Boos can make Gareth Bale better – Zidane

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane believes the harsh treatment meted out to Gareth Bale by his own fans at the Santiago Bernabeu can push the Welshman to greater heights, AFP reports.

Bale bounced back from jeers as Real opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-0 win over APOEL Nicosia last week by scoring just his second goal of the season in spectacular fashion in a 3-1 victory at Real Sociedad on Sunday.

“It is part of a player’s career, but at times it is good to note that you are not doing things well,” said Zidane on Tuesday ahead of the Spanish champions’ La Liga clash with Real Betis on Wednesday.

Okoh targets FIBA Africa 3×3 glory

The new  national U-18 boys and girls teams coach Christopher Okoh has admitted that his players are under pressure to perform in the 2017 FIBA Africa 3×3 Championship in  Bamako, Mali.

Okoh said this in Lagos on Monday after their training ahead of the  competition holding from September 23 to 25.

“I believe every team going  there (Mali) wants to win  gold and  we have the  same target. So, we will focus on winning the championship.”

Messi hits four as Barca maintain perfect start

Lionel Messi added four more goals to his soaring early season tally as a much-changed Barcelona maintained their 100 percent start to La Liga by routing Eibar 6-1 on Tuesday.

Paulinho and Denis Suarez also netted for the second consecutive game as Barca stretched their lead at the top of La Liga to seven points over Real Madrid, who host Real Betis on Wednesday.

“That Messi scored four goals now isn’t news,” said Barca boss Ernesto Valverde after the Argentine’s 43rd career hat-trick.

“He has done it so many nights, in so many games. To keep repeating it is the most difficult thing.

“He is an extraordinary player. I have run out of words for him.”

Welbeck blow for Arsenal

Danny Welbeck will be out at least until after next month’s international break with a groin injury sustained in Arsenal’s match against Chelsea on Sunday, Skysports reports.

Welbeck will miss Wednesday’s Carabao Cup visit of Doncaster to the Emirates as well as the Premier League home games against West Brom and Brighton and the Europa League trip to face Bate Borisov of Belarus.

“Danny has a scan today (Tuesday),” said Arsene Wenger. “We don’t know how bad his groin injury is but he will certainly be out until the international break.”

FG, Jonathan disagree on proposed S’West, S’South military operations

The Federal Government and former President Goodluck Jonathan have disagreed on the planned military operation in the South-South and the South-West codenamed Operation Crocodile Smile.

Jonathan, who spoke on Tuesday, believed it was an anomaly for soldiers to be deployed for internal security, a responsibility that is meant for the police, saying the deployment of troops internally was to intimidate the citizens.

But the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, countered the former President, arguing that under the past administration, headed by Jonathan, soldiers were deployed in Onitsha, where 16 persons were reportedly killed.

Anambra: INEC drills 120 officers on polls mgt

TO ensure credible polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has trained 120 Assistant Electoral Officers, AEOs; Electoral Officers, EOs; and other field staff on Election Management System, EMS. The two-day training, which is part of the Commission’s preparations for the November 18 governorship election in Anambra State ended, yesterday. The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Planning, Monitoring and Strategic Committee, Professor Okechukwu

Customs impounds 13 bullet proof cars, 5 others in Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has seized 18 smuggled exotic cars from an Abuja-based car dealer., 13 of which are bullet-proof. car Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), told journalists in Abuja, yesterday, that the importer did not obtain clearance from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, before the importation. He said:  “On Saturday, September 16, 2017, based on credible information, the detachment of the Compliance Team visited Kefiano Motors Limited in the Central Business Area of Abuja and discovered 18 suspected smuggled exotic vehicles that were displayed for sale.” According to him, the NCS has 265 smuggled cars that have been

Sheriff-led PDP defects to APC in Delta

Members of the Modu Sheriff-led faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State have defected to All Progressives Congress, APC. It was gathered the cross-carpeting followed the dumping of PDP by its erstwhile National Vice Chairman, South-South and Deputy Chairman of the Sheriff group, Dr. Cairo Ojougbo. Speaking at Agbor, where the defection ceremony held, Ojougboh said they were suffocated out of PDP, adding that after the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed the Ahmed Markafi national leadership, members of the Sheriff faction were sidelined. According to him, “we asked the national body to open up the party after the unfortunate court judgment. The next thing we heard was that they were going to grant us amnesty as if we were criminals. Their grouse “When Raymond Dokpesi was nominated as member of the committee for the non-elective

EZEEMO: Man who only dreamed of owning a car, comfortable house

THIS is the story of deprivations, resilience, and triumph. It reveals how the innate traits of resourcefulness and desire to finish strong combined to produce one of the successful entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Chief Godwin Ezeemo. To give back to humanity, he currently seeks to serve his state, Anambra at the highest level. WITH a demeanour that could disarm even the most vicious enemy, he approaches life and issues. To complement the harmless looks, are the virtues of focus, hard work, humility, and resilience.  These key values which had taken him places saw him defeating the limitations of his birth in incredible manners. Unlike others, who would capitalise on their poor

Buratai, Kachikwu, others for Peace Achievers Awards

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu have been nominated for the 2017 edition of the Peace Achievers Awards.’ Buratai-Kachikwu Mr Kingsley Amafibe, the Project Director of Peace Ambassadors Agency, organisers of the annual awards, said this in Abuja on Tuesday. The event has been scheduled to hold on Sept. 23. He said that Mike Okiro, former Inspector General (IG) of Police, Raymond Dokpesi of DAAR Communications and Dr Paul Orhi, former Director-General of NAFDAC, were among the nominees too. Other nominees for the award included Amb.Tony Benson, President of Niger Delta Peace Agitators; Dan Nwanyanwu; Alex Okoroji, veteran radio host and Oba Adetola Olaonipekun. According to him, the Chief of Army Staff is to be honoured with the ‘Award for Excellence in Peacekeeping’ for his efforts at maintaining peace across Nigeria. He noted that since the inception of Buratai as the Army Chief, peace has returned to hitherto troubled areas, especially in the North East, Niger Delta and other regions. “Gen. Buratai has proven that he is committed to Nigeria’s Peace and Unity, by leading his men to fight and curb the activities of insurgents in the North and other forms of criminalities across the country.” Amafibe explained that Kachikwu was listed in the 2017 ‘peace honour roll’ because of his “unrelenting commitment to restoring peace in the oil-rich communities of Niger Delta.’’He added that South Africa High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Louis LuLu