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Falconets Overstayed in Istanbul Airport

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Falconets Overstayed in Istanbul Airport

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), yesterday, absolved itself and the Federal Government from blame over the ordeal suffered by the women U-20 national team, Falconets, who were forced to sleep on the bare floor of Istanbul Airport after missing their connecting flight from Turkey to Abuja.

The Falconets, who were eliminated from the ongoing FIFA U-20 Women World Cup by The Netherlands at the weekend, were supposed to return to Nigeria on a Turkish Airline flight from Costa Rica on Monday.

The players’ ordeal came to the fore, yesterday when pictures of the girls lying on benches and on the floor at the Istanbul Airport flooded social media.

Members of the Under-20 women’s football team, the Falconets, sleeping on the floor at the Istanbul airport, Turkey while on a 24-hour layover in the biting cold.

Earlier, sources close to the team had accused the NFF of failing to provide basic kits with the Falconets needed for the competition, saying the players were given only three sets of green home wear and two sets of white away wear for a competition that would last three weeks.

He said this forced the players to wash their jerseys by hand after every game and also stopped them from exchanging jerseys with their opponents after each game.

The source added that the girls did not get the official footwear and were also forced to buy their own footwear despite the fact that the Federation has an existing kitting deal with an international sportswear manufacturing outfit.

Members of the Under-20 women’s football team, the Falconets, sleeping on the floor at the Istanbul airport, Turkey while on a 24-hour layover in the biting cold.

Reacting to the incident, yesterday, the NFF in a statement by its Media Director, Ademola Olajire, explained that a number of factors, including the inability to secure transit visas for players and officials of the team at the Istanbul Airport, led to the team having to stay 24 hours at the airport in Turkey.

“The NFF did not book the team’s tickets from Costa Rica; FIFA did. FIFA also did not envisage the hitches that saw the team delayed for more than three hours in Bogota, and another one hour in Panama. By the time the team got to Istanbul, the flight to Abuja had left.

“Our officials pleaded for compassionate transit visas so as to take the players and officials to a hotel inside the town, but this was not possible as they were informed that Nigeria had been removed from the list of countries whose citizens were issued visa-on-arrival in Turkey.

“The airline then took the team to a sleeping area at the airport and gave them tickets to have meals every five hours.

“This situation has nothing to do with NFF, who had made arrangements to receive the team in Abuja before the complications in travel arrangements,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, explained.

The statement recalled that the NFF had, without success, implored FIFA to intervene with the Embassy of Germany to issue the team transit visas before their departure from Nigeria, for the team to be able to travel through Germany.

On the issue of body wear, Sanusi 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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FRSC warns truck drivers against speeding, reckless driving

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Mr Joshua Ibitomi, the Area Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),
Ibeju-Lekki, Epe Division, Lagos State, has warned truck drivers against speeding and reckless driving.

He gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibeju-Lekki on Tuesday.

The FRSC official, who blamed speeding on the ghastly vehicle accident that occurred at Aiyetoro market in Epe
which claimed several lives and left some injured, said that with careful driving, such accident could be avoided.

He added that “the accident was as a result of speeding, reckless driving and loading of truck beyond its capacity.

“All these are factors responsible for accident when drivers are not conscious of the driving rules.

“Vehicle can develop technical fault at any time, therefore, speed limit and caution need to be applied while driving.”

He said FRSC had been sensitising drivers on the need to install speed limit device and be road conscious while driving, in line with the mandate to instill decent use of road.

Ibitomi also advised passers-by and the public to be safety conscious while walking on roadsides to avoid falling victim of accidents.

He attributed major road crashes on roads to speed limit violation, urging drivers to respect the sanctity of human life by obeying traffic rules.

He added that the FRSC had evolved measures to ensure accident-free yuletide and new year festivities in 2024

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Trump Victory Sparks Celebration in Florida, Disappointment for Harris Supporters

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Trump Victory Sparks Celebration in Florida, Disappointment for Harris Supporters

Jubilant supporters celebrated Donald Trump’s apparent victory in Florida early Wednesday as he claimed a return to the White House, despite most major news networks holding off on officially calling the race.

At an event in Palm Beach, Trump supporters reveled in the win projected by Fox News, cheering as the former president declared a “political victory that our country has never seen before.”

“I feel extraordinary,” said 68-year-old supporter Ted Sarvanis, dancing with arms in the air. “This is the greatest American political story in the history of the country.”

Joined by running mate J.D. Vance, Trump took the stage, celebrating his projected win. The atmosphere at the convention center was electric, with supporters sporting “Make America Great Again” caps and mingling in formal attire and Trump-themed clothing.

“I feel relieved. I was a little bit scared because you never know how things are going to turn out,” said Stacy Kurtz, 45.

In contrast, a far different scene unfolded for Vice President Kamala Harris’s supporters at Howard University in Washington, where they were hoping for a Democratic win.

As the night wore on and Trump gained electoral votes in key battleground states, disappointment swept through the crowd.

“I am scared, I am anxious now,” said Charlyn Anderson earlier in the evening.

Democratic watch parties in places like Atlanta and Pennsylvania grew somber as results rolled in, with Lynn Johnson, 65, expressing concern, “It’s going to be dangerous if he wins. I don’t feel safe.”

While Trump’s supporters celebrated a comeback, the mood among Democrats was marked by worry and disbelief.

“He’s a terrible candidate, so it just doesn’t make sense,” said Harris supporter Ken Brown.

The contrasting scenes highlighted the nation’s deep political divide on election night.

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Tinubu Congratulates Trump on Historic Re-Election, Eyes Stronger U.S.-Nigeria Ties

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Tinubu Congratulates Trump on Historic Re-Election, Eyes Stronger U.S.-Nigeria Ties

President Bola Tinubu has extended warm congratulations to President Donald Trump on his re-election as the 47th President of the United States, expressing optimism for stronger ties between Nigeria and the U.S. in an era of global challenges.

The congratulatory message, issued by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphasises the Nigerian leader’s hopes for a renewed partnership between the two nations.

Following his victory on Wednesday, Trump pledged to “heal” the country, marking a stunning political comeback as he edged past Kamala Harris in a closely contested election.

Tinubu, in his message, affirmed, “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.”

Tinubu highlighted that Trump’s return to the White House reflects the trust and confidence of the American people in his leadership, praising their commitment to democracy.

Given Trump’s experience from 2017 to 2021 as the 45th President, Tinubu foresees a new era of “earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States.”

The Nigerian President also expressed confidence that Trump’s leadership will contribute to peace and prosperity worldwide, acknowledging America’s significant influence on global affairs.

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