Eko Direct News

President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR has appointed a new IGP. He is IGP Suleiman Abba, NPM, mni. Until his appointment,he was AIG Zone 7 Abuja.

Nigeria sensational sprinter Blessing Okagbare has won gold in the 200 metres women final in the on going common wealth games in Glasgow, Scotland. She has now Won two gold medals for Nigeria. Both in the 100 and 200 metres. The 25-year-old won gold a few minutes ago in the women’s 200m final race in 22.25 seconds Congratulations blessing.

Frenchman Herve Renard was named coach of Ivory Coast national team on Thursday, succeeding fellow countryman Sabri Lamouchi, who bowed out of the outfit after they failed to progress from the group stage at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Renard, 45, was selected from a three-man shortlist which also included former Sporting and Benfica coach Jose Manuel De Jesus from Portugal and Frederic Antonetti, who formerly coached French side Rennes. The former defender, who led Zambia to victory against Ivory Coast at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nation in Gabon, has been tasked with qualifying the Elephants to the upcoming 2015 Afcon in Morocco. Many locals and editorialists had rooted for Ivorian Francois Zahoui, whose application was kicked out in the first phase of screening along with 32 other candidates who applied for the job. “Zahoui was the clear choice of many Ivorians because he had a wonderful run at the 2012 Afcon,” Serge Kanga, editor-in-chief of sports daily Fanon told su...

In a happy act of defiance Twitter in Turkey was yesterday flooded with pictures of smiling women laughing out loud. The pictures were posted in response to comments made by Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç who on Monday said that women should not laugh out loud in public. During a speech at an Eid el-Fitr - breaking of the fast - event in the northwestern city of Bursa he also urged them to stop talking about 'unnecessary' things on the phone and said Turks had 'abandoned their values'.

The ‘Fallin” songstress took to Instagram tonight to make the big announcement, writing, “Happy Anniversary to the love of my life @therealswizzz!! And to make it even sweeter we’ve been blessed with another angel on the way!! You make me happier than I have ever known! Here’s to many many more years of the best parts of life!”

Imagine you receiving an iPad 4s instead of an invitation card for a wedding. Yes, thats what Keyshawn Johnson sent to friends as invitation to his wedding.  Keyshawn Johnson just sent out the BEST wedding invitations ever -- iPad 4s -- each pre-programmed with all of the 411 for Key's big day ... TMZ Sports has learned. It's pretty badass. Here's what we know ... the iPads were sent to several guests a few weeks ago -- and once they're powered on, a program opens informing the recipients about Key's wedding events.  Also included -- a photo gallery, guestbook, and countdown to the big day. The couple also made it easy for guests to buy wedding gifts -- by including the registry right on the iPad.  Of course, the woman Keyshawn is set to marry is Jennifer Conrad -- his longtime GF and the mother of 2 of his children.  It'll be Key's second marriage.  Congrats

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are selling their Bel Air home, which has led people to speculate about the state of their marriage and a possible divorce. Why sell the house that they’ve spent the last few years of their life in, not to mention raised their kids in? What, is a multi-million dollar mansion in one of the most exclusive parts of LA not good enough for Mariah? Or is she finally letting Nick Cannon escape from their marriage? The poor guy has been forced to participate in Disneyland weddings and all manner of public humiliations, so I don’t blame him for wanting to take a break. Plus, if he and Mariah really are having issues with their marriage, then selling their home would be the obvious first step in moving on to divorce. Besides, they’ve already lasted much, much longer than anyone expected them to, especially considering Mariah’s diva tactics. Even if they leave Los Angeles to move to NYC, I don’t think it will ‘help’ reso...

If the idea of an expensive, clunky smartwatch doesn't appeal to you, an Italian firm has created a cheaper, slimline alternative in the form of a customisable bracelet.  Called Hicon, the bangle features detachable buttons that can be slotted into holes around the band, and each button represents a different site or app, such as Facebook or Twitter. When a notification is received on the phone, the corresponding button lights up, and the band vibrates.

Jessica Blyth Barrymore, the half-sister of Drew Barrymore, was found dead in her car early Tuesday morning in San Diego.  Jessica's body was discovered by one of her neighbors, who told 10News ... she had a soft drink between her legs, and there were dozens of white pills scattered on the passenger seat.  Jessica and Drew had the same father -- John Drew Barrymore -- but they were not close. Jessica's mother is actress Nina Wayne ... who was John's 4th wife. Through a rep, Barrymore tells TMZ, "Although I only met her briefly, I wish her and her loved ones as much peace as possible and I'm so incredibly sorry for their loss." Jessica would have turned 48 on Thursday

Security forces on Tuesday stopped a car in Kano's neighbouring state of Katsina and arrested three suspected Boko Haram members. The group included one male and two girls, aged 18 and 10. The older two tried to flee, according to Omeri's statement. The "10-year-old ... was discovered to have been strapped with an explosive belt," he said. The chilling trend of deploying young women and girls as bombers comes three-and-half months after Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the remote town of Chibok in the northeast. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau boasted about the mass abductions in a video during which he threatened to sell the girls as slaves. The Chibok abductions prompted a social media campaign that went viral and drew unprecedented global attention to Boko Haram's extremist uprising, which the group says is aimed at creating a strict Islamic state in the mainly Muslim north. In the weeks following the kidnappings, some prominent jiha...

Miranda Kerr did NOT sleep with Justin Bieber after the 2012 Victoria's Secret fashion show ... so Miranda claimed at the time as did her lawyer. Miranda's lawyer sent out a letter at the time rumors swirled that Miranda and Justin hooked up at a hotel after the show ... when she was still with Orlando Bloom.  The letter calls such claims "false and defamatory." We're told Kerr was as adamant as her lawyer at the time ... that she did NOT hook up with Bieber. Apparently Orlando Bloom didn't buy the story.  The couple separated the following year.  And it's very clear from the story we posted Tuesday night ... there's beef between Justin and Orlando over Miranda. As for Justin ... sources connected with the singer say he got all braggy when he talked about Miranda ... which of course does not necessarily mean he was telling the truth.

Drinking too much in middle age can lead to memory loss in later life, a study has found. Scientists questioned 6,542 American middle-adults about their past alcohol consumption and assessed their mental abilities over a period of eight years. They found that a history of problem drinking more than doubled the risk of developing severe memory impairment. Lead researcher Dr Iain Lang, from the University of Exeter Medical School, said: 'We already know there is an association between dementia risk and levels of current alcohol consumption - that understanding is based on asking older people how much they drink and then observing whether they develop problems. 'But this is only one part of the puzzle and we know little about the consequences of alcohol consumption earlier in life.  'What we did here is investigate the relatively unknown association between having a drinking problem at any point in life and experiencing problems with memory later in life.' He added: ...

Former Minister of Education and a leader of the BringBackOurGirls campaign, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has condemned the presidency for allegedly doling out money to the parents of the abducted Chibok girls during a visit to the Aso Villa.

Indications emerged, yesterday, in Abuja, that President Goodluck Jonathan and the Police council made up of the 36 state governors and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Mbama Okiro (IGP, rtd) have settled for the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 7, Mr. Suleiman Abba as the next Inspector General of Police when incumbent, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar retires tomorrow after attaining the mandatory 35 years in service.

Kim Kardashian and step-bro Brandon Jenner had an illicit make-out session ... so intimated Brody Jenner, but in reality we've learned there's less here than meets the eye. Our Kardashian archival sources tell us ... the "kiss" went down when Kim was around 11 and Brandon was 12.  Fact is ... Kris and Bruce weren't even married at the time, but they were dating. The kiss was part of a Truth or Dare game, and it was more like a peck on the lips.  Wow ... Kim learned a lot since she was 11. TMZ

Sierra Leone, the doctor who led the fight against Ebola, Sheik Umar Khan, has died of the disease. Government officials hailed Dr Khan as a "national hero". The government disclosed last week that he was being treated for Ebola and had been quarantined. His death follows that of prominent Liberian doctor Samuel Brisbane at the weekend.

The suspect in the deadly shooting at Belgium's Jewish Museum was extradited from France to Belgium, a French court official said Tuesday. He is Mehdi Nemmouche, arrested in France for the May 24 attack. Nemmouche recently spent a year in Syria and is a radicalized Islamist, French officials said. Images from the museum showed the gunman behind the deadly attack approaching the building, opening fire, and walking away. Source: CNN

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has lost one of his sons in a car crash. Hamza El-Rufai died Tuesday morning in Abuja. The father of the deceased broke the unfortunate news on his faceboook page at about 8:00 am today. Confirming the incident, El-Rufai in a statement posted on his Facebook page wrote: “From Allah, we came and to Him we shall return. Please join our family in praying for the repose of the soul of my son, Hamza El-Rufai who died  in a motor accident in Abuja.”

Nigerian 16-year-old Chika Amalaha who became the youngest woman to win a Commonwealth weightlifting gold medal on Friday, has been reported to have failed a dope test.

Sitting down too much during leisure time increases your risk of diabetes even if you work out regularly, scientists warn. Those who sit very little and exercise a lot cut their risk of obesity – strongly linked to type 2 diabetes – by up to three-quarters, a study shows. It appears that long periods of inactive leisure time reduce the benefits derived from physical exercise, say the researchers from University College London. This means the best way to cut the risk of obesity – and therefore of diabetes – is to sit down less as well as taking more exercise

Sharron Laverne Parrish Jr., 24, allegedly scammed Apple not once, but 42 times,according to Tampa Bay Times' Patty Ryan. According to a Secret Service criminal complaint, filed by special agent Bryan Halliwell and investigators associated with Apple and Chase Bank, Parrish allegedly tricked Apple Store employees in 16 different states starting around December 2012 into accepting fake authorization codes to purchase $309,768 worth of Apple goods. Parrish, who is a resident of River Grove in east Tampa, Fla., is also accused of hitting several stores in his home state, including Orlando, Boca Raton, Wellington, and the Brandon location twice. The authorization code scam is breathtakingly simple. Here's how it works: Parrish allegedly visited Apple Stores and tried to buy products with four different debit cards, which were all closed by his respective financial institutions. When his debit card was inevitably declined by the Apple Store, he would protest and offer to call his b...

Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare stormed to the women's 100m gold in a Commonwealth Games record of 10.85 seconds. Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown took silver and compatriot Kerron Stewart bronze.

Scientists analysed 55,137 adults aged between 18 and 100, and found healthy exercise does not necessarily have to be exhausting or time-consuming. They followed participants over a period of 15 years, during which more than 3,000 died. A total of 1,217 deaths were related to heart disease. Running for just seven minutes a day can drastically cut the risk of dying from heart disease, a new study has found Runners, who made up just under a quarter of the study population, had a 30 per cent lower risk of death from all causes and a 45 per cent lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke than non-runners. They also lived an average three years longer. Running for less than 51 minutes a week - or about seven minutes a day - fewer than six miles, or slower than six miles an hour all reduced the chances of dying.

Monday, 28 JTEAM Nigeria has picked up a second gold medal at the ongoing Glasgow Commonwealth Games bringing the country's total haul to six after Oluwatoyin Adesanmi and Obioma Okoli won gold and silver in weightlifting yesterday. Proving to be an event in which Nigeria can compete on an equal footing with anyone else, weightlifting has once more been a sport in which the nation's athletes have proven their mettle. Yesterday, in the women's 63kg category, Oluwatoyin and Obioma both lifted a total of 207kg to take the two top spots. In the snatch, Oluwatoyin lifted 92kg and then hauled 115kg in the clean and jerk, while Obioma lifted 90kg in the snatch and 117kg in the clean and jerk. After three tries, both of them were tied on the same total, leaving officials with no option but to decide who won gold and silver according to body weight. Being lighter at 62kg, Oluwatoyin was declared the winner as is one kilogramme lighter than defending champion Obioma who weighs 63k...

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan wholeheartedly condemns the recent terrorist attacks in Kano and Adamawa States as well as the kidnap of the Lamido of Kolofata in Northern Cameroon, Lamido Seini Lamine and the wife of the Vice Prime Minister of Cameroon. The President describes as shocking, callous and reprehensible the multiple bomb blasts that occurred in Kano within 24 hours, and the unrelenting attacks by the Boko Haram at a time the Muslim faithful are observing the holy festival of Eid el Fitri.   He commiserates with the families of all those who lost their loved ones in the Kano and Adamawa attacks and wishes the injured speedy recovery. President Jonathan further notes that the deployment of young women as suicide bombers represents a new low in the inhuman campaign by these terrorists and an expression of utter disregard for the dignity of the female gender as well as a wicked exploitation of the girl-child. The President states that the abduction of the Lamido of K...

The first time I saw this was the most taken aback and amused I've ever been. Woulda never guessed that John Clayton of all people had this in him. Hahaha

Former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli posed for a cheeky mid-match selfie with two fans during AC Milan’s 5-1 defeat to his former side last night. The Milan supporters invaded the pitch during the pre-season friendly with their smartphones at the ready to grab the snap. Balotelli kindly stopped and even smiled for the pitch invaders, before getting on with the game. That photo opportunity turned out to be the highlight of the match for the Italian forward, as he had a goal disallowed and could not prevent his former club overpowering his current one. City’s impressive victory came courtesy of goals from Stevan Jovetic (two), Scott Sinclair, Jesus Navas and Kelechi Iheanacho.

At least four prisoners in Darwin are suspected of repeatedly escaping the prison, getting drunk, then voluntarily returning to the facility in the hope no one would notice. The ABC understands authorities were checking whether low-security

Vincenzo Nibali won the Tour de France on Sunday, becoming the first Italian in 16 years to triumph in cycling’s greatest race by chiseling a lead over his main rivals a few seconds at a time and dominating them in the mountains. The 29-year-old Sicilian, who called himself “a flag-bearer of anti-doping” during the race, finished in the pack behind Marcel Kittel, who won the 21st stage in a sprint finish.

A bomb blast has occurred again close to Buhari Square adjacent to Shoprite shopping mall in Kano. The area cordoned off  by security attached to shoprite.

The two suspects; Micheal Urom and Obi Kelechi, were said to have been arrested in a forest in Geba with two loaded tankers filled with substance suspected to be crude oil at about 2am. The State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adesuyi Dayo, who paraded them at the NSCDC State Command Headquarters in Lokoja, told newsmen that the suspects were caught at the scene of crime, but on sighting his men some of them took to their heels while the two paraded were arrested. One of the  suspects, 27 year old Micheal Urom, who hails from Ebonyi State, said that he was a former staff of Dangote before he was laid off his job, and he was in search of another job when he got this one. Mr Adesuyi Dayo said that vandalism of petroleum pipeline and oil theft remained a major destruction to the country’s economy which needs to be tackled, calling on Nigerians to cooperate with security agencies in fighting the menace

On 25th July Naeto C and wife welcomes their New born daughter.

One of Liberia’s most high-profile doctors has died of Ebola, officials said Sunday, and an American physician was being treated for the deadly virus, highlighting the risks facing health workers trying to combat an outbreak that has killed more than 670 people in West Africa — the largest ever recorded. A second American, a missionary working in the Liberian capital, was also taken ill and was being treated in isolation there, said the pastor of a North Carolina church that sponsored her work. Dr. Samuel Brisbane, a top Liberian health official, was treating Ebola patients at the country’s largest hospital, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center in Monrovia, when he fell ill. He died Saturday, said Tolbert Nyenswah, an assistant health minister. A Ugandan doctor died earlier this month. The American physician, 33-year-old Dr. Kent Brantly, was in Liberia helping to respond to the outbreak that has killed 129 people nationwide when he fell ill, according to th...