Home Blog Page 4218

JTF Arrests Eight Suspected Oil Thieves, 17 illegal Refineries Destroyed

Mohammed Useni
-
0
JTF Arrests Eight Suspected Oil Thieves, 17 illegal Refineries Destroyed

NAN

The Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo Shield, on Sunday said that it arrested eight suspected oil thieves and destroyed 17 illegal refineries in multiple raids.

A statement issued by Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, Media Coordination of JTF in Yenagoa, said the anti-oil theft raids were conducted from Feb. 11 to Feb. 18.

Nwachukwu said that several items were seized during the operation in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo.

He said that the JTF troops in Edo and Delta destroyed five illegal oil distillation sites and 40 boats and seized 300 metal tanks, 64 plastic storage tanks, 72 drums and 68 cooking ovens.

He added that four pumping machines and one Lister Generator were seized at Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta.

The spokesman said the troops also intercepted a locally made tug boat conveying 30 drums of stolen petroleum at Ajide on Benin River in Edo.

He said that six suspects were arrested during the operation and moved to the Tactical Headquarters of the Battalions for preliminary investigation.

In another development, Nwachukwu said JTF personnel patrolling the waterways and creeks on Soku-Ofumakiri, Bolo, Oloma and Isaka in Rivers, destroyed four illegal refineries.

He said 40 cooking ovens, 30 plastic storage tanks, 50 drums, one welding machine, two pumping machines and a 45 KVA generator were seized.

He said two suspects arrested in the operation were assisting investigators at the Sector 2 of the JTF in Port Harcourt.

“Our troops patrolling the waterways in Bayelsa have shutdown eight illegal crude oil distillation sites.

“The troops also destroyed six “cotonou“ boats used by oil thieves in Tebidaba and Igbematoru communities of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

“The operatives also destroyed 69 metal drums and two pumping machines used by the oil thieves to operate their illegal refineries,” Nwachukwu said.

He said that the eight suspects would be handed over to relevant prosecuting agencies after preliminary investigations.

Simon Kolawole: Everything Can’t Be Politics

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Simon Kolawole: Everything Can’t Be Politics

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur recently canvassed something that has always been uppermost on my mind “constructive criticism”. The former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was, of course, seeking support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s government and we would, in any case, expect that from him. After all, they both belong to the same camp, politically. But strip the statement of his political affiliation, and you would get the gist: criticism should seek to build and not destroy, especially when national interest is at stake. Unfortunately, we have this incurable tendency to politicise everything in Nigeria ─ from Boko Haram to corruption ─ even when the fortune of millions of Nigerians is at stake. Alas, politics has become everything.

But for his foray into the PDP, Tukur’s voice should generally be treated as that of an elder statesman. For a man who will be 80 next year, he has earned that right. He is clearly one of the most accomplished Nigerians ever. Educated at Ahmadu Bello University, University of Pittsburgh and London School of Economics and Political Science, he has served as state governor and federal minister. Before the PDP fiasco, the image of Tukur that readily came to mind was that of a successful businessman, celebrated globally for his leadership of the African Business Roundtable and his chairmanship of NEPAD Business Group. He also endowed the Bamanga Tukur Institute for International Trade and Development at the University of Port Harcourt.

Ordinarily, therefore, if Tukur speaks, we should listen. Every society should have elders: those who have earned their stripes by reason of their age, service and experience. It is all the more desirable that they do not promote sectional and partisan interests. We need elders we can always look up to, elders who can call us to order when we are going out of our minds. What you find in Nigeria today, however, is that we are too political. We are all speaking in tongues and there is nobody to shout hallelujah. Those who should play the role of elders are patently political too. They are unable to speak with sincerity. Even if what they are saying is what most people would love to hear, their motives give them away.

Back to the “constructive criticism” advocacy by Tukur, recent events have saddened me. I am talking about the renewed Boko Haram onslaught. By any definition, this is a national tragedy that requires all hands on deck, irrespective of political or religious affiliation. Anybody who has human blood in his veins should never turn this tragedy into an opportunistic campaign for 2015. It is nothing but a massive insult on our crippling injury. The Boko Haram militants have consistently attacked Muslims and Christians, men and women, boys and girls and politicians from all divides. Everybody who does not share their beliefs is an enemy ─ simple. And we who do not share their beliefs must never miss this point.

I was reviewing the activities of Boko Haram a few weeks ago and I was telling myself “we’re winning the war”. I looked at the fact that the Sunday-Sunday bombings have died down. Suicide bombings have virtually disappeared. Abuja came under attack on many occasions ─ the attacks on police headquarters, the UN House and the THISDAY office were quite deadly ─ but there has been no fresh case in Abuja in a long time. The regular attacks on Kano have reduced. My conclusion then was that because of renewed security strategy and the co-operation of local people, most Boko Haram insurgents have been pushed out of the heart of Northern Nigeria into the margins – especially on the border with Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

The next frontier, therefore, is the border ─ which is very vulnerable. African borders are very, very porous. The most vicious Boko Haram attacks in recent times have been launched in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa States. Nigerians living in the border towns are defenceless, and it is most tragic that secondary school students are now being mercilessly massacred by the militants. Does it not make sense, then, that the anti-insurgency strategy should shift to the border? When the militants were operating in the heart of the North, containing them was complicated because they could easily pass for your next-door neighbours. However, they now operate on foot ─ like combat soldiers ─ and this is the area that the Nigerian military is trained to fight. The battleground is now well defined.

I would rather think, then, that we should be constructive in confronting this insurgency. In this moment of national grief and a clear threat to the territorial integrity of Nigeria, this should not be seen as an opportunity to play 2015 politics. This is not the time to demoralise our soldiers, who are consistently on the firing line. Some things should be too sacred for politicking. I have no objections to Jonathan and the opposition playing politics with each other over the performance of the economy, the foreign reserves, the excess crude account, the “missing $20 billion” and what-not. They are politicians. They are jostling for the same position. That is the nature of politics. But Boko Haram? No. Never. We are talking about life and death here. It is beyond politicking.

What we need at this critical moment is a compassionate, patriotic and constructive conversation on the way forward. Terrorism is no child’s play. A cursory study of terrorism in countries such as Lebanon, Pakistan and Iraq will reveal that it is not something to be toyed with. They’ve been battling it for decades. It is not a war you start tonight and finish tomorrow. Countries that are far more advanced than Nigeria in military, intelligence and technological capabilities ─ countries such as the US and the UK ─ have suffered heavy casualty and burnt billions of dollars fighting terror in unfamiliar terrains. Pakistan has superior military capability compared to Nigeria, but it has not comfortably tackled terrorism. Quenching terrorism is not the same thing as quelling a riot.

The reality is that we are in a long-drawn war and if we have no input into how we can win it, we don’t need to complicate things. The military chiefs should talk less and do more. The more they triumphantly announce that the days of Boko Haram are numbered, the more those guys keep coming at them. The war cannot be won on the pages of newspapers. The opposition must accept the fact that we need a Nigeria before they can even think of taking it over in 2015, so they must not see this as yet another opportunity for politicking. President Jonathan should know that the responsibility to secure the lives and property of Nigerians is his primary duty ─ more important than getting a second term in office.

For us ─ the onlookers ─ we should realise that all these political actors are temporary. The health of our country is in clear and present danger. We need to heal, not kill. We need to build, not destroy. That is why I find Tukur’s words instructive. I am more worried about my country than Jonathan and his opponents. As we say, “soja go, soja come but barrack remain.”
______________________________________________

Article written by Simon Kolawole, originally published on Thisday He can be reached via mail, [email protected] and on twitter @simonkolawole

Disclaimer

It is the policy of Newswirengr not to endorse or oppose any opinion expressed by a User or Content provided by a User, Contributor, or other independent party.
Opinion pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Newswirengr

To Empower The Masses, Sokoto Govt To Establish Micro-Finance Banks

Mohammed Useni
-
0
To Empower The Masses, Sokoto Govt To Establish Micro-Finance Banks

NAN

The Sokoto State Government is to establish more micro-finance banks to promote economic empowerment of the masses.

Gov. Aliyu Wamakko announced this in Sokoto on Saturday night at the 2013 Bankers’ Committee Dinner and Award Night.

According to the governor, micro-finance has proven to be a vibrant tool to improve the living standards of the people,

especially those at the grassroots.

“The few ones operating in Gwadabawa, Yabo, Sokoto and Goronyo, among others, are really helping in revamping the rural economies’’, Wamakko said.

Wamakko, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Aliyu Rabah, expressed happiness with the mode of operation of all commercial and deposit banks in the state.

“The banks have been operating in the most decent and transparent manner and executing various corporate social responsibility projects.

“They should sustain the tempo and the state government would continue to partner with them to further improve the

living standards of the people’’, the governor said.

Wamakko promised to protect all the public structures that had been renovated by the banks.

Also speaking, the Branch Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said the apex bank’s cashless policy will officially take off nationwide on July 1.

Idris commended the Sokoto state government and the security agencies in the state for “providing environment

conducive and peaceful to carry our operations.’’

Mr Danjuma Lawal, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department in the state, urged the banks and the people to continue to be security conscious.

“Do not deceive yourselves that nothing is happening in Sokoto. What about other places?

“There is the need to be security conscious wherever you are’’, Aliyu said in a paper entitled, “Security Awareness.’’

NAN reports that highlight of the event was the conferment of an award on the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III by the Sokoto Bankers’ Committee.

The award is in appreciation of the contributions of the Sultan in maintaining peaceful co-existence in the state and the country in general.

Fight Against Terrorism, Maku Solicits Public Cooperation

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Fight Against Terrorism, Maku Solicits Public Cooperation

NAN

The Minister of Information and Supervising Minister of Defence, Mr. Labaran Maku, has called for more cooperation from the public in the fight against terrorism.

Maku made the call in Lagos at the 30th Memorial of the founder of The Punch newspaper, Chief James Aboderin, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island on Saturday night.

He said it had been very difficult to curtail the insurgents because they were not a regular army in uniform and that citizens needed to be proactive in order to assist the government to defeat them.

“To defeat insurgency is for every citizen to cooperate. For example, you ought to know the movement of people in your village and if you see suspicious movement you should communicate immediately to security agents.

“If you are in urban area and a stranger comes into your compound, maybe it’s a tenant, you need to find out what time he goes out and what time he comes in, who are those visiting him what he does for a living.

“All those questions have become very important today because if you keep quiet and do not cooperate, you will find out that everybody is the enemy of terrorists; nobody is immune.

“So, it is important for State Governments particularly to coordinate public information gathering.

“I believe for any state government to be able to help the Federal Government deal with terrorism, that state must be able to organise its people at the village, ward, district and town levels

“You must make sure that you have a system of communication that will enable people to speak out. Once that happens, it is possible for people to deal with terrorism.

“Cooperation between the people and the security services is the only way to deal with terror because we can’t just kill everybody we see on the streets’’, he said.

The minister said this had become necessary because the battlefield was not defined and the enemy is not defined because he hides among the people or he hides in the bushes.

He said even if their hideouts were known, it was still difficult to attack them because they hide among the people and the army does not want to kill innocent people while trying to kill the insurgents.

He said that if it were a conventional war, the Nigerian armed forces would have finished up the terrorists in 30 minutes.

He said that ending insurgency needed a lot of care, citing Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan which had been struggling with insurgency for a long time.

Maku said terrorists were not too powerful or invisible but that government did not want to kill its own people while trying to kill the terrorists.

“The military has the capacity to finish these insurgents in 30 minutes but because of the nature of this war where the insurgents live among the people, where they live in heavy or dense population.

“They live in small groups hiding their identities and when they have the slightest opportunity, they come out with weapons and kill the most vulnerable people.

“They are so cowardly that they hide among the people and every government is careful because we have to uphold the conventions or rule of war.

“We can’t go to Maiduguri and kill everybody there; we can’t go to Yobe and kill everybody there because terrorists are hiding among them; so it takes a lot of hard work, intelligence, to get them’’, he said.

Maku added that the terrorists also operated from outside Nigerian borders and called for greater cooperation among African

countries in this fight.

He said that President Jonathan had called on African leaders to come to terms with the fact that a terror strike in one nation is a strike against all people and that they must cooperate across boundaries.

Maku, however, pointed out that the Federal Government had done a lot of good job in dealing with the terrorists.

He assured that the government and the military would not rest until the country becomes completely safe from terrorists and insurgents.

The minister said that some of the recent attacks were out of desperation and that pressure was on the insurgents.

“Some of the desperate attacks of the recent times is because they are under heavy attack from the military and they are getting desperate.

“That is why they just come out and kill anybody they see on the street whether they are children or women.

“The truth is that there’s a lot of pressure on them. We can’t say everything in the media but we want to call on the media to understand the nature of the war and also to appreciate the success that is taking place’’, he said.

Elnathan John: One Hundred Years A Slave

Mohammed Useni
-
0

Nigeria is 100 years old. I think if Nigerians think of this it makes a bit of sense why the country is like the many failing body parts of a 100 year old human. Enemies of my political campaign reading this article may try to contradict me citing the age of functional countries far older than Nigeria as proof of the senselessness of my statement. All I will say to my enemies is that, they don’t know Nigeria like I do. The DNA of Nigeria is different from the DNA of other countries. Its genes are closer to those of humans, so that the older it grows, the worse it becomes. So why do I want to be president in 2015? Because I bring healing to the table. A healing that goes to the DNA of this crawling nation.

First let me just say to Goodluck that I have heard how his centenary committee mistakenly omitted my name from the list of 100 to be honored. My name was supposed to be somewhere between colonialist Lord Lugard (and his mistress-turned-wife Flora who allegedly whispered the name Nigeria to him on a warm night just after intercourse) and ace soldier and dictator Sani Abacha. People make mistakes, so I understand. However, so that I save Goodluck’s people from the stress of rewriting and reissuing the list, I want to say that I reject the award in advance of making it to the list. So yes, there is no need to drop Patience Ozokwor, aka Mama G, from the list. The reason for this is simple. Ebele Jonathan cannot be ignoring my Whatsapp messages and then use a roundabout way to invite me to a party. Reply my messages, apologise to me, then maybe I will consider it.

As future president though, I have a problem with the composition of the centenary awards list. In addition to imperialists and colonialists like the Queen of England and Lord Lugard, and dictators like Sani Abacha, there are many others who also deserve the awards. I would add the following two names to that list:
Lawrence Anini: This man like deserves to be on the list. First, he is almost identical to some persons on that list. Take Sani Abacha for example. Anini stole money. Abacha stole money. Anini had a formidable gang. Abacha had a formidable gang led by Major Hamza. Anini gave Nigerians much to talk about. Abacha gave Nigerians much to talk about. Anini died. Abacha died. In fact to add to all of these, Anini was famous for giving a part of his loot away to market women before zooming off into oblivion, something the bespectacled Abacha didn’t. Also, Anini provided entertainment for millions of Nigerians, many of whom bought newspapers for the first time when Anini was caught. God bless saint Lawrence Anini.
Adolf Hitler: Now this may seem way off, but considering we are giving one of our slave masters, Queen Elizabeth an award, we might as well consider Adolf. Here is why: Adolf lost the Second World War and killed himself. Think if Adolf had won. We might have all been speaking German instead of English. Do you know what I love you is in German? Ich liebe dich, both occurrences of ‘ch’ having a slightly guttural sound. It sounds like something screamed by an army commander during battle. Think of going through life having to cough out Ich liebe dich when you are in love. This would have greatly diminished our national love life and libido, leading to a reduced population. We may never have become the giant of Africa. Hilter deserves an award for losing, taking himself out of global politics and saving our love lives and bedrooms from guttural noises.

Something sad happened this week. Nigerians showed just how heartless they are. A certain Presidential aide by the name of Reno Omokri sent out a document to media organizations accusing Sanusi ‘Bowtie’ Lamido Sanusi of many things from murder to being a sponsor of Boko Haram. However the Presidential aide sent it using the pseudonym Wendell Simlin. At first no one knew who Wendell was until investigations revealed that Wendell Simlin was actually Reno Omokri. What did Nigerians on Twitter do? Instead of sympathizing with Reno they attacked him viciously. I want to state that Multiple Personality Disorder is real. I have been researching it since Reno Omokri was born again as Wendell Simlin. Although Multiple Personality Disorder is an extremely rare mental disorder, it is serious and is connected to a history of severe physical and/or sexual abuse and trauma. What Wendell needs is sympathy. He may have suffered trauma and abuse as a child. We do not know how long he has had to live with these two personalities. All we know is that this Presidential aide has a dominant Reno personality, occasionally disrupted by the meddlesome and interloping Wendell. He needs our love. He needs help. Not condemnation.

There is something worthy of note happening in Nigeria. Since Sanusi’s suspension, many bad things have been happening. The Emir of Kano had to be flown abroad for medical treatment. Fuel queues have suddenly appeared. The carrots in my fridge have gone bad. I got a rejection note from a publisher. My ingrown hair bumps have become worse on my jaw and neck. Sanusi needs to be stopped from causing all these problems. I do not know what Ebele has in mind to do to him, but it needs to be done quickly.

Ps. I watched the centenary fireworks on Thursday night with tears in my eyes. Apart from the fact that the celebrations, which normally should have involved the Nigerian masses, only caused them hardship by blocking roads leading out of Abuja city, the entire celebrations were a sad reflection of the insensitivity of the Nigerian government. Only this week dozens of school boys were beheaded in a Federal Government College in Yobe. This is apart from the hundreds who died last week in Borno and the 20 school girls who were abducted. That we pop champagne so loudly over the dead bodies of people massacred in Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa is nothing short of a national disgrace.
___________________________________________
Article originally published on Elnathan’s Blog

Disclaimer

It is the policy of Newswirengr not to endorse or oppose any opinion expressed by a User or Content provided by a User, Contributor, or other independent party.
Opinion pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Newswirengr

Martinez: Hard To Find A Striker Like Lukaku

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Martinez: Hard To Find A Striker Like Lukaku

Belgian striker, Romelu Lukaku came off the bench to score the lone goal for Everton against West Ham; a goal which earned the Toffees three points. Everton gaffer, Roberto Martinez was full of praise for the young Chelsea forward who is currently on loan with his side. He believes Lukaku could grow into one of the World’s best strikers in the future. Lukaku has been out of action recently due to a chest infection.

“He can be as good as he wants to be,”

“It’s clear that you’re not going to find another striker around the world who has that power and that strength as well as being a clinical finisher in front of goal.

“I think normally you get number nines who can take on instructions, and he’s got everything. He’s a young man that has got national demands and a lot in front of him.

“I respect him a lot and can be as good as he wants to be,” he told reporters

The Spaniard could not confirm if he would be able to convince Chelsea to sell the 20 years old to Everton on a permanent basis but he pointed out that the experience the player had gained with Everton will help him a lot in the future.

“Remember some players at 20 have very few experiences, but Romelu has already been an important player in Belgium before getting a massive move to a Champions League winning team,” 

“Then he had to find a way to be effective in the Premier League before coming to Everton where he has become a 90-minutes player in our league.

“The amount of experience he has had is similar to players of 25-years-old, so I’m very impressed with the way he has developed this season. I think we are going to see a very influential player in the final 11 games of the season.”

Martino Still Very Much Hopeful Of A Barca Treble

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Martino Still Very Much Hopeful Of A Barca Treble

Barcelona manager, Gerardo Martino has revealed his side could win a treble this season despite watching his team lose 1-3 to Real Sociedad last week. Barca is three points behind Liga leaders Real Madrid. The spanish giants are also leading Manchester 2-0 on aggregate after the Champions league round of 16 games.

“Back at the start of the season, all of us would have settled to be in this position – we are still in with a chance of three trophies with 20 games left to play,” 

“We still have options and we are going to battle to win everything. When you suffer a defeat, you always want the next game to arrive as soon as possible so you can put it behind you.

“Whenever I have coached a side which is self-critical, like this Barca side is, I know that their reaction will be faultless.

“Their [the players’] words sum up what this club is about. I feel flattered by their support and the way they placed the blame on themselves and not me. If we remain united, everything else doesn’t matter,”  Martino told reporters

He also spoke of the upcoming derby between two title hopefuls; Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid

“If we win our match, we’ll be left with three possible outcomes. We have to play against both Madrid and Atletico and ideally, we want to reduce the distance between them before we meet,” he continued.

“It’s impossible for us to ignore what happens in the derby but whatever happens, we still need to beat Almeria.”

Lupita Nyong’o’s Best Red Carpet Looks, You Be The Judge

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Lupita Nyong’o’s Best Red Carpet Looks, You Be The Judge

Oscar nominee Lupita Nyong’o has received just as much critical acclaim for her impeccable red carpet looks as her impressive acting chops.

See her incredible fashion sense, the colors just stand out, since her breakout role in 12 Years a Slave she’s has been the favorite for the Magazine cover. .

From one event to another, she dazzles with her blue, green, yellow, white and red attire to match the shape of her body.

What dress color do you think the Kenyan star will be putting on for the Oscars?

Rihanna Wears a Sheer Fishnet Shirt, Exposes Nipples [Pictured]

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Rihanna Wears a Sheer Fishnet Shirt, Exposes Nipples [Pictured]

Rihanna flashed partygoers at the after-party for Balmain’s fashion show in Paris, France, on Thursday, Feb. 27, in a see-through mesh top. The singer went without a bra, thus fully exposing her nipples through the sheer shirt.

She finished the scandalous look with a more demure, high-waisted leather pencil skirt with a bow detail. The “Diamonds” singer, 26, wore her new Cleopatra-style bob straight and sleek and added drama with flirty lashes and a bold red lip.

Currently the face of Balmain, RiRi arrived to the brand’s after-party covered up in a sparkly black blazer. Once she took it off, though, the Bajan chanteuse became the sensation at the famed Crazy Horse cabaret, giving guests like Jessica Alba and creative director Olivier Rousteing full view of her breasts – nipple piercings and all. The see-through blouse also showcased her tattoo of the goddess Isis on her ribs, which she got in honor of her late grandmother Dolly.

Her daring decision to skip any undergarments is part of her personal style mantra. “If I’m wearing a top, I don’t wear a bra. If I’m wearing a bra, I just wear a bra,” Rihanna told Vogue recently.

Paris Fashion Week isn’t the only reason the “Pour It Up” singer is in town: She’s also been spotted bonding with rumored beau Drake, who invited her to his concert at the Palais Omnisport de Bercy on Monday, Feb. 24, followed by a get-together at Club 77.

However, unlike her flashy appearance at Balmain’s after-party, Rihanna kept a low profile. “She didn’t want to be seen at all,” an onlooker reveals to Us Weekly. “She kept her head down and charged through to the back of the club with her friends.”

Content Credit: USMagazine

Chris Brown Diagnosed With Mental Health Disorder

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Chris Brown Diagnosed With Mental Health Disorder

Chris Brown has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, severe insomnia, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

During a court appearance in L.A. on Friday, Feb. 28, the entertainer’s rehab facility confirmed the report.

The facility said in a letter, obtained by TMZ “Mr. Brown became aggressive and acted out physically due to his untreated mental health disorder, severe sleep deprivation, inappropriate self-medicating and untreated PTSD,”
It continued: “Mr. Brown’s attitude has been beyond exemplary in regard to his community service responsibilities.”

The letter also stated that Brown, 24, has tested negative for drugs during his stay, and has been put on medication for his conditions.

Brown voluntarily checked himself into rehab on Oct. 29 after allegedly assaulting another man, Christopher Hollosy, in Washington D.C. The “Forever” singer has completed 95 days of anger management therapy, and was ordered Friday to stay in rehab for two more months.

Fulham 1-3 Chelsea: Andre Schurrle’s Hat-Trick Sends Blues Four Points Clear

Mohammed Useni
-
0
Fulham 1-3 Chelsea: Andre Schurrle’s Hat-Trick Sends Blues Four Points Clear

A second-half hat-trick from Andre Schurrle saw Chelsea overcome any Champions League fatigue and cruise to a 3-1 win over struggling Fulham to extend their Premier League lead.

Thoughts the Blues might struggle at Craven Cottage, just over 48 hours after returning from the 1-1 draw with Galatasaray in Istanbul, looked possible in a flat first half, but the second 45 minutes proved a far different affair.

Victory, combined with Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Stoke, sends Jose Mourinho’s side four points clear at the top with 10 games remaining, although Manchester City sit six points back with two games in hand as they prepare for the Capital One Cup final on Sunday.

It was the hosts who created the first chance, inside three minutes, as Pajtim Kasami put in a lovely cross from the left and Clint Dempsey – playing his last game for the club before returning to the Seattle Sounders – failed to get his glancing header on target.

Chelsea looked like a team that had been on a plane just over two days ago, struggling to find their rhythm, with a free-kick by Schurrle – from a fairly threatening position – that went straight into the Fulham fans behind the goal summing up their turgid start.

They created a chance on 15 minutes but only thanks to some comical goalkeeping from Maarten Stekelenburg, who allowed Fernando Torres to close him down from out of the shadows, block an attempted clearance and eventually make room for a shot the Dutchman did well to get back and save.

Fulham suffered a massive blow when Brede Hangeland had to go off with blurred vision a few minutes after a clash of heads with team-mate Kieran Richardson.

But Chelsea continued to struggle with the massed ranks of the much-maligned Cottagers defence, the desperation of a long-range Ramires shot well off target showing how tough they were finding it in the final third.

A foul by Ramires gave Kasami a chance to test Petr Cech with a free-kick from 30 yards, Fulham trying out a complex triple-dummy technique before the Swiss midfielder’s low effort under the wall which was eventually comfortably dealt with.

Mourinho’s men nearly grabbed what would have been a barely-deserved lead in first-half injury-time when Stekelenburg made the best save of the game at that point, tipping a vicious Torres shot over the bar.

But they did grab that vital advantage seven minutes into the second half when Eden Hazard’s beautifully-flighted pass was ideal for Schurrle to run on to, and he outpaced substitute Dan Burn and slotted the ball under Stekelenburg.

It was so nearly 2-0 a few minutes later when Hazard came up with an audacious back-heeled flick cross that Torres headed into the back of Richardson and behind for a corner.

By now Fulham looked bereft of ideas going forward, Felix Magath bringing on Lewis Holtby to try and find a spark, but it was Chelsea who continued to press and they soon had their second.

Again it was Schurrle with the composed finish, this time taking a lovely ball from Hazard and firing past Stekelenburg from 12 yards to all-but settle things with 25 minutes to play.

Schurrle had another effort deflected wide soon after but his hat-trick was completed on 69 minutes when Torres got the better of Burn and fed the German to complete his first treble since arriving in the Premier League last summer.

Fulham grabbed a goal back with 16 minutes remaining when a Holtby corner found Darren Bent at the far post, and his ball back across goal was converted by Johnny Heitinga, opening his goal account for the club.

Schurrle almost grabbed a fourth from another Hazard cross and there was little in the way of panic at the back from Chelsea in the closing minutes as they safely closed out their seventh away win of the season.

Content Credit: Sky
For Fulham things remain bleak, as they still look for a first Premier League win since New Year’s Day and a first since Magath took over from the sacked Rene Meulensteen.

Standing Together Against Impunity In The Nigerian Government

Mohammed Useni
-
0

Increasingly, the level of impunity exhibited by government officials and flagrant disregard for consequences of certain actions or inactions is reminiscent of the military era: Accountability to the people was low; people considered as threats were framed up; “activists” who dared to oppose the government were hounded or exterminated; human rights were abused; public funds were embezzled and even though the country became a pariah state, these individuals got away with it. For example, how many former Heads of State, Military or Civilian, or their Special Assistants have been sentenced for any of the atrocities committed while in office? They all managed to hide under one immunity arrangement or the other.
An occurrence that perhaps epitomizes this impunity and non-accountability to Nigerians took place yesterday. Reno Omokri, Special Assistant to the Nigerian President on New Media, allegedly forged an alias that circulated strong allegations that Sanusi Lamido has ties with Boko Haram. The report also insinuated that Sanusi’s recent suspension as CBN Governor was responsible for the increased Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe States. As damning as the allegations are and as criminal as the act is, yet the President’s Special Assistant on New Media has not come out to deny or confirm this deed, in spite of the furore his alleged action has caused; rather, he has carried on as if nothing ever happened, and as at the time of writing this piece there is no statement from the government. As Mr. Omokri cannot lay claim to any immunity arrangements, would the government please refute this potentially libelous and fraudulent act?
In the United States recently, the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie fired a top aide as soon as he got to know that she (the aide) had masterminded traffic congestions in Fort Lee as part of a political vendetta to punish Fort Lee’s Mayor for not endorsing Chris Christie for re-election– an act not endorsed by her boss. We call on the government to review this incident and reassure the public that it had nothing to do with the Presidency or any of its staffers.
Nigerians are waiting to see how this one plays out. It is time to demand accountability from all in positions of public trust. During the Military era, the dominant logic was “a living dog is better than a dead lion,” so people kept quiet, nevertheless, many Nigerians were grateful to the few who acted and demanded accountability and transparency. A few names readily come to mind: Gani Fawehinmi, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Ken Saro Wiwa etc.
Now the times have changed, and we are in a democracy. The military era is over and Nigerians must learn to exercise their sovereignty as affirmed by Nigeria’s Constitution and demand accountability from government and its representatives. It is high time government officials and political appointees began bearing the consequences of their deeds or misdeeds.
Integrity Organization calls on Nigerians to leverage their “people power”- which is core to the principle of democracy. There are many ways to exercise your voice – it will soon be time to vote, use it wisely; some may choose to protest, do so responsibly others may yet choose simply to report corruption and they can do it anonymously. To report visit www.egunje.info or call 08164472520 or 07069318778.
We cannot wait for another Gani, Fela or Saro Wiwa to emerge. We all have a responsibility to stand together in this fight against impunity and demand accountability.
It is time to demonstrate your S.W.A.G.G. (Your Stand With Accountability & Good Governance), It is time to wake up!

A statement issued by Integrity Organization, @PINS2015

1...4,2174,2184,219...4,398Page 4,218 of 4,398