Senegal extradites Guinean soldier wanted over massacre

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Guinean soldier Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite (C), better known under the nickname "Toumba", former aide to coup leader Dadis Camara, walking out the Indictment Chamber of the Dakar Criminal Court as he faces justice over a massacre of 157 people in Guinea. A Guinean soldier wanted over the massacre of more than 150 people in a Conakry stadium has been extradited, ending years on the run in neighbouring Senegal and paving the way for his trial. Aboubakar Sidiki Diakite, also known as Toumba Diakite, was an aide de camp to Guinean coup leader Dadis Camara when 157 people were killed in September 2009 at an opposition rally. / AFP PHOTO / SEYLLOU

A Guinean soldier wanted over the massacre of more than 150 people in a Conakry stadium has been extradited, ending years on the run in neighbouring Senegal and paving the way for his trial.

Aboubakar Sidiki Diakite, also known as Toumba Diakite, was an aide de camp to Guinean coup leader Dadis Camara when 157 people were killed in September 2009 at an opposition rally.

Witnesses reported presidential guards firing on the crowd, beating and arresting opposition leaders, and raping dozens of women in the stadium.

Two months later, Diakite shot Camara after a dispute over responsibility for the massacre, then fled. Both men are accused of ordering the killings.

Diakite was extradited on a commercial flight on Sunday night, his Senegalese lawyer Baba Diop told AFP.

Diop complained the move was “beyond the legal scope” of the courts and Senegal’s President Macky Sall, who approved the transfer on February 10.

The Guinean government said in a statement Monday that it welcomed Diakite’s arrival, which it said it had “wanted and ordered”.

Arrested in Dakar on December 16, Diakite caused a sensation in the local press after it was revealed he had lived unnoticed in a quiet suburb of the city for five years after changing his identity and appearance.

Asmaou Diallo, president of a victims’ association, said on Monday the extradition showed “Guinean justice is willing to tackle impunity in Guinea and to organise (a) credible trial”, adding that victims had already waited seven years to see Diakite in court.

Camara, Diakite’s commander, took power by force in 2008 after the death of longtime leader Lansana Conte and ruled until the attempt on his life. He survived and remains in exile in Burkina Faso.

Guinea has since returned to civilian rule.

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Area council spends N13m on 3 bridges in Nasarawa State

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Nassarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura

Mr Moses Malle, the Overseer of Akun Development Area, Nasarawa State, said the council spent N13.8 million on the construction of bridges in Ezga, Embugu and Ukuchuku area.

Malle said this when he led some district and village heads and other stakeholders of the council on an inspection visit of the site in Akun.

He lauded Gov Tanko Al-Makura for the releas of funds for the construction of rural culverts and bridges across communities in the state.

He said this would boost socio-economic activities of the people of the state.

“This inspection tour is to ensure that the construction of bridges in this area is done according to specification in the interest of development.

“We are all aware that the project was the initiative of Gov Al-Makura to connect the areas to different communities to reduce the hardship faced by the people.

“This construction will also boost the economic activities of the area for the overall development of the state.

“I want to reveal that N13.8 million has been spent for the construction of the three bridges which have been completed.

“The construction of rural culverts and bridges will go a long way in fighting poverty, crime, unemployment, youth restiveness and improve the revenue base of the area,” he said.

Malle called on the people of the area to continue to support President Buhari and Gov. Al-Makura’s administration to enable them to succeed.

He assured the people of the area of the council’s readiness to continue to initiate projects that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.

Earlier, the traditional leader of Akun Chiefdom, Alhaji Usman Umbugadu, commended the governor for the construction of the bridges and called for the sustenance.

Umbugadu advised the people to live in peace and tolerate one another, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation for the overall development of the country.

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Trouble for Ibrahimovic as Man United held

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Manchester United's (L-R) Spanish midfielder Juan Mata, Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba, Manchester United's Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Manchester United's English striker Wayne Rooney prepare to take a freekick during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on March 4, 2017.
Oli SCARFF / AFP

Manchester United's Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini (C) controls the ball as he tries to convert a late chance during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on March 4, 2017. The game finished 1-1.
Oli SCARFF / AFP

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was at the centre of controversy as Manchester United were held 1-1 by 10-man Bournemouth in an extraordinary Premier League match at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Ibrahimovic, United’s 26-goal top scorer, was fortunate not to be sent off before seeing a penalty saved as Jose Mourinho’s side missed the opportunity to move into the Champions League places.

Marcos Rojo gave the home side the lead with his first league goal for the club, before former United forward Joshua King equalised from the penalty spot five minutes from the end of the first half.

But the match centred on a series of incidents in quick succession at the end of the half, in which both Ibrahimovic and Tyrone Mings were lucky to escape red cards.

Bournemouth defender Mings appeared to stamp on the head of the former Paris Saint-Germain forward.

Ibrahimovic, already on a yellow card, then elbowed the centre-back in the face seconds later, but received only a telling off from referee Kevin Friend.

Both Ibrahimovic and Mings are likely to face retrospective disciplinary action from the Football Association.

In the ensuing melee, Bournemouth midfielder Andrew Surman shoved Ibrahimovic and was shown a second yellow card. But Surman was only shown a red card after United left-back Luke Shaw reminded Friend he had already been booked.

Artur Boruc, the visitors’ 37-year-old goalkeeper, had a fine game, making a series of saves against a United side who dominated. His best moment was keeping out Ibrahimovic’s penalty with just under 20 minutes to go, getting down low to his right to push the ball aside.

The point means United remain in sixth place, where they have remained since early November, while Bournemouth ended a run of four successive league defeats.

Bournemouth looked as if they would be overwhelmed in the first half-hour of a match that reached boiling point as the interval approached.

– Increasingly heated –
United created a host of chances, with the recalled Wayne Rooney, Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial going close.

The visitors’ resistance was broken midway through the half as Rojo deflected in Antonio Valencia’s cross-shot to score his first league goal for United.

But Bournemouth, who had spurned one early chance as Benik Afobe slipped when clear, drew level five minutes before half-time. King struck a penalty into David de Gea’s top right-hand corner after Phil Jones had brought down Marc Pugh.

Boruc then made further fine reaction saves to deny Rooney and Ibrahimovic, before the match’s two key flashpoints occurred in the final moments of the half.

Ibrahimovic’s battle with Mings had become increasingly heated and the former Sweden striker was fuming after his opponent appeared to stamp on the side of his head amid a scramble.

Ibrahimovic responded seconds later by elbowing Mings in the face. Having already been booked, the striker escaped with just a lecture from Friend. Bouremouth’s sense of injustice was then heightened as Surman, booked for an earlier challenge on Shaw, was dismissed.

Jason Tindall, the Bournemouth assistant manager, first ranted at the assistant referee, then marched onto the field at half-time to usher his players away from Friend.

Rooney saw a clever shot on the turn deflected just over and Gosling was relieved to see a header back towards his own goal drop just wide. Boruc was then alert once more, flying to his left to tip aside Pogba’s 25-yard curler as it headed towards the top corner.

Mourinho made a triple substitution with 20 minutes to go in an attempt to force the win, sending on Jesse Lingard, Marouane Fellaini and Marcus Rashford for Shaw, Michael Carrick and Rooney.

Within seconds, United were awarded a penalty as Adam Smith handled Pogba’s header back across goal. Ibrahimovic stepped up, but Boruc saved superbly.

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Zimbabwe journalists arrested over Mugabe health report…Read full details

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Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe . / AFP / JEKESAI NJIKIZANA

Two Zimbabwean journalists were arrested Friday over a newspaper report that described President Robert Mugabe as “in bad shape” when he flew to Singapore for what officials called a scheduled medical check-up.

Editor of independent newspaper NewsDay Wisdom Mudzungairi and journalist Richard Chidza were released ahead of a court appearance on Saturday.

The front-page story said that Mugabe, 93, had “sneaked out of the country” this week, and quoted an unnamed source saying “it’s a tricky health situation”.

The report, headlined “Mugabe in fresh health scare”, said that first lady Grace Mugabe had flown to Dubai to organise the charter flight.

“They have been arrested and charged with undermining and insulting the office of the president,” said their lawyer Obey Shava before their release.

He said their arrest was “in relation to the paper’s lead story”.

Mugabe’s trip to Singapore, shortly after his lavish 93rd birthday party, was announced by his press spokesman on Wednesday.

The president is expected to return early next week.

Mugabe’s health has been subject of increased speculation in recent years, and he regularly flies to Singapore for medical attention.

Despite his advanced age, Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party last year endorsed him as its candidate for the 2018 general elections.

In recent speeches, he has paused for lengthy periods and mumbled at times.

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Zimbabwe journalists arrested over Mugabe health report

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Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe . / AFP / JEKESAI NJIKIZANA

Two Zimbabwean journalists were arrested Friday over a newspaper report that described President Robert Mugabe as “in bad shape” when he flew to Singapore for what officials called a scheduled medical check-up.

Editor of independent newspaper NewsDay Wisdom Mudzungairi and journalist Richard Chidza were released ahead of a court appearance on Saturday.

The front-page story said that Mugabe, 93, had “sneaked out of the country” this week, and quoted an unnamed source saying “it’s a tricky health situation”.

The report, headlined “Mugabe in fresh health scare”, said that first lady Grace Mugabe had flown to Dubai to organise the charter flight.

“They have been arrested and charged with undermining and insulting the office of the president,” said their lawyer Obey Shava before their release.

He said their arrest was “in relation to the paper’s lead story”.

Mugabe’s trip to Singapore, shortly after his lavish 93rd birthday party, was announced by his press spokesman on Wednesday.

The president is expected to return early next week.

Mugabe’s health has been subject of increased speculation in recent years, and he regularly flies to Singapore for medical attention.

Despite his advanced age, Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party last year endorsed him as its candidate for the 2018 general elections.

In recent speeches, he has paused for lengthy periods and mumbled at times.

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Blaqbonez – Last Time Under (Mixtape) Download track by track [Mp3 + Lyrics]

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Hennessy VS Class alumni Blaqbonez is back With his Tape “Last Time Under” as promised after the release of Wave Boy and Rambo which featured Dremo and Vector. It’s a seventeen track LP with 2 bonus tracks. With cosigns from M.I, Illbliss, Terry Tha Rapman, Dremo, Ycee, and many others the tape comes highly anticipated. its an amazing blend of New school Trap with Real rap, which could earn him the title ‘Leader Of the New school’. Listen and enjoy.
DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Introduce U

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – The Future

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Not Many

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Oau Boy

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Wave Boy

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Superman

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Amonshine Ft Jweezy

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Gangster Shit

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Levels
DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – G Girl

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – No English

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Power Ranger Boys Ft Kyle B, GloryChild

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Brother

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Blessing

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – All I Ever Wanted

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Uber

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – Last Time

DOWNLOAD : blaqbonez – IF (Davido Cover) Ft Kyle B, GloryChild

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Power generation hits 4,043MW as gas supply improves

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The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says the nation’s power generation rose from 3,528 megawatts (MW) to 4,043 megawatts between February 1 and 15.

TCN, in its website, said that the 515MW increase in generation as at Feb.15 was due to slight increase in gas supply to some power generating companies (GENCOs).

“The total output of 4,043 megawatts from all the GENCOs on Wednesday has been transferred to the 11 distribution companies across the country,’’ TCN said.

An official of Egbin Power Station, who pleaded anonymity, said in Lagos that gas supply to the station had increased slightly in the last seven days. The source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the station, which has capacity to generate 1,320MW, now generates 420 megawatts as against former generation of 160 megawatts.

The official called for more gas supply to the station to enable it to fire all its five turbines.

“The 420MW generated by the station has been linked to the national grid by 5.35 am on Wednesday,’’ the source said.

NAN reports that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) had announced drop in the power supply on Jan. 22 to 2,662.20 MW due to low water levels and the challenge of accessing gas by GENCOs. Also, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, had said he would like consumers to be more resistant to the payment of electricity bills, if there was no supply.

Fashola spoke on Monday at the 12th Monthly Power Sector and Stakeholders’ Meeting hosted by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) in Ibadan. The minister said that vandalism of gas pipelines had “decommissioned power plants and their ability to provide up to 3,000 megawatts of power.

“The 3,500MW to 3,800MW that we have been able to keep on the grid over the last few months will be assisted greatly by about 3,000MW if we have the gas pipelines back.

“It means we will be able to deliver well over 6,000MW if the gas pipelines are safe,’’ he said.

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OPEC reports big Saudi oil cut, boosting compliance with deal (Read full details)

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OPEC

Top OPEC oil producer Saudi Arabia made a large cut in its crude output in January to support prices and lessen a glut, helping boost compliance with the group’s supply-reduction deal to a record high of more than 90 per cent.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is curbing its output by about 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from Jan. 1. Russia and 10 other non-OPEC producers agreed to cut half as much.

Supply from the 11 OPEC members with production targets under the deal fell to 29.888 million bpd last month, according to figures from secondary sources that OPEC uses to monitor its output.

OPEC published the data in its monthly report on Monday.

Oil prices pared an earlier decline after the release of the report, trading above 56.45 dollars a barrel.

The reductions amount to 93 per cent compliance, according to a Reuters calculation based on the OPEC figures.

Last month’s report pointed to a 985,000-bpd surplus.

In its report, OPEC gave no compliance figure.

Media saw an earlier version of the secondary-source figures last week that put compliance at 92 per cent.

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Joshua-Klitschko title bout attracts record Wembley crowd

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AFP Photo/John MacDougall

Britain’s heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua’s mouthwatering bout with legendary Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF and WBA crowns will be attended by 90,000 spectators equalling the record for a British fight.

The London showdown will break the post-war British record for attendance at a boxing match for the rematch between British pugilist Carl Froch and American challenger George Groves for the former’s WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles at Wembley in 2014 which attracted a crowd of 80,000.

That record for Wembley has been broken because London Mayor Sadiq Khan responded to demand from the boxing world and enlarged the capacity permitted to attend to 90,000.

It equals the British record of 90,000 when Len Harvey fought Jock McAvoy for the world light heavyweight title at White City in London in 1939 which the former won.

Khan, who has been at pains since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union last year to say London is open for business, said he was counting the days to the bout between 2012 Olympic champion Joshua, 27, and Klitschko, who will be 41 by the the time the clash takes place.

“I can’t wait to see the fight of the year here in London and it’s fantastic that a post-war record crowd will get to watch it at a world-class venue like Wembley,” said Khan, who in a rare moment of good news for the opposition Labour Party since the 2015 General Election beat Conservative candidate Zach Goldsmith in the mayoral race.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said he was delighted to have delivered to Khan what he had asked for last year.

“At the boxing writers’ dinner last year, Sadiq urged me to bring the biggest fights possible to the city and I’m delighted to have the biggest fight in British boxing history,” said Hearn.

Joshua has said if he beats Klitschko it would elevate him to legend status.

“This is a fight that can change one from champion to legend overnight,” Joshua opined at the remarkably cordial and respectful joint press conference in December.

Despite his age Klitschko said he stayed in the sport since losing his WBA, IBF and WBO belts in a surprise defeat by troubled British pugilist Tyson Fury in November 2015 expressly to regain his titles.

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Housewife seeks divorce over spouse’s choice of sibbling as next of kin

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A housewife, Folasade Fayemi, on Friday urged a Customary Court at Agodi, Ibadan, to dissolve her three-year-old marriage, citing her husband’s decision to make his brother the next of kin.

Folasade also accused her husband, Temitope, of beating and harassing her.

“My Lord, my husband bought a plot of land and put the name of his sibling as the next of kin without considering me and my son, who is the only child of the marriage.

“He loves his siblings and mother more than me, always in close contact with his mother and hardly tells me about his movements.

“Worse still, he beats me always and does not care about my welfare; the court should separate us since he prefers his mother and siblings to me,“ she told the court.

The husband, however, denied all the allegations and pleaded with the court not to separate them,saying I still love her.”

Chief Mukaila Balogun, the President of the court, urged the parties to explore the possibility of reconciling, saying “the court is interested more in reconciliation and settlement of rifts between couple than dissolution.”.

He urged the husband to make the move for reconciliation and report back to the court.

The case has been adjourned to Feb 1.

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Men more corrupt than women, says Magu

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Ibrahim Magu

Mr Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said that corrupt tendencies were more pronounced among males than females.

“Looking at the number of people that have been apprehended by the commission, the number of men involved outnumber the women,” Magu said on Friday, in Abuja,

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Magu made the statement when the executive committee of the National Council of Women Society (NCWS), paid him a courtesy visit.

He said, however, that women were not pure or immune to greed, but that were only less corrupt.

Magu described women as nation builders, stressing that their roles in ensuring the right societal values could never be over-emphasized.

The EFCC boss stressed the need for collaboration between the commission and NCWS in the fight against corruption.

He explained that the commission had never undermined the rule of law in its anti-graft fight, adding that the EFCC, aside tackling economic crimes, was working hard to put an end to political corruption.

“We respect the independence of the judiciary and auditing bodies in our efforts to ensure that the corrupt are prosecuted, while stolen assets are returned,” he said.

Magu craved women’s support in the fight against corruption, and disclosed that the Lagos zone of the “Women Against Corruption” would be launched on Feb. 22, 2016 to enlist that support in the battle to rid Nigeria of the menace.

Earlier, Dr. Gloria Shoda, President, NCWS, had said that achieving developmental goals would only be possible when resources in public trusts were properly utilized.

“Such misuse of resources has always been the problem in the country,” she declared.

Shoda commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s consistency in the fight against corruption, saying that it had raised the benchmark in public service.

According to her, the behavioural changes have become evident while compliance to the rules of due process are encouraging.

She said that EFCC had proved effective in government’s bid to arrest the tide, and expressed readiness to partner with Buhari and EFCC toward restoring Nigeria to the path of dignity and glory .

The NCWS official challenged the Federal Government to extend the vigour put into fighting corruption, to sectors like education, roads, healthcare and security.

“ We want a Nigeria where our agricultural sector is functional and ranked among the best in the world, not just for the sake of economic diversification,” she said.

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Housewife seeks divorce over spouse’s choice of sibbling as next of kin (Read full details)

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A housewife, Folasade Fayemi, on Friday urged a Customary Court at Agodi, Ibadan, to dissolve her three-year-old marriage, citing her husband’s decision to make his brother the next of kin.

Folasade also accused her husband, Temitope, of beating and harassing her.

“My Lord, my husband bought a plot of land and put the name of his sibling as the next of kin without considering me and my son, who is the only child of the marriage.

“He loves his siblings and mother more than me, always in close contact with his mother and hardly tells me about his movements.

“Worse still, he beats me always and does not care about my welfare; the court should separate us since he prefers his mother and siblings to me,“ she told the court.

The husband, however, denied all the allegations and pleaded with the court not to separate them,saying I still love her.”

Chief Mukaila Balogun, the President of the court, urged the parties to explore the possibility of reconciling, saying “the court is interested more in reconciliation and settlement of rifts between couple than dissolution.”.

He urged the husband to make the move for reconciliation and report back to the court.

The case has been adjourned to Feb 1.

Housewife seeks divorce over spouse’s choice of sibbling as next of kin

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Men more corrupt than women, says Magu (Read full details)

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Ibrahim Magu

Mr Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said that corrupt tendencies were more pronounced among males than females.

“Looking at the number of people that have been apprehended by the commission, the number of men involved outnumber the women,” Magu said on Friday, in Abuja,

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Magu made the statement when the executive committee of the National Council of Women Society (NCWS), paid him a courtesy visit.

He said, however, that women were not pure or immune to greed, but that were only less corrupt.

Magu described women as nation builders, stressing that their roles in ensuring the right societal values could never be over-emphasized.

The EFCC boss stressed the need for collaboration between the commission and NCWS in the fight against corruption.

He explained that the commission had never undermined the rule of law in its anti-graft fight, adding that the EFCC, aside tackling economic crimes, was working hard to put an end to political corruption.

“We respect the independence of the judiciary and auditing bodies in our efforts to ensure that the corrupt are prosecuted, while stolen assets are returned,” he said.

Magu craved women’s support in the fight against corruption, and disclosed that the Lagos zone of the “Women Against Corruption” would be launched on Feb. 22, 2016 to enlist that support in the battle to rid Nigeria of the menace.

Earlier, Dr. Gloria Shoda, President, NCWS, had said that achieving developmental goals would only be possible when resources in public trusts were properly utilized.

“Such misuse of resources has always been the problem in the country,” she declared.

Shoda commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s consistency in the fight against corruption, saying that it had raised the benchmark in public service.

According to her, the behavioural changes have become evident while compliance to the rules of due process are encouraging.

She said that EFCC had proved effective in government’s bid to arrest the tide, and expressed readiness to partner with Buhari and EFCC toward restoring Nigeria to the path of dignity and glory .

The NCWS official challenged the Federal Government to extend the vigour put into fighting corruption, to sectors like education, roads, healthcare and security.

“ We want a Nigeria where our agricultural sector is functional and ranked among the best in the world, not just for the sake of economic diversification,” she said.

Men more corrupt than women, says Magu

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Mourinho fears Man United fixture pile-up (Read full details)

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Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho / AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK /

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho expressed concern on Wednesday that the Premier League’s fixture planners could ruin his side’s top-four hopes if they reach the League Cup final.

United carry a 2-0 lead into Thursday’s League Cup semi-final second leg at Hull City and will face either Liverpool or Southampton at Wembley on February 26 if they progress.

If they do reach the final, the derby fixture with Manchester City scheduled for that weekend will be moved and Mourinho is concerned television demands could see it rearranged for an inconvenient time.

“For the match against Manchester City, I am sure they will choose an amazing moment, difficult for us, to make us play against them,” Mourinho told his pre-match press conference at United’s training base.

“Then there is the Europa League. The Europa League is a non-stop competition. The Champions League has the last 16. In the Europa League, you have to play last 32, last 16.

“If we progress, it’s going to be really difficult, but let’s see.”

With the club going strong in four competitions, they could end up playing 66 games by the end of the season and that does not include possible FA Cup replays.

That would take United close to the all-time record for an English club in one season, held by Arsenal, who played 70 competitive matches during the 1979-80 campaign.

United are sixth in the Premier League, 14 points below leaders Chelsea, and host second-tier Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.

– Ferguson support –
Asked if United could win four competitions, Mourinho said: “I don’t know. I really don’t know. I know it’s going to be hard if we go step by step. It’s if, if, if. We go to the field of the ifs.

“At this moment, we have a 25 percent chance to win the EFL (League) Cup, which is the first competition to be decided.”

Mourinho, who celebrates his 54th birthday on Thursday, attended his press conference with a new cropped haircut.

But he laughed off claims it was a sign he is gearing up for the business end of the season.

“No. The haircut is a privilege,” he said. “I can do it and in one month I have a new wig. It’s just a privilege that some of you can’t do it.”

Mourinho received praise from former United manager Alex Ferguson in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday.

Ferguson believes United are playing well because Mourinho has calmed down.

“The support I feel is the support I have always felt with him, except when I was a direct competitor and playing against his teams. But I always felt this kind of support,” Mourinho said.

“I felt the same when I was abroad in Italy and Spain. Friends wishing good to each other, supporting each other by a simple SMS that can mean a lot in a certain moment.

“He is very respectful too. He doesn’t want to be around. He doesn’t want to come many times. I think he feels completely free. I told him this is his house always and forever.

“Just a couple of times he travelled with us on the bus and the train. He visited us once. We know that this is his club and his life and that he is supporting us.”

Mourinho fears Man United fixture pile-up

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