Buhari’s daughter, group float Chibok girls’ fund, BBOG kicks

The first daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari, Hadiza Buhari-Bello, will lead rehabilitation teams to conduct free medical tests on the released 21 pupils of the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.

The 21 are among the over 200 girls abducted 30 months ago by Boko Haram insurgents.

The tests will cover Hepatitis B and C, malaria and sugar level. Other stakeholders involved in the exercise and planned rehabilitation of the girls are the Peace Corps of Nigeria, a paramilitary organisation, and the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria.

While commending the Federal Government for the efforts made by the military in releasing the captives, Hadiza, who is the President of the Africa Support and Empowerment Initiative, promised to restore the lost joy and glory of the girls.

She announced the gesture in Abuja on Monday during the official inauguration and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the Chibok girls’ endowment fund project between the PCN and AFRISEI.

Hadiza said, “Considering the present economic situation that the country is passing through, it is necessary for the government to be assisted in ensuring that funds are raised to champion the cause of rehabilitating the released Chibok girls to a concluding success.

“It gives me a great honour to be present here today for the signing of the MoU of an endowment fund for the rehabilitation of the released Chibok girls between our organisations.”

But the #BringBackOurGirls coalition has disowned the fundraising and urged the public to disregard attempts at linking it to “this highly suspicious event.”

The group’s brand name was printed on the backdrop of the fundraising banner.

The BBOG in a statement by its Co-coordinators, Oby Ezekwesili and Aisha Yusuf, said it was not a party to the fundraising, noting that it was shocked and perplexed by the use of its name at the event.

The coalition said after 902 days of advocacy for the release of the abducted Chibok girls, it was disheartening to see attempts by external actors to use its name for selfish purposes.

The movement noted that it had carefully built its reputation as “a well-organised and disciplined global movement that is completely self-funded,” adding that it had contacted its lawyer, Femi Falana, and was considering a response to the attempt to smear its name.

The statement partly read, “We state categorically that we are not party to the said event and have absolutely no information of its origin. We urge the general public to disregard attempts at linking our movement to this highly suspicious event.

Banks reject naira for visa payment

Thousands of United Kingdom and Canadian visa applicants and intending travellers wanting to book hotels online were stranded on Monday as Deposit Money Banks stopped their naira debit cards from being used for dollar and other foreign currency-denominated transactions.

The DMBs had on Friday stopped their naira debit cards from dispensing dollars to customers via Automated Teller Machines in foreign countries, as well as disallowed the cards from being used for online and Point of Sale transactions.

The banks cited dollar scarcity and volatility in the foreign exchange market as reasons. Guaranty Trust Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Stanbic IBTC Bank have already stopped the withdrawal of foreign currencies from the ATMs by their customers who travel abroad and cut the value of their online and PoS transactions to $100 per month.

The development made the UK visa applicants wanting to pay the mandatory $118 for the six-month and $499 for the two-year visas through their naira debit cards to be stranded.

Payment for the UK visa is done online via the government-designated website.

Travelling agents and applicants said they could not complete the UK visa application procedures on Monday. They said payments with naira debit cards of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Ecobank Nigeria, United Bank for Africa Plc and other banks were declined.

It was further learnt that intending travellers and visa applicants wanting to make hotel booking online could not do so as their transactions via the naira debit cards were declined by the banks.

“This is terrible. I am finding it difficult to pay for my UK visa online. I have filled the form. I have got to the payment section and I was trying to pay online but the transaction was declined,” a visa applicant, who identified himself simply as John, told our correspondent at the UK visa application centre in Victoria Island, Lagos on Monday.

Travelling agents assisting the visa applicants to fill their forms said they found it difficult to make payment for UK and Canadian visas online using naira debit cards.

The Chief Executive Officer, Flying Partner, a Lagos-based travel agency, Mr. Kunle Oladele, said, “We could not make payment for the UK and Canadian visa applications online. The few payments we made were done through our partners in foreign countries, who used international debit cards issued by foreign banks.

“We called our partners in South Africa, UK and the United States to do so for us. It is very terrible. I am not sure we can continue like this. Canadian visa applicants will have to go to the country’s visa office now.”

Bank officials told our correspondent on Monday that they could not help the situation, citing the scarcity of dollars as the reason for the suspension of visa payment services.

“There is no dollar again in the country. There is nothing we can do about it,” an official of GTBank told our correspondent on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, hundreds of customers besieged banking halls on Monday to apply for dollar debit cards, a day after the banks suspended naira debit cards from working overseas.

When our correspondent visited some bank branches, crowds of customers were seen filling forms to open domiciliary accounts and to obtain dollar debit cards.

Stanbic IBTC Bank and Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria had on Friday advised customers seeking to carry out transactions denominated in foreign currencies to apply for dollar or pound sterling debit and credit cards.

According to them, such cards will be linked to the customers’ domiciliary accounts.

In a notice to customers on Friday entitled: ‘Review of the international spending limit on your naira MasterCard’, GTBank stated, “We write to inform you of the monthly spending limit currently applicable when using your GTBank naira MasterCard for international payments via PoS and online.

“(The) previous monthly limit via PoS and online was $250; the new monthly limit via PoS and online is now $100. Kindly note that ATM cash withdrawal on your naira MasterCard is now only available in Nigeria.”

The development has also made students studying in the UK, US, Canada, Ukraine and other parts of the world to face more challenges getting their monthly stipends from their parents.

Most of the students had relied on ATM card withdrawals to get their monthly stipends from their parents before now.

Although other banks have yet to announce the suspension of ATM card services abroad, findings by our correspondent showed that many lenders had reduced drastically the amount that customers could withdraw via ATMs abroad.

The decision by some banks to suspend overseas ATM card services and online forex transactions came barely one week after the Central Bank of Nigeria, through the Bankers’ Committee, raised concerns about what it called the indiscriminate and suspicious manner in which some bank customers were spending dollars and other foreign currencies abroad through their naira debit cards.

Consequently, the regulator said it had concluded that bank customers who spent above the $50,000 annual forex limit it imposed would be barred from the forex market.

Dollar scarcity has been ravaging the economy after the price of crude oil, Nigeria’s main forex earner, crashed from $115 per barrel in June 2014 to around $51.4 per barrel currently.

The nation’s foreign exchange reserves have been depleting since then.

Last Wednesday, the country’s external reserves hit an 11-year low of $24.21bn, the latest data posted on the CBN website showed.

Nigeria seeks $15bn upfront oil payment from India

NIGERIA has commenced  negotiations with the Indian government for the release of $15bn as upfront payment for crude oil purchase.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, disclosed this on Monday.

The minister was quoted to have said in a statement signed by the Director, Press, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Idang Alibi, that the deal would be in consideration for Indian public sector companies collaborating with Nigeria in the refining sector as well as exploration and production activities. He explained that the collaboration would be on a government-to-government basis by Indian PSU companies, long-term contracts for supply of crude to such firms by Nigeria, and executing city gas distribution.

Kachikwu, who is currently on a three-day visit to India, was said to have concluded talks on the investments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector in a bilateral meeting with the Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.

The statement said both ministers noted the existing and significant engagement between the two countries in the hydrocarbon sector, while acknowledging that Nigeria is one of the largest trading partners of India in Africa, especially in terms of crude oil and gas.

It said in 2015, India imported nearly 23.7 million metric tonnes of crude (nearly 12 per cent of the country’s overall imports) and over two million metric tonnes of Liquefied Natural Gas from Nigeria.

The statement read in part, “Following this negotiation, the two countries have agreed to work on a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate investments by India in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, and specifically in areas such as term contract, participation of Indian companies in the refining sector, oil and gas marketing, upstream ventures, the development of gas infrastructure and in the training of oil and gas personnel in Nigeria.

“The MoU is expected to be firmed up in December during Petrotech-2016. Both ministers also agreed to strengthen the existing cooperation in oil and gas sector, and in particular to explore investment opportunities for Indian public and private sector companies in Nigeria.”

On the sidelines of the visit, Kachikwu had one-on-one meetings with top executives of Indian public sector oil and gas companies, and representatives of some private firms, the statement said.

Reuters quoted the minister as saying that the nation’s oil production rate was expected to jump by 22 per cent by the year-end to 2.2 million barrels per day from current levels, adding that he hoped a force majeure on all its oil fields would be lifted by December or January.

Kachikwu told reporters, “Nigeria has a bit of a cash flow problem right now. Our reserves are not as strong as we want them. The impact of that is the value of the naira is coming down.

“So, what we are trying is to leverage the assets we have to receive immediate cash.”

Nigeria seeks $15bn upfront oil payment from India

NIGERIA has commenced  negotiations with the Indian government for the release of $15bn as upfront payment for crude oil purchase.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, disclosed this on Monday.

The minister was quoted to have said in a statement signed by the Director, Press, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Idang Alibi, that the deal would be in consideration for Indian public sector companies collaborating with Nigeria in the refining sector as well as exploration and production activities. He explained that the collaboration would be on a government-to-government basis by Indian PSU companies, long-term contracts for supply of crude to such firms by Nigeria, and executing city gas distribution.

Kachikwu, who is currently on a three-day visit to India, was said to have concluded talks on the investments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector in a bilateral meeting with the Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.

The statement said both ministers noted the existing and significant engagement between the two countries in the hydrocarbon sector, while acknowledging that Nigeria is one of the largest trading partners of India in Africa, especially in terms of crude oil and gas.

It said in 2015, India imported nearly 23.7 million metric tonnes of crude (nearly 12 per cent of the country’s overall imports) and over two million metric tonnes of Liquefied Natural Gas from Nigeria.

The statement read in part, “Following this negotiation, the two countries have agreed to work on a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate investments by India in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, and specifically in areas such as term contract, participation of Indian companies in the refining sector, oil and gas marketing, upstream ventures, the development of gas infrastructure and in the training of oil and gas personnel in Nigeria.

“The MoU is expected to be firmed up in December during Petrotech-2016. Both ministers also agreed to strengthen the existing cooperation in oil and gas sector, and in particular to explore investment opportunities for Indian public and private sector companies in Nigeria.”

On the sidelines of the visit, Kachikwu had one-on-one meetings with top executives of Indian public sector oil and gas companies, and representatives of some private firms, the statement said.

Reuters quoted the minister as saying that the nation’s oil production rate was expected to jump by 22 per cent by the year-end to 2.2 million barrels per day from current levels, adding that he hoped a force majeure on all its oil fields would be lifted by December or January.

Kachikwu told reporters, “Nigeria has a bit of a cash flow problem right now. Our reserves are not as strong as we want them. The impact of that is the value of the naira is coming down.

“So, what we are trying is to leverage the assets we have to receive immediate cash.”

Algeria fire coach ahead of Nigeria cracker

After just two games at the helm for Algeria, coach Milovan Rajevac has been sacked by the Algerian Football Federation.

After drawing 1-1 with Cameroon the coach was livid with the performance of some of his players and dressed them down publicly vowing to make mass changes to the team before they travel to Port Harcourt to take on Nigeria in the tough Group B of the AWQ.

This didn’t sit well with some of the senior players who believed that the Serbian simply didn’t get the tactics right against the Central Africans who were arguably the more dominant team, especially in the second half.

This means that the Foxes have less than 30 days to name a new coach and prepare for a game they can ill afford to lose considering that Nigeria made the best of their first game by securing the maximum points against Zambia and are now sitting atop the Group.

Ironically all countries that represented Africa at the Rio WCup have been pooled in the same Group for the Russia WCup alongside Zambia the 2012 Afcon winner

Rajecac had previously coached the Black Stars of Ghana and the national team of Qatar.

Hillary Clinton and her top aides couldn't be happier that Donald Trump's campaign is imploding around him.

Hillary Clinton and her top aides couldn't be happier that Donald Trump's campaign is imploding around him.

But the last week has also made one thing clear for top Democrats: The more wounded the GOP nominee gets, the nastier he will grow toward Clinton. And the campaign is already preparing its defenses for the third debate later this month.

Clinton aides were shocked -- and caught off guard -- when Trump held a press conference with three women who had previously accused Bill Clinton of sexual impropriety before Sunday's debate. They were even more surprised when those women took seats inside the hall, in front of some of the most prominent Democrats in the country.

Even though aides said that Trump's decision to invite three women "failed" to intimidate Clinton, there is now an acknowledgment inside Clinton's campaign that if the wheels completely come off Trump's campaign, the attacks could grow even more personal.

"This was supposed to be his big moment. His threat, he followed through and it had no effect, so I don't know what he is going to do as an encore," Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton's communications director, told reporters on Monday.

But Palmieri also acknowledged that this won't be his last attempt to dredge up past scandals and allegations to humiliate the former secretary of state.

"She's been through a number of trials over the course of her career and she's certainly not going to let him throw her off or intimidate her from speaking out," Palmieri added.

Clinton also nodded to the astonishing spectacle of Sunday's debate.

"Did anybody see that debate last night," Clinton asked to big applause at Wayne State University in Detroit. "Bet you never saw anything like that before."

Hillary Clinton and her top aides couldn't be happier that Donald Trump's campaign is imploding around him.

Hillary Clinton and her top aides couldn't be happier that Donald Trump's campaign is imploding around him.

But the last week has also made one thing clear for top Democrats: The more wounded the GOP nominee gets, the nastier he will grow toward Clinton. And the campaign is already preparing its defenses for the third debate later this month.

Clinton aides were shocked -- and caught off guard -- when Trump held a press conference with three women who had previously accused Bill Clinton of sexual impropriety before Sunday's debate. They were even more surprised when those women took seats inside the hall, in front of some of the most prominent Democrats in the country.

Even though aides said that Trump's decision to invite three women "failed" to intimidate Clinton, there is now an acknowledgment inside Clinton's campaign that if the wheels completely come off Trump's campaign, the attacks could grow even more personal.

"This was supposed to be his big moment. His threat, he followed through and it had no effect, so I don't know what he is going to do as an encore," Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton's communications director, told reporters on Monday.

But Palmieri also acknowledged that this won't be his last attempt to dredge up past scandals and allegations to humiliate the former secretary of state.

"She's been through a number of trials over the course of her career and she's certainly not going to let him throw her off or intimidate her from speaking out," Palmieri added.

Clinton also nodded to the astonishing spectacle of Sunday's debate.

"Did anybody see that debate last night," Clinton asked to big applause at Wayne State University in Detroit. "Bet you never saw anything like that before."

Obama says Americans will travel to Mars by 2030s

next chapter of America’s story in space: sending humans to Mars by the 2030s and returning them safely to Earth, with the ultimate ambition to one day remain there for an extended time,” Obama wrote Tuesday in an opinion piece for CNN.

The voyage to the Red Planet will require collaboration between NASA and private companies like SpaceX.

“Within the next two years, private companies will for the first time send astronauts to the International Space Station,” he added in the piece, which echoed his words from his 2015 State of the Union address and from a 2010 speech.

“This week, we’ll convene some of America’s leading scientists, engineers, innovators and students in Pittsburgh to dream up ways to build on our progress and find the next frontiers,” he wrote.

“Just five years ago, US companies were shut out of the global commercial launch market. Today, thanks to groundwork laid by the men and women of NASA, they own more than a third of it. More than 1,000 companies across nearly all 50 states are working on private space initiatives.”

The first step in achieving the ambitious interplanetary goal is leaving our planet’s orbit, Obama said.

New York Post reported that he announced that the US is working with its commercial partners “to build new habitats that can sustain and transport astronauts on long-duration missions in deep space.

“These missions will teach us how humans can live far from Earth — something we’ll need for the long journey to Mars,” he said about the roughly 34 million-mile trip.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the attendees at Pittsburgh’s White House Frontiers Conference will explore how US investments in science and technology will help the US settle “the final frontier” – space.

In his NASA blog, Bolden addressed public-private initiatives by the space agency.

“By reaching out further into the solar system and expanding the frontiers of exploration, the president outlined a vision for pushing the bounds of human discovery, while also revitalizing the space industry and creating jobs here at home,” he wrote about Obama’s 2010 challenge.

In the next decade, NASA will embark on a “Proving Ground” stage – testing technologies in cis-lunar space around the moon, he said.

In the mid-2020s, a robotic spacecraft will be sent to a nearby asteroid to test exploration gear such as solar-electric propulsion and return a rock for astronauts to study around the moon, Bolden said.

Reps clear 3 lawmakers accused of sexual misconduct

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, cleared three of its members accused of committing sexual misconduct while on an official visit to Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States(US), for the International Visitor Leadership Programme on good governance, which was held between April 7 and 13, 2016. The clearance was sequel to the consideration of the report of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges and Foreign Affairs on the allegations of sexual misconduct against Honourable Mark Terseer Gbillah, Honourable Mohammed Garba Gololo and Honourable Samuel Ikon by the (former) United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James F. Entwistle.

The House, during consideration of the report of its committees on ethics and privileges and foreign affairs,at the committee of the whole, dismissed the allegation against the trio.

The chairman of the House Committee on Ethics,  Honourable Ossai Nicholas Ossai, who moved for the consideration, claimed that the committee did a thorough job.

To this end, the House at the committee of the whole approved the recommendation of the committees that “Honourable Mohammed Garba Gololo, Honourable Mark Terseer Gbillah and Honourable Samuel Ikon are cleared of and exonerated from the allegations levelled against them by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria in his June 9, 2016 letter to the Speaker, for want of evidence.

Another recommendation of the committee approved by the House had it that, “in the light of the foregoing, the  Minister of Foreign Affairs do engage with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, with a view to finding a seamless resolution of the domestic fallout of this unfortunate incident as it relates to Honourable Mohammed Garba Gololo, Honourable Mark Terseer Gbillah and Honourable Samuel Ikon.

The House also approved the recommendation that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should write to remind the United States Embassy of the need to always adopt the official channel of communications in its dealings with any organ or institution of government.

Liverpool bid to end woeful league run v United

Liverpool will be looking to end a dismal Premier League run against Manchester United and build on a promising start to the campaign with victory over their bitter north west rivals on Monday.

Resurgent Liverpool are three points ahead of United in the table as Jose Mourinho's rebuilding programme stutters, but their current run of four successive league defeats to the Old Trafford club is their worst against them for eight years.

Liverpool, who knocked United out of the Europa League last season, have not beaten them in domestic competition since March 2014, but they meet for the first time in this campaign with Juergen Klopp's men in supreme form.

They have won their last four Premier League matches and suffered only one defeat in all competitions so far.

In contrast, Mourinho's men have won just one and lost two of their last four in the league, crashing 3-1 at Watford and being held at home by Stoke City.

Despite the heavy investment in new players that followed Mourinho's much-heralded arrival at Old Trafford, his team currently have three points fewer than they managed from their first seven games of last season, when Louis van Gaal was in charge.

Reigning champions Leicester City meet their league-winning predecessors Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but neither club has looked like title material so far this season.

Chelsea currently lie seventh, five points behind leaders Manchester City, while Leicester, who shocked the football world with their title success last May, are marooned in 12th place, with just two wins from their first seven games.

Leicester's record against the Londoners hardly instills confidence that they can get their title defence back on track on Saturday.

They have beaten Chelsea only four times in 20 Premier League games – although their most recent success was less than a year ago as they stormed to the title.

KANTE REUNION

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri will be hoping that N'Golo Kante, one of the key figures in his brilliant title-winning season, does not make him pay for his decision to let the influential midfielder move to Stamford Bridge.

Manchester City still lead the Premier League, despite their first defeat of the season, at Tottenham Hotspur, in their last outing.

After crushing all before them in the first two months of the campaign, City will be bidding for their first win in three games in all competitions on Saturday when they host fifth-placed Everton, who are four points behind them.

Second place Spurs are waiting to pounce should City slip up and Mauricio Pochettino's side visit West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, when Arsenal host Swansea City – who will be led for the first time by new manager Bob Bradley.

Ex-militants protest in Yenagoa, JTF injures one

Hundreds of ex-Niger Delta militants on Tuesday protested the alleged non-payment of their stipends by the Federal Government. Respite, however, came the way of the trapped motorists when a detachment of soldiers of the Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, stormed the scene and dispersed the protesters.

The troops later stormed the scene around 7:30am in two patrol vans and dismantled the barricades erected by the protesters.

The soldiers fired several warning shots into the air which created confusion among the protesters, forcing them to scamper for safety in different directions.

It was, however, learnt that one of the protesting ex-militants was allegedly hit by a stray bullet.

An ex-militant, Mr. Elliot Seimiebo, accused the soldiers of using firearms to disperse a peaceful protest aimed at drawing the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of the militants.

Seimiebo said, “We had renounced violence and remained peaceful in all our approaches. Our intention was to draw attention to the non-payment of our stipends for four months.

“We were not armed but the soldiers turned their weapons on us and there was confusion as people ran in all directions. One of the protesters was hit by a stray bullet in the leg.”

When contacted, spokesperson for Operation Delta Safe, Lt.-Cmdr. Thomas Otuji, said that no protester was shot.

Otuji said, “Our troops were sent to the scene to restore traffic flow and they went there to clear the barricade on the East-West Road.

“And there is no such report at my disposal as we speak. The protesters were professionally dispersed.”

Also, the Liaison Officer at the Amnesty Office in Yenagoa, Mr. Piriye Kirayamo, said that efforts were under way to pay the backlog of stipends owed the militants.

“We have been in discussion with the ex-militants and have been appealing to them to remain calm. The office is doing everything possible to ensure that their stipends are paid,” Kiyaramo said.

The protesting ex-militants began the demonstration at about 7am, blocking the Mbiama section of the East-West Road, which links the South-South region to the South-East.

Their protest paralysed vehicular movement even as pedestrians could not use the road. Not a few motorists were trapped on the road during the protest.

Hart earns England a point in Slovenia

England failed to shine without Wayne Rooney as they escaped with a 0-0 draw against Slovenia after a dire display in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier.

With Rooney watching from the bench after being dropped by interim manager Gareth Southgate, England's turgid efforts could easily have led to an embarrassing defeat.

By the time Manchester United star Rooney came on in the 72nd minute, England goalkeeper Joe Hart had made a series of fine saves to keep unheralded Slovenia at bay in the Stozice Stadium.

Rooney's introduction added a little more menace to England's attacks, but it was too late to steal what would have been Southgate's second successive victory following Saturday's 2-0 win over Malta.

England remain unbeaten and top of Group F on the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but this was exactly the kind of listless performance that led to their shock exit from Euro 2016 and Southgate's decision to axe Rooney did little to improve their fortunes.

After winning their last 14 qualifying matches, England were denied three points for the first time on the road to a major tournament since 2013.

"Everyone can see we could be better but their chances came from our mistakes or set-pieces," Southgate said.

"We owe our goalkeeper really for getting a point. He was fantastic.

"We didn't start either half well and it's an outstanding save that gets us a point."

For so long the main man for club and country, Rooney's recent slump had seen him dropped by United and then England in the space of a few weeks.

Whatever Rooney's failings of late, it was still a bold move from Southgate and the pressure was on Eric Dier and Dele Alli to prove he was right to put his faith in the Tottenham duo ahead of such a vastly experienced star.

Alli, the man who has taken the number 10 role from Rooney, nearly conjured an early goal when his astute pass sent Daniel Sturridge through on goal, but Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak was quick off his line to block.

DREADFUL

Dier, the other player Southgate preferred to Rooney in midfield, made a less accomplished start as he attempted a backpass without looking and Slovenia striker Roman Bezjak pounced to surge clear for a shot that Hart saved well.

England still couldn't clear the danger and Jasmin Kurtic had time and space to set himself for a curling shot that beat Hart, only to rebound off the far post to Bezjak, who scuffed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Southgate's men were struggling to find any rhythm and finished the half without a shot on target.

There was no sign of any improvement from England after the interval and Hart, enjoying his best display since being exiled by Manchester City, had to scramble across to keep out Bostjan Cesar's close-range effort from a corner.

It took an even better stop from Hart to keep England level as he leapt to his left to push Kurtic's header onto the bar and then clawed the ball away again when it threatened to drop into the net.

Southgate's first response to England's slumbering display wasn't to turn to Rooney and instead he sent on Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend, who quickly forced Oblak to save.

Slovenia are 67th in Fifa's world rankings, but they were giving England fits and Hart had to come to the rescue again, saving from Josip Ilicic after a dreadful backpass from Jordan Henderson.

With England's fans chanting Rooney's name, he replaced Alli in the 72nd minute and immediately reclaimed the captain's armband from Henderson.

Rooney almost made a dramatic impact when he whipped his first shot just past the post.

A Rooney lay-off gave Jesse Lingard a sight of goal in the closing stages, but Oblak made the save to deny England what would have been an undeserved success.

FG converts Badeh’s N1.1bn mansion to office

AN1.1bn mansion seized from the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), has been converted to an office to be used by the Federal Government, The PUNCH has learnt.

Our correspondent, who visited the property located on Plot 6 Ogun River Crescent, Maitama, a highbrow area in Abuja, learnt that the property is being used by the Presidential Committee on the North-East Intervention headed by Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, a former Minister of Defence.

Our correspondent observed that the warning, ‘EFCC, Keep Off!’ which was written in red ink on the fence, had been wiped off. However, a second building (although uncompleted) seized from Badeh, which is located directly opposite the one converted by the Federal Government, still has the EFCC inscription on its fence.

Some gardeners and other domestic workers were seen clearing the grass and sweeping the compound when our correspondent visited the place.

Our reporter, who entered into the main building, noticed that the rooms had been converted into offices while desks had been set up at strategic positions.

When our correspondent approached one of the workers, he said, “The property was given to us by the government to work. I know that the EFCC seized the property some months ago but it was given to us to work.”

The EFCC is prosecuting Badeh alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on 10 counts of money laundering bordering on alleged fraudulent removal of about N3.97bn from the Nigerian Air Force account. A former Director of Finance and Account of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Aliyu Yishau (retd.),who is a prosecution witness against Badeh, had informed the court that while Badeh was the Chief of Air Staff, he routinely helped Badeh to divert the sum of N558.2m by converting it to its dollar equivalent.

He said he personally helped Badeh to buy the N1.1bn property which has now been converted to Federal Government’s use.

He had said, “Sometime in January 2013, when I was taking the normal amount to him (Badeh) in dollars, he directed that we should pay for the house. So, he brought out the balance in dollars and made up the equivalent of N1.1bn.”

The EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had told the court that the EFCC searched the property and recovered $1m in cash.

Jacobs said although Badeh had denied ownership of the property, his belongings, including photographs, were found in it during a search by the operatives of the commission.

Our correspondent learnt that the decision to convert Badeh’s property may be connected to the Federal Government’s plan to convert seized properties to government use and save cost.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had disclosed at the opening of a meeting with the members of the National Steering Committee of the Efficiency Unit on June 10, 2016, that the Muhammadu Buhari-led government was planning to convert some of the seized properties to offices in a bid to save money spent on rent.

Germany extend perfect record

Ruthless Germany made it three wins from three World Cup qualifiers with a 2-0 victory over spirited Northern Ireland on Tuesday to stay top of their group.

First-half goals by Julian Draxler and Sami Khedira sealed the win in Hanover and the world champions have yet to concede a goal in their qualifiers for Russia 2018.

"Just like in our last game we played with a lot of concentration and aggression," said Khedira.

"All in all, we can be happy, especially with the first half. There's room for improvement, but it was a good result."

Germany have lost just two of 85 World Cup qualifiers in their proud history and were in no mood to give the Northern Irish a first win on German soil for 33 years.

With nine qualifying points to their credit, the Germans will finish the year with a perfect record if they next beat minnows San Marino, ranked 198 places below them, away on November 11.

The same night, third-placed Northern Ireland host Azerbaijan, who are second in Group C, in a crunch qualifier.

Germany's head coach Joachim Loew started with the same side which beat the Czech Republic 3-0 in Hamburg on Saturday.

His opposite number Michael O'Neill made three changes to the side which beat 10-man San Marino 4-0 in Belfast, but Kyle Lafferty, who netted twice on Saturday, started again on the bench.

Having been restricted to a 1-0 win when the sides last met, in the group stages of Euro 2016, the Germans raced into a 2-0 lead with less than 20 minutes gone.

Mario Goetze's header tested Irish goalkeeper Michael McGovern early on and Germany took the lead on 13 minutes.

Thomas Mueller laid the ball off for Draxler, who rifled his shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

Despite packing bodies into the penalty area, the Irish defence was again beaten on 17 minutes when Mesut Ozil's cross was headed on by Mats Hummels.

Khedira used his head to nudge the ball over the line to make it 2-0, but the goals spurred Northern Ireland into action.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Ward managed a weak shot at goalkeeper Manuel Neuer on a rare foray into the German half.

And a good save from McGovern denied Joshua Kimmich.

Goetze then had the ball in the net when he flicked Mueller's pass into the net, but the goal was flagged for offside.

With halftime approaching Jerome Boateng fouled Ward just outside the area, but Oliver Norwood blasted the free-kick over the bar on 42 minutes.

Loew brought on Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan for Ozil in the attacking midfield role, which seemed to disrupt the Germans' rhythm.

The Irish dug in for the second-half as Germany struggled to make headway through the visitors' dense defence.

The tempo dropped and good work from McGovern thwarted several German attacks.

Lafferty, who has scored nine goals in 11 qualifiers, came on for the final 15 minutes, but the German defence was rarely troubled.

UNICEF to vaccinate 41 million kids against polio

The United Nations Children Education Fund on Tuesday said a major health campaign was underway in the Lake Chad Basin area to vaccinate over 41 million children against polio so as to contain the recent outbreak of the disease in the North-East geopolitical zone.

The organisation, in a statement, said the population of people fleeing war zones was  on the rise within the sub-region, raising concerns that the polio virus could spread across borders.

It revealed that nearly  39,000 health workers were deployed across Nigeria and neighbouring Chad, Niger, Cameroon and the Central African Republic to deliver polio vaccines in high risk areas for the virus during the five rounds of coordinated vaccination campaigns across five countries. “UNICEF is procuring the vaccines and engaging the public through mass media and grassroots mobilisation. The re-emergence of polio after two years with no recorded cases is a huge concern in an area that’s already in crisis,” the statement quoted Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, to have stated.

Fontaine added, “The scale of our response reflects the urgency: we must not allow polio to spread. The ongoing conflict has now displaced 2.6 million people, devastated provision of healthcare and left more than four million people in the North-East of Nigeria facing crisis and emergency food security levels. In the three worst-hit Nigerian states, 400,000 children will suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year.

“Polio vaccination teams in parts of Borno State are conducting simultaneous malnutrition screening to identify cases of severe acute malnutrition in children under five and refer malnourished children to treatment programmes. Findings from the first rounds of outreach screening have confirmed high rates of severe acute malnutrition.”

Fontaine, according to the statement, adds, “Children are dying and more young lives will be lost unless we scale up our response. Through the polio vaccination drive, we can protect more children from the virus while also reaching children in need with treatment for malnutrition.”

The UNICEF chief  noted that the third round of the current polio campaign would run from October 15 to 18 with additional rounds scheduled for November and December.

Meanwhile, six persons have been killed in an attack by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect on a village in Borno State, a chieftain of the youth vigilance group, Bashir Abbas, told our correspondent on Tuesday.

According to Abbas, the Commander of Sector II of the Civilian JTF in Borno State, the insurgents attacked the Kwashebe village in Jere Local Government Area of the state on Monday night, killing two residents on the spot while the other was killed on the way to the hospital as a result of injuries suffered during the attack.

Abbas said because the attack was at night, the insurgents could not be pursued.

He, however, said the youth vigilance group in the area, combed the area on Monday morning during which three insurgents were killed.

He also revealed that those injured in the attack were brought to a hospital in Maiduguri for medical treatment.

Muhoroni host Mathare in midweek clash

SportPesa Premier League that took a 16-day break resumes on Wednesday with fifth placed Mathare United travelling to Muhoroni Youth in a mid-week clash expected to produce fireworks.

The league took a break to pave way for the GOtv Shield semifinals that were played on the 1st and 2nd of October and the Fifa international calendar week that ran from October 3 to 11.

Mathare’s title hopes were slightly dimmed on September 25 when they were held by an enterprising Posta Ranger’s to a barren draw before losing 2-1 to Sony Sugar the previous weekend in Awendo.

Head coach Francis Kimanzi, faces a tall order away as Muhoroni are not easy pushover. Despite losing 2-1 to Tusker recently, in a mid-week tie, the home team have always been stubborn both home and away.

“We have prepared well for the away duel. Muhoroni is a good side. We can’t underrate them but, we have a self believe anything is possible in football. We believe the match officials entrusted with the match will live up to their expectations,” observed Kimanzi.

The disquiet between Muhoroni Youth players and the club management seems to have been resolved, though the home team will miss the services of their mercurial striker Wycliffe Ochomo.

Muhoroni accused Ochomo in a letter addressed to him of breaching contractual obligations.

The breaches include bad-mouthing and uttering obscenities to club officials; breaking camping rules by engaging in sexual misconduct; and physically assaulting a fellow player, during a league match against Bandari.

He denied the allegations and instead tabled his letter of terminating his contract with the club. It remains to be confirmed who is saying the truth.

The club will also host their visitors without their former coach John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla who has tendered his resignation. He has been replaced by former International Tom Juma.

Ronaldo hits four, France run riot

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the opening four minutes on the way to a four-goal haul as European champions Portugal smashed Andorra 6-0 in World Cup qualifying on Friday, while France recovered from a goal down to thrash Bulgaria.

The Real Madrid superstar was making his first appearance for Portugal since he was stretchered off injured and in tears from the final of Euro 2016, and he wasted no time in making up for his three-month absence from international football.

The 31-year-old took just 73 seconds to make his mark. He was wrestled to the floor at a corner but then jumped up to volley in left footed from around the penalty spot after the Andorra goalkeeper could only parry a Portugal header.

Ronaldo, who has struggled to get back to his brilliant best for Real since returning from his knee trouble, was at it again two minutes later when he was left totally unmarked on the six-yard box to rise and head in.

It was only a matter of how many for the home side after that, as Portugal belatedly got three points on the board in group B, after losing in Switzerland in the opening group match.

Ronaldo made it the perfect hat-trick just 90 seconds after the break, grabbing his third – Portugal's fourth – with a sweet right-footed volley.

Andorra's nightmare evening got that bit worse just after the hour when they went down to 10 men, Jordi Rubio receiving a second yellow card for clattering late and hard into Ronaldo, who punished the away side soon after with another fine half-volley for 5-0.

Cynical and increasingly desperate, Andorra saw red again when Marc Rebes was the next to get sent off, again for cutting down the man of the moment Ronaldo.

Andre Silva sealed the punishment four minutes from time.

"We know that Switzerland and the Faroes won tonight and it will be necessary for us to beat them during qualification," said Ronaldo, who now has 65 international goals.

"There are eight games left and we want to win them all to reach the World Cup finals."

The Swiss scored in the 89th minute to stay top of group B, Valentin Stocker firing them in front for the final time in a thrilling 3-2 away win in Hungary for a perfect six points from six.

GAMEIRO AT THE DOUBLE

France, agonisingly beaten by Portugal in Paris in the Euro final in July, returned to the scene of that heartbreak and got off to the worst possible start when they conceded after just six minutes at the Stade de France.

Mihail Aleksandrov stroked home from the penalty spot to give the Bulgarians a shock lead in a very competitive-looking group A.

But the French stormed back with two goals from Kevin Gameiro – making his first international start in almost five years – in a convincing 4-1 win.

"It was a perfect evening. We reacted well and then ran away with it," Gameiro, back in favour at the age of 29, told TF1.

"I felt enormously proud and especially full of desire. Hard work pays off."

The Netherlands, who failed to make it to the Euros, top the group after they defeated Belarus 4-1 in Rotterdam. Quincy Promes grabbed a first-half brace for the Dutch.

France travel to Amsterdam on Monday for a mouthwatering clash with the Netherlands.

Under-achieving Belgium also enjoyed a fine home win, Eden Hazard scoring a beauty in the first period as they defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-0 to go top of group H.

European World Cup qualifying continues on Saturday, when England host minnows Malta at Wembley for interim manager Gareth Southgate's first game in charge after the departure in disgrace of Sam Allardyce.

Gunmen kill police inspector in Imo

A Police Inspector attached to a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Imo State, Chief Marcellinus Nlemigbo, was shot dead on Sunday by gunmen.

The incident occurred at Umudagu, Mberi, in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state.

The Inspector, whose name was given as Mr Ogbe, was at Chief Nlemigbo’s compound at Umudagu when the gunmen arrived at about 8pm.

Sources close to Chief Nlemigbo told newsmen in Owerri that there was exchange of gunfire between the hoodlums and late Insp. Ogbe during which he (the inspector) was killed.

The source added that Chief Nlemigbo, who had just returned from the October Lecture of the Grail Movement, Nigeria, in Owerri, was inside his house when the exchange of gunfire took place.

The mission of the gunmen was still not known as of the time of filing this report, but it was gathered that the whereabouts of one of Nlemigbo’s drivers had yet to be known.

Chief Nlemigbo, who is also a former Chairman of PDP in the state, told newsmen that the police were investigating the incident.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Andrew Enwerem, confirmed the incident.

Enwerem said the officer was shot and killed on Sunday night.

“The police are using all machinery at their disposal to unravel those behind the incident,” he said.