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Three police officers have been apprehended by the Lagos state police command for allegedly falsely collecting the insurance claims of their dead colleagues.
The Punch reports that the three officers, an assistant superintendent of police, a female inspector and a corporal, received claims running into millions of naira from the force belonging to families of dead police officers. They also forged non-existent names of officers to swindle the force.
 Police Arrest 12 Kidnapper
The officers were arrested on Monday, November 10 after police authorities received a petition that families of some dead policemen had yet to get the claims.
A police source said: “The policemen are attached to the insurance section, and they are in charge of handling the claims and gratuities of deceased officers. They were arrested about two weeks ago. What happened was that they defrauded the police by collecting money on behalf of non-existent and dead policemen.
“Their mode of operation is to cook up names of policemen, claim that the policemen are dead, and then collect their claims. The money runs into millions. They are currently in the cell, and they are going to face an orderly room trial.
“It was when a petition got to the command that investigation began into the matter. We went to some divisions where the three officers claimed policemen had died and had collected gratuities for them, but we discovered that there were no such names.
“We also discovered that the families of some dead policemen, whose claims had been paid by the police, had not got their claims. That was how the three were arrested. The total sum of the fraud is not known, but if each insured policeman gets about N500,000, then the amount runs into millions.”
Gunmen Kidnap Siasia’s Mother
Joe Offor, the spokesperson of the state police command confirmed the incident but declined to give the names of the suspects.
He said: “Some police officers were arrested on an allegation of fraud. The fraud borders on tampering with records of deceased members of the Force. We have some families of deceased policemen whose families said they died as far back as 2013, and the families had not got their entitlements. There could still be others involved. But investigation is ongoing into the matter.

A 28-year-old burglary suspect in Lagos, Olamilekan Olaoluwa, met his waterloo recently when he decided to entertain himself after breaking into a house.
The Punch reports that Olaoluwa broke into a two-bedroomed apartment located on Brickfield Road on Sunday, November 22 at about 2pm. The Kwara state born burglary suspect met the absence of the occupant. He took his time to removed a Plasma TV from the wall where it was hung, packed clothes, wristwatches and a handset he saw in the house.
For Selling 250 Coca-Cola Empty Crates, Two Men Land In Trouble He decided to refresh himself by picking a can of malt from the fridge in the kitchen. It was while he was at it that one of the occupants of the house walked in, met the secondary school dropout with the things he stole. She was said to have raised the alarm, drawing the attention of residents who came to the woman’s rescue. Olaoluwa decided to hide, making the crowd of people search for him frantically in the apartment after which they found him, beat him up and then handing him over to the police officers attached to the Iponri division.
Olaoluwa, who claimed to have spent six years to train as a plumber, said he did not have a job or a place of abode. He said he broke into his victim’s house because the gate was left open. He said: “I am a secondary school dropout. I do not have a permanent place of abode, but I sometimes sleep in the Oko Baba Sawmill in Ebute-Meta. I don’t always steal from people. On Sunday, November 22, around 2pm, I was passing by when I saw that the gate was slightly opened and that made it easy for me to enter.
“I broke the padlock and entered the sitting room where I removed the Plasma TV. I then entered the bedroom and took the woman’s husband underwears and wristwatches. I also took the handset and the TV’s remote control. I opened the fridge and took a can of malt and drank it. I was going downstairs when I saw the woman. She asked who I was and what I was doing in her house. I asked her not to shout, but she shouted and people came inside the house.”
The police said the suspect was arrested with the Plasma TV valued at N150,000; two wristwatches valued at N50,000; underwear estimated at N10,000; a mobile phone valued at N5,000, adding that everything summed up to N215,000. The Investigating Police Officer, Chukwuocha Augustine, arraigned the suspect on Tuesday before an Ebute-Meta Magistrates’ Court on four counts of burglary, malicious damage, breach of the public peace and stealing.

A police officer – name withheld – has reportedly shot his wife to death accidentally when he tried to remove his gun from its pouch.
The Sun reports that the corporal who was attached to the Special Anti Robbery Squad in Ikeja, La­gos police command accidentally shot his wife on the night of Tuesday, November 24. It was reported that the officer arrived at his house in the Egbeda area of the state around 10pm. The police, described as one of the best officers, forgot to put on the safety catch of his gun. He was about to remove it from his pouch when it accidentally fired and hit his wife who was sitting on the bed.
 Police Force Men To ATM To Withdraw Money To Buy Freedom
According to neighbours, the officer quickly rushed his bleeding wife to a nearby hospital but she eventually passed away.
One of his colleagues at the police headquarters said: “It is unfortunate that such a thing will happen to him. He was so close to his wife that he was always in a hurry to go home. We know that nothing can bring back the dead but we pray that the po­lice and her family will forgive him so that he can take care of his family.”
A neighbour described the officer as a cool-headed person who loved his wife passionately.
“They were best of friends and the corporal is a cool-headed man. Unless he tells you, you will never know that he is a policeman.”
 Governor Donates Vehicles To Police
The spokesperson of the police command confirmed the incident and said investigation had started to ascertain what actually happened on the night of the tragic incident.
In a related development, a man, Mr. Tochukwu Onwuantudo accused the police of ordering thugs to beat and torture him because he reportedly parked his transport vehicle in the wrong place

Sojojin Najeriya sun bayyana dalilin Boko Haram suna da yawa a Arewa Maso Gabashin Najeriya. Sunce yana kan ilimin addinin musulunci ba kyau da rashin fahimtan addini.
Manjo Janar Abubakar Yushau, wanda ya wakiltar shugaban hafsin soji, Laftanat Janar Tukur Buratai, shine ya bayyana haka a taron kwanaku 2 wanda Daraktarat Harkokin Addinin Musuluncin Na Sojin Najeriya sunyi a Maiduguri, birnin Borno a Laraba 25 ga watan Nuwamba. Jaridar Leadership ta ruwaito.
Yushau yace wanda malamai masu jahilci da rabin ilimi suna da alhaki dasu koya daliban su ilimi mara kyau da abinda baya cikin addinin musulunci. Wani Manjo Janar yace wanda yana da amfani idan malamai suke koya mutanen su addinin gaskiya.
Yace: “Musulumai suke fuskantar jahilci da fahimtan addinin Musulunci mara kyau.
“Ya kamata muke bayyana ga jama’a da karbo addinin Musulunci mai kyau kamar yadda Annabi Muhammad ya koya kowa. Wani abun bayan haka, baya cikin addinin Musuliunci.

The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife Dolapo are marking their wedding anniversary on November 25, Wednesday.
The wife of the VP posted the beautiful picture of them on her Instagram on their wedding day.
Osinbajo is married to Dolapo (née Soyode) Osinbajo, a granddaughter of Obafemi Awolowo in 1989. They have three children together.
Buhari, Osinbajo, Diezani: Elite Disconnect From The People
Osinbajo’s family has been kept out of limelight but they are now becoming popular after he joined politics as Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate.
Mrs. Osinbajo is the leader of the Ladies Fellowship of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus House Parish.
 Osinbajo In Kogi, Campaigns For Audu
In 2007, Prof. Osinbajo and his wife founded “The Orderly Society Trust”, a non- governmental organization that is dedicated to the promotion of Christian ethics and orderliness.
Is not easy to stay 26 years in marriage. May the Lord guide them because it takes only Him to last long in marriage.

A newborn baby boy has been found abandoned in a church nativity scene in Queens, New York, USA.
Just hours after being born, a healthy baby with his umbilical chord still attached was abandoned in the Holy Jesus Child Church. The boy lying in the baby Jesus’ manger was found by Jose Moran, a maintenance worker, who immediately called the police.
 Newborn Baby Abandoned By Parents Due To Wrinkly Skin

Recallling the incident Mr Moran said: “I was in the church sweeping. Then I hear a child crying. I didn’t make much of it. I thought there was somebody in the church with a child. But then I looked around and didn’t see anyone.
That got me curious. I followed the cries. I walked to the little nativity home we had installed inside the church… I couldn’t believe my eyes. The baby was wrapped in towels. He still had his umbilical cord. He was next to the Virgin Mary.”

When police officers arrived they took the boy to hospital, where doctors confirmed him to be only a few hours old but healthy and in a stable condition. Moreover, it seems that the baby, who is yet to be named, will soon have new responsible parents.

Father Christopher Ryan Heanue, one of the priests at the church, said: “The beautiful thing is that this woman found in this church – which is supposed to be a home for those in need – this home for her child. A young couple in our parish would love to adopt this child and keep this gift in our community. It would make a great Christmas miracle.”

Boy Survived In Incubator Fire Abandoned By Parents
According to New York state law a parent may abandon a newborn anonymously at a safe locations, such as a church, hospital, police or fire station, within 30 days of birth, as long as they tell an ‘appropriate person’ (such as a police officer or doctor) about it.

A Manchester United player has reportedly admitted that he is “half the player” under the Dutch manager Louis van Gaal.
According to reports, van Gaal has set quite a strict regime for the team and that has had a negative impact on the team.
Jason Burt, who is the chief football correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, said: ”I’ve got to be careful what I say here but I’ve spoken to one player at United who told me he’s half the player he can be here at the moment because of the way they are playing.
He doesn’t feel that it’s fair on him. He doesn’t feel that it’s fair on the fans.”

Man Utd Pay Me Too Much To Do Nothing – Van Gaal Admits
“He can’t express himself properly and finds it very difficult to play here,” Burt added.

Olympics gold medalist Chioma Ajunwa (MON) has lamented the deplorable state of grassroots athletics in Nigeria. 
The Atlanta ’96 medalist  criticised the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), coaches and retired athletes for not doing enough to unearth young athletes.
She accuse the stakeholders and administrators of ignoring inter-house sports competitions in schools which used to be a spring board for athletes in her generation.
The retired athlete turned policewoman was speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the maiden edition of the Chioma Ajunwa Secondary Schools Athletics Championship due to commence Nov 19-22 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
She told saharareporterssports: “My greatest fear is the future of the Nigeria Athletics. You may ask why I’m worried. It’s because we-the stakeholders-AFN, Coaches and retired athletes are not doing much yearly by combing the nooks and crannies of the various parts of the country to search and groom talents.
 Nigeria’s Legendary Track And Field Athletes
“This is far from what was prevalent during our times when we came across AFN coaches at inter-house sports competitions’, they were the ones who encourage us to pick Athletics over other sports. Let me state that I was a good football player but my inquisitiveness to see what athletics offers made me switch. The rest is the successful career later on.”
Speaking on the need to establish her athletics school, Ajunwa said: “My foundation decided to float and organize this championship having seen the disparity in the level of talent hunt especially football taking the first place. You see we believe that everybody can run and thus athletic should be the first sport of choice amongst our youngsters.
“Football goes beyond running around, and over 1000 youngsters will be in attendance for the three-Day event where the best of them will be given sporting scholarship. Full accommodation and feeding will be provided throughout the championship.”
Ajunwa is Nigeria’s first individual gold medalist at the Olympics. She specialized in the long-jump event and was a police officer before venturing into Olympics. She is still Nigeria’s only individual gold medalist at the Olympics.

November 23, 2015 Kerry spoke between meetings with senior Arab officials in the United Arab Emirates, and as the Belgian capital of Brussels was in virtual lockdown over terror threats a continent away. President Barack Obama's administration faces pressure at home and abroad to step up the fight against the Islamic State after its Nov. 13 attack in Paris killed 130 people. Obama meets French President Francois Hollande in Washington on Tuesday.
"The key is to destroy Daesh rapidly in Syria and in Iraq," Kerry told reporters, using an alternative term for the Islamic State. "I'd like to see us go faster," he said. "The president would like to see us go faster."
The chief American diplomat said Obama was asking everyone in the U.S. government for new concepts to speed up the fight. Some steps were in motion before the Paris attack, he said, such as the decision to deploy some U.S. special forces to Syria and ongoing efforts toward a cease-fire between Syria's government and rebel groups.
But Kerry didn't outline any specific post-Paris additions to the strategy. He made no mention of any country authorizing a large-scale deployment of boots on the ground to Syria, as some Republican presidential candidates have suggested. And he dismissed the notion of a no-fly zone in Syria, proposed just last week by his predecessor as secretary of state, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. He said it was "not a new idea."
Kerry didn't rule out greater cooperation with Russia, which Hollande is expected to ask Obama about. Obama and other U.S. official say Russia must first limit airstrikes to the Islamic State and other extremist groups, and not Western-backed, moderate forces.
If rebels see new cooperation with Russia as designed to keep Syrian President Bashar Assad in power, "that complicates issues, and then you will have greater support going to bad actors." "It has to be done in a way that manages the passions and the disappointment and the sacrifices and the anger that exists on the ground among people who have been fighting Assad for four years now," Kerry said. "You have to do this in a way that actually brings them to the cease-fire."
Separately, the U.S. military said it destroyed 283 tanker trucks used by IS militants to transport oil from producing fields in eastern Syria to smuggling points in an acceleration of attacks on one of the militants' most important sources of income.
The attack by four A-10 attack planes and two AC-130 gunships was carried out Saturday at a site near Deir el-Zour and al-Hasakah but not made public until Monday. It followed a similar assault on Nov. 15 that destroyed 116 tanker trucks as part of a concerted campaign to cripple the militants' oil revenues.
Kerry said IS militants "are losing territory, they are losing towns, they are losing people, they are losing oil revenue." But they're gaining support from other terrorist groups around the world, making defeating them more urgent.
"We have to cut off this notion of success," he said, by which IS "gets a cheapie: Someone who already is a terrorist does something in their name." Kerry was clearest in outlining his focus in the overall strategy: Getting Assad and moderate rebels into a political transition process.
A truce could be a couple of weeks away, he insisted, even if several matters remain unresolved. For one, the plan doesn't say when Assad might leave power. And no agreement has been reached on which fighting forces, beyond IS and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, would be barred from participating.
Kerry said discussions Monday with Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir touched on Ahrar ash-Sham. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey back the hard-line Islamist force; Assad's government and its defenders, Iran and Russia, see it as a terrorist entity.
Kerry sought a middle line. "You don't want to categorize everybody automatically," he said. "If you can talk to some people and bring them back from there, and they want to go be part of the political process, and they're willing to observe a ceasefire and put down their weapons, and so forth, then maybe that's an opening.

The playmaker was feted as the Premier League's finest talent as last season ended with Chelsea winning the title and England's top two individual awards were presented to the 24-year-old Belgian. As Chelsea has struggled since August — starting its title defense by collecting 14 points from a possible 39 and sitting second in Champions League Group G — so has Hazard.
"I didn't start the season well. I tried to find out why, but I don't know," Hazard said ahead of Tuesday's match at Maccabi Tel Aviv. "Sometimes you don't know. You have to keep going. I gave everything in training, on the pitch when I played. I hope I can get a lot of form and try to help the team win games."
Chelsea, which can qualify for the knockout phase with victory in Israel if leader Porto beats Dynamo Kiev, ended a run of three league losses on Saturday by beating Norwich 1-0. Hazard thrived in a central role playing behind Diego Costa rather than being on the left flank — the result of a conversation with under-pressure manager Jose Mourinho.
"I said to him, 'Maybe we have to try to change something. If I can play number 10?" Hazard recalled. At a time when Chelsea is struggling to score, Hazard's only goals this season have come while on international duty with four for Belgium.
Hazard accrued 19 goals for Chelsea in winning the player of the year awards for 2014-15. Far from that being a launch-pad to try to challenge Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for elite global status, Hazard's career has stalled.
Mourinho isn't being blamed for his or Chelsea's loss in form. "I don't have a problem with him," Hazard said. "He is the best manager. He is the best manager for Chelsea and we hope we can win a lot of trophies together. Maybe not this season because it will be difficult, but next season and on."
Here are some other talking points ahead of Tuesday's games in Group G:

POINTLESS MACCABI

Top of the Israeli league but bottom in Europe, the Tel Aviv side can still qualify for the Europa League by finishing third in Group G — just. But it is yet to collect a single point and sits five behind Dynamo Kiev with two games remaining. Domestically, Maccabi is thriving at least: winning six of its last seven league games.

BUENO PUSHES FOR A PLACE

With Porto winning eight in nine in the league, Alberto Bueno is being kept out of the team.
The Spanish striker arrived at the Portuguese club in the summer transfer window from Rayo Vallecano, where he excelled with 17 goals last season. But Porto's solid run and the top form of Vincent Aboubakar and Yacime Brahimi in Porto's attack has shut Bueno out of the main competitions so far.
Only when coach Julen Lopetegui made six changes to his usual team for the Portuguese Cup game against lowly Angrense did Bueno open his account for Porto: scoring both goals in a 2-0 win.
"FC Porto has a great team and we have to wait for our chance," the 27-year-old Bueno said. "I'm happy but I want to play more."
He'll be hoping that comes against Dynamo Kiev when a place in the round of 16 can be secured by Porto, which leads Chelsea by three points.

DYNAMO AWAITS FATE

Not only could Dynamo's qualifying hopes be ended by a loss in Portugal, but the club also faces a heavy UEFA punishment.
UEFA is expected to rule imminently on racists attacks which marred Dynamo's 0-0 draw at home to Chelsea last month. Possible punishments include playing home European games in an empty stadium or a points deduction.
On the field, things are better for Dynamo, which has won its last three Ukrainian league games without conceding a single goal.

Two of the most powerful men in soccer were handed 90-day suspensions by the FIFA ethics committee on Thursday, essentially ending Blatter's 17-year reign as president and likely stunting Platini's chances of replacing him.
Both Blatter and Platini, former allies who turned into rivals in the buildup to the most recent FIFA presidential election, have become embroiled in a Swiss criminal investigation. Blatter has been labeled a suspect and questioned by authorities, while Platini was said to be somewhere between a witness and a suspect.
Both maintain their innocence. "President Blatter looks forward to the opportunity to present evidence that will demonstrate that he did not engage in any misconduct, criminal or otherwise," Blatter's lawyer, Richard Cullen, said in a statement.
Platini also pledged to fight the decision, calling the allegations against him "astonishingly vague" in a statement sent from UEFA hours after the Frenchman was banned from working as the body's president.
"I want everyone to know my state of mind: more than a sense of injustice or a desire for revenge, I am driven by a profound feeling of staunch defiance," Platini said. "I am more determined than ever to defend myself before the relevant judicial bodies."
The statement from UEFA, which stressed "its full confidence" in Platini, has exposed the body's officials to potential action under FIFA ethics rules. According to UEFA statutes, Platini should have been replaced by Angel Maria Villar, the highest-ranking vice president.
"(Platini) is currently suspended and will therefore not perform his official duties for the time being," UEFA said in a statement, still referring to Platini as president. "UEFA is fully aware of its responsibilities under the relevant provisions of the statutes."
UEFA's 54 member nations are due to meet in Nyon, Switzerland, next Thursday to discuss the worst crisis in its history and the bid by Platini to succeed Blatter. The 90-day suspensions for Blatter and Platini were imposed after the Swiss authorities started investigating a payment from FIFA to the former France midfield great in 2011 for work carried out at least nine years earlier.
Another presidential hopeful, Chung Mong-joon, was suspended for six years in a separate case and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke was banned for 90 days. The suspensions can be extended by up to 45 days.
The International Olympic Committee called on FIFA to consider a "credible external presidential candidate of high integrity" as Blatter's replacement. "Enough is enough," IOC President Thomas Bach said. "We hope that now, finally, everyone at FIFA has at last understood that they cannot continue to remain passive."
Issa Hayatou, the longtime head of the African soccer confederation who was reprimanded in 2011 by the IOC in a FIFA kickbacks scandal, took over from Blatter as acting FIFA president. The 69-year-old Cameroonian, who has a serious kidney illness that requires regular dialysis sessions, is currently in Yaounde, the Cameroon capital, and is expected to travel to Zurich soon.
Hayatou said he would not stand for president in the February election prompted by Blatter's earlier decision to resign at the start of his fifth presidential term. Blatter's suspension stops a career that began at FIFA in 1975 and includes the last 17 years as president.
Blatter had survived waves of scandals affecting close allies, but the corruption scandal engulfing FIFA severely escalated in May when seven officials were arrested in Zurich as part of an American bribery investigation.
At the same time, the Swiss authorities revealed their own probe into soccer corruption and a criminal case was opened against Blatter last month. Swiss investigators turned up at Blatter's office at FIFA headquarters and interrogated him. The criminal case centers on Blatter allegedly misusing FIFA money by making a $2 million "disloyal payment" to Platini.
Blatter was also questioned by Swiss investigators about broadcasting contracts sold to former FIFA vice president Jack Warner in 2005 that were supposedly undervalued. Cullen, Blatter's lawyer, said the ethics committee failed to follow procedure and based its decision on a "misunderstanding."
"The attorney general in Switzerland ... opened an investigation but brought no charge against the president," Cullen said. "In fact, the prosecutors will be obliged by law to dismiss the case if their investigation, barely two weeks old, does not establish sufficient evidence."
Blatter quickly submitted an appeal to FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert through lawyers and asked to see the reasons for the decision to suspend him, a person familiar with the situation said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the appeal process publicly.
The suspension of Platini could have the most far-reaching implications. The former European player of the year submitted his formal candidacy to stand in the Feb. 26 election to replace Blatter on Thursday morning. That means it will have to be considered by the election committee after the Oct. 26 deadline for candidacies.
Chung, a former FIFA vice president, was found guilty of breaches relating to the investigation into bidding for the 2022 World Cup, of which South Korea was a contender. Valcke, Blatter's top administrator, had already been put on leave last month after being the subject of allegations over a deal for black market sales of tickets to 2014 World Cup matches.

The seemingly-coordinated interventions from the long-standing corporate backers came a week after the Blatter was interrogated by Swiss investigators and placed under criminal investigation for alleged financial wrongdoing at FIFA, which he has led since 1998.
It marked an escalation in the dual American and Swiss soccer corruption investigations, which burst into public view with the arrest of seven FIFA officials at a Zurich hotel two days before the presidential election in May. They are among 14 officials indicted in the U.S. on bribery and racketeering charges.
The 79-year-old Blatter gained a fifth term only to announce resignation plans four days later in the face of private pressure from sponsors and the fear of a criminal investigation. But Blatter is determined to remain in power until his successor is elected on Feb. 26 and "respectfully disagrees" with the sponsors who demand his immediate departure, the president's lawyer, Richard Cullen, said.
"(He) believes firmly that his leaving office now would not be in the best interest of FIFA nor would it advance the process of reform and therefore, he will not resign," Cullen said in a statement. Coca-Cola, which has advertised in stadiums at every World Cup since 1950, was the first of the sponsors to demand Blatter's resignation, having previously just called for reforms at the scandal-battered governing body.
"For the benefit of the game, The Coca-Cola Company is calling for FIFA President Joseph Blatter to step down immediately so that a credible and sustainable reform process can begin in earnest," Coca-Cola said in a statement.
"Every day that passes, the image and reputation of FIFA continues to tarnish. FIFA needs comprehensive and urgent reform, and that can only be accomplished through a truly independent approach." That call was echoed by fast food giant McDonald's, which has been a World Cup sponsor since 1994.
"The events of recent weeks have continued to diminish the reputation of FIFA and public confidence in its leadership," McDonald's said in a statement. "We believe it would be in the best interest of the game for FIFA President Sepp Blatter to step down immediately so that the reform process can proceed with the credibility that is needed."
A further blow came from Visa, which has a FIFA deal through the 2022 World Cup. "We believe no meaningful reform can be made under FIFA's existing leadership," Visa said. "And given the events of last week, it's clear it would be in the best interest of FIFA and the sport for Sepp Blatter to step down immediately."
The fourth statement was delivered by brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, whose Budweiser branding has appeared on advertising signage in World Cup stadiums since 1986 and its current deal runs until 2022. "It would be appropriate for Mr. Blatter to step down as we believe his continued presence to be an obstacle in the reform process," the beer maker said in a statement.
Blatter's own position has been weakened as lawyers oversee key decisions at FIFA and he waits to hear whether he will be suspended by the ethics committee. Swiss prosecutors allege that Blatter undervalued World Cup broadcasting contracts for the Caribbean sold to disgraced former FIFA vice president Jack Warner in 2005. Blatter was also questioned over an allegedly "disloyal payment" of 2 million Swiss francs (now $2.04 million) in 2011 from FIFA to UEFA President Michel Platini for work carried out at least nine years earlier.
Blatter has denied being corrupt but he is a target of U.S. investigators. Although the sponsors did not respond to Blatter rejecting their demands to resign with a threat to withdraw cash from FIFA, English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke praised their intervention as "a game changer."
"It doesn't matter what Mr. Blatter says now, if the people who pay for FIFA want a change they will get a change," Dyke said. "What is important is that it isn't just about Mr. Blatter standing down, it's about making sure there is a comprehensive and effective reform program.
"So for those of us who want fundamental change this is good news." FIFA generated $5.7 billion in 2011-2014, which encompassed the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, with sponsors and commercial partners contributing $1.6 billion.
The crisis is damaging FIFA's attempts to attract new sponsors ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Only seven of 14 available positions in FIFA's top two commercial categories have been filled. Two top-tier sponsors, Dubai-based airline Emirates and Sony, were among several commercial partners who did not renew last year.

FIFA ethics judge Joachim Eckert formally opened cases on Monday against the FIFA and UEFA presidents for alleged financial wrongdoing. "The adjudicatory chamber intends to come to a decision in both cases during the month of December," a spokesman for the German judge said in a statement.
Blatter and Platini "will be invited to submit positions including any evidence with regard to the final reports of the investigatory chamber," the statement said. Both can request hearings, which are expected to be scheduled in December.
Blatter and Platini, who are currently serving 90-day suspensions pending Eckert's rulings, face bans of at least several years. Any sanctions passed can be appealed to FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The FIFA ethics investigations unit said Saturday it submitted case dossiers and asked for sanctions against both officials. Details were not given. In recently judged FIFA ethics cases, former FIFA officials Chung Mong-joon and Harold Mayne-Nicholls were banned for six and seven years, respectively, despite their offences not including financial corruption.
The latest case centers on $2 million of FIFA money Blatter approved for Platini in 2011 as backdated salary. Both deny wrongdoing and say they had a verbal contract to pay Platini for work as Blatter's presidential adviser from 1998-2002.
Platini cannot campaign for the FIFA presidential election on Feb. 26 while suspended, and will almost certainly have his candidacy ended if found guilty of wrongdoing by Eckert.

While senior officers of the Nigeria police have been deployed to oversee security activities during the Kogi state election, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has also sent some of its staff to monitor the conduct of these officers.
A statement by the spokesperson of the police service commission Ikechukwu Ani said a “high powered” team of monitors from the commission to monitor the conduct of all police officer deployed to Kogi state for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
Ani said: “This is in the exercise of the commission’s constitutional mandate of holding the Police accountable for its actions or in-actions.”
“It is also part of the commission’s contribution to the sustenance of the nation’s fledgling democracy since the integrity of the electoral process cannot be fully achieved if the security personnel, more especially the Police fail to discharge their constitutional responsibilities,” Ani said.
He said the PSC, saddled with the responsibility of checkmating the activities of police officers wishes to advise the officers on electoral duty in Kogi state to abide by the rules and regulations guiding their job.
: Kogi Guber: IGP Carries Out Top Level Deployment
“The Officers are advised to be fair but firm and ensure that all eligible voters are allowed to discharge their civic responsibilities without molestation,” he said.
Ani warned that the commission will not hesitate to commence disciplinary action against any police officer caught acting contrary to the rules before, during or after the elections.
PSC promises to also continue playing its role in the advancement of the Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and the enthronement of the will of the people during elections, he added.
Meanwhile, the inspector general of police Solomon Arase has restricted vehicular movement in the state and within its boundaries from 6am to 6pm on Saturday, November 21. All travellers have also been advised to take alternative routes to their destination within this period.

• The Law of Vibration.

  
  Believe it or not, but our life is vibration – from your heartbeat to your breath. Everything in Universe is vibrating energy and similar vibrations resonate with each other. The neurophysiologists have proven that even your thoughts represent electric vibration, so focusing on a particular idea attract its vibrational match. It’s hard to believe but you can really apply it in your everyday life focusing on something you really want to happen in your life instead of focusing on what you wouldn’t want to happen.

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Former United States President Jimmy Carter has described Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan as the symbol of democracy in Africa.
According to The Nation, Carter, the 39th US President, showered praises on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum located at the Carter Center in Atlanta.
Carter and Jonathan were said to have discussed a wide range of issues during the meeting, including how to promote peace, democracy and good governance on the African continent and the world at large.
“President Goodluck Jonathan is the symbol of democracy in action. You set an example that other African leaders should follow,” the former US leader said.
 Jonathan Hosted By Presidential Precinct In The USA
While also praising Jonathan for organizing a transparent election, easily conceding defeat and handing over to the opposition, Carter said Jonathan showed his deep democratic commitment.
Jonathan, in his response, said that his actions while in office were based on his belief in a peaceful, transparent and people-oriented governance.
He added that Africa can only move forward through democracy and good governance and while commending Carter for the exemplary manner he had in his post-presidential life, the former African leader, noted that he (Jonathan) was inspired by Carter’s commitment to causes that advance the path of humanity.

Since his ouster as Nigeria’s president a few months back, Jonathan has been visiting many strategic pro-democracy institutions on invitation, to share his experience in office as a promoter of democracy and advocate of good governance in Africa.
The former governor of Bayelsa state also recently stormed Tanzania as the chairman of the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) to monitor the October 25 general election in the country, where he also preached peace during the voting process.

The president inspected the vehicles following the visit of the Executive Vice President, Middle East and Africa, Peugeot Citreon, Mr. Jean-Christophe Quemard’s visit to the villa. Speaking to the audience, Buhari reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the federal government’s privatization and commercialization policy. He stressed, however, that greater consideration will now be given to the technical and managerial competence of prospective buyers of government-owned companies.

The President said that a higher premium will be placed on the technical competence and financial clout of bidders in future privatisation exercises to avoid the running aground of privatized companies by ill-equipped and incapable investors.
President Buhari who spoke after being briefed on plans by Peugeot to stage a comeback in Nigeria after the collapse of the privatization of Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited, noted that privatization could only succeed and yield desired benefits if buyers of government-owned companies possess essential skills and resources. Mr. Quemard assured President Buhari that Peugeot was ready to reinvest in vehicle assembly in Nigeria, provided that the right indigenous partners are found.

The Peugeot Chief Executive for Africa and the Middle-East briefed the President on the company’s three-phased plan to resume vehicle assembly in Nigeria with 4,000 cars next year, rising up to 10,000 cars by 2021. He said that the plan, which he urged the Federal Government to support with appropriate policies and actions, will entail higher local content in the assembly of Peugeot cars in Nigeria and the exportation of locally assembled Peugeot cars from Nigeria to neighbouring African countries.
Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited which was privatized some years ago has technically reverted to government ownership with up to 85 per cent of its shares now held by the Federal Government and the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). See photos below:
             

Former president, Goodluck Jonathan is a year older today, 20th November, 2015 and he has been getting loads of birthday greetings on social media.
The former president is 58 year old today.
Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president of Nigeria was not left out of those wishing Jonathan a happy birthday.
 Nigerians Eulogise Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan At 58
Other Nigerians, including celebrities have also sent their goodwill messages to the former president.