Newspaper of the Year
Bank customers get N14.6b refund
APC, PDP in row as three die in Ilorin
NEWS
Page 11
NEWS
Page 58
•CBN intervenes in hiccups
•Police confirm two died in street brawl
•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper
VOL. 9, NO. 2880 TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014
•www.thenationonlineng.net
TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH
EKITI 2014 Death toll
N150.00
•Police deploy men, equipment for election • AND MORE •Why we are backing Fayemi, by PDP elders ON PAGE 9 •APC alleges plot by INEC officials, PDP to forge results
in Taraba violence hits 44 From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo
T
HE casualty figure in the ethno-religious crisis in Wukari and Ibi local government areas of Taraba State has risen to 44. More people were killed in retaliatory attacks –on the roads and in remote hamlets. Eye-witnesses said some of the bodies had their heads cut off. More houses were also discovered to have been torched in the resurgence of violence which erupted on Sunday. Tension has grown high in other areas, including Takum and Donga local government councils. During an “assessment tour” by the police yesterday, 15 bodies were recovered. Police spokesman Joseph Kwaji said 11 bodies were recovered in Ibi. Four were recovered in Wukari. “We are carrying out an assessment tour of the crisis area. We went to Ibi and we are now in Wukari. “In Ibi, we recovered 11 bodies; 21 persons were injured. In Wukari; we got about four bodies,” said Kwaji, an Assistant SuperContinued on page 4
•Ehsan Haji Safi of Iran vies with Mikel during the match...yesterday
Super Eagles fail to fly against Iran
N
IGERIA’S Super Eagles failed to fly last night, labouring to a poor goaless match against Iran – the first drawn tie in what has been a scintillating World Cup - a dismal tie that left both sides still chasing their first victory at a finals, since 1998. Both teams were whistled and booed off the field by the
•Lack-lustre match ends goaless largely Brazilian crowd of 39,000 after a first half that looked shockingly meagre compared to the goal feasts served up elsewhere. Iran packed their defence as expected and Nigeria, with Emmanuel Emenike rarely posing a threat as the main
target man for the African champions, squandered their chances with long balls to nowhere and passes straight to opponents While Iran could take some small satisfaction in keeping a clean sheet for the first time since their debut in 1978, the
bore at the Baixada arena stood out like a suit salesman on Copacabana beach. With Lionel Messi’s Argentina, installed as clear Group F favourites, and exciting debutants Bosnia still to come, Nigeria and Iran look destined for an early exit unless they can raise their game conContinued on page 4
Girls rescue talks stuck as govt, elders disagree
?
WHERE ARE THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15?
Negotiators not at ease with unconditional release demand
T
HE Federal Government’s back-door talks to rescue the 217 abducted Chibok girls still in Boko Haram’s custody, may have suffered a setback.
From Yusuf Alli, Abuja
The government is demanding an unconditional release of the girls, promising to fulfill the demands of Boko Haram leaders after.
But the facilitators of the talks are seeking a truce which will result in the simultaneous swapping of the girls with some insurgents in detention.
The facilitators/mediators, some of whom are clerics and Northern leaders, are afraid of the consequences of the government reneging on any Continued on page 4
•TRANSPORTATION P16 •SPORTS P23 •ENERGY P47 •POLITICS P43 •PROPERTY P48