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NFF Blames FIFA For Falconets’ Plight In Turkey, Explains Why Players Washed Their Kits

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the ministry of sports and youth development have reacted to the viral photos of Falconets sleeping on the floor at the airport in Istanbul, Turkey.

Earlier reports had shown how the team, which crashed out of the 2022 Women’s U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica on Sunday, was stranded in Turkey on their way to Nigeria.

A flight rescheduled led to a four-hour delay in Columbia and a sixty-minute stop in Panama which culminated in the ladies missing their connecting flight back to Abuja from Istanbul.

Without transit visas, the players had no option but to pass the night at the airport.

Reacting in a joint statement on Wednesday, the NFF and sports ministry claimed that the team’s flight was booked by FIFA and not the federation since “the World Cup is a FIFA tournament.”

It added that the players could not be handed transit visas because “Nigeria had been removed from the list of countries granted transit visas at Istanbul Airport.”

“The attention of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has been drawn to viral pictures of our female football team, the Falconets making rounds, portraying them stranded at the airport in Istanbul, Turkey,” the statement reads.

“For the reason of setting the records straight, we thought to lay the facts bare. The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the NFF DID NOT book the tickets. The World Cup is a FIFA tournament. FIFA booked tickets for the team to travel from Bogota to Panama, but for some reason, the flight to Panama was delayed for 3 hours.

“There was another 1-hour delay at the airport in Panama. By the time the team got to Istanbul, the flight to Abuja had left.

“The NFF officials pleaded that the team be given transit visas at the airport so they could head to a hotel in the town, but this was not possible as Nigeria had been removed from the list of countries granted transit visas at Istanbul Airport. So, the airline took the team to a sleeping area at the airport and handed them the tickets to have meals after every 5 hours.

“The Minister has reached out to the team via phone and video calls and they will be homebound soon. It is sad, but this has nothing to do with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the NFF, who had made necessary arrangements to receive the team on arrival in Abuja before the flight hitches.”

In a separate statement, the NFF also addressed the logistical problem suffered by the Falconets during the competition.

It was earlier reported that with a limited number of jerseys assigned to players, the Falconets had to wash their kits with their hands.

But in the statement, published on its website, the federation said: “The players were handed three sets of green jerseys and two sets of white jerseys, several house-wear types and training jerseys.

“The players opted to wash only their jersey top (no other stuff) because when the first set of body-wear was sent to the laundry people at the hotel, it returned with some FIFA and NFF badges at the front and names at the back peeled by the machine.”

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Court Sentence FCMB Branch Manager To 121 Years In Prison For Embezzling N112million From Customer’s Account In Anambra

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One of FCMB’s employees was sentenced to prison for fraud and embezzlement, which was the worst shock of the year for the prestigious financial organisation in Nigeria.

Mr. Nwachukwu Placidus, the bank manager at First City Monument Bank FCMB, Onitsha, Anambra State, was sentenced to 121 years in prison by Justice S. Odili at the Anambra State High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, for embezzling N112 million from a customer’s fixed deposit account.

A former manager of the First City Monument Bank branch in Onitsha was found guilty and sentenced to 121 years in prison for stealing N112,100,000 in fixed deposit money from a customer for personal use.

The honourable justices delivered the verdict that resulted in this outcome. This is tantamount to a breach of trust by the former manager which has attracted a huge jail term.

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Lagos Government Intensifies Effort To Arrest Dolphin Underbridge Illegal Landlord

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The Lagos State Government has launched a manhunt for the individual who gave the apartments to tenants under the Ikoyi bridge after 36 illegal residents of the Dolphin underbridge bridge were apprehended.

It further revealed that during the clearance operation, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), the ministry’s enforcement unit, arrested no fewer than 36 renters.

Tokunbo Wahab, the commissioner for the environment and water resources, revealed this on Friday at a briefing for reporters regarding the government’s actions through the ministry during the previous year.

He said: “Just about 24 hours ago, the operatives carried out an operation that unearthed a major illegal housing settlement constructed under the Dolphin Bridge Ikoyi.

“An unbelievable 80 rooms partitioned 10×10 and 10×12 and a container used for different illegal activities was also discovered.

“All the structures have been dismantled and a total of 36 miscreants who lived under the were arrested while efforts are being intensified to arrest the ring leaders who rented out the underbridge apartments which also add electricity supply,” it added.

The state government had earlier dislodged tenants under Dolphins Estate Bridge, who paid N250, 000 annually to yet to be identified landlords.

The tenants, who were dislodged in the process were discovered during an enforcement exercise by officials of the state government during demolition of illegal structures.

He added that the enforcement team of Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had successfully removed all structures, including a container utilised for various illegal activities, from beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge.

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Olubadan: New Twist As Ladoja, Kingmakers Disagree On Settlement Terms

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The enthronement of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland, took a new turn yesterday when the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, the former governor of Oyo State, and other kingmakers couldn’t agree on the terms of settlement that would have made the enthronement process easier.

While entertaining Mogajis in Ibadanland led by Chief Asimiyu Ariori in his Bodija residence, Ladoja indicated his willingness to drop the lawsuit he had brought against Olubadan-in-Council members, provided that both sides agreed to sign the settlement conditions as they were written.

He said: “Myself and other members of Olubadan-in-Council have been sitting together and talking. We have accepted to withdrawal the case.

“I heard that they have started signing the agreement. After all of them have signed, I will also sign my own aspect, and the next day, we will file for withdrawal of the case from court.

However, other members of Olubadan-in-Council who are defendants in the suit have argued that there is no need for signing of any terms of settlement paper, as they have already abided by the 1957 declaration.

A meeting held yesterday at Olubadan palace, Oja’ba was attended by Osi Balogun, Oba Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe; Asipa Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi; Asipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola; Ekerin Balogun, Oba John Isioye-Dada and Ekaarun Olubadan, Oba Adebayo Akande.

The Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja; Osi Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole; Otun Balogun Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade Salaudeen and Ekaarun Balogun, Oba Abiodun Azeeez were absent.

Oba Adebimpe, speaking on behalf of other members of the council in attendance at the meeting, said event had overtaken the terms of reference as contained in the agreement paper, hence no need to sign it.

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