Kano Pillars Players Attacked, Shot, On Route To Owerri

This isn't a good news at this moment, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) defending champions, Kano Pillars were attacked on their way to honor their league opener in Owerri.

SL10.ng put a call through to the media manager of Kano Pillars,Idris Malikawa and sounded very low, he said some of the players were shot.

"Yes it's true that the players were attacked at Abaji, some players were shot. Gambo Mohammed, Otekpa and a few others were shot. They are currently at a hospital in Lokoja,"Malikawa informed SL10.ng.

We (sl10.ng) shall confirm the names of the players and the current state of the players who are in the hospital.

Kano Pillars were to be the guest of Heartland at the Dan Anyim stadium in a week fixture of the NPFL 2013/2015.

SL10.ng just spoke to one of Kano Pillars players, Isaac Loute, and he informed that the team was attacked and some of the players were shot, but as we speak they are at a Federal hospital in Kogi State.

"We were attacked by armed robbers, they shot our players in the hand, and some were hit on the head," Isaac Loute told SL10.ng on phone.

"Gambo Mohammed, Otekpa Energy, Ekpai Ubong, Rubuen Ogbonaya who just joined Pillars from El-Kanemi Warriors, and then Muritala were all hit by bullets. Right now we are at the Federal hospital in Kogi," Loute said.

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Jordon Ibe Out Of Action For One Month

Liverpool’s Jordon Ibe is set to be out for one month after damaging a lateral ligament in their Europa League match against Besiktas on Thursday.

The Nigerian-born youngster already missed last weekend’s Premier League clash at Anfield with Manchester City where the Reds won 2-1.

The 19-year-old will be sidelined for Liverpool’s matches against Burnley, Blackburn, Swansea City and Manchester United but might be available against the Gunners at the Emirates on April 4.

I’ll Resign If NFF Employs Keshi – Bassey

As Nigerians await the verdict of the Nigeria Football Federation on whether to give a fresh contract to Stephen Keshi or not, a member of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Paul Bassey has vowed to resign if Keshi gets the nod to lead the Super Eagles again.

Keshi led the Eagles to win the African Cup of Nations in 2013 and also led the Eagles to miss out on defending the trophy in Equatorial Guinea. 

"I feel pained that we are still talking about whether to hire or not to hire Keshi. As for me, I've decided that the day they announce Keshi as coach, I’ll relinquish my job as a member of the Technical Committee," Bassey, a veteran Sports Journalist and member of CAF and FIFA media committee said on our hotline.

Bassey said that Keshi remains a legend in Nigerian football but has nothing to offer the country as a coach. 

"I worked with Keshi for four years and know that he has nothing to offer the Eagles as a coach. We need to move our football forward and offer a contract to somebody who will breathe fresh air and bring back Nigeria to the front row of African football and the world. Keshi cannot do this. He knows his limitations but has decided to hold up the same game that gave him fame and fortune in Nigeria. We cannot continue to be moving round in circles with one man on the centre as if without him nothing good can happen to our football. If they appoint him today, I’ll throw in my towel. That is is my opinion and I wish them well’’, Bassey who speaks a cocktail of languages said.

Also, former captain and coach of the Eagles, Chairman Christian Chukwu blamed the Nigeria Football Federation for what he called "motion without movement’’ in the hiring of Stephen Keshi.

"I blame the NFF for their slow actions. Time is running out against them as they have delayed the decision of hiring or not hiring him. They have further hurt Nigerian football as the next coach they’ll hire have an already made excuse of not having enough time to prepare the Eagles.

"I’ve spoken to Keshi as a brother, colleague but I don’t know what he truly wants. The joy of coaching is to reap during the harvest period and endure during famine. I expected him to walk away and take one of his many offers. But the bigger blame goes to the NFF for not acting as an employer. I’m saddened because Nigerian football is the one that is suffering’’, Chukwu, one of the best players to come out from Africa said.

He also blamed NFF for putting itself in a tight corner by making Keshi the sole candidate for the post of handling the Eagles. ‘’They’re waiting for him to study his contract before getting back to them. He remains the only one for the job. They have no alternative because they made him the sole candidate’’, Chukwu said.

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Egwuekwe Eyeing Wolves Exit

Nigeria International Azubuike Egwuekwe looks certain to leave Warri Wolves at the end of the season, but his destination is not yet finalised.

The defender was ready to depart Nigeria  in January with West Ham reportedly interested in signing him, but a deal never materialised.

After the Hammers’ interest cooled, Israeli side Hapoel Tel-Aviv stepped in and went as far as announcing his signing on Twitter, before that deal also fell through.

“Several things went wrong [with the deal to join Hapoel]. There were some minor details but by the grace of God, those issues have now been sorted out. I will very likely move [away from current club, Warri Wolves] in the summer,” said Egwuekwe.

“I still don’t know if I will go to Hapoel in the summer. I really don’t know. Everything is in God’s hands but what I know is that I will likely leave in the summer,” he said.

While he seems uncertain of his final destination, Egwuekwe admitted if it was up to him, he would end up at West Ham United.

“Like I said earlier, the future can only be decided by God but if I had to make a choice, I would love to go to West Ham,” he said.

The defender impressed European scouts while representing Nigeria at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and has scored two goals in 34 appearances for the Super Eagles.

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NSC, NFF To Meet Over Eagles Coach

The lingering impasse in the selection of a substantive coach for the Super Eagles has forced a scheduled meeting between the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation.

The national team has been without a coach since the contract of Stephen Keshi ran out with the 2014 World Cup held in Brazil and the negotiation between the coach and his employers has dragged on.

The PUNCH can confirm that the meeting has been fixed for Monday in Abuja. The original date for the meeting was Wednesday (today) but had to be moved to Monday because the Minister of Sports Dr. Tammy Danagogo travelled out of Abuja.

A top official of the ministry, who spoke with our correspondent on Monday, said the meeting had become necessary as they could no longer watch and wait for the media war between the NFF and Keshi to last through the year without any good result.

He said, “They (NFF) have scheduled a match for the Eagles against Bolivia on the 26th of this month and there’s still no coach for Nigeria. As a matter of fact we have been without a coach since last year. But how long are we going to continue like this?

“The friendly is even a minor issue if we compare it to the fact that the qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations will soon start while we are still groping. We have watched from the sidelines but if an intervention is necessary for us to move forward, then it has to be. If they want Keshi, then let them settle with him and let’s move on. Whichever way, we have to move forward now.”

Further checks by our correspondent suggested that the NSC officials may press the NFF members to settle their differences with Keshi and sign him on. Even though the NFF members have handed the coach contract papers to sign, the former Eagles captain has deferred putting down his signature . Instead, he described the document as a “slavery contract.”

Close watchers of the scenario believe the officials of the NFF are indirectly asking Keshi to move on so that they can search for a manager they truly desire. Keshi had been asked to go but was recalled midway into the AFCON 2015 qualifiers reportedly on presidential fiat.

“But since they have now said they want him, they should straighten things out with him and sign him,” an official of the sports ministry told The PUNCH.

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South Africa Denies Agreeing Friendly With Nigeria

The South African Football Association has denied all reports linking the Bafana Bafana with a friendly match to be played with Nigeria on March 29.

Reports making the rounds on Tuesday suggests that South Africa FA have agreed to a friendly match to be played with the Super Eagles of Nigeria after the Nigeria Fottball Federation saw the match to be played with Ghana in London canceled by FIFA.

Nigeria will however still encounter Bolivia at the Uyo Township Stadium, Akwa Ibom has initially slated for March 26, but still need to fill the empty space of March 29 left by Ghana due to new FIFA rules.

However, SAFA’s communications manager Dominic Chimhavi said there has never been talks between the two associations over the reported friendly match.

“No, there’s nothing like that in place,” Chimhavi told Goal.

Dodan Warriors Final Screening On Saturday

Basketball club based in Lagos state, DODAN WARRIORS Basketball Team, will have their final screening to recruit new players on Saturday, 7th March 2015 at the Ilupeju Basketball Court, Lagos.

All talents all over the country are invited for the try-outs.

The screening is scheduled as follows:

Saturday/Sunday: ARRIVAL.
Monday: SCREENING.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: EXERCISE AND TEAM TRAINING.
Friday: "JUMP BALL"

Dodan Warriors Basketball Team was established in 1994, at Dodan Barracks Lagos, as a socially oriented outfit to engage youths in basketball.