Month: December 2019

Westham Sack Pellegrini.

Having slumped to 17th in the Premier League table following Saturday’s loss to Leicester City, West Ham have announced manager Manuel Pellegrini’s sack.

More to come.

Liverpool Recall Phillips From Bundesliga Loan Spell To Bolster Defence.

Premier League leaders Liverpool have recalled Nathaniel Phillips from his loan spell with German club Stuttgart in response to a sudden shortage of centre-backs at Anfield.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is down to two fit senior central defenders in Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez, with Joel Matip (knee) and Dejan Lovren (hamstring) both sidelined and midfielder Fabinho — a possible replacement — also out with a knee injury.

Now a recall for the 22-year-old Phillips, who has made 11 appearances for the Bundesliga 2 side this season, could see him make his debut in the FA Cup third round Merseyside derby tie at home to Everton on January 5.

A statement released by the club on Friday reads: “Liverpool have reached an agreement with Stuttgart for Nathaniel Phillips to return from his loan spell in January.”

Liverpool, bidding to be crowned champions of England for the first time in 30 years, surged 13 points clear at the top of the table with a 4-0 win at second-placed Leicester on Thursday.

DSS releases Sowore.

The Department of State Services has finally complied with the court orders directing it to release the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, from custody.

Omoyele’s release came a few hours after the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said in a statement on Tuesday that he had issued a directive to the DSS to release the Sahara Reporters publisher and the immediate-past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Malami said his directive followed the decision by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) regime to comply with the court orders granting bail to the two men.

Sowore was violently rearrested at the Federal High Court in Abuja by the operatives of the DSS on December 6, barely 24 hours after he was released from detention that lasted over four months.

Journalists from various media houses saw Sowore after he was released from the custody of the DSS at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja at about 6.20pm on Tuesday.

But it could not be ascertained yet if Dasuki who had been detained by the agency since December 2015 was also released on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia Bans Under-18 Marriage.

The Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Justice has prohibited marriage of persons under 18 years, just as it set 18 years as the minimum age for marriage.

According to a report by the Saudi Gazette, the Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council Sheikh Dr. Walid Al-Samaani on Monday issued a circular to all courts, stressing the banning of marriage for persons under 18 years.

All such requests are to be referred to the specialized court to complete the formalities in line with the Child Protection Law and while implementing the established regulations.

Mr Al-Samaani’s directives are based on paragraph 16/3 of the executive regulations of the Child Protection Law.

The law says: “Before conducting marriage contracts one has to make sure that marrying a person under the age of 18 will not harm him or her and achieve their best interests, male or female.”

GBESE: Tony Tetuila Sues Wizkid and DJ Tunez For Intellectual Property Theft.

Veteran Nigerian singer Tony Tetuila has informed followers on his Instagram that he alongside Ghanaian act Tic, formerly known as Tic-Tac has filed a lawsuit against ace producer DJ Tunez and Nigerian pop superstar Wizkid.

Filing the suit at the Federal High Court, Nigeria, Tetuila is accusing Wizkid and DJ Tunez of intellectual property theft on their song “Gbese”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6VQul5FYjj/?igshid=lcgi6f5jsyo2

A 2019 collaboration that also features Blaq Jerzee, Gbese is a hugely successful afro-pop/highlife hit that resonates deeply with the African mind, pulling out the quieter, more soulful party spirit while bringing a huge wave of nostalgia to young adults who grew up listening to jams from Tetuila and Tic-Tac’s generation of music acts.

On the validity of the lawsuit, Wizkid is clearly heard crooning the words “Fefe N’efe, nah the beauty of a woman…” on the song Gbese, words Tetuila himself uttered verbatim on his own song years back. However having also sampled the tune from VIP’s massive jam “Ahomka Wemu” on his hit song Manya without any issues whatsoever, it was widely believed that same was the case with Gbese. Still, Tetuila’s himself can be said to have intellectually stolen the words too as they were also used verbatim way before by the great Abami Eda himself, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

More details as the story unfolds.

Quilox: Police Demanded ₦100K Bribe To Release Impounded Cars – Lawmaker.

A Nigerian lawmaker has accused Nigerian police of demanding ₦100,000 before cars impounded from Quilox Club could be released to their owners.

https://twitter.com/akinalabi/status/1209101737614807042?s=21

A spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command Bala Elkana told The Guardian on Monday that the cars were towed from causing traffic following a 36-hour non-stop event hosted at the club.

Apart from the cars towed, police also arrested the owner of the club, Shina Abiola, popularly known as Shina Peller, who himself is a lawmaker. The club was also sealed by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency because of noise pollution.

Elkana accused Peller, who told a plenary of the House of Representatives last Wednesday that he had stepped from the management of the club, of leading 50 suspected thugs to Maroko Police Station, where the towed vehicles are kept.

“This Honorable now mobilised over 50 thugs to attack Maroko police station to remove the cars,” Bala said

“We have to send reinforcement and then he was arrested with five other thugs while others flee,” he said, adding the Peller is being “investigated”.

But Alabi said the claims that Peller wanted to invade the police station were “lies”. He claimed the police commissioner in the state may be behind Peller’s arrest.

“Now they are trying to swing the narrative by lying that he tried to invade the police station,” Alabi said. “He went to bail those that were arrested. He was arrested. CP even boasted that he has a score to settle with him.”

Shina Peller: Police Detain Club Owner/House Of Rep Member In Lagos.

The police in Lagos State have reportedly arrested and detained a member of the House of Representatives, Shina Peller, at the Moroko Police Station.

Peller, who is representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Oyo State, was allegedly arrested while trying to take the bail of some clubbers.

The lawmaker is the owner of a popular Lagos club, Quilox.

A statement by Peller’s Press Secretary, Kola Popoola, claimed that the lawmaker’s offence was not disclosed to him as his phones were seized.

He said, “Peller was at Moroko Police Station to bail some of Club Quilox’s customers who had allegedly parked on the road during a show at the club.

“Prior to the kickoff of the 36 hours non-stop show which usually holds every year at Quilox, Peller had informed the concerned Lagos traffic authorities to avoid unnecessary traffic gridlock.

“On getting to Moroko Police Station, the police started harassing Peller and even went as far as seizing all his phones for no reason.

“The continuous harassment and unjust detaining of a member of House of Representatives,Peller, by the police calls for urgent attention of the media, and the Commissioner of Police.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, did not take his calls and had yet to respond to a text message on the incident.

Daley Blind: Former Manchester United Defender Diagnosed With Heart Condition.

Ajax and Netherlands defender Daley Blind has been diagnosed with a heart condition after suffering from dizziness during the Champions League game against Valencia on 10 December.

The ex-Manchester United player, 29, has missed the last two matches of the year and will not rejoin training in January as he continues his recovery.

Ajax said Blind had been “diagnosed with heart muscle inflammation” after extensive medical examination.

“I feel good at the moment,” he said.

“I am trying to come back as soon as possible.”

Blind has been fitted with a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator, which sends electrical pulses to regulate abnormal heart rhythms, specifically those that can be dangerous and cause a cardiac arrest.

Duncan Mighty Was Arrested, Not Kidnapped – Police.

The Imo State police command have shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the early morning arrest of Singer Duncan Mighty.

According to the State’s police P.R.O, the singer was arrested for fraud after reneging on an agreement he made with the Imo state government.

The arrest follows a petition written by an upcoming rap artist M2, who claimed that the Imo state Government led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha, through the office of the SA on Entertainment, enter into a deal with Duncan Mighty to manage, promote, arrange collaboration with other top artist and sign M2 under Young Wealth record label owned by Duncan Mighty.

This agreement was sealed with a fee of N11 million which was paid to him, however, since collecting the payment he refused to fulfill his own part of the deal.

Before today, the artist was arrested, and he confirmed going into an agreement but said he can only refund the money if the contract is terminated. Based on this promise, he was released.

This led to a termination of the contract by the representative of the former Governor, to ensure he refunds the money, however, since then, Duncan Mighty could not be reached. According to the statement, “he absconded.”

In view of the above, a warrant of arrest was issued, that led to his arrest at the early hours of this morning.