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Five South East governors have met with pro-secession leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and his father, in a move to find solution to agitation for the creation of Biafra country. A communiqué released at the end of the meeting with the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB), the South East Governors’ Forum said they deliberated on the demands of the group and had noted their concerns. The Chairman of the forum, Gov. Dave Umahi said on Wednesday in Enugu said: “The meeting agreed that the demands by IPOB should not be absolute, rather, the governors shall immediately engage the IPOB to further meetings.” The governors said the meetings, which would also have in attendance other notable leaders of the group, would be aimed at quickening the resolution of all issues amicably. “We, therefore, request from all concerned to give the governors opportunity to amicably sort out the problems,” Umahi said. In attendance during the meeting were Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State...

Thousands of people thronged the Daura airstrip in Katsina State to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari, who has arrived his hometown for Eid-el-Kabir. The Airforce helicopter conveying the president and members of his immediate family landed at the airstrip at 4:45 p.m on Wednesday. The president was received by the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk, politicians and thousands of well wishers. Buhari, looking much healthier and radiant, smiled as he waved to the mammoth crowd. He walked from the airstrip to his residence in the GRA of the town. Inside the town itself, Buhari’s arrival excited many people, who broke out in prayers for his good health. Malam Aminu Shehu, a trader who could not control his emotion, described the arrival of the president as a relief to Nigerians, especially his kinsmen who spent a year without seeing him. He praised God that the president was looking happy and not fatigued. “we will continue to pray for the well-being of the president’’. ...

THE NATION *Royal Breakup: Ooni, Wuraola’s marriage timeline *Evans in court: I’m guilty *My client was forced to ‘implicate self’, says lawyer *EFCC recovers over N430.8b, secures 137 convictions in eight months *Oyo: Ladoja hasn’t told us he rejected his crown *UNIPORT names suspected ‘killer’ of niece *Buhari opts to walk as crowd takes over Daura home *Suspected Fulani herdsmen invade Falae’s farm again *Biafra: Southeast governors, IPOB chief Kanu meet *Rivers APC celebrates Buhari’s return with solidarity rally *Council chief presents free GCE forms to students *Owoseni: I’m still Lagos CP THE PUNCH *There are corrupt elements in EFCC, says Magu *Lawyers clash at Ekiti panel probing Fayemi regime *Akeredolu swears in commissioners, says I inherited N220bn debt *Militants kill four soldiers, one civilian in Bayelsa ambush *Sowore asks court to stop Saraki’s N4bn judgment claim *Economy: Fayose attacks Buhari *Anambra poll: Three foreigners...

Ms Chimamanda Adichie, the young Nigerian accomplished writer and author has been honoured with the ‘Doctor of Letters’ degree at the University of Edinburgh Scotland, United Kingdom. The honorary doctorate degree was presented to the writer by the university’s Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea, at a special ceremony at the school’s St Cecilia’s Hall – Scotland’s oldest concert hall. At the ceremony, O’Shea stated that the award was given in recognition of Ms Adichie’s achievements as an author and public intellectual. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on July 5, 2017 received a similar honorary doctorate degree in recognition of his achievements as a public servant with strong commitments to equality and diversity. Following the award presentation, head of the Scottish government, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, interviewed Chimamanda about her work and ideas at an event at Edinburgh International Book Festival in association with the Colleg...

A Houston police officer has been confirmed dead after he drowned in floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey that left him trapped in his vehicle. The officer’s death brought the number of people killed to 15 since the storm made landfall on Friday. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner confirmed during a news conference on Tuesday that Sgt. Steve Perez died Sunday morning. The 60-year-old Perez was heading to work when he was caught in floodwaters. Houston Police recovered Perez’s vehicle at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning. “He was trying different routes, and took a wrong turn,” one unidentified high-ranking official told the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday. Turner tweeted that Perez drove two and a half hours ahead of work, looking for a safer route to report for duty. Perez’s wife said the police sergeant told her “I’ve got work to do” when she asked him to reconsider going to work, Turner tweeted. According to Fox News, Perez worked with the Houston Police Department for 34 years...

PUNCH *FG decides on ASUU’s demands today as union shuns meeting *Ibadan indigenes support new kings – CCII *Buhari probing AGF, Magu’s face-off, says FG *Enugu APC threatens to expel minister *AGF raises ministry’s team to probe ‘sensitive’ cases *Senator Kanti-Bello dies, Buhari, Saraki mourn *NAF airlifts relief materials to S’Leone, rotates troops in N’East *Senator Uchendu gets certificate of return, attacks Wike *Rivers DPO arrested for ritual killer’s escape *Police to arraign Evans for kidnapping, murder today *Gunmen kidnap 11 passengers in Rivers *Cameroon detains Bakassi indigenes over tax, community petitions FG *Pro-Biafran group withdraws support for Chidoka, UPP GUARDIAN *NNPC restructures, effects changes in 55 key positions *No meeting, act on our demands, ASUU tells government *Rams everywhere, but none to buy as Sallah approaches *Edo monarch seeks single chamber National Assembly *FG, EU launch energy efficiency code to save 40...

US President Donald Trump said there has never been any flood as bad as the one ravaging Texas and its capital of Houston, following unprecedented rainstorm. He declared that the state faces a “long and difficult road” to recovery after the floods. “It’s the biggest ever, they are saying it is the biggest, it’s historic,” Trump said, addressing a White House press conference a day before he travels to the Lone Star State with his wife,  Melania. “There’s probably never been anything like this,” Trump said of Tropical Storm Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast at the weekend and inundated the Houston region. “I’ve heard the words ‘epic,’ I’ve heard ‘historic.’ That’s what it is,” he added. The US leader earlier indicated his team had already been in contact with Congressional leaders to discuss relief for the millions of people affected by tropical storm Harvey, which is barrelling along the Texan coast toward Louisiana. “We’re dealing with Congress,” Trump said, spea...

The Pentagon has notified the U.S. Congress  of the sale to Nigeria of 12 Super Tucano A-29 planes and weapons worth $593 million, needed for the  fight against the militant group, Boko Haram. The move on the sale, which included thousands of bombs and rockets and was originally agreed by former President Barack Obama’s administration, was announced by the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The sale was initially announced on 2 August. The Super Tucano A-29, an agile, propeller-driven plane with reconnaissance and surveillance as well as attack capabilities, is made by Brazil’s Embraer. A second production line is in Florida, in a partnership between Embraer and privately held Sierra Nevada Corp of Sparks, Nevada. The Super Tucano costs more than $10 million each and the price can go much higher depending on the configuration. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT 6 engine. The Obama administration delayed the deal after incidents includi...

PUNCH *Sallah: FG declares Friday, Monday public holiday *Kudirat’s murder: Lagos faults A’Court’s rejection of Rogers’ testimony *$565,000 fraud: Court dismisses American’s application to vary bail conditions *B’Haram: US sells N181bn warplanes, weapons to Nigeria *US lawmakers to meet Osinbajo, Saraki over B’Haram *Court orders permanent forfeiture of Diezani’s N7.6bn to FG *Fayemi’s govt didn’t remit N18bn, panel told *We’ll extradite Diezani, EFCC assures protesters *Obaze wins PDP’s gov primary in Anambra, Uba kicks *Emir laments impact of social media *I resigned, I’m not a deserter, Misau tells police *Delta women protest alleged acquisition of land by army *Military giving Buhari wrong information on B’Haram attacks – Rep GUARDIAN *Police, Missau face-off on corruption claims rages *Women protest against alleged land-grabbing by military in Delta *U.S. agrees to sell arms to fight insurgency, says Saraki *Engineers accuse FG of indifference...

PUNCH *Don’t use force on agitators, Okupe urges Buhari *B’Haram leader who took part in Chibok girls kidnap surrenders *IYC faults Buhari’s handling of IPOB, N’Delta agitators *Ignore Diezani’s protesters, Sagay tells Buhari *Buhari not being manipulated, Osinbajo not sidelined –Presidency *Buhari’s recovery worth celebrating, says Okowa *Our quit notice to northerners, Yoruba stands – N’Delta militants *APC seeks legal advice on cars held by ex-Speaker *Nwoye elected APC gov candidate in Anambra *Niger gov wants corrupt persons barred from politics *Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Kanu …say Igbo group ‘trivialising criminality’ *Ajimobi installs 21 new Ibadan kings in one day ,FG’s poor governance model destroying institutions – Wike THE NATION *Boko Haram ‘commander’: I led Chibok schoolgirls kidnap *Ajimobi warns Olubadan to stay away from politics *$14.1b forex deals attract investors *JAMB defends low minimum cut-off marks *I won’t go ...

Floyd Mayweather has won the fight against loudmouth Conor McGregor in the 10th round, with the referee having to save the Irish challenger from further punishment. The American now has a 50-0 record. And for his efforts, he will pocket a potential $300m (£230m). Boxing pundits never expected the fight at T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas, United States, to go the distance, but McGregor lived up to his promise to shock the boxing world. McGregor came out full of fury and menace but Mayweather, long regarded as the finest defensive fighter to step into the ring, left few openings and used the first three rounds to feel out his opponent. But in the end the champion Mayweather was just too good. The end came early in the 10th round as Mayweather  landed a flurry of unreplied punches on an apparently fatigued McGregor. The referee, Robert Byrd stepped in to stop the fight to save McGregor from any more punishment. The fight which was delayed because of pay-per-view issues st...

Tennis world number two, Britain’s  Andy Murray has pulled out of the U.S. Open, citing a hip injury. The tournament begins on Monday in New York. The Scot, who had not played since Wimbledon, said he had tried everything to be fit for the final grand slam of the year. “I tried obviously resting, rehabbing to try and get myself ready here,” an emotional Murray told a news conference at Flushing Meadows on Saturday. “I was actually practicing OK the last few days but it’s too sore for me to win the tournament, and ultimately that’s what I was here to try and do.” The three-times grand slam winner, who won the U.S. Open in 2012, has been struggling with the injury for much of the summer. He was suffering during his French Open semi-final defeat by Stan Wawrinka in June and had to pull out of two exhibition matches in the run-up to Wimbledon. It was clearly a big problem during his home grand slam tournament, when he bowed out, clearly in pain, in the quarter-finals, ...

Floyd Mayweather said he is not going to fight again after winning his 50th professional bout against Irishman Conor McGregor in Las Vegas Saturday night. ‘This was my last fight. I chose the right dance partner’, he said after stopping the Irishman in the 10th round. “He is a tough competitor and we gave them what the fans wanted to see – I owed them for the Manny Pacquiao fight. “He [McGregor] was a lot better than I thought. He was a tough competitor, but I was the better man. Our game plan was to take our time, let him shoot his heavy shots and take him out at the end. “In the MMA, he fights 25 minutes really hard, and after 25 minutes he starts to slow down. I guaranteed everybody this would not go the distance. Boxing’s reputation was on the line.” On his record of 50-0, beating Rocky Marciano’s 49-0, Mayweather added: “Rocky Marciano is a legend and I look forward to going into the hall of fame one day. “This was my last fight tonight, for sure. I chose the righ...

The crisis in the Korean Peninsula is far from being resolved as North Korea on Friday fired “several projectiles” into sea off its eastern coast. According to the South Korean military, the missiles were launched from a site in the North Korean province of Gangwon and flew for about 250km (150 miles). Since firing an intercontinental ballistic weapon last month, Pyongyang has threatened to aim missiles at the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. But this latest test did not threaten the U.S. or Guam, the U.S. military said. The projectiles were first launched at 06:49 on Saturday (21:49 GMT Friday), South Korea’s Defence Ministry said. The U.S. military said three missiles were fired. “The first and third missiles failed in flight. The second missile launch appears to have blown up almost immediately,” said Commander Dave Benham of the U.S. Pacific Command. The launches were spread over a period of 30 minutes, he added. “The military is keeping a tight surveillance ove...

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday imposing new financial sanctions on Venezuela over President Nicolas Maduro’s undemocratic actions amid efforts to consolidate his power. The move prohibits dealings in new debt and equity issued by the Venezuelan government and the state-owned oil company. “These measures are carefully calibrated to deny the Maduro dictatorship a critical source of financing to maintain its illegitimate rule,” the White House said. It added that it would also “protect the U.S. financial system from complicity in Venezuela’s corruption.’’ The move came as Maduro has clamped down on political opposition and consolidated power in his government’s hands. Venezuela’s economy has been in a free fall and its citizens have suffered from food shortages and a sharp rise in violent crime. On Aug. 11, Trump issued a surprise threat to Maduro, warning that the U.S. might intervene in the chaos enveloping the South American country. ...

A retired Nigerian diplomat, Mr Zango Abdu, on Thursday said Morocco’s bid to join the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) may pose serious security threat to the region. He said this in a panel discussion, which examined the security “Implication of the Ascension of Morocco to ECOWAS” at a high-level dialogue on opportunities and threats of the ascension in Abuja. “Nigeria is the biggest military power in West Africa; it has the biggest economy in the region and the panel that discussed security discussed how Boko Haram affected Nigeria, Chad, Cameron and Niger. “One of the issues that came up is to say that Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is gaining stronger ground in Morocco,” Abdu, who chaired the panel, said. He warned that if Nigeria failed to take higher interest in this issue of Morocco joining ECOWAS, it was most likely that the youths joining ISIS in Morocco or Libya would find their ways into the country. This, according to Abdu, is the r...

Air Commodore Olatukumbo Adesanya, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), said that a NAF Beetle Aircraft crashed on Thursday in Kaduna while on a mission. Adesanya announced this in a statement in Kaduna on Thursday. According to him, the only soul on board the aircraft, one of the NAF’s experienced instructor pilots was unfortunately killed in the mishap. He said the cause of the incident was unknown. However, he said the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, had directed the constitution of a board of inquiry to determine the immediate and remote causes of the crash. “The unfortunate incident is a tragic reminder of the hazards associated with the flying profession. “The CAS and the entire NAF family commiserate with the relatives of the late instructor pilot.”

The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, has suspended the October 1 ultimatum it gave South East people to leave the north. The youths had issued the order after a meeting where they issued the Kaduna declaration. The decision to rescind the quit notice was announced at a press briefing held at Transcorp Hilton hotel, Abuja on Thursday. The press conference was attended by many Northern Youth Groups, including the Arewa Youths Council (AYC) that initially issued the quit notice on lgbo resident in the 19 Northern states. It was also attended by the Governor of Borno state and Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Kashim Shetima, ex- Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Kabiru Gaya, ex-Minister, Alhaji Sani Daura and Alhaji Shetima Yerima of Arewa Youths Council. The coalition of Arewa youths claimed their demand was in response to secessionist stance of some pro-Biafran groups as well as the insults spewed on the north by the pro-secession groups. The spokesman of the gr...