Army invades Delta community, seizes pregnant woman, cripple
YUKUGBENE
– Soldiers from the 19th Battalion, Koko, Delta State, raided
Yukugbene community in Warri North Local Government Area of the state and
apprehended a pregnant woman and a cripple for allegedly being in possession of
firearms and ammunition.
A security source told Saturday
Vanguard that soldiers who stormed the community in search of suspected
pirates/kidnappers that escaped into the bush, recovered arms and ammunition
from the woman and the cripple.
However, the Ijaw People Development
Initiative, IPDI, faulted the claim that the pregnant woman, Madam Loveth Odibo
and physically –challenged Friday Gbangbara were criminals and that soldiers
found arms and ammunition with them.
Similarly, the Conference for the
Actualization of Human Rights, which has petitioned the Chief of Army Staff,
disputed the allegation. National coordinator of the body, Omes Ogedegbe, who
called for the release of the woman and cripple, said Mrs. Odibo does not live
in Yukugbene and only visited the community for medical assistance.
On his part, Public Relations
Officer, 4th Brigade, Benin City, Captian Jonah Unuakhalu,
told Saturday Vanguard, “At about 1130 am on 28 August 2015, following reports
of repeated attacks by suspected kidnappers/sea pirates along Benin River in
Warri North local government area of Delta State, troops of 19 Battalion
raided a criminal hideout at Yokugbene community along the river.”
“On sighting the troops, suspects
numbering about 15 (some sighted with arms), fled into the swamp. A follow up
with shots and movement by troops led to the discovery of 1 AK 47 Rifle, 3 AK47
magazines, 86, 7.62mm ammunition, 1 Russian made double barrel gun and qty 6 x
70mm carts.
“Other items recovered include, 18
GSM phones, one motorola hand held walkie talkie, an amnesty certificate with
registration number C02/B13/A2/17167 belonging to one William Molly, 2
voters card belonging to Molly William and Gbagbanra Ogunwa, 1First bank ATM
card, 11 pieces of camo trouser and one camo short nikker.
“Meanwhile, 2 suspects; Mrs Loveth
Odigbo and Mr Ebire Oko were arrested. The female suspect however, sustained a
gunshot wound on the right hand and was treated at General Hospital, Koko,” he
said.
According to him, “Suspects and
items recovered are in custody of Headquarters Operation Pulo Shield while
investigation is ongoing after which they will be handed over to the police.”
Nevertheless, national president of
IPDI, Austin Ozobo, told Saturday Vanguard that the military invaded the
community on August 28 shooting sporadically and in the process, almost
terminated the life of Mrs Odibo, who they arrested with her sucking baby.
Egyptian prime minister, Cabinet resign; elections are around the corner
Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab and his
Cabinet resigned Saturday, according to a government statement.
The country's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi,
accepted the resignations and asked the Cabinet to keep working on a caretaker
basis until a new government is formed.
El-Sisi then gave petroleum minister Sherif Ismail
the task of forming a new government, asking him to do so within a week.
Egyptian parliamentary elections are scheduled to
begin in October and go through November. Results will be announced in
December.
Floyd Mayweather's clan jousts with Rocky Marciano's as record-tying fight approaches.... http://todaystalk.com.ng
The youngest brother of boxer Rocky Marciano wants to make something clear.
In 49 professional fights, Marciano knocked out 43 of his opponents and beat
some in brutal fashion. But outside the ring, he was known as a gentleman. And
if he were alive today, Marciano would be ready to congratulate Floyd
Mayweather Jr., if, as expected, Mayweather Jr. beats Andre Berto Sept. 12 and
ties Marciano’s career record of 49-0, said Peter Marciano, youngest brother of
the legendary boxer.
“I guess I’m maybe just not as charitable as that,” Peter Marciano said. “I
absolutely, unequivocally will tell you that I would like to see (Mayweather)
get beat.”
With one of boxing’s most noted records at stake — Marciano has had sole
possession of it since knocking out Archie Moore 60 years ago — members of the
Mayweather and Marciano clans have traded verbal shots.
Earlier this month, while declaring his son will tie Marciano’s record with
a victory in the upcoming fight against Berto, Floyd Mayweather Sr. said
Marciano fought “bums.”
“You look at Rocky Marciano’s record,” he said. “You will not find no name
that ever stood out in boxing. Nobody but Joe Louis, and he was the old man.”
During recent interviews with USA TODAY Sports, Peter Marciano and Rocky
Marciano Jr., son of the legendary fighter, responded with jabs.
“He’s not an exciting fighter,” Peter Marciano said of Mayweather Jr.,
adding that he once heard Mayweather Jr. express disrespect during an interview
for Marciano’s 49-0 record. “He’s just a great defensive fighter, a master. And
that equates to very uninteresting boxing matches.”
Although he did not use the word bums, Marciano Jr. questioned Mayweather’s
decision to fight Berto — who has lost three of his last six fights — for what
Mayweather has said will be his last fight.
“I feel disappointed,” Marciano Jr. said of the matchup. “When he’s had
control of his career, he’s been able to pick and choose the fighters just like
he picked Berto. There’s probably some other fighters that would maybe give him
more of a challenge.
“If my father’s guilty of anything, he’s guilty of fighting whoever they put
in front of him. He wanted a shot at the championship, and whatever roadblock
they put in front of him, he confronted and overcame.”
More than engaging in a war of words, the Marcianos said, they want to set
the record straight about the 49-0 mark and the man who set it.
The oldest child of Italian immigrants, Rocky Marciano initially thought
professional baseball was his path to a more prosperous life than his father
could afford as a shoe factory worker. Marciano, a catcher, got a a tryout with
the Chicago Cubs after serving in the army between 1943 and 1946.
The Cubs passed.
So at the suggestion of a friend, Marciano decided to give boxing a try.
Never mind that at the age of 24 Rocky Marciano’s skills were unrefined and at
5-11, 190 he looked undersized for the heavyweight division.
What he lacked in precision and stature, he made up for in power.
Between his professional debut in 1947 and his knockout of Moore in 1953,
fewer than half Marciano’s opponents lasted three rounds with him.
“My father bascially stalked you the whole fight,” Rocky Marciano Jr. said.
“If you watch (tapes of) my father, he very rarely took a step backward. He was
always moving forward, following a fighter, chasing him around.”
His most notable victories came against Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles
and an aging Joe Louis.
Peter Marciano said his brother retired in part because
there were no opponents left challenging enough to inspire Rocky Marciano to
train — although did get back in the gym in 1969 to prepare for a fight against
Muhammad Ali.
It was billed as The Super Fight, and the outcome was determined by
computer. The two fighters sparred and filmed sequences that were patched
together for the fight, broadcast in theaters around the country.
Rocky Marciano won in the 13th round, and Peter Marciano said he will never
forget the last sparring session between the two boxers.
“Muhammad had this old brown paper bag,” Peter Marciano said. “And inside
the brown paper bag he had three or four grapefruits. He said, ‘Rocky, would
you care for some?’ And Rocky said, ‘Oh, I love grapefruits.’
“Muhammad Ali was actually peeling the grapefruit and ripping the wedges
apart and he offered me some and I ate a couple of them. They were talking and
at the time the country had had a bad situation, things were not good.”
Racial tension simmered across the country, recalled Peter Marciano, and he
said his brother and Ali hatched the idea of barnstorming across the country
and using their own friendship — the retired white champion and the black
superstar — to address the problem.
But not long after that discussion, on the eve of Marciano’s 46th birthday,
Marciano died. He was one of three passengers in a small private plane that
crashed in Iowa.
Ali was among the boxers who attended the wake, Peter Marciano said.
“The respect they had for each other was something to behold,” he said.
“This was genuine respect.”
The same clearly is not true of the Mayweather and Marciano clans, and Peter
Marciano wants to make one other thing clear before Mayweather Jr. steps into
the ring.
Rocky Marciano fought against heavyweights, while Mayweather Jr. has fought
welterweights, men some 50 pounds lighter than the boxers Marciano beat.
“I’m hoping he can see the difference,” Peter Marciano said of Mayweather
Jr.
Peter
and Paul Okoye of the popular pop duo, Psquare, on Sunday, escaped death by
whiskers in a ghastly auto-crash along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Sensational R&B duo, suffered a crash in their
ox-blood coloured Range Rover Sport Jeep on their way back from a concert
staged in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Peter who took to Instagram, narrated that an oncoming lorry
bashed their as they were returning from a show alongside their assistant
manager and lead drummer, Papi J Ameh.
Peter said, “Fans pls help us thank God. Myself
@rudeboypsquare @papiijameh and our assistant manager @wandoskie had an
accident early hours of today on our way back from a show in Ibadan. Along
Lagos-Ibadan Express Road. A Lorry hit and dragged us for over 12 seconds. But
Our Lord and Our God is always faithful and quick to show Mercy. Thank God we
survived.”
RealMadrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the world’s
most charitable sports star after donating million of pounds to causes across
the globe. Ronaldo topped DoSomething.org’s Athletes Gone Good
2015 list and beat the likes of John Cena, Serena Williams and Barcelona
star Neymar. The former Manchester United winger has been recognized for
his generosity – where he has raised money for various causes and used his
global status as a spokesperson for charities.
Ronaldo is first having supported
Aid Still Required, Cahonas Scotland, Save the Children, UNICEF and World
Vision. ‘Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list for going above and beyond on
the field and in his charity work.
The futbol star raised money for
various causes including donating more than $83,000 to a 10-year-old fan in
need of brain surgery and giving more than $165,000 to fund a cancer center in
Portugal that treated his mother,’ Dosomething.org said.
‘Ronaldo has also used his fame as a
global spokesperson for a variety of causes including childhood hunger, obesity
and biodiversity.’ Olympic diver Tom Daley was also listed alongside
Ronaldo, Serena and LeBron James in the top 20 list. The 21-year-old,
whose father lost his life to a brain tumour aged just 40, is a patron of The
Brain Tumour Charity.
Wimbledon champion Serena Williams
is third behind wrestler Cena as figure skater Yuna Tim and Neymar complete the
top five. Daley, meanwhile, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share an
image of his pet dog and said: ‘Nothing better than cuddles with MINCHI’
