Author: Editor

By Efio-Ita Nyok| 10 March 2015| 6:02 am

It’s been over three weeks since Nigeria’s armed forces decided to seriously engage the insurgency in the Northeast of the country. Reportedly, the military has made some strides against Boko Haram so much so that Abubakar Shekau was compelled to seek the assistance of his ISIS colleagues based in the middle east by way of paying allegiance through his twitter account. Though this recent move by Nigeria’s terrorism czar has evoked fear among Nigerians, one is compelled to take a swipe at President Jonathan’s tactics in the entire military operation against BH.

It’s no more news that the fight against BH has seen the coalition of three African countries, namely, Chad, Cameroon and Niger,  in terms of military involvement. Leading in this coalition is Chad.

One would have thought that this coalition was masterminded by Nigeria’s president but the reports in the news, if they are anything to go by, suggest otherwise. Chad’s president is seen to be saying that he masterminded it. Between these three, who should have been in the lead? Let’s take a look at three instances where President Idriss Deby is vindicated.

Besides, at the early stage of this current six weeks operation by the Nigeria’s military it was alleged that part of the brief of the army was to apprehend BH’s Shekau alive, I remember positing that this was another farce by Jonathan, and true to type, I was vindicated.

If you recall, the Chadian president had announced to the world that he knew where Shekau was hiding, and had even dared him to surrender or risk being killed. Later, this same president accused Nigeria’s military of allowing Abubakar Shekau to escape unhurt away from his hiding place. The Chadian military must have provided intelligence to Nigeria but, instead of acting on the intelligence, they acted against it. What insinuations does this incite?

Again, about two days ago, it was reported in the news how a Chadian general was complaining  that Nigeria’s military refused them entry into their territory to continue their victory over Boko Haram. Why was this? I cannot really figure out. Was it out of pride or was it an attempt to collude with Boko Haram kingpins to give them safe landing? Finally, President Jonathan had six years to address the insurgency but blatantly refused to act, now he wants to do that in six weeks to the schedule of a presidential elections after the previous date was cancelled by force!!

In view of all these negative moments in the fight against BH, how realistic is the promise by President Jonathan that Abubakar Shekau is going to be caught alive?

No doubt there are gains against BH by the military; but the question is, which military – Nigeria’s or Chad’s? Or, which Commander-in-Chief -Nigeria’s Jonathan or Chad’s Deby(leading the other two)? The answer is left to you to produce, for I am compelled to think that ours is a tale of one country but two commanders-in-chief!

The presidential candidate of the APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, has expressed outrage and grief at the latest terrorist suicide bomb attacks in Maiduguri, which left at least 54 innocent people dead.

In a condolence message he issued in Abuja on Monday through his media campaign committee, General Buhari said the frequency with which terrorists destroy lives and property embarrassed him beyond measure, and that tackling such indiscriminate violence would be on top of priorities once elected into office.

According to him, terrorist violence has achieved nothing good for anybody and that his administration would confront this insecurity problem with determination and remarkable zeal.

The APC presidential candidate explained that nothing can justify this endless and brutal terrorist violence targeted at innocent people, which has also destroyed the economic and social life of the people in areas where terrorists are notoriously active.

General Muhammadu Buhari, however, called for increased vigilance among the people. He said the ease with which suicide bombers blend with law-abiding citizens and reach their targets undetected is disturbing.

He explained that majority of the people have no idea about the features and characteristics of suicide bombers, and cannot, therefore, identify such killers in their company.

The statement extended Buhari’s condolences to the families of the victims of the latest terrorist attacks on Maiduguri.

General Buhari has also condoled the families of the recent violence in Rivers State in which some unidentified gunmen attacked and killed APC supporter in the state. He said violence benefits nobody and, instead, it sets back the progress of the country.

Di Maria has certainly not come close to showing us his true ability yet. The big question is whether he ever will.

Some players are just not suited to English football – and by that I mean the pace of our game.

Take Aston Villa versus West Brom on Tuesday for example. I was there and nobody got a single second on the ball.

In the past, we have seen other proven top-class players in different positions come to the Premier League and fail to perform – people like Andriy Shevchenko or Juan Sebastian Veron. Veron also broke the British transfer record when he joined United for £28.1m in 2001 and the worry for Di Maria is that he is going to follow in his footsteps in another way – by being a fantastically gifted footballer who is an Old Trafford flop.

Like Di Maria, Veron started well and then had sporadic games where he impressed, but he never really kicked on and established himself as a force in the Premier League, at United or Chelsea.

It was too fast and furious for him, and he had players like me flying into him and not giving him the sort of time on the ball that you get in La Liga or Serie A.

What happened to Veron just goes to show that you can be an absolute top-notch player but it does not mean you are going to make it in England.

Only time will tell if Di Maria goes the same way.

Like Di Maria, Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez is South American, small in stature and with bags of pace and attacking skill.

Both of them arrived from a La Liga superpower in the summer for massive money, and with a big reputation too.

Unfortunately for United's £59.7m man, they do not have much in common when it comes to what they have done since.

For me, Sanchez has been one of the signings of the season at £35m from Barcelona, not far behind Chelsea duo Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa – who look like they are going to win the league.

In contrast, Di Maria has been the biggest disappointment.

That is not just because his fee was a British record, but when you consider how good he is and what he had achieved before he signed.

'Di Maria was the third or fourth best in the world'

The reason there was such a buzz when United bought Di Maria from Real Madrid in August is that he was up there with the best players in the world.

He was man of the match in last season's Champions League final,which Real won, and he had a great World Cup.

Argentina definitely missed him in the final against Germany and, with him in the team, they arguably would have won it.

He showed that in September, a week after making his United debut, when he went to Dusseldorf and made three goals and scored another to help Argentina beat the world champions 4-2 in a friendly.

Di Maria played on the right flank that night and he was ridiculously good At that point, I would say he was probably up there as the third or fourth best player in the world. There was Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi… then Luis Suarez or him.

Now? It is like watching a completely different player – and a much less effective one.

Di Maria was back on the right in his last two games for United, and did next to nothing – he was replaced at half-time against Sunderland and taken off after less than an hour against Newcastle. That is just not good enough.

The very best players in the world are able to grab games by the scruff of the neck and lift their team when they are not playing well.

Sanchez has been a great example of that with the way he has regularly made things happen for Arsenal on the days when they have been average and have needed his help to help set the tempo in attack.

There is no way you could say that Di Maria has done the same for United while they have been short of their best form.

Yes he still works hard but, if anything, his performances have been getting worse, not better.

I highlighted on Match of the Day a couple of weeks ago how easily Di Maria was being knocked off the ball.

On top of that, his decision making has been poor and he looks short on confidence.

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has extended the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), hitherto scheduled to end today, by
two weeks .

In a statement issued today, INEC said the exercise will continue across the country until 22 March, six days to the presidential election.

Ogun state still lags behind other states in the collection, with the cards not available in the principal cities of Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, among others. Governor Ibikunle Amosun clamoured on saturday for the extension of the collection deadline.

Announcing the latest extension, Kayode Idowu, chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, said:

“This latest extension offers the last opportunity for duly registered persons to collect their PVCs before the general
election scheduled for March 28 and April 11, 2015,” he said.

INEC urged “all registered persons that are yet to collect their PVCs to use this last opportunity in doing so, in order to participate in the forthcoming general election”.

At the weekend, INEC tested its card readers in some States of Nigeria, such as Rivers, Nasarawa and others.

Check out photos of celebrity outfits to the event, from the fabulous, the good, and the down right ridiculous.

See photos below:

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