I have read the argument by Mr. Reno Omokri stating that God is not against Polygamy; that of a fact God endorses and there is nowhere in scripture that speaks against polygamy.
I will respond to Omokri, stating rightly that he has a wrong understanding of the difference between the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT), which is brought about by Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. We must begin this conversation by understanding that Jesus came to give us a new life and a new way of living; in some cases different from the OT order; while in some others giving a new perspective to OT requirements and worldview.  Jesus came to reorder the disordering of God’s Order from the beginning of the creation of man. So, the OT does not really give us a perfect picture of God’s mind. That is why Bible says the OT is a shadow of the NT.
So, let us begin from the beginning by explaining God’s order or intention regarding marriage. This is what God said and intended for marriage in the beginning, as expressly stated in Genesis 2: 24.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh". Note the scripture said WIFE and not WIVES. In creation, God created ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN. And that scripture says the MAN and WOMAN, when they are joined together would become ONE FLESH, not TWO FLESH; not THREE FLESH. So, further, interrogate this statement. When a man marries TWO WIVES, the One Man and Two Women cannot become One Flesh. They become TWO Fleshes

We see that the man, Adam, and the woman, Eve stayed true to this injunction. There is no record that Adam married another wife.
We also see that once Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the man began to walk against the ways of God. In fact, the bible records that wickedness began to increase on the earth, on account of Adam and Eve’s disobedience of God’s instruction. So pervasion of the God order and way of life started seeping into human soul and existence.  Genesis 6 verse 1-3 says: “Now it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took WIVES for themselves of all whom they chose." So, we see a flagrant disrespect of the God order. Wicked and lustful men began to take wives “of all whom they chose”.
Omokri made the argument that several bible characters did not heed this demand or instruction and God did not punish them; He even approved of them. We see Abraham, who married two wives; David, who committed adultery with Beersheba and married her; Solomon, who married several wives, several Israel Kings, who married several wives in the list of those who married more than one wife and God did not punish them. In fact, God told David when he went for Uriah’s wife that if he had asked for more wives He would have given more to him. The point needs to be made here that by the time David came to the scene Moses had given the law on marriage which allowed the Patriarchs to marry more than one wife. God had decided to allow polygamy, by regulating its practice in the Law of Moses.
But we would get to understand later that because God permitted it did not mean it was God’s perfect will or original plan.  A disruption of His order had begun to take place on earth.  We have seen from scriptures that it is not everything that God approved of or permitted that is in His perfect will. He allowed certain things over a period of time, while He works towards drawing man’s attention to His eventual perfect plan. We see this in Israel asking for a king like every other nation. That wasn’t God’s perfect plan for Israel. He allowed it and gave them King Saul. We know that God’s perfect plan is for God to be king over them, a plan that He would still bring to pass in the future, through Jesus Christ. In fact, God called Ishmael, the son of the bondwoman. Ishmael was born according to the flesh, while Isaac was born according to a divine approval Galatians 4; 21-26.
In fact, God did not reckon Ishmael as the son of Abraham, even though He blessed him. This is what God said to Abraham in Genesis 22; 2 “Please take your son, your ONLY ONE (italics mine), whom you love, Isaac”. God needed to make the clarification so Abraham would not be confused. God saw Isaac, as Abraham’s ONLY son, even though Abraham first had Ishmael, in disobedience to God.
You could also see the disputes that arose from that polygamous infraction in the life of Abraham and Sarah. We also see what the birth of Ishmael from an ungodly alliance has brought to Israel and the world. The fate of Ishmael was prophesied by an Angel of the God in Genesis 16: 12. It says “You shall call his name Ishmael because the Lord has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, and every man’s had against him…” 
The same happened to David. In fact, God was annoyed with David for his adultery and the child of that adultery died, because God wanted it so,  even though David married other wives, according to Moses' Law.
Solomon who married many wives went out of God’s will and committed all sorts of evil deeds because of his many wives. This is what God said of Solomon because of his many wives. 1 Kings 11 “He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been”. In fact, God was angry with Solomon 1 Kings 11:9. Solomon did not obey his father David 1 Kings 22: 3.
That God allowed some Old Testament people to marry many wives did not mean that God wanted it so. God allowing you to do something does not mean He desires it so, or that is His perfect plan for you.
When you read the many cases of Polygamy in the Old Testament you would find out that the practice created unmitigated sociological disaster, as it still does today; creating heartbreaks and sowing family discords.
Again, we should note though that some Old Testament Fathers disobeyed God in the area of marriage, and God allowed it, which is not an excuse that God endorses polygamy in the New Testament dispensation. The NT brought in God’s mind marriage and the way all believers in Christ should conduct themselves regarding marriage and relate to the marriage institution. Jesus said that because of their hardened heart, Moses, through God's permission in the Old Testament Law, allowed His people, the Israelites to marry more than one wife and give them permission to divorce, with its imperfections and the troubles it brought those who engaged in it.
We see that God, often always tried to point us back to His original order. We see that In Malachi; where God clearly showed that He desired covenanted Monogamy. It is instructive that God reminded us again of His perfect plan for marriage at the end of the Old Testament scriptures, that is Malachi when He was about to introduce the Perfect Son who would show His perfect way; that is Jesus beginning from the book of Matthew. This is what Malachi 2: 13- 16:  “Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.  You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
“Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek, Godly offspring? So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.
So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.” What could be clearer, Mr. Omokri? The book of Malachi is the last book that ended the OT scriptures and introduced us to the gospels, even though Jesus lived in the OT era.  Now, God through Malachi drew the attention of the Israelites, and thus ours, to His perfect plan concerning marriage.  Marriage, in the plan of God, as first stated in Genesis 2: 24, is a covenant. The man and the woman are to stay faithful to it. More especially the man, who is required not to deal treacherously in the marriage pact but to stay faithful to the wife (not WIVEs) of his youth. How does one stay unfaithful to the wife of his youth? It is by not going behind her to marry another wife, joining him with another woman, and not committing adultery.
Then we see Jesus taking on the same theme of the sanctity of the marriage institution as God envisaged and required it.  He began to introduce us to the NEW Life, the NEW WAY OF LIVING in God, by giving us the divine ability, through His Grace, to live according to God’s ways; the way God designed man to live before the fall of Adam and Eve when lust had not come into humanity.
This is what Jesus said in Mark 10: 5 or Matthew 19: 3- 10: “Because of the hardness of your hearts he (Moses) wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and Female. For this reason, a man shall leave his wife (not wives), and the two (not three) shall become one flesh” Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. He said to them “whoever divorces his wife and marries commits adultery against her and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery. See the reaction of the Pharisees in verse 10; “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry”. It was hard saying and difficult deal to fallen and lustful man.
Now, I read Reno saying that Jesus' remark in Mark 10: 5-9 relates to divorce only. Let's analyse it contextually and deductively."
In the above statement by Jesus, He was referring to Gen 2: 24, which we have referenced.
Now this is what that scripture says: "For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh"
Yes, Jesus was responding to the question of divorce, that was asked him when He made reference to that scripture. Reno should have known that the original text in Gen 2: 24 was not discussing divorce but the union between man and woman in marriage. Jesus used the occasion of that question of divorce to bring out the sanctity of marriage and how it should be contracted and upheld as planned by God in the beginning. But now the hardness of men's hearts made God wink at that disorder and subsequently allowed Moses to rule on it in the OT. It is perfect and logical reasoning that we assign to that text its original context and application before the secondary application, that of not violating the marriage union or covenant or pact between One Man and One Woman with adultery and divorce. Because when a man and a woman are joined together, they become one flesh. When a divorce takes place the Union has been disrupted. It is the same way with violating the sanctity of the union with adultery.
1 Timothy 3: 2 spoke about the sanctity of marrying one wife. The scripture says a Bishop or Deacon must be blameless, a husband of one. That scripture should not be understood to mean that it relates to bishops alone and that those who would not be bishops could marry more than one wife. That would be absurd. It would go contrary to Jesus' Marriage template.  Note that the first criteria are that a bishop should be BLAMESS, so in the scrutinizing of a church member that would be a bishop the person must be seen as someone who had not played around, who may have divorced, and married another woman. He must be one who has the history one who has and is married to one wife alone. Not one who had married a wife and divorced and married another wife, at this point. He must be blameless in the marriage institution.
The idea of one man and one wife was also exemplified for us in the description of Jesus as the husband of ONE Wife, not TWO. The Church here is referred to as a wife in Ephesians 5, and Paul also quoting Jesus and Genesis 2: 24 ended that text by saying “Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his OWN WIFE (not wives) as himself, and let the wife sees that she respects her husband”. So, we who are of Him should exemplify him by marrying just one wife, and not two.
To avoid fornication and deal with those who could not control their lust and burning passion, Paul advised in 1 Corinthians 7 for Christians to marry (One wife, not two).
We have seen that when men began to lust after the daughters of men they began to take of all whom they chose.  Marrying more than one wife is a product of lust; of the fallen state of man. When Adam and Eve sinned humanity began to disobey God's order; man became lustful. Ojukokore (lusting) entered the world. There are behaviours in the Old Testament that God winked at, according to scripture. According to Jesus, there is a way God intended the relationship between man and woman to be, but the hearts of fallen men made God wink at some of the behaviours of men in the OT days, but in Christ, He now commands all men to return to the state of obedience to God's order and ways. Now, this has nothing to do with traditions of men, which mostly are derived from the fallen state of man’s heart; the state of disobedience to God’s order. We are discussing God’s perfect order; God’s perfect life, which Jesus came to reenact and preach about, which the apostles were devoted to and expanded and gave more light. A heart or soul that is free from lust, which is a sin against God, will not seek a second wife; he would loath polygamy. He would see marriage as God intended it and not the way traditions of men or how the early Patriarchs in their imperfect way viewed marriage. 

Ukodie is a journalist

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The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged churches to hold three days prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) amid the insecurity challenges ravaging the country.
CAN, in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Barrister Joseph Daramola, directed the churches to offer intercessory prayers on behalf of the country and its leaders.

The statement reads, “I have been directed by the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev. Dr Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, to request all church leaders, through your various Churches to organise a Solemn Assembly to pray for Nigeria on the 13th, 14th and 15th of May, 2022.
“We are to passionately call upon the Lord to: Show Nigeria mercy and divinely intervene in all affairs of our nation, especially economic, political and security matters so that the nation may not violently collapse.
“That God would speak to our leaders to take the right steps in addressing the dangerous situations into which we have put ourselves.
“That our political leaders will not set the nation on fire or tear it apart by their insensitive political actions which failed to take our complexities into consideration as we approach 2023 elections.
“That God would continue to be with the electoral umpire, INEC, to stand firm without an iota of partiality in making sure that elections are free and fair.
“That God should judge anyone outrightly, who, out of selfishness is planning to create chaos in the forthcoming elections no matter how highly placed in the nation.
“That the electorates would come out and vote the right people into power, those who will make promises and fulfil them.
“That daily blood-shedding of innocent people and other violent acts in Nigeria should be put to an end by our government and divine intervention.
“That the Lord should show us mercy as a nation concerning the blood of innocent people already shed in this nation that is calling upon God for vengeance.
“That God would cause the terrorists, the gunmen, the bandits, the kidnappers and other violent people in our midst to abandon their evil ways and give this nation respite.
“That God would give the military the upper hand in subduing the terrorists and other violent people causing mayhem in our nation and that He would divinely fight for Nigeria against these evil people and their financiers.
“That our generation would experience a new Nigeria where there are equity, justice and people irrespective of ethnic group, religion or political affiliation.”

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The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) says that 78 of its members have been arrested by the Kaduna State Police Command and are in its custody over the International Quds Day rally held in Zaria and Kaduna metropolis.
According to the leadership of the group, 70 members were arrested in Zaria while eight were arrested in Kaduna metropolis on April 29, 2022.

The Kaduna representative of the IMN, Yunusa Lawal Musa, who disclosed this at a news briefing held on Monday, said one person was killed when the police attacked the procession.
He described the attack by the police on their members as “barbaric and uncivilised at a critical moment of insecurity and dissensions.”
When asked if the action of the police was not borne out of the Kaduna State government’s order proscribing IMN, the spokesman said the issue of the proscription was still in court, adding that even at that, the Nigerian constitution supersedes any law or verdict by any state.
 “The International Quds Day Procession is being observed worldwide on the last Friday of the Holy Month of Ramadan. It is conducted in solidarity and support of the oppressed Palestinian people at the hands of the Zionist regime of Israel who are forcefully occupying their land,” he said.
“The rally/procession took place in virtually all countries of the world including the United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, Canada, Ghana, Niger Republic, and in Nigeria in several other states, without any intimidation or attack except only in Kaduna State (Kaduna and Zaria).
“Here in Nigeria, the International Quds Day is being observed for over 37 years running. It is a well-known annual event but alas, on Friday, 29th April 2022, the procession in Kaduna was brutally attacked with live ammunition gunshots and massive teargas, resulting in the cold-blood murder of one Mustafa Abubakar Wagini (28 years old) and seriously injuring nine others.
“Eight people were arrested on their way back home and are now in detention with the police. We view the police action in only Kaduna State as barbaric and uncivilised at this critical moment of insecurity and dissentions. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended) guarantees freedom of religion as enshrined under Section 38(1) and Section 40.
“It could be recalled, 34 people, including 3 undergraduate sons of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zazzaky and a Christian faithful were massacred on a similar day in 2014. Army and Police brutality/ attack under the Buhari Regime have been going on during our religious activities; why all these indiscriminate attacks?
“We hereby condemn this act of extrajudicial killings perpetrated by the government. We are calling on all people of conscience to prevail on the government to STOP these attacks and also for the government to unconditionally release the passports of our Leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky and his wife Malama Zeenatudeen Ibrahim.
“We are calling on fellow Nigerians to demand for security, justice, equality and freedom. Arise from the slumber and take your fate in your own hands! Oh God! Guide us to the straight path leading to perfection. Peace and blessings be upon those that follow peace and justice.”

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The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has slammed former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, stating that the latter was trying to use the group to play politics.
The group, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said Okorocha had tried several times to be a part of the group to achieve his selfish ambition but was rebuffed by the leadership

IPOB said it will achieve Biafra freedom and independence from Nigeria without Okorocha and his cronies.
A statement from the group reads, “We wish to remind Rochas Okorocha that his recent ranting against IPOB, will lead him to destruction. We in IPOB have never seen him as a threat to the liberation of Biafra as being championed by IPOB.
“Rochas Okorocha has tried so many times to be part and parcel of IPOB to decide the way forward and to achieve his selfish aims with the name of the movement, but IPOB leadership refused to accept him.
“Rochas Okorocha and his likes will be there watching as IPOB actualize Biafra's freedom and independence from the oppressive Nigeria State.
“This recent ranting by Rochas Okorocha has shown that he is speaking the minds of his masters in Abuja who advised him to siphon Imo State funds with his family.
“Nigerians must be mindful of Rochas Okorocha, his family and co-travellers because they are behind the numerous attacks, killings, and abductions going on in Imo State.
“We know how many times they tried everything possible to create these groups killing innocent citizens in Imo state, because of Imo people political decisions to ensure that they retrieve all the properties he corruptly acquired using his office and public funds.
“If Rochas Okorocha and his co-traitors in Biafra land want any recognition in Biafra, let them tell their Fulani masters to fix a date for Biafra referendum and see if they can get one per cent (1%) ‘no vote’ to Biafra freedom vote, from South East region.
“All Biafrans want independence from Nigeria. No amount of intimidation can stop this. The earlier Nigeria and her moles in Biafran understand this the better for them.
“The activities of Rochas Okorocha in Imo State and his successor, Hope Uzodinma on Imo State have all been exposed to the world.
The whole world must take note of the two Imo politician and their co-,travelers. They and their gangs are behind the insecurity in Imo State thinking they can deceive Imo people Nigerians by always call IPOB names.
“Both political warlords have destroyed Imo State, using their recruited hoodlums. Innocent Imo citizens are at the mercy of their atrocities./Rochas Okorocha must therefore, stop thinking that he can use IPOB for his selfish political move.
“He should better steer clear IPOB and keep quiet about issues concerning IPOB, instead of trying to use our name for political gains. We cannot allow him to use IPOB’s name to shine. He is digging his political grave by trying to use IPOB for political gains. We are not interested in Nigeria politics. Our mandate is the restoration of Biafra, and we cannot be distracted.”

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At least 23 members of the Mass Movement for the Actualisation for Biafra, MASSOB have been arrested by the Police in Cross River State.
The suspected MASSOB members were arrested by the police at a watch repairer’s workshop in the Ikom Local Government Area of the state. Others were, however, picked from their homes located within and around the town.

Wives of six of the arrested persons told Vanguard that they have not been allowed access to their husbands since last Thursday when the arrest took place.
According to Beatrice Ikechukwu Ani, she said her husband and the other men have been without food since their arrest.
“Here with me are the wives of Nnamdi Okafor, John Ibe, Ebere Chukwu, Celestine Ndibe, Emmanuel Nachi and we calling on the police to release our husbands immediately,” she said.
She said their husbands were at a watch repairing workshop when the police came and took them to the Ikom police station and from there to Calabar-.
“When they were at Ikom they did not allow us to see or take food to them and from there they brought them to anti cultism unit not even State CID for detention.”
Beatrice said their husbands are not cultists or criminals so detaining them among cultists and criminals without food was not unjust.
“The police took them to their houses to search and did not find anything incriminating but insisted on detaining them.”

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A member of the National Youth Service Corps identified only as Oluwakemi has been recovered dead from the rubble of the collapsed Lagos building, bringing the death toll to 10.
SaharaReporters had reported that the incident occurred around 9.30pm on Sunday and many occupants of the building were said to be trapped under the rubble.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service Sunday night said rescue efforts had begun.
By Monday evening, at least 24 persons including children were said to have been rescued alive, the agency said.
“Ebute Meta Building Collapse Update. As we achieve Ground Zero of the Search and Rescue Operations, it is to be noted that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service can account for the followings:
“24 (twenty four) were rescued alive with varying degrees of injury and all in stable condition, including 2 (two) which are responding to treatment.
“10 (ten) recovered suspected dead; 6 (six) males and 4 (four) females. All the first and major responders are still collaborating to mop up the incident scene.”
Meanwhile, in a statement last night, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said some of the injured victims had been rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

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Nigeria's Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has come under fire from Nigerians for distributing over 50 exotic cars to ruling All Progressives Congress members ahead of the party’s governorship primary in Kebbi State.
Malami had last Thursday declared interest in the Kebbi State governorship race.

On Saturday, the Chief Law Officer of the country gave out 30 Mercedes Benz GLK, 20 Toyota Prado and other exotic vehicles to party executives and delegates.
However, the distribution has triggered negative reactions, with many wondering where Malami got billions of naira to purchase the vehicles.
Some of them lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari, who rode to power in 2015 on the back of a promise to crush corruption, especially in the government circle for endorsing all the atrocities of one of his most trusted lieutenants.
“In a sane country all these political jobbers ought to be in money laundering suspect list. APC government have manifested their looting prowess in this coming elections,” a Facebook user, Uchenna Thomas wrote.
Gabriel Otenu said, “Who is fooling who, a political appointee sharing this type of cars to buying votes, and efcc is watching them only for them to go after poor children who re doing yaho to assist themselves, because their parents can't afford the expenses private school.”
Christopher Nwachukwu also said, “How much was Malami's salary and allowances as Attorney General of the Federation for 7years? How can he honestly afford to buy these luxury cars if he is not corrupt? And his Nephew is the Boss at EFCC. Nigeria is really a fantastically corrupt Nation.”
Another Facebook user, Afolabi Tola wrote, “You will not know the level of corruption under Buhari who sees himself as Mr integrity until he leaves the office.”
Jacob Letura said, “Nigeria my country so this man has embezzle our country wealth for long for over seven years. 
Tell me how much is this man salary which enable him to donate this kinds of exotic cars? .... Oh God why our leaders is making thing so hard for us in this country. He is doing this to buy the mind of electorate.
“No Wonder he said delete laws from the newly electoral act, a lawyer that doesn't know law instead of amendment you said delete....how many of this appointee dat resigned from office before aspiring for elective position....all these criminals that form Buhari cabals.”
Aliyu Akanza also wrote, “His fighting corruption with Mr president, when he became Minister what was he doing now in 7rs his distributing SLK and Toyota and ur fighting corruption. No problem continue.”
Anthony Nwaigbo added, “Where did he get all this money he is lavishing? The fight against corruption should start from the high places of power. Is there any hope for this country? When are we going to move from the politics of money to the politics of the people?”
In 2020, a series of detailed investigations carried out by SaharaReporters showed that Malami had acquired several properties whose value run into many billions of naira since being appointed into the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s chief law officer.
For example, the AGF has an underground hotel in Sokoto, three houses at Peace Estate, Abuja, a brand new state-of-the-art school in Kebbi, two houses for his sons worth N100m each and a new hotel under construction in the Jabi area of Abuja.
Malami also bought a house this year worth N150m in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja.
The newly constructed school is located at the back of NITEL in Gesse Phase 1, Birnin Kebbi, while a new house worth N600m on Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, are among properties acquired by Malami since he became a minister under President Buhari.
The houses he built for his sons in Kebbi are 200 metres apart in a posh part of the city.
That is not all. Malami also built a N3billion multipurpose event centre in Kebbi State named Azbir Arena for his son in Kebbi. 
The facility is said to be an entertainment centre with a plaza and kids playing section and an ongoing hotel all in one place.
This is apart from Rayhaan Hotel located on Zaria Road, opposite Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, which the AGF massively upgraded using proceeds of corruption.
Ever since SaharaReporters published a series of detailed reports exposing these illicit acquisitions, the online news medium has been a target for the AGF’s camp.
Apart from falsely claiming to have sued SaharaReporters over the expository reports he said had damaged his reputation before the world, Malami also issued a petition to the former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on the issue to arrest the Publisher of the online newspaper, Omoyele Sowore.



















 

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Ministers in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari eyeing elective posts in 2023 remained in their offices as of Sunday, further deepening the confusion over their participation in their party’s primaries at the end of the month, Tribune reports.
The governing All Progressives Congress (APC), which has the president as the apex leader, had directed ambitious appointees at federal and state levels to resign their offices a month to the party’s primaries.

While there has been noticeable compliance at the state level, appointees at the federal level, especially those serving in President Buhari’s cabinet, have refused to quit.
The president has been publicly silent over their decision to stay in office and pursue their ambitions, though he had strongly objected to possible disenfranchisement through legislations.
Three of his ministers, Rotimi Amaechi (Transport), Chris Ngige, (Labour and Employment) and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (state education), are aspiring to be president. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has declared for Kebbi State governorship.
The governorship primaries hold 17 days from now.
With the presidential primaries scheduled for May 30 through May 31, the party’s guidelines, which compelled resignation a month before, has now been observed in the breach by the ministers by their refusal to step down at the weekend. Nwajiuba, however, dismissed the concern, saying, “The resignation of a minister or anybody who is in office is guided by the constitution to contest elections.
“My position is that the law of the country rests on the ground norm called the constitution. If you do not like the constitution, your work is to amend it. There is no subrogation of power that is required for you to include into a law what is not deemed as included in that law.”
He was referring to the provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which requires those in public service to retire 30 days before the election they seek to participate in.
Their refusal to step down has also contravened the contentious Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, which also demands resignation before participating in primaries.
While it appears the ministers have their last hope against possible disqualification in the Constitution, senior lawyers have told them they could be walking a very tight rope.
Leading lawyer, Femi Falana, told Nigerian Tribune that those aspiring ministers are not covered by the constitution because they do not belong to the class of public servants envisaged by the provision.
He said, “The appointees are not public servants. The provision in the Constitution applies only to those in public service. The ministers are not in this category and the Court of Appeal had stayed the judgment of the Umuahia court. So they are back to square one.”

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said with the level of youth participation in the ongoing voters’ registration exercise across the country, the youths could play a significant role in deciding the direction of the 2023 elections.
INEC, who cited the online registration of voters to buttress its claim, noted that out of the figure of 15.7million that participated in the exercise, the youth population between the ages of 18 to 34 years old stood at 9.2million.

This was made known by INEC Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, in Ado-Ekiti at the multi-stakeholders’ conference on increasing young voters’ turnout.
According to Okoye, the youths’ efforts would come to nothing unless they do the right thing by making use of their PVCs to vote during elections starting with the June 18 governorship poll.
“The youths will play a key role in the politics of 2023 if they do the needful. We create the online registration to target the youths, if you look at the figure for replacement of PVC, transfer of PVC and so on, the figure stands at 15.7million out of which the figure for the youth population stands at 9.2 million.
“If you are looking for the completed registration, you will see that we have as of today 9.1million out of which the youths between the ages of 18 to 34 years constitute 3.5million. The implication is that of all those who have application and those who have completed the registration, the youths between the ages of 18 to 34 constitute over 70 per cent.
“So if the youths played their part very well the 2023 election will be for them to decide. Based on this understanding, the INEC decided to create additional polling units, especially for those in the rural areas. After creating additional polling units to make voting seamless, a total of 176,846 polling units will be available for the 2023 elections.
“But all these figures I have reeled out will come to nothing unless the youths do the right thing by making use of their PVC. This is because, you can do all the registration but on Election Day, if you don’t go to the polling units, your registration is nothing.
“What the youth must do is to organise themselves, if not, their voice can’t be heard. They must also be informed and resist the negative mindset that my vote will not count; the election has been compromised by INEC and so on.”

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Russian President, Vladimir Putin's top military commander has been flown out of the war zone with shrapnel wounds after being sent to Ukraine by the Russian president to secure victory, a former Russian internal affairs minister has claimed.

According to Daily Mail, Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of Staff of the Russian army, was on Sunday wounded in Izium in Ukraine's Kharviv region, which has been at the centre of intense fighting since Russia's invasion.

Putin had sent Gerasimov to the region to take personal control of his push to grab territory in eastern Ukraine, after the Russian army abandoned its plans to take Kyiv at the end of March in favour of a concentrated assault on the Donbas region of Donetsk and Luhansk.
An unofficial Russian source reported that Gerasimov sustained 'a shrapnel wound in the upper third of the right leg without a bone fracture.
'The shard was removed - there is no danger to life,' he said.
But Gerasimov's injury was severe enough to have him flown away from the frontlines and back to Russia to undergo further treatment, marking another embarrassing defeat for Putin's forces.

The chief of staff's injury came just one day after Russian Major General Andrei Simonov, 55, was killed in Kharkiv, according to an adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

He is Russia's ninth general to have been killed since the start of the invasion.

Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the precision strike on Izium was “the very place where Gerasimov, who personally came to lead the attack on Slavyansk, was located.”

A “large number” of senior officers were killed in the attack which wounded Gerasimov, Gerashchenko said.

Pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Vertikal also alleged Gerasimov had been “wounded near Izium”, citing unspecified sources.
Russia is believed to have sustained heavy casualties in the eastern Donbas region and around cities Kharkiv and Izium, as Ukraine's armed forces continue their bitter defence of the Donetsk and Luhansk territories which have been partially occupied by Moscow-backed separatists since 2014.

Russia's military leaders are pouring troops and equipment into the east of Ukraine in an attempt to force a bloody victory after they abandoned plans to blitz through Ukraine's north and seize Kyiv earlier in the war.

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A British legislator from the governing Conservative Party resigned after admitting he watched pornography on his phone in the House of Commons chamber.
Neil Parish, a member of Parliament since 2010, announced his decision on Saturday after pressure from members of his own party who sought to defuse sleaze allegations before the UK holds its local elections on May 5.

The ballot is seen as pivotal for Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is already facing a voter backlash over lockdown-breaking parties in government offices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parish, 65, stepped down after what he described as a moment of “madness”. Parish, chairman of the house’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, said he was trying to look at a tractor website, but stumbled into a porn site with a similar name and watched it for “a bit”.
Reports that a legislator had watched porn amid the historic green benches of the House of Commons triggered a flood of complaints from women in Parliament about the misogyny and sexual harassment they have faced while doing their jobs.
Long known for its boozy, macho culture, Parliament is now a more diverse place with women holding almost 40 percent of the seats in the House of Commons. But legislators and staff say harassment and inappropriate behaviour are still rampant under a system that largely allows members to police themselves.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Parish’s resignation should be a moment for people across the UK to say “enough is enough.
“I don’t think there could really be any other outcome to what has come to light about this particular MP over the last few days,” she said. “Watching porn on a mobile phone in the House of Commons when you’re there representing constituents is just unacceptable.”

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The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra and a factional body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, have criticised pro-Biafra leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, for rejecting Igbo Presidency.
Uwazuruike had said he does not believe in the president of Igbo extraction stating that the contest should be thrown open.

He stated this when he led some South-East youths on Saturday in a solidarity march in Owerri, Imo State, in support of the 2023  presidential bid of Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State.
In separate statements, MASSOB and Ohanaeze slammed Uwazurike describing his action as unfortunate and a smacked betrayal of the struggle for Biafra agitations.
Ohanaeze in a statement issued by the President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, said Uwazurike’s action was not a surprise considering his precedent in betraying his fellow agitators for an Independent Biafran nation.
Okwu described Uwazuruike as one “ready to trade off himself for peanuts at every slightest opportunity.”
He further said the former MASSOB leader was “a persona non-grata, a serial betrayer and a man who had completely lost a sense of history,” further stating that “there were reports flying about that he did this volte-face after collecting N20 million.”
“We find it strange that he could sell his conscience just for a paltry N20m, to such an extent that a supposed pro-Biafra leader now talks so much about one Nigeria.
“However, we pity those who find anything meaningful in Uwazurike, a man who was dethroned as MASSOB leader because of the same reason. We know how he traded off the struggle in the past and was rewarded for betraying the same course he was pursuing,” the statement read.
Ohanaeze, however, cautioned Uwazurike and his likes to retrace their steps from a “destructive journey as the day of reckoning will surely come”, while maintaining that a million Uwazurike cannot stop the 2023 Igbo Presidency project.
Meanwhile, MASSOB, under Uchenna Madu, alleged that Uwazuruike hired some youths who paraded themselves as their members in Owerri conducting a political rally for the support of Bello’s presidential ambition.
The pro-Biafra group in a statement signed by its National Director of Information, Comrade Edeson Samuel, said their members were not in the rally.
The group stated, “MASSOB has never engaged or campaigned or rallied for any politician vying for political occupation in Nigeria. Our primary duty of existence is for Biafra’s actualisation and restoration through non-violence. We can never be agitating for Biafran autonomy and at the same time romancing with the major enemies of the people of Biafra.
“MASSOB warned Ralph Uwazuruike, the leader of Biafra Independent Movement to stop parading himself as MASSOB leader, and also to stop using MASSOB for merchandise.”
Edeson explained that Uwazuruike was expelled from MASSOB in November 2015 because of corruption and betrayal of trust/ confidence.
“Ralph Uwazuruike campaigning for the governor of Kogi state against his Igbo brother is nothing but to fulfil the agreement he signed with the Hausa Fulani cabals in 2013 and also to pay for the money he received from the governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello,” the statement partly read.

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A tenant at a collapsed 3-storey building on Ibadan Street, Ebute Meta, Lagos State, Engineer Adegoke Ogunbabi, has expressed grief over the loss of his neighbours to the tragedy.
The 3-storey building collapsed around 9pm on Sunday, trapping many occupants. While nine persons had been recovered dead so far, 23 persons were rescued as operations continue at the site.

Adegoke who narrated his close shave with death, said he was asleep when the building caved in.
According to Daily Trust, he noted that he firmly believed that help would come his way as the building crumbled.
The survivor, while speaking to journalists on Monday, said he had been living in the building for 10 years, adding that his room was on the last floor.
Ogunbabi, who escaped unhurt, said the landlord didn’t reside in the building.
He said, “I was on my bed when the building collapsed. I normally do exercise because I had a spinal cord injury.
“God was my Saviour. I slept around 7pm. A neighbour called me but I didn’t pick up the call because I hate disturbance while sleeping. Someone else called me around 9.30pm. I was hearing some sound and noticed that the building was collapsing.
“I was naked. I didn’t entertain fear. I was determined that whatever God wishes would happen. I was assuring myself that I would be safe and God did it. Someone came to rescue me.”
“I feel bad that some people died, especially a young man called David. He always played with me,” he added.

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Some gunmen terrorising Nigeria’s South-East region have in an audio confession claimed responsibility for the killing of a military couple in Imo State.
SaharaReporters had reported earlier today how A.M Linus, a sergeant first class in the army and his lance corporal wife were shot and beheaded on Saturday.

After beheading the couple, the gunmen were said to have called their family members to mock them.
A gory video of the incident seen by SaharaReporters showed the gunmen putting the heads on the victims' chests after the incident.
“It’s so sad that we soldiers are no safer, the man was a member of the 19 regular intakes while the wife was of the 79RI. They were on their way to Imo State on Saturday when the incident happened. You won’t believe these gunmen as we speak still used their phones to make calls to their family members, making jest of them and threatening to kill them as well.
“This couple just married recently, even their photo shoot caused a lot of criticisms and seems they were punished for it. Though the man is married to another woman with grown-up kids, he suddenly eloped with this young soldier; I was told the girl also had kids before joining the army as well.
“The man still has a father; his brother is also a soldier working at a battalion in Kaduna. The lady was also raped before they were beheaded,” a soldier had told SaharaReporters.
In the trending audio obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday, one of the gunmen was heard speaking to a friend of the deceased lady admitting that the couple was killed for being soldiers.
“It’s quite unfortunate that it has come to this way, I killed them already. Have you heard of unknown gunmen before? Do you see how soldiers are killing innocent people because of unknown gunmen? Yah, that’s why I caught them yesterday and I killed them,” he was heard telling the lady who later burst into tears.
Attacks by armed men have increased in the South-East in recent times. The attacks often target security agencies and government facilities.
The latest development comes a few hours after gunmen invaded a military checkpoint in Agulu, Anaocha LGA of Anambra state on Saturday and opened fire on soldiers, killing one in the process.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been linked to the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.
The leader of the group, Nnamdi Kanu, is currently detained in Abuja where he is facing trial for treason.
 

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The Directorate of Politics and Governance, a political department set up by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has begun canvassing support for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s presidential bid.
Over the weekend, Timothy Olaniyan, the head of the department who had previously denied mobilising support for the vice president’s ambition, said Osinbajo, being a “child of God,” remained the only aspirant capable of changing the governance narrative in Nigeria.

“As of today, Pastor Yemi Osinbajo is not just a pastor; he is still a child of God,” he said, according to Peoples Gazette.
Speaking to journalists at the inaugural conference of a political movement called New Era Nigeria (NEN), Olaniyan said the country deserved an honest leader.
“It is high time our eyes were opened. What we want is not those baits, we want somebody that would make a promise to our children and fulfil it,” he explained. “If you tell me education will be free, I want you to get there and make it free so that we will not continue to build up youths who have no future.”
In March 2021, the RCCG created the department to mobilise support for members of the mission seeking elective office, a move that further blurred the thin line between religious prejudices and the state in Nigeria.
Weeks after the department’s creation, the RCCG general overseer, Enoch Adeboye, said he was politically neutral and would not mobilise support for any political party because they are all his “sons.”

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Dennis Amachree

A retired Assistant Director of the State Service, Dennis Amachree, has urged Nigerians to kick against recycling of leaders, whose families have been in the political space for years and have nothing to show for it.
Amachree made this known on Saturday in Lagos State during the Afrikanwatch Network annual lecture titled, “A New Nigeria, with innovative ideology, devoid of hypocritical leaders.”

Dennis Amachree ChannelsTV
He stressed that the current politicians lack the ideology to give birth to a new Nation.
He went further to examine the leaders Nigeria had had since independence from Britain and asked whether Nigeria had been led or ruled since independence.
“Mention one president that actually led this country, and think of how many rulers Nigeria have got, at the presidential level, since independence. A political aspirant recently said that he will turn Nigeria around if he is allowed to “RULE.” So it is very apparent that most of our politicians see the opportunity of public service as a chance to RULE over the “slaves” or “subjects” of Nigeria. But alas, Nigerian is not a monarchy to be ruled over; neither are we slaves in our own country.
"Most of the country’s politicians say one thing, but do something else. Nigerians are used to all the campaign promises of what they will do for the populace, but continue to behave in a different way.
"Under such leadership, the citizens can see bare faced corruption, nepotism, unimaginable fraud and a total disappearance of integrity. Nigerians have been caught up in the quagmire of hypocritical leadership, where we are at the mercy of the politicians.
"In a democratic system, where we the People are supposed to be the repository of power, politicians have relegated the citizens to the background where, if a politician built a five kilometers of road, we come out with our drums, dancing and thanking the governor or president for providing that infrastructure, as if he built the road with his own personal money.
"It is simple, the citizens beating the drums are ignorant and the politician is taking advantage of their lack of knowledge.
“It is a truism that most of the politicians todays are ignorant of or and devoid of leadership skills and qualities. Very few politicians do understand what leadership is all about. But most politicians are in public office to appropriate our commonwealth into their personal pockets.
"That is why leadership for development becomes a big problem; a big problem because the fundamental objectives of being in public office are not for development but for personal aggrandisement.
"The political landscape in Nigeria lacks cognitive rigidity when it comes to ideology. Ideological extremism is totally shady, where carpet crossing is a commonality. In the United States, the Democrats are pro-choice (supports abortion), while their Republican counterparts are totally against abortion.
"In such rigidly held beliefs or ideologies; it is rare to see politicians crossing carpet. But in Nigeria, it’s easy to cross the carpet because there are no ideologies or strongly held beliefs that can change the conviction of a Republican to be a Democrat overnight or vice versa. 
"The recent outcome of the All Progressive Congress (APC) convention is instructive. If you observe carefully, most of the principal officers of the APC, are defectors of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)? This simply means that there is no ideology that both parties hold very dear.”

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Apostle John Okoriko, the founder of Solid Rock Kingdom Church, who was freed after four days in captivity, has recounted his terrible ordeal in the kidnapper's den.
Okoriko, who was kidnapped at his residence in the Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, said he was tortured by his abductors so he could accept to pay the initial N100 million ransom they demanded.

He, however, said while he was about to be released, two of the five-man gang knelt before him to seek prayers, Daily Trust reports.
“The torture was much. They did terrible things to my body to force me to bring money to them. I told them I had not seen such money in my entire life.”
“They told me I am the richest pastor in Akwa Ibom. They did all manner of things to me. Out of the five-man gang that abducted me, two of them knelt down and asked me to pray for them before they released me in the evening to go,” he said.
He further commended the former Chairman of the State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Prelate Emeritus of Methodist Church, Sunday Mbang, and founder of Believers Assembly, Apostle Isaiah Isong, for the roles they played in ensuring he was released.
He said the duo set up a team of people who gathered to pray for him.
Okoriko said after his release, his first point of call was the capital ground of his church because it was close to the kidnappers' den, and Prelate Sunday Mbang, the following morning, because of the dream he had about Mbang.

He said, “That night, I saw my father who died in 1990 sitting in place like a court session with great men and women. When he talked to me, he turned to Prelate Sunday Mbang.
“In the morning, I showed myself to Prelate Mbang and prostrated before him and told him my experiences. Quoting the scripture from Psalm 129: 2, I told him that from my youth, people have attacked me but they never prevailed over me.” 

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President Muhammadu Buhari says he is pained by the collapse of a three-storey building In Lagos, in which no fewer than eight persons have died.

The incident occurred on Ibadan Street in the Ebute Metta area of Lagos on Sunday night. 

Buhari, in a statement on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, also lamented the rate at which structures have been collapsing in the country. 

The President commiserated with the families of the victims of the tragic building collapse, urging relevant authorities to work closely with professional bodies to put a stop to such incidents.

Buhari, however, commended the first responders for their courage and responsiveness. 

“The frequency of building collapses in the country has become increasingly embarrassing, the relevant state authorities must work closely with professional bodies to put a halt to these unfortunate but preventable incidents,” the President stated in his message.

He wished the injured victims a speedy recovery and prayed for success in the ongoing rescue operations at the site. 

A 21-storey building, still under construction also collapsed in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State on Monday, November 1, killing several people. 

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Police authorities have accused Ms Precious Chikwendu, the estranged wife of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Aviation Minister of threatening the lives of witnesses lined up in the alleged attempted murder charge against her.

 

Chikwendu has been in a legal tussle for the custody of her four children since her marriage hit the rock in 2020.

The marriage had suffered set back over Chikwendu’s allegations of domestic violence and Fani-Kayode’s counterclaim of infidelity.

 

According to NAN, the allegations against the ex-beauty queen were listed as count 14 in an amended charge against her.

 

The police said the alleged offence was committed by Chikwendu and Emmanuel Anakan, a co-defendant, last Wednesday within the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

 

They were alleged to have “criminally threatened” the lives of Bako Maina, Isah Kudaru, and other witnesses to eliminate them by death if they insist on testifying in the case.

 

The offence was said to be punishable under Section 397 of the Penal Code.

 

Chikwendu (2nd defendant) and three others were to be re-arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo on 14 counts.

 

Other defendants in the trial include Anakan, Prisca Chikwendu and Osakwe Azubuike as 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants respectively, while others are said to be at large.

 

In the earlier charges, the police had accused Chikwendu of carrying two kitchen knives and threatening to kill Fani-Kayode, the children, and other occupants of the house at Asokoro on November 24, 2018.

 

She was also accused of making false allegations on November 24, 2018, with doctored pictures with the intent to deceive members of the public and make them believe that the injuries in the pictures were inflicted on her by her ex-husband.

 

Besides, Chikwendu was alleged to have “criminally uploaded doctored/photo-shopped pictures” of her biological child, Liam Femi Fani-Kayode, who was four years old, in order to deceive members of the public that the child sustained an injury on his forehead.

 

According to the charge, the offence is punishable under Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act 2015.

 

The defendants were further alleged to have committed offences bordering on cybercrime, intimidation to kill the former minister by use of the Internet, through which they said he did not deserve to live.

 

They were also alleged to have criminally used the internet to send abusive messages with the intent to bully, defame and harass her ex-husband.

 

They were alleged to have fabricated false evidence by deposing to a series of affidavits that Chief Fani-Kayode physically and sexually assaulted members of his domestic staff in inhuman conduct by causing the same to be electronically published in a national daily.

 

Chikwendu was also alleged to have, through her Facebook page, referred to Fani-Kayode as “Mr Short Fuse,” on December 7, 2021, among others.

 

The matter, which was second on Friday’s cause list, was however stalled as the judge directed that the re-arraignment be rescheduled.

 

The case was fixed for June 29 for Chikwendu and three other defendants to take their plea in the fresh charge.

 

 

No fewer than 9, 000 signatories had as of February 4, 2022, signed a petition started by Precious Chikwendu, seeking the custody of her children — Aragorn, Ragnar, Aiden, and Liam.

 

Chikwendu, a former beauty queen had started the petition to the United Nations as a way to put an end to bullying and oppression from spouses who have more political power over the other.

 

She alleged that she was physically abused by the former minister when they were still together.

 

 

It reads, “This petition would help African women who have been denied a right to their children because they were married to or cohabited with a person of power. This petition would put an end to bullying and oppression from political spouses who have the power and means to oppress and frustrate their partners out of the lives of their growing children who need the love and care of both parents.

"Precious Chikwendu, Miss United Nations 2014, cohabited with former minister of aviation of Nigeria, Femi Fani-Kayode who has a history of abusing women. She experienced severe mental and physical abuse for the period of 6 years they were together.

 

“She was locked up in a mental home where she was injected with substances on the orders of Femi Fani-Kayode to enable him to create a situation to take over her kids. Since Precious walked away on August 2nd 2020, she has not been allowed any form of access to her children."

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The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has imposed a 150,000 Swiss Franc (N 63,931,249.48) fine on Nigeria.

Some aggrieved Nigerian fans had vandalised the football pitch after Nigeria’s senior male football team, Super Eagles drew 1-1 with their Ghanaian counterparts, the Black Stars, in a match that was to decide who would qualify for the tournament.

The Super Eagles lost the ticket to Black Stars of Ghana following the 1-1 draw on March 29 at the MKO National Stadium Abuja with the visitors going through on away-goal rule.

But in a dispatch by FIFA, the body’s Disciplinary Committee decried the poor organisation of the match for lack of order and security at the match, adding there was ‘failure to implement existing safety rules and failure to ensure that law and order are maintained in the stadium, invasion of the field of play and throwing of objects’.

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