Sulley Muntari: Garth Crooks calls for black players in Italy to strike

Pescara midfielder Muntari, 32, was banned after he protested against racist abuse he received from the crowd during Sunday’s Serie A match at Cagliari, which earned him a yellow card for dissent before he walked off.

Italy’s football chiefs were branded “gutless” by anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out.

“Those with power in Italy need to take action to stop this happening again,” Kick It Out tweeted.

Businessman arraigned for punching woman to death

A middle-aged businessman, Kingsley Oshiegbu, was on Wednesday in Lagos arraigned for beating a woman to death during an argument. Oshiegbu was charged with manslaughter before an Ikeja High Court. The State Prosecutor, Mr M.T Adewoye, told the court that the accused on April 1, 2015 punched Miss Ifeoma Ndidi, to death at No. 7, Majaro St., Agege, Lagos.

Report about Buhari feeding through vein is bumkum ,he is only resting– Lai Mohammed

For the third week in a row, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday stayed away from the regular Wednesday meeting of the Federal Executive Council. FEC, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed said that the President was still taking his rest as advised by the medical doctors.He also described reports of the president feeding via tubes as 'bumkum'. He said:

Facebook to hire 3,000 more staff to police content – Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg has pledged to hire an extra 3,000 staff worldwide to police content on Facebook.

The social network’s founder published – on his Facebook page – what amounted to a greater commitment to users’ safety following several “heartbreaking” instances of people hurting themselves or others in live, or recorded, videos in recent weeks.

Alleged N6 billion fraud: Top Kano Emirate Council official presents documents

Three top officials of the Kano Emirate Council have appeared before the state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission with documents in connection with ongoing investigation of an alleged misapplication of N6 billion.

The Chairman of the commission, Muhuyi Magaji, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Kano.

21-Year-Old Lady Gang-Raped In Lagos By 5 Men On Her Way To Work

A 21-year old lady (name withheld) has been hospitalised after she was gang-raped by five men on her way to work.

The incident happened at Irawo area of Owode Onirin in Ikorodu, Lagos.

Transfers, new sponsorships, TV deal leaves Chelsea books in rude health

The Premier League title isn’t quite won yet, but Antonio Conte has already led Chelsea back to the top table of European football.

Sunday’s 3-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park secured a top-four finish and ensured that Stamford Bridge will host Champions League matches again next season, regardless of what happens in the final weeks of this campaign.

Chelsea to reward Tammy Abraham with new contract

Chelsea are ready to hand striker Tammy Abraham a new deal as reward for his goal-scoring form out on loan, sources close to the player have told ESPN FC.

Abraham is entering the final two years of his contract at Stamford Bridge this summer when he returns from his successful loan spell at Bristol City.

Senate urges halt to Nigeria, UK prisoner swap deal

The Senate has enjoined the Federal Government to stop receiving prisoners from the United Kingdom (UK) under the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TSP).

The upper chamber, which based its decision on the need to regularise the pact, therefore, invited the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami and his Foreign Affairs counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama, to shed more light on the swap deal with regard to the agreement between the two countries for further legislative action.

Suspended SGF, Lawal collected N507m bribe – Senate

The final report of the Senate ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East has revealed that contractors paid over N500m in kickbacks to a company linked to the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal.

An interim report, late last year, had indicted Lawal for due process violation in award of contracts under Presidential Initiatives on North East (PINE)

Manchester United is Too Small for Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid President

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has termed Manchester United a “small team” when quizzed if Antoine Griezmann might leave the Spanish capital for Old Trafford.

25 year-old Griezmann, has been regularly linked with a move to Jose Mourinho’s side since the beginning of the season when his pal Paul Pogba switched from Juventus to Manchester United.

What My Husband Told Me About Nigeria Before His Death – Turai Yar’Adua

Hajiya Turai Umaru Musa Yar’adua has revealed how her husband, former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua once told her that his relatives would quarrel with her after his death as they would think he had left so much money.

The former first lady who spoke at a memorial lecture in honour of the late president in Katsina at the weekend, also said “the late Yar’adua was not a materialist leader who believed in accumulating wealth. In fact, he shunned material things as his slogan was service to humanity.

World Bank expects oil prices to hit $60 per barrel in 2018

The World Bank has retained its forecast for crude oil prices this year at $55 per barrel, but its projecting a price increase of $60 a barrel by 2018, owing to production cutback of petroleum exporting countries.

In its April Commodity Markets Outlook report released recently, the World Bank said it is holding steady its crude oil price forecast for this year at $55 per barrel, but noted of a projected increase to an average of $60 per barrel in 2018.

Aaron Lennon treated for stress-related illness

Everton winger Aaron Lennon is receiving treatment for a stress-related illness, his representatives say.

Lennon last played for Everton on February 11, when he came off the bench at Middlesbrough for a 13th appearance of the season.

Cobbler burns son with fire, breaks arm for stealing

A 10-year-old boy, Lukman Babarinde, has been battered by his father, Yaya, for allegedly stealing money from a neighbour.

Yaya was alleged to have beaten the victim till he broke his arms after which he asked him to sit on a local stove, stocked with burning coals.

Dasuki’s support for Buhari in 2011 re-echoes again in ‘Against the Run of Play’

The enormous support given to President Muhammadu Buhari in the build-up to the 2011 general election by the embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has again re-echoed in the book: “Against the Run of play,” authored by Olusegun Adeniyi, the Chairman of Thisday Editorial Board.

Man gets 162 years in prison for N12 million fraud

A convicted fraudster, Ikechukwu Ogbu, was sentenced to 162 years in prison by a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on Tuesday for defrauding a former manager of the defunct BankPHB now Keystone Bank, Mr. Patrick Edetchukwu, of the sum of N12.3m.

The convict, who is in his mid-50’s and presently serving a jail term for two separate offences, duped Edetchukwu of the said sum on the pretence that he was being detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and needed some money to give the anti-graft officials before he could be released.

DSS clears Saraki of N310 million ownership

As the controversy over the ownership of N310 million allegedly stolen from the Maitama home of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki gathers storm, the Department of State Service, DSS, yesterday cleared him of any culpability.

The DSS said the cash did not belong to Saraki or any member of the National Assembly and accused its dismissed staff, who is now standing trial for armed robbery, Abdulrasheed Maigari, of trying to fabricate a lie for a hidden motive.

Premier League: Marriner to referee Arsenal vs Manchester United again

Andre Marriner has been appointed to referee Sunday’s Premier League fixture between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates.

This means Marriner will have taken charge of both matches between the sides in the league this season.

Anthony Joshua And The Nigerian Myth

The emergence of Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua as the WBA, IBO and IBF heavyweight champion of the world after defeating his Ukrainian challenger, Wladimir Klitschko, through a technical knockout on Saturday have led to a series of publications as to why the Nigerian-British born was rejected by the Nigerian Boxing Federation in 2008.

While, most Nigerians have condemned the action of the federation, both local and international media like ThisDay, ESPN, Daily Mail, etc have tagged the non-existing trial, rejection.