NIGERIAN NOTCH

On October 14, 2019, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, rtd Col Hameed Ali, told newsmen in Abuja that Nigeria had closed its land borders to all movement of goods, giving no timeline for re-opening them. Customs CG, Hameed Ali The Federal Government had earlier in August announced a partial border closure as part of an effort to curb smuggling of rice and other goods, which government believed can be produced locally. However, Ali’s Monday announcement was the first official confirmation of a total shutdown in trade across Nigeria’s land borders — including goods that had been moving legally. The closure has no impact on Nigeria’s economically crucial oil exports, which are shipped out almost entirely via the nation’s seaports and offshore oil platforms. Ali added that despite the land border closure, it would still be possible for goods to cross at points equipped with special scanners, but did not say where those are located. The Customs boss said reop

Rodri was substituted with what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the first half of Manchester City’s Champions League tie against Atalanta, as the Premier League champions’ injury problems mounted.  Man City midfielder Rodri, feeling his hamstring as he limps out The Spaniard has been filling in at center-back with fellow midfielder Fernandinho, as Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones struggled for fitness while Aymeric Laporte is sidelined until 2020 with a knee injury. Rodri started at center-back for City’s win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, helping Pep Guardiola’s side keep a clean sheet in a 2-0 win.  Guardiola failed to sign a central defender in the summer, despite club captain Vincent Kompany’s leaving to become player-manager at Anderlecht. Mbappe’s hat-trick for PSG in easy win in Belgium Kroos scores as Real Madrid edge Galatasaray in narrow win “We don’t know about Rodri yet,” Guardiola said after City’s 5-1 victory. “I think tomorrow we’ll know, hopefully it will be

OPERATIVES of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Imo State have arrested a notorious kidnap suspect at Umuezu Ndegwu in Owerri West Council Area of the state. The suspect, Chima Okorie Uzoemenna was arrested in connection with the kidnap of an entertainer, one Izuchukwu Christopher Obiakor, in July 2018. The suspect and his gang members allegedly made away with the victim’s ash-coloured Toyota Highlander SUV after collecting ransom. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ikeokwu Orlando in a statement on Monday said the suspect sustained severe head injuries during the operation which led to his arrest and was subsequently given treatment in a clinic. He noted that “one Dedan Osuoha was previously arrested following the said kidnap incident by operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and is presently in prison custody.” According to him, the suspect has made useful statements confessing to the crime. He disclosed further that the suspect claimed that he fled t

By Afe Babalola In recent times, there has been an increase in the arrest and arraignment of persons alleged to have published false and misleading information against public figures. The first of these was that of a blogger who was arrested, arraigned and subsequently remanded in prison in connection to a publication relating to a cleric. Since then there have been more of such incidents, including journalists of mainstream media outlets. Understandably, these arrests have attracted scrutiny from the public. While some have condemned what they see as highhandedness on the part of the complainants who in most cases are elected government officials, some have argued that the right to freedom of speech comes with a responsibility to keep within the law and that anyone who fails to keep within accepted boundaries must be subjected to the law.  However, most notably has been the perspective that the complainants should simply have filed civil actions against those they claim

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate an alleged plan by Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa to sell Atala Marginal Field (OML 46), an oil field owned by the state government. All Progressive Congress In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena, in Abuja on Tuesday, the party urged EFCC to uncover the details leading to Dickson’s resolve to sell the oil field. Nabena alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government in Bayelsa was planning to sell the oil field to fund the Nov. 16 governorship election.  “Our law enforcement and anti-graft agencies cannot fold their arms while Bayelsa state is being robbed to enrich the pockets of a few people and fund the election of the PDP in the state. “EFCC must take immediate action before the outgoing governor and his cronies bankrupt the state and sell government’s owned resources to themselves,” he said. Bayelsa poll: AP

.........pays tuition fees for them. The Nnewi Progressive Youth Movement yesterday took the teacher's and Pupils of Ndiakwu Community Primary School by surprise. The surprise was certainly a pleasant one as they came to pay the tuition fees of the best performing Pupils in the school from Primary 1 to Primary 6. While interacting with Nigerian Notch the leader of the group Nelson Okeke said they were in the school to pay tution fee for Pupils who came tops in their various classes, a gesture he said was to encourage them to aspire higher in their pursuit of education. He however said that what they are doing as a group is to touch the lives of Pupils in schools throughout Nnewi, a measure he said will take them round the four quarters of the town. He therefore called on well meaning individuals to support the cause of the group which is to promote education in Nnewi town. The Pupils who received the gifts were very thankful to the group for the apprec