EFCC releases blogger following public outcry

Abuja-based blogger, Mr. Abubakar Sidiqu Usman, otherwise known as Abusidiqu, was on Tuesday released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Usman, who was released after 36 hours in custody, said on his official Twitter handle that he was released because of the pressure and condemnation that the EFCC received from Nigerians.

The blogger, therefore, thanked the media and his 19,400 followers on the social network.

Usman, who played an active role in President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign during the build-up to the 2015 elections, said he never expected human rights abuse from a ‘change’ government.

He said, “I would like to thank my family, friends, my legal team, members of the All Progressives Congress Youth Forum, members of the Nigerian online community, and hundreds of thousands of Nigerians who in one way or another spoke out against my unconstitutional detention by the EFCC.

The blogger also threatened to take a legal action against the anti-graft agency.“Your tweets, posts, and demands for the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of speech led to my release as well as the victory that we have achieved today. This experience has stirred up broader conversations on the roles of our statutory established institutions, the parameters of our laws, and our civil liberties as citizens of our great Federal Republic.”

He added, “Moving forward, I will be pursuing all legal and constitutionally established avenues to ensure that this does not repeat itself.”

Usman said he was pained because he was treated wrongly despite his huge support for Buhari.

The blogger, who was hosted by Buhari alongside other prominent bloggers last year, said, “This is a government that I fought for but occurrences like these are not the experiences that myself and millions of Nigerians fought for. I hope that we can use this to rectify the wrongs in our system towards the attainment of a more sustainable democracy.”

Usman was allegedly arrested over a recent report he published against the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

Ibrahimovic ‘a gift’ for Rashford – Mourinho

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a “gift” for his Manchester United teammate Marcus Rashford, according to manager Jose Mourinho.

Rashford impressed as a regular starter last season but faces being on the bench at the start of the new Premier League season after the arrival of Ibrahimovic from Paris Saint-Germain.

But Mourinho said the Swede’s presence would help rather than hinder the 18-year-old’s development.

The United manager told BT Sport: “He [Ibrahimovic] is brilliant with the young boys. I think, for Rashford, this is a gift.

Mourinho used Ibrahimovic as the advanced striker and Rooney as a No. 10 in the 2-1 Community Shield win over Leicester City at Wembley on Sunday.“People can say he is not going to play every game from the start, like he did in the second part of last season — but this is a gift for the kid, too.”

Rashford came on for the final 20 minutes of the match, replacing wide attacker Anthony Martial, as Ibrahimovic headed the late winning goal.

CBN directs BDCs not to sell FX above 2% margin of buying rate

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday directed Bureau De Change operators not to sell foreign exchange above two per cent margin of the buying rate.

A statement by W.D Gotring, the Acting Director, Trade and Exchange Department of CBN, also directed authorised dealers not to sell foreign exchange to any BDC more than a maximum of 30, 000 dollars per week.

According to the statement, a BDC shall nominate its preferred dealer or a bank to procure the said amount from only that bank in a week.

It also said that the selling rate by the dealer to BDCs should be the buying rate from International Money Transfer Operators plus a margin not exceeding 1.5 per cent.

“The two per cent margin above shall be applicable to all funds to be retailed by the BDCs regardless of sources of funds.’’It said, “Foreign exchange cash purchased by BDCs shall be sold to foreign exchange end-users at a rate not exceeding two per cent margin above the buying rate.

The statement mandated BDCs to render weekly report of purchases from authorised to its trade and exchange department.

It said that funds purchased by BDCs should be eligible for Business Travel Allowance, Personal Travel Allowance, Oversees School Fees and Oversees Medical Fees.

The statement warned that any BDC which violated the above directives would be punished accordingly.

Nathan Dyer signs new four-year Swansea City contract

Swansea City winger Nathan Dyer has signed a new four-year contract.

The 28-year-old, who picked up a Premier League winner’s medal during his loan spell at Leicester City last season, joined the club from Southampton in 2009.

Dyer, who had one year left on his previous contract, is the second Swansea player to commit to the club in as many days with Gylfi Sigurdsson also signing a new four-year deal.

“I was on loan last season and I had a good year at Leicester — the experience I had was unbelievable — but I’m happy to be back here at the club that first gave me the opportunity to show what I can do,” he told the club’s official website.

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“Coming back, there was only one thought in my mind — impress the new manager, speak to the chairman, get into the team and play games. I was going into the final year of my contract, so it was nice to sign a new deal.

“The new deal will keep me here until I finish. I have always seen myself being here. Once a Jack, always a Jack!”

Republican fund-raiser defects to Clinton camp

A prominent Republican activist and fundraiser says she will back Democrat Hillary Clinton for president and give money to her campaign to stop her party’s nominee Donald Trump, repudiating him as a dangerous demagogue.

“I will vote for Hillary, I will talk to my Republican friends about helping her, and I will donate to her campaign and try to raise money for her,” Meg Whitman told The New York Times Tuesday.

The billionaire Whitman is CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and used to be chief executive of eBay. Whitman funded her own, ultimately failed campaign to be elected governor of California in 2010.

Whitman told the Times that Trump is a “dishonest demagogue” and that electing him to the White House would lead the United States “on a very dangerous journey.”

Whitman said she stood by remarks earlier this year in which she compared Trump to Hitler and Mussolini, and said dictators often come to power by democratic means.

She also disclosed that Clinton had reached out to her about a month ago in a telephone call.“Time and again history has shown that when demagogues have gotten power or come close to getting power, it usually does not end well,” Whitman said.

Whitman said she is even willing to campaign for the former secretary of state.

Whitman will donate an amount in the “mid-six figures” to the Clinton campaign, the Times said, quoting an aide to her.

Whitman was a top fundraiser for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign and chaired New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s finance team this year until he pulled out of the race.

When Christie endorsed Trump, Whitman accused the governor of an “astonishing display of political opportunism, the Times said.

Man City Signs Jesus

Gabriel Jesus

Manchester City have signed 19-year-old Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus from Palmeiras on a five-year contract, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday.

Jesus, who is reported to have cost City an initial fee of £27m ($36m, €32.2m), will remain on loan at Palmeiras until December before moving to Manchester in January.

He is currently on duty with hosts Brazil at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“Manchester City is one of the best clubs in the world so I’m really pleased to sign,” Jesus said in comments published on the City website.

“We have many great talents in the team and a fantastic manager in Pep Guardiola that I can learn so much from.

“I’m looking forward to showing the City fans what I can do and I think we’ll have a great future together!”

Woman stabs husband to death for coming home late and drunk

A Kenyan woman has been arrested for allegedly stabbing her husband to death for arriving home late and drunk. 
Ann Mbaithe (pictured left) was accused of stabbing her husband, Daniel Githuka, 30, in the chest and killing him, after he returned home in the early hours of Saturday, July 30 in Tinganga village, Kiambu town. 

The deceased's mother Elizabeth Wanjiku said he worked at a neighbouring school and usually returned at about 10pm. She said the couple had been married for five years and had no problems. The had one child aged four and a half. 

"My son and I live in the same compound. I heard confrontation from my house past midnight," Wanjiku recounted.

The mother said she got out of bed and went to Githuka's house where she found him arguing with his wife. Her son stood his ground saying he was the head of the house who should not have been confronted over the matter. She had not noticed the knife Mbaithe had been holding since she folded her arms.

"It was not a physical confrontation but my son's wife suddenly attacked and stabbed him in the chest with a knife. After my son was stabbed I called for help from neighbours but upon reaching hospital he was pronounced dead due to loss of blood."

Wanjiku said she reported the matter at Kiambu police station. Officers arrived  later and arrested Mbaithe at the home. County DCI boss Amos Tebeny said Mbaithe will be charged with murder once investigations are completed.

Source: The Star