The Rivers State Police Command has arrested the three members of a robbery gang that specializes in robbing unsuspecting persons of their belongings around the Choba/ Obiri Ikwerre axis of the State.

They were nabbed, after successfully robbing one Mr. Simon Ibrahim who was on his way to make a deposit at a bank but was lured by the gang, who were driving in a Mazda car.

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However, luck ran out on them when the victim raised an alarm that alerted the police, and they were immediately arrested and taken to the Choba police station.

Police authorities say further investigations have been initiated and those arrested will be charged to court after all findings have been made.

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Notorious Three-Man Robbery Gang Nabbed In Rivers

At least 11 people were killed by an armed group in eastern DR Congo, sources said Thursday, bringing the troubled region’s death toll to at least 70 since the start of the week, according to an AFP tally.

Eleven miners in the gold-rich territory of Djugu, in the northeastern province of Ituri, were killed early Wednesday by a local group called the FPIC, Mungwalu district mayor Jean-Pierre Pikilisende told AFP.

The Kivu Security Tracker (KST), a respected NGO that monitors violence in eastern DR Congo, said 12 people had been executed.

Pikilisende said the militia had come to take control over the area, whose gold is mined by poor artisanal diggers.

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Ituri and neighbouring North Kivu province have been placed under a “state of siege” — a government attempts to stem escalating violence by replacing civilian officials with senior army or police officers.

Fifty-three people were killed overnight Sunday in two Ituri villages, in the region’s worst one-day massacre in recent history, sources there told an AFP correspondent.

The journalist said 21 died in Tshabi and another 32 in Boga, where a camp for displaced people was targeted.

Eighty-four shacks in the camp were torched, as were eight stores in nearby Boga, the reporter saw. Fifteen homes were burned in Tshabi.

A number of villagers, including at least four women, were kidnapped.

The identity of the attackers remains unclear, as the massacres took place in an area notorious for ethnic tension and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group that has been linked to the so-called Islamic State.

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The ADF has the bloodiest reputation of the estimated 122 armed groups that roam eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), many of them a legacy of wars more than a quarter-century ago.

Five other people were killed early Tuesday, and several others, including children, are missing.

On Wednesday, an old man was beheaded in the village of Bulire, near Boga, and two people went missing, a local administrative official said.

As of Friday, the KST estimated that at least 1,228 civilians have been killed in Beni territory of North Kivu alone since November 2019, when DRC’s armed forces launched a crackdown, splintering the ADF into smaller groups.

11 people dead as a result of a violent attack in DR Congo

Fresh Violence In DR Congo Leaves At Least 11 Dead

The Senate received President Muhammadu Buhari’s executive Bill which seeks to increase the retirement age for teachers in the country from 60 to 65 years.

The Bill also proposes increase in the years of service for teachers from 35 to 40 years.

Buhari, in a letter read on the floor by Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, noted that the Bill provides for harmonised retirement age for teachers in the country.

According to him, the move to increase the retirement age and service years of teachers was pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

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Buhari’s letter titled: “Transmission of the harmonised retirement age for Teachers in Nigeria Bill 2021 to the National Assembly for consideration,” reads:

“Pursuant to Section 58 subsection 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I forward herewith the harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria Bill, 2021 for consideration by the Senate.

“The harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria Bill 2021 seeks to increase the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years, and also increase the possible years of service from 35 to 40 years.

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“While appreciating your usual expeditious consideration of this submission, please, accepts Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, during plenary referred the President’s request for the confirmation of Major General Farouk Yahaya as Chief of Army Staff of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Committees on Defense and Army for further legislative work.

The Senate Committee on Defence, chaired by Senator Aliyu Wamakko, was named the lead Committee to screen the newly appointed Army Chief.

It would be recalled that Buhari had in October 2020 approved a special salary scale and new retirement age for teachers in commemoration of the World Teachers Day.

senators pass bill to increase retirement age of teachers

Senate receives Bill to extend teachers’ retirement age by five years

Gunmen have killed Senior Special Assistant to Benue Governor Samuel Ortom on Security, AIG Christopher Dega (Rtd) in Jos, Plateau State Capital.

Reports confirmed he was shot in the chest several times by gunmen on Tuesday.

AIG Dega had a brilliant career in the Nigerian Police Force and was twice Commissioner of Police in Borno and Edo States.

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BREAKING: Gunmen kill Ortom’s aide in Jos

Management of the National Examinations Council (NECO) has refuted the claims that its Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Professor Godswill Obioma, was killed.

NECO spokesman, Azeez Sani, quoted family sources as saying that late Obioma died on Monday after a brief illness.

“This is contrary to insinuations in the social media that the late registrar was assassinated in his residence in Minna,” he said while appealing to the staff of the council to remain calm.

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Similarly, the Niger State Police Command corroborated the account of NECO and condemned the reports that Professor Obioma was murdered by gunmen in Minna.

“This story is totally false, untrue, and a pure element of fake news. It is important to state categorically that on 31st May 2021 the Registrar/CEO National Examinations Council (NECO), Professor Godswill Obioma was rushed to the National Hospital, Abuja by his family members where he was later confirmed dead, after a brief illness,” said a statement by the command’s spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun.

It added, “However, the family of the deceased has also confirmed the incident and formally notify the management and staff of NECO of the demise of the registrar.

“Members of the public are hereby urged to disregard the fake news and news reporters are advised to always verify their report before publication to avoid creating unnecessary panic and fear in the public domain.”

Professor Obioma was appointed as NECO registrar by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 14, 2020, and was a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

Until his appointment as NECO registrar, he was the Ebonyi State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

management of NECO speaking on the death of registrar 

Professor Obioma Not Killed By Assassins – NECO, Police

China has reported the world’s first human infection of the H10N3 bird flu strain on Tuesday but said the risk of it spreading widely among people was low.

A 41-year-old man was admitted to hospital with fever symptoms in the eastern city of Zhenjiang on April 28 and was diagnosed with H10N3 a month later, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said in an online statement.

“The risk of large-scale spread is extremely low,” the NHC said, adding that the man was in a stable condition and his close contacts had reported no “abnormalities.”

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It described H10N3 as low pathogenic — less likely to cause death or severe illness — in birds.

The NHC said there had been no human cases of H10N3 previously reported in the world.

Several strains of bird flu have been found among animals in China but mass outbreaks in humans are rare.

The last human epidemic of bird flu in China occurred in late 2016 to 2017, with the H7N9 virus.

The H7N9 has infected 1,668 people and claimed 616 lives since 2013, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

Following recent avian flu outbreaks in Africa and Eurasia, the head of China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention last week urged stricter surveillance in poultry farms, markets, and wild birds.

Covid-19 was first detected at a food and animal market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

China reports bird flu case affecting human

China Confirms First Human Case Of Bird Flu Strain

Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has sacked four commissioners from his cabinet.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, announced this in a statement on Monday in Calabar, the state capital.

The affected commissioners are Mike Usibe (New City Development), Rita Ayim (Women Affairs), Asu Okang (Information), and Ntufam Etim (Climate Change).

Governor Ayade also relieved five other appointees – Leo Inyambe, Orok Duke, Victor Okon, John Bassey, and Mbeh Agbiji – of their appointments.

While no reason was given for the Governor’s action, he thanked the affected commissioners and appointees for their services to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours.

Ayade sacks four commissioners, five other appointees

Residents in Abakaliki complies with the sit at home order

Abakiliki completely shut down as residents obey sit-at-home order

Juventus have confirmed that Andrea Pirlo will be leaving the club after just one season as head coach, with the path now cleared for Massimiliano Allegri to return to Turin.

Pirlo had been hanging on by a thread after enduring a baptism of fire in management and the top-four finish he secured, along with Coppa Italia glory, has not been enough to keep him in a demanding post.

A statement on Juve’s official website reads: “Thank you, Andrea.

“These are the first words that all of us need to say at the end of this special experience together.

“A few months ago, Andrea Pirlo, an icon of world football, began his new adventure, his first as a coach.

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“To do this, first of all, it takes courage, as well as awareness of one’s own means, especially in a period marked by thousands of difficulties, with the world forced by the pandemic to reinvent its own rules day after day.

“Pirlo has just begun the first steps of what will no doubt become a brilliant career as a coach. An adventure of transformation, seeking, and often managing, to bring his ideas and his experience as a champion on the pitch from the ‘other side’ of the fence.

“And since in football, what counts are the victories, let’s remember them: in the space of a few short months Pirlo’s Juve has raised two trophies: The Italian Supercup and the Coppa Italia. And he, as coach, brought home brilliant victories on the most prestigious of fields, from San Siro to Camp Nou.

“For all this, for the courage, the dedication, the passion with which he demonstrated every day, our thanks go to the Maestro, the Coach and to Andrea,that really comes from the heart. As well as our good luck for the future that will surely be a wonderful one.”

footbal coach leaving a club after one season

Juventus confirm Pirlo departure ahead of Allegri return

During the wee hours of Friday morning, gunmen attacked Umutu Police Station, Ukwuani LGA, Delta State killing two policemen.

It was learnt that policemen on guard duty repelled the attack, killing two bandits.

An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) died in hospital following complications from high blood pressure, it was learnt.

The Nation gathered the armed men attacked around 1.30 am, shooting sporadically at the station but met stiff resistance as the men on guard duty put up a tough fight.

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It was learnt the gunmen retreated after two of the gunmen were shot dead while others suffering injuries.

It was learnt the bandits took away the corpses of their members in a car.

Delta Police image maker, DSP Bright Edafe who confirmed the incident, said the bandit’s intention was to burn the station and steal arms and ammunition.

He said the attack failed because of the proactive measures put in place by Delta Police Commissioner.

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Part of the statement reads: ” In the early hours of today, armed men in their numbers stormed Unity Police Station, they shot sporadically at the station, due to proactive measures already put in place by the Delta State Police Commissioner, they were faced with stiff resistance by men on duty gave a them a tough fight.

“The armed men had to retreat when they saw….that two of the bandits were gunned down while others were injured. They quickly carried their dead and ran away.

“The command lost two while an ASP died out of high blood pressure in the hospital.”

police men in delta state work to foil the plans of gunmen

Delta police foil attack on station, lose two officers

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer accepts this season has not been a success for Manchester United but believes his squad has the right characters to do better next term.

United lost to Villarreal in the Europa League final after David de Gea’s spot-kick was saved in an epic shootout.

The Red Devils finished second in the Premier League but have not won a trophy since 2017.

Asked if this season had been a success, Solskjaer said: “No.

Speaking to BT Sport, he added: “We need to get better, simple as.

“We’ve done really well this season coming through. The start was difficult. We had no pre-season and lost three of the first six.

“We pushed in the league, maybe got closer to the top than we thought and we got to a final. But you need to win the finals to make it a good season.”

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Former United midfielder Paul Scholes, speaking as part of BT Sport’s punditry team, questioned whether United’s players hurt enough after a defeat.

But Solskjaer stood up for his team and believes they possess the right character to respond positively to Wednesday’s defeat in Gdansk.

“We have a strong, competitive squad. The spirit in the squad is good. They’re gutted in there,” he said.

“Now is not the time to point the finger at what I’d have done differently. But when you come out without the trophy you haven’t done everything right.

Man United’s season has not been a success – Solskjaer

Zinedine Zidane has resigned as Real Madrid manager with immediate effect, according to media reports, just days after the club were beaten to the La Liga title by Atletico Madrid.

The Frenchman’s reported departure comes at the end of a disappointing campaign for the 13-time European champions, who also lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals as they failed to win a trophy for the first time in 11 seasons.

Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano broke what he called  “exclusive” news in a tweet that was picked up by Spanish sports outlets including Madrid sports dailies Marca and AS, and the radio station Cadena Ser.

An official announcement of his departure, said Romano, would be made “in the next hours/days”.

Only 10 days ago Zidane, who has a contract until 2022, denied media speculation that he had already told his players that he would be leaving at the end of the season.

“How am I going to tell my players that I am going now? It’s a lie,” he said after a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao.

“I focus on this season. There is a game left and we are going to give everything. I only care what happens in this finale.”

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But, perhaps tellingly, he added: “The rest, we will see at the end of the season.”

If confirmed, it marks the end of Zidane’s second spell in charge of the Spanish giants.

The 1998 World Cup winner first took the helm in January 2016 and guided Real to the 2017 La Liga title and an unprecedented hat-trick of Champions League titles before abruptly quitting on May 31, 2018.

He returned in 2019, winning a second La Liga crown in 2020 and the Spanish Super Cup.

Zinedine Zidane Resigns As Real Madrid Manager

Nigerian newspapers,on one page.