Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi says he is ‘flattered’ by the transfer speculation linking him with a summer move to top English Premiership club, Manchester United. Wilfred Ndidi Ndidi’s consistent performances have seen him linked with a number of high profile moves this summer, with the likes of Man-U, Arsenal and Liverpool all reportedly interested in his soccer play. The 22-year-old has been linked with a move away from Leicester in the coming weeks following a sensational season at the King Power stadium. The Nigerian star was an ever present for Leicester in the Premier League during the previous campaign with his combative midfield performances drawing plenty of praise from supporters and pundits alike. “I am flattered when hearing such a thing,” Ndidi told Goal.com. “I am focusing on AFCON with Nigeria now, and then pre-season with Leicester City. We have a great manager with ambition to compete with big clubs in the Premier League.”

.Sarri has been named new coach of Serie A champions, Juventus on a three-year contract after leaving Chelsea, the Italian club has said. Sarri The 60-year-old Sarri spent just one season in the Premier League after joining Chelsea from Napoli and moved on in spite finishing third and winning the Europa League. Juventus split with previous coach Massimiliano Allegri at the end of last season to conclude a five-year reign. They have won the last eight Italian titles but exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals this term. Sarri would be tasked with improving Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus in Europe’s elite competition. Chelsea have been linked in the media with a bid to make former player Frank Lampard, who currently manages derby, their next boss. (dpa/NAN)

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Residents of towns and villages along the Opara Forest Reserve in Oyo State and Imeko Forest Reserve in Ogun State are living in fear following the invasion of the two reserves by herdsmen from African countries like Burkina Faso, Mali among others

Some residents of Imeko, Iwoye and Jabata told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that the development had been a major source of concern them, alleging that the herdsmen allowed their animals to destroy people’s farms while grazing in the areas.

One of the residents of Iwoye, Adeyemi Olaosebikan, told our correspondent on the telephone that inhabitants of Jabata village in the Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State had deserted their community following the killing of some indigenes during an attack.

He said residents fled the community in May after four persons were killed in the community, adding that residents of other border communities were now living in fear.

Olaosebikan stated, “Herdsmen from many countries in West Africa have taken over the Opara Forest Reserve in Oyo State and Imeko Forest Reserve in Ogun State. Their presence there is causing fear among the people.

“In fact, resident have deserted Jabata Village which is in Imeko Afon. Imeko Forest Reserve should be twice the size of Ibadan. It is 378 square miles. The Opara Forest Reserve is almost three times bigger than Imeko Reserve.

“Government is watching herdsmen from Burkina Faso, Mali and other countries taking over an area that is that large. The forest reserves belong to the Federal Government but state forest guards are the ones taking care of them. However, it is obvious that the forest guards are not doing anything there. So, this invasion is a time bomb.”

Corroborating the claim, a resident of Imeko Afon, Joseph Ogunwale, said the herdsmen, who invaded and occupied a tomato factory, being built by the Oodua Investment Company Limited had yet to vacate the place almost two months after.

“Government took over the forest between 1908 and 1930. The forest reserves are in the Nigeria-Republic of Benin border. These two reserves are very large. Imeko Forest Reserve is bigger that Ibadan and Opara Forest Reserve is almost three times bigger than Imeko Reserve,” he said.

One of the prominent sons of Imeko, Prof. Anthony Asiwaju, a former lecturer at the Department of History, University of Lagos, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the occupation of Imeko Forest Reserve by foreigners was a security threat.

Asiwaju said, “Many of them have taken residence in uncared for, unguarded forests reserves along the international boundary. They cross from the northern part of Benin Republic to Nigeria. The government there does not allow them to stay and they cross to Nigeria and move into the fore

The Executive Secretary, Benue State Teaching Service Board, Prof Wilfred Uji, has said the state needs  over 5,000 teachers in its secondary schools.

He added that 20 out of the secondary schools owned by the state government were destroyed by Fulani herdsmen during attacks on the state in 2018.

The TSB boss, who spoke with journalists in his office in Makurdi on Thursday, said over 500 teachers had retired while another 100 who died had not been replaced.

Uji added that over 200,000 pupils and more than 1,000 secondary school teachers had been  forced out of school due to herdsmen attacks.

He called on the Federal Government to give the state N1bn as intervention fund for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the schools.

 According to him, 20 out of the 64 government-owned secondary schools were completely razed down as a result of the invasion, adding that one teacher lost his life during the attacks.

The TSB boss said public secondary schools in Agatu, Udei, Gbajimba, Torkula all in Guma local government areas as well as Logo, Ukum and Katsina-Ala local government areas were worst hit during the attacks.

“At one instance,  the herdsmen wrote a letter to the Principal of Community Secondary School, Tongov in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area and the man died as a result of shock.

“I can categorically tell you that the future of children displaced by the attacks is bleak, and it will take the state and other parts of northern Nigeria more than 100 years to catch up with the rest of the states in the country educationally.

“The North accounts for over 80 per cent illiteracy rate in the country due to insurgency and other unrest in the region. There are over eight million school dropouts in northern Nigeria.

“I urge the Federal Government to set up the Secondary Schools Commission like the National Universities Commission, Universal Basic Education Commission, and the National Board for Technical Education to regulate secondary school education in the country,” Uji said.

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

WIFE of the President, Dr. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has said that henceforth she should be addressed as ‘First Lady’.

Mrs Buhari in the past four years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was addressed as ‘Wife of the President.’
But on Thursday night Dr. Aisha Buhari, announced her decision to be addressed as the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at an event held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The new designation was announced at the presentation of awards to immediate past governors’ wives and current governors’ wives of the 36 states of the Federation.

According to her, the new designation would take immediate effect in order to resolve the issue of the title of wives of governors.
She said “When my husband was newly elected, I personally chose to be called the Wife of the President.

“But, I realised that it causes confusion from the state as to whether the wives of state governors are to be addressed as the first ladies or wives of the governors.
“So, forgive me for confusing you from the beginning, but now I chose to be called the First Lady. “

The Benue state Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom risk his life, cross on a boat on river Buruku to attend the burial of late Mama Rachael Afanyo Tsavdza Tsumba, a mother to a Former speaker of the Benue state House of assembly Mr Terseer Tsumba

Another shocking story making the rounds, after last year’s JAMB money-swallowing snake, has claimed that a big Gorilla swallowed N6.8 million in the Kano Zoological Gardens during Sallah celebration. Gorilla allegedly swallows 7 million naira from Kano Zoological garden JAMB’s missing N35m: Court remands woman charged with blaming snake(Opens in a new browser tab) According to BBC Pidgin, the Chief Revenue Officer for the zoo, when approached, said on Wednesday, that the said money, approximately six million, eight hundred and twenty thousand naira, was money realised as gate fee from fun-seekers who had visited the zoo during Sallah celebration  to watch the animals. Kano Zoological Gardens where Gorilla allegedly swallowed 7 million naira A local radio station in the state, Freedom Radio had reported on Thursday that one of the finance officers it spoke with had said that one huge Gorilla sneaked into their office and carried the money and ran away, where it went and allegedly swallowed the close to seven million naira. Also, when asked, the Managing Director of the zoo, Kashekobo, confirmed the development to the BBC Pidgin but, however, said that he had nothing more to say about it other than that the matter was under investigation. According to him, ” the issue is under investigations for now and I don’t want to say anything concerning the matter. Many journalists have met me on the issue but I don’t want to say anything. All I can say is that the money got missing.” Also, confirming the report, the Police spokesperson in the state, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, said the matter was under investigation. According to him, ” Yes it is true that money got missing from the Kano Zoo. It is money they realised for five days of Sallah festivities. As at now, we have arrested 10 staff members of the Zoo and they are in police CID.” “Among the people we arrested are the gatemen and the people in the finance unit. What we want to understand is why they left such huge amount of money for five days without taking it to the bank,” the police spokesperson was quoted as saying. Recall that in February 2018, one Philomina Chieshe, a sales clerk with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Benue state, had claimed that a huge snake swallowed N36m, which the board made from sale of scratch cards.

-Asema peter

The Group Managing Director, Benue Investment & Property Company Limited, Mr. Alfred Adem on wednesday 12th june 2019 called on Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) to collaborate with the company to revive SEMI-MORIBUND industries in the state.

Mr. Alfred made the call during a courtesy call on him by the new Zonal Coordinator for North Central Region of the council, Mr. Emmanuel Longza and the State Coordinator Mrs. Beatrice Peter.

The GMD appealed to the Council to use her network by recommending some of the semi-moribund industries to prospective foreign and local investors for the economic growth of Benue State.

He requested the council to create more opportunities in the state and pledged BIPC’s commitment to meeting all registration requirement with the council.

Earlier in an address, Zonal coordinator of the council, Mr. Emmanuel Longza requested the company to register with the council in order for the company to achieve visibility on the council’s website and as well as the Book of the State which will enable the company be recognized among the five star category.

Mr. Longza stated that if registered the investment opportunities in the state would be recorded for easy assessment and possible investment by investors both in the country and other parts of the world.

The Zonal Coordinator also assured that the council was already working out modalities to train Benue entrepreneurs and provide opportunities for them to expand their businesses.

In separate remarks, the General Manager, Internal Audit and Control, Mr. Amity Ijowu and the General Manager, Real Estate and Infrastructure, Mr. Justines Wever, all appreciated the council for the visit assuring the Company’s commitment of expanding in all aspects to attain greater heights