Eko Direct News

A Ukrainian man believes he has the longest eyelashes in the world - and credits the incredible growth to a special food which he keeps a close-guarded secret. Valery Smagliy, 58, from Kiev, says he noticed their increased length after changing his diet and thinks the key to their transformation could earn him a fortune.

Sierra Leone Vice President Samuel Sam Sumana went into self-imposed quarantine after his bodyguard died of Ebola on the 24 February, Sumana says in a phone call. His Self-imposed quarantine will end March 18.

Oritse Femi seen here with Nigeria goalkeeping legend, Peter Rufai.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Jonathan, has likened the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, to a crawling baby that has nothing to offer the nation. She made the remark at the Benue State edition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Campaign Rally held at the IBB Square, Makurdi, on Friday.

Nearly eight years after he was first arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered a former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, to submit himself for trial on corruption and money laundering charges before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The apex court, in a unanimous ruling by a panel of five justices, threw out the former governor’s appeal for lacking in merit.

Prince William donned the gear of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese warlord who unified his country in the 16th century, during his visit to Japan. See another photo below...

Kanye West got new tattoos, the birth dates of his Baby Girl, North, and his late Mom Donda West on His Wrists. See another after the cut.

Borno State government has moved to check suicide bomb attacks on schools in the state by providing metal scanners to some private primary schools in Maiduguri, the state capital. The Chairman, Committee on the Resuscitation of Primary Education System in the state, Dr. El-Nur Dongel, on Friday, during the presentation of the scanners to some primary schools, said the gesture was to fortify security within the schools and ensure safety of students and teachers.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday will celebrate his 91st birthday with a million-dollar bash attended by thousands of faithful party supporters. Robert Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, is the world's oldest leader As elephants are slaughtered for the feast at a luxury hotel in Zimbabwe's famed Victoria Falls, critics are questioning the scale of the festivities, calling them "obscene" in a country where millions live in poverty.

A consultant engineer, Mr Oladele Ogundeji, who supervised the construction of the collapsed building belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) yesterday said the building was constructed without approval by the government. This was as the coroner’s court investigating the incident admitted the amended architectural and structural designs of SCOAN’s building as exhibit.

PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO yesterday alleged that it has uncovered plots by the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to become the president of the country through the back door.

Residents of Obele community in Oko-Agbola, Magbon area of Badagry, Lagos, were taken aback at the sight of policemen at the site of a swimming pool around the area on February 13, 2015. However, before their arrival, a crowd had gathered to watch the bloated headless body of a man in the river. At the approach of the policemen, the crowd disappeared into thin air for fear of possible arrest.

Don Jazzy's Supreme Mavin Dynasty released this family Photo of all its artists, it includes Tiwa Savage, D'ija, Dr Sid, D'Prince, Babyfresh, Reekado, Korede. See more photos below..

The time was 7pm, penultimate Saturday. The venue was a hotel on Abaranje Road in Ikotun, a suburb in Lagos State. He adorned black denims on a black T-shirt. He said his name was Kenny, of course, he admitted it wasn’t his real name. He sauntered into the hotel as if his main aim was to have a couple of drinks and maybe complement it with a plate of sizzling pepper soup. But Kenny didn’t just come to only have a drink, Kenny is first of all, a male commercial sex worker and was looking for a customer that he would ‘service’ in order to make a quick cash for the weekend. One of our correspondents got to know Kenny through a regular customer, who had been patronising the motel bar for a long time and who once had a close contact with him.

Lupita Nyong'o's Oscar gown was returned to The London West Hollywood Friday afternoon where it was taken 2 days earlier ... and the thief called TMZ to tell us where it could be found and added it was a worthless fake.

Another amazing article from ETCETERA, the singer turn columnist. This time around he is out for Nigeria celebrities who lie about their wealth, endorsements and other stuffs. Very funny stuff. Still can't stop laughing.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said President Goodluck Jonathan bears a huge moral burden that will haunt him for a long time to come for deliberately allowing the Boko Haram insurgency to fester, leading to the deaths of over 15,000 Nigerians and the displacement of over 3 million others in the past six years.

Predict the scoreline of the match below and win yourself N1500 worth of any airtime. CHELSEA VS TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Predict the scoreline of this match, by leaving your prediction, email and preferred airtime as a comment below. Goodluck

A girl who was kidnapped from her parents as a newborn baby has finally returned home 17 years later - after bumping into her identical sister at school. Zephany Nurse, who is now 17, vanished on April 30, 1997 from Woodstock in South Africa three days after being born. Police claim she was taken by a woman when her mother fell asleep but her parents Celeste and Morne never lost faith in finding her.

A man was left with third-degree burns after his iPhone 5C spontaneously exploded in his pocket during his cousin's wake. Erik Johnson had to spend ten days at a specialist burns unit after the mobile melted through his trousers and stuck to his skin on Valentine's Day. Mr Johnson, from Long Island, New York, said he was bending over to get keys when he heard a 'pop'.

President Goodluck JonathanLeaders of Ndigbo resident in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, have confirmed that they were given money by President Goodluck Jonathan during his recent visit to the state to solicit for their support and votes. Making this known is the former President of Ohaneze, Lagos State, and coordinator of Goodluck Jonathan Support Group, Dr Oliver Akabueze.

Twenty-one people were killed and two suspected suicide bombers arrested yesterday after a blast in Biu, a town in Borno State, according to a hospital source. The blast came as President Goodluck Jonathan paid an unscheduled visit to bolster Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the key states of Borno and Adamawa states.

Earl Lloyd, the first black professional NBA player, died Thursday at the age of 86. Known as “the Big Cat,” the 6’5″ forward made his league debut in October 1950, playing for the Washington Capitals. During his legendary career, Lloyd averaged 8.4 points during 560 regular-season NBA games.

A Nigerian girl who was trafficked to the West African country of Burkina Faso has been found dead barely a month after an investigative report exposed the awful conditions she and other Nigerian girls are subjected to in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso.

A couple in Bayside, Queens is accused of kidnapping their housekeeper at knifepoint, allegedly burning her body with a plumber's torch while questioning her about missing cash and jewelry.  32-year-old Devanand Lachman and 31-year-old Ambar Lachman were arrested earlier this month on charges of felony assault, felony kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. From NBC New York:

People residing in six villages in Abuja, the nation’s capital, have been forced by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, to leave their homes and relocate to a neighbouring Wukara community at the Aviation Village in Abuja to pave way for the establishment of a farm by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his mother, Madam Afeni Eunice. The large expanse of the land was allocated to them by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Daily Trust reported.

The father of Aliu Oladeni, the 17-year-old teenager said to have been detained by the Igando Police Division for more than eight months, has pleaded with the police to tell him if they have killed his son so he could accept his fate. Sixty-four-year-old Sunday Oladeni, on Thursday said he had become bankrupt because the police had continued to collect money from him with the promise of releasing his son, adding that he had also not stopped borrowing with the hope his son would return alive.

A middle-aged palm tree harvester, George Maduabuchi, from Owerrinta in the Isiala-Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State is in the police net for allegedly selling his 14-month-old son for N300,000. The father of four was said to have connived with another suspect, Obinna Erondu, now at large, to perpetrate the act.

The Head, Economic and Commerce of the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Pablo Segrelles, has said that €6.5bn (N1.49tn) worth of crude oil was exported from Nigeria by his country in 2014. He said the huge volume of oil and gas exported from Nigeria exceeded the volume of goods sent to the country by Spain. Speaking at a business luncheon organised by the Nigerian-Spain Association on Wednesday, Segrelles said the business relationship between both countries would extend to other sectors because of the diversification of Nigerian economy.

Parma players are having to wash their own kit as the financial crisis deepens at the troubled Serie A club. “It’s today’s news,” said Parma captain Alessandro Lucarelli on Tuesday. “From tomorrow onwards, there will no more laundry service; we will take our kit home to wash.”

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was in Mubi, Adamawa State and Baga, Borno State on Thursday support and applaud Nigerian troops for proving their mettle once again through the rapid recapture of territories formerly held by insurgents in the country’s North-Eastern states. See more photos after the cut.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos state, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has declared that PDP leader, Bode George is not his godfather. Agbaje who engaged his followers on social media in a Question and Answer session, stressed that George is a leader of the party in the state but not his political godfather as insinuated by the ruling party in the state, All Progressives Congress, APC.

John Obi Mikel has under gone a knee surgery to correct a nagging kneel injury. He has been ruled out of any footballing activity for the next four weeks. According to his adviser,  the Nigeria  international will require at least four weeks to recover from the  ailment.

Few days after the Nigerian Medical Association protested in Port Harcourt over the incessant abduction of its members, a medical doctor, Samuel Okpara, has died in a kidnappers’ den. Okpara was abducted last week inside his private hospital located at Abuloma axis of Port Harcourt, even as members of the NMA threatened to embark on an indefinite strike as a result of the ugly development.

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday night said it had no plan to convert the foreign domiciliary account of customers of deposit money bank into naira. The apex bank, in a statement in Abuja, said it had, at no time, contemplated taking such a decision. CBN’s statement was in reaction to speculations that the bank might convert such account into naira in a bid to reduce the pressure on the foreign exchange market.

A Tinubu Magistrate’s court, sitting at Lagos Island Thursday sentenced a 27 year old man Benjamin Moses to six months imprisonment for stealing Iphone six from a motorist. Magistrate Salama Matepo sentenced the convict to Ikoyi prison where he would serve his six months jail term with hard labour and without an option of fine after pleading guilty to the offence of stealing.

Tracy Morgan after sustaining serious injuries in a car accident which left fellow comedian, James McNair, dead. Eight months later, TracyMorgan stepped out looking greatly improved as he walked with a cane.

The Kardashians have signed a record-breaking, $100 million-plus deal to remain with E! for another four years. Kris Jenner recently secured the astonishing deal for herself and daughters Kim, Khloé, Kourtney, Kendall and Kylie Jenner. Bruce Jenner is not part of the deal, having previously agreed that he will be leaving after the upcoming 10th season of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” Bruce has his own show at E! based on his sex transition. The Kardashian deal, the highest in TV history for a reality brand, is being kept strictly under wraps.

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has stated that he is fit, healthy and well to lead Nigeria if elected on March 28. Buhari made the disclosure during his appearance at the Chatham House, London. The former Head of State who stood for more than one hour to address the audience and answer questions, also said that he takes full responsibility for whatever happened under his watch as a military dictator in Nigeria between 1983 to 1985.

Permit me to start by thanking Chatham House for the invitation to talk about this important topic at this crucial time. When speaking about Nigeria overseas, I normally prefer to be my country’s public relations and marketing officer, extolling her virtues and hoping to attract investments and tourists. But as we all know, Nigeria is now battling with many challenges, and if I refer to them, I do so only to impress on our friends in the United Kingdom that we are quite aware of our shortcomings and are doing our best to address them.

Dmitry Nikolaev, 30, had a drink with a 'young blonde woman' who approached him at a bar after he finished a performance at a small Moscow theatre. Flirting with him, she invited him to a sauna, and though he was married, he agreed to go with her.

Jihadi John," the British-accented man who appeared in all black in several ISIS videos in which he appears to behead Westerners, has been identified as Londoner Mohammed Emwazi, a former senior intelligence official confirmed to ABC News.

Daddy Showkey shared this phot of his PVC on Instagram, and he also urged other celebrities to also display their PVC. Hope you have gotten yours? If not, go get yours now,  because it's your power to decide who governs you.

Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has denied allegation that he has rented a crowd to boo the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rted) during his presentation at the Chatham House, London, on Thursday.

The Nigerian Navy, Central Naval Command, with headquarters in Bayelsa State, has arrested 13 suspected oil thieves and intercepted a vessel laden with stolen crude oil. The suspects and the vessel, christened MT REDEMPTION, were apprehended at the Middleton and Peddington area of Brass, Bayelsa State, off the Atlantic Ocean.

The arrival of a baby in every home heralds joy. But this was not the case for Mr. Mudashiru Sheriffdeen of Bosun Street, Ifo in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State. The wife, Taiwo, was on Tuesday delivered of a baby boy who had no arms.

Gunmen, numbering about seven, have kidnapped a Chinese project manager, Mr. Cui Fu Long X, in Toto, headquarters of Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. It was learnt that the gunmen stormed the project site at Adadu road in Toto, shooting sporadically while the workers fled in different directions.

Italy World Cup-winning captain, Fabio Cannavaro, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for breaching orders to keep out of his property after it was seized by authorities. Fabio Cannavaro has been under investigation for tax evasion, and in October, authorities in Naples seized almost €1 million of goods linked to Cannavaro and his wife.

President Goodluck Jonathan and former heads of state were in Sokoto today for the 90th birthday celebration of former President Alh. Shehu Shagari. See more photos after the cut.

The Economics and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today, February 25, 2015 arraigned one Akpere Ovine Desmond before Justice Abubakar Shitu of the Federal High Court, Warri, Delta State on a 2-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering. The petitioner had alleged that on May 29, 2012, he received a phone call from one Mr. Taiwo Ogunsanyo who claimed to be a staff of First Bank Nigeria Plc. According to him, Taiwo claimed the bank was updating customers’ security information and requested for his token number, phone number and corporate identity number.