June 16, 2014

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Newspaper of the Year

Bomb blast averted at Winners in Owerri

PDP woos Ikimi, Sheriff, others

NEWS

NEWS

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Page 58

•Ruling party, APC chiefs in talks

•Okorocha bars night trips from the North

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 9, NO. 2879 MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

•www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Keshi: Eagles ‘ll make Nigerians proud

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IGERIA steps out tonight for her first game at the World Cup in Brazil. The Super Eagles will slug it out with Head Coach Stephen Keshi said yesterday that his side will take it one game at a time. Upbeat midfielder Mikel Obi vowed that the team would do well.

The Super Eagles will play Iran at 8.pm Nigerian time at Arena da Baixada in Curitiba. The Super Eagles will be hoping to better their two previous World Cup positions, where they failed to get out of the group stage in 2002 and 2010. However, Keshi said, their focus is on Carlos

EKITI 2014

Quieroz’s side today and the team has ambition to make Nigeria and Africa proud. Argentina and BosniaHerzegovina are the other teams in the group. ”Today, as I speak, I know we are going to play Iran on June 16. There are two other matches in the group phase, against Bosnia-Herzegovina Continued on page 4

AND MORE •Why we endorsed Fayemi, by labour leaders • ON PAGES •INEC is playing pranks with voters register 4 &9 •Plot to scuttle hearing of Fayose’s case uncovered

Chibok girls: U.S. ready for action against Boko Haram

Lawmaker: we await Jonathan’s approval ‘Establish Victims’ Fund’

U

NITED States troops may be deployed in the search for the over 200 abducted secondary school girls in Chibok, Borno State, it was learnt yesterday. A US Congressional delegation made up of Representatives Steve Stockman, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Freder-

We get briefed by the military and pending the approval of the government of Nigeria and our government, we plan to take action From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

ica Wilson and Lois Frankel, told a news conference at the Unity Fountain in Abuja yesterday that the US planned to take action.

26 killed in Borno, Taraba violence

Stockman said: “We get briefed by the military and pending the approval of the government of Nigeria and our government, we plan to take action but I don’t think we are going into specifics this time;

it was a classified briefing. We stand ready to help and as soon as our government and Nigerian government approve, we will take action.” In the meantime, US is helping Nigeria to train its military.

Jackson-Lee said: “What I want to say is that I think what it is right now is to work with the Nigerian government in training of the military. I want to emphasise again here that we have come all these miles

to say that our Congress stands ready to cooperate with the government in a manner that is appropriate and with the consent of Nigerian government. And I want to emphasise the need for the Victims Relief Fund because there is so much suffering going on by the young Continued on page 4

By Seun Akioye and Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

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O fewer than 26 people were killed yesterday in attacks in the Northeast states of Borno and Taraba. Suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed 15 residents of a Borno village and 11 died in ethno-religious violence in Wukari, Taraba State. Dozens were also injured in the renewed violence in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State. Many homes were torched, as the crisis spilled to Ibi, Donga and other settlements. Sources said 10 military men were injured in the crossfire when they attempted to stop the assailants, who were being repelled by the villagers. Police spokesman Joseph Kwaji said four bodies were recovered when the fightWHERE ARE ing ended. THE CHIBOK Kwaji said the violence GIRLS followed the burning of two KIDNAPPED Continued on page 4 ON APRIL 15?

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•FOR A DEAR MUM: From left: Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former All Progressives Congress (APC) Interim National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande and former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari during the PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH one year Fidau for Tinubu’s mother Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, in Lagos...yesterday. SEE ALSO PAGES 10-12

•SPORTS P23 •CEO P27 •INSURANCE P34 •JOBS P37 •POLITICS P45 •FOREIGN P60


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