City Crime
S’Africa 2010: Nigeria, Argentina Continue Rivalry
When hostilities begin on the 11th of June next year of the South Africa 2010 World Cup, with the host taking on South America’s Mexico in Group A, one picture that would easily come into the minds of football followers in Nigeria is the football rivalry in Group B between Nigeria and Argentina.
Then, of course, the next picture is likely to be the scene of the USA ’94 edition of the World Cup showing a drug-induced Captain Diego Amando Maradona leading his team to a 2-1 victory over a Super Eagles team that has hitherto remained the best the country has produced.
As painful as that defeat was, Nigeria seemed to take its pound of flesh from the Argentines when the African giants rode in the back of a hardfighting Argentine side to lift Africa’s first Olympic football gold at the Atlanta ’96 Games. But this is as far as the good news is for Nigeria in the rivalry.
In subsequent meetings, both in the championship finals of the 2005 and 2007 editions of the Under-21 World Cup, the Argentines went home victorious.
Now, the rivalry will continue in South Africa and both countries will also have to contend with Korea Republic and Euro 2004 Champions, Greece, making the four teams in Group B.
In Group A, host South Africa also has to grind an axe with 1998 champions, France and champions of the maiden edition of the World Cup in 1930, Uruguay.
Group C brought up an interesting match-up as England were paired with USA in a match which will take place in Rustenburg on Saturday, June 12.
This match will bring back memories of the clash of Brazil ’50, which the Americans won 1-0. However, Coach Fabio Capello of England and his mate, Bob Bradly of USA may have avoided a nightmare group with Algeria and Slovenia completing the group.
Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana make up group D, while Netherlands, Denmark, Japan and Cameroun form Group E.
Italy is the seeded team in Group F, which also has Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia, while Group G looks a bit tricky with Brazil leading the park, followed by Korea DPR, Cote d’Ivoire and Portugal.
Spain leads Group H, with the others being Switzerland, Honduras and Chile.
Soibi Max-Alalibo, Tonye Orabere & Nancy Briggs
Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole (SAN) has lamented the increasing rate of human trafficking, especially the girl child in the state.
Ohwovoriole decried the increase in his office in Asaba when the zonal commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Nduka Nwawenne paid him a courtesy visit.
The Attorney-General stated that it was against the dignity of the state and disheartening to see that Delta State now ranked first in human trafficking, overtaking Edo State.
He stressed the need for stakeholders to tackle the menace, adding that if it was one single victim that was rescued, they would be rewarded for their efforts.
Ohwovoriole stated that young girls were the most vulnerable ones in the issue of human trafficking, stressing that children from poor family backgrounds also fall victim to human trafficking.
While saying that their request for an office space in the state would be looked into, to see how the government could be of assistance to them, he assured them of his ministry’s partnership in the fight against human trafficking.
He said that the Task Force on human trafficking and irregular migration, which he chairs, should be having regular meetings.
Earlier, the Zonal Commander of Naptip, Mr. Nwawenne informed the commissioner that Delta state had overtaken Edo state as the foremost state in human trafficking in nigeria.
He told the Attorney-General that their Zonal Command was the first to be established in Nigeria because of the prevailing issues of human trafficking in the area, noting that ika south was the highest in cases of human trafficking as a result of its proximity with edo state.
Nwawenne appealed to the Commissioner and the State Government to provide office accommodation for their officials to operate in Asaba.
The Nigerian Army said it has arrested 50 suspects, including foreigners, for alleged international job racketeering in Lagos.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, who addressed journalists in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the suspects were arrested during an operation jointly conducted by the Army and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
He also disclosed that no fewer than 13 criminals were killed and 88 arrested during various operations across 20 states of the federation.
Among those arrested include 50 suspects comprising foreigners who were nabbed for alleged International job racketeering.
Onyema said, “In the South-West region, on November 2, 2023, troops of 9 Brigade Nigerian Army in conjunction with personnel of Nigerian Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, conducted a raid operation on a suspected criminal hideout at Ifako Ijaye.
“During the operation, 50 suspects, including foreigners who specialise in international job racketeering, were arrested. In a similar development same day, the same troops arrested two suspects at a hotel in Ogba in the Ikeja LGA.
“The arrest was in connection with the murder of one Mallam Idris Ardo, the Ardo of Panya Village in Plateau State. Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the arrested suspects masterminded the killing of Ardo and fled the community since the incident occurred.”
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