Abductors of Edo State-born popular musician, Osayomore Joseph, have made contact with the family, demanding the sum of N200m as ransom. Ambassador Joseph was kidnapped in his house at Orovie village, Upper Ekenhuan road, Benin City, the Edo State capital.

German-born Nigeria international defender Leon Balogun has once again voiced out his joy over his choice of representing Nigeria ahead of Germany.
Known for his hard stance and no nonsense approach when it comes to defending, the 29 year old was in tears at the final whistle of the game and had to be consoled by his teammates. Speaking after the game, Balogun who was eligible to play for Germany as well before deciding on the Super Eagles said he never thought of playing for Germany, even though he was born there. “ I have never played for Germany since I started playing football. I think it’s just some commitment that I prefer playing for Nigeria. I don’t know what it is but I can tell you, I never really thought of playing for Germany “. He said after Saturday’s win over Zambia.

The Mainz 05 defender put in another solid display at the back for Nigeria yesterday as they booked their place at next year World Cup in Russia with a 1-0 win over Zambia.

Former Arsenal great, Ray Parlour believes Nigerian midfielder, Alex Iwobi can become one of the best in the world if he adds more goals to his game. Parlour made the comments during the MTN/Arsenal Football Clinic for coaches and children, which ended at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
“Iwobi is still a young player and in Wenger he is in good hands. He listens and works hard and with time I believe he will become a top top player. “What he needs is to learn to score more goals and contribute more to the defensive side of the game. His movement on and off the ball is excellent, but he still has a lot to learn. He is one of the players to watch at the World Cup,” he said.
Iwobi scored the goal that booked Nigeria’s ticket to the Russia 2018 World Cup on Saturday.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will deliver the keynote address at this year’s Africa Summit, with the theme “What Makes Africa Work, ” taking place in London, from Oct. 8, to Oct. 9. The Vice Presidential Spokesman, Mr Laolu Akande, in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, said the vice president leaves for London on Saturday, and is expected back on Monday.
Akande stated that the Africa Summit hosted by the Financial Times (FT) of London is a global forum, reputed as one of the leading conferences in the world on African business and economic matters. He noted that the FT itself has had a relationship with the African continent that stretched back to its opening issue more than 125 years ago.
“Osinbajo will discuss the increasing economic prospects in Africa and detail the progress of the Buhari administration, especially through the Federal Government’s medium-term Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), to the global audience" said Akande.

Three US Green Berets were killed and two others were wounded in southwest Niger near the Mali-Niger border when a joint US-Nigerien patrol was attacked Wednesday.
The initial indications are the Green Berets were ambushed by up to 50 fighters who are thought to be affiliated with ISIS.US Africa Command, which oversees military operations in Africa, issued a statement Thursday saying the two wounded US service members were "evacuated in stable condition to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany."
It was the French military Super Puma helicopters that evacuated the wounded Americans along with those killed in action while also providing covering fire.
The attack occurred approximately 200 kilometers north of the country's capital, Niamey, in southwest Niger, according to the statement from Africa Command.

The government of Nigeria has announced the award of a $5.8 billion contract to build what will be the largest power plant in the country.The 3,050-megawatt Mambila hydroelectric power project in the state of Taraba will be delivered by a consortium of Chinese state-owned construction firms.The megaproject will feature four dams between 50 and 150 meters tall, and take six years to complete, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, told reporters in Abuja.
The Chinese Export-Import Bank will finance 85% of the development, with the Nigerian government contributing 15%.
Minister Fashola claimed the project will deliver far-reaching benefits.
"(Mambila) will have a transformational effect on all of Nigeria's socio-economic development," he said through a government spokesman, "It will have considerable positive impact on electricity supply nationwide, productivity, employment, tourism, technology transfer, rural development, irrigation, agriculture and food production."

The Mambila Plateau in Taraba state.

SA gunmen shoot dead family
Five people from the same family have been shot and killed in Mariannhill near Pinetown, in South Africa's troubled coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Police said unknown gunmen opened fire at the family’s home last night at around midnight.
Four men were killed at the scene and a woman later died in hospital.
Capt Nqobile Gwala said: “We have opened five counts of murder for further investigation. The motive for the murders is still unknown.
“This is the second attack this week following the killing of eight people in Matimatolo.”
On Tuesday, gunmen entered two homes next to each other in Matimatolo village near Greytown.
Capt Gwala appealed to community members to assist the police and urged them “not to take matters into their own hands”.
KwaZulu-Natal has experienced a spate of political killings in recent months but it is not entirely clear whether these latest killings are linked to politics.

58 people are accounted dead and over 200 injured in what is said to be the worst mass shooting of modern times. A gunman fires into a crowd of country music concert attenders from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The man, identified as Steven Paddock, is believed to have then killed himself.