Shekau alive and well – Ahmed Salkida releases Boko Haram leader’s image

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has released a video rubbishing reports that he was injured in a recent air strike.

This was revealed by a journalist close the sect leadership, Ahmad Salkida, who released a screenshot from the clip.

The Nigerian Air Force had claimed that it injured Shekau during a recent air Strike.

According to Salkida, Shekau made the video around 1pm on Thursday, less than 24 hours after news of the sect leader’s injury.

He added that Shekau spoke behind a camouflage, while reportedly boasting that the military will never find his whereabouts.

Salkida wrote, “Shekau boasted that his whereabouts will never be known to authorities and ended the clip with ‘Shekau yananan. Inanan, inanan, inanan'”.

Suspected militants attack FIRS officials at Patience Jonathan’s hotel

An enforcement team of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), were on Wednesday, attacked by suspected militants at a hotel believed to be owned by Mrs Patience Jonathan in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

According to a statement signed by FIRS spokesperson, Bamidele Johnson, their team led by Chinazor Edeh, arrived at the Aridolf Resort Wellness and Spa, with a warrant signed by its chairman, Babatunde Fowler, to seal up the premises over alleged non-remittance of Value Added Tax (VAT) to the tune of over N10million.

When they arrived at the hotel, Edeh read the content of the warrant to the facility managers and began to inform lodgers and customers of the situation.

“But some militants in the hotel took over the whole place. They threatened to kill every member of the FIRS team, claiming that the enforcement was illegal,” the release said.

It added that when one of the directors of the hotel, one Mr. Victor, arrived at the scene, Edeh also briefed him of the action.

“Victor told the team that the hotel owes only three months VAT and that the staffers of the hotel have not been paid for a number of months because of payment errors”‎, he added.

Anthony Joshua to fight again this year

Promoter Eddie Hearn has said he expects IBF and WBA world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, to fight one more time in 2017.

The 27-year-old Nigerian-born boxer, last Saturday knocked out Wladimir Klitschko in the 11th round at Wembley on Saturday night .

Hearn says Joshua’s camp will now take their time to assess their options, but expects the fighter to face his next opponent in October or November.

“I think every fighter, after going through a fight like that, the first thing they tell you the week after is that they just want to get back into the gym, and they are going to do this, and improve on that, and they don’t want too long to be laid off,” Hearn told Sky Sports.

“Then, after about five days, they turn around and say ‘I want to go on holiday’.

“So, we are on that period. I saw Anthony was swimming this morning and shadow boxing under water.

“I am guessing in the next 48 hours, he will say ‘I want to go on holiday, I need a break’, so that will come.

“Speaking to [Joshua’s trainer] Rob McCracken yesterday – October, November, is probably the kind of date you will see Anthony Joshua back in the ring.”

Monaco reject Manchester United’s €85million offer for Mbappe

Manchester United have reportedly had an €85million bid for Monaco youngster, Kylian Mbappe, turned down.

The 18-year-old striker has emerged as one of the most in-demand players in Europe, after a breakthrough season for Leonardo Jardim’s side.

Italian outlet, Gianluca Di Marzio, claims that United’s bid falls far short of the €120m to €140m the Ligue 1 value Mbappe at.

Monaco’s sporting director, Antonio Cordon, last month confirmed that the player has a release clause in his contract, although he refused to reveal the value.

Yes, he has one — but it’s a lot, a lot of money,” he said.

“I didn’t do Mbappe’s contract and I can’t tell you the details of the clause, but it’s a lot of money.

“I hope he’ll stay because we have to keep our best players, but we all know the market and how things happen. I don’t know how many offers there are for him.”

Police raid Kwankwaso’s residence in Kano

Inspector General of Police, IGP Idris Ibrahim’s Special Squad on Wednesday raided the house of senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s younger brother Lawan Musa Kwankwaso in Kano State.

Security source told Vanguard that “heavily armed squad sneaked into the commercial city at the wee hours of Wednesday and were booked at Sharada police station for smooth conduct of the operation.

“It has something to do with business deal involving senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso where his younger brother served as a front.

“The special squad stormed the Sharada residence of the Kwankwaso’s midday and conducted a thorough search in an operations that lasted 3 hours”, the source said.

It was learnt that Lawan Musa Kwankwaso who was caught unexpected by the security agents offered “total cooperation to the visitors.”

Although it has not been disclosed what was recovered from the residence, the source added that “it was a successful operation.”

However, reacting to the development, Kano Police Public Relations officer, DSP Magaji Musa Majia said “our command was not behind the operation and cannot comment on it.

“We should be let out of this because Kano command has nothing to do with the operation”, he said.