Bayelsa United Dominates NPFL March/April Player Of The Month Nominee List

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May 6, 2023

Bayelsa United Football Club dominates the nominee list for the Player of the Month Award for March/April in the Nigeria Premier Football League.

The list was published on the official social media handle of the Nigeria Professional Football League, with the likes of Izuchukwu Chimezie (Plateau United), Cyril Olisema (Akwa United), and Chukwuemeka Obioma (Enyimba) all cutting.

Three players of the six nominees represent Bayelsa United, which accounts for 50% of the list, featuring Robert Mizo, Alex Oyowah, and Stephen Wisdom, all of whom started in the 2-1 win over Sunshine Stars on MatchDay 16.

Head coach Deprieye Teibowei will be elated to see his players get recognized for their performances for March and April, with the team winning four of their seven games within that period, losing twice, and drawing once.

Bayelsa is closer to the top three spots (3 points away) than they are to the relegation zone (9 points away), with the next two games against reigning champions Rivers United, and Niger Tornadoes crucial to where they stand at the end of MatchDay 18.

Tennis: Recovering Nadal To Miss Italian Open

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Emenike Agu

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May 6, 2023

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Rafael Nadal will miss next week’s Italian Open as he has yet to regain full fitness from the hip injury he sustained at January’s Australian Open, casting further doubt over his participation at Roland Garros.

Nadal, a 14-time Roland Garros champion, skipped the ongoing Madrid Open and has also missed tournaments at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

“I’m very sorry to announce that I will not be able to be in Rome,” the 36-year-old Spaniard said in a statement on social media.

“You all know how much it hurts to miss another one of the tournaments that have marked my professional and personal career for all the love and support of the Italian tifosi.

“Despite having noticed an improvement in recent days, there have been many months without having been able to train at a high level and the re-adaptation process has its times and I have no choice but to accept them and continue working.”

Nadal has competed at Roland Garros every year since winning the first of his men’s record 22 major titles in Paris in 2005. The tournament begins on May 28.

How Osimhen Propelled Napoli To Italian Title

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Emenike Agu

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May 6, 2023

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Napoli sealed their first Serie A title in 33 years as Victor Osimhen’s strike earned a 1-1 draw against Udinese.

Having missed the chance to win the title in front of their own fans on Sunday, Napoli went into Thursday’s clash at Dacia Arena knowing a point would be enough to claim their first Scudetto since the Diego Maradona era.

Fittingly, it was talisman Osimhen – with his 22nd league strike of the season – who scored the goal to claim Napoli’s third Serie A crown, cancelling out Sandi Lovric’s opener.

Unlike Napoli’s local rivals Salernitana, Udinese did not quite have the same commitment to postponing Napoli’s party, which is sure to be one for the ages

Napoli’s contingent of travelling fans were making all the noise in the opening stages, though their enthusiasm was dampened when Lovric planted a brilliant finish into the top-right corner in the 13th minute.

Aiming to snap a three-game scoreless streak in Serie A, Osimhen forced a save from Marco Silvestri soon after, while partner in crime Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had a penalty appeal dismissed following a VAR review.

Osimhen went close with a header just after the half-hour, though Napoli were fortunate that Lovric had been unable to beat Alex Meret for a second time at the other end a moment earlier.

Napoli’s number nine would not be denied again, though, and after Silvestri palmed out Kvaratskhelia’s low effort, Osimhen slammed home an equaliser seven minutes into the second half.

Osimhen thought he had made it 2-1 with 23 minutes remaining, only for the goal to be disallowed due to a foul in the build-up.

Luciano Spalletti’s tension on the touchline was clear, but his team stayed calm on the pitch as they saw out a draw that will go down in their history.

Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia, and the rest of Spalletti’s squad are going down in Napoli history. Perhaps they will never quite have the legacy of El Diego, but they will forever hold a special place in the hearts of the Azzurri faithful, who were last able to celebrate a title way back in 1990.

Napoli have been crowned Serie A champions with five games left to play – only two teams in the three-point for a win era had previously won the title with five games to go (Juventus in 2018-19 and Inter in 2006-07). The only shame for Napoli is that they did not manage to cap their title procession off with a win.

Messi Receives Offer To Team Up With Ighalo At Saudi Club Al-Hilal

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Emenike Agu

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May 6, 2023

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Lionel Messi has received a formal offer to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal next season, a source close to Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain said on Thursday. Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo is a key member of the Al Hilal.

The offer from the Saudi club is the only one Messi has received so far, the source added. Argentine media have reported that the offer is worth around $400 million a year.

Al-Hilal did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of normal business hours.

The 35-year-old Messi has also been linked in the media with a move back to boyhood club Barcelona, with the United States’ Major League Soccer club Inter Miami also being touted as a possible destination.

He was suspended by his current club Paris St Germain at the start of the week after making an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia, French sports daily L’Equipe reported on Tuesday, adding that PSG had decided against exercising an option to renew his contract for a third season.

Messi is a Saudi ambassador for tourism and his long-time rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, signed for Saudi club Al-Nassr in December in a deal reported to be worth around $220 million per year.

A second source close to Messi told Reuters the suspension was imposed after the forward told PSG he would not stay in Paris following this season and felt the club lacked a project.

The source added that PSG had no training scheduled on Monday and the decision to hold a session was taken only after Messi was already in Saudi Arabia.

A source close to PSG denied this, telling Reuters Messi travelled without permission from the French club and despite there being a training session scheduled on Monday.

The source did not comment on whether Messi had already told PSG he intended to leave at the end of the season.

Ayade Imposes Curfew On Two communities in Calabar

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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May 5, 2023

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The Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on two communities that clashed on Thursday.

The communities are Ovonum and Ofatura in Obubra Local Government Area of the state and the curfew takes immediate effect.

A statement by Governor Ayade’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, announced the curfew.

BREAKING: Kano Imposes Dawn To Dusk Curfew

According to the statement, “following the ongoing communal clashes between Ovonum and Ofatura communities in Obubra Local Government Area, the state Governor, His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade has imposed a 6pm-6am curfew on both communities with immediate effect.”

The Governor also directed security agencies in the state to ensure strict enforcement of the curfew.

“The Governor decries the destruction of lives and property in the renewed clashes and vows that government will bring to book all those behind the clashes,” the statement added.

The cause of the clashes could not be immediately ascertained. However, many communities in the state usually fight over farmlands.

Alaba Not On Fire – Police PRO

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faith Jegede

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May 5, 2023

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The public relations officer, Lagos state command, has refuted claims that the popular Alaba international market was set ablaze.

SP Benjamin Hundeyin, shared the message via his social media account, stating that the news had been false.

Hundeyin said “This is a false narrative! Acting on credible information, police officers from Ojo Division raided shanties around the market, arrested suspected criminals and recovered some weapons. The shanties were thereafter set on fire. Alaba Int’l Market is NOT on fire!”

Alaba International is an electronics market located in Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria and is the largest electronics market in Nigeria. Apart from the sales of electronic products, the market also deals in the repair of home appliances

1st Lunar Eclipse Of 2023 Dims Full Moon Slightly

By

Angel Gimalo

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May 5, 2023

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The four-hour eclipse got underway late Friday or early Saturday, depending on the location, as the moon slipped into the fringes of Earth’s shadow.

In what’s known as a penumbral lunar eclipse, the full moon passed within the outer part of Earth’s shadow, causing the moon to dim only slightly.

Such an eclipse isn’t as dramatic as a partial lunar eclipse or a total lunar eclipse when the moon, Earth and sun are perfectly aligned.

The eclipse was visible from beginning to end, weather permitting, as far west as Saudi Arabia and Africa’s western coast, as far east as Japan and New Zealand’s South Island, and from the South Pole to Siberia. Almost all of Europe also got in on some of the action.

The Virtual Telescope Project planned to livestream the moon rising over the countryside in Tuscany, Italy.

The next lunar eclipse in October will put on a better display.

The eastern portions of both Americas will get to see at least part of a partial lunar eclipse, when some but not all of the moon passes through the Earth’s dark, central shadow. Asia, Africa and Europe will be treated to the whole show.

Sudan: Second Batch of 130 Evacuees Arrive Nigeria

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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May 5, 2023

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The second batch of 130 Nigerians stranded in war-torn Sudan, touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, on Friday, around 3:10 pm.

The returnees were on board the B737-300 aircraft operated by TARCO Airlines from Port Sudan.

Sudan Crisis: First 376 Evacuees Arrive Abuja

The evacuees who were received by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo and the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Ahmed walked into the Pilgrims terminal around 3:39pm.

More details later…

Katsina Airport Expansion Project, A Monumental Project – Hadi Sirika

By

Angel Gimalo

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May 5, 2023

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Hon. Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has expressed the importance of the expansion of the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Airport, Katsina as a monument long to be cherished by the people of the state.

He made this statement during the ground breaking ceremony of the expansion of the Katsina Airport.

He said that the expansion was to among other things aid the security forces to perform their duties in the Northern region.

Speaking of what constitute the expansion project, Sirika said servicing and maintenance of Fire trucks abroad will be a thing of the past as the expansion will include construction of fire truck maintenance, overhaul and repairs centre.

Also, construction of Cargo terminal, construction of new terminal building and runway.

Speaking of the economic value of the facilities, sirika said lot of jobs will be created and the economy of Katsina will surely improve.

On reason for possible delay of the project, the Minister assured all that 70% of total sum for execution of the project has already been paid to contractors and also the equipment for the maintenance overhaul and repair Centre of fire trucks are already on ground. “there should be no reason for delay”.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Governor of Katsina, Aminu Bello Masari, ably represented by commissioner for land and survey, Dr. Bishir Gambo Saulawa welcomed the Honorable Minister and thanked the President for his developmental strides. He assured the Minister of full cooperation of the people of the state towards the realization of the project.

Nigerian Govt. Begins N22b Expansion Work At Katsina Airport

By

Angel Gimalo

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May 5, 2023

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Barely 25 days to the end of the present administration, the Federal Government has commenced work on the expansion of the Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport, Katsina, Katsina State, to the tune of about 22 billion Naira.

Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who said this, while performing the groundbreaking ceremony for the project, added that it will consist of 4 components of cargo centre, fire truck maintenance and overall rehabilitation centre, terminal building, pavement and fence.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said that when completed, it will create about 1,500 jobs from across the country, as well as boost trade, within and outside Nigeria, among other benefits.

Giving the breakdown of the components and cost of the project which he said would be delivered in 12 months, Sirika stressed that 70 per cent of the total sum of about 16 billion Naira has been paid, with the equipment and facilities procured, awaiting the completion of the building.

“The fire truck maintenance and the overall rehabilitation centre will cost about N14 billion. All the facilities have been procured and are in place, we are just waiting for the building to finish, mounting them. We hope that the terminal building will be delivered in 12 months.

The cargo centre is about N1.4 billion, but there is a slight request for adjustment. That will be done within six months. The pavement will be completed in six months, and it is at the cost of about N1.3 billion”, the Minister said.

On why the Federal government had to wait till the last minute before embarking on the project, Sirika maintained that there is no cause for alarm, as the government is a continuous process.

Governor Aminu Masari, represented by his Commissioner For Land And Survey, Bishir Gambo, commended the Federal Government for the project and promised that the people will guard it jealously.