Per Mertesacker to be handed captaincy band for Arsenal FC

Per Mertesacker is set to be named Arsenal captain ahead of the new season. The 31-year-old German international, one of the most experienced players at the club, will be rewarded for his loyalty by being handed the armband after Mikel Arteta retired from football to take up a coaching role at Manchester City.

Mertesacker's central defensive partner Laurent Koscielny will be given the vice-captaincy, while Petr Cech and Theo Walcott are alternate options if the former two aren't on the pitch.

Fayose's Aide pens letter to Buhari over reopening of Bola Ige's case

Fayose's Aide, Lere olayinka expressed his delight in the latest move of President Buhari on the order into the case Of late Chief Bola Ige and Chief Aminosari Dokubo but he has more people that should be on the list.

Read below:

Dear President Buhari,

Rotimi Amaechi embezzled N3 trillion as governor - Rivers Government

The Rivers State Government yesterday accused former Governor Chibuike Amaechi of embezzling N3 trillion belonging to the State in eight years.

The government allege that Amaechi left ‘most abandoned projects in the history of the State.’

The State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Tam-George who levelled the allegation against Amaechi, remarked that while Amaechi’s administration borrowed N4 billion agricultural loan from the Central Bank with no record of farmer-beneficiaries, Governor Wike’s N2 billion loan from the same source had recorded 35,000 beneficiaries that were small and medium scale entrepreneurs.

(Graphic photo) Gas explosion kills 3, injures 10 in Edo

No fewer than three persons, including two children, have been killed by a gas explosion at 32, Osazuwa Street, along Agbor road, in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

Ten other persons were also said to have been injured in the fatal incident that occurred at about 7am on Sunday.

Security Staff rescued Benzema from a photo-seeking fan

Security staff were forced to intervene as Real Madrid star Karim Benzema was pounced on by a fan looking for a selfie during their summer tour.

Los Blancos are in Canada for the start of their pre-season preparations as Zinedine Zidane's men look to steal Barcelona's crown this coming campaign.

However, Benzema was involved in an unsavoury incident outside the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Montreal as he left the team bus.

Dasukigate: Gbenga Obadina, MD Almond Properties gets N500m bail

The Federal High Court, Abuja, has admitted Gbenga Obadina, the Managing Director of Almond Properties Ltd., to bail in the sum of N500 million.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba said that he should produce two sureties in the sum of N250 million each.

The EFCC arraigned Obadina on Friday for receiving over N2.4 billion from former National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, for electricity contracts that were never executed.

Dimgba said that the defendant shall forfeit the N500 million to Federal Government if he jumps bail and the two sureties were to each enter a bail bond for the sum of N250 million.

Angry Customer shoots waiter dead for delaying his order (Watch Video)

An unidentified man shot dead an employee at a fast food restaurant for delaying his order.

The event occurred on Saturday, July 16, in Saudi Arabia. According to the Saudi Gazette, a colleague of the victim had called the police to report the incident.

“The police showed up to the scene to find the expatriate had been shot and blood was pooling from his body. The victim was taken to the hospital where he passed away. The police looked at the surveillance camera footage and was able to identify the customer,” Saudi Gazette quoted a source saying. “Some witnesses say the worker had delayed the customer’s order, which aggravated him.”

Presidency reassures Nigerians that Buhari won’t let them down on key promises

The Presidency on Monday again assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari would not let Nigerians down on the key promises he made ahead of the 2015 presidential elections.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement made available to journalists.

Shehu said the Buhari administration which came to power on the plank of anti-corruption and good governance will live up its promises and commitments regarding those commitments.

Released Boko Haram suspects given $10 each – Army

Some 250 people who were arrested and held on suspicion of links to Boko Haram Islamists have been released and given $10, Nigeria’s army said on Monday.

“Yesterday (Sunday), a total of 249 cleared suspected Boko Haram terrorists and accomplices were released… as approved by the chief of army staff in Maiduguri,” said army spokesman Sani Usman.

Colonel Usman said in a statement that those released included 169 men, 46 women and 34 children.

They were handed over to the Borno state government in northeast Nigeria and told “to remain law-abiding and go about their lawful business”, he added. “Each of them was given a token of N3,000 (naira, $10.4, 9.4 euros),” he said.

Olympics: Investigation reveals Russian government responsible for teams doping

Russia operated a state-dictated doping system during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and other events, an independent investigator said Monday in a report likely to lead to demands for Russia to be completely banned from the Rio Games.

Canadian law professor Richard McLaren said Russia’s FSB secret service had backed the doping cover-ups by anti-doping laboratories in Moscow and Sochi under orders from the country’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko.

Ex Imo Governor granted permission to travel abroad for medical treatment

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, granted the former Governor of Imo, Ikedi Ohakim, permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.

Vacation judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, granted the permission following an application made by Ohakim’s counsel, Gordy Uche (SAN).

Mr. Uche had, in the application, asked the court to release Mr. Ohakim’s passport to allow him to travel abroad for a routine medical check up.

2019: Former Vice President Atiku in closed-door meeting with APC Chairman, Oyegun

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and leadership of the All Progressives Congress APC, were locked in an hour-long closed-door meeting in a move party insiders said was not unconnected with the challenges facing the country and political permutations for 2019.

Atiku Abubakar’s visit was his first since President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in. Decked in a white robe (kaftan), Atiku, along with the Adamawa state Governor, Umar Jubrilla Bindow entered the national secretariat of the party around 12:50pm and made straight to the office of the national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

PDP Crisis: ‘Markafi must go’, Sheriff insists

The embattled former  chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has said that he can only let go of his claim to the chairmanship of the party only if he is allowed to nominate ten members to join the other ten that would be nominated by Senator Ahmed Makarfi to organize a fresh convention for the party.

Speaking yesterday when of a delegation of Abia chapter of the PDP from the 17 local governments paid him a solidarity visit in Abuja, senator Sheriff said he was ready to let go of his claim to the chairmanship of the party in deference to the intervention by the governors of Taraba and Gombe states but the Conditions that he gave must be met. But one of his former supporters, senator Buruji Kashamu yesterday appealed to Senator Sheriff to let go of his claim to the leadership of the party in the interest of the party and its supporters nationwide.

You could have called me instead of running your mouth in the media about 24 missing cars - Arase reply Idris

Former inspector-general of police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has denied the allegation that he took away 24 police vehicles while leaving office, according to a story in online newspaper, TheCable.

On Sunday, Ibrahim Idris, his successor, accused Arase and the deputy inspectors-general (DIG) who retired alongside him of illegally leaving service with vehicles belonging to the force.

Idris put the number of vehicles carted away by Arase at 24, lamenting that he’s been reduced to using a rickety car, so bad President Buhari had to ‘yab’ him about it.

Buhari Orders Bola Ige and Dikibo’s Cases to be Re-opened

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, directed the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to reopen investigation into the unresolved murder of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, and ex-Deputy National Chairman, South-South, of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Aminosari Dokubo, and fish out the perpetrators.

The killing of the two personalities caused national outrage, with Nigerians calling on the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to fish out the killers who have still not been found.

CBN Finally Agrees to Free the Naira, Funds Forward Contracts

Following the pressure mounted by the financial markets and analysts on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to allow the naira to be truly market-determined so as to attract offshore investors who have continued to remain on the sidelines, the CBN has finally freed the nation’s currency so that its rate on the Nigeria Interbank Foreign Exchange (NIFEX) will be determined by the interplay of demand and supply.

The central bank will equally fund the one-month forward contracts of $697 million this week, meaning that authorised dealers that bid on behalf of their customers for the contracts last month would be making a kill of almost N10 to the dollar, given that the naira fell to N292.25 on the interbank market last Friday.

Food, Energy Prices, Imported Items Drives Inflation Further to 16.5%

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, rose by 0.9 percent to 16.5 per cent in June compared to 15.6 percent in May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

This is the fifth consecutive month that the headline index would increase relatively strong.

The increase in the month under review was attributed to energy prices, imported items and related products which continued to be persistent drivers of the core sub-index.

Ibrahim Idris says Solomon Arase left With 24 Police Vehicles

The acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, says his predecessor, Solomon Arase,  went away with 24 police vehicles while the seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, who retired alongside him, also carted away between seven and eight cars each.

Idris stated that he had written Arase to return the cars, which included two official bullet-proof BMW 7 series cars, adding that the retired police chief and his DIGs had yet to return the vehicles.

The IG, who said this during an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja, explained that a special investigation team was already looking at the records of police vehicle purchases in the last three years as well as how they were distributed.

Africa Union Launches Passport that is Accepted in 54 African Countries

The long-awaited African Union (AU) passport was on Sunday launched at the opening ceremony of the 27th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

The Assembly is made up of heads of states and gov­ernments of the 54 member states of the AU.

The AU Commission’s Chairperson, Dr Dlamini Zuma, presented the pass­port to the Chairperson of the union, President Idriss Deby of Chad and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda.

Zuma, in her address, said the passport was a landmark achievement of the commission and was intended to help with regional integration of people of the continent.

‘Dalung Didn’t have any meeting with us’ – Niger Delta Avengers Say Minister of Youth doesn't know his work

The leading militant group operating in the oil-rich region of southern Nigeria, the Niger Delta Avengers, has denounced a report that its members met with Nigeria’s youth minister, Mr. Solomon Dalung in Delta State over the weekend.

In a statement issued on the Avengers’ website on Monday, July 18, 2016, the militants said that Mr. Solomon Dalung is incompetent and claims that he met with members of the group in Delta State are false.

(READ) ICC President Writes Editorial Assuring Victims Of Genocide, War Crimes Of Justice

Inside the courtrooms of the International Criminal Court, ICC, and in local communities, we are hearing the voices of those who have survived some the world’s most heinous crimes. Stories of tremendous loss. Stories of human suffering that could have – and should have – been prevented. “I lost my entire family.” “I have lost my dignity.” “The only hope I have left is for justice.”

In our own lifetimes, in conflicts unfolding even today, atrocities have been planned and executed, leaving behind victims of widespread or systematic crimes. Societies across the globe have been deeply scarred and divided by crimes such as attacks on civilians, murder, using child soldiers and rape as a tool of war. Violence in one place inevitably causes instability in others. For some, this may seem a distant if disturbing fact, but for hundreds of thousands of others, it is their only reality.

VIDEO: Arsenal new signing, Takuma Asano cries after playing final game for boyhood club

Takuma Asano could not hold back tears as he made his final appearance for Sanfrecce Hiroshima ahead of joining Arsenal.

The Gunners snapped up the Japan international earlier in July for around £3 million and Asano bid farewell to his boyhood club on Sunday following a 2-2 draw with Yokohama Marinos.

Asano, who won two J-League titles during a three-year spell with Sanfrecce, addressed the fans and was visibly emotional as he looks ahead to the challenge of breaking into the Arsenal first team.

Watch video below:

There is a grand plan to eradicate Christians in Nigeria - CAN

The General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Musa Asake has lamented the President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence on the continued killings of non-Muslims.

Alake, in an interview with the Punch on Sunday, joined many Nigerians to condemn in strong terms the murder of a Redeemed Christian Church of God early-morning preacher, Eunice Elisha.

He said, “I really don’t know that’s not the first killing. I don’t know why this is happening; we have security agencies in Nigeria.

Chris Giwa to raise N20bn for Nigeria Football Federation

Chris Giwa has said his board will raise N20billion for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The owner of Giwa FC, who is embroiled in a leadership tussle with incumbent NFF, Amaju Pinnick, says he plans to maximize the commercial aspect of football in the country.

“Every product and brand in our football will be maximized towards the business possible propensity to meet the N20 billion income that Nigeria football is valued to be worth if possibly harnessed,” he said.

NUC Boss reveals Nigerians studying abroad begging to return home (See Why)

The Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, has disclosed that some Nigerian students studying in foreign countries are seeking transfer to Nigerian universities.

Okojie, who spoke during an interactive session with newsmen at the weekend, in Abuja, said some parents and students had also realised that some universities abroad which their children were attending were substandard and that in some cases, they offered unapproved programmes.

He added that the request to transfer home was further heightened by the scarcity of the foreign exchange.

Major-General drags Army, Defence Minister, others to court over Compulsory retirement

One of the Army Generals recently retired by the Army Council, Major-General Nwokoro Ijioma, has dragged the Nigerian Army, Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff to the National Industrial Court over his purported compulsory retirement from the Nigerian Army.

In an originating summons filed by Chief Mike Ozekhome on his behalf, Major-General Ijioma wants the court to declare his purported compulsory retirement from the services of the Nigerian Army, illegal.

PDP chieftains run to Ribadu to rescue party from total collapse

Some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have called on the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu, to rescue the former ruling party from total collapse.

This call became imperative following the endless leadership tussle between the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the PDP and the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee.

Leadership reports that ahead of the Port Harcourt convention of the party slated for August 17, some party chieftains are rooting for Ribadu to take over the helms of the leadership of the party.

Criminals making efforts to key into Amnesty Programme - Rivers State Govt

The Rivers State Government says some criminals have started making efforts to key into the amnesty programme offer by the state governor, Nyesom Wike.

Speaking when he appeared on a radio programme monitored in Port Harcourt, the State Commissioner for information and communication, Austin Tam-Gorge said the special adviser to the governor on Amnesty had been receiving calls from those he described as hardened criminals who had promised to lay down their arms and embrace the amnesty offer.

How the meeting between Min. of Youths and Niger Delta Avengers went...

Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has disclosed details of his discreet meeting with the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

Dalung said he traveled to Oporoza in Gbaramatu kingdom in Delta State last Wednesday for a face to face chat with the agitators as part of the federal government’s commitment to ending bombing of oil installations in the region.

Dalung told newsmen at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting of the Southern senatorial zone of Plateau State, that he took a two-hour journey to the creeks via the sea.

Uche Secondus says President Buhari trying to kill PDP through EFCC

Former acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to subdue the opposition.

Lamenting the arrest and prosecution of members of the PDP in the past year, Secondus told The Punch that Buhari’s aim is to “kill” PDP.