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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has congratulated immediate past Deputy Governor of Delta State, Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama, SAN, as he turns 70 years on Monday June 5, 2017 , describing him as a committed patriot, astute administrator and a leader of impeccable disposition. Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Charles Aniagwu, noted in a statement on Sunday that Prof. Amos Utuama is a loyal and committed patriot whose invaluable service to Deltans will remain indelible in their hearts. Aniagwu quoted the Governor as saying: “It is with profound joy that I write on behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta State, to express very warm felicitations to you as you join the septuagenarian’s club. “In the course of life, you have touched a lot of lives, from impacting knowledge as a law teacher, to serving as the Chief Law Officer and later as Deputy Governor of our dear state, you have indeed shown that you are born to serve and you serv...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Some football fans on Friday commended the Super Eagles for their superb performance and bashing of Togo 3-0 in an international friendly match. One of the fans, Kelechi Isiguzo told newsmen in Abuja on Friday  that the victory showed that the team had come back to form. Isiguzo, who described the match as a test of the players’ form and fitness, said that the Super Eagles had won his respect. ‘’I nearly wrote off the team with its poor performances in the past, but now, I am proud of them and I can bet anything for them. ‘’They displayed team spirit and above all, the traditional Nigerian dedication and commitment with seriousness in the pitch,’’ he said. Also speaking, Akio Lulu, said that the Super Eagles proved many bookmakers wrong by that disgrace of Togo. Lulu noted that the Super Eagles dominated all through the match with impressive moves, which ordinarily would send shivers to South Africa. Nigerians, however, called on the Super Eagles to imp...

http://ift.tt/2qq12tu Facebook logos AFP PHOTO / Justin TALLIS Facebook, Google and other US internet giants have sharply boosted efforts to clamp down on online hate speech, a top European Union official said Thursday. The EU joined forces with the companies a year ago to combat online extremism, responding to growing alarm in Europe over the use of social media as a recruiting tool, especially by the Islamic State group. “The companies are now removing twice as many cases of illegal hate speech and at a faster rate when compared to six months ago,” Vera Jourova, the EU commissioner for justice, said in the first annual progress report. It “shows that a self-regulatory approach can work”, said Jourova, who called for further progress — particularly from Twitter. Facebook was the only one of the four giants — the other two are Microsoft and YouTube — to review and act on most hate speech notifications within 24 hours, she added. “Facebook shows that they invested a lot of...

http://ift.tt/2qwbodi PHOTO:AFP Senegal’s former president Abdoulaye Wade, aged 91, will head a list of opposition candidates for parliament in an election to take place on July 30, according to aides. The announcement was made on Monday night after a broad opposition coalition of more than 40 parties broke up, said supporters of Wade, who ruled the west African country from 2000 to 2012. Some movements and associations in the coalition backed the mayor of Dakar, Khalifa Sall, who was jailed in March on suspicion of embezzlement but will still top a separate list of candidates, according to his supporters. The deadline for submitting candidates in the poll expires overnight Tuesday. There is no age limit on people standing for parliament. A parliamentary victory for the opposition to President Macky Sall would give Wade the means to obtain an amnesty for his son, Karim, who enjoyed considerable ministerial powers under his father, but was sentenced to six years in prison i...

http://ift.tt/2q7vmKN Argentina's Lionel Messi. / AFP PHOTO / ANDRES LARROVERE Argentina’s hopes of reaching next year’s World Cup were given a huge boost on Friday after FIFA overturned Lionel Messi’s four-game ban for swearing at an assistant referee. FIFA said there was not enough evidence to support the stiff punishment meted out in March to the 29-year-old Barcelona striker, who is central to Argentina’s faltering bid to get to Russia 2018. Football’s governing body said its appeal committee sided with a challenge filed on Messi’s behalf by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and lifted “the sanctions imposed on him as a result”. “Despite the fact that the FIFA Appeal Committee considered Lionel Messi’s behaviour as reproachable” it concluded “the evidence available was not sufficient” to justify a four-game international ban. The ruling also means Messi will be spared the 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,000, 9,200 euros) fine. The superstar was originally found gu...

http://ift.tt/2qIzNIW Nigeria Police The Lagos State Police Command on Friday said it had discovered a new kidnappers’ hideout where arms as well as police and military life jackets were recovered. The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Mr Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed the discovery to newsmen, said that it was made during raids of creeks at Isawo in Ikorodu area of Lagos. Owoseni said that the hideout was discovered on Thursday by a team of Ikorodu Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Volunteer Police led by Superintendent Godfrey Soriweiu. He noted that the success came two weeks after the discovery of a similar hideout in Isawo. “In continuation of its onslaught on militants operating from the creeks, Lagos State Police Command early Thursday morning raided and recovered seven army and police bullet-proof vests. “The teams also recovered eight ballistic helmets and nine life jackets from a new kidnapper’s hideout in Lagos. “ Other item recovered by the team includes a s...