A meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has started in Abuja.

It’s the first FEC meeting after Buhari returned to the country from his private visit to London last week, where he spent 15 days.

While he was away, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo presided over three FEC meetings.
Osinbajo is also attending today’s FEC meeting with almost all the ministers in attendance.

Before proceedings began fully, a minute silence was observed in honour of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the late Mr Ufot Ekaette, and a former Minister of Information, the late Chief Alex Akinyele.

Remember Sani Emmanuel? That prolific footballer that made headlines for his performances in the 2009 u-17 FIFA World Cup….Well he has now come out to reveal why he retired prematurely from his football career even though Chelsea football club of England and Lazio FC of Italy wanted to sign him.

Emmanuel was awarded the Golden Ball as the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 FIFA U17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria, scoring five goals to help the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria reach the final of the competition, and after the Under-17 World Cup, Emmanuel had successful trials at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur but the moves never went through.

Emmanuel has now revealed how his injury stopped him from progressing and how many professional footballers he turned to for help couldn’t help him.

Emmanuel told Leero Sports News : ”I had problems on my foot, even during the tournament in 2009.

”If you remember, I often came on in the second half because the pain was unbearable.

”After the World Cup, I could not play at all because I had played too much with pain. Then I had to stop my career, even today, I always feel hurt on the front of the foot.”

”I tried to contact a lot of Nigerian international players, but I never got an answer and it was very difficult to get money.

”I returned to anonymity, without work, without anything. I wanted to set up an academy, but I never managed to get help and I’m still looking for it.”

Shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of Kogi governorship election, political thugs continued on their killing spree.

According to reports from Kogi, the woman leader of Wada Aro Campaign Council, Ochadamu Ward, Hon Mrs Acheju Abuh was reportedly burnt alive in her home by alleged jubilant supporters and thugs said to be celebrating their party’s victory.

Reacting to the evil act, the spokesman, Wada/Aro Campaign Council, Faruk Adejoh-Audu was quoted saying “chanting GYB 4+4, the thugs, shooting sporadically, arrived Hon (Mrs) Abuh’s house at about 2pm this afternoon and surrounded the house, bolting every exit and escape from outside”.

“They then poured petrol on the building and set it ablaze as other terrorized villagers watched from hiding. She reportedly attempted to escape through a window but was prevented by the metal burglary proof and gun shots with bullets raining in her direction.

“The blood thirsty thugs waited, shooting and watching with relish while Mrs Abuh cried from inside the inferno until her voice died out. They reportedly left only when the entire house and Mrs Abuh had been burnt to ashes. There are fears that the killing spree may escalate over the night.

“We are calling on all men of good conscience to immediately help the people of Kogi State appeal to the Inspector General of Police to rein in Bello’s thugs and protect our people whose only crime was that they voted for their choice, a vote that was never allowed to count.

“Unless Nigerians of Good conscience immediately come to our aid innocent people may die worse agonizing deaths as the blood lust of Mr Bello and his supporters continue. “So far there’s no indication that the Kogi State Police will arrest her killers or even prevent further attacks and killings of people.”

The Governor-Elect of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has denied reports that he was owing state workers.

In an interview, he described the claims as“lies.”
The governor who revealed this while featuring on Channels Television on Tuesday said his government, on assumption of office, inherited a salary backlog in the state from the previous government.

According to him, the issue of owing salaries started from Audu to his immediate predecessor. He further claimed that Kogi State was not owing any dime at the state level at the moment.

He said: “All these reports of me owing salaries are lies. Past governors of Kogi State owed salaries starting from Audu to my immediate predecessor. Kogi state is not owning any dime at the state level, what is left is the ten percent from the previous government.

“As for El-Rufai kneeling, he was begging that Kogi people should forgive Bello for ensuring security and ensuring the state was peaceful and not because he could not pay salaries.”

On the claim of people being killed during the election, Bello said: “After I was declared winner, a PDP thug stabbed somebody and ran into the house of their woman leader but he was caught and dealt with.

“My deputy governor-elect’s wife was shot at but thank God she didn’t die, the police are looking into it and would bring the culprits to book.”

An FCT High Court Maitama on Tuesday ordered the prosecution to pay N100, 000 for stalling trial of the Sen. Dino Malaye in the alleged falsehood suit filed against senator.

NAN reports that Melaye was charged with two counts bordering on giving false information to the police.

The Federal Government arraigned Melaye, alleging that he, sometime in April, 2017 deliberately gave false information to the police.

The judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck gave the order after the prosecution informed the court that their witnesses were not in court.

Goodluck held that by the provisions of Section 396 (4)(6) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, parties are entitled to five adjournments and nothing more.

The judge said she was not pleased with the attitude of the prosecution in the matter, especially when the matter was placed on fast track, day to day hearing and the defendant’s counsel comes from outside jurisdiction.

” A cost of N100, 000 is therefore awarded against the prosecution instead of N250, 000 prayed by the defence counsel ” she ordered.

The judge said the trial was slated for Nov. 19 and Nov. 20 and both dates of trial are stalled for failure of the prosecution to bring their witnesses to court.

Goodluck then adjourned the matter until Dec. 5, for continuation of trial
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mrs N.O.Ezra informed the court that her witnesses were not in court.

Ezra then prayed the court for an adjournment to enable them bring their witnesses.
Responding, defence counsel Olusegun Odubela, SAN, told the court that this was unfair to the defendant because the witness could not be more involved in Kogi election than the defendant who was a candidate in the election.

”The court should be guided by the provisions of sections 396 (4)(6) of ACJA and 36 (4) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

”The prosecution have not adduced any cogent reasons why their witnesses are not available in court, in case the court grants them an adjournment, we will be asking for a cost of N250, 000, he said.

Odubela further told the court that since last sitting on July 4, the prosecution could have known and informed the court and the defence counsel who comes from another jurisdiction.