Boko Haram Attacks: Fears As Army Setbacks Cast Shadows Over 2019 Election - Politics

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Nicholas Uwerunonye and Innocent Oweh

Lagos / Abuja – Nigerians have expressed anxiety over the recent upsurge in Boko Haram attacks, saying the development could affect the 2019 elections if not urgently contained.

Stakeholders expressed the view that the handling of the upsurge could determine not just the fate of the polls but also that of the leading presidential contenders.

President Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are the major contenders for the presidency.

The widely reported recent killing of 118 soldiers in Metele, a war theatre in Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents has cast a great deal of doubt on army’s strategies and defence policies under President Buhari in the last three years.

Boko Haram terrorists have started using drones and foreign fighters - Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army says it has discovered that Boko Haram terrorists have started using drones and foreign fighters. The Army in a statement by Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman on Wednesday said

‘we have noticed daring moves by the terrorists, increased use of drones against our defensive positions and infusion of foreign fighters in their ranks.

These potent threats require us to continually review our operations. The Army also expressed gratitude to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Buhari (GCFR) for visiting the troops including some of the wounded officers and soldiers in the hospitals saying ‘we thank His Excellency the Executive Governor and good people of Borno State who have taken the brunt of the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram terrorists.

HEY...Lovely photo of Regina Askia's kids..Remember her?

Her daughters look so much like her!

'You made it possible to reject Impossibilities' - Beyoncé pens letter of gratitude to Nelson Mandela

South African newspaper Sowetan has published a letter written by Beyoncé and addressed to the late Nelson Mandela.
 

The letter sees the 37-year-old singer thanking Mandela who passed away in 2013 for teaching her life lessons that she can pass on to her children. She also writes of her conversations with the political leader, and how it will be an honor for her to perform at the forthcoming Global Citizen Festival that tributes him.

Fans React To Neymar And Mbappe 'Money Celebration' After Goal Against Liverpool - Sports -

\Paris Saint-Germain star, Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior celebrated by pretending to throw around money after scoring against Liverpool and then danced in Alisson’s shirt at full-time while the world’s most-expensive footballer and his partner in crime, Kylian Mbappe pretended to dish out bank notes in the celebration.

The Paris Saint-Germain star scored his side’s second goal at the Parc des Princes, starting and finishing a devastating counter-attack.

Neymar's left footed finish into the bottom corner proved to be the match winner after Juan Bernat capitalised on some hesitant defending in the Liverpool box to open the scoring.

Neymar now has 14 goals in 17 appearances for the Ligue 1 champions, including four in the Champions League.

Woman is arrested again for beating up her boyfriend because he won't have sex with her

A woman was arrested for the second time after beating up her boyfriend because he refused to have sex with her 

Rebecca Lynn Phelps, 31, was arrested by police near Tampa for allegedly attacking her boyfriend as he slept. Police accuse her of "grabbing her boyfriend’s genitals [while] wanting to have sex" on Thanksgiving night.

Phelps shares a home with the victim, who is unnamed, and their child in Land O'Lakes, Florida.

Nigerian Army says 38 and not 118 soldiers died in Metele attacks

The Nigeriam army has put the figure of its officers that died in the various attacks carried out by Boko Haram this month at 39 and not 118.

In a statement issued on behalf of the chief of army staff, Sani Usman, a brigadier general, said the 53 soldiers were wounded in the various attacks that was carried out by members of the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), a faction of the Boko Haram sect. Part of the statement reads

“In the recent weeks, Nigerian troops deployed in the North East of Nigeria under Operation LAFIYA DOLE have come under series of attacks by large numbers of Boko Haram Terrorists,” he said.

Nicolas Cage is helping his son Weston to pay $8k-a-month child support for his two kids with second wife

Hollywood actor, Nicolas Cage, will reportedly be helping his son to pay for his monthly child support for his two kids with his second wife

This comes after the actor's son Weston Cage, 27,  recently settled his divorce from second wife Danielle.

In a new report by Mail Online, it was revealed that the singer-and-actor will be handing over half of a 'monthly gift' he receives from his dad to his former partner and their two children, Lucian, four, and two-year-old Sorin.