Thursday, March 31, 2016

Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari on Tuesday, March 29 donated relief materials to persons displaced by the crisis in Agatu, Benue State. The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo said her visit to the NOGOA Secondary School Markurdi where the victims are camped, was also to enable her obtain firs hand information on the crisis. She condoled with the victims promising that they would not stand alone in their time of grief.


Among items donated were 200 bags of rice, 100 cartons of Tomatoe paste, cartons of satchet milk, cooking oil, and other food items. More photos after the cut...









Thursday, March 31, 2016
Sunderland are set to terminate the contract of defender Emmanuel Eboue after he was suspended by Fifa from all football-related activity for one year.
The 32-year-old, who joined the Black Cats until the end of the season on 9 March, was given the ban after failing to pay money owed to a former agent.
Sunderland said Eboue did not make the club aware of the matter, which relates to a dispute from July 2013.
The Ivory Coast international has two weeks to appeal against the decision.
Eboue, who has not made a first team appearance for the Black Cats, had been ordered by Fifa to pay agent Sebastien Boisseau an undisclosed amount he was entitled to under the terms of an agreement between the pair.
The former Arsenal full-back was fined 30,000 Swiss francs (£21,000) in September 2014 and given four months to settle the matter.
Eboue spent eight seasons at the Gunners after arriving from Belgian side Beveren in 2004, before moving to Turkey, where he won three Super Lig titles and five domestic trophies with Galatasaray.
He began training with Sunderland in February.

Thursday, March 31, 2016
Brazilian football legend Pele is suing South Korean electronics giant Samsung, after claiming the firm improperly used a lookalike in an advertisement.
He is claiming at least $30m (£21m), according to legal papers lodged at the US District Court in Chicago.
The advertisement for ultra high-definition televisions ran in the New York Times without Pele's permission.
Pele, 75, whose full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is considered by many to be the best player of all time.
He played for Brazil's victorious World Cup winning teams of 1958 and 1970, scoring in both finals, and was in the squad which won in 1962.
With club side Santos he twice won the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup. Later in his career he went on to become the face of "soccer" in the US, as the NASL looked for a sporting breakthrough in the mid-1970s.


It is alleged that Samsung ran the advertisement after breaking off negotiations in 2013 to use Pele's image to promote its goods.
According to the complaint, the ad - which does not name Pele - includes a facial photo of a man who "very closely resembles" him, and also a small picture of a footballer making a "modified bicycle or scissors-kick, perfected and famously used by Pele".
The iconic star now makes much of his income through product endorsements

The complaint also says that the Samsung advertisement will damage the value of his endorsement rights and mislead consumers into thinking he backs Samsung products.
As well as seeking compensation his legal team say they also want to prevent future unapproved uses of his image.
The lawsuit was filed by Pele IP Ownership LLC, which owns the former player's trademark and publicity rights.
Pele's lawyer Frederick Sperling has also represented former Chicago Bulls basketball star Michael Jordan.
He helped him win a case against the former Dominick's Finer Foods over an unauthorised use of his identity in an advertisement in Sports Illustrated magazine.

Thursday, March 31, 2016
The Nigerian Football Federation is considering taking the Confederation of African Football, Africa's football governing body, to the Court of Arbitration for Sports after the ouster of the Super Eagles from AFCON 2017 after losing 1-0 to Egypt in Alexandria on Tuesday, making it their second successive Afcon miss in two years.

The early exit was facilitated by the sudden withdrawal of Chad from the qualification campaign, leaving Group G with just one qualification spot and no option of best losers, and the NFF feels CAF had the power to stop CHAD from withdrawing or at best provide the qualification group with another country.

As a result, the under-fire NFF executive committee led by President Amaju Pinnick is considering measures to seek redress by dragging Caf to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
“It is rather unfortunate that Chad, one of the teams in the qualification group, suddenly pulled out of the race, leaving only three teams left in the group, and only the winner of the the group guaranteed qualification. This appeared to have taken away our worst–case scenario of qualification. However, our legal unit is looking at the propriety of changing the rules midstream’’, NFF Assistant Director of Communications Demola Olajire told newsmen.
CAS is an independent institution, based in Lausanne, Switzerland involved in resolving legal disputes in the field of sport.

Thursday, March 31, 2016
A widower named Solomon Wilfred has accused the Lagos state police command of causing the death of his six weeks pregnant wife, Vivienne, on March 16th, the Nation reports.

Solomon who just got married to Vivienne in December last year, said his wife was arrested at the Apena market on March 15th over allegations of kidnapping a teenage girl. A woman identified as Chinwendu Udomadu had accosted the deceased with claims that the little girl she came to the market with, Perpetual Ucheweaku was one Osinachi Udomadu, her daughter, who had been missing since 2014.

The deceased denied the claims, stating that she was the guardian of the teenage girl and that she also knows the teenage girls parents. After much argument, police officers at the market arrested the women and took them to the station.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Akinpelu was said to have transferred the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) at Panti, Yaba, claiming that it was a criminal case which could not be handled at his station.

Solomon said his wife was detained in a cell while he wrote a statement. He said he begged to swap places with her since she was pregnant and “suffers stress induced seizures”.
“I told them she was pregnant and sick. I told them she had stress induced seizures, and I went upstairs to write the statement for me to swap places with her. But when I came back, they had thrown her into the cell. I even thought they put her behind the counter to wait for me to write the statement, but she was in the cell. Then I told them to release her because I already told them she was not feeling fine” he said.
Solomon said his wife died shortly after she was released the next day March 16th.

However the Lagos state police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, has denied his claim. According to Badmos, the deceased was never put in any cell.
"She was never put in the cell and she was released by the ACP SCID immediately her husband said she was six weeks pregnant and has health challenges. The ACP later called and told me that she has been informed the woman fainted at home and was rushed to the hospital where she passed on,” she said.
Badmos added that the the teenage girl and her alleged mother are to be subjected to a DNA test

“The police did nothing wrong in the matter. The suspects (Chinwendu and Chinemerem Udomadu) have been charged to court and the result of the DNA test is still being awaited.”she said

Thursday, March 31, 2016
The police in Lagos have arrested a chief in the Ijegun area, identified only as Ajiroba, for allegedly assaulting a bread seller, Bukola Olasunkanmi, in the Isheri-Oshun area of the state.


PUNCH Metro learnt that Olasunkanmi, who was seven-month-old pregnant, was allegedly flogged several times by the chief and his thugs because she mediated in an argument involving some levy collectors and another bread seller at the Ijegun bus stop.

Our correspondent gathered that Olasunkanmi, who sustained injuries, was first rushed to a private hospital, and later taken to the Igando General Hospital.

It was gathered that the matter was reported at the Isheri Oshun division and Ajiroba was arrested by the police.

Olasunkanmi claimed that after she reported the matter to the police, she had been receiving threat-to-life phone calls, which made her to write a petition to the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Zone 2, Onikan, Bala Hassan.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Olasunkanmi said she had been asked to report at the general hospital daily for checkups to ensure that the assault did not affect the pregnancy.

She said, “I work as a mobile bread vendor, and the assault happened on March 11, 2016, while I was supplying bread to a customer at the Ijegun bus stop. At a point in the transaction, I noticed that another bread vendor had thrown her wooden tray on the bonnet of my car.

“I realised that she was being harassed by some local levy collectors operating in the area. I intervened by pleading with the collectors to let her go as she strapped a baby to her back, I said, ‘Leave this woman alone.’

“It was at this point that one Chief Ajiroba, accompanied by four hoodlums, emerged from a corner with a cane and began to flog me. I was beaten like a criminal at the bus stop despite being pregnant.

“I ran to the Isheri Osun division and reported the matter. Policemen thereafter followed me to the chief and he was detained that day. Although the chief has apologised to me, my fear is that strange people have been visiting my residence since the ecounter.

“Most of them warned me that my life was no longer safe as I dared to report a chief to the police. I want the police to help me out and ensure that justice is served in this matter. I go almost every day to the Igando General Hospital for checkups.”

Our correspondent gathered that the police had granted Ajiroba bail, but he was asked to still report at the station.

When contacted on the telephone, Ajiroba said that he had not met Olasunkanmi before that day. He added that Olasunkanmi and the bread seller were fighting and he flogged the two.

He said, “I did not know she was pregnant. I did not know her before that day. I saw two women fighting at the bus stop and I flogged both of them. I have been begging her to drop this matter.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest.

She said, “A case of assault occasioning harm was reported against the suspect.

“Investigation is ongoing. The command will ensure that justice is done.”

Wednesday, March 30, 2016
The skeleton of a 46-year-old man identified as Sikiru Yusuf was found in his room seven months after he was declared missing.


Yusuf, a resident of 21, Jaiyesinmi Street, Aga, Ikorodu, was discovered by his elder brother, Alhaji Basiru Yusuf, who at the instance of the deceased’s landlady, came to pack his property.

It was gathered that the aged landlady, who resides at the topmost floor of the one-storey building house as the deceased, became apprehensive after he was not seen for four months.

The Nation gathered that the nature of Yusuf’s job usually took him out of town for two or three months before he would return.
Hence, no one raised an eyebrow when he was not seen in the first three months, during which the stench from his decomposing corpse was passed off as a dead rat’s smell.

When he was not seen for about five months, it was learnt that his family members at Ikosi in Ketu were notified and they assumed he might have travelled.
But the landlady grew impatient by the seventh month, requesting that his family should evacuate his belongings from the room, since he had not shown up.

This prompted the senior Yusuf to visit his brother’s residence at about 12:30pm on Monday and forced the door open in the presence of the landlady and other residents.

As soon as the door opened, it was gathered that the family members and the tenants saw the skeleton of the occupant on the floor, with a rope beside it. They said this suggested that he might have committed suicide.

According to the landlady’s daughter, Funmi Badewa, they did not suspect anything was wrong because the deceased was not always around.

“At first, we thought he must have gone for his job, which usually kept him away for two or three months. But we became worried and contacted his family when we did not see him after some months.

“We went to his family at Ikosi in Ketu and asked after him. But they too said they have not seen him and that he probably travelled. When it was seven months, his brother now came and said they would pack his things since no one has seen him.

“They broke the door and that was when his skeleton was found on the ground. We also saw a rope, which means he might have committed suicide.

“There was a time we perceived bad odour, but we thought that a rat might have died somewhere. The smell lasted several days. No one even thought it could be a dead human being,” she said.

The deceased’s brother was said to have rushed to Ikorodu Police Division to make a report and a team of detectives, who followed him back to the scene, evacuated the body.

It could not be ascertained if the deceased was married or have children, as his neighbours said he lived alone in the apartment.

Confirming the development, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the body has been deposited at a public morgue for autopsy.

“The complainant said he was invited by his brother’s landlady to evacuate his belongings because he absconded and locked his room and parlour apartment up for seven months.

“However, when the door was forced open, it was discovered that the said Sikiru Yusuf had died long ago as his skeleton was found on the floor.

“On receipt of complaint, a team of detectives visited, examined and photographed the scene, while the remains was removed and deposited at public morgue for autopsy. Investigation is ongoing to unravel what actually transpired,” she said.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Three-time African champions Nigeria have crashed out of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon after losing 1-0 to Egypt in the reverse fixture of their Group G match played at the Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria on Tuesday.
A lone goal from 19-year-old Ramadan Sobhy gave the Pharaohs the three points, which extended their lead at the summit of the group’s table. Egypt now have seven points from three matches while Nigeria are second with two points from the same number of matches. Tanzania are third with one point.
Coach Samson Siasia kept faith with the backline that drew 1-1 against Egypt in Kaduna: Abdullahi Shehu, Stanley Amuzie, Efe Ambrose and Godfrey Oboabona while Chippa United goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, was in goal in place of injured first-choice, Carl Ikeme.
The coach also retained Oghenekaro Etebo and Mikel Obi but Umar Aminu started in place of Kelechi Iheanacho. The attack had only one change as Victor Moses started in place of Simon Moses. Odion Ighalo and Ahmed Musa kept their places in the attack.
The Egyptians created the better chances in the first half but Nigeria also had a few moments during a goalless first half at the packed stadium. Nigeria grew into the game but could not get a meaningful shot past the Egyptian defence.
In the 41st minute of the game, Nigeria goalkeeper Akpeyi pulled off two big saves from Ibrahim Salah and the captain Al-Said. The two efforts were from set-pieces.
Siasia, in the 46th minute, brought on Elderson Echiejile for Amuzie to stabilise the defence but it did little to stop the rampaging Egyptian attack. Azubuike Okechukwu was also brought on in the 62nd minute after an injury to Etebo.
But in the 64th minute, Sobhy broke Nigerian hearts after the Eagles defence failed to effectively deal with a set-piece. The 19-year-old’s shot was deflected past Akpeyi by the Nigerian defenders.
The Eagles fought to get an equaliser but the closest they got was in the 83rd minute when Moses’ shot cannoned off the upright.
A former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Kojo Williams, lamented Nigeria’s elimination describing it as utter embarrassment and shame.
Kojo, who spoke with The PUNCH soon after the match in Alexandria, said it was unthinkable that the country would miss out of Africa’s biggest football fiesta twice consecutively while insisting that the way forward was beyond using a local or a foreign coach.
He said, “It goes beyond employing a foreign or Nigerian coach and I won’t involve myself with that. The truth is that we have no philosophy; no pattern. We have to sit down and re-jig our football and develop a serious football culture.
“It’s a disgrace; it’s a disaster that we won’t be in Gabon. If we are using local coaches, we need to retrain them. It was a Dutchman and not a Spaniard who developed Barcelona’s football and they have adapted and maintained the style and philosophy over the years. That is how to develop football. But we are all busy here talking about Arsenal and Chelsea. The federation has to put their acts together and get a system that is working otherwise we will continue like this.
“Nigerians must stand up and say, ‘enough is enough.’ The foundation is too faulty; no structure and so nothing strong can be built upon that. The problem isn’t about venue or the colour of the skin but getting the technical team right. How can nations be rising and playing fluid soccer and we are sliding down? We have to map out a long term plan.”

Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Four students of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, have been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for attempting to resurrect the corpse of a 300-level student of Microbiology, Eniola Jacob.


The suspects are Inerima Alaniye (a 400-level student of Mathematics); Awe Raphael (a 500-level student of Law); Adeboye Adeshola (a 200-level student of Political Science); and Arawomo Stephen.
It was reported that Jacob allegedly took an insecticide, Sniper, last Saturday on the campus.

He was said to have been rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, where he died on Sunday.

it was also reported that students who attempted to resurrect his corpse were leaders of the Cherubim and Seraphim Students Fellowship on the campus.

Jacob was said to have been a strong member of the fellowship before his death.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the students’ behaviour and actions at Jacob’s grave were suspicious, adding that they had been transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Eleweran.

The police spokesperson said during Jacob’s burial, the four students suddenly emerged and asked that the corpse be exhumed.

He said, “They were arrested at the graveside. They were arrested because their actions were suspicious. They insisted on exhuming the corpse that had been buried. They said they wanted to resurrect it. It came to us as a surprise that in this modern age, some group of young boys would come out and say they want to resurrect a dead man.

“We felt it was a strange development. If they were not cultists they would not make such a demand. We thought they were looking for parts of the deceased to tamper with and we took them to Eleweran for further investigations.”

The Public Relations Officer of the University of Lagos, Mr. Toyin Adebule, said he could not confirm the arrest of the students.

He, however, confirmed that Jacob took Sniper on the school premises.

He said the police had taken over the case and a corona inquest had begun.

He said, “This is a corona case and the school is not involved. It has nothing to do with the university. What happened was that he (Jacob) took Sniper and after taking it, the security was informed. He was initially talking, but suddenly he collapsed.

“He was rushed to the school’s health centre where he was resuscitated. Around 7pm, he was rushed to LUTH where he died some hours later. There is no indictment. I am not aware that some students of the school have been arrested.”

Wednesday, March 30, 2016
MINISTER of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, yesterday, said the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country would permanently come to an end by the second week of April. He also apologised for his comments last week that the feul scarcity will end in May. 

 His words: “I share the pains of Nigerians, I feel that pain everyday when I walk the streets: on Easter day, I was in Lagos monitoring fuel distribution and the depots, I had given 24 hours attention to the problems. “I have continued to work with one sole purpose, which is that every problem must have a solution and I think that is the reason I was picked. “I do apologise for the comment that I made jocularly with my friends in the press about being a magician and it offended Nigerians; it was not meant to be, it was a side jocular issue. I did go on to explain what needed to be done, I did not know that it would create the kind of hyperbole (exaggeration) that it did. “Let me first admit that I am not a typically experienced politician, I am a technocrat: I come to work. 

 “Some of the phraseologies that I may use, while being acceptable in the arena in which I play, obviously will not be acceptable in the public political arena. So, if any body’s sensibilities were offended by those, I totally apologise.” The minister equally said immediate resuscitation of the nation’s refineries to function to optimal level was one of the panaceas to the fuel scarcity. 
This came as he said he had no intention of resigning from his position over last week’s comment that the commodity would remain scarce till May, which attracted criticisms from some All Progressives Congress, APC, stalwarts, with some calling for his resignation. He, therefore, asked those sponsoring people to Abuja to protest to that effect to save their money for different things useful to their lives. Kachikwu apologised for his last week’s comment that the ongoing petrol scarcity will continue till May, adding that it was only “magic” that could bring a faster remedy to end the scarcity. The minister, at a meeting with the Senate Committee on Petroleum, yesterday, insisted that the scarce commodity would be readily available across the country by the second week of April. 

 I was thoroughly coached on  what to say But he declared that he was told on what to say when he appeared before the Senate committee, saying what he was reeling out to the committee was what he was asked to say from the coaching, although he did not disclose those who coached him. 

 Asked by members of the committee to give dateline on when Nigerians should expect the petroleum products in full, Kachikwu said: “I was thoroughly coached before coming to this meeting. But there is a potential answer to this question. First is a political answer, which says we are doing our very best to go away from this situation but the training in me never attempts to be very exact because I set a goal post. “All I can say as an amendment to that is that in the month of April, within the first two weeks of April, we would have this issue completely resolved and you will not have this problem anymore. 

 “I am working very hard to make it the first week in April, it’s not going to happen in March and all am doing right now is logistics arrangements to try and cushion the pains as much as I can and Nigerians can help me by not double buying. “But, once we begin to get into the 5th, 6th of April, you will see a dramatic change in all this. Sometimes it is difficult to change your skin at an old age. So I tend to tell the truth the way it is even if I get into trouble in the cause of doing them. 

 “But the reality, distinguished senators, is that we are doing everything humanly possible, nothing is out of the table, no solution is thrown into the trash bin and we have got to a point where we can confidently say we are bound to see the last days of some of these occurrences in our history.” 

 Resuscitation of refineries only solution to scarcity He added that while the scarcity of the commodity may end by April, Nigerians may have to wait till May for what he called “major revolution” in the availability of the fuel. While assuring that fuel queues will disappear across the country within the stipulated period, Kachikwu said 90 per cent of Nigerian depots were not functional, a situation he explained, was aggravating the fuel scarcity. “Refineries in Nigeria are old and dilapidated but with appropriate funds and retooling, they will be revived to full capacity. It is one of the solutions to the problem at hand,“ he noted. 

 He proffered another solution thus: ”The ultimate solution is the computerisation of the structure where every product that goes into the depots is tracked when it is loaded, it is tracked when it gets to the filling station, and then vehicles in this country must carry scanners and trackers. Once you do that, it will record where a truck landed ultimately and we are working on those solutions. “We have finished the first, where we can track our products from the depots in Lagos into the depots in   states. What we have left not done is begin to track from the depots straight into the filling stations and we are working on that and hopefully, in the next couple of months, we should get to that point and once you do that, then you can actually leave a very serious sanctions on those who are actually getting themselves involved in diverting products. “Most fuel products come into Nigeria from Europe and it takes 14 days for fuel to land here,” he said, adding that the government intended to solve the situation by engaging consultants to manage the depots across the country.” 

 N600bn subsidy arrears The minister disclosed that advertisement to engage the consultants for management of the depots would start soon, regretting that despite the fact that  Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had since doubled its usual supply to Abuja,  scarcity remained. He also disclosed that the Federal Government had since paid N600 billion subsidy bill it inherited from the previous administration. 

 He said: “When we came in August, this country had arrears of unpaid subsidy bills that were in excess of close to N600 billion which have not been paid for over a year and so, progressively over a period of 6,7,8 months, we paid this.” N1trn to be saved from subsidy He said the country had so far saved over N1 trillion from the removal of subsidy. He said: “One of the things I started doing on assumption of office was how to ensure supply of petroleum products without the need for subsidy regime. 

 “I am glad that as at January 1 this year, the country is no longer paying subsidy and is saving us a cumulation of over a trillion naira in one year period but that was the first major issue.” On privatisation of oil sector Speaking on privatisation of the oil sector, the minister said: “Privatistion in this sector will help and I don’t think His Excellency is opposed to that. “What he is worried about is the absence of infrastructure in place. This cannot happen unless some of the structural deficits that we have in our operations are corrected, unless the nuances of fraud are wiped out of the system, it doesn’t matter who does it, we are still going to back to square one. 

 “So, what else for the refineries, what else for the depots. I am not averse to private capital, private participation but clean the debt which is what we are doing. “So, ultimately, that is where we should be headed and if you look at what we have done with the price modulation which is an indirect privatisation module for trying to determine pricing and last month we actually went down on pricing. 

 “This quarter, we are going to remain stable on the same pricing but as the crude prices move on, we are going to begin to have reactions to those modulations because ultimately you will never be able to repair the refineries and you now look to have investments in the depots.”

Tuesday, March 29, 2016
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday congratulated the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who clocks 64 years on Tuesday.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President expressed the belief that Tinubu’s rise politically since he was elected as a Senator in 1992 was a testimony to his forthrightness, diligence and doggedness.
He observed that the same qualities had endeared Tinubu to the electorate and given him all-round success as a private sector worker, a businessman and two-term Governor of Lagos State.
The President noted that the party leader’s disposition led to the formation of the APC which was able to oust the Peoples Democratic Party within a short period of its formation.
The statement read in part, “As one of the pillars of the APC, President Buhari commends the visionary leadership style of the Asiwaju of Lagos, who is also the Jagaban of the Borgu Kingdom in Niger State, for creating a formidable opposition party in Nigeria that worked vigorously within a short period to oust a party that had been in power for 16 years.
“The President assures the national leader that his patriotism and commitment to democracy and good governance, and his generous spirit will always be remembered and appreciated by generations of Nigerians.
“He prays that the Almighty God will grant the Asiwaju long life, good health, wisdom and prosperity as he steadfastly supports efforts to promote the development of Nigeria.”

Tuesday, March 29, 2016
An EgyptAir Airbus A-320 sits on the tarmac of Larnaca airport after it was hijacked and diverted to Cyprus on March 29, 2016. / AFP / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
An EgyptAir Airbus A-320 sits on the tarmac of Larnaca airport after it was hijacked and diverted to Cyprus on March 29, 2016. / AFP / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
A hijacker seized an EgyptAir plane, Airbus A320, on Tuesday, and diverted it to Larnaca airport in the Mediterranean Resort Island of Cyprus. The plane was headed to Alexandria from Cairo.
EgyptAir has released the following statement on it’s Facebook Page:
An EGYPTAIR official declared that its flight number MS181 heading from HBE Airport (Borg El- Arab Airport in Alexandria) to Cairo Airport was already diverted to Larnaca airport in Cyprus as the aircraft was hijacked. The aircraft is an Airbus A320 with 56 pax onboard in addition to 7 crew members and one EGYPTAIR security member. The aircraft landed safely at Larnaca.
EGYPTAIR confirms that it is following up with the concerned authorities in Cyprus through EGYPTAIR IOCC and negotiations are undergoing with the hijacker.
EGYPTAIR will update you with any news within one hour.
Cyprus police reports that the hijacker contacted the control tower at 8:30 am (05:30 GMT) and the plane was given permission to land at 8:50 am.
After negotiations, the hijacker then allowed the passengers to get off the plane, leaving only the crew and four foreigners on the plane.
The plane diverted to Cyprus after the captain, Omar Jamal, was alerted to the presence of a passenger who was wearing an explosive belt.
The identity of the hijacker is yet to be verified, but according to CNN, an Egyptian presidential spokesman said the correct name of the EgyptAir Flight 181 hijacker is Seif El Din Mustafa, an Egyptian national.
DailyMail also reports that the hijacker brought the plane to Cyprus to see and deliver a letter to his ex-wife.

Monday, March 28, 2016
Few weeks after he declared that Kaduna state governor, Nasir El Rufai will die if he does not revoke the Religious Regulation Bill (read here), Edo state based pastor and the Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries (OFM), Apostle Johnson Suleiman, while preaching in his church yesterday March 27th, reigned curses on El Rufai, saying he will die for daring to anger Christians.



During his sermon today March 27th, Suleiman said
"I am not just running my mouth. In the 1999 constitution, Chapter 4, under the fundamental human rights, section 38th says that everyone has a freedom of thought, conscience and opinion and it says they are very free to exercise their religion either in a community, in public or or in private. Public means put your speakers anywhere. So the man is not just going against the scripture. He is going against the nation. He is going against the constitution and he says because he did it in Abuja, nothing happened. He entered a christian community in Kaduna and he says he will destroy life. He will die!"he said
He described El Rufai as the Herod of Kano, an imbecile and a barbarian whose mouth is bigger than his body
"The Herod of Kaduna. Your days are numbered. Churches marked for destruction by an imbecile. A barbarian. A man whose mouth is bigger than is body. He wants to rubbish Christianity and everybody is saying we should take it easy. To hell with everyone. If you hate the church I hate you If you stand against the church I fight you. The Herod of Kaduna, your days are numbered," he said.



 
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