In what happens to be one of the craziest, most amazing moments in the 128-year history of Liverpool football club. Their goalkeeper Allison Becker scores a header to make it Liverpool 2-1 West Brom to keep them in the top four race.
As it now stands, Liverpool now have two game to play and will folds arms and expect either Chelsea or Leicester slips in their two remaining matches.
European Union’s foreign ministers will hold urgent video talks on the escalating fighting between Israel and the Palestinians on Tuesday, the bloc’s foreign policy chief said.
“In view of the ongoing escalation between Israel and Palestine and the unacceptable number of civilian casualties, I am convening an extraordinary VTC of the EU Foreign Ministers on Tuesday,” Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter Sunday.
“We will coordinate and discuss how the EU can best contribute to end the current violence.”
The heaviest fighting since 2014 between Israel and Islamist group Hamas, sparked by unrest in Jerusalem, has claimed 174 lives in the crowded coastal enclave of Gaza and killed 10 people in Israel since Monday.
The EU says Borrell has been conducting “intense” diplomatic efforts to try to help de-escalate the violence – holding talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and the top diplomats from neighbouring nations.
“The EU’s priority and message in this context remains clear: violence must end now,” the bloc’s foreign service said in a statement Saturday.
The EU’s 27 nations often struggle to find a common position over the conflict with some members including Germany, Austria and Slovenia firmly supporting Israel’s right to defend itself and others urging it show greater restraint. (AFP)
Things are getting hotter and spicier within the Oyo chapter of the All Progressives Congress with many veterans pushing buttons and pulling levers to take over the party’s leadership.
Camp loyalty has evolved into a collar for tying bewildered supporters to the wagon of the top contenders, especially Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Teslim Folarin and Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
The crisis in Oyo APC is being used as an anecdote to instruct young politicians on the necessity of unity within a party, especially when the governor of that state belongs to the opposition.
Reflective of the idea that a house divided against itself cannot stand, the influence of the APC in Oyo is as shaky as it has ever been. And that is because of the power struggle.
The main characters behind this struggle include former Governor Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, who left APC long ago to join the Peoples Democratic Party, and then Labour Party, and then Action Democratic Party, before returning to APC.
There is also Senator Teslim Folarin, who joined APC (from PDP) alongside Alao-Akala in 2017. He has been criticised for reaching above his station since he is a newcomer relative to the old hands that have championed the party for donkey years.
Of course, there is no forgetting former Deputy Governor Adebayo Adekola Adelabu, who has announced time and time again that there is no power struggle in Oyo APC but appears to have thrown his weight behind Chief Alao-Akala. Nevertheless, certain folks appear to be considering him for the hot seat of leadership.
Political analysts have noted that this struggle might ultimately result in more fractures within the administrative framework of the party. After all, those loyal to the former party leader, the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, are still much around, seemingly without a leader.
Thus, although Alao-Akala appears to be the most popular candidate, he is also the most unpopular with certain elites in the party. Or so the reports claim. Folarin and Adelabu are not just sitting still, unsurprisingly.
Thus, the drama continues.
Igboho disclosed this while speaking with other agitators at a rally held on Saturday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, to demand the Yoruba nation.
Yoruba freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, says there will be no election in the South-West states in 2023.
Igboho disclosed this while speaking with other agitators at a rally held on Saturday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, to demand the Yoruba nation.
He said that the Yoruba nation must leave now as it is no more a slave to the northerners.
Ighoho sought unity among Yoruba people and asked all that are aggrieved to come together.
The Yoruba freedom fighter also asked the Oyo and the Federal governments and the Nigeria Police Force to immediately release all Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) members in custody over the arrest of the Fulani warlord Isikilu Wakili in Ibarapa.
Recall that the Oyo State Police Command announced that it took into custody some members of the OPC connected with the earlier arrest of Wakili.
But Ighoho, during the rally, warned against their continued detention.
He said, “I urge the Oyo, Federal Governments and police to release OPC member who arrested Fulani herdsmen terrorising Yoruba people in Ibarapa land immediately, before all, Yorubas will come out en masse to protest against it.
“They apprehended some Fulanis who were disrupting the peace of Ibarapa and handed them over to the police. But the Oyo State Police and Nigerian Government now arrested them which should not be so.”
It was learnt from reliable military sources that the army planned to blow off some of its expired military hardware, including explosives, to create panic for the IPOB and ESN militants and wade them off security stations.
The Nigerian Army will be moving in new ammunition and explosives into the 34 Artillery Brigade in Obinze, near Owerri in Imo State, in an apparent show-of-force to dislodge the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network operatives.
The 34 brigade confirmed this on Friday, saying the blowing of explosives would last from May 14 (yesterday) to May 21.
The acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Babatunde Zubairu, in a statement, however, called it the “demolition of unserviceable ammunition and explosives.”
Zubairu said the 82 Base Ammunition Depot would conduct the exercise, Enugu, from May 14 to May 21, adding that the exercise would take place between 7am and 5pm daily throughout the period.
“The people of Obinze and surrounding communities are advised to keep away from the range area during the period of the exercise. This is not a cause for alarm as the Nigerian Army remains committed to the safety of Nigerians,” Zubairu had said.
“The message is clear. It is to warn the ESN and IPOB guys that the military is in town and there should be no nonsense. The army is also expecting to bring in a new cache of ammunition and other confidential artillery,” a source added.
SaharaReporters reported that the Nigerian military had drafted reinforcement troops from some of its formations fighting insurgency in Borno State to join the troops in the South-East region over the military’s clash with IPOB and ESN operatives.
Military sources had confirmed to SaharaReporters that the reinforcements were drawn from some battalions, including the 231 Tank Battalion in Biu, Borno State, under the 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Plateau State.
“Yes, some troops are moving from the North-East to the South-east as reinforcements. They started moving from Wednesday. Among them are those from the 231 Tank Battalion; they are believed to be more trained in quelling uprisings,” a top source had confirmed.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday held a meeting with the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, telling them to adopt specific security measures in the South-East and the South-South geopolitical zones of the country.
“The police and military have been recording casualties in the South-East during raids and gun battles with the criminals disturbing the region. Therefore, the focus would shift more to airpower in the coming weeks. Combat helicopters and other aircraft would be deployed to conduct massive raids on the hideouts from the air. It does not matter whether the hideouts are for the Indigenous People of Biafra or its armed outfit; what the military is looking for is criminals,” a source had revealed.
Heavy rain and wind on Saturday dispersed agitators of Yoruba Nation at the popular Nelson Mandela Freedom park via Old garage area of Osogbo capital of Osun State on Saturday afternoon.
The Nation reports that scores of Yoruba Nation agitators stormed the streets of Osogbo on Saturday after they changed the venue where the agitators ought to gather because of the heavy security presence.
One of the leading Yoruba Nation agitators, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho arrived in Osogbo from Oyo State at 1:40 pm and went straight to where the agitators were demonstrating at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park Osogbo.
Igboho got to the venue at 2:01 pm to address the agitators.
He was addressing the agitators when the scorching sunny weather turned cloudy at 2:25 pm.
He hurriedly addressed his supporters standing on top of a vehicle. When other leaders wanted to address the agitators, heavy rain started and it dispersed supporters from the venue.
JAMB shifts 2021 UTME exam to June
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has extended the deadline for the ongoing 2021 UTME/DE registration exercise by two weeks.
The exam body took the decision after a meeting with stakeholders following reports of widespread delay in the registration process among candidates for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, who announced the extension said the exam will now start on the 19th of June 2021 and end on the 3rd of July.
Prof Oloyede also announced that the registration exercise will now end on May 29.
This comes after the JAMB Board earlier announced it’s contemplating an extension to the registration period and change of date for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The co-convener of Concerned Nigerian Advocacy Group, Deji Adeyanju, has mocked the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, over his intention to run for presidency in 2023.
The activist said Governor Bello lacks the capacity to be president of a “pig farm,” let alone, rule Nigeria.
Recall that Bello hinted on running for the 2023 presidency when he pledged not to disappoint Nigerians.
The governor had said some Nigerians were asking him to run for President in 2023.
He had said: “Nigerians, the youth and women including very objective elites, are asking me to run for President in 2023.”
Reacting, Adeyanju said Bello cannot be Nigeria’s president because the governor has neglected the Kogi State civil servants.
The rights activist insisted that Kogi State remains the worst governed state in Nigeria.
In a tweet, Adeyanju wrote: “NEWS: All Nigerians are asking me to run for President in 2023, I will not disappoint – Yahaya Bello
“ME -Yahaya Bello is not fit to be president of a pig farm. Kogi State is the worst governed state in Nigeria. Civil servants are feeding from dustbins.”
Also sighted at the venue were operatives of the Amotekun Corps, who were positioned at a strategic spot, apparently to prevent participants from accessing the venue.
Heavily armed security operatives on Saturday took over the Yoruba Nation Mega Rally venue, Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo in Osun State.
Also sighted at the venue were operatives of the Amotekun Corps, who were positioned at a strategic spot, apparently to prevent participants from accessing the venue.
It was gathered that the development forced the agitators to change the venue for convergence.
The protesters had fixed Mandela Freedom Park, Old Garage area as a converging point but changed it to November 27 bridge, around NECO office, Africa Area, Osogbo due to security threat.
Youths of the South-East Zone of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from the list of terrorist organisations in the country.
The youths further said part of the steps towards peace in the region would be the de-proscription of IPOB and the release of any of its members in prison.
The youths made this call after an emergency meeting of South East youth stakeholders held on Friday in Awka, the Anambra state capital.
The group’s communique was read to journalists by Comrade Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth, on behalf of other groups.
These are National Youth Council of Nigeria (south-East), Nigerian Youth Congress(South-East) and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The communique regretted the heightened insecurity in the South-East which has resulted in the loss of lives of our people, security agents and properties.
It also consoled with the families of the bereaved.”
The group also called on the South-East Governors to liaise with the relevant stakeholders especially the youth to arrest the current security challenges in the South East.
It condemned in totality the wanton destruction of lives and properties in the South-East and called on the perpetrators to desist from such forthwith and seek for a proper means of airing their grievances.
“As a step towards genuine peace and reconciliation as championed by Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Federal Government and South-East Governors should as a matter of urgency unproscribe IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) as a terrorist organization.
“Furthermore, we call for the release of all political prisoners of Igbo extraction.”
The group called on the South-east governors to encourage community policing by strengthening and digitalizing the local vigilantes.
It also aligned with the resolution of the southern governors and call for necessary legal framework for immediate implementation of the resolution.
“There is a need for a quarterly interface between the Governors of the South-East and the Youth stakeholders so that the issues of the zone will be regularly reviewed.
“We call on the South-East Governors to fully implement the recommendations of the #ENDSARS panel report especially on Youth Development, and to review the Laws of their various State Security Council Committee to include critical youth stakeholders, while urging for full implementation, support and fund for community policing committee which was constituted last year,” the communique concluded.
