FIFA Scandal: It's endgame Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 if bribery charges are proven

Russia and Qatar could be stripped of their World Cup hosting rights if evidence emerges of bribery in the bidding process, Domenico Scala, the independent chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, told a Swiss newspaper.

The FBI's investigation of bribery and corruption at FIFA includes scrutiny of how soccer's governing body awarded World Cup hosting rights to Russia and Qatar, a US law enforcement official told Reuters this week.

"If evidence should emerge that the awards to Qatar and Russia only came about thanks to bought votes, then the awards could be invalidated," Scala told SonntagsZeitung in an interview published on Sunday.

"This evidence has not yet been brought forth."Russia and Qatar have denied wrongdoing in the conduct of their bids for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, which were not the subject of charges announced by US prosecutors last week against FIFA officials.

Scala made similar comments in 2013 but events over the last two weeks, which included a dawn police raid in Zurich and the arrests of several FIFA officials on US charges, have added urgency to his remarks.

A British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he supported Qatar hosting the 2022 tournament but said Britain would work with another country if FIFA re-opened the bidding process.

"We would offer our support to any country that has been chosen to host the World Cup," Hammond told BBC World Service radio, saying the final decision would be for FIFA to make. He ruled out any British bid to host the 2022 competition if Qatar was stripped of hosting rights.Sepp Blatter unexpectedly announced on Tuesday he was resigning, just four days after securing a fifth term as FIFA president and shortly before it emerged that he too was under investigation by US law enforcement.
In a separate interview with Swiss paper Sonntags Blick, Scala floated the idea of term limits for the FIFA presidency."If a FIFA president does two or three cycles that is enough," Scala was quoted as saying. A representative for Scala confirmed his remarks. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Credit: Times of India

Policemen allegedly strip and torture woman for allegedly stealing iPad

Karamat Eleha, a 29-year-old trader who resides in Lagos Island, is accusing four policemen from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Command, of stripping her naked and torturing her for hours after accusing her of stealing an iPad.

After the torture, it was discovered that Eleha actually hadn’t stolen the iPad. The actual culprit was subsequently arrested.

Here is a summary of the story, as reported by Punch:

The device was said to be the property of a woman in the Ajah area of the state, who was robbed in May, 2015.

The policemen, led by one Abiola (aka Abbey), had, while searching for the iPad, reportedly stormed a two-storey building in Idumagbo, Lagos Island, where Eleha lives with her mother. It was learnt that she was not at home when the search commenced.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the team searched residents’ apartments, but did not find the item.

As their mission continued, Eleha, who was said to have gone for the fellowship in the neighbourhood, arrived home and was asked about the iPad.

Eleha said, “Around 10.20pm on May 14, I just returned home from a fellowship when the policemen asked me about a missing iPad and I told them I knew nothing about it. They checked my bag, but nothing was found there.”

According to Eleha, the cops insisted that they were getting signals from a tracker, adding that the device was within the compound.

Our correspondent gathered that when the cops insisted on checking an office in the same compound where Eleha’s house is located, the cops could not gain entry because the door was locked.

Eleha said she went to collect the keys to the office from a pastor who owns the office. The victim said she went to a nearby street, Ojo Giwa Street, to collect the keys.

On getting back, they said their tracker showed that the iPad was around the streets I passed through to the pastor’s house,” she said.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the officials subsequently whisked away the 29-year-old woman to the command headquarters, where she was reportedly stripped naked and tortured.

She said, “They took me to a room which they called ‘theatre’. They stripped me naked and tortured me for hours. When the pain became unbearable, it occurred to me that I saw a neighbour, Mr. Goriola (Baba Ibeji), giving an iPad to his wife while I was going out in the morning on the fateful day. I told them and they went to arrest the wife that same night. The following day, Baba Ibeji was arrested.

“When they realised that I was bleeding, they took me to a nurse, who charged them N3,000. They later gave the nurse N1,000 to treat me.”

Our correspondent learnt that Eleha was released two days later on May 16 after a resident sent a text message to the Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti.

However, when newsmen contacted Lagos State Police spokesperson, Kenneth Nwosu, he reportedly denied that Eleha was tortured.

An iPad was stolen and was traced to her compound. It was observed that the iPad was on the streets she (Eleha) passed through and she was invited to the station. There was no issue of torture. I don’t know what torture she is talking about,” Nwosu said.

Credit: PUNCH

There are many prostitutes in Nollywood —Kola Olaiya

Veteran Yoruba actor, Kola Olaiya, has joined his voice with others who have slammed the rate at which some actresses paint the Nollywood badly in public.

The respected actor disclosed that there are three types of women in the Nigerian film industry namely; those with the fear of God, those who jumped into acting because of unemployment and those who are into Nollywood for prostitution.

“There are some that were already prostitutes before coming into the acting industry and I make bold to say this. They were prostitutes outside and see the industry as another way to ply their trade,” he told Newswatch in an interview.

He also said their male counterparts are not left out in the three categories.

I USE PADDED BRA TO FEEL AMONG—SEXY SINGER, AZEEZAT REVEALS

Nowadays, ladies go through a lot to look sexier, including going under the knives to perform different body surgeries.

Even men have joined the trend and stories of men changing into females are gradually becoming stale.

But for Nigerian singer, Azeezat, nothing can make her for surgery to enhance her backside or cleavage, instead, she will go for pads to make them bigger.

She even confessed that “I use padded bra,” saying further that, “I am looking forward to buying padded panties one of these days. But it will just be for the heck of it. I don’t think there is anything wrong with it.”

Speaking on tattoos, the sexy singer said she can never draw them on her body.

“I don’t have and I will never have. I don’t like it. One day, somebody opened the Bible and showed me a place where God said He doesn’t like it. It just cancelled whatever thought I had of getting a tattoo,” she told Punch.

GBENRO AJIBADE PLANS 2 BEST MEN, 17 GROOMSMEN FOR WEDDING

The much-anticipated wedding of actor, Gbenro Ajibade and actress, Osas Ighodaro, is no doubt talk of the town. Some of their fans are expecting it to be a big society wedding.

And from the latest information revealed by Gbenro’s colleague, Gideon Okeke, the actor is planning to have about 17 groomsmen, two best-men, while his wife-to-be, Osas, is expected to have 15 bridesmaids.

The union slated for June 20, 2015 in Benin City, Edo State.

On Sunday, May 31, 2015, the soon-to-be husband and wife held their traditional marriage in Benin City, hometown of the actress.

WIZKID’S E-MAIL ACCOUNTS HACKED

News reaching us has it that the official e-mail accounts of Wizkid have been hacked. This information was brought to us by List Entertainment, the outfit in charge of managing the businesses of the multiple award-winning artiste.

According to them, they want the general public to know that "the certified email accounts of front-line Nigerian artiste and founder of Starboy Music, Ayo Balogun popularly known as Wizkid has been hacked.

“The following accounts; starboybookings@gmail.com, ayobalogunwizkid339@gmail.com and wizkidayo@gmail.com are currently being used to send fraudulent emails to business partners and other associates of the artiste.

“The said email accounts are no longer under our control and we want the general public to disregard all mails received from it. All mails should be sent to sunday.are@listentertainmentng.com or call 08033480122, 08059932155, and 08115975110 to enlist the services of Wizkid," the company said.

Recall that few months ago, Wizkid announced List Entertainment as his new management company for all business engagements.

Wizkid is not the first Nigerian star to be affected by hackers and impostors.

Screen diva, Omotola Ekeinde, breaks down

Nollywood diva, Omotola Ekeinde, has had very busy schedules, engaging in different activities and travelling from one place to another. Some people have even had to ask if she ever has the time to rest at all.

Her busy activities may have now taken a toll on her body. The actress is now down. Omotola fell ill after returning from the recently-concluded World Economic Forum for Africa, which she attended courtesy her ‘Poverty is Sexiest’ for ONE Campaign.

We gathered that due to the fever, she has not been able do some things she used to, but we further gathered that she is getting better now.

Omotola is one of the busiest stars in Africa. She is into advocacy programmes and she is a voice for the voiceless in the society.