Army frees 128 Boko Haram suspects

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday freed 128 suspected Boko Haram members arrested in different locations of Borno State.

Speaking during the release of the 128 persons to the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buaratai, said the detainees have been carefully screened by a joint intelligence cell, which includes the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS and representative of Borno State government.

He said the Nigerian Army has three major tasks in the fulfilment of its role in the counter insurgency war in the North-East. These, it said, include facilitating humanitarian support to all agencies involved in humanitarian activities, defeat of the insurgents and the restoration of administrative function of all the areas liberated.

He said, “To attest to the fact that the Nigerian Army is a right body, we preserve human rights in the course of our duty and also maintain dignity of the individuals. The human right has vindicated the Nigerian Army, as we protect the territorial integrity of the country and defend its citizens.”

Gen. Buratai said the President was giving them more support by supplying them with more equipment and more troops deployed to various parts of the North-East, so as to end the insurgency within the stipulated time given by President Muhammadu Buhari.

While addressing the 128 freed Boko Haram suspects, Governor Kashim Shettima warned them to desist from engaging in unlawful activities He urged them to embark on legitimate business to sustain their livelihood and be fully integrated into the society as good citizens of the country.

He said, “Through the magnanimity and professionalism of the Nigerian Army, you have been released and will be fully integrated into the society. You should abstain yourselves from criminal activities, as the government is ready to empower you so that you will be good citizens that can bring development to the society.”

Also, the Nigerian Army on Wednesday in Damaturu, the capital of the troubled Yobe State, paraded 16 suspected Boko Haram members and their alleged collaborators.

Parading the suspects at the military base of the 27th Military Taskforce Brigade in Damaturu, the Acting Commander of the taskforce, Colonel Dahiru Bako said the suspects were arrested from different locations across the state.

Bako said some of the Boko Haram suspects were arrested shortly after carrying out an operation at the outskirts of Damaturu, where two villagers were killed. He said others were nabbed as collaborators and informants of the insurgents.

The collaborators, he said, were involved in the supply of logistics, such as foodstuff, fuel and cigarettes, among other intoxicants.

Items recovered from the suspects and their collaborators include 16 jerry cans of 25-litre Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), eight jerry cans of cooking oil, two bags of cannabis, among large quantities of assorted drugs.

Others things included 10 bags of rice, two bags of sugar, 12 bags of millet and six bags of potash as well as 12 bags of fertilizers which were believed to be used in the production of Improvised Explosive Devices.

Speaking to journalists, one of the released detainees, a 62-year-old Musa Ayuba, said he was excited as he would be finally going to be re-integrated with his family members. According to him, he has been in detention for almost two years.

He thanked the Army and the government for making them to regain their freedom. He promised to go back to their village to carry on with his farming activities.

The Nigerian Army had in July 2015 released 182 persons cleared of any link with the insurgency group.

Meanwhile, the Acting Director, Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar, has assured Nigerians that the Boko Haram insurgents lacked the capacity to retake towns under the control of the military.

Nigerians assess Buhari, Osinbajo after 100 days in office

Saturday marked the 100th day since President Muhammadu Buhari took over the mantle of leadership in the country.

We asked Nigerians on social media to assess his government with hashtag #PMB100days.

Seven die in Lagos fire incident

No fewer than seven people have died in a fire incident in Obele Lawanson Community, Surulere area of Lagos State.

The PUNCH learnt that only a six-year-old girl survived the fire accident.

She was said to have been rushed to the emergency ward of the Gbagada General Hospital, while the the remains of the other victims were deposited in a morgue.

The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, said the agency could not tell why the casualty figure was high, as the fire only affected some parts of the house.

Fadipe, who said the state’s fire service responded to 12 fire disasters over the night, explained that there was need for increased vigilance among residents.

“We are still at a loss over why the casualty was that high because the fire itself was not that severe. The kitchen was not affected, so nobody can explain why it was that serious. The survivor was rescued from the bathroom,” he said.

CBN urges state govts to maintain single account

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja advised state governments to adopt the Federal Government’s system of using a single account for all its revenue deposits.

Mr Kure Abubakar, Head, Client Services at the CBN, gave the advise while presenting a paper on “Understanding Treasury Single Account” at the close of a two day workshop on the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the workshop, which began on Tuesday, was organised for government revenue generating Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

He said the TSA, if adopted by states, could help them to get maximum benefits.

Abubakar, while answering questions from participants urged them to comply with the Federal Government’s directive and adhere to the September 15 deadline to avoid sanctions.

On the sidelines of the workshop, he told newsmen that some MDAs had complied and that if others failed to comply, they stood the risk of being sanctioned by the president.

Abubakar said, “There are sanctions and the directive says all erring MDAs will be penalised and that is enough because that is the type of political will we need.

“If you don’t comply the consequence is yours. I cannot say specific penalties but I believe the president has the authority to penalise either the Managing Director or Chief Executive of such MDA.

“So those that refuse to comply are on their own or they should show reason to the government why they cannot comply.”

He also said that MDAs that require a waiver could do so by making a presentation to the president stating why such should be granted.

Corruption ongoing under Buhari – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has alleged that corruption is ongoing under President Muhammadu Buhari.

It said despite the “holier than thou” posture of the present Federal Government, the opposition party has what it described as “incontrovertible evidence that grave corrupt practices are ongoing and allowed to fester by associates and cronies of government.”

The former ruling party listed these associates to include former and present governors of the All Progressives Congress and those who it said financed the Presidential campaign of the APC with “stolen state funds.”

The party said this has created a system that is neck deep in corruption, while the government hoodwinks unsuspecting public with propaganda.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, however, said the party was not averse to the fight against corruption.

He nevertheless said “the onus lies on the APC-led Federal Government to wage a credible holistic anti-corruption war by first purging itself of unclean association and coming out clear on sleazes already going on in government quarters since it took office in May.

“Whereas the PDP restates its respect for the person and office of the President as well as our support for the war against corruption, it is incumbent on us to alert Nigerians of the prevailing circumstances around this government that are capable of fundamentally undermining good governance if left unchecked.

“Charity, they say begins at home. For the APC-led Government, it has now become a question of ‘physician, heal thyself.’

“Every discerning mind knows that this administration is not executing a credible holistic war against corruption because it is a product of corruption, surrounded by corrupt persons; a factor apparently responsible for its obvious blind eyes to huge sleazes now being perpetrated in government agencies by persons claiming closeness to the President.”

He said it was indeed alarming that in so short a time, an administration that rode to power on claims of anti-corruption credentials had broken the records in constitutional violations and abuse of regulations, especially in its adamant stance to run a government without the statutory components of a full cabinet, thereby creating loopholes for APC’s interests to invade key government agencies for inflated concessions, allocations, jobs and other financial sleazes.

Metuh said, “How else can one explain the deliberate constitutional violations in the appointment of heads of financial handling federal agencies; such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Asset Management Cooperation of Nigeria without due process of ministerial consultations and legislative clearance, as the case may be?

“Is this a scheme to open up these key finance institutions for malpractices and turn them into cash cows for APC interests?

“This is in addition to ongoing maneuverings in the oil sector, where clandestine moves are on to award oil refining licenses to cronies without the due process of open bidding, as well as statutory guidelines and checks by the Department of Petroleum Resources.”

He called on Nigerians to note that the APC-led administration has not been forthcoming on how it has been depleting the funds it inherited in the Excess Crude Account and other government savings.

He, therefore, challenged the Buhari-led APC administration to show integrity and commitment in the fight against corruption by first cleaning its house and coming out clear on the numerous sleazes going on presently under its watch.

18 killed in Mali boat accident

At least 18 people were killed after a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsised Wednesday on a river in central Mali, local authorities said.

According to a statement issued by the Malian government, the accident occurred on Wednesday morning, but it did not say what caused the tragedy.

Local media said search and rescue operation were underway, adding that over 70 people had been rescued and the death toll is likely to rise.

Details of Buhari, Osinbajo assets declaration

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday made public details of their assets which they have declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

According a statement by the President’s Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President has about N30m in his only one bank account with Union Bank Plc, while the Vice President has a balance of N94m, $900,000 and 19,000 pounds.

According to Shehu’s statement, the President has shares in Berger Paints, Skye Bank and Union Bank and a total of seven houses, comprising two mud and a standard house in Daura, his hometown; two homes in Kaduna, one in Kano and one in Abuja.

But the statements did not disclose the worth of the landed property and other assets, which both the President and the Vice President had declared.

However, Shehu said the President had no oil well and foreign bank accounts.

He said the President had two plots of undeveloped land in Kano and Port Harcourt. The President has not been able to ascertain the location of the Port Harcourt land, according to the statement.

The President is also said to have declared that he had a number of cars, two of which he was said to have bought from his savings and the others supplied to him by the Federal Government in his capacity as former Head of State.

“The rest were donated to him by well-wishers after his jeep was damaged in a Boko Haram bomb attack on his convoy in July, 2014,” the statement added.

He is said to have an orchard and a ranch in Daura with 270 heads of cattle 25 sheep, five horses a variety of birds and a number of economic trees in them.

For the Vice President, Shehu said the Senior Advocate of Nigeria declared a four-bedroom residence at Victoria Garden City in Lagos, three-bedroom flat in Ikoyi, Lagos, two bedroom flat at Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, two-bedroom mortgaged property in Bedford, England.

He is said to operating his SimmonsCooper Law firm, which is based in Lagos, and has  shares in MTN Nigeria, Octogenerium Ltd., Windsor Grant Ltd., Tarapolsa, Vistorion Ltd.,  Aviva Ltd., all of which are based in Lagos.

Osinbajo is also said to have one Infinity 4-Wheel Drive SUV, one Mercedes Benz and a Prado Jeep.

Shehu’s statement read in part, “The documents submitted to the CCB, which officials say are still being vetted and will soon be made public, show that prior to being sworn in on May 29, President Buhari had less than N30m to his name.  He also had only one bank account, with the Union Bank. President Buhari had no foreign account, no factory and no enterprises.  He also had no registered company and no oil wells.

“The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who had been a successful lawyer before his foray into politics declared a bank balance of about N94 million and 900,000 United States Dollars in his bank accounts.

“President Buhari declared however that he had shares in Berger Paints, Union Bank and Skye Bank.”

The documents also revealed that Buhari had a total of five  homes, and two mud houses in Daura.  He had two homes in Kaduna, one each in Kano, Daura and in Abuja.

One of the mud houses in Daura was inherited from his late older sister, another from his late father.  He borrowed money from the old Barclays Bank to build two of his homes.

The President also has two undeveloped plots of land, one in Kano and the other in Port Harcourt.  He is still trying to trace the location of the Port Harcourt land.

In addition to the homes in Daura, he has farms, an orchard and a ranch. The total number of his holdings in the farm include 270 heads of cattle, 25 sheep, five horses, a variety of birds and a number of economic trees.

“The documents also showed that the retired General uses a number of cars, two of which he bought from his savings and the others supplied to him by the Federal Government in his capacity as former Head of State.  The rest were donated to him by well-wishers after his jeep was damaged in a Boko Haram bomb attack on his convoy in July 2014.

“As revealed by the same forms, highlights of the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo’s asset declaration include his 4-bedroom residence at Victoria Garden City, Lagos and a 3-bedroom flat at 2 Mosley Road, Ikoyi.

The Vice President also has a 2-bedroom flat at the popular Redemption Camp along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and a 2-bedroom mortgaged property in Bedford, England. Aside from these, the Vice President has no other landed properties on the form.

“Apart from his law firm, known as SimmonsCooper, the Vice-President also declared shareholding in six private companies based in Lagos, including Octogenerium Ltd., Windsor Grant Ltd., Tarapolsa, Vistorion Ltd., Aviva Ltd. and MTN Nigeria.

“According to details shown on the form, the Vice-President has about N90m, $900,000 and 19,000 pounds in Nigerian Banks with the foreign currencies kept in local domiciliary accounts. His personal vehicles are one Infinity 4-Wheel Drive SUV, one Mercedes Benz and a Prado Jeep.”

Nigerians Will Soon See The Change I Promised – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that Nigerians will soon see the fulfilment of his election campaign promises.

He spoke on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving university students.

The president assured Nigerian youth that his government’s anti-corruption campaign would secure their future.

In an address to members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who marched to the presidential villa to pledge their full support for his anti-corruption campaign, President Buhari promised that he will do his best to place Nigeria well on the way to becoming the nation of their dreams.

“Everything you have asked for are the things that will make for a good country, and what we are after is a good country, a country where our youths can have a future and a hope,” the president said.

“We are totally committed to building a country where our youths can realize their full potential.

“You can be assured that your welfare and well-being are topmost in our minds and very soon you will see the things we have promised come to fruition.

“During the campaigns, change was our slogan, but today it is no longer a mere slogan, it is now a reality and we will see it in every facet of our lives.

“The youth will feel it, the adults will feel it and old people will feel it and we will get the country of our dreams,’’ the president, who was represented by his Special Adviser (Media & Publicity), Femi Adesina, said.

Mr. Adesina later received a document addressed to President Buhari from the NANS President, Tijani Usman Shehu, and promised that the president will look into their requests.

In his remarks, Mr. Shehu said the students were united against corruption, cybercrime, prostitution, human trafficking, drug abuse and other anti-social vices.

“Nigerian students demand that our future must be secured and we strongly believe in the President’s zero tolerance for corruption,’’ he said.

Oyo Recorded 277 Deaths From 260 Road Accidents In 7 Months, Says FRSC

OYO State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Yusuf Salami, on Tuesday, said it recorded 277 deaths, 1,126 injured persons in 260 road crashes in the state from January to July.

Salami made this known while briefing members of the Oyo State House of Assembly on ways to reduce road accidents in the state. He bemoaned human negligence ranging from overloading to non-use of helmet by motorcycle riders, irregular vehicle maintenance and check-up, drunk driving, non-adherence to traffic rules, as constituting 80 per cent of the carnage. In particular, he identified the Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin and Lagos-Ibadan expressway as places where many of the accidents occurred.

Salami, who decried the non-existence of a trailer park in Oyo State, also advocated improved emergency response through the establishment of roadside clinics at strategic locations across the state. While calling for further enlightenment of drivers and motorists alike in the media, he noted the need for enhanced enforcement and implementation of statutory legal measures by the relevant agencies.

Gov. Fayose Pardons Ekiti Civil Servants Caught For Lateness To Work

Remember the pics of Ekiti state workers begging on their knees that went viral?

Well, Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has pardoned the 31 civil servants who resumed late to work that day.

According to Punch, the governor announced this at a meeting with public servants in Ado Ekiti

“I am begging workers to get to work on time.

If we are paying salaries on time, then civil servants must also reciprocate by coming to work on time.

Also, people must be ready to pay rates, taxes and levies.

If civil servants are paying taxes, others should pay as well.

Our IGR must improve.” he said at the meeting today…

Founder Of Oduduwa University, Prof. Ramon, Nominated As The New Ooni Of Ife

The Adesogba family, an arm of the Giesi ruling house of Ile Ife, has backed the candidacy of a renowned educationist and businessman, Dr. Ramon Adegoke Adedoyin, for the Ooni throne.

The family, in a statement issued in Ile-Ife yesterday, declared Adedoyin, proprietor of Oduduwa University Ipetumodu, The Polytechnic Ife, Hilton Hotels and other business concerns, as its sole candidate for the exalted stool. It became vacant following the demise of the late Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II on July 28, this year.

The statement, jointly signed by eight princes and two princesses on behalf of the family, said Adedoyin, who hails from the Agbedegbede lineage of the dynasty was eminently qualified to succeed Oba Sijuwade by virtue of his pedigree, stature, investments, philanthropic activities and immense contributions to the human, physical and industrial development of the town.

They listed the aspirant’s investments as including First Access Microfinance Bank Ltd; Hilton Hotels; Odududwa University and The Polytechnic, Ife – all located within the four local governments areas of Ifeland – as well as Oduduwa Polytechnic, Idimu, Lagos State and Our Saviour’s University, Delaware, USA.

Adedoyin, they said, was “a bonafide son of the Agbedegbede compound, where he has been involved in all developmental projects” and possessed the knowledge and skills as an astute and effective manager of men and resources needed to make a success of the office of the Ooni.

The signatories to the statement are: Princess Kehinde Sijuwade Elugbaju (Nee Adewole); Princess Adekanmi Adelugba; Princeess Olufunmilayo Busayo; Princess Adedokun Adedoyin; Prince Gabriel Adedire Adewole.

Others include: Prince Adebolu Adewole; Prince Adekola Adewole; Prince Adekunmi Adewole and Prince Tilewa Bimbo Adewole.

- See more at: http://www.naijaloaded.com.ng/2015/08/28/founder-of-oduduwa-university-prof-ramon-nominated-as-the-new-ooni-of-ife/#sthash.UkR9St5E.dpuf

We have reduced Boko Haram to wanderers, says ex- Army Commander

Major Generals Sarduarna and Obi at the handing over ceremony.

The former Commander, Army Corps of Engineers, Major General Sarduarna Davies has said that the Nigerian Army (NA) has reduced the terrorist group, Boko Haram to wanderers and bandits.
Davis stated this on Friday at the corps headquarters in Bonny Camp, Lagos, while handing over to his successor, Major General Edmund Obi.
The ex-corps Commander reminded his personnel that the ongoing war against the terrorists was an engineering and logistics war, and urged them to ensure that only trained personnel are deployed to the area.
“I am very certain that we are winning the war in the northeast. I am just in from there and I can tell you that they are just bunch of marauders who are just acting like bandits now.
“They don’t act as a formidable force, we can’t say this is where they are, they are just roving around and I know that the Chief of Army staff is putting troops in place to comb the whole of northeast and push them to a place where they can be annihilated.
“I’ve been in and out of that place as many times as I can so I exactly know what I am talking about.”
Although Sarduarna confirmed that the NA was suffering from dearth of equipments, he however stated that the army headquarters was on top of the situation and would soon deliver the necessary tools to conclude the war.
Also speaking at the occasion, the incumbent Commander the corps assured that the army was doing everything within its power to uncover and destroy the source of IEDs for the terrorists.

Chief of Army staff escapes Boko Haram ambush

•Five insurgents killed •One soldier too

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai ,almost ran into a Boko Haram ambush yesterday on the Maiduguri-Dikwa road,Borno State.

But his advance team did and lost one soldier.

Five of the terrorists were killed by the advance team in the gun fire exchange.

The soldiers  were on their  way to Dikwa ahead of Gen.Buratai who is currently visiting troops in towns and villages recently liberated from terrorists in the state.

Four terrorists surrendered.

Also during the trip,the Chief of Army arrested four other suspected Boko Haram members after picking them from the midst of herdsmen.

As Buratai’s  convoy was made its way to Dikwa, eagle eyed soldiers grew suspicious of  some men among the herdsmen and their cattle.

The COAS ordered the convoy to stop and got four men and an elderly Fulani man arrested.

The Fulani man confessed during interrogation that he met the suspects   just before their arrest and had actually forced themselves on his party.

The four  confessed that they were indeed  members of the terror sect.

They were there and then whisked off to Maiduguri.

The Army Chief visited Dikwa,  Mafa and Gamboru-Ngala.

At Mafa, General Buratai commended soldiers of  the 7 Division of the army for a job well done.

He  assured them of  improved welfare and allowances.

He however told the  soldiers that  “there is still more job to be done and we have to do this once and for all so that all of us can go back to our respective barracks and continue with our normal jobs as soldiers”.

In Dikwa  the COAS  was welcome with cheers by over 4000 internally displaced persons from Gamboru and neighbouring towns, who were full of praises and prayers for him and his soldiers.

Buratai who addressed them  in Kanuri pledged that  that they would soon be resettled as his troops are working round the clock  to rid the area of terrorists.

In Ngala town, the Army chief met jubilant troops   celebrating the liberation of the area.

He was accompanied by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Baba Abubakar who made the trip by air.

Athletic Bilbao 0-1 Barcelona: Luis Suarez seals the points in Liga opener

The Uruguayan striker made the difference after Lionel Messi missed a penalty as the Catalans began their defence of the league title

An exquisite Luis Suarez volley sealed a hard-fought 1-0 win for champions Barcelona at Athletic Bilbao in their Liga opener as Luis Enrique's men gained a measure of revenge for their 5-1 aggregate loss in the Supercopa de Espana.

Despite Athletic's stubborn defending in the third encounter between the sides this month, Barca took the lead early in the second half through Suarez's venomous strike.

A combative but lacklustre first half was punctuated by Lionel Messi's penalty miss just after the half-hour mark, the spot-kick having been awarded in dubious fashion after Suarez took a tumble in the area.

Defending champions Barca grew into the game in the second half, controlling much of proceedings after taking the lead, though their bad luck with injuries continued as Sergio Busquets had to be carried off on a stretcher and Dani Alves was also substituted with a knock.   

Athletic struggled to pose a threat as the match wore on, with Messi almost adding a second in the closing stages.

The contest got off to a sluggish start as depleted Barca, shorn of key players Neymar and Gerard Pique, struggled to penetrate Athletic's well-organised defence.

Barca's injury woes increased inside of 20 minutes, with Alves having to be replaced by Sergi Roberto after picking up an apparent ankle problem.

Aritz Aduriz – who bagged a hat-trick in the first leg of the Supercopa de Espana – did go close for the hosts soon after, flicking a header just wide of the upright from Benat's free-kick.

But it was Barca who were given a glorious opportunity to take the lead when Suarez was clipped in the box by Gorka Elustondo, although the decision to award a penalty did seem harsh.

However, Messi's tame spot-kick, aimed towards the bottom-left corner, was easily parried away by Gorka Iraizoz, who was in action again moments later to prevent Suarez's cross-come-shot finding the net before Rafinha fired the rebound wide.

Messi was given a chance to make amends before half-time as Barca were awarded two free-kicks in quick succession, but both the Argentine's efforts were blocked by the wall.

Barca came out strong after the interval and finally made their possession count in the 54th minute – Jordi Alba latching onto an incisive pass from deep before picking out Suarez, who volleyed in with aplomb from six yards.

Luis Enrique's side suddenly looked more like their usual selves and went close to adding a second when Roberto rattled the crossbar with a fierce effort from the edge of the box.

Ernesto Valverde soon introduced winger Ibai Gomez in the aim of testing the out-of-position Roberto, while Luis Enrique was forced into another substitution as Busquets went down after a collision with Aduriz.

Iraizoz had to prevent Messi netting after a fantastic run from the Argentine, but the one goal proved to be enough for Barca.

West Brom 2-3 Chelsea

The new arrival from Barcelona scored one and assisted another in the first half, while James Morrison scored twice after missing a penalty in a tight affair at the Hawthorns

Pedro played a starring role but John Terry was sent off as Chelsea claimed their first win of the Premier League season with a thrilling 3-2 victory at West Brom on Sunday.

Chelsea signed Pedro from Barcelona on Thursday and the Spain forward made an instant impact at The Hawthorns.

The 28-year-old opened his account for the champions with a deflected 20th-minute strike, but only after the returning Thibaut Courtois had saved James Morrison's penalty six minutes earlier.

Jose Mourinho's men made it 2-0 on the half-hour mark when Pedro set up Diego Costa for his first goal of the campaign, before Morrison redeemed himself by pulling one back.

Cesar Azpilicueta's maiden Premier League goal then re-established Chelsea's command of the match as they went in 3-1 to the good at half-time.

However, Chelsea captain Terry - who was substituted at half-time of last week's chastening 3-0 loss at Manchester City - saw red early in the second period for hauling down Salomon Rondon.

West Brom, without Saido Berahino amid talk of an impending move to Tottenham, took advantage soon after through a superb Morrison header, but could not complete the comeback as 10-man Chelsea held on.
Costa dragged an early effort wide but Chelsea looked set to fall behind when Nemanja Matic tripped Callum McManaman just inside the area.
 
Morrison stepped up, but Courtois was equal to the midfielder's low spot-kick and turned the ball over the bar with his legs.
 
And West Brom were punished six minutes later as Eden Hazard flicked the ball into Pedro, whose left-footed shot from the edge of the area took a deflection off Jonas Olsson and into Boaz Myhill's bottom-left corner.
 
Chelsea then doubled their advantage with a superb counter-attack rounded off by Costa.

Willian fed the ball to Pedro and his shot across goal was turned in by international team-mate Costa from point-blank range.
 
A sloppy spell of Chelsea possession presented the hosts with a way back into the game as Rondon acrobatically turned James McClean's deep cross into the path of Morrison to lash a shot past Courtois.
 
More good work from Pedro was wasted as Willian spurned a glaring chance for 3-1, but Chelsea did restore their two-goal advantage through Azpilicueta's composed 42nd-minute finish after Costa had cushioned a ball over the top to the onrushing full-back.

Any hope of a comfortable second half for Chelsea evaporated with Terry's dismissal, and Tony Pulis' men capitalised five minutes later.

Morrison rose highest to head McManaman's excellent cross from the left in off the crossbar and set up a frantic finish.

Costa and Rondon went close at either end before McManaman spurned the best chance to earn a share of the spoils as Chelsea held firm to collect a hard-earned three points.

CYNTHIA MORGAN PAYS HISTORIC VISIT TO BENIN

Cynthia Morgan

IT was a triumphant return to Benin city for female dancehall artiste, Cyhthia Morgan, who had been teased by friends hitherto over her burgeoning music career.

The singer shared that experience recently during the #MySuperstarStory series, saying, “When I left Benin for Lagos a few years ago, my friends mocked my dream of making it as a singer in Lagos. They told me “You know how many people don go that Lagos to sing wey no see anything do? You go come back to this Benin.”

However, last Saturday, she proved to those friends that indeed her music career has indeed blossomed, to have come on the invitation of Nigerian Breweries Plc., organisers of the Star Music Trek, in which she joined other A-list artistes to perform in Benin.

The energetic red-haired artiste made her triumphant return to Benin as the biggest female dancehall music artiste in Nigeria, perrming at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium tagged BeninRocks alongside A-list Nigerian artistes such as Wande Coal, Burna Boy, MI, Jesse Jagz, Seyi Shay, Do2dtun, DJ Neptune and DJ Switch.

Ooni final rites: Residents warned to stay indoors as Oro sweeps Ile Ife

OBA OKUNADE SIJUWADE, OONI OF IFE

Residents of Ile-Ife have been warned to remain indoors as traditionalists wrap up the funeral rites for the immediate past Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

The final rites are to be performed by the Oro deity.

Town criers went from street to street on Friday asking residents especially commercial drivers and motorcyclists to keep off the roads between 7am and 6pm.

Head of the Oro cult in the town and the Awara of Iwara, Oba Layi Adereti, warned that anyone who flouts the order irrespective of age or gender would face its consequences.

Many residents rushed to the few available markets to get essentials that would last them for the day.

Major markets in the town have been shut since penultimate Friday when the burial rites started.

As a result of the curfew, some Heads of Departments at the Obafemi Awolowo University located in the town, cancelled the continuous assessment tests for their students scheduled for yesterday.

Some students, who reside off campus, were advised to remain indoors in compliance with the Oro cult order.

Also, hundreds of commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada, were seen on Friday distributing a handbill to their colleagues, warning them against operating in Ife yesterday.

Saraki eats humble pie, reaches out to Tinubu

The battle of wills rocking the leadership of the All Progressives Congress may soon be over.

Multiple sources told SUNDAY PUNCHthat contrary to his public posturing of defiance, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had started reaching out to some of the aggrieved leaders of the party.

Saraki is one of the gladiators in the clash of egos and wills that followed the Senate leadership election on June 9 and subsequent appointment of principal officers.

The Senate President had earlier visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo to help him beg President Muhammadu Buhari.

He also reportedly met with the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, on the same matter.

During the week, some emissaries sent by Saraki met with President Buhari and sought forgiveness for the Senate President for acting contrary to the dictates of the party.

The emissaries included Senate Leader Ali Ndume, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Senator Adamu Aliero, Senator Danjuma Goje, and Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

A report in a national daily on Saturday also said the emissaries apologised to the President for the individual roles they played in the crisis.

However, sources in the party told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday that the emissaries also had a brief to meet with the party’s national leader and former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu.

Many within the party see the crisis as a battle of wills with Buhari, Tinubu and some party leaders on one side of the ring and the Senate President and his backers on the other side. One of the prominent APC leaders that is believed to have backed Saraki is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

But sources told our correspondent that Saraki, of recent, had made strenuous efforts to meet and appeal to Tinubu to sheathe his sword.

Our correspondents report that Saraki’s olive branch to Tinubu may mark a turning point in the crisis as the Senate President, before now, had insisted that he would not ‘beg’ the APC leader.

But the sources added that Saraki might have changed his position when all his efforts to get President Buhari to forgive him for his defiance to the party and move on.

It has been widely reported that Buhari has refused all entreaties to host the Senate President at the Presidential Villa since the controversial election in the senate. The President had also said the leadership of the senate should tow the party line.

Two APC officials who spoke to our correspondent yesterday shed light on Saraki’s last two attempts to reach out to the APC national leader. They said that one attempt occurred three weeks ago while the other took place on Thursday in Abuja.

“Three weeks ago he tried to get across to Tinubu through one of his aides. Of course, the aide couldn’t have arranged the meeting. Tinubu’s disposition to the matter is well known,” the source said.

The APC national leader, sources said, had told some of Saraki’s emissaries in the past that the senate leadership should toe the party line.

Another source said the last attempt took place during the week when the APC senators, who met with the President at the behest of Saraki, also tried to get across to Tinubu. A source close to Tinubu said while the former Lagos governor was aware of the move, his position on the matter had not changed.

The source stated that Saraki needed a long-term strategy to pacify the aggrieved party leaders, adding that the Senate President’s is perceived as haughty by some of these leaders.

“It is a surprise that he is reaching out to Tinubu. Saraki has no respect for Tinubu. He is contemptuous of him. During meetings he refers to him contemptuously as “Bola”. In fact there was a time that Tinubu wanted to explain a point to him and he shut him up,” the source said.

The source may have alluded to the cultural norm in Tinubu and Saraki’s Yoruba ethnic group where an elder is not addressed by his first name. Tinubu is 63 while Saraki is 52.

But the source close to the APC leader insisted that the national leader had no ‘ego problem’ with Saraki.

“Tinubu’s take is that the senate should toe the party line. It is not a personal problem at all. If it were a personal problem, the President won’t be reacting the same way.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Lai Mohammed told one of our correspondents on Saturday that the APC believes in party supremacy.

He said, “I can’t comment on the story you are asking me about. However, the APC has made its position on party supremacy known.”

The spokesman for the Senate President, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, could not be reached on Saturday night. Calls and a text message sent to his line were not responded to.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Friday, stated that there was no alternative to democracy, as he almost lost his life to a dictator under a military rule.

He said this on Friday at his Presidential Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, when officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students and some students union leaders from various institutions paid him a visit.

Obasanjo and some other retired military officers and civilians were jailed in 1995 by the military government of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, after he was found guilty by a military tribunal of allegedly plotting to overthrow Abacha’s administration.

They were released after the dictator’s death in 1998.

Narrating his near-death experience under Abacha’s regime, the former President said he would support the current democratic dispensation led by President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed.

He said, “I will work for the success of this current dispensation. There is no excuse, because there is no alternative to democracy.

“The alternative to democracy is worse than democracy. I experienced that. Abacha put me in prison and I was about to be killed. If it was under democracy (democratic rule), that would not happen.”

Obasanjo further said no matter what critics of President Buhari might be saying, Nigerians had started to witness a Nigeria of their dreams in the last two and half months.

He noted that the country had tottered toward the precipice so many times, but God had not allowed it to tumble.

Obasanjo said, “When one takes a look at everything, the most crucial and vital conclusion is that God loves Nigeria. The nation has gone towards the precipice many times and Nigeria did not tumble, this shows God is a Nigerian.

“Many had thought after the 2015 general elections Nigeria will be no more. Some had sent their families abroad. Some know the National Democratic Coalition route; I don’t know the NADECO route.

“I don’t have anywhere to go. But to the surprise of many of them, God did it in a miraculous way. The election took place, though some did not want it to take place. But let us thank God it took place. We must also thank those who conducted the elections.

“We thank God for peace even after the election. No single individual is a paragon of perfection. There is no Messiah except Jesus Christ. But there are people who still stick out their necks for the good of Nigerians.

“Thank God we have such as a leader now. What we have witnessed in the last two and a half months is that our dreams are coming true. We must give unalloyed support to the government. Criticisms that are objective and positive are welcome where necessary.”

Responding to a question on whether President Buhari took a right decision by giving the military a November deadline to end Boko Haram insurgency, the former president said it was a right decision.

He said setting a target was part of military war strategy to measure the success or failure of a particular operation.

Obasanjo said, “President Muhammadu Buhari took a right decision by telling the military to quash the Boko Haram insurgents by November.

“It is not good to just leave everything open-ended. It is a strategy in the military to set a target for any operation. This will enable those concerned to work hard. Having a target is necessary. Even if that target was not met, the people concerned would have something to work with.”

Obasanjo cited the Nigerian Civil War as an example, saying the military had set a six-month target to crush the Biafran renegades, but the war extended to 30 months.