We’ll liberate Gwoza by Friday, says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday expressed the confidence that Nigerian troops will liberate Gwoza from members of the Boko Haram sect latest on Friday. Once that feat is achieved, he said it would not take the nation more than one week to clean up.

Jonathan spoke while granting audience to a group of international election monitors who paid him a visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“We believe by tomorrow (Thursday) or latest Friday, we will be able to take over Gwoza. If we take over Gwoza it will not take us more than one week to clean up. Now Boko Haram is not in position to come out and disrupt elections,” Jonathan told his guests.

M.I acquires 2013 Toyota Camry for manager

Chocolate City rapper, M.I Abaga is balling, you can tell he is balling really hard. 

Barely 24 hours after he added a brand new White Mercedes Benz G-Wagon to his fleet of cars, the rapper has just bought a brand new 2013 Toyota Camry for his manager, Abuchi Peter Ugwu. 

PHOTOS: Quick peep into the luxury jets Vladimir Putin splashed £100million on

Vladimir Putin has splashed out more than £100million on two new luxury private jets as his country remains on the brink of an economic disaster.

Photos of the planes were leaked online, showing lavish white leather chairs, gold covered trims, king size beds, kitchens and conference rooms, not to mention a plush gym - all as a part of the Russian president's gift to himself.

The walls of each are decorated with precious paintings and although both planes aren’t ready yet, they are expected to be delivered by the end of this year.

Saudi Arabia launches military operation in Yemen

Saudi Arabia has launched a military operation - including air strikes - in Yemen against Houthi Shia rebels, the Saudi ambassador in the US has said.

Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia acted to "defend the legitimate government" of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

The Iran-backed rebels have made rapid gains in recent months, forcing Mr Hadi to flee the capital Sanaa. Explosions could be heard in Sanaa and its airport, and later reports suggested some civilian casualties.

Chibok girls are in Gwoza, freed captive says

More than 200 girls who were abducted by Boko Haram from government secondary school, Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014 are in Gwoza, The Cable, an online medium, on Wednesday quoted Mbutu Papka, a woman who was recently freed after eight months in the sect’s captivity, to have said.

Papka, who made the revelation to the international centre for investigative reporting, said she was transferred from a poor condition in Mdita to a fairly tolerable facility in Gwoza where the abducted girls were being held.

She said, “In the camp at Gwoza, there were clear demarcations between where people were kept. The Chibok girls, other captives and Boko Haram members and their family members all had their separate areas secured, though the security in the area where the girls are kept is visibly different and much tighter.”

Families to visit Alps crash site

Relatives and friends of the 150 passengers and crew on Germanwings Flight 4U 9525 are due to go to the crash site high in the French Alps.

Lufthansa will operate two special flights - one from Barcelona and one from Duesseldorf - to Marseille, and both groups will travel on by road. 

Reports say one of the two pilots on the doomed flight had left the cockpit and had been unable to get back in just before the crash on Tuesday.

Buhari escapes disqualification

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned till April 22 and 23, all the suits challenging the eligibility of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to contest in the March 28 poll.

By implication, the court will not make any judicial pronouncement on Buhari’s eligibility till after the March 28 and April 11 elections.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola, after fixing the new dates for the suits, explained that his decision was informed by the court’s impending Easter holiday and the judges’ conference that would follow.

Frustrated Costa apologises

Diego Costa has apologised to Spain after he was ruled out of Friday's European Qualifier against Ukraine and the international friendly against the Netherlands four days later.

The 26-year-old Chelsea striker will spend the weekend recuperating after suffering a hamstring injury during the Blues’ 3-2 victory at Hull City on Sunday.

"My history with the national team is that it still hasn't really started. I haven't done anything yet,” Costa said in an interview with Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil: I can win Ballon d'Or

Mesut Ozil believes he can win the Ballon d’Or in the next few years and says criticism from pundits only motivates him more.

The Germany international has featured in just 14 Premier League matches this season due to injuries but has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks.

Ozil now "feels physically better than ever" because of the bruising nature of England's top division and is set on becoming the best player in the world.

"If I continue to develop well and stay healthy, I would like, in the next few years, to hold the Ballon d’Or in my hands," Ozil told Sport Bild. "I am convinced that it can happen."

Zayn Malik QUITS One Direction

 

Shock news for fans as the 22-year-old said he had to do what was right in his heart.

Zayn, in his own words:

 

After five incredible years Zayn Malik has decided to leave One Direction. Niall, Harry, Liam and Louis will continue as a four-piece and look forward to the forthcoming concerts of their world tour and recording their fifth album, due to be released later this year.

MUSIC: New hit from Wale ft Don Jazzy x Olamide x Reekado Banks – Allelu

 

American rap artiste, Wale, who is of Nigerian decent with family roots traced to Ondo State, has just dropped a sizzling joint with Nigerian music stars. 

The jam, "Allelu" was produced by Maleek Berry, which features Don Jazzy, Olamide and Reekado Banks.

Mayweather v Pacquiao will be most expensive pay-per-view fight

The fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will be the most expensive boxing match in UK pay-per-view history. 

Sky Sports Box Office has been awarded the rights to show live coverage of the fight from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday, 2 May. 

The channel will charge customers up to £24.95 to watch the bout depending on how it is booked.

Buhari planning to build prisons —Patience Jonathan

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, has warned women against voting for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, saying the retired soldier was planning to build prisons if elected into power.

Speaking at a rally organised by the women wing of the Peoples Democratic Party, in Akure, Ondo State, on Tuesday, the President’s wife said Nigerian women should reciprocate the gesture of her husband, who ensured that a large number of women was appointed into political offices during his administration.

M.I Abaga acquires brand new G-Wagon

M.I Abaga has acquired a brand new White Mercedes Benz G-Wagon. 

The Chocolate City rapper could boast of a Bentley and a Red Range Rover in his garage before his latest acquisition, which he says is in further celebration of reaching 100k followers on Instagram.

PHOTOS: Diamond Platnumz shares photos of new mansion

Diamond Platnumz is arguably the biggest artiste in the whole of East Africa and the singer has released photos of a mansion he is building in his country, Tanzania. 

The ‘Mdogo Mdogo’ singer, who has shared several photos via his Instagram account, claimed the new mansion, boasting a swimming pool, Gym Jaccuzi, Counter, Dancing Hall, Recording Studio, Darts Court, Basketball Court among others, is his 10th house.

More photos below...

Thousands queue to view Singapore founder Lee lies in state

Thousands of people in Singapore are queuing to pay tribute to late statesman Lee Kuan Yew as he lies in state in parliament.

His body was moved by gun carriage on Wednesday morning from his official residence and through the city.

Judge orders NCC, telecoms firms to pay APC N500m

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Nigerian Communications Commission and five others to pay the All Progressives Congress a sum of N500m over unlawful shutting down of its presidential campaign fund-raising platform.

Apart from NCC, the other judgment debtors are Etisalat, MTN Nigeria Limited, Globacom Limited, Airtel Nigeria Limited and Visafone Communications Limited.

Celine Dion reveals husband’s struggle with cancer: “He can’t eat so I feed him”

An emotional Celine Dion was left in tears as she opened up about her husband and manager René Angélil's battle with throat cancer that has left him so poorly that he is unable to eat.

The My Heart Will Go On superstar broke down as she revealed how she nurses her husband as faced second battle with cancer, and how the couple are bravely facing each day as it comes.

Germanwings plane carrying 150 people crashes in French Alps with no survivors

A Germanwings plane carrying 150 people has crashed in the French Alps on its way from Barcelona to Duesseldorf.

The Airbus A320 - flight 4U 9525 - went down between Digne and Barcelonnette. There are no survivors, officials say.

The "black box" flight recorder has been found, France's interior minister says. The cause of the crash is not known and the plane sent no distress signal during an eight-minute descent.

Judge adjourns 'suit to stop Buhari' till today

There was anxiety in the camp of the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday as a Federal High Court in Abuja fixed Wednesday (today) for further proceedings in one of the suits challenging the eligibility of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), to contest in Saturday’s presidential election.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola is to rule on fresh applications by intended parties seeking to join the suits as defendants.

Cech ready to leave Chelsea

Petr Cech says he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season rather than spend another year as Thibaut Courtois' understudy.

The 32-year-old Czech Republic international has started only four Premier League games this season after losing his place to the young Belgian and has been used primarily in domestic cup comptitions. 

Liverpool fan who grabbed Mario admits: ''I was worried he'd get sent off''

The Liverpool fan who grabbed Mario Balotelli to stop him getting involved with Man Utd’s Chris Smalling told the Liverpool Echo: “I was worried he’d get sent off.”

Shaun Leatherbarrow sits in row one of the Centenary Stand and was seen by millions of television viewers around the world grabbing the Reds’ Italian striker as he looked set to lose his temper after being pushed towards the hoardings by the United defender.

Vin Diesel names his newborn daughter after co-star and close friend Paul Walker

Vin Diesel has named his newborn daughter after his close friend and co-star Paul Walker.

The Fast and Furious actor has ensured his friend's memory stays with him forever as he names his daughter Pauline.

Could this be the face of Jesus that appeared in South American landslide?

An image of Jesus is believed by worshippers to have appeared following a landslide. The apparition is attracting hundreds of visitors to the San Francisco area of Putumayo, Colombia, since Saturday.

And some local landowners are cashing in on the 'miracle' - by charging visitors for access to view the figure, it has been reported.

Oil sector corruption to end in four years –Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to eradicate corruption in the nation’s oil sector in the next four years if re-elected during Saturday’s Presidential election.

Jonathan made the promise in Lagos Sunday evening at a youth event, tagged, “An unimaginable feat in sports”. The event was meant to showcase his administration’s achievements in the sports sector.

The event which ended in the early hours of Monday attracted sports men and women, young professionals as well as beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s scholarship schemes, among others.