Italy PM Meloni vows to ‘relaunch’ ties with China

Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to “relaunch” relations with China as she began her first visit to Beijing since taking office.

Ms Meloni met Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the beginning of her five-day trip and signed a three-year plan to strengthen economic cooperation between the two nations.

It comes after Ms Meloni last year removed her country from President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

At the time, Rome said the massive Chinese investment scheme had failed to bring any benefits to Italy.

Ms Meloni described her trip as a “demonstration of the will to begin a new phase, to relaunch our bilateral cooperation”.

She also said the two countries have signed an agreement that aims to boost cooperation on electric vehicles and renewable energy.

In a statement released by his office, Premier Li said the two countries aim to increase “mutually beneficial cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises in the fields of shipbuilding, aerospace, new energy, artificial intelligence.”

Italy was the only major Western nation to sign up to the BRI, one of China’s most ambitious trade and infrastructure projects.

The move was heavily criticised at the time by the US and some other major Western countries.

Since coming to office in 2022, Ms Meloni has sought to lead a more pro-Western and pro-Nato foreign policy than her predecessors.

Before withdrawing from the BRI, Ms Meloni had described the former government’s decision to join it as “a serious mistake”.

Under her leadership, Italy has moved to block a Chinese state-owned company from taking control of tyre making giant Pirelli.

Rome has also supported a recent move by the European Commission to impose tariffs of as much as 37.6% on electric vehicles imported from China.

Two-way trade between two countries reached 66.8 billion euros (£56.3 billion) last year, making China Italy’s largest non-EU trading partner after the US.

One feared dead, six injured in Ogun road crash

One person is feared dead while six others sustained varying degrees of injuries in an accident at the Sagamu Express junction in the Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The accident occurred at about 9:48 am on Sunday, according to the spokesperson of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi.

Akinbiyi, in a terse message sent to journalists, disclosed that the accident involved a Bus Mass Transit vehicle and a truck.

He said, “There is a fatal RTA involving a BMT bus and a truck inbound at Sagamu Express Junction. There is also one presumed dead and six serious injuries reported.
“Rescue operations are ongoing.”

NDLEA recovers Spain-bound cocaine consignment from businessman’s sandals at Lagos airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, announced its operatives have arrested a Spain based businessman, 50-year-old Francis Akajiobi, at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, after parcels of cocaine weighing 1.20 kilograms were discovered in his pair of sandals while attempting to board his Royal Air Maroc flight to Madrid, Spain.

NDLEA said the two parcels of cocaine were concealed in the soles of a pair of black sandals Akajiobi was wearing to board his flight when NDLEA operatives intercepted him on Thursday, July 25, 2024.

This was announced in a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, on Sunday.

Babafemi stated that the suspect claimed during his preliminary interview that the consignment was delivered to him at a bar in Port Harcourt, Rivers state and was to deliver it to his friend and neighbour in Spain for a fee of five thousand euros (€5,000) upon successful delivery to the recipient.

He also announced that a suspect, Makinde Sodiq Lekan, has been arrested in connection with the seizure of 99 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 51.60kg that arrived the SAHCO Imports shed of the Lagos airport on a Turkish Airlines flight from Canada via Istanbul, Turkey.

Meanwhile, NDLEA said its operatives at the Special Operations Unit targeting syndicates that specialize in shipping large consignments of opioids into neighbouring countries from where they attempt smuggling them into Nigeria in smaller quantities through transport companies, have arrested one of the kingpins, Chukwuemaka Obodozie.

Babafemi said the suspect was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, July 21, at Cele bus stop along Oshodi-Apapa express road, Lagos with 100,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg loaded in two bags shortly after his arrival from Ghana via one of the transport companies plying the Lagos-Ghana route.

According to him, the intelligence led-operation followed five months of surveillance around the suspect.

‘Reduce rice to N20,000, fuel to N200 per litre’ – Pastor Giwa to Tinubu

The senior pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, on Sunday urged President Bola to reduce the price of rice to N20,000 per bag and petrol to N200 per liter.

Pastor Giwa also urged Tinubu to reopen all the land borders if he wants to tackle the challenges facing Nigerians.

He made the appeal in a statement he personally signed.

According to Giwa: “Meanwhile, I would like to implore President Bola Tinubu to do everything possible to reduce the price of rice to N20,000 per bag, petroleum price to N200 per liter.

“If the president is serious about tackling the challenges facing Nigeria, he ought to have reopened all the land borders I earlier advised.”

Giwa also accused the organizers of the August 1 nationwide protest as rabble-rousers.

He warned that the real protest will start in the markets, churches, and streets against the government at the right time.

Giwa said: “On the issue of planned protests, the organizers are rabble-rousers who intend to use the current economic hardship to score political points. They are mainly social media users who have sympathy for certain politicians.

“The real protest will start in the markets, churches, streets, etc, without informing the government. What is the essence of a planned protest already announced?

“When biblical Ehud wanted to rescue the Israelites from the hands of Eglon, King of Moab, in the book of Judges chapter 3, he didn’t inform anyone what he wanted to do. Ehud was a hero with a disability that God turned into an ability.

“King Eglon chose to keep Israel in a subservient position and forced them to pay tribute rather than just annihilating them.

“However, the Israelites cried to God, and He sent Ehud to deliver them from the hands of Moabites. Ehud made himself a double-edged sword and fastened it to his right side under his clothes when he and the other few representatives were going to meet King Eglon. They got there and presented the tribute. On reaching the stone images near Gilgal, he himself went back to Eglon and killed him without informing anyone. That put an end to 18 years of oppression by Moabites.

“You don’t disclose your plans to your enemies because they will surely prepare for you. When it is time for the poor to protest, they will do that without intimidation, harassment and killing.”

President Tinubu mourns Senator Ifeanyi Ubah

President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the family of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.

Senator Uba, who represented the Anambra South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, died on Saturday morning.

He was a renowned businessman and a governorship aspirant for the forthcoming Anambra State gubernatorial election.

Reacting to the sad incident, President Tinubu in a statement by his spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, prayed to God to strengthen the family of the deceased.

“President Tinubu commiserates with the friends and colleagues of the late Senator, the National Assembly, and the government and people of Anambra State over this sad loss.

“The President prays for the repose of the soul of the departed lawmaker, as well as for strength and comfort to his family”, he said.

Britain warns citizens against travelling to Nigeria

Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a travel advisory on Friday, warning citizens against travelling to several parts of Nigeria, including the border with Niger Republic, amid planned nationwide protests.

The FCDO is responsible for advising British nationals about the risks of travelling to different countries, helping them make informed travel decisions.

In the advisory published on the UK government’s website, the FCDO based its alert on the upcoming #EndBadGovt nationwide protest set to begin in Nigeria on August 1, 2024, which is already gaining momentum.

The FCDO’s latest update read, “New information as of July 26 indicates that widespread public demonstrations are a possibility across Nigeria,” and advised British citizens to research their destinations thoroughly before travelling.

The FCDO identified some states in five of Nigeria’s six regions where the nationwide protests may pose risks. It advised citizens to avoid these states and warned that “your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.”

It warned against all but essential travel to “Abia state, non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, Anambra state, Imo state”

The FCDO also warned about travelling to the Nigeria-Niger Republic land border, which “has been closed by Nigerian authorities in response to the political situation in Niger.”

Citizens planning to travel by land across the Nigeria-Niger border are advised to check with local authorities of both countries for the latest information before travelling.

Federal Government tightens security at Nigerian borders ahead of #EndBadGovernance protest

The federal government has tightened security at all the nation’s borders ahead of the planned nationwide protests scheduled for August 1.

Kemi Nandap, comptroller general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), said this in a statement by the service’s spokesperson, Kenneth Udo, on Saturday in Abuja.

Ms Nandap directed all zonal heads, state command comptrollers and divisional immigration officers across the country to be extra vigilant.

She said officers and men of the service should intensify surveillance given the planned protest by some groups.

Ms Nandap also said the directive was to ensure that foreign elements do not come into the country to participate in the protests.

“In keeping with the responsibility of safeguarding the nation’s gateways placed on the shoulders of the service, officers, especially heads of border commands, are tasked to rise to the occasion.

“This is by ensuring that no foreign element can take advantage of the protest to destabilise the country,” she said.

The NIS CG directed temporary suspension of all leave applications and charged officers to exercise utmost professionalism and patriotism in discharging their duties.

Ms Nandap assured all Nigerians of the service’s preparedness to safeguard the nation’s borders and enhance national security.

Police arrest pastor, four others for selling two-month-old baby in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has rescued a two-month-old baby boy and arrested five suspects for alleged child trafficking.

The state police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on Saturday, said the operatives of the Oko Oba division arrested the suspects following a report by the mother of the missing baby.

Mr Hundeyin said the mother of the baby reported that one Gloria Sunday allegedly absconded with her child to an unknown destination on July 11.

He stated, “Detectives swung into action which led to the arrest of Gloria Sunday, who during interrogation confessed to selling the baby for five hundred thousand naira (₦500,000) to one Pastor Peter Udoh ‘m’.”

“Pastor Udoh, who was subsequently arrested in Ikene town, Ogun State, admitted reselling the child for one million, four hundred and fifty thousand naira (₦1,450,000) to one Loretta Nelson ‘f’ who was then also apprehended in Festac Town, Lagos. She confessed to selling the baby for two million, three hundred and fifty thousand naira (₦2,350,000).”

He also disclosed that “further investigations led to the arrest of the final buyers of the baby, Mr and Mrs James Uwam, during the naming ceremony of the stolen child.”

According to the command’s spokesperson, all the suspects will be arraigned in court after the conclusion of the investigation.

Police nab brothers for theft, conspiracy in Osun

The police in Osun have nabbed two brothers, Saliu Yisa and Saliu Qudri, for conspiracy, theft, and obtaining money and goods under false pretenses.

The Osun State Police Command Spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, revealed during a press briefing on Friday in Osogbo that the duo, aged 30 and 19 years, defrauded an unsuspecting businessman who wanted to invest in cattle rearing.

Opalola said the elder brother, Yisa, had used proceeds fraudulently obtained from his crimes to build a house in the Kelebe area of Osogbo.

She said, “On July 19, 2024, the complainant reported to the CP’s surveillance team that he knew one Saliu Yisa, a Fulani by tribe, through one Olarewaju Muhammed in the year 2020 and engaged him in a business of cattle rearing. He gave him 27 cows to rear initially. In 2022, he handed over an additional 10 cows to Saliu Yisa, totaling thirty-seven (37) cows.

“He visited him bi-weekly. The complainant stated further that around March 2024, he handed over another five (5) cows to Saliu Yisa and was later persuaded to buy more cows for the Ileya festival in 2024. He bought 13 cows at the rate of N2,500,000. After purchasing the cows, he was shown the cows through a video call and personally went to see the cows before payment.

“Both of them inserted symbols on the ears of the cows, not knowing that he later removed all the symbols from the cows and returned them to his accomplice (his brother), whom he had borrowed the cows from to deceive and obtain money from the manager.

“The total number of cows handed over to Saliu Yisa was fifty-four (54). A month ago, the farm manager noticed strange behavior from Saliu Yisa and decided to meet with him at Oni-Oba/Kelebe Area, Osogbo, where he was living. He discovered that all the cows had been taken to an unknown destination and that Saliu Yisa was nowhere to be found.

“Saliu Yisa’s wives claimed that they didn’t know the whereabouts of their husband and that he hadn’t called, which was discovered to be part of the plan. Saliu Yisa blocked the complainant’s number.

“One day, Saliu Yisa used his younger brother, Saliu Qudri’s line, to call the complainant and claimed that all 54 cows had died without any evidence to prove it. Police swung into action, arrested the suspect and his accomplice from their hideout, and he confessed to having used the money collected from the complainant to build a house in Kelebe area, Osogbo. Sixteen (16) cows were recovered from his brother, where he was rearing them for his own personal gain.”

Sixteen cows were also recovered from the suspects as evidence of their shady business.

Opalola added that the suspects will be charged to court after the completion of the investigation.

300-level ATBU student dies after falling in bathroom

A 300-level Computer Science student at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, Naja’atu Salisu, was found unconscious after falling in the bathroom on Friday morning.

Sources revealed that Naja’atu entered the bathroom in the female hostel at the Gubi campus of the university to take a morning shower and prepare for her lectures, but was later discovered lying unconscious on the bathroom floor.

“She had completed her usual morning routine and brought out the clothes she intended to wear to class, leaving them beside her bed,” explained one of Naja’atu’s roommates, who wished to remain anonymous.

Confirming the incident, ATBU spokesperson Zailani Bappa stated that she was rushed to the university’s clinic for medical attention, but medical personnel were unable to find a vein on her body.

He said Naja’atu was taken to the Trauma Centre of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by medic

Bappa added that Naja’atu had been buried according to Islamic rites and offered prayers for the repose of her soul.

Tobi Amusan leads Nigerian delegation at Paris Olympics opening ceremony

Flagbearer Tobi Amusan and Nigeria’s team captain Anuoluwapo Opeyori, led the Nigerian delegation at a colourful and historic Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

Despite the rain having its way, athletes were cheered along the Seine as more than 200 national delegations sailed through the centre of Paris and past sights such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay.

For the first time in Summer Games history, the opening ceremony was not held in a stadium.

Nigeria, in her colourful well styled green and white dresses, rode on a boat with Ms Amusan hoisting the flag and supported by Opeyori, alongside the delegation as they sailed across.

Meanwhile, a total of 88 Team Nigeria athletes, comprising 63 women and 25 men, will compete in 12 sports at the Paris Olympics.

More than 10,500 athletes will compete at the Olympics, 100 years since Paris last hosted the Games.

The Games started on Wednesday and the first of the 329 gold medals will be awarded on Saturday with the closing ceremony slated for August 11.

Capital Oil boss Senator Ifeanyi Ubah slumps, dies in London hotel

Nigerian politician and businessman Ifeanyi Ubah has died.

Mr Ubah suffered slumps after suffering what family sources described to Peoples Gazette as cardiac arrest and passed away in London yesterday. He was 52.

Family members, including Mr Ubah’s wife, have begun mourning after receiving information that their stalwart died in a hotel in the United Kingdom’s capital, The Gazette learnt shortly after Sahara Reporters first broke the news on Saturday morning.

Mr Ubah was for years the CEO of downstream oil marketer Capital Oil.

He served as a member of the Nigerian Senate until his death.

Wildfire displaces 4,000 in North California

A huge, fast-moving and rapidly growing wildfire in northern California has forced more than 4,000 people to evacuate as firefighters battle gusty winds and perilously dry conditions, authorities said Friday.

Fueled by a crushing heatwave, the so-called Park Fire — the most intense wildfire to hit the state this summer — has rapidly devoured nearly 240,000 acres (97,000 hectares) as of Friday night and is continuing to gain strength.

“This fire has been rapidly expanding 4,000 to 5,000 acres an hour,” incident commander Billy See said at a press conference Friday evening.

For now, it is “zero per cent” controlled, despite the efforts of about 1,700 firefighters, according to state agency Cal Fire, with hundreds of additional resources ordered en route.

A total of 4,000 people have evacuated the towns of Cohasset and Forest Ranch, plus an additional 400 from the small city of Chico.

The blaze so far has destroyed 134 structures, authorities said.

Despite the structure losses, Butte County Fire Chief Garrett Sjolund said “many more have been saved.”

“It is a fire that is challenging our strategies, but we are finding opportunities to deploy our resources in successful ways,” Sjolund told reporters.

The fire started Wednesday near Chico, in Butte County, and within hours had devastated a wide area there and in neighbouring Tehama County.

In just two days, the Park Fire has already become the 20th largest fire in California history by land area.

The blaze has generated an enormous column of dense grey smoke, with gritty clouds akin to those of a violent storm now visible in nearby US states.

Fire departments from across the state have sent crews to lend a hand.

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for the region through Friday night, predicting “critical” fire weather conditions.

On Thursday, police detained a 42-year-old man on suspicion of having started the fire by pushing a burning car into a ravine.

Butte County prosecutor Mike Ramsey identified the man as Ronnie Dean Stout II and said he would be held without bail until a court appearance next week.

“You have to be prepared to go,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea warned area residents.

“This county has seen time and time again where people have waited too long and they have lost their lives,” he added.

Some area residents, such as Julia Yarbough, have already seen their homes reduced to ashes.

“This is what’s left of my house,” she told CBS, showing the blackened and still smoking debris.

“I must be in shock.”

Butte County is about 70 miles north of the state capital Sacramento and just 25 miles from Paradise, the city that was devastated by a 2018 fire that ranked as California’s most deadly ever, claiming 85 lives.

The explosive growth of the Park Fire has again placed Paradise under evacuation warning, unleashing painful memories for its residents.

“I would call its behaviour extraordinary,” said UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain, adding, “That’s not a good thing.”

The only silver lining, he said, is that it is not headed toward any large cities.

California is experiencing an early start to what appears to be an intense wildfire season, with 20 currently active incidents.

An additional 40 blazes are threatening communities to the north, in the states of Washington and Oregon.

A pilot of a small firefighting plane was killed while working near the Falls Fire in eastern Oregon, a statement from US authorities said Friday.

Canada has also seen a spate of wildfires, including a huge blaze that has consumed much of the tourist town of Jasper in western Alberta province.

Experts say climate change, accelerated by human action, is leading to more extreme weather events.

Peter Obi mourns Ohaneze Ndigbo leader Iwuanyanwu’s demise

Peter Obi, Labour Party leader, has mourned the death of the president-general of the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

Mr Obi, who reacted to the news of Mr Iwuanyanwu’s death in his X handle on Thursday, disclosed that he was looking forward to the politician’s recovery following an undisclosed ailment.

According to him, the devastating report of his death has left all who knew him heartbroken.

“When I visited him a few weeks ago, he promised me that he would soon be alright to continue with his contributions to the progress of the nation. Since then, I continued to pray for his quick and full recovery until I received the sad news of his death.

“I sincerely condole with his immediate family, the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide and entire nation over the death of this revered patriarch.

”May God grant us all the fortitude to bear his sad loss and grant him eternal rest,” said Mr Obi.

The South-East leader and politician died Thursday morning following a brief illness, family sources said.

I’m not afraid of protests, declares Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu says he is not afraid of protests but his worries are about sponsored thugs hijacking protests to trigger violence and destruction of public properties.

Mr Tinubu, in a meeting with traditional rulers led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, at the State House on Thursday, said the plight of citizens remains a deep concern, and will receive more attention.

“Nigeria is on the path of recovery. You have heard it from the Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun. We are not afraid of protests,” Mr Tinubu said.

The president, however, said he is concerned about the damage that could follow protests, citing how historic #Endsars protest was disrupted by state sponsored thugs in 2020.

“Our concern is the ordinary people, and the damages that will be done. Till today, I cannot forget the brand new 60 and 100 seater buses, down there in Lagos that were burnt down, and we are now complaining of transportation. That is the problem,” Mr Tinubu said, thanking the traditional rulers “for talking to the citizens” to shelve the August nationwide protests over economic hardships.

In a bid to discourage Nigerians from partaking in the protest, Mr Tinubu has engaged traditional rulers and clerics to dissuade citizens from protesting.

Mr Tinubu’s government distributed trucks of rice to states to ameliorate hunger and increased the minimum wage to N70,000 since mobilisation for the nationwide protest began.

Mr Tinubu’s economic policies, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and the decision to float the naira, have led to a surge in petrol prices from N145 to N710 per litre, and the naira has plunged to approximately N1,500 to the dollar.

While economic experts and the International Monetary Fund have praised these measures as courageous reforms, the resultant spike in food prices has triggered calls for protests nationwide.

23 Nigerian electricity workers die on duty in Q1 2024 – NERC

23 Nigerian electricity workers died in the line of duty in the first quarter of 2024.

This is according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s latest report.

The report by the Commission confirmed that 23 of the workers lost their lives in 55 accidents in the first quarter of 2024.

NERC disclosed that 31 others sustained injuries in the 55 accidents recorded in the period under review.

“The total number of accidents in 2024/Q1 was 55 which resulted in 31 injuries and 23 fatalities,” the report revealed.

A breakdown of the major causes of casualties (deaths and injuries) recorded in Q1 2024 are wire snaps – six deaths and six injuries; illegal/unauthorized access – five deaths and two injuries; acts of vandalism – two deaths and five injuries; unsafe acts/conditions – 10 deaths and 12 injuries; falls from height – two injuries.

The report said that out of the 54 casualties reported in the quarter, the licensees with the highest number of casualties were Eko Disco(13); Benin Disco (8); Jos Disco(6); and Aba Power (6).

“Cumulatively, Discos accounted for 96.30 percent of casualties recorded in 2024/Q1 continuing a trend observed in previous quarters (98.48 percent in 2023/Q4) that the distribution segment is the biggest contributor to safety issues experienced in the NESI (Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry”, the report partly reads.

The report is indicative of a lack of safety procedures in the Nigerian Electricity supply industry.

Police nab man who allegedly defiled 12-year-old girl

A 30-year-old man, Hussaini Salihu, has been nabbed by the police in Adamawa State for allegedly defiling a minor.

The Adamawa State Police Command said in a statement on Thursday evening that its operatives arrested the suspect on Wednesday, July 24, for sexually assaulting the 12-year-old girl, whose name could not be disclosed because she is a minor.

The statement, signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, said the suspect lured the victim into his house, had carnal knowledge of her, and then gave her N2,000.

The statement said the suspect ran away when he sensed that he would not be allowed to get away with his act.

“He was later trailed and apprehended by the police following a report from the victim’s mother,” the statement said.

It added that the suspect had voluntarily made a statement confessing to doing what he was accused of, and he will be charged in court.

Police arrest two thieves with 55 iPhones, 33 Androids in Delta

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested two men who specialised in the purchase of stolen phones in Warri, which are then sold into the market in the Niger Republic.

The suspects were apprehended at Hausa Quarters, Warri, based on credible intelligence.

Abibu Haruna, 37, and Sanusi Huruna, 22, both residents of Hausa Quarters, Warri, were apprehended in possession of a bag containing 55 iPhones, one HP laptop, two Android tablets, and 33 Android phones.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, clarified that the suspects were arrested on July 14, 2023, at approximately 4:45 pm

According to the statement: “During further questioning, the suspects admitted to purchasing the aforementioned phones and laptops from two suspected armed robbers, Nasiru and Ghala, whose full names are unknown, and who operate in Hausa Quarters, Warri.

“They disclosed that they usually transport the phones to Niger Republic using a trailer carrying scraps, with a certain Agaji, whose full name is unknown, residing in Niger Republic, acting as their sponsor.

Buhari reacts to death of Ohanaeze’s President General Iwuanyanwu

The immediate past president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has expressed sadness over the death of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

The elder statesman died on Thursday in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, after a brief illness.

Reacting, Buhari, in a statement on Thursday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, extended his condolences to the family, friends and associates of the deceased.

The former president described Iwuanyanwu’s death as a sad event for the nation, highlighting his contributions to journalism, sports, politics and nation-building.

The statement added: “He was a visionary who revolutionised the nation’s media and sports. He made notable strides in the media industry, construction, sports, business, and politics.

“I had several opportunities to interact with him to learn about his passionate commitment to the unity, peaceful coexistence, and development of Nigeria.

“His rich contributions have left indelible memories in the media, sports, politics, and business, where he made extraordinary achievements.”

Tennis star, Andy Murray withdraws from Olympics singles

Two-time gold medallist, Andy Murray has withdrawn from singles at the Paris Olympics but still plans to compete in doubles alongside Daniel Evans in his final Olympic appearance.

Speaking at Thursday’s draw, Murray said, “I’ve taken the decision to withdraw from the singles to concentrate on the doubles with Dan. Our practice has been great and we’re playing well together. “Really looking forward to getting started and representing GB one more time.”

Murray, who will retire at the end of the Olympics, has not played singles since retiring in the second round of the cinch Championships in Queen’s. He underwent an operation on his back before Wimbledon, where he was restricted to playing doubles with his brother Jamie.

Murray will finish his career with a 739-262 record in singles. He earned 46 titles, including 2016 Rio and 2012 London Olympic gold medals.