Islamic State's chief executioner - who has beheaded more than 100 people - is knifed to death in an ambush in Iraq

• The decapitator, nicknamed Abu Sayyaf, was killed near Mosul on Sunday night
• He was known for his huge frame and was rolled out by ISIS for their sick videos
• As well as being the ISIS' chief executioner, he was the group's leader in Nineveh
• His name translates to 'father of swordsmith' and he collected his victims' heads

 

Islamic State's  chief executioner, who has beheaded more than 100 people, has been stabbed to death in an ambush in Iraq.

 

Nicknamed Abu Sayyaf, he was dubbed one of the terror groups scariest decapitators and was paraded in their sick videos for his huge frame.

He was also said to be leading ISIS in the Nineveh State, where he was killed by an unknown group who swarmed terrorist territory. 

Abu Sayyaf was paraded by ISIS for his enormous frame like The Bulldozer (pictured) 

Abu Sayyaf, translated to mean 'father of swordsmith', is also the name for an ISIS branch in the Philippines synonymous with beheadings and kidnappings. 

The executioner, who died in the al-Dasawa region in the western side of the city of Nineveh, was renowned for collecting the heads of his victims and dumping them in the same infamous hole in the region of al-Khasafa. 

Muhammad Yawar, an Iraqi journalist, told ARA News: 'Abu Sayyaf was one of the scariest executioners in Nineveh. He was known for his huge body and heavy arms. He was one of the renowned faces in the ISIS propaganda videos.

An ISIS fighter pictured waving a gun and a flag in the air as he runs down the street in Syria

 

'Abu Sayyaf was a reflection of the brutality of this terrorist group.'

There are varying reports of how he came to his death, with some news outlets stating he was shot by gunmen, but according to Iraqi News, security source told Alsumaria News: 'An unknown armed group killed on Sunday the Islamic State's most famous decapitator, the so-nicknamed Abu Sayyaf.

'The armed group ambushed him at al-Dawasa region, in the western side of the city, and stabbed him several times. 

'He died immediately.'

Nineveh is located on the outskirts of Mosul, where the operation continues to liberate its people from ISIS control.  

Enyimba’s Ezekiel Bassey joins Barcelona on loan

Enyimba forward, Ezekiel Bassey, has joined Barcelona’s B team on loan until the end of the season with a two-year extension option at the end of his current deal, reports goal.com.

The Spanish giants announced the deal on their official website yesterday, adding that the 20-year-old forward will undergo medicals at the club in the next few hours.

Bassey could also bag additional two years contract at the expiration of this current contract owing to his performance for the Catalans’ B team at the end of the season
“FC Barcelona and Enyimba Football Club have reached an agreement for the transfer until the end of season of the player Ezekiel Joseph Bassey for Barça B,” The club said on their official website.

“The agreement includes a purchase option for two more seasons. The 20-year-old Nigerian striker will undergo medical examination in the next few hours.’’

He was in the Nigeria Professional Football League All-Star team that went to Spain tour to seal the partnership between the League Management Company (LMC) and the Spanish La Liga.

Meanwhile, Barcelona Coach, Luis Enrique, has promised that Barcelona will not hold back when they visit Atletico Madrid for the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final today.

Barca are looking to get back on track after a disappointing and controversial draw against Real Betis at the weekend.

Luis Suarez earned Barcelona a point with a 90th-minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw but his strike came 15 minutes after they were wrongly denied a goal by the referee despite replays showing it had clearly crossed the line.

“I expect a very complicated tie,” he told a news conference yesterday. “They have always caused us problems. We are very clear with what our aim is. We want to win our first game.”

See what these two Corpers were caught doing in Camp

 

Two members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been spotted in a compromising position inside the orientation camp, sharing passionate kiss as they serve their fatherland in romantic style.

The photo which emerged online some hours ago, has since gone viral as mixed reactions and criticism from online users are trailing the controversial the couple.

The identities of the corps members was not immediately uncovered as at the time of filing this report.

Branislav Ivanovic to Zenith

Branislav Ivanovic has agreed personal terms with Zenith, with a deal to be completed in the next 24 hours.

Watford accepts Chinese club’s £20m offer for Ighalo

Super Eagles’ striker, Odion Ighalo, is set to become Nigeria’s latest export to the Chinese Super league if he accepts the offer to join Chngchun Yatai. The club yesterday agreed a £20 million deal with Watford for the striker.

However, according to mirror.co.uk, West Brom could hijack the deal with a last-minute bid – but only if Baggies manager Tony Pulis matches the price agreed with Chongchun.

Pulis, who sold Saido Berahino to Stoke two weeks ago, pulled out of the running for Ighalo after claiming Watford wanted too much for him, but the Hornets would not be surprised if Albion rejoined the auction at the 11th hour.

Ighalo has gone from top scorer at Vicarage Road, and magician behind the ‘Iggy chop’ party trick – which left countless defenders on their backsides – to a spare part in danger of missing out on a Premier League squad number.

And Watford head coach, Walter Mazzarri, admitted Ighalo’s departure was imminent last night, saying: “Every morning I ask the club what the situation is, and negotiations are now at an advanced stage, so it should only be a matter of a couple of days.”
Ighalo was top scorer across all four divisions in the calendar year 2015, when his 30 goals fired the Hornets to promotion and Premier League safety, in all but name, by Christmas.

Even when the goals dried up for him in the second half of last season, Shanghai SIPD made a mind-blowing £37.5m bid for Ighalo last summer – which the player rejected.

His market value plummeted as he finished 2016 with just six goals in all competitions, and Watford’s top brass agree a fresh start is the best solution for all parties.

Another Chinese club, Shanghai Shenhua, were exploring the possibility of pairing Ighalo with Carlos Tevez, the world’s highest-paid player on £600,000-a-week.

But they would not meet Watford’s £27m asking price for a player their rivals SIPD had valued £10m higher only six months ago. Ighalo appeared to be waving goodbye to travelling fans after the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth 17 days ago and was left out of the squad altogether for the embarrassing FA Cup defeat at Millwall on Sunday.

And after the arrivals of on-loan AC Milan striker M’Baye Niang – whose move is scheduled to become a permanent £14m transfer in the summer – and Mauro Zarate last week, Ighalo was sinking further down the pecking order than a mineshaft.

With £12.6m Isaac Success back in full training and skipper Troy Deeney among the crown jewels, Ighalo was faced with becoming fifth-choice striker.

Furthermore, he was in danger of being excluded from Watford’s upgraded 25-man Premier League squad after the transfer window shuts because of the surfeit of foreign players on the books at Vicarage Road.

US attorney general Sally Yates fired in Muslim ban row

US President Donald Trump has sacked the country's acting attorney general after she took the rare step of defying the White House by refusing to enforce his sweeping immigration ban.

Sally Yates had early on Monday ordered Justice Department lawyers to stop defending Trump's executive order, resulting in her dismissal just hours later.

"The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States," the White House press secretary's office said in an unusually caustic statement.

"Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration."

Yates had agreed to serve in an acting capacity until Senator Jeff Sessions, Trump's pick, was confirmed by the Senate. The White House said that Dana Boente, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, would now be acting US attorney general until Sessions is approved.

Boente said in an interview with the Washington Post that he would enforce the immigration order.

The decision came as Trump pressed into his second week in office defending his sweeping immigration ban in what has become a quickly escalating political crisis.

Trump's order suspends the US refugee programme for 120 days and bars all immigration for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for at least 90 days. The intake of refugees from Syria - ravaged by a brutal war in which some estimates say 400,000 people have been killed - has been suspended indefinitely.

Chaos at airports

Trump has argued tougher vetting of immigrants is needed to protect the US from attacks but critics complain that his order unfairly singles out Muslims and tramples on the nation's historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants.

Reaction to the order was swift, with protests erupting at major airports and other major cities, including the capital Washington DC, as customs officials struggled to put the ban into practise.

Trump denied that his order was to blame for weekend chaos at the nation's airports, instead pointing to computer glitches, the demonstrations and even the "fake tears" of a senior opposition senator, Democrat Charles Schumer.

The president publicly shifted his focus on Tuesday, signing an executive action aimed at cutting regulations for small businesses and teasing plans to unveil his Supreme Court pick.

But the immigration ban remained at the forefront of his first fortnight in the White House - and officials were reported to be pondering more actions moving forward.

According to a draft document obtained by The Associated Press news agency, Trump is now considering an executive order that would target some immigrants for deportation if they become dependent on government assistance.

The draft order calls for the identification and removal "as expeditiously as possible" of any foreigner who takes certain kinds of public welfare benefits.

Such immigrants have been barred from the US for the better part of a century and they can already be deported. But the proposed order appears to signal a Trump administration effort to actively crack down on such welfare cases.

Obama wades in

Another draft order under consideration would make changes to several of the government's foreign worker visa programs.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the draft orders.

The furore has prompted Trump's predecessor Barack Obama to wade back into politics for the first time since leaving office and just 11 days into the new administration.

A spokesman for the former president said on Monday that Obama "fundamentally disagrees" with discrimination that targets people based on their religion. Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis alluded to but did not specifically mention Trump's order but added that Obama was "heartened" by the protests.

The former president had said he would give Trump room to govern but that he would speak out if he believed his successor was violating basic US values.

There have been only a handful of instances in US history of top Justice Department officials publicly breaking with the White House.

The most famous example was in 1973, when then-Attorney General Elliot Richardson and his deputy resigned rather than obey President Richard Nixon's order to fire a special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal.

The incident, which became known as the "Saturday Night Massacre," was a public relations disaster and is seen as a turning point in Nixon's administration.

‘I Wrote Kcee’s Biggest Songs For Free To Save His Dying Career’ – Harrysong Fires Back

‘Samankwe’ exponent, Harrysong, has denied claims by his former label, 5star music, that he breached the terms of his contract with them when he walked away to start his own gig some months ago.

Now running his company, Alter Plate, Harrysong said that it was not true that he was desperate to join 5star as claimed by the label yesterday, explaining that it was indeed, Kcee that begged him to help ‘salvage his dying career’.

Harrysong also denied that he was arrested by the police last Friday, explaining that he was merely invited to make some clarifications at the Onikan Police Station, Lagos..

His media aide wrote, “ It was 8am and policemen acting on the instruction of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in Onikan, stormed our hotel room to invite Harrysong over for questioning. As a law abiding citizen with nothing to fear, we got dressed up and went to the AIG’s office. On getting there, we were greeted by the presence of a haggard looking young man in cheap suit, identified as Five Star Music’s lawyer. As against the kangaroo statement released by Five Star Music, Harrysong did not at any time approach anyone or company to sign him; it was Kcee (who) approached Harrysong on bended knees to help salvage his dying career after he fell out with his then partner (Presh). As much as Harrysong loved to help him out in that time of need, it is worthy of note that Kcee is talentless and knows next to nothing about music. Harrysong had a running contract with Questionmark Records, but out of desperation, Kcee and Five Star Music were prepared to pay off Kelvin Luciano in their quest to have Harrysong at all cost. It should be recalled that Harrysong succeeded in recreating Kcee’s sound, as he wrote and co-produced hits including Had it been I know, Okpekete, Limpopo, Pull Over and other songs that defined the Kcee that everyone now knows and celebrates today, all pro bono. For what it’s worth, Harrysong’s dealing with Five Star Music was with the clause that he would be left to pursue his career whenever he deemed it fit. For the records, Altarplate has come to stay and the general public can do business with Harrysong and Alterplate management. ”

The last has definitely not been heard of this unfolding drama as both parties’ initial attempts to handle the separation issues amicably has failed.

Jose Mourinho Reveals One Player That Could Leave Manchester United Tomorrow

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has revealed Ashley Young could leave the club on transfer deadline day.
The 31-year-old winger has been linked with a move away from the Old Trafford due to his lack of chances with reports of interest from the Premier League and China.

Mourinho has also confirmed Young might leave the club before the end of the transfer window, he said: ‘The only player that I am aware of a possibility to leave – and I am waiting just for January 31 to know what really is going on – is Ashley Young,

‘A player that I would love to keep.
‘I’m not happy at all if he leaves but he is the only player that I was informed there would be a possibility of him leaving, that’s why I didn’t play him, that’s why I gave chances to other people because I don’t know if he’s going to stay with us.
‘If I could choose, yes definitely, he will stay with us.’

Ashley Young could be the third player to leave United following the departure of Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay to Everton and Marseille.

Black Sunday: Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung Loses Wife

Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung has announced the death of his first wife.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, titled “I AM BEREAVED”, Dalung wrote:
“For it is appointed for man to live thereafter comes death and judgment says the Holy Bible.

“While in the Quran, it states that it is appointed that every soul shall test death.

My heart is heavy, I cannot continue, I lost my first wife this morning.

“May her soul and the souls of faithful departed rest in the bosom of the Lord, amen. What a black Sunday”.

Death Rumour: See New Photos Of Buhari In UK

Adebisi Olumide-Ajayi, special assistant to the President’s wife on media on Sunday shared a pictures President Muhammadu Buhari, featuring his Aisha Buhari in London.

This is coming amid the President’s death rumour that went rife few days ago.

Official : Marseille signs Dimitri Payet

Marseille have announced the signing of Dimitri Payet from West Ham for a reported fee of £25m

Heavy Gunfire In Yobe As Army Foils Boko Haram’s Attempt To Capture Military Base

There was an intense exchange of gunfire in Borno on Wednesday night as a huge number of suspected Boko Haram terrorists descended on a military base in Yobe with the intention of dislodging the troops there and taking over the location.
 Military insiders reported that the terrorists stormed the military base in Kamuya at 5:30 p.m. from three different directions shooting non-stop for over 30 minutes.

Because the attack was unexpected and the terrorists were in such a large number than the officers and men at the camp, the troops initially withdrew, our sources said.

However, a reinforcement was quickly sent from Buni Yadi to join the troop on ground.

After hours of intense fighting, the troops were able to retake the camps, with the terrorists fleeing.

A large number of Boko Haram terrorists were said to have been killed in battle with some fleeing the scene with gunshot wounds.

One source said three Nigerian soldiers died while some equipment were lost during the battle. A number of soldiers are also said to be missing.

The Yobe attack came days after suspected Boko Haram members abducted seven women and killed three other persons when they attacked a village in the southern part of Borno State. 

Witnesses and police said the incident occurred in Ndagu Village of Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

Ndagu village is located near Alagarno, which was once known as the spiritual headquarters of Boko Haram and was said to have been recently liberated by troops of the Nigeria military.

A leader of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in Borno State, Abbas Gava, reported that he received a report from one of his colleagues in Askira-Uba Local Government Area that Ndagu in Lassa district came under massive attack by Boko Haram.

Mr. Gava said he was briefed by the Commander of VGN in Askira-Uba, Hamidu Wampana, that many of the residents fled into the jungle when the gunmen set the whole village on fire.
The army authorities were yet to comment on the Yobe attack at the time of this report.

Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, did not pick or return calls and did not respond to an SMS sent to him.

“If You Join To Kill MMM, The Government Will Not Employ You” – Concerned Participant Begs Nigerians

A concerned participant  of the popular ponzi scheme, MMM identified as Stanley Oz has appealed to other participants and Nigerians at large in an open letter posted on his Facebook timeline. He wrote:

SIMPLE TRUTH

“The media won’t employ you if you join to kill MMM. The bank will also not, and the government as well. If they employ you, they will make you a servant of money. You will be enslaved once again.

“MMM has been working to liberate those in it from financial slavery. We all survived last year’s recession because of MMM. When the government made things difficult for us.

“The bank didn’t help you to survive. There was never increase to your deposit, same as the media who laid off staff and also banks that sacked without reason. The Bank will rather extort money from you with charges that you can not refuse to pay…

“My fellow mavrodians, see how unjust the world is! We are been cruel and impatient with MMM. For the upgrade they want to effect for a better system in 2017.

“Go back home and look through your bank statements. All the deposit received last year in your account…Am sure if you have been in MMM for while, you will understand that MMM deposit has 90% of it… Let’s be wise friends and beloved.

“Since 1999 we have been hearing promises on good governance in the middle of the atlantic ocean never come nearer to you because you can’t swim the ocean…Government keep playing our intelligent in the name of democracy. Now you have a platform to give you a lift to better life…You want to kill it with your own hand….People be calm…Like as I said everyone will be settled completely…

“MMM is real.. MMM will still pay us in 2017. Encourage those you know to pay their order.

“Me & You are the real MMM….”

The Dream Final

SERENA VS VENUS

The Williams sister will battle it out at the Australian Open, their first Grand Slam final against each other since 2009.

Serena on Venus: "Another total inspiration: my big sister. She's basically my world and my life. I am so happy for her. For us both to be in the final is the biggest dream come true for us.

Cameroon General Dies in Helicopter Crash

FILE- Cameroon General Jacob Kodji is seen in this 2015 photo posted to the website of the Cameroon Prime Minister.

A Cameroon military helicopter has crashed near the country's northern border with Nigeria, killing the commander of the central African nation's troops.

General Jacob Kodji died in the crash Sunday evening near Bogo, a Cameroon village, while on an inspection mission, a top military official said. Kodji was coordinating the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency.

Authorities say three other military officials and two crew members also died in the crash.
Launched in Nigeria, the Boko Haram insurgency has spread to neighboring countries, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Boko Haram's insurgency has killed more than 25,000 people and displaced nearly 2.3 million, according to rights groups and the United Nations.

Why We Removed Get Help Order – MMM NIGERIA

Popular Ponzi money doubling scheme, Mavrodi Mondial Movement, MMM, has said that the Get Help order was removed and not canceled.

In a message on its website, MMM, among other reasons said that the Ponzi site was undergoing an upgrade.

The message reads, “Many participants woke up this morning to see that their Get Help (GH) orders have been removed completely from their PO’s Dashboard. Though some people called it canceled but the truth of the matter is that it was only removed not canceled. Please note that the GH orders were not cancelled because if cancelled, you will see it at the right hand side as deleted. It was removed because of the following reasons:

“There is an ongoing upgrade because programmers are always working on the MMM system every day so the promised New Model can be unveiled as soon as possible. You might notice earlier this morning, the login Captcha was showing alphanumeric as against the numbers until it restored to numbers later today.

“Moreso, many participants have formed the habit of cancelling their GH orders and creating new GH orders hoping they will be matched earlier. There is no need for that anyway but to forestall that, the created GH orders were removed and that is why you can’t create new GH orders because the old GH orders have not been cancelled but removed and withdrawal is still pending.

“There is no cause for any alarm over the removed GH orders, if you check your Mavro, you will notice the value of the removed GH order has been restored and had also increased though it is still showing pending withdrawal.

“There have been reports of “removed GH orders” in some POs. The removed GH orders are mostly GH orders created on Friday/Saturday. There is no cause for any alarm. The value of the removed GH order has been restored and increased though showing pending withdrawal.

“The removal of the GH orders and other changes/errors you might notice are indications that the#NewModel is taking shape gradually. Tuesday (Mavro growing day), a lot of participants created GH orders thus the message “GH amount exceeds allowed daily maximum.

“Please await further instructions either to create a new GH order or if it will be automatically restored and matched. We crave your indulgence, patience & understanding at this period. We are doing our best to have these issues/upgrades resolved ASAP.

“Let’s be patient while the Administrators of MMM do their best to restore the confidence we have in the system.”

Toure Turns Down £520,000-a-week from China

Dimitry Seluk, Yaya Toure's agent, has also confirmed to Sky Sports they turned down a £520,000-a-week offer (€600,000) from Chinese club Jiangsu Suning in the last winter transfer window.

Popular Nigerian Church Sacks Pastor For Participating In MMM With Church's Account

The leadership of Omega Fire Ministries, OFM, Worldwide, led by Johnson Suleman, has sacked one of its pastors, Joseph Aiyedun.
The cleric was relieved of his duties after it was revealed that he used the ministry’s name and bank account to register for money doubling scheme, Mavrodi Mundial Movement, MMM.
The church’s head of administration, David Apelorioye, made this known in a statement.
A controversial cleric, Mr. Suleman, an apostle, is best remembered for the infamous ‘death sentence’ he pronounced on the Kaduna State Governor last year.
Speaking during a service in 2016, Mr. Suleman condemned the MMM scheme, and described it as demonic and satanic. He also said participants need prayers.
The statement from the church reads:
“The management of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide is using this medium to react to news making the rounds on social media regarding one of its pastors who used the ministry’s name to register for the MMM scheme.
“Ordinarily, the church would not have reacted to the story because of falsehoods being published regularly by some blogs and news websites whose credibility are questionable.
But after a thorough investigation by the church authority, it was established that one of our branch pastors in Aba, Pastor Joseph Aiyedun, indeed participated in the scheme.
“The church authority decided to expel Pastor Aiyedun not because he registered for the ponzi scheme but because he involved the ministry’s name in the satanic adventure. And we discovered that he was able to use the ministry’s name because he had access to the account of his branch which itself is against the church’s guidelines and a fraud likely to have been carried out in connivance with the branch’s account department. We are still investigating further to unravel the whole activities.
“Of the OFM’s 200 churches in Nigeria alone and its 800 branches in 51 nations of the world, it is possible for any of the pastors to go astray and be corrected. In fact, we discovered that Pastor Aiyedun, including some other members of OFM, did the scheme before our father, Apostle Johnson Suleman, made the warning last year against MMM, but Pastor Aiyedun was fired because he did it with the ministry’s name as the OFM rules forbid any of its pastors access to the account except people in the account department.”

'GO BACK TO CHINA' - MARSEILLE FANS ATTACK PRODIGAL SON DROGBA

The chances of the Ivorian returning to his old stamping ground have been dismissed by coach Rudi Garcia and by fans, who criticised the forward
Marseille supporters have launched an attack on veteran striker Didier Drogba, telling him in no uncertain terms they do not want him back at the club.

Drogba enjoyed a stellar single season at the Stade Velodrome back in 2003-04, smashing 32 goals in the campaign and leading the club to the UEFA Cup final.

That form helped the Ivorian earn a move to Chelsea, where he established himself as one of the world's most potent goalscorers in a career that subsequently took him to Shanghai Shenhua, Galatasaray and Montreal Impact.

The striker has long held that he would like a move back to Marseille at some point, and told Canal + in January that he would like to "keep his promise" and grace the club once more.

But if the reaction of l'OM's fans is anything to go by, he may not find it as easy to go back as he may have believed.

"Drogba, stop saying you love L'OM, you make in a month what we won't earn in a lifetime," read a banner unfurled during Marseille's Ligue 1 match against Monaco on Sunday.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and go back to China".

Coach Rudi Garcia has already moved to play down a possible transfer, stating that "it's true that he was a fantastic player here. But I think that sometimes you have to just leave the great experiences as they are."

As well as his former club, Drogba had also been linked with a blockbuster move to Brazilian giants Corinthians after ending his MLS stint with Montreal.

But Timao director of football Flavio Audato also ruled out a move, calling the rumours a "lack of respect" for fans in an interview with Estado .

Suicide attack hits Nigeria's University of Maiduguri

At least four people were killed and 15 others injured in a suicide bomb attack on a university campus in northeast Nigeria, police said.
The blast happened on Monday at a mosque in the staff quarters area of the University of Maiduguri, and is thought to have been carried out by a teenage girl, a local resident and a lecturer told AFP news agency.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but suspicion will likely fall on the armed group Boko Haram, which has repeatedly used young women and girls as human bombs.
An eye witness reporting from the Nigerian capital Abuja, said the violence was likely the outcome of Boko Haram losing ground in its strongest hideout, the Sambisa Forest, in the northeast of the country, which is now under military control.
"The leader of the Boko Haram group faction, Abubu Shekau, called on all his supporters to hit the Nigerian population as hard as possible through bombs, guns and even slash-and-burn," he said.
Borno police spokesman Victor Isuku said that before the blast at the mosque, police on patrol shot a girl aged about 12 as she tried to get into the university at about 04:15 GMT.
"The IED [improvised explosive device] strapped to her body exploded, killing her instantly," he said in a statement.
"Shortly after that a second explosion occurred in a mosque inside the university.
"Four persons, including a professor and the second suicide bomber, died, while 15 persons sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to UMTH [University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital]."
One local resident, who asked not to be identified, said he heard two explosions as he was leaving the mosque in his neighbourhood.
"I rushed to the university, which is not far from my house. On entering, I saw the mosque in a mess. Three people lay dead, including a young girl, whose body was badly mutilated," he said.
"Thirteen other worshippers were injured."
A university lecturer who lives on site confirmed the resident's account.
Disruptions
Filibus Yamta Mshelia, from the registrar's office at the university, said examinations scheduled for Monday had been postponed to a later date because of the attack.
Examinations set for Tuesday will take place as planned, he added in a letter to staff and students.
"We urge all students to remain calm and vigilant," he wrote.
Access to the university campus has been strictly controlled, with checkpoints and searches at the gates which until now had prevented a direct attack.

Regina Askia’s daughter competes in the Miss New York Teen 2017 pageant

The former actress shared photos of her daughter, Teesa Williams , competing at the Miss New York Teen 2017 beauty pageant which took place over the weekend.
The 15-year-old model represented Staten Island at the beauty pageant.

Breaking News : MMM NIGERIA OPENS

MMM Nigeria released an official News on their website , informing participants that the holidays are over and they are now paying.
The news reads
" We are now open!!! :-))

Dear members,

The holidays are over, and we''re now open. Just as promised. (You might have already noticed that we always stick to our promises. :-)) Actually, we promised to be open on January 14, but we''re open now, January 13, as you can see, which is a day earlier. (Well, I hope, the members of the System will forgive us for that. :-))

It''s related to the hysteria raised by the authorities and the mass media around MMM. By joining forces, they''ve managed to nearly give the members of the System a heart attack and have frightened them out of their wits. Poor souls don''t know what to expect. Will we open again or not? :-))

This is why we''ve decided, considering the situation, to reach out to the members, reassure and cheer them up by opening a little earlier. After all, Together We Can Change The World! :-))

Here we go.

1. As of this notice, MMM resumes its usual operation. You can now create your GH-requests.

2. However, it''s obvious that panic will reign in the first few days after the re-opening of the System. We’re likely to be deluged by GH-requests. Therefore, we''re going to make gradual paybacks by setting internal output limits. In other words, we will only pay a certain amount per day. Please, be prepared to wait for a couple of days. We are certain things will then calm down, and the System operation will return to normal.

We''re the ones setting the limits, so it''s completely under our control, and we are not expecting any emergencies in principle. Have no fear and go on about your business as usual. :-))

As the System is socially oriented, we will make paybacks to the poor and the economically disadvantaged in the first place: it means to the members with small PH amounts. The richer can wait. Moreover, we''ve warned you repeatedly to only provide help with amounts that are not critical for you. Therefore, if these large amounts are not critical for them (the richer), they can wait a few days. No need to be tragic about it. :-))

This is the way it''s going to be.

Hoping for your kind understanding, Sergey Mavrodi. We Change The World!

P. S. I''d like again to call on the authorities and the mass media: Please, leave us alone! Have mercy on people."

Breaking News : MMM NIGERIA OPENS

MMM Nigeria released an official News on their website , informing participants that the holidays are over and they are now paying.
The news reads
" We are now open!!! :-))

Dear members,

The holidays are over, and we''re now open. Just as promised. (You might have already noticed that we always stick to our promises. :-)) Actually, we promised to be open on January 14, but we''re open now, January 13, as you can see, which is a day earlier. (Well, I hope, the members of the System will forgive us for that. :-))

It''s related to the hysteria raised by the authorities and the mass media around MMM. By joining forces, they''ve managed to nearly give the members of the System a heart attack and have frightened them out of their wits. Poor souls don''t know what to expect. Will we open again or not? :-))

This is why we''ve decided, considering the situation, to reach out to the members, reassure and cheer them up by opening a little earlier. After all, Together We Can Change The World! :-))

Here we go.

1. As of this notice, MMM resumes its usual operation. You can now create your GH-requests.

2. However, it''s obvious that panic will reign in the first few days after the re-opening of the System. We’re likely to be deluged by GH-requests. Therefore, we''re going to make gradual paybacks by setting internal output limits. In other words, we will only pay a certain amount per day. Please, be prepared to wait for a couple of days. We are certain things will then calm down, and the System operation will return to normal.

We''re the ones setting the limits, so it''s completely under our control, and we are not expecting any emergencies in principle. Have no fear and go on about your business as usual. :-))

As the System is socially oriented, we will make paybacks to the poor and the economically disadvantaged in the first place: it means to the members with small PH amounts. The richer can wait. Moreover, we''ve warned you repeatedly to only provide help with amounts that are not critical for you. Therefore, if these large amounts are not critical for them (the richer), they can wait a few days. No need to be tragic about it. :-))

This is the way it''s going to be.

Hoping for your kind understanding, Sergey Mavrodi. We Change The World!

P. S. I''d like again to call on the authorities and the mass media: Please, leave us alone! Have mercy on people."

Luis Suárez Makes it to 100 Goals for Barcelona

With his goal against Athletic at Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey, the Uruguayan has completed his first century of goals for the club in his third season. It took him only 120 games.

Lionel messi,Luiz Suárez and Neymar have now scored 300 goals while playing together for Barcelona

Messi    (124)
Suárez  (100)
Neymar (76)

Former Nigerian President Jonathan Denies Involvement In Malabu Oil Scandal

           

Responding to reports that he was bribed to approve of the controversial Malabu oil deal, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan released a statement on Tuesday denying any illegal involvement in the scheme.

Mr. Jonathan's spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, published the statement on Tuesday. It is reproduced below, courtesy of Premium Times:
Our attention has been drawn to news reports published mostly by online media which suggested through innuendo, rather than factual evidence, that former President Goodluck Jonathan received kickbacks in the $1.3bn OPL 245 oil block deal involving oil giants ENI and Royal Dutch Shell.
With regards to the publication, we wish to make it clear that former President Jonathan was not accused, indicted or charged for corruptly collecting any monies as kickbacks or bribes from ENI by the Italian authorities or any other law enforcement body the world over.
In the first place, we have to categorically state that the negotiations and transactions for the oil block deal predate the Presidency of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan which began on 6th May 2010 and ended on 29th May 2015.
It may interest those promoting this false narrative to know that all the documents relating to the transactions, issues and decisions of the Federal Government on the Malabo issue, during the Jonathan administration, are in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice.
As President of Nigeria, there is no doubt that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan met with executives of all the oil majors operating in Nigeria and urged them to, amongst other things, support the growth of the Nigerian oil industry by ramping up their investments and comply with the Local Content Act that he promoted and signed into law.
We however wish to state, for emphasis, that at no time did the former President hold private meetings with representatives of ENI to discuss pecuniary issues. All the meetings and discussions former President
Jonathan had with ENI, other IOCs and some indigenous operators were conducted officially, and in the presence of relevant Nigerian Government officials and were done in the best interest of the country.
We make bold to point out that the former President never sent any Abubakar Aliyu, as the innuendoes in the false report suggest, to ENI, the IOCs or any indigenous operator to seek favour or collect any gratification on his behalf.
We will like to point out for the umpteenth time that whether in office or out of office, former President Jonathan does not own any bank account, aircraft or real estate outside Nigeria. Anyone with contrary information is challenged to publicly publish same.
As the President who signed the Freedom of Information Act into law, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan lifted the veil on governance and encouraged transparency knowing that evil breeds in secrecy. It is the opinion of the former President that journalists and media houses should take advantage of this law in their investigative journalism, rather than rely on hearsay.
We hope that these clarifications will help guide future reports which should be factual.

Senate Summons Amaechi, Fashola Over Airport Closure

                           

The Senate on Tuesday, summoned the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, over the planned closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. 

This followed a motion sponsored by Chairman Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, and co-sponsored by five other senators.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika were also summoned. They are to appear before the Senate within two days to explain the reasons for the closure. Others summoned are, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Managing Director (NAMA).
Presenting the motion, Sen. Uzodinma raised grave concern about the decision by FAAN to close the Airport for six weeks, beginning from March 6. He said while the effort to carry out repairs on the runway was a welcome development, closure of the only runway was unacceptable. According to him, the closure of the only airport in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) can trigger untold hardship on international and local travellers as well as dent the image of the country.
“A complete shutdown of the airport will impact negatively on international trade and related activities, with multiplier effect that can exact further pressure on an already recessed economy.
“Plans to divert Abuja bound flights to Kaduna will throw up, including will throw up the problem of logistics and security challenges, including endangering lives and properties of travellers.
“All options have not been exhausted to avoid the shutdown of the only airport at our national capital for six weeks.
“This is including the option of a technical package to allow skeletal air operations at the airport while most repair work is executed at night," he said. Supporting the motion, the Deputy Leader, Sen. Bala N’Allah, said it was ridiculous that a capital city would be shut down because of renovation. He said the move would embarrass the most populous nation in Africa. He urged the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika to think outside the box to either reconstruct the runway in phases.
“If the news goes across the globe that the largest city is being shut down it will create negative economic, political and social impact not to talk of security hazards of moving people to Kaduna Airport.
“It is time to create a good image and attract investment to the country rather than creating a negative image for the country.
“Meanwhile, the fire brigade approach to renovate Kaduna airport cannot withstand the number of flights that will land and take off. However, the Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Sen. Shehu Sani opposed the motion on the grounds that Kaduna was ready to host the whole nation as far as international flight was concerned. He said, from the contribution to the motion, it was obvious that the elites were avoiding the problems they create for themselves. According to him, many of them were afraid of travelling by road from Kaduna to Abuja, should flights be moved to Kaduna, for fear being kidnapped.
“This motion is more of an attempt to deny Kaduna the opportunity for people to see the beautiful landscape in the state," he said.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Saraki, commended the lawmakers for their contributions. He also commended Sen. Sani for his view on the issue but insisted that considering all fact placed before the senate, complete closure of the airport would impact negatively on the economy.
According to him, “there is nowhere in the world, where airports are completely shut down.
“We do not need to go far. Our neighbouring country, Ghana, when it renovated its runway recently did not shut the entire airport.
“We must ensure that we do the right thing and those invited should meet with the Senate urgently because the idea of closure is not the best," he said.

BREAKING: Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume Removed

Members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Senate have removed the majority leader of the upper chamber Senator Ali Ndume (Norno South).

In a letter which was transmitted to the Senate on Tuesday, the APC caucus forwarded the name of Senator Ahmed Lawal (Yobe North) as the new Senate Leader.

The APC caucus also said the decision was arrived at during the party’s caucus’ meeting of Monday, 9th January, 2017.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari will lead three West African heads of state to Gambia on Wednesday in an effort to persuade its longtime leader to step down, officials said Monday.

 

A meeting Monday in Abuja agreed on the mission, Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyema said of the second presidential delegation from the Economic Community of West African States to visit Gambia since President Yahya Jammeh lost Dec. 1 elections.

Jammeh initially conceded the loss, but changed his mind.

The West African bloc has said it has a military force on standby if Jammeh refuses to cede power when his mandate expires Jan. 19.

Leaders meeting Saturday in Ghana said they were working on a diplomatic solution.

But Onyema told journalists on Monday that "every option is on the table" and "violence should be avoided, but nothing is ruled out."

He said the regional bloc is "prepared and determined to take advantage of any of the options that it feels is appropriate" to install election winner Adama Barrow as the rightful president.

The United States, European Union and others have condemned Jammeh's stance and supported efforts to enforce Gambia's Constitution.

Monday's meeting included the presidents of Liberia and Senegal, which would lead any military intervention.

The leaders expressed particular concern over the deteriorating security situation. Jammeh has mobilized troops, closed radio stations and ordered arrests, leading to a "mass exodus" of Gambians to their country's interior and to neighboring countries, Onyema said.

Nigeria also has said scheduling conflicts prevent it from sending judges to Gambia on Tuesday to help consider a petition from Jammeh's party challenging the election that Barrow won.

Gambia's Supreme Court has been dormant for over a year and has only one sitting judge, Chief Justice Emmanuel O. Fagbenle.

"Our Justices are usually scheduled to sit in your Supreme Court in the months of May and November," Nigeria's Acting Chief Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen wrote to Fagbenle in a letter dated Jan. 5. "I regret to inform you that the re-scheduled date for this sitting session of your Supreme Court is unfavorable to us as it will greatly affect our schedule and case management."

Jammeh seized power in a bloodless coup in 1994, but is accused of gross human rights violations that include arbitrary detentions, torture and the killings of his opponents in the country of 1.9 million people.

African Billionaire Fortunes Decline On New FORBES List Of The Continent’s Richest

The number of billionaires in Africa–and the size of their fortunes–continues to drop. On this year’s list, FORBES is only including African billionaires living in Africa, instead of featuring Africa’s 50 richest people. There are 21 billionaires on this year’s list, worth a combined $70 billion. On the November 2015 Africa Rich List, there were 23 African billionaires worth a combined $79.8 billion. That in turn was down from 28 African billionaires in 2014.
Nigerian cement tycoon Aliko Dangote remains Africa’s richest person for the sixth year running with a $12.1 billion fortune, despite a nearly $5 billion drop in his net worth for the second year in a row. Dangote is joined by just two other Nigerian billionaires on this year’s list — telecom tycoon Mike Adenuga, who is Africa’s third richest person with an estimated $5.8 billion fortune, and oil billionaire Folorunsho Alakija, who has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion. Two Nigerians dropped off the Billionaires List this year–oil marketer Femi Otedola, whose net worth dropped from $1.6 billion in November 2015 to just $330 million today, and sugar billionaire Abdulsamad Rabiu, whose net worth dropped below $1 billion in the wake of a weakened Nigerian currency.
South Africa retains its dominance on the Africa List. While the country is tied with Egypt for the largest number of individual billionaires, South Africa’s six billionaires are worth a combined $22.7 billion — $7 billion more than Egypt’s six billionaires. The richest South African billionaire and the continent’s second richest person is diamond magnate Nicky Oppenheimer, who has maintained a low profile since selling his family’s stake in diamond giant DeBeers to Anglo American for $5.1 billion in cash in 2012. Luxury goods tycoon Johann Rupert and retail magnate Christoffel Wiese are tied as South Africa’s second richest and Africa’s fourth richest billionaires, each with a $5.5 billion fortune. Wiese’s fortune has dropped $1 billion since the November 2015 Africa list, while Rupert’s net worth is down $800 million.
Egypt’s richest billionaire is Nassef Sawiris, whose $5.3 billion fortune is up $400 million since November 2015. Sawiris runs OCI, one of the world’s largest nitrogen fertilizers. The country’s next richest person is his brother Naguib Sawiris, who was Egypt’s biggest gainer on the list. His net worth increased $700 million to $3.7 billion. In December 2016, Naguib Sawiris announced that he would be stepping down as CEO of his telecom company, Orasom Telecom Media & Technology.
FORBES counts only two female billionaires in Africa: Angola’s  Isabel dos Santos  -Africa’s richest woman with a $3.2 billion fortune, and Nigeria’s Alakija. Dos Santos is the daughter of Angola’s president, who appointed her as head of Angola’s state oil firm Sonangol in June 2016. Alakija is the vice chair of Nigerian oil exploration company, Famfa Oil.
At 41, Tanzanian Mohammed Dewji is Africa’s youngest billionaire, well below the average age of 63. He is CEO of conglomerate METL, which his father founded in the 1970s. Eighty-six-year-old Onsi Sawiris of Egypt is the continent’s oldest billionaire and the father of two other African billionaires — Nassef and Naguib Sawiris.
Thirteen out of Africa’s 21 billionaires have self-made fortunes, while the other eight inherited their fortunes.  The 21 billionaires hail from 7 countries: South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco (which has 3 billionaires), Algeria ( 1 billionaire), Angola (1 billionaire) and Tanzania (1 billionaire).