#DeadlineDay: Chelsea Signs Zappacosta From Torino

Torino’s Davide Zappacosta has joined Chelsea for £23 million, signing a four-year contract with the blues.

The Italy international defender emerged as a surprise transfer target for Chelsea on deadline day and a deal has been completed.

Antonio Conte is familiar with Zappacosta, after calling him up to the Italian squad in 2016.

The 25-year-old full-back had been at Torino since 2015, previously representing Atalanta in Serie A.

“It is a dream for me to join Chelsea and play in the Premier League,” Zappacosta told Chelsea’s website. “I am very excited to be here and start working with the team. I hope I can show my quality to the coach, my team-mates and the supporters.”

Nigerian soldiers fail to arrest Abubakar Shekau after 40 days ultimatum

The ultimatum given to the Nigerian troops to arrest Boko-Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, after the forty-day ultimatum given has elapsed.

The  Ultimatum was given by the  Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai on July twenty-one ordering  the commander of operation Lafiya Dole and his troops to arrest Abubakar Shekau at all costs.

At a briefing in Maiduguri on the fortieth day of the ultimatum, the commander, major general Ibrahim Attahiru, said the arrest had not been made.

He however added that the failure to arrest Shekau within the deadline was not an indication that the military would relent in its efforts to fight the Boko-Haram terror group and possibly arrest their leader.

Attahiru also said operations are ongoing to locate and rescue the University of Maiduguri staff who had been abducted while exploring oil in Borno by members of the Boko Haram sect.

The theatre commander in his briefing also gave a breakdown of activities of the northeast counter-insurgency operation, including the terrorists killed, hostages rescued, arrests made, weapons recovered, and losses on the part of Nigerian troops.

President Buhari destroyed EFCC – PDP

Members of opposition party , the Peoples Democratic Party,( PDP )  on Thursday, accused the ruling party, All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government of destroying the independence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission.

The EFCC and ICPC were created during its 16-year reign to curb the menace of corruption in the country, this was made known in  a statement by the PDP Head of Publicity Department, Mrs. Chinwe Nnorom.

But the APC, the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecutions, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla; and the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), berated the PDP for saying that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration destroyed the independence of the anti-graft agencies.

The statement said the PDP, which was established on August 31, 1998, had remained the only viable, prosperous and most visionary political party in Nigeria.

The PDP statement by Nnorom stated, “(The) PDP administration established two major anti-corruption agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission to curb the menace of corruption in the country.

“These efforts reduced corrupt practices and further increased the confidence of foreign investors that resulted in huge investment inflows into the country.

“The APC-led government of today has destroyed the independence of these agencies with their selective approach of using ‘deodorants’ when APC members are involved and ‘insecticides’ when it concerns the PDP members and other Nigerians.”

The statement said the PDP therefore remained the best political party in Nigeria.

It therefore appealed to Nigerians to return the former ruling party to power in 2019, saying it had learnt from its past mistakes.

The PDP stated that the chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, congratulated members and supporters of the former ruling party on the achievement.

“As s a human organisation, there might have been some issues or areas we could not cover when we were governing. We promise to make amends as and when given the opportunity again in 2019,” the statement added.

The former ruling party believes Nigerians have not forgotten the enormous infrastructural developments, policies and programmes developed by it in contrast to the current APC-led government.

It added, “The PDP no doubt, initiated several reforms that transformed the country from the decay of long years of military dictatorship/failed civilian administration and never resorted to self- pity, blame and propaganda as it’s seen today.

“For the record, in 1999 the image of Nigeria internationally was in a deplorable state with very poor human rights records. The PDP took conscious steps to change that perception and within a very short period, it restored the country to its pride of place among the comity of nations. We promise to do it again come 2019.”

It recalled how former President Olusegun Obasanjo “worked diligently with other western powers to settle all our foreign debts accumulated by the military, thereby detaching Nigeria’s economy from the burden.

The PDP noted that Nigeria’s unity remained the core principle of the founding fathers, saying throughout the 16 years of the PDP government, the party took deliberate actions to sustain and maintain this principle by building bridges across the nation.

This, it said, could not be said of the APC-led administration given its alleged lopsided appointments, which it argued had aggravated the agitations for self-determination and secession by some sections of the country.

The PDP, however, declared that the party would not support such agitations.

Father of four shot dead by Police officer over land dispute

A father of four children identified as,  Danton Hodewu, was shot dead by a  policeman,identified as  Inspector Wasiu Lawal, attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ogun State Police Command, the suspect reportedly shot the car dealer, , in front of the palace of Alase of Ilase in the Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.

 It was gathered that the youth leader of the community  led policemen to arrest Danton in his house and took him to the palace.

Our correspondent learnt that the 45-year-old was leaving after a discussion at the palace when he was shot by the inspector.

The deceased’s son, Sunday Hondewu, told newsmen that his father had bought the land some years ago and made part payment.

“But the youth leader was also interested in buying the same land,” he added.

Sunday explained that apart from the land, Ope had asked his father to supply him a bus worth N800,000 two years ago.

He said the vehicle was brought to Nigeria, but had some faults, adding that Ope paid N600,000.

“My father demanded the payment of the N200,000 balance so he could fix the faults and give him the bus in good condition.

“The vehicle was not released and when the youth leader eventually paid N100,000 on August 15, 2017, he came with three SARS officials the following day. They took my father to the palace. They had a discussion on the palace premises.

“As he was leaving, Inspector Lawal shot him in the back.

“Ope ran away; he later presented himself at the police headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta. He was released on bail immediately.

“The police invited the kabiyesi for interrogation, and he was also released on bail.

“The police are lying to us that Ope is in their custody; but my brother and I saw him along Koko Road in a Toyota Venza.”

“Ope has gone into hiding since then. He was seen sometime last week. We want justice.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the trigger-happy policeman had been dismissed after an orderly room trial.

He, however, stated that the police did not have any evidence against the youth leader and the traditional ruler.

He said, “The inspector that shot the man has been dismissed and he will soon be charged to court. The youth leader did not order the policeman to shoot the man. We cannot punish somebody who did not commit an offence.

“Anybody can invite the police to settle a matter. That should not make a policeman to do what is not within the ambits of the law. This is not a matter we can sweep under the carpet.”

The Foods You Should Eat Everyday For The Nutrients They Provide

Some foods, including vegetables and fruits tend to provide more nutrients than others and it is essential you know them to have a healthy life. The thing however is not many of us are familiar with these foods and how we can incorporate them into our meals in such a way that they would be palatable for us to enjoy eating them.

Here are a number of very nutritious foods you should consider eating everyday.

Tomatoes
Red Tomatoes contains a lot of the antioxidant lycopene, which can help to decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. It is ideal to aim for 22mg of lycopene per day, equivalent to eating eight red tomatoes per day. You can get this through tomato ketchup, which you can include in your recipe.

Carrots
A lot of the fruits and vegetables that are colourful (red, yellow, or orange) contain carotenoids — fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as reduced risk of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Carrots however have the lowest caloric density among fruits and vegetables of this category and it can be sliced and eaten raw, baked with sweet potato, pumpkin pie or carrot cake.

Spinach
Spinach is a green and leafy vegetable that is common the tropics. It I a good muscle builder that contains high levels of omega-3s and folate, which helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Spinach is also packed with lutein, a compound that fights macular degeneration and can help your sex drive.

More so, Folate contained in them also increases blood flow to the nether regions, helping to protect you against age-related sexual issues. You can use them to make salads, add them to scrambled eggs or drape it over pizza.

Yogurt
Yogurt is made through a Fermentation process that spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to millions of beneficial bacteria in your body. As such, they help to boost your immune system and offering protection against cancer.

Not all yogurts are probiotic, and you can know this by the label as anyone saying “live and active cultures” contain probiotics. You can have yogurt as dessert or use low-fat yogurt as a base for salad dressings.

Black Beans
All types of beans are good for the heart but black beans has the honour of being able to boost brain power better than others because of the high levels of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function.
It is low in calories and free of saturated fats too, making it a healthy food option.

Walnuts
Walnuts are rich in Richer in omega-3s, have loads of anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and loads of muscle-building proteins too. They can be eaten as a snack, sprinkled on top of salads or grind and mixed with olive oil to make a marinade for grilled fish or chicken.

Oats
Oats are packed full with soluble fiber, that helps to lower the risk of heart disease. Despite the fact that oats contain a lot of carbohydrates, fibers ensure the slow release of the sugars. The fact that they also contain some proteins ensures that eating them provides your body with muscle-friendly energy.

You can substitute oats with flaxseed or wild rice, and they can be eaten as cereals with milk. You can also eat them by grinding flaxseed on cereals, salads, and yogurt.

Fake Phones Can Cause Cancer Ailments

The use of fake, unapproved and substandard phones have been threatening the health of Nigerians for a while according to an information from NCC.

 

The Nigerian Communications Commission on Thursday warned Nigerians against use of substandard phones, saying this was responsible for some cancer ailments.

An official of the commission, Mr  Kunle Olorundare, gave the warning at a stakeholders workshop organised by the Ibadan Zonal office of NCC at the popular Fayose GSM Market in Ado Ekiti.

Olorundare lamented that fake phones had taken over the country’s phone market, adding that they have had  negative implications on the health of users.

The NCC official  also identified unapproved phones as a major cause of network interruptions. He said the preponderance of substandard phones was causing colossal damage to network services and health of users.

Olorundare  warned that sellers of unapproved Information and Communication Technology products were flouting the commission’s Act.

He said they could face prosecution or seizure of their market items if they did not desist from selling such forthwith.

Olorundare also advised phone sellers across the country to ensure the phones they buy  from manufacturers  and dealers were approved by the NCC.

He added that the NCC had a list of all ICT products approved for sale and use in Nigeria.

Cristiano Ronaldo sets new hat-trick record

It was all about breaking record for Real Madrid super star, Cristiano  Ronaldo as he scored  his 48th career hat-trick – and his fifth for his country – as Portugal beat the Faroe Islands 5-1 to strengthen their grip on the play-off spot in Group B.

He also moved clear of former Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko to become the highest European scorer in World Cup qualifying matches, taking his total to 29.

His first was his best, a stunning third-minute bicycle kick following a right-wing cross from Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva.

BBC Sports reports that Norwich forward Nelson Oliveira also scored for Portugal, who remain three points behind group leaders Switzerland, 3-0 winners over Andorra.

Hungary remain third, eight points behind Portugal with three matches remaining, after beating Latvia 3-1.

PHOTOS: SERIOUSLY ILL MAN WEDS HIS WIFE WHILE ON SICK BED IN HOSPITAL

According to the story shared by a Liberian man, Philip Blamo, a man who was seriously sick in the hospital was made to sign a legal marriage certificate by his girlfriend.

Somewhere in Africa, a critically ill man was arranged for a wedding ceremony despite his state of health. The incidents that led to this marriage event that took place in the hospital as the man remained bed-ridden is currently unknown.

The bride and her family members looked joyous in the photos.

According to some sources the man and his fiance had dated for a very long while and it was his dying wish for them to get married.

Other conflicting reports on social media have it that the union was the bride’s secret ploy of securing the man’s wealth for herself in case he dies. The location of the event is yet to be ascertained.

Well what ever one it was we have to commend the bride for her courage not many women will do this.

See more photos:

President Buhari Issues Sallah Message To Nigerians (Full Text)

President Muhammadu Buhari has reassured Nigerians that his administration will not rest on its oars until security and economic well-being and prosperity of all Nigerians are achieved.

The President gave the reassurance in his Sallah message to Nigerians on Thursday, even as he congratulated Muslims on the celebration of this year’s Eid-El-Kabir.

The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said in a statement in Abuja yesterday that Buhari, appealed to Nigerians to rise against the odds and to keep all prejudices aside and strengthen the bonds of friendship and unity among themselves to keep the country together.

The statement read: “Fellow Compatriots, I felicitate with you all, particularly the Muslim faithful, on the celebration of this year’s Eid-El-Kabir.

“I congratulate our Muslim brothers and sisters who are currently in Saudi Arabia to participate in the rites of the Hajj.

“From the outset, I want to use this opportunity to thank all Nigerians who prayed for my recovery and have continued to extend their goodwill and support after my return to the country.”

Furthermore, he reassured Nigerians of his commitment to fulfilling his administrations promises and urged Nigerians to put aside all prejudices in order to sustain national unity.

“Indeed your fervent and sincere prayers, which cut across religion, political and ethnic divides, has energised me to re-dedicate myself and this administration to the task of building a great Nigeria.

“On the joyous occasion of this year’s Eid-El-Kabir celebration, I appeal to all Nigerians to rise against the odds, keep our prejudices aside and strengthen the bonds of friendship and unity to keep our country together.

“For Muslims all over the world, this celebration is to commemorate the trials and triumph of Prophet (Abraham) Ibrahim.

“As we celebrate, I sincerely believe that our nation can make rapid progress on all fronts if we re-enact the exemplary virtues, typified by Prophet (Abraham) Ibrahim, through his sacrifice, patience, steadfastness, generosity and obedience to Allah’s command and constituted authority.

“We must learn to see ourselves as brothers and sisters from the same heritage, who must come to terms with the African proverb that ‘‘a family tie is like a tree, it can bend but it cannot break.

“Once again, I assure you that this administration, which has made the security, economic well-being and prosperity of all Nigerians its priority, will not rest on its oars until we see the Nigeria of our dream.

“I wish everyone happy Sallah celebrations.”

Styles on Point (photos)