Arsenal have unveiled former Chelsea winger, Willian, has their first signing of the transfer window.

🆕 New club. New colours. New beginnings.

👋 Welcome to The Arsenal, @WillianBorges88! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/B7Tl01BXLe

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 14, 2020

“I believe he’s a player that can really make a difference for us,” the Gunners head coach said upon the confirmation of Willian’s arrival,” Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta said.

“We have been monitoring him for the past few months, we had a clear intention to strengthen in the attacking midfielder and the winger positions [and] he is a player that gives us a lot of versatility, he can play in three or four different positions.

“He has the experience of everything in the football world but to still have the ambition to come here and contribute to bring the club where it belongs. I have been really impressed with all the talks I have had with him and how much he wanted to come.”

Willie Obiano, the Anambra State governor, has suspended 12 more monarchs for visiting President Muhammadu Buhari last week without approval.

The governor had earlier suspended the monarch of Ukwulu, Igwe Peter Uyanwa, and withdrew his certificate, for alleged petitions from his community.

The Nation reports that a statement by Greg Obi, Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, said the monarchs have been suspended for one year for visiting the President without the governor’s approval.

According to Obi, the monarchs are: Alex Edozieuno (Mkpunando); Mark Anthony Okonkwo (Alor); Chukuwma Orji (Ezinifite); G.B. Mbakwe (Abacha); Chijioke Nwankwo (Nawfia) and Nkeli Nelly (Igbariam).

Others are: Anthony Onyekwere (Owelle); A. N Onwuneme (Ikenga); Simon Chidubem (Umumbo); S. O Uche (Ezira); Emeka Ilouno (Ifitedunu) and Peter Udoji (Eziagulu Otu).

Obiano warned that they should stop parading themselves as traditional rulers.

Their membership of the Traditional Rulers’ Council has also been revoked and appointments in government committees cancelled.

The governor added that the suspension may be lifted at the end of one year, renewed or upgraded, depending on government’s review of their conduct.

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However, three of the traditional rulers have described Obiano’s action as unfortunate, saying the governor was ill-advised.

They said the governor has no powers to suspend them for seeing Buhari.

“It’s laughable that our governor had to carry out this despotic action in a democratic dispensation. Why should a governor punish his subjects, especially rulers, for trying to see their President?

“The government said we didn’t get clearance before travelling outside the state. Don’t we have our fundamental rights of movement and association anymore? Are we in a state of emergency or war?

‘’We pray Obiano will not attract some kind of wrath upon himself because of his desperation to perpetuate the infamous government of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state.

“Though we are traditional rulers, we have the right to support any party or candidate of our choice,” they said.

Concerned by the resurgence of killings and other forms of insecurities bedevilling the country, the Federal Government has raised concerned over the delay in supply of arms and ammunition purchased for the purpose of fighting terrorism in Nigeria.

It explained that the delay in the supply of purchased ammunition was largely responsible for the setback being suffered by the country in its anti-terrorism fight and that continuous delay may erode gains being recorded by the apex government against the terrorists.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, while decrying the development appealed to the world powers not to be weighed by unsubstantiated arguments to deny Nigeria vital platforms and weapons to fight insecurity.

Briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, Mohammed alleged that some weapons that were paid for since three years ago were yet to be delivered to the country, a development he claimed was not helping the country’s anti-terrorism fight.

“I want to use this opportunity to say that the international community can help us better than they are doing right now. To fight terrorists we need platforms and weapons.

“When the international community is weighed by unsubstantiated arguments to deny the country of vital platforms and weapons to fight insecurity, you cannot turn round to accuse the country of not fighting terrorism,’ he said.

The minister buttresses the claim, saying “certain world powers have refused to even sell to us certain vital weapons.”

“For more than two to three years now, we have paid for certain vital weapons that they have not released to us and they even refused to give us spare parts.

“I think our appeal to them is that they should please help Nigeria to provide us with these sensitive platforms so that we can fight insecurity more effectively”.

The minister said for Nigerians to fairly assess the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the fight against insecurity, they should compare where the country was pre-2015 and today.

He said to better appreciate what the government is doing in the area of security, they should take a global survey to understand that unrest, terrorism, and mindless violence cut across the globe.

“People should recognize the fact that today, people have weaponized the issues of religion and ethnicity. We are dealing with extremely unreasonable people, whether in the northwest or in the northeast.

“They should not forget that we are fighting a non-conventional war and at the same time, these people have contacts everywhere,” he said.

Mohammed said besides kinetic deployment, the government is equally using a non-kinetic approach to tackle insecurity like the economy and social intervention programs meant to empower and engage the youths.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined  a Lagos based radio station, Nigeria Info, N5 million for allow king the station to be used has a tool for inciting public, and action the regulatory described has unprofessional, saying its action was inline with its newly reserved code of broadcasting.

As gathered, the radio station conduct contradict NBC’s regulation enshrined for broadcasting and that the action of the commission was reached after a guest on-air incited the public against the government.

The guest, a former deputy governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Mailafia Obadiah, was said to have uttered statements during a programme believed to contraven ethical standards sets by the corporation for radio stations.

During the programme aired on August 10, 2020, between 8.30am and 9.00am, Mailafia statement was discovered by the corporation to have violated extant codes.

Through a statement released on Thursday, the regulatory body stated that the station provided its platform for the guest, Dr. Mailafia, to promote unverifiable and inciting views that could encourage citizens to engage in crime that could lead to public disorder.

NBC stated that the license issued to broadcast stations was in trust and should prevent use of their station for promotion of sectional interests at the expense of the people

“Dr. Mailafia Obadia’s comments on the Southern Kaduna Crisis, were devoid of facts and by broadcasting same to the public, Nigeria Info 99.3FM, is in violation of the following sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code”.

The commission stated that the punishment was meant to serve as deterrent to other broadcast stations in Nigeria who were quick to provide platform for subversive rhetoric and expositions of unverifiable claims.

NBC stressed that it would not hesitate to suspend licence of any broadcast station that continue to breach the Code which they signed on while applying for their licenses.

According to the code, no broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organization, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity.

The Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Sen. Tolu Odebiyi congratulates the newly installed Onipokia of Ipokia land, Oba Yisa Olaniyan on his Installation by the government of Ogun State.

In a congratulatory message released by the office of Senator Tolu Odebiyi, the Senator said “On behalf of my entire family and constituents in Ogun West Senatorial District, I join the industrious people of Ipokia land, His Royal Majesty’s admirers, friends, associates as well as the good people of Ogun State in congratulating our brand new Kabiyesi, Oba Yisa Olaniyan on your historic Installation”.

“We are certain that the installation of our new Kabiyesi will usher in the next phase of growth and development in the ancient Kingdom in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State”.

Sen. Odebiyi prays that Almighty Allah will grant His Royal Majesty, Oba Yisa Olaniyan divine guidance and success as he commences his reign as the Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom.

In a bid to guarantee a meaningful future for youth, the Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has reiterated his administration’s commitment towards developing and empowering youths across the state for productive engagement and better positioned for leadership.

He explained that youth’s strength and their collective ability to bring development to any state or nation when properly groomed and empowered necessitated his administration’s resolve towards preparing the youths for their betterment and task of nation-building.

The Governor noted that his administration would stop at nothing in providing purposeful leadership, right policies and framework for stakeholders to engage, empower, and equip the youths of the state in realizing their potential and take advantage of the opportunities available to make positive contributions to the wellbeing of their respective communities in the state.

Speaking during the virtual meeting organized by the State Ministry of Youth and Sports in commemoration of 2020 International Youth Day, said his administration was concluding plans to formulate Osun Youth Policy Document which would enable the youths to take their rightful positions in the society.

“In order to consolidate on our gains so far, we are putting a Policy Document together, which we shall soon present to the public for inputs and adoption. The State of Osun Youth Policy Document is a fallout of the country’s National Policy on Youth. In our own policy, we will be talking about the 4Es, namely,  Youth Education,  Youth Engagement, Youth Empowerment, and  Youth Entrepreneurship.

“This policy sets out guidelines and provides the framework for all stakeholders to engage, empower and equip the youth of the State to realise their potential and take advantage of the opportunities available to make positive contributions to the wellbeing of their communities across the entire State.

“The State Youth Policy emphasises greater youth participation and engagement in decision making as well as welfare programmes of the Government at both State and Local Government levels. This Policy will ensure sufficient investment by the State through the provision of resources, skilled labour, and facilities.

“We believe that engaging the youth for positive development will ensure a safer society and a better Osun. We also acknowledge the fact that we need to collaborate with other stakeholders to achieve our objective. I am glad to say that our doors are open for such collaborations”, Oyetola said.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has restated its commitment to working with relevant partners and stakeholders in the oil and gas sector in boosting and ensure hitch-free delivery of gas to domestic market.

It explained that the plan had become imperative in ensuring that the corporation extends its services to reach nooks and crannies of the nation and create more lines for economic growth by consolidating on the successes being recorded in the industry.

The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, revealed that the corporation was at center of gas delivery to the domestic market, stressing that it was involved in all the available gas delivery infrastructure in the country through joint venture partnership.

Kyari made the pledge at the launch of the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code (NGTNC) which is designed to enhance the use of gas as a catalyst for national economic development, according to a statement by NNPC spokesman, Dr. Kennie Obateru.

He said the inauguration of the Network Code was an opportunity to enhance gas delivery and utilization in furtherance of the Federal Government’s objective of transforming gas into a key component of the nation’s energy mix and revenue sources.

“We will continue to give our support to this process to ensure that the full delivery of this process is achieved. We commit to working closely with the DPR to ensure that the target of the government is attained. This opportunity has provided the right framework for the transportation of gas from the source to the end-user in order to get value.

“We are happy to have this framework on ground and we are ready to collaborate with all our partners, the gas off-takers, gas producers, transportation companies, shippers, and all those involved in the gas value chain,” Mallam Kyari enthused.

Speaking on the significance of the NGTNC, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said it would help to grow gas infrastructure, expand gas utilization, curb gas flaring, and provide codes to standardize the gas value chain in line with global best practices.

The Minister said the NGTNC was part of the key reforms instituted by the Buhari’s administration to expand domestic gas-to-power, gas-to-Industry, gas-to-manufacturing and mitigate the challenge associated with gas flaring in the country.

He noted that the gas codes would go a long way in deepening economic development, improve gas supply, boost Liquefied Petroleum Gas supply, and attract more investment opportunities in the nation’s gas value chain.

Chief Sylva commended NNPC and its gas subsidiary, the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), for partnering with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to meet the six-month target to bring the Network Code to life.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Director of DPR, Engr. Saraki Auwalu, noted that the Department has emplaced the network code platform and would continue to work with all Industry players for the success of the NGTNC.

The highpoint of the ceremony was the unveiling of the Network Code Electronic Licensing and Administrative System (NCELAS) portal and the supervision of the signing of framework agreements between NGC, Gas Hub, and Dangote Fertilizer Limited by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.