LONELY

United States Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr W. Stuart Symington has enjoined both the Nigerian leaders and citizens to make concerted efforts to stop the killings currently ravaging the country. The ambassador was speaking at ceremonies marking the 242 years of Independence for the United States of America. Symington speaking on the situation in Nigeria said every day, people’s hopes are stopped by unnecessary deaths and by those whose acts reflect no good and served no cause. He added that it was in the power of both leaders and citizens to stop the killings. He eulogised Nigeria as a country of ‘world cup importance’ and that there is no country where more is at stake for the future of the world than Nigeria, noting that every day, “we work with good people to save lives and bend upwards the curve of economic growth, so that real opportunity and hope will outpace need. “ “But, far too often, we see the deaths of innocents whose hopes are stopped forever, by those whose awful acts r...

Despite the plea to them not to contest the presidential race against him in 2019, some youths have commenced move to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari.Nigerian youths, under the auspices of Intellectual Revolution Group (IRG) made this known at Arewa House, Kaduna, yesterday, while inaugurating its state executives and zonal leadership for the Northwest zone. The youths said they were set to mobilise young Nigerians to actualise ‘young President’ in 2019 and make a national declaration in Abuja to unveil their Presidential candidate for 2019 and fresh people in all positions of power. Inaugurating the zonal executive, the National Coordinator of IRG, Salaudeen Lukman said 2019 must usher in a ‘Young President’ with proven record of purpose and determination, adding that, “old politicians, who have milked our dear nation dry must go to rest and assume advisory role. It’s a sin to rule their generation.’ He said: “Our resolve includes mobilising our teeming youth to form strong ideolo...

Buhari regrets attacks, says politicians taking advantage of farmers, herders’ clashes •PDP bemoans killings, carpets Buhari, APC •Police Special Forces join other services on ground By Henry Umoru, Marie-Therese Nanlong, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Joseph Erunke & Dirisu Yakubu ABUJA—The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, has described the attacks on some communities in Plateau State as an act of retaliation over the killing of 300 cows belonging to its members. President Buhari Suspected herdsmen had on Saturday night, through Sunday, attacked Riyom, Barakin Ladi and Jos South local government areas of the state, killing over 100 persons, though the Police confirmed 86. Miyetti Allah’s statement came yesterday, as fresh attacks on Kwi village in Riyom local government area claimed one more life in the early hours, despite the dusk-to-dawn curfew declared in the three local government areas. This is even as President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, advised citiz...

Ibadan—Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE yesterday faulted the recent visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Plateau State where about 135 people were killed by Fulani herders, saying it was “full of sound and fury signifying nothing.” This came as the council asked governors in the South West parts of the country to assure people in the zone of their safety given the influx of Hausa/Fulani into all nooks and crannies of Yorubaland. The organization also flayed the deployment of police commissioners describing it as “very tokenistic” and merely scratching the problem on the surface. The elders’ council said this through its Secretary General, Dr Kunle Olajide after it rose from a meeting at the state headquarters, Ibadan. Citing previous spate of attacks across the country, they said, “Nigerians are not impressed with condolence visits by the President or Vice President which can be described as “full of sound and fury signifying nothing. “We have been perennially treated to these visits ...

Having not suffered any traumatic dilemma over his overweening loyalty to herdsmen who are his fellow Fulani, President Muhammadu Buhari is oblivious of his rapid erasure as a statesman. Or if he is aware, he is not bothered about the grim verdict of history – here was a president of a great nation who ended as a leader of a segment of the country, Fulani herdsmen. Yes, we must discountenance Buhari’s sense of justice that seeks to exculpate him from the tragedies being unleashed by Fulani herdsmen. He vouchsafed this notion of justice during his visit to Plateau after the Fulani herdsmen’s attacks whose death toll has been officially put at 135 while witnesses claim it is over 200. He wondered why he should be accused of being silent over the now perennial massacres. The wonder is why Buhari should be surprised that he is being blamed for the Fulani herdsmen’s terrorism. His administration would not be identified with the legacy of solving the myriad of problems with which the nation...

Governor Ayodele Fayose yesterday warned voters in the state to draw lessons from killings APC controlled states in the north and stop the spread to Ekiti State by rejecting the party in the forthcoming election. The governor gave the caution during a meeting with teachers, civil servants, and local government workers, according to a statement issued on his behalf by his chief press secretary, Idowu Adelusi. The five states mentioned were Plateau, Zamfara, Benue, Kaduna and Nasarawa States. According to him “voting APC in the July 14 election is an invitation to chaos, killing, raping of people’s wives and daughters by the killer herdsmen which the APC harbours. The governor called on the Ekiti people to reject APC and its candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to avert Ekiti becoming another Benue, Plateau, Zamfara and Kaduna states where the number of widows and orphans are increasing daily. The governor said since the killings started, the Federal Government had not been able to stop it, and...

Jose Mourinho is eyeing a reunion with the Brazilian ace he initially signed for the Blues from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013, according to the Daily Mail. Willian made just 20 Premier League starts for Chelsea last season and Mourinho is ready to test their resolve with a summer offer for the 29-year-old. The wing-wizard, who has two years remaining on his contract at the Bridge, played 90 minutes as Brazil were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Sunday night. Willian called United "one of the best teams in the world" when asked about his compatriot Fred's move to Old Trafford. He said: "Of course (Fred can make an impact), no doubt about that. He has a lot of qualities. "He can improve (them) a lot. He goes to one of the best teams in the world. I am happy for him. I hope he does well at Manchester United.

According to Alfredo Pedulla Liverpool have been told by Lazio that goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha will cost £35million. Jurgen Klopp appears to have switched his attention from AS Roma sensation Alisson Becker to Lazio’s Thomas Strakosha, as the Reds ramp up their pursuit of a new goalkeeper. Liverpool were interested in Alisson but Roma’s asking price for their prized asset has forced Klopp to abandon the Brazilian’s pursuit this summer. Meanwhile, Spanish giants Real Madrid have moved firmly into the driver’s seat for Alisson. The Reds are in dire need of a new shot-stopper after Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet’s inconsistent displays this past season. Mignolet was the first-choice under Klopp but a series of erratic displays cost him his position, while Karius’ horror show in the Champions League final against Real Madrid last month has left the German tactician with no option but to look for a new gloveman this summer. Lazio’s Thomas Strakosha is the man that the Reds are cha...

Croatia vs Nigeria was something of a damp squib in the end. Croatia are many people's dark horses, with a squad packed full of talent, while Nigeria are many people's favourite second nation at this tournament. But the match faield to live up to the billing, with neither side really showing any urgency throughout the contest. In the end is was Croatia who did enough, winning the game 2-0 thanks to an own goal from Okhenekaro Etebo and a Luka Modric penalty. Here's how we rated the two teams. Goalkeeper: Daniel Subasic Had nothing to do. Nigeria were that bad that he had nothing at all to do apart from take a few goal-kicks and throw the ball out every now and then. 6 Right-back: Sime Vrsaljko Wasn't really troubled in defence, but showed his attacking prowess, getting down the right-hand side on a number of occasions, although his delivery let him down. 6 Centre-back: Domagoj Vida If you get past his ridiculous haircut, the veteran is quite clearly a useful centre-...

The 25-year-old is recovering from a right shoulder injury suffered in last month's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid and was recently deemed doubtful to play against Uruguay with Egypt's managing director Ehab Lehita only hoping he could feature. "We're keeping an eye on the situation day by day," Lehita said earlier this week. "We have been following the case since his injury in the final of Champions League. Mohamed trained in Cairo, trained yesterday and is training today. We are watching the situation closely with the doctor." "He has daily treatment sessions on his shoulder. He trains indoors as well in the gym, and today he trained on the pitch. He is gradually getting better. However, I cannot confirm today that he will play in the first match. All I can say is that we hope he will play in this match." According to Egypt head coach Hector Cuper, however, Salah will "almost" 100 percent play barring any unforese...

 Chelsea FC are in talks to sign Stefan Savic from Atletico Madrid this summer, according to reports in Italy. Sky Sport Italia is reporting that both the Blues and Juventus are keen on a move to sign the 27-year-old from the Spanish club this summer. The former Manchester City man has spent three seasons with Atletico Madrid since joining the La Liga club from Fiorentina back in 2015. The 27-year-old Montenegro international made 36 appearances for the Spanish side last season but it is being claimed that he could be on his way out of Atletico Madrid this summer. Chelsea FC and Juventus are both said to be keen on signing the defender as they look to bolster their squads ahead of next season. The west London side are believed to be on the lookout for a number of new signings this summer as they look to assemble a team capable of challenging for the Premier League title next season. The Blues ended up in a disappointing fifth place in the Premier League table last season ...

As host nation beat the Saudi team 5-0 in Moscow, locals and fans across the world have been mingling off the pitch as well. Football fever is in the air but both Russian and New Zealand governments have issued advice to would-be revellers. The message on both sides is to err on the side of caution during the sports festival. Though the All Whites haven't qualified for this year's tournament, 1032 Kiwi fans have registered as ticket holders. While this number of New Zealand super soccer-fans represents a mere 80th of the capacity of Moscow's main Luzhniki Stadium, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued a statement for those attending the 2018 Fifa World cup. "New Zealand football fans travelling to Russia to attend matches should be well prepared and have official tickets and fan IDs. These documents need to be kept safely with you at all times, along with your passport," said the Ministry in a statement on Safetravel.govt.nz. The statement als...

Sergio Ramos hopes the "dangerous" Cristiano Ronaldo is below his best when Spain face Portugal at the World Cup. The Real Madrid team-mates will do battle in a blockbuster Group B clash in Sochi on Friday. Ramos said he preferred to be playing alongside Ronaldo rather than against the star forward, but he is simply hoping the 33-year-old is not at his best at the Fisht Olympic Stadium. "I'd rather have him on my team than against me. We know how dangerous he can be," the Spain captain told a news conference. "He ended the season in outstanding shape. He's a constant threat. "Not only Ronaldo but the Portugal squad are very talented. There are many players who can hurt you quickly, a lot of skill and safe in their defensive formation. "We will see a match for all sports lovers. It will be beautiful. I hope Cristiano doesn't play his best match." Spain go into the opener after a tumultuous week during which head coach Julen Lo...

Pushed to one side by Antonio Conte last season, David Luiz barely featured for Chelsea last season, making just 17 appearances in all competitions. The likes of César Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Gary Cahill were all preferred in his stead, and the Brazilian’s future appears to be away from Stamford Bridge. Over in France, Le10 Sport report as an exclusive that Arsenal are interested in saving him from his Blues nightmare, and have gone as far as making a €20m bid for the 31-year-old. However, despite Luiz’s situation, Chelsea decided to turn down the Gunners’ offer. as things stand, Arsenal are said to be ‘undecided’ whether to come back with an improved bid, but Le10 say that ‘shouldn’t be excluded’. It’s worth remembering that David Luiz did feature four times under Unai Emery at Paris Saint-Germain before the Ligue 1 side decided to cash in on the Brazilian when Chelsea came knocking. Considering he seemed inclined to use him prior to the sale, the...

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate sack of a senator, Atai Aidoko, as the member representing Kogi East. The court presided over by judge, Gabriel Kolawole, ruled that Mr Aidoko was wrongly presented as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the December 2014 Primaries conducted by the PDP. Following the presentation of Mr Aidoko as the party’s flag bearer, Mr Aidoko’s challenger, Isaac Alfa, began a legal battle for the nullification of Mr Aidoko’s election. An appeal court had ordered parties to return to the trial court to allow it determine the rightful owner of the suit, thus rendering the seat vacant. However, Mr Aidoko refused vacating the office and has appeared repeatedly at Senate plenaries since then. On Wednesday, the court ordered the PDP and Mr Aidoko to pay Mr Alfa N750,000 each.

President General of Mdzough U Tiv, Edward Ujege has rubbished the call by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali that states should suspend the anti-open grazing law, following the continued crisis between herdsmen and farmers across the country. Dan-Ali had explained that the enactment of the law was responsible for the continued crisis between herdsmen and farmers across the country. Some states of the Federation enacted the Anti-Open Grazing Law as a panacea to the persistent crisis between herdsmen and farmers. States that have so far enacted the Anti-Open Grazing Law include, Benue, Abia and Nasarawa states, despite calls for its suspension. Following the enactment of the law, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Associations have vowed to opposedthe law since there was no alternative yet for cattle rearers. However, speaking with DAILY POST, President General of Mdzough U Tiv, Edward Ujege described Ali-Mansur as an ‘Illiterate” who is not fit to occupy the position of a Mi...

The new away kit being released for next season is a Deep Violet shade, which is a complete change-up to the away kit released for the 2017-18 season, which was white, green and black. The purple shade was last seen in the 2012-13 season in Liverpool’s third kit. The Alpha Orange branding highlights the detail throughout the kit. The away goalkeeper kit is quite basic with it being a Vivid Cactus and Black allowing the individual between the sticks to standout. Liverpool FC defender Virgil van Dijk said: “As a player the most important thing is how the shirt feels and performs. This kit gives us confidence to play to the best of our ability away from home. We have the best travelling support in football and I’m excited to run out in front of our fans wearing this strip.” Liverpool’s away goalkeeper kit in the 2017-18 season was black, so again, this has been another massive change from New Balance. General Manager of New Balance Football, Kenny McCallum said: “The new 2018/19...

Liverpool and Egypt star striker Mohamed Salah, who sustained a shoulder injury in late May, has trained with the rest of the national team for the first time since their arrival in Russia ahead of the FIFA World Cup, French media reported on Wednesday. According to the French daily L'Equipe, it is yet unknown whether Salah will play in Egypt's first game at the tournament against Uruguay, which will take place in Yekaterinburg on Friday. "We'll wait until the last moment to decide whether he'll be in the line-up or not," national team doctor Mohamed Abou al-Ela was quoted as saying by L'Equipe. The Liverpool star damaged ligaments in his shoulder during the first half of their 3-1 defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League final on May 26 following a challenge by Real captain Sergio Ramos. The World Cup is set to take place from June 14 to July 15 at 12 stadiums in 11 Russian cities. Egypt's other two opponents in Group A will be hosts Russia a...

Arsenal are in talks to sign Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira this summer, according to reports in the British media. The Daily Mail is reporting that the Gunners are keen on a deal to bring the 22-year-old midfielder to The Emirates as Unai Emery looks to bolster his squad ahead of next season. The same article claims that the Uruguayan has emerged as a “preferred” transfer target for Emery as he looks to bolster his midfield options this summer. The article says that Torreira has a buyout clause of around £22m in his contract with Sampdoria, but Arsenal could have to pay the fee in instalments given their tight transfer budget this summer. The same story says that Arsenal have agreed a fee of around £16m with Borussia Dortmund to sign defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, which is expected to be confirmed next month. Arsenal are on the lookout for a number of new signings this summer as Emery looks to build a squad capable of breaking back into the top four next season. The nort...