago and you know the bureaucracy of Nigerian ministries. It was a long process and it was just granted and it will empower nothing less than 5,000 youths from my side.

“Altogether, that is about 15,000 jobs for Yoruba land. Will you deny Yoruba youths the opportunity of getting 15,000 jobs because of politics?”

Adams said the APC was only being hypocritical because most of its leaders had oil licences. He said the major reason they were against Jonathan was because their licences were due to expire in September and they feared he would not renew the contracts.

Fresh nationwide strike looms in varsities

UNILAG main gate

Workers in Nigerian universities under the auspices of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over what they described an ‘obnoxious circular’ by the National Universities Commission.

The union therefore gave the Federal Government till Wednesday April 28, 2015, apparently one month within which it should address the issues or face industrial action in all the federal and state universities across the country.

The union said the circular was a mischief to obliterate the sanctity of its agreement with the Federal Government.

The position of SSANU is contained in a communiqué dispatched to journalists on Sunday in Abuja, after its National Executive Council meeting, held at Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State.

In the communiqué signed by its President, Samson Ugwoke, and Public Relations Officer, Mr. N.A.D. Aboribo, SSANU accused the NUC of unilaterally expunging through a circular the aspect of the agreement on university demonstration staff schools.

Besides, the union regretted the failure of the government to pay the outstanding arrears of the earned allowances and most especially the political statements being made by government functionaries about the payment, which has put serious pressure on the leadership of the union at the national and branch level.

SSANU also condemned the lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Government in implementing the 2009 agreement, despite its persistent call on the government and the Implementation Monitoring Committee for the full implementation and payment of the arrears of the earned allowance.

The communiqué read, “SSANU called for the full implementation and renegotiation of the 2009 agreement to forestall the disruption of the present smooth academic activities in the university system. We view with very grave concern, the actions of some government agencies in collaboration with certain selfish vice-chancellors to obliterate the sanctity of the 2009 FGN/university-based unions’ agreement by unilaterally expunging through a circular from the NUC the aspect of the agreement on university demonstration staff schools.

“SSANU-NEC-in-session hereby demands the immediate withdrawal of the obnoxious circular. For the avoidance of doubt, if by April 28, 2015, the circular has not been withdrawn by the NUC, the union will take labour action against the Federal Government. We frown on the overbearing attitude and unnecessary roles of the NIC in this regard.”

SSANU also warned the NUC to stop its undue meddling and interference in the affairs of the universities, so as not to overheat the Nigerian university system.

While demanding that the agreement should be implemented without further delay, the union criticized the continuous refusal of the Federal Government to renegotiate the said agreement “which is long overdue.”

The NEC-in-session warns Federal Government on the dangers of its insensitive stand on the matter, saying it was capable of completely eroding the relative peace in our universities.

“SSANU therefore urged the Federal Government to put machinery in place for the renegotiation of this agreement without any further delay.”

The union also warned against the victimization of its members and officers in various universities, and especially called for the reinstatement of 19 members of the union who were sacked at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko.

The union commended the Nigerian Armed Forces and its foreign allies for the recapture of most areas occupied by the Boko Haram terrorists in the north-eastern part of the country. SSANU called on the Federal Government to continue to adequately equip them and review Nigeria foreign policies with its neighbouring countries.

Speaking on the 2015 general election, the union condemned the hate speeches and unnecessary political killings currently being experienced in the build up to the 2015 general elections. The union urged politicians to place before Nigerians issue-based campaigns play the game by the rules and avoid violence.

SSANU also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that the elections were free, fair and credible.

Wike pays Jonathan’s wife N199m monthly, Amaechi alleges

 Nyesom Wike

RIVERS State Governor and Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, of giving $1m (N199m) monthly to the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

Amaechi, who spoke on Saturday at a praise and worship session organised by the Ikwerre Youth Movement and Ikwerre Women Forum at Isiokpo, headquarters of the Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, explained that Wike was giving the money to the President’s wife in order to gain political favour.

The governor said, “Do you know that the PDP governorship candidate, Nyesom Wike, has been giving one million dollars monthly to the wife of the President, Mrs Patience Jonathan? He has been doing this to gain political favour in the Presidency and to retain the favour.

“For eight years, our Okrika brother (Senator George Sekibo) has been occupying the senate (Rivers East) seat and now it is the turn of an Ikwerre son, but Nyesom Wike has gone ahead to accept another four years for George Thompson Sekibo. This is not acceptable, Chief Andrew Uchendu will take over this time, one man called Nyesom Wike cannot sell Ikwerre birth right.”

He also accused Wike of sponsoring the killing of an APC member, who was shot dead recently in the home town of the PDP candidate, saying the police had been biased and could not arrest the PDP hoodlums who committed the murder.

Reacting, Wike, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Simeon Nwakudu, described Amaechi’s allegation as false and asked him (Amaechi) to respond to the allegations of corruption against him.

He said, “Our attention has been drawn to another desperate press statement issued by outgoing Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, where he falsely accused the Rivers PDP governorship candidate,   Nyesom Wike, of paying the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, one million US Dollars monthly.

“This allegation is completely false and simply aimed at diverting the attention of the public from the monumental corruption under Amaechi’s leadership. Wike has always been an upright administrator and politician, who is committed to the development of Rivers State and Nigeria.

“Wike has published documents of mass corruption in Government House, Port House, and the entire Rivers State Government under the guidance of Amaechi. The outgoing governor should respond to these documentary proofs of corruption, rather than cooking up false allegations to distract attention.

“Amaechi has wasted over N3tn that have accrued to Rivers State, a large percentage of the funds being expended on the sponsorship of APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, and the APC.”