Cup of Nations; Nigeria To Report English Clubs to FIFA

By SaharaReporters, New York

Nigeria has threatened to report two English clubs to FIFA if they do not release their players for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew said that striker Shola Ameobi will not be going to the tournament, which will take place in South Africa from January 19 to February 10. Millwall boss, Kenny Jackett, also said he expects defender Danny Shittu to turn down his country's call-up.
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"These clubs are not only disrespecting Nigeria but FIFA and CAF as well," Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board member Chris Green told the BBC. "The rules are clear on international games approved by FIFA so we consider these comments as not only ridiculous but totally disrespectful."

According to FIFA rules, a player who has been called up by his association for one of its representative teams is, unless otherwise agreed by the relevant association, not entitled to play for the club with which he is registered during the period for which he has been released or should have been released.

This restriction on playing for the club shall, moreover, be prolonged by five days in the event that the player, for whatsoever reason, did not wish to or was unable to comply with the call-up.

Green made it clear that the NFF will apply for the full weight of FIFA sanctions on both clubs if they do not release their respective players and even push for additional sanctions.

"Rules are rules. Newcastle and Millwall must understand the basics and why they exist," he said.

Pardew said of Ameobi: "Shola won't be going. The national team manager knows the reasons, which I am keeping to myself." That statement has been denied by Keshi, who said yesterday he has never spoken to Pardew.

At Milwall, Jackett said that Shittu is expected to reject the opportunity to play for Nigeria at the tournament. "I don't think he's going to go and I don't think he's been in touch with them. At the moment that's the decision," he said.

Christians Are More Dangerous Than Boko Haram?

Controversial Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, has declared that Christians are more deadly than Boko Haram, the Islamic terrorist sect which has killed thousands of people mostly worshippers in places of worship.
Gumi made this declaration on his facebook page. He also said some Christians have hidden under the guise of government apparatus to perpetrate the murder of many prominent politician of northern extraction.
Gumi also linked the insecurity in the country to the activities of unidentified Christians whose motives have been to take over the leadership of the country.
Below is the full statement from Sheikh Gumi's facebook page:
WHY THE EVIL OF TERROR MAY LINGER
Any entity that employs unauthorized killing as a principle in achieving whatever goal it aspires is EVIL. Henceforth it is evident that the evil of terror is not confined to a small group of fanatical Muslims youth that employ the tools of terror to achieve their goals or revenge any perceived injustice against them or against Muslims as they claim. The Evil of terror is bigger and greater than that. The Evil of terror knows no boundary, religious, ethnic or racial. Evil killers are found everywhere.
For the Muslims, we are very fortunate that only a small fraction of misguided youth have recently adopted this evil ideology. Islam has seriously condemned the unauthorized killing of souls. The authority in Islam only belongs to a government duly elected by the consensus of the Ummah. We therefore see that except for very few instances, Muslims do not commit murder. The rampant murder committed in the west, is as a result of the irreligious life the west has adopted and bears little with the clamor of gun control. In Yemen, the populace is armed yet such murders are not an occurrence because Islam instills in the individual the discipline of self-restrain and control and forbids taking of one’s life and that of the others too. This cannot be said about the other religions.
The more deadly evil, is that evil that camouflage behind the ‘government’s security agencies’ to kill innocent people either to perpetuate power or score some political goals. For instance in Nigeria we have seen how some Christian elements in the Nigerian security apparatus have been killers of innocent Muslims leaders for political reasons. Such elements are deadlier evil than boko haram. They aimed to destroy the Muslims as a whole by decapitating their leadership thus exposing the Ummah to perpetual subservience. That is why, Ababakar Tafawa Balewa, Sardauna, Akintola, and Gen Murtala all went victims of these terrorist.
These similar terrorist are still the ones now that are supposedly ‘leading’ the war against terror or war against boko haram. It is a double edge sword of r them. Kill Muslim leaders and kill the youth at the same time all under camouflage. They are entrenched in the security apparatus. They are retiring good Muslims in the armed forces to enable them perfect their evil plans they started since 1966. They think they are in control because they are blinded by hate, rancor and evil, they cannot see that their evil is exposed and evident. They cannot see that Allah Has taken up the fight against them since their intentions are evil. Kaduna was meant to be devoured like Maiduguri when Allah The Al-mighty stroke.
They cannot see that you don’t guaranty your life by killing others; you do that by giving life to others. They fantasize that they can keep power by evil machinations whereas power belongs to Allah. Nigeria can only know peace and stability when such evil elements of the security apparatus are flushed out of the system instead of the good diligent officers. This is the deadliest segment that has been neglected and the public should know and watch. Evil will never prosper.
May Allah protect us all from all Evil.
Naij

What’s the score? Odemwingie launches more blistering Twitter attacks on Super Eagles coach and ex-players

by Rachel Ogbu

Since Nigeria’s coach, Stephen Keshi decided to leave Peter Odemwingie out of his Africa Cup of Nations squad, there has been a lot of debate – going back and forth on the issue.
Odemwingie claims he is not affected by the coach’s decision but the reasons behind it are evidently still unsettling for the West Brom striker.
In an angry outburst on Twitter early this week, the 31-year-old claimed he was dropped because he often speaks his mind.
Then on Christmas Day, while many spent time with their family, Odemwingie took to Twitter again to continue to react to comments about not making the cut.
Today, December 26, the player is at it agaib, using his Twitter account to launch a more blistering attack on the Nigeria Football Federation and the Super Eagles coach.
Peter Odemwingie‏@OdemwingieP:

 Ok Victor e don reach ur turn – talking about professionalism huh- did u have any business in the dressing room during game against guinee?
Ur handshake could have been back luck to me cos you have prejudged opinion about me. Coach and his team only in dressing room please !!!
 If u had coaching talent u would at least be one by now. That means you don’t know much about the game. Means don’t be a adviser to FF
u want me to be mature ? Ur interview that me and Mikel shouldn’t be in the national team ? Shouldn’t u leave that to the coach to say?
I heard ur story oh. How hot tempered u where as a player. They said far worse than me. I might have done few little mistakes but Little!

He went on to dig up the past:

Keshi told the BBC World Service on Monday that he is not bothered by Odemwingie’s reaction.
“I don’t even have a Facebook or Twitter account so it doesn’t bother me at all. Nigeria is blessed with a lot of good players and we cannot invite every player,”  he said.
“There’s nothing personal about this stuff. Odemwingie is a very good player but right now I don’t need him.
“He’s a professional and he should be able to accept that.
“Nigeria is blessed with a lot of good players and we cannot invite every player.
“We’re not in a war with anybody, we’re just trying to do our job.”
Odemwingie, who played at the 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010 Nations Cups, had accused Keshi of disrespect by not informing him personally of his decision.

“It’s clear now that my days with the Super Eagles are over.
“I was warned that they were going to find a reason to push me away when the chance came.
“I still love my country and care about the football but I already wasn’t feeling the way I would have liked to feel.”
YNaija.com

Fashola: How did banned fire crackers enter Nigeria?

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Wednesday visited the site of a fire incident triggered by the storage of firecrackers at the Ojo Giwa area of Jankara Market in Central Lagos, describing the incident a self inflicted tragedy.

The Governor who spoke with newsmen at the scene said: "We make rules, we break them. All of these items are under one form of prohibition or the other and we have men and women at our various entry and exit points".

"How did they get in?, how did they enter?, who shipped them?, who imported them and who cleared them?. Who approved them to come in. Those are very serious issues. We must also ask ourselves, must we do every business?", the Governor asked rhetorically.

The Governor reflected that the people must undertake a lot of soul searching and reflections on the choices they make as a people, asking; "the way we do business, does it benefit all of us or do we do business without consideration for other people's safety as long as I make money?, I don't care if people die, I don't care if properties are burnt".

He reiterated that in order to make quick business, lives have been lost, properties have been lost and all of the people are in danger.

Governor Fashola maintained that everyone must be involved in the soul searching process, underscoring that it must not be about the government alone. According to him, as the state government continues to ramp up capacities by equipping the fire service, equipping the emergency services, setting up a safety commission, the people must now choose how safely they want to live.

"There must be safety, environmental and health safety in everything that we do. We have had too many fires in the recent past and in spite of my appeals over the last two months that we are going into the dry season and that everyone must resist the temptation to keep inflammable materials in homes", the Governor said.

The Governor revealed that two weeks ago, over a weekend of Saturday and Sunday , the Lagos State Fire Service responded to 22 fire distress calls, stressing that such number can be reduced through self -caution as the government cannot be in peoples' homes to check who is storing fuel or explosives.

Governor Fashola said all citizens must now lead by showing some commitment to their own safety, by giving a commitment that: "I will keep petrol away from my house, I will keep explosives away from my house. I will not make any illegal electrical connection. I will switch off all my electrical appliances before I leave home".

He warned that if care is not taken, it may get to a situation where if the present trend continues, the state fire service would be overwhelmed.

"All of us have a duty and I am renewing my appeal again, let us stop this dangerous businesses because once there is an error, the consequences are devastating as you see. I hope that we will restrain ourselves and get through this difficult year in some safety and adopt much more safety conscious choices as we go into the new year", he explained.

The Governor was received and briefed at the site by the General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency(LASEMA) Dr Oke Osanyintolu and the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, TpL Toyin Ayinde and other officials who had been coordinating rescue and fire control efforts at the site.
PSN

The Internet Makes Children Brain-Dead

One of Britain's leading inventors has warned that a "Google generation" who rely on the internet for everything are in danger of becoming "brain-dead".

Trevor Baylis, who invented the wind-up radio, said children are losing creativity and practical skills because they spend too much time in front of screens. He fears that the next generation of inventors is being lost, with young people often unable to make anything with their hands.

But he said children could rediscover vital skills if schools used practical toys. Mr Baylis said:"Children have got to be taught hands-on, and not to become mobile phone or computer dependent. They should use computers as and when, but there are so many people playing with their computers nowadays that spend all their time sitting there with a stomach."
"They are dependent on Google searches. A lot of kids will become fairly brain-dead if they become so dependent on the internet, because they will not be able to do things the old-fashioned way."
Many of Mr Baylis's inventions have been gadgets to help the disabled. He recalled how much of his motivation came from an accident when he was working as a circus stunt man. He said: "I did an underwater escape act in a Berlin circus in 1970. When I was in the circus I had a very passionate affair with an aerial ballet star, a lovely girl from Vienna. One night, she bounced off the net and hit the side and died halfway through the show and it broke my heart. I suddenly realised disability is only a banana skin away."
Mr Baylis still has a workshop where he works on his inventions at his home in Twickenham, south-west London. He is currently lobbying the Government to do more to protect the intellectual property of inventors.
Naij

NEMA confirms Lagos explosion, says it was caused by ‘knockouts’

The National Emegency Management Agency (NEMA), has confirmed this morning’s powerful explosion that rocked two buildings on Lagos Island, a densely populated part of Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos State.
AP’s correspondent, Jon Gambrell, broke the story earlier this morning.
Mr. Yushau Shuaib, NEMA Head of Media and Publicity, in a statement to DailyPost, said the agency “has mobilized response agencies and volunteers to an explosion in a building suspected to be loaded with ‘knockouts’ in Jankara area of Lagos”
He added that “Search and Rescue officers of NEMA, are having a hectic time to reach the place due to traffic and crowds.”
A look at the pictures of the shattered building makes it astonishing, the kind of ‘knockouts’ that are so powerful, to cause such destruction.
NEMA concluded by saying it was on top of the situation.
DailyPost

Mysterious Fire Guts NTA Abakaliki Station

A mysterious fire on Saturday gutted the Abakaliki station of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, destroying broadcast equipment and furniture worth millions of naira.

We gathered that the fire which was sparked by an electrical fault in the studio, around 9pm while the station was on air, quickly spread to other sections and immediately took the station off air to the bewilderment of viewers at the time.
A distress call was reportedly put across to the Ebonyi State Fire Service office located about eight kilometers away but after battling the raging fire, they soon ran out of water and had to drive back to station to refill while the devastation continued.
On their arrival nearly 45 minutes later, the entire studio and master control room, had been gutted just as it took the firemen another painstaking 30 minutes to put out the fire.
Equipment said to have been destroyed in the fire include: video cameras, three monitors, microphones, props, underground cables and studio lights.
Meanwhile, Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi state yesterday paid a sympathy visit to the television station in Abakaliki, describing the incident as unfortunate.
At the time of this report, an unconfirmed report revealed that the NTA headquarters in Abuja had directed the immediate arrest and detention of all the security men on duty when the fire incident occurred.
InformationNigeria