EU provides N4bn relief for Boko Haram victims

The European Commission has provided €21m (about N4.7bn) to help the populations in Nigeria and neighbouring countries that are affected by the violence inflicted by Boko Haram.

In a statement on Saturday, the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, while on a visit to Nigeria, said, “More than 1.7 million people have been displaced by the terror of Boko Haram. Many of them live in precarious conditions in other parts of Nigeria or the neighbouring countries where they have fled.”

“Meeting some of them, I saw with my eyes the immense needs that the conflict is causing among civilians. We are stepping up our humanitarian response to the call of those in the greatest need.”

Stylianides also expressed concern over the lack of humanitarian access to the people who need help, adding that there were restrictions of access in many areas, including along Lake Chad.

According to him, all possible efforts should be made to ensure that humanitarian organisations can be there for those who need their help.

He noted that the new EU funding would provide immediate support including clean water, food, shelter, healthcare and protection to the displaced and the host communities in the north-eastern part of the country, as well as to Nigerian refugees in the neighbouring countries.

“Of this funding, €12.5m will be used to tackle the humanitarian challenges in Nigeria, and €8.5m to support the refugees in Niger, Cameroon and Chad,” the EU commissioner explained.

According to the EU, the new aid comes on top of relief that the commission is providing to the most vulnerable people affected by food insecurity and malnutrition throughout Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

The violent conflict in North-East, with indiscriminate attacks on the civilian population, has displaced 1.5 million people within the country, and forced over 230,000 people to flee to neighbouring Niger, Cameroon, and Chad.

Those displaced people live in precarious conditions and are in need of basic services. In addition, the security situation often prevents humanitarian organisations from reaching those in need to deliver basic supplies.

In the neighbouring countries, the newly arrived refugees put additional strain on the resources of the host communities which already suffer from the consequences of food crises and extreme poverty.

Kevin Volland helps Germany past Denmark; Czech Republic beat Serbia

Germany went top of Group A with a 3-0 victoryover Denmark in their second group stage game at the Under-21 European Championship on Saturday.

Hoffenheim forward Kevin Volland scored twice, while Dortmund's Matthias Ginter added the third to complete the rout.

Volland, the German captain, first struck in the 32nd minute, his low, right-footed shot from 12 yards beating Denmark goalkeeper Jakob Busk Jensen.

He completed his brace three minutes after the break with a powerful, curling free kick from 25 yards finding the back of Jensen's net.

Centre-back Ginter then settled the match and secured the three points with a well-placed header from the centre of the box just five minutes later.

Germany, who have four points, will next play Czech Republic on Tuesday, while Denmark, on three points, take on Serbia in the final group matches.

Jan Kliment scored a hat trick as hosts Czech Republic won 4-0 against Serbia in the other Group A match.

The FC Vysocina Jihlava forward scored in the eighth, 21st and 56th minutes for the Czechs, before Martin Frydek made it four in the 59th minute.

While it is little consolation, Serbia had won the Under-20 World Cup earlier in the day, defeating Brazil 2-1 in extra time. It was their first such tournament as an independent nation.

Davido Spoils His Daughter Silly As He Shops For Her & Put Up Photo

The HKN Boss  who recently welcomed a baby girl with his girlfriend has said he now compulsorily buys an extra pair of shoes each time he goes shoe shopping. He says it’s weird. Lol,

See what he wrote.

Gareth Southgate can't shield England U21 players from social media abuse

Gareth Southgate's Euro 96 penalty miss means he knows a thing or two about abuse, making him all the more wary about the way social media could impact on his England Under-21 side's European Championship hopes.

The Young Lions' fifth straight appearance in the finals is likely to end in a third successive group-stage exit unless they beat Sweden in Olomouc on Sunday.

Portugal's 1-0 triumph in their Group B opener means England are in a precarious position and has naturally led to a flood of criticism on social media.

Southgate is only using his Twitter account to check his son's cricket results, with the tournament in full flow, and is wary of the way negative comments on social media could impact his players.

"I don't and I can't shield it for them, but would I suggest that it's not going to help them get in the right mind set by reading what some bloke who might have just had six pints says," he said.

"I remember when I was working for ITV getting some messages from people and then looking at maybe what their last 10 messages to people had been and quite often they were quite similar, quite vitriolic.

"Again, it is easy for me at 44 to rationalise it more. I don't think the lads would necessarily go through that and I go back to what I say to my daughter.

Former Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has been England's Under-21s boss since August 2013.

"Home is a place for young people where, for the majority, there is safety and security. Now, with social media you can be attacked in your own home.

"That, as a dad, bothers me because I don't think that's healthy and I think it is dangerous for young people, but I also move with the times and accept that we embrace social media.

"But for young people, there's a lot of negativity or adverse things that can come into that."

The ease and access such channels provide only exacerbates the issue in the opinion of Southgate, who is regularly reminded about his missed penalty in the Euro 96 semifinal against Germany.

"It still goes on," the former defender said of the abuse. "I still get it, absolutely. Some of our lads would be better prepared to handle that than others.

"They psychologically mature at different ages and can cope with things at different ages, [so it is about] having an understanding of them as individuals and what they can handle."

Southgate's main goal is to help the young players succeed with the England senior team -- a level he played at 57 times.

The experience he garnered during that period was partly behind his decision to have a low-key day after the Portugal defeat, with the players spending time with loved ones as well as doing a light recovery session and mini golf competition.

"The key over the last 24 hours has been to get some emotional stability in the group," Southgate said.

"We had a 48 hours where we lost John [Stones] and Saido [Berahino], then we lose the goal that's the outcome of such a random chain of events.

"With any defeat -- and this is a group that's not used to losing -- there's then a million theories as to why they've lost. Individually, they've all got their pictures of why.

"It's really important after the game to look at the realities of the game, statistically, and the evidence of what we've seen.

"The reality is all along we've said we need five points to get out the group. That's still achievable."

Southgate is planning to make some changes for Sunday's crucial encounter with Sweden -- he said he planned to do so even before Thursday's defeat -- and highlighted the importance of controlling the game in Olomouc.

"It's about keeping their nerve," he said. "Will the game be won in 20 minutes? Probably not.

"Wearing the opposition down is a problem we've faced throughout the campaign and it's very much that calmness that they're going to need on the field.

"But there's no reason for me to believe they can't do that, they've had to do that in several of the qualifiers.

"I still feel, performance-wise, they weren't far away against Portugal and so they've got to keep faith in what they're doing."

I'll Win Election 100 Times - Wike Boasts

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has boasted that he will emerge winner of the Rivers state gubernatorial election even if it is repeated a 100 times.

Governor Nyesom Wike

The governor said this during an interactive session with journalists at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers state on Saturday, June 20, Daily Post reports.

READ ALSO: Wike Wants Buhari Support To Probe Amaechi

The governor who claimed he was the brain behind Rotimi Amaechi’s emergence as governor  said he was presently schooling the camp of his predecessor on how to play the game of politics due  to his wealth of experience.

Wike said he is well conversant with the political structure of the state adding that “I was a council chairman. There is nowhere in this state that I do not know. There is no ward I do not know one person…..“As I sit down here, I can mention one person from each ward. I know the politicians in this state. I know who has strength and who does not have strength”.

He justified his emergence as governor of the state on the grounds that he worked tirelessly during his campaigns to achieve success.

READ ALSO: Your Victory Is Due To Amaechi’s Courage – Northern Group Tells Buhari

Meanwhile, the governor also indicted Rotimi Amaechi of squandering the sum of N800m on an Indian consultant. He alleged his predecessor paid the Indian consultants N800m to run the Nne Kurubo Model School at Ebubu-Eleme.

Kennis Music Boss Kenny Keke Ogungbe Confirms No Rift With Capital FEMI

In his words, ‘We actually agreed on things and everything is fine between us; we have no issues.’


Kenny Keke Ogungbe, the CEO of Kennis Music, has confirmed that there is no rift with R&B singer, Capital FEMI, who recently exited the label.

In a recent chat with the media, Ogungbe noted that the music company and Capital FEMI had a mutual agreement to dissolve the singer’s contract, thus there are no issues.

In his words, ‘We actually agreed on things and everything is fine between us; we have no issues.’

Ogungbe, however, didn’t end his chat without stating that the I got Money star released only one album as opposed his four albums in the six years contract.

‘It’s worthy to note, however, that he penned to a six-year/four full albums contract in December 2009 and only one album dropped up till date,’ he dropped.

No loyalty!! Jonathan’s Close Friend Defects To APC

Diekivie Ikiogha, reputed to be a close friend of former President, Goodluck Jonathan, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.

Ikiogha, switched allegiance to the APC at a ceremony held on Saturday, June 20, at the Kpansia open field, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

The politician was a former Bayelsa State Chief of Staff, and a trusted ally of Governor Seriake Dickson as well as Jonathan.

While addressing the crowd that came to witness his official defection to the APC, Ikiogha said he decided to quit the PDP because it is a party full of betrayals and deceits.

He said, “There is lack of internal democracy and it is a party where the highest bidders always have their way.

Ikiogha was Chief of Staff until Dickson removed him from office in controversial circumstances and redeployed him to the state’s Abuja Liaison Office.

He resigned his appointment in October 2014 to contest the House of Representatives ticket for the Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency, but he would fail to get the ticket.