October 2024 | Page 20 of 23

Ex-Super Eagles goalie, Dosu Joseph cheats death

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

Former Nigerian goalkeeper Joseph Dosu has revealed he narrowly escaped death in a road accident in Lagos on Wednesday, 2 October. Dosu shared his ordeal on Facebook on Friday; “To God be the glory, another death escape by Grace and Mercy of God… I and my friend SM were at Enyo filling station after Ojodu Berger bus stop, to get fuel… when this MACK TRUCK with registration number LND 470 XX, fully loaded with IRON, left the road and crushed my car.” Dosu, a member of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold-winning team, escaped in 1997 after an accident that ended his football career. After the 1996 Olympics, Dosu signed with Serie A club Reggiana but never made an impact due to his career-ending injury.

N110.4bn Fraud: Court orders Yahaya Bello to appear for arraignment

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT in Maitama, Abuja on October 3, 2024, has issued a public summon against former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello following his absence in a fresh arraignment on 16-count charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Bello, Shuabu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu are facing prosecution bordering on criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy to commit an offence to the tune of N110.4 Billion. Justice Anenih issued the summon in a ruling following an ex parte application by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN praying the court to grant leave that the defendant be served the charges via substituted means, following his absence in court to answer charges filed against him on September 24, 2024. The court ordered that the charges be served on the defendant at his known residence, No 4, Benghazi Street, Maitama, Abuja, through a public summons to be published in widely circulated national newspapers and also pasted within the premises of the court. The judge granted two separate adjournments: October 24, 2024, and November 14, 2024. The former was for arraignment on the grounds that the defendant will be arrested and brought to court by EFCC and the latter when the 30 days of service elapsed. Bello is also being awaited for arraignment before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja on an 18-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80.2billion.

CDS tourney: Rivers Hoopers advance to quarterfinals

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

Rivers Hoopers have qualified for the quarterfinals of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Independence Basketball Championship after they defeated Bauchi Nets 55-50 at the Mo Arena on Thursday. The Ogoh Odaudu-led team started the game with consecutive three-pointers to end the first quarter with a one-point lead, 13-12. The second quarter was a low-scoring game for the two teams who failed to score, but it was Hoopers who took a three-point lead (22-19) to the break. Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu was disappointed in his team, who played with less aggression against Nets. Asked about how he felt about the two wins against City Chiefs and Bauchi Nets, Odaudu said, “We played terribly in both games, but it was expected we have not played competitive basketball since we finished for the Basketball Africa League, so I didn’t expect anything less. We will keep working, getting better, and pushing hard. The KingsMen were down by five with two minutes left to play but crawled their way back at crunch time to seal their spot in the quarterfinals. ”It’s a great tournament, and we are using it to test ourselves and how far we can go. It is a good practice session for us ahead of the league later this month. Odaudu made comparisons between their two opening games played on Wednesday and Thursday (today). ”We didn’t play very well; yesterday’s game was more experienced than the team we played today. It was a lack of aggression on our part that happened today.” The Hoopers boss said he has two targets for the CDS tournament and hopes to accomplish both. ”Our goal is to see how our team is and to win the prize money attached to the tournament. It will be good to kill two birds with one stone.Test our team, get prepared for the league, and win the prize money, but every team comes with the intent of winning, and ours is a podium finish. The KingsMen will play their last group game against Gilali on Friday.

NFF holds Annual General Assembly in Asaba

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

All is set for the 2024 Annual General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation taking place in Asaba on Friday, with all delegates having arrived in the Delta State capital by the evening of Thursday. The NFF Annual General Assembly is the biggest assemblage of football administrators and stakeholders in the country in a given year, and serves as the melting pot of interplay of ideas and eventual formulation of policies and rules and regulations that govern the administration and organization of the game nationally for the succeeding one year. The plenary welcomes chairmen and secretaries of Football Associations in the 36 States and the FCT, chairmen and secretaries of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nationwide League One, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the referees’ association, players’ union and coaches’ association. This group makes up the Congress. Members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management will be in attendance, with former NFF Presidents and General Secretaries also welcome. The Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, is set to be the special guest. Nigeria’s Member of the hallowed FIFA Council, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick will be in attendance, as well as a representative of the West African Football Union (WAFU B) to witness proceedings. The Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori will declare the General Assembly open, and a number of chieftains of the Delta State Government and some other dignitaries, alongside observers and representatives of the media, will witness the opening ceremony. Venue is the Unity Hall of the Delta State Government House.

NFF, Sevilla, Leicester celebrate Iheanacho at 28

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Sevilla FC and Leicester City have showered encomium on Kelechi Iheanacho as the striker marks his 28th birthday on Thursday. The NFF its on social media platform wrote; “Happy birthday Seniorman Kelz.” “Today is a very special day… “Happy birthday, Senior man!,” Sevilla FC also wished the player. In similar vein, Leicester City wrote; Wishing a happy birthday to Kelechi.” Iheanacho represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, as well as the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, finishing as runner-up in the latter tournament. Iheanacho was voted the Most Promising African Talent twice in 2013 and 2016 and named as a substitute for the 2016 CAF Team of the Year. On 31 July 2024, Iheanacho joined Spanish club Sevilla on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Leicester City.

Basketball: Rivers Hoopers dig deep to defeat Gboko City Chiefs

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Rivers Hoopers beat Gboko City Chiefs 51-46 in their opening game of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Independence Basketball Championship at the Mo Arena in Abuja on Wednesday. It was not the best of games for the KingsMen, who were playing their first competitive game after the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in May. They turned over the ball multiple times and gave out too many possessions to their opponents from Gboko. The titled men held a four-point lead for most part of the game, leaving Hoopers to chase the game too. With a four-point deficit (36-40) into the fourth quarter, the KingsMen were left with no choice but to control the game if they wanted a different outcome. Hoopers, who tied the game 44-44 with 1:37 minutes remaining, outscored the Chiefs 7-2 from the line to pick up their first win of the competition against the determined City Chiefs.

Ademola Lookman scores first ever Champions League goal

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

Nigeria international Ademola Lookman on Wednesday scored his first ever Champions League goal in Atalanta 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk. Lookman got the goal by finishing off a well-worked move that he had started with a back-heel flick. Earlier in the match, Lookman grabbed an assist before Raoul Bellanova completed a classic Atalanta move in a dominant Champions League performance over Shakhtar Donetsk. La Dea were already leading from the Berat Djimsiti chest and volley on a Lookman cross when they doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time on neutral turf in Gelsenkirchen. The third goal then arrived with a classic Gian Piero Gasperini move, as one wing-back set up the other, Bellanova at the back post to meet the Davide Zappacosta cross.

EFCC arrests 33 Suspected Internet Fraudsters, fake dollars in Port Harcourt

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

Operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, have arrested 33 (Thirty-Three) suspected internet fraudsters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. They were arrested in their hideouts around Iwofe and Ogboro axes of Port Harcourt in a sting operation, based on credible intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet fraud. Items recovered from the suspects include various mobile phone devices, laptops, boxes of fake United States Dollars, fake Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI stamps, Customs stamps, airport clearance stamps, DHL and FedEx stamps and two cars. The suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.