Robbery kingpin, Tijani dies in Kirikiri Prison

Tijani: dies in prison

Alleged cross-border robbery kingpin Hamani Tijani, has died.
He died on Sunday after a partial stroke at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons in Lagos. He was aged 42.
DSP Biyi Jeje, the spokesman for the Nigerian Prisons Service, Lagos Command, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Jeje said that Tijani died at about 9.00 am in the clinic of the maximum prison.
He said that the service had earlier invited the state officials to examine Tijani’s health in December for possible transfer to another hospital.
According to him, a team of medical experts were sent to the prison by the Lagos State Government before Christmas to examine him, but the outcome of their findings was not made available.
Tijani, a citizen of Niger Republic, was arrested sometimes in September 2003 in Cotonou, Benin Republic, and moved to Abeokuta, Ogun State, briefly before he was transferred to Kirikiri.

Eagles send hosts South Africa out of CHAN

CAPE TOWN – Nigeria smashed South Africa’s dreams of progressing beyond the group stages of the African Nations Championship Sunday, beating the hosts 3-1 and ensuring Nigeria joined Group A winners Mali in the next round.

Nigeria needed to win to progress, and win they did, opening the scoring in the 21st minute.

After some enterprising work down the left flank, Chistantus Ejike blasted a left footed shot from the edge of the six-yard-box past the keeper and into the top corner.

South Africa, who started the game with a defence-first strategy, responded by adopting a more attacking posture, but to no avail.

Heavy shooting as Rivers police storm rally

Magnus Abe

For the second time in eight days, men of the Rivers State Police Command stormed a rally by the Save Rivers Movement and allegedly opened fire on the members of the movement, who gathered in Bori, Khana Local Government of the state on Sunday.

It was learnt that though the rally was billed to start by 2pm, fully armed policemen stormed the venue before the commencement of the programme, but it was unclear what led to the heavy shooting that followed the arrival of the security men.

Our correspondent learnt that scores of people were injured but it could not be confirmed if anyone was killed as of the time of filing this report.

On Sunday last week, policemen, who were deployed in the SRM rally, allegedly shot Senator Magnus Abe with rubber bullet on the chest at close range.

Eto'o hattrick sinks Manchester United

Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o scores three as the Blues hammer Manchester United 3-1 in the Premier League.
Samuel Eto'o's hat-trick lifted Chelsea to a 3-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday which all but ended the champions' slim hopes of defending their Premier League title.

Two first-half goals and one soon after the restart by Eto'o took Chelsea up to third place with 49 points, two behind leaders Arsenal, and United remained in seventh place, 14 off the summit.

United defender Nemanja Vidic was sent off in stoppage time to complete a miserable day for David Moyes's team.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CONDOLES SENATE PRESIDENT ON SISTER’S DEATH AND PEOPLE OF PLATEAU STATE ON PASSING AWAY OF FORMER GOVERNOR

President Goodluck Jonathan has, on behalf of himself, his family, the Federal Government and people of Nigeria, written to condole the Senate President, Senator David Mark on the death of his younger sister, Mrs. Mary Onma-Adakole.

"It is with great sadness that I write to express my heartfelt condolences to you, the Adakole John family, and the entire members of the Mark family of Oturkpo on the untimely death of your dear younger sister, Mary Onma in the prime of her life. 
 
"My heart especially goes out to you in your moment of grief considering the unfortunate circumstance of her passing. 
 
"I pray that Almighty God grants you and all whom she has left behind the fortitude to cope with the pain of this irredeemable loss.

Nigerian Police corporal to die by hanging

A Nigerian High Court in Gusau, capital of Zamfara state has sentenced a police corporal, Anthony Azare, attached to Kaura Namoda Police Division, to death by hanging for culpable homicide and trespass.
Justice Mukhtari Yusha’u, found Azare guilty of causing the death of one Yusuf Abubakar on April 22, 2011.

Azare with two others entered the residence of the deceased and shot him with an AK47 rifle in the shoulder and lower abdomen which resulted in his death.
Yusha’u, who relied on the evidence of the wife of the deceased, Aisha Yusuf, held that her testimony remained consistent.

Williams sisters pull out of Aussie Open doubles

Four-time champions the Williams sisters pulled out of the Australian Open doubles on Friday after an injury to elder sister Venus.
The American pair withdrew from their first-round match with Kristina Mladenovic and Flavia Pennetta because of the injury to Venus’s lower left leg.
Serena Williams, seeking her sixth singles title in Melbourne, said she hoped to be back next year playing doubles with Venus. The extent of the injury was not known.
“Well, I love playing doubles, love playing with Venus, but sometimes it doesn’t work out,” said Serena after beating Daniela Hantuchova in the singles third round.
“We’ll make sure we come back and play maybe next year.”

Supreme Court orders Mohammed Abacha’s trial for theft

Nigeria’s Supreme court in a unanimous decision Friday morning ordered Mohammed Abacha, son of late former Head of state, General Sani Abacha, to return to an Abuja High Court and face his trial on a 123 count criminal charge brought against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria wherein he was alleged to be in possession of stolen properties belonging to the Federal Government.

The theft was allegedly committed by the late former dictator stole, when he ruled Nigeria.
Mohammed had attempted to foil his trial but was unsuccessful at the trial court before he proceeded to the Court of Appeal where he lost. Then he approached the Supreme Court.

He argued that the immunity enjoyed by his father while in office extended to him and that having forfeited some of the family’s properties confiscated by the government, he should be exempted from prosecution in line with the he provisions of Decree number 53 of 1999.

Tukur’s successor to emerge on Monday

Barely 24 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan confirmed The PUNCH’s exclusive report on the  resignation of Dr. Bamanga Tukur as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, the search for his successor has begun.

Among those who have shown interest in the post  are the former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prof. Rufai Alkali  from Gombe State); a former Acting National  Secretary of the PDP, Dr. Musa Babayo (Bauchi); and an ex- Minister of Commerce,  Amb. Idris Waziri (Taraba).

The PUNCH also gathered that a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Ibrahim Bunu (Borno) and  the Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, who is believed to be the choice of  Patience Jonathan,  are  also  in the race.

Akingbola moves against enforcement of UK court’s judgment

Former Managing Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), Mr. Erastus Akingbola, has asked a Lagos High Court to quash an order for the enforcement of a London court’s judgment which imposed N212.2bn liability on him.
The London court had on September 13, 2012, ordered Akingbola to pay the sum to Access Bank for his alleged sharp practices which allegedly contributed to the collapse of Intercontinental Bank (now subsumed by Access Bank).
Justice Adedayo Oyebanji of a Lagos High Court had ruled on an ex parte application filed by Access Bank, directing Akingbola to pay to Access Bank the sum of N212.2bn (£654m).
The order directing Akingbola to pay the money was made after the court ordered the registration of the UK court’s judgment to make it enforceable in Nigeria.