Author: straightnewsng.com

A jihadist attack on a military camp in western Niger three days ago left 89 soldiers dead, according to a new toll announced by the government on public radio Sunday. “After a thorough search, the toll has been established as 89 dead among friendly forces, and 77 dead for the enemy,” said spokesman Zakaria Abdourahame. Three days of national mourning have been declared to honour the dead. The previous toll given for Thursday’s attack on the Chinegodar camp was 25 soldiers killed. Heavily armed assailants had stormed the military base in an area where dozens also died in a previous…

Real Madrid beat city rivals Atletico Madrid 4-1 in a penalty shootout to win the first edition of the revamped Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia following a goalless draw after extra time in a tense final on Sunday. Captain Sergio Ramos converted the decisive fourth penalty for Real Madrid after Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo Goes and Luka Modric had scored for his side while Saul Niguez and Thomas Partey failed to convert for Atletico, with Kieran Trippier scoring for them. Atletico keeper Jan Oblak and Real counterpart Thibaut Courtois were the top performers in a cagey 90 minutes which forced…

Dakkada FC Sunday clipped the wings of high-flying Rivers United after slotting in 2-1 during the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL match. At the match played at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Rivers United a penalty goal against Dakkada FC during the injury time in the second half, yet it could not change the tide against them. From Jos, the rejuvenated Akwa United after four unbeaten wins played a goaless draw with Plateau United, the group’s leaders, at Jos Stadium on Sunday. After 14 matches, Dakkada FC with 23 points but superior goal margin occupy the fourth position while…

Anger is growing in the land. Vigils turned to mass protests as the mourners started calling for resignation of Iranian leaders are swelling by day. Some could not behold their sight just as the rest could not hold their tears when some Iranians “best and brightest” became charred after the downed plane’s inferno. US President Donald Trump Iranian leaders placed $80 million for his head is having his giggle over admission by Tehran that its forces mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing 176 people on board. Trump warned “To the leaders of Iran – DO NOT KILL YOUR…

By Akanimo Sampson The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Haiti, its Goodwill Ambassador Phyllisia Ross and a group of Haitian women artists have released the song ‘Goudou Goudou’ on the video to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Haiti earthquake and remember its victims. Named for the popular way Haitians describe the earthquake which devastated their country, the video will help raise funds for the many displaced Haitians still living in camps and still need support. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010, and IOM in coordination with the government of Haiti, United Nations and other…

By Akanimo Sampson Hundreds of former bonded labourers in western Nepal are currently benefiting from vocational training under an innovative International Labour Organisation (ILO) scheme. Birendra Chaudhary, now a fully trained and well-paid plumber, is one of them. The 28 year-old Birendra Chaudhary from far-western Nepal was born into a community that has, for centuries, been trapped in bonded labour. Under the Kamaya and Haliya system of bonded labour, landlords gave families loans that would give them just enough to get by, forcing them to work to pay off the loan. Both systems were abolished in the 2000s, however many…

The rumble that greeted the setting up of the forensic audit to excavate past financial records and bring to the fore the accounts of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has died down. The appointment and inauguration of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) led by an erudite lawyer/activist, Dr. Joi Nunieh, to midwife the forensic audit of the NDDC from 2000 to 2019 has received a new boost to withstand any conceivable hurdles. The sack of the Pius Odubu-led board after it was confirmed by the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari nailed rancour and controversy that would have sparked a row…

In this concluding part of the interview, Uwem Jonah Akpan, a Ph.D holder in African History/International Studies from the University of Calabar and author of Ikono- The Cradle of Ibibio Nation: A refutation and other books dropped a bombshell: the ancestors of Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB Leader, migrated from Ibiaku in what is known today as Akwa Ibom State to Ibeku in Abia while Aba was part of Akwa Ibom in the olden times. Excerpts: Now the book- Ikono The Cradle of Ibibio Nation: A refutation- has gone into the public domain. How is the perception?       Apart from the…

Relentless Liverpool beat Tottenham 1-0 to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to a yawning 16 points on Saturday as Southampton gained sweet revenge over high-flying Leicester. Elsewhere, Chelsea and Manchester United secured comfortable wins in the race for the top four but 10-man Arsenal fell further off the pace after a limp draw at Crystal Palace. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool secured their 20th win in 21 Premier League matches thanks to Roberto Firmino’s 37th-minute goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Their enormous lead over second-placed Leicester means they are almost certain to claim their first…

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, sees the shooting down of a plane by Iran that killed 176 passengers, as God’s judgment. The crash occurred hours after Iran targeted US forces in Iraq to avenge the killing of its top general, Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike. Iranian officials had repeatedly denied claims by US, UK and Canadian officials that the Boeing Co. 737-800 jet was shot down by the missiles of its armed forces. On Saturday, Iran said it unintentionally shot down the Ukrainian airliner that crashed this week killing 63 Canadians and 82 Iranians, among others, calling it an…