Keshi’s burial rites begin, Pinnick says ex-Eagles coach extraordinary

The funeral Mass for former coach of the Super Eagles, late Stephen Keshi, was on Thursday held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Airport Road in Benin, Edo State.

Keshi died on June 8 in Benin at the age of 54, after a 44-month spell as coach of the Super Eagles.

He was one of  only two men to have won the African Cup of Nations both as player and as coach in 1994 and 2013.

Mikel denies donating $30,000 to Olympic Eagles

Captain of Team Nigeria to the Rio Olympics, Mikel Obi, has denied that he gave $30,000 to his teammates in the U23 Eagles squad who are camping in Atlanta, USA. Earlier reports on Thursday had stated that the Chelsea midfielder made the donation to the team as a way of helping to ease the financial struggles of the players.

Mikel’s denial was made public via the website of the Nigeria Football Federation. The player who spoke from the team’s camp at the Hyatt Place was quoted thus, “I was first told of this unfortunate story by a friend who called me from Nigeria. I thought he was joking until he sent me the link.

Iheanacho, Adarabioyo start as City beat Dortmund

Pep Guardiola got his first taste as Manchester City’s manager Thursday night after beating Borussia Dortmund on penalties in a friendly, but expressed concern about the looming English Premier League season. It was a game that gave Tosin Adarabioyo and Kelechi Iheanacho places in the starting line-up.

“Football today is tough,” said Guardiola, whose side beat their German opposition in the southern Chinese city of Shenzen.

OAU announces resumption after two months strike

The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife have asked students of the institution to resume next Wednesday.

The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr Biodun Olarewaju, confirmed this in a press statement on Thursday.

The announcement came two months after activities on OAU campus were halted by members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities.
According to the statement, new students are expected to resume next Wednesday and  next Sunday was approved for the stalites resumption.

[UPDATED] PDP: Makarfi caretaker committee is illegal, says court

A Federal High Court in Abuja has said that the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party is illegal.

Justice Okon Abang said this in preliminary ruling in an application filed the Ali Modu Sheriff-faction of party.

The Sheriff faction of the party had filed an application on July 4 for an interlocutory injunction seeking to stop the national convention of the party, which was planned by the Makarfi faction and scheduled for August 17.

Court remands teenager in prison for alleged rape of 35-yr-old woman

An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday remanded in prison custody a 19-year-old man, John Julius, for alleged rape of a 35-year-old woman.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Bayo Ajiboye, had told the court that the accused allegedly committed the offence on July 12 at Efon Alaaye-Ekiti.

Ex-govs fraud cases: AGF lists Saraki, Akpabio, Daniel, Odili, Ladoja for fresh probe, trial

Senate President Bukola Saraki, factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff; and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, are among 31 former governors whose alleged corruption cases investigated by the anti-graft agencies are likely to be reopened soon.

The PUNCH had exclusively reported on Tuesday that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, had written to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, directing the reopening of the cases of the ex-governors.

MTN to list on Nigerian Stock Exchange

Telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, has said it will list its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2017.
The company said in a statement on Thursday that the listing was part of a settlement arrangement with the Federal Government.
“The Board of Directors has resolved to proceed with preparations for a listing of MTN Nigeria on the NSE as soon as commercially and legally possible, and has established a management task team with the responsibility to guide the company towards a listing,” it said in the statement.

PHOTO SPEAK: FULL PICS OF NEW TRAIN LINE FROM ABUJA TO THE SOUTH

Ekweremadu will lose seat to APC candidate, says Okorocha

The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has said Ike Ekweremadu should be warming up to lose his seat as the Deputy Senate President.

Okorocha said a candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Benjamine Uwajumogu, who contested in the last Saturday re-run senatorial election in Imo State would displace Ekweremadu as soon as he joins the Senate.