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Oil search in the nation’s inland basins received a fresh impetus following the commencement of exploration activities in the Benue Trough by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). According to a statement by the NNPC in Abuja, Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mr. Maikanti Baru, announced this development during a visit to the Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr. Umaru Tanko Almakura in Lafia.

Wanted ex-Chairman of Presidential Task Force on Pensions reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, may have gone underground but his political campaign posters for the office of the governor of Borno State in 2019 have already flooded parts of Abuja, the federal capital territory and Kaduna metropolis. Although President Muhammadu Buhari’s order that Maina be flushed out of the federal Civil Service for an  alleged large scale scam and abscondment from duty post, his family has risen in strong defence of the suspect, describing him as a messiah, who was persuaded by Buhari’s men to come back from exile to help in sanitising the pension system.

Former  Education Minister, Ibrahhim Shekarau, has indicated interest to run for the Presidency in 2019 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. His spokesperson, Sule Ya’u Sule, said Shekarau, who is also a former Governor of Kano State, sent a notification letter to the PDP of his intention to run.

Leicester caretaker manager Michael Appleton has urged the club's Thai owners to hire a British manager to replace Craig Shakespeare. Appleton is in charge of first-team affairs at the King Power Stadium while the Srivaddhanaprabha family search for the team's third manager in just eight months. Shakespeare was sacked on Tuesday with Leicester languishing in the Premier League relegation zone just two seasons after Claudio Ranieri masterminded their fairytale title triumph.

Watford are keen to show their ambition through consistent performances on the pitch rather than get carried away with their splendid start to the Premier League campaign, manager Marco Silva has said. The Hornets have been punching above their weight this season, sitting fourth in the league standings with 15 points from eight matches. They are unbeaten on the road in four games but Silva does not want his side to rest on their laurels ahead of Saturday's trip to champions Chelsea.

Burnley manager Sean Dyche has dismissed speculation linking him with the Leicester City vacancy as "paper stories", saying he is only focused on his side's Premier League trip to leaders Manchester City on Saturday. Dyche, the third-longest serving current Premier League manager, has been among the favourites along with Wales boss Chris Coleman to take over from Craig Shakespeare, who was sacked by Leicester on Tuesday.

ABUJA – Senator Buruji Kashamu (PDP, Ogun East) has said it would amount to “a monumental disaster” if former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel is elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the December 9 convention.

ABUJA—  Ahead of the 2019 general elections and the raging debate as to whether to give an automatic return ticket to President Muhammadu Buhari, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has said it would abide by its rules in the choice of its next presidential candidate.

Crystal Palace finally scored their first Premier League goal this season as Cesar Azpilicueta’s own goal put them ahead against champions Chelsea on Saturday. 

English Premier League results on Saturday: Burnley 1 (Wood 85) West Ham 1 (Antonio 19) Crystal Palace 2 (Azpilicueta 11-og, Zaha 45) Chelsea 1 (Bakayoko 18) Liverpool 0 Manchester United 0 Manchester City 7 (Jesus 17, 55, Sterling 19, David Silva 27, Fernandinho 60, Sane 62, Bernardo Silva 79) Stoke 2 (Diouf 44, Walker 47-og) Swansea 2 (Abraham 42, 48) Huddersfield 0 Tottenham 1 (Eriksen 47) Bournemouth 0 Playing later Watford v Arsenal (1630 GMT) Playing Sunday Brighton v Everton (1230)

I N   what looked like a  harsh response, the Presidency, yesterday, berated critiques for claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari told the World Bank to site its programmes in the Northern part of Nigeria, saying the President told the global financial institution to focus on the ravaged Northeast geopolitical zone.

ABUJA – THERE was sharp disagreement yesterday between the presidency and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State as well as the spokesman of the Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin on the clamour for restructuring of the country and threat for disintegration.

Governorship candidate for the United Progressive Party UPP in the forthcoming Anambra state governorship election Chief Osita Chidoka has been described as the new breath of fresh air in Anambra state politics. 

The President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, Saturday, said that the Africa continent has been undermined. President Jacob Zuma of South-Africa, Governor Rochas Okorocha (1st right), Mrs Jacob Zuma (1st left), and chairman Jacob Zuma foundation Mrs Dudu MYeni when the Jacob Zuma foundation and Rochas foundation college of Africa signed MoU in owerri on Saturday , October 14, 2017.

Tottenham Hotspur claimed a long-overdue first Premier League victory at their temporary Wembley Stadium home as Christian Eriksen's goal sealed an unconvincing 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. Tottenham were in danger of becoming the only club in English Football League history to win their first four away league games without tasting victory in any of their opening four at home.

Striker Tammy Abraham scored two close-range goals in a six-minute spell either side of halftime to give Swansea a 2-0 home win over Huddersfield in the first Premier League clash between the two sides on Saturday. The result helped the Swans to move five places up to 13th on eight points from eight games, while Huddersfield stayed 11th with nine points, having stretched their winless run to six games after a bright start.

Gabriel Jesus scored twice as Manchester City produced an outstanding display to thrash Stoke 7-2 and move two points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday. City scored seven goals for the first time under Pep Guardiola, and for only the second time in the Premier League, as Raheem Sterling, David Silva, Fernandinho, Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva were also on target at Eastlands. All of this was achieved without star striker Sergio Aguero, left as an unused substitute after recovering from a broken rib suffered in a taxi crash just over two weeks ago.

Wilfried Zaha returned to inspire bottom club Crystal Palace to their first win and first goals of the Premier League campaign with a shock 2-1 defeat of champions Chelsea on Saturday. Hodgson's side finally broke their seven-game goal drought when Yohan Cabaye's 11th-minute shot deflected in off Cesar Azpilicueta, prompting a huge outpouring of relief around Selhurst Park. Tiemoue Bakayoko levelled with an 18th-minute header but Zaha -- back in the side for the first time since injuring his knee in the opening-day defeat to Huddersfield -- secured the victory with the second on the stroke of half-time.

Cristiano Ronaldo struck his first La Liga goal of the season five minutes from time to save Real Madrid from losing more ground in the title race with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Getafe on Saturday. Real looked on course for a comfortable three points when Karim Benzema fired the visitors into a deserved half-time lead. However, Jorge Molina's equaliser early in the second half and an incredible miss by Ronaldo left the European champions needing a late saviour. And Ronaldo rode to the rescue and made amends for his earlier profligacy with an accurate volleyed finish into the far corner.

A coalition of agitators in the Niger Delta said yesterday that it has set off programmed attack troop to bring to a halt further oil exploration and exportation from the region, following the current NNPC outrage and scandalous revelation by the World Bank that President Muhammadu Buhari directed the financial institution to concentrate development in northern Nigeria.

Sami Khedira has taken a swipe at the makers of Fifa 18 on Thursday for getting his hair wrong in the latest edition of the popular video game. While many players such as Chelsea's Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi and Manchester City's France defender Benjamin Mendy are unhappy with their Fifa ranking, Khedira is unhappy with his look. The veteran German international, who is set to make his comeback for Juventus after a two month injury layoff, is unhappy with his long hair. The 30-year-old took to Twitter: "Hey @EASportsFIFA, I'm really glad you like my long hair... but I'm wearing it short for almost two years now..."

Gordon Strachan has stepped down as Scotland manager following the team's failure to qualify for next year's World Cup, the Scottish Football Association announced on Thursday. The SFA said Strachan and his assistant Mark McGhee would leave "with immediate effect" to give his successor maximum time to prepare for the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign. Scotland missed out on a place in the playoffs for the World Cup after drawing 2-2 away to Slovenia in their final group game last Sunday. "I share the profound disappointment at missing out on the playoffs, especially having worked so hard to fight our way back into contention," Strachan said in an SFA press release.

Leicester City's Jamie Vardy has fully recovered from his niggling hip injury and is fit to face West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Monday, manager Craig Shakespeare has said. The striker was injured in last month's 1-1 draw at Huddersfield but played in Leicester's next two matches with the help of pain-killing injections. Vardy did not feature for England in their recent World Cup qualifiers, but Shakespeare said that he looked sharp in training this week. "Vardy has fully recovered from his hip problem," Shakespeare told a news conference on Thursday. "He had injections and was given time away. There's no ill effects."

Swansea City's Renato Sanches is a doubt for their Premier League meeting with Huddersfield Town on Saturday after suffering a thigh strain, manager Paul Clement has said. Portugal international Sanches, who signed for the club on loan from Bayern Munich in the close season, picked up the injury in training during the international break. Clement said the 20-year-old midfielder was awaiting the results of a second scan but did not expect the injury to rule Sanches out for long. "We have just got one issue from international duty. Renato Sanches is a big doubt for the weekend," Clement told a news conference on Thursday.

West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic has denied that Javier Hernandez is disenchanted with life at the club and will make a late decision on the Mexico striker's availability for Saturday's Premier League trip to Burnley. The former Manchester United forward has scored three goals since returning to England from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, but the club have won just two of seven league games and sit 15th in the table. "Somebody made up the rumours that he is not happy at West Ham," Bilic told a news conference on Thursday, in the wake of a report on Spanish website Don Balon that the 29-year-old was seeking a move in January.

ABUJA — Amid agitation by leaders of the South East for the creation of an additional state in the zone, Kaduna State governor and chairman of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Committee on True Federalism, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that it would be a grave injustice to agitate for “equal unequals”. 

A PRO-DEMOCRACY group, Democracy Network, has urged voters in the state to disregard calls by the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB to boycott the polls, saying doing so would be detrimental to their wellbeing.  Briefing newsmen in Abuja, convener of the group, Chief Uche Nwogu, said Obiano would still be elected governor of the state at the poll.

The appointment of Gernot Rohr by Nigeria has been described by Amaju Pinnick as one of two biggest risks he has taken as NFF president.  The other big risk by Pinnick was going against Issa Hayatou in the CAF presidential race in March.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger conceded on Thursday he may have no option but to sell star players Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil in the January transfer window.  The pair are both out of contract at the end of the season and are yet to agree new deals.

Lagos – The current crop of Super Eagles players will bring glory to Nigeria in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, a former Green Eagle player says.  Adokiye Amiesimaka, a former attacking midfielder on Thursday said in Lagos that the players had shown commitment to the task ahead.  “I think we are privilege to have youthful, relatively youthful, skilful and committed players. I think we have a crop of players now that should be able to do us proud.  “And most of them, apart from the goalkeeper who is also brilliant and the only homed-based player, I gathered all the others are playing in professional teams outside the country.

The Astros rallied for a wild 5-4 victory over the Red Sox in Boston on Monday to win the best-of-five American League division series three games to one. Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros hits a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox on October 9, 2017 (GETTY/AFP)

Education remains under attack most especially in the Northern region of Nigeria.   Bintu Imam is only 12 but her formal education might be officially over. The young girl has become breadwinner for her family. The 12-year-old Bintu from a household of five children, hawks groundnuts along major roads in the Maiduguri city centre, capital of Borno State in northeastern Nigeria and also the epicentre for the conflict being masterminded by the Islamist sect Boko Haram . Her trade takes her around motorparks, bus stations and busy shops to market her wares. Has there been any incidence of physical and sexual harassment?

Given the high rate of health concerns, particularly malaria attacks and complaints by consumers, insecticide manufacturers have been devising more ways to win back consumers’ unstable loyalty to their various products. This is on the heels of market perspective that with a sustained population growth the demand for insecticides that kill both flying and creeping insects are expected to continue to grow. With emphasis on cleaner environment, hygiene in modern lifestyle and ward-off of home intruders like mosquitoes and other creeping insects, insecticide (insect repellents or killers) industry also expects further increase in demand for products that satisfy these needs.

Visa has signed a discount agreement with Genesis Cinemas that will give mVisa customers access to exclusive movie ticket offers. Speaking of the partnership, Olukemi Okusanya, Country Manager, Visa West Africa said: “This partnership is a part of our ongoing commitment to giving Visa customers benefits that are meaningful to their needs, passions and lifestyles. Since the launch of mVisa in July, we have partnered hundreds of merchants who are already receiving payments via the platform nationwide.”

TG Expo, international trade fair organisers, says the first ever Machinery Metal & Steel, MMS, Exhibition to the industry professionals and government officials will hold this month in Lagos. The exhibition holds from the 18th to 20th October 2017. The three days event will showcase products like pipes, tubes, wire, cables, sheet metal, environment protection, energy conservation, filtration and separation, nano-technologies, induction furnace and heat treatment, safety equipment and technology and smelting and refining in the industrial products industry to name a few.

 IBADAN – The royal rumble in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, which has been on for four months, is yet to abate as the city is now being ruled traditionally from two seats of power. Since Governor Abiola Ajimobi installed the new 21 kings on August 27, 2017, the residence of the Olubadan, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Adetunji, which is the palace of the Olubada, has ceased to be the meeting venue for the city’s traditional institution.

UMUAHIA-WORRIED by dearth of facilities in the prisons, Abia State Attorney-General and Commissioner, Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN, has  donated 100 pieces of foams to the State Prisons Command. Making the donation, Chief Kalu said he was aware that the prisons in the state are overstretched, especially after the recent security crisis when some members of IPOB were arrested, charged and remanded in the prisons.

 UMUAHIA—AS part of its corporate social responsibility and contribution to national development, Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, a Chevron Oil company, has built a multimillion naira digitalized science laboratory for Ibeku High School, Umuahia, Abia State. Built in conjunction with all the companies in the Agbami field, the laboratory is part of the resolve of the Agbami Parties “to improve the availability and affordability of quality education in Nigeria.”

A nation exploded with relief on Tuesday as Lionel Messi single-handedly dragged his Argentina team into next year's World Cup finals with a spellbinding hat-trick in Quito. "Messi is E.T. He's from another planet. He's not from this world," Marco Mouras, a 28-year-old Brazilian said in a crowded Buenos Aires bar as Argentinians around him went wild, beer and pizza spilling onto the floor. Messi gave the world a masterclass of what it would be missing if he didn't go to Russia 2018, a distinct possibility when Argentina went a goal down inside the first minute of a match they had to win.

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou failed to confirm or deny reports he's about to quit on Thursday, raising speculation he'll walk away even if they qualify for the World Cup. Football Federation Australia chief executive David Gallop also hinted at possible changes when he said the Socceroos needed to "lock in our set-up" after next month's play-off with Honduras. Gallop said he had discussed the matter with Postecoglou after rival media groups News Ltd and Fairfax said the coach would quit regardless of whether Australia qualify for Russia 2018.

Syria coach Ayman Hakeem said his team's unlikely bid for a maiden spot in the World Cup finals, which was brought to an end by Australia on Tuesday, had been a "miracle" given the odds stacked against them. Hakeem's team, forced to play all their "home" qualifiers in Malaysia because of the security situation in Syria and without five key players in the match against the Socceroos, came within the width of a goalpost of keeping the run alive in Sydney. Had Omar Al Somah's 120th minute free kick gone into the net rather than hitting the woodwork, it would have been Syria not Australia who would now be preparing to take on Honduras next month in another playoff for a berth in Russia.

FIFA said on Wednesday it was banning the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), barring the country's national and club teams from competing in international competition with immediate effect. Zurich-based FIFA cited "undue third-party interference" as the reason for its decision. Soccer's global governing body said the PFF offices and its accounts remained in control of a court-appointed administrator, violating FIFA's rules on independence. (Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Michael Shields)

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has called for Wales manager Chris Coleman to continue in his role despite their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia. Ireland beat Wales 1-0 in their final World Cup qualifier in Cardiff on Monday to grab the final European playoff spot and end Wales' hopes of qualifying for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958. Coleman became Wales manager in 2012, after the death of former coach Gary Speed, and led the team to the semifinals of the 2016 European Championships, and Bale believes the 47-year-old was still the best person for the role.

Debacle, disaster, catastrophe, calamity. As the post-mortems began on the USA's World Cup elimination, no hyperbolic stone was left unturned. An erratic qualifying campaign that began with losses to Mexico and Costa Rica, followed by the sacking of coach Jurgen Klinsmann, ended in abject failure against Trinidad and Tobago in the Ato Boldon Stadium. A 2-1 loss against a side with nothing to play for, and when a simple draw would have secured qualification, means US soccer fans will be left on the outside looking in when next year's World Cup party kicks off.

The killings and kidnapping in Edo State, particularly the state capital, Benin –City, in the last two months, is creating tension. The situation is so scary that night life is dead in the state capital. Armed robbers operate freely, especially in Ekenwa, Upper Sakpoba, Siluko and some parts of Airport Road.

IBADAN – The royal rumble in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, which has been on for four months, is yet to abate as the city is now being ruled traditionally from two seats of power. Since Governor Abiola Ajimobi installed the new 21 kings on August 27, 2017, the residence of the Olubadan, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Adetunji, which is the palace of the Olubada, has ceased to be the meeting venue for the city’s traditional institution.

The Emergency Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) which is about the most powerful panel in African football, will hold a meeting in Lagos on Saturday, Oct. 14. The Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) Director of Media, Ademola Olajire, said in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos that the meeting of the CAF Emergency Committee would be held in Ikoyi, Lagos.

I am not sure about being under the radar, but I am sure about what I have been doing. I have in the last few years focused my mind on development, for it is pretty clear that without development there cannot be peace. A lot of the security breaches we have in different parts of the country are inextricably linked to development, or lack of it as it were.

AN industrialist, Chief Augustine Okechukwu Chukwuka, has called on the people of Anambra State to embrace the policy and spirit of continuity in the issue of governance and other political activities in the state, particularly in electing the governor of the state.

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the fast-approaching Modern Pentathlon Youth Olympic qualifier, Africa and Senior African Championship billed for December in Lagos, Chief Francis Ogboro has said that the various sub-committees under him had started turning in positive reports already.

THE Police in Fegge Division, Onitsha, Anambra State, have assured that it will do all within the law to ensure that the forthcoming governorship election will not witness, any kind of violence, including ballot box snatching, thuggery and other election violent activities, assures the electorate of their safety before, during and after the election. The Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Fegge Division of the Nigerian Police, Onitsha, Mr. Rabiu Garba gave the assurance during the send off party, he organized for his 13 retiring officers at the Fegge Police Station, weekend. While urging the electorate to come out en-mass to vote their choice candidates, the DPO said he has zero tolerance for any criminal and violent activity that will mar the election, warning trouble makers to steer clear of the area while appealing to the politicians not to heat up the polity with inflammatory statements that are likely to cause trouble. “I continue to advise the politicians wheneve

  As stunning Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels, turns a year older today, well wishes and happy birthday messages have being going her way but there’s a little glitch to her celebration today though… her age!

Italy battled to a 1-0 win over Albania on Monday with a late Antonio Candreva goal as the struggling Group G runners-up head for the playoffs in a bid to reach next year's World Cup. The four-time world champions had already clinched a playoff spot by finishing second behind group winners Spain, but, after a humiliating 1-1 draw at home to Macedonia on Friday, they were under pressure to perform in Albania. Italy squandered several good chances until Candreva, unmarked to the left side of goalkeeper Etrit Berisha, was found with a ball across the area from Leonardo Spinazzola and fired home a powerful shot to give Italy the victory.

United States coach Bruce Arena shrugged off fears concerning a waterlogged playing surface as his team prepare to seal their World Cup qualification against Trinidad & Tobago here Tuesday. The US will clinch their ticket to next year's finals in Russia with victory over already-eliminated Trinidad & Tobago at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva. But last-minute preparations for the Concacaf qualifying game suffered a setback on Monday however as the US arrived for training to discover large lakes of water surrounding the pitch.

Spain's sports minister has requested that its national soccer federation (RFEF) holds new elections as a result of the corruption investigation into former president Angel Maria Villar, Spanish media reported on Tuesday. Newspaper AS said that Jose Ramon Lete, president of the state sports body Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD), made the request through the Spanish sports court (TAD), which needs to approve it to trigger a new election process. "Now we have to wait for their decision, which I hope does not take too long," Lete said.

A powerless spectator as Wales's World Cup dreams were crushed by the Republic of Ireland, Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has arrived at a crucial tipping point in his career. Sidelined by the latest in a succession of calf injuries, Bale could only watch forlornly from the stands at Cardiff City Stadium on Monday as Ireland's 1-0 win gave them a World Cup play-off berth at Wales's expense. Having turned 28 in July, and with his fortunes tied to a country that last qualified for the World Cup in 1958, Bale has missed out on his best chance of playing at football's biggest event.

Tim Cahill scored twice, including the extra-time winner, as Australia kept their World Cup hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over Syria in the second leg of the Asian playoff on Tuesday. The 3-2 aggregate victory sends the Socceroos into an intercontinental playoff in November against the fourth-placed team in North and Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF) qualifying with a World Cup spot on the line. Cahill scored Australia's opener with a trademark header in the 13th minute but it was not until 96 minutes later that he kept alive his country's hopes of a fourth successive appearance at the World Cup finals with his 50th international goal.