Dozie Info

Power distribution companies have failed Nigerians and showed no appreciable impact on the power sector since its privatisation three years ago, President-General of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSEAC), Engineer Chris Okonkwo, has said. He also accused the distribution companies of defaulting in collection and payment to service providers in the sector contrary to the agreement they reached when they took over the assets from government. But Okonkwo, who spoke in Lagos at the weekend during his swearing-in as the president of the association, regretted that the government has not deemed it fit to call the companies to order with a view to ensuring compliance with due process. He said the fact that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) gave the distribution companies over N200billion intervention fund while the former still cry wolves over electricity tariff and price of gas speak volume of the insincerity on the part of the companies. He al

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has indicated a willingness to join Manchester United at the end of this season, but only if Louis van Gaal leaves the club this summer. Ibrahimovic is out of contract at Paris St Germain at the end of this season, and is considering all of his options, with serious interest from clubs in the Premier League and Chinese Super League. He confirmed at a press conference in March there has been interest in him from English clubs, yet Sky sources have confirmed he has reservations about joining United with the Dutchman in charge. In his 2011 autobiography, I am Zlatan, the Sweden international alluded to the strained relationship between the pair when he played under Ronald Koeman at Ajax and van Gaal was at the club as technical director. Manchester United's style of play under Van Gaal this season has been criticised in some quarters - United have only scored 39 Premier League goals, just three more than Sunderland who currently sit 18th in the table. Ib

The remains of 37-year-old Kamoli Isiaka, who was stabbed to death by his friend Azeez, last week, at Ololade Street at Morogbo community, have been committed to mother earth at a Muslim burial ground at Iyana Isashi. It was gathered that the late Isiaka and his friend, Azeez, had issue over N2,000 given to them by one Mr. Ololade in the neighbourhood, which led to the former being stabbed in the neck by the latter. When newsmen visited the scene of the incident at Ololade Street in Morogbo community, the family and friends of the deceased had already gone to Badagry General Hospital to retrieve the remains for burial according to Muslim rites. Before burial, family members took the corpse to the Baale of Ayetejuesefo community in Elija, where the alleged suspect fled to after committing the crime. According to the deceased step-brother, Alfa, “the man, whom they named the street after, gave Isiaka, and two of his friends N2,000 for a reason yet to be known. It was while they we

                                 Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has slammed Arsene Wenger, saying Arsenal have blown their best chance of ending their Premier League title drought. The Gunners chances of winning a first league title since 2004 were dealt a severe blow with their 3-3 draw against West Ham on Saturday. Wenger’s men are therefore now 10 points adrift of surprise leaders Leicester City, who can extend their lead when they play relegation-threatened Sunderland on Sunday. And Allardyce reminded Wenger of just how big a chance Arsenal have let slip this season. “They won’t get a better time to win the league than this season,” he told reporters. “A normal season would have seen Leicester, having the season they’ve had, maybe finishing in the top four, which would have been miraculous. “But they’ve had an opportunity that, without any doubt, Arsenal have missed. Leicester have taken it and Arsenal have lost it. “We were all saying, ‘What a chance for Ars

The Directorate of State Services, DSS, yesterday revealed how some yet to-be-identified members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, abducted and killed five Hausa-Fulani men in Abia State. The deceased, according to the Service, were suspected to have been killed by their abductors and buried in shallow graves, amidst 50 other shallow graves of unidentified persons. It would be recalled that the five men were recently reported to have been missing by Hausa-Fulani leaders in the state. DSS said in a release made available to journalists by an operative of the Service, Tony Opuiyo, that it uncovered the “heinous” role played by members of the IPOB in the abduction or kidnap of the five men who resided in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of the state. The Service gave the deceased’s names as Mohammed Gainako, Ibrahim Mohammed, Idris Yakubu, and Isa Mohammed Rago. It said the alleged act by IPOB members was already creating ethnic tension in the South-East and other parts of the c

An early goal from teenager Mikel Oyarzabal saw Real Sociedad beat Barcelona 1-0 and blow the Primera Division side wide open. The 18-year-old headed in the only goal of the game in the fifth minute and the hosts held on to claim a fifth consecutive home win over Barcelona, who have still not won at Anoeta since 2007. The surprise defeat comes a week after the 2-1 loss to Real Madrid and Barca have now gone three games without a league win, their longest stretch without victory under Luis Enrique. Barca remain top of the table but are now just three points above Atletico Madrid and four clear of Real Madrid, although they have a superior head-to-head record against both sides, having led the league by nine points eight days ago. Rafinha made his first appearance since tearing cruciate ligaments in his knee last September, starting at the expense of Andres Iniesta, while Sergi Roberto replaced Jordi Alba and Arda Turan came in for Ivan Rakitic. Munir El Haddadi filled

A groundbreaking feat has been reached by the Engineering corps of the Nigerian Army, as they have invented a rechargeable blasting devise technology for enhanced operational capability in counter insurgency operation in the north east. The anti-Improvised Explosive Device (IED) is designed to clear un-exploded bombs and other explosives in the theater of combat against Boko Haram. Breaking Times reports that the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General T Y Burutai and other top army officers were present at the unveiling of the devices. Below are photos from the unveiling            Engineers testing out the anti-IEDs  Major-General Buratai and other top officials at the unveiling of the rechargeable blasting devise technology.

The fuel lingering crisis has claimed lives as a female staff of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) shot dead a boy and another unidentified person at the AP Filling Station 21, Road, FESTAC Town. The boy was alleged to have bought fuel in jerry cans and was going home when he was accosted by a team of civil Defence officials who arrested him. The boy who should be about 18- years- old was said to have laid down on the road pleading with the corps members to allow him to go home as he was not a fuel hawker but had just bought the fuel for personal use. Eyewitnesses said the Commander of the team who felt that the boy was resisting arrest, ordered a female official to shoot the “Bastard” and the woman obeyed his order and shot him. On seeing the boy dying in the pool of his blood, the corps members zoomed off in their patrol van and ran away. As at press time, men of the enhanced military patrol tagged ‘OP Mesa’ and the Nigeria Police led by the FESTAC Police St

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has given an assurance that the 10,000 megawatts of electricity in three years promised by President Muhammadu Buhari earlier in the month will be actualised. He added that the energy crisis facing the country would soon be a thing of the past, saying one of the country’s power plants located at Gbarain in Bayelsa State, which was close to completion, was fired the previous night for pre-commissioning tests. Speaking at the resolution of a three-year dispute between Enugu Electricity Distribution Company and Aba Power Limited, which had stalled the completion of a 141MW power project for the area, the minister said the resolution and the recovery of four turbines that were down would ensure that the power challenge facing the country could be overcome. A statement by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Communications, Hakeem Bello, on Friday quoted the Minister as saying apart from showing that distribution com

Female Fan Licks Sweat Off D’banj’s Body As He Performed On Stage (Photos, Video) A fan took her obsession with singer D’bsnj to a whole new level at the just concluded Gidifest concert in Lagos.     D’banj , who thrilled the audience to his music, decided on inviting a female fan on stage while he performed ‘i’m in love with the koko’ but got the surprised of his life when the female fan decided on showing just how much she is in love with his koko. At first the lady could be seen cleaning the swaet off the singer’s chest while he performed but decided against using cloth as she switched to her tongue in carrying out the task. Much to even D’banj’s dismay, lady began licking his chest but suddenly stopped short and ran back into the crowd covering her face

Alexandre Pato scored on his debut as a seventh straight league loss continued Aston Villa's slide towards relegation. The home fans chanted against their players and owner Randy Lerner as the Blues took control in the second half. Ruben Loftus-Cheek's deflected shot and Pato's precise penalty had given the visitors a healthy half-time lead. Pedro scored twice - slotting in Oscar's pull-back and hammering home a loose ball - before Alan Hutton was sent off to compound Villa's misery. Aston Villa fans turned their ire on their owner and team in the second half Aston Villa's Premier League survival may still be possible in theory, but - with 12 points separating them from safety and six games left - attention has long since switched to the longer term in the Holte End. Before kick-off, fans held aloft banners asking "Proud History, What future?" as they contemplate a Championship campaign on the pitch and owner Randy Lerner's continuing

For many young girls, coming to live in Lagos from the villages is a turning point they look forward to with excitement. It was the same for 12-year-old Rachael (not real name), who left her native Akwa Ibom State in company with her aunty, Joy Isong. But within days of settling in Lagos, the girl had been traumatised to the point of regretting the day she made the decision to leave her widow mother, to follow her aunty. Within days of her Lagos surjourn, the little girl, who was enroled in class five in a primary school in Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, had been raped two different times in her aunty’s home. “I loved to come to Lagos but I did not want to leave my mother, but my aunty said if I followed her to Lagos, I would be happy. But now, I am so sad I did not know this is the kind of thing I will come and go through here,” Rachael said. Rachael told our correspondent that she was sleeping in her aunty’s house one evening after the woman had gone to the market. “I just woke

Football fans in Ondo State have blamed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for Nigeria’s exit from 2017 African Cup of Nations competition and called for “total overhaul’’ of the federation. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Super Eagles fell 0-1 to the Pharaohs of Egypt in Alexandra in the return leg of their qualification match on Tuesday. Both teams drew 1-1 in Kaduna in the first leg. In separate telephone interviews, the fans told NAN on Saturday in Okitipupa, that NFF toyed with the qualification by sacking Stephen Keshi in preference for Sunday Oliseh. The fans also kicked against the plan by the federation to employ a foreign coach for the Super Eagles, saying that that was not the solution to the problem. Kayode Bamiduro, a radio sports presenter, said that Nigeria’s failure to qualify for AFCON for two consecutive times was an embarrassment, and insisted that the NFF should be overhauled. “The NFF should bow their head in shame because they are r

Arsenal will host Watford at the Emirates Stadium in their first match back after the international break, with plenty of ground to make up in the home straight. Revenge may be on the minds of the Gunners too after they were dumped out of the FA Cup by the very same opposition just three weeks ago.                                                              Ighalo dares Iwobi Arsene Wenger is sweating over the fitness of goalkeeper Petr Cech, who is rated at 50-50 to return having missed the last five games with a calf injury. He has returned to full training, however, alongside Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky, although Saturday’s match will come too early for those long-term absentees. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla are also still a few weeks from returning, while fellow midfielders Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey will miss this weekend’s game as well. Mikel Arteta could return to the bench, where he may be alongside the likes of Per Mertesacker, Theo Walco

From Nnewi – The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said that it will resume protest in it bid to free Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra and that it is putting in place a Television technology that it will use to broadcast live all its activities in Nigeria. IPOB also said its leader and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu will no longer accept any food, including those brought by his close family members to avoid poisoning it by the Department of State Security, DSS, alleged to always scrutinize his food before allowing it in. IPOB in a statement jointly signed by its spokesmen Emma Mmezu and Dr Clifford Iroanya, said ‘many people are willing to die for Nnamdi Kanu so Buhari led All Progressives Congress Federal Government should tread carefully with the life of Mr. Kanu because hell will be let loose if anything happens to him, Nigeria will never be the same should anything untoward happens to Kanu”. “Our resumption of protest is imminent but for understandable r

The troops of 155 Task Force Battalion, 21 Brigade, Nigerian Army on Thursday 31st March 2016, once again met a huge success by killing nine suspected insurgents after rescuing 21 people held captive by the insurgents in Wulwuta village. This was disclosed by Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman Acting Director, Army Public Relations in a press statement on Saturday. He noted that during clearance operations troops discovered and destroyed Improvised Explosive Device (IED) factory and cleared Boko Haram terrorists hide out in Wulwuta village, ahead of Jere, Bama Local Government Area of Borno state. During the operation, Colonel Usman Kukasheka said, troops also killed 9 Boko Haram terrorists while one of their soldier was wounded in action. “The troops of 155 Task Force Battalion, 21 Brigade, Nigerian Army on Thursday 31st March 2016, once again met a huge success by killing nine suspected insurgents after rescuing 21 people held captive by the insurgents in Wulwuta village. “The

In response to the federal government’s state of emergency in fuel distribution, the Kano state office of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has closed down fifteen filling stations over various offences, while a filling station was also fined N1m for removing DPR’s sticker. The Operations Manager, Isah Tafida, said the ongoing task force on surveillance of filling stations in Kano and Jigawa states yielded tremendous result. “Service stations have been compelled to sell petroleum products particularly PMS and DPK at government approved prices,“ Tafida stressed. He added, “During the exercise the defaulters were punished accordingly. So far, in the last two weeks a total of fifteen (15) stations have been closed, sanctioned and fined for various offences.” He assured that as they were anticipating more fuel as announced by federal government, they remained resolute to monitor continuously without break, the distribution chain to stop sharp practices by marketers. Tafi