The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Thursday, told the Federal Government to halt “the incessant harassment and arrest of its members and their families in South-East.” It also called on South-East and South-South governors, particularly Ebonyi State government, to prevail on the security agents in their states to release IPOB and their family members, particularly its Ebonyi State Coordinator, Mazi Igwe Ogbonnaya, without further delay. The pro-Biafra group said it is particularly upset by the alleged recent arrest of its Coordinator in Ebonyi State; and the intimidation of an innocent woman who recently put to bed in Oji River Council Area of Enugu State by security operatives in the guise of searching for Radio Biafra Station. In a statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary...
Had Olympique Lyonnais’ Memphis Depay and Karl Toko Ekambi found the back of the net in the opening 16 minutes against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, the Champions League may have had its first ever all-French final. Instead, Paris St Germain will now face the German champions while Lyon return home empty-handed and without the opportunity of righting those wrongs next season after they failed to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition. Ligue 1 was the only top-flight league from the ‘Big Five’ to prematurely end its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Lyon in seventh place on a points-per-game basis — thereby missing out on the Europa League as well. The 3-0 scoreline flatters Bayern as Lyon had their chances but playing in only their second semi-final on the big stage, their ...
Ivory Coast has banned all outdoor protests until 15 September, according to a statement Thursday issued after deadly clashes ahead of presidential elections in October. The cabinet late Wednesday “decided to suspend protests in public areas, authorising them only in enclosed spaces… until 15 September,” the government said in a statement. The measure “draws the consequences of the impact, in human and property terms, from previous demonstrations and the risk that pockets of inter-community conflicts could open up,” it said. On 13 August, angry protests erupted in the economic hub Abidjan, and demonstrations in the central town of Daoukro turned to bloody ethnic clashes, after President Alassane Ouattara announced he would bid for a third term. Critics of Ouattara say the 78-year-old is on...
Plateau recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 186 new infections, as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 593 new cases in the country. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle. The health agency noted that four deaths were recorded in the country. The NCDC said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, had continued to coordinate the national response activities across the country. According to the centre, 50,488 cases have been confirmed, with 37,304 cases discharged, while 985 deaths recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) till date. It noted that the 593 new cases were reported from 16 states – Plateau (186), Lagos (172), FCT (62), Oyo (27), Delta (25), Rivers (...
China rapidly tore down the famous Workers’ Stadium in Beijing this week as part of grand plans to revamp its football infrastructure ahead of an expected World Cup bid. The imposing arena in the heart of the Chinese capital will be almost completely rebuilt and is scheduled for completion in December 2022. Groups of people gathered to watch as the stadium, a landmark for decades, was levelled within just a few days, with the goalposts poignantly left standing even as the stands crashed down all around. The Workers’ Stadium was built in 1959 as one of 10 major construction projects to mark the 10th anniversary of communist China. Fondly known as “Gongti” — an abbreviation of its name in Chinese — the cavernous but crumbling arena was home to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan and host...
Wife of Edo state governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has expressed concern over what she called “deception, desperation and the total lack of self respect displayed by some politicians who are willing to do anything to gain power and have made themselves a laughing stock among the people.” She stated this on Tuesday in Benin, during an interactive session with wives of Enigies (Dukes in Benin Kingdom), over the September 19 gubernatorial election in the state. Mrs. Obaseki said she expected governorship candidates “to campaign and sell their manifesto, rather than tell lies and employ the services of thugs to unleash violence on the people, all because they have nothing to offer.” She charged the women “to judge as mothers whether it is in the best interest of the people to mortgage the future ...