Ondo community as assailants attack, raze 15 houses

 

Asere community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State has been thrown into turmoil following an attack on the riverine village by gunmen.

The assailants who also appeared to be arsonists had in their numbers attacked the community and set ablaze 15 houses.

It was gathered that the arsonists who were known to the residents of the community attacked the community after the locals allegedly tipped off security agencies about their activities and movement.

Angered by the move of the arsonists, women in the community who protested the attack and destruction of the community, called on security agencies to arrest the gang members.

According to the protesting women who identified the suspected gang members as Kutu Mone aka MK; July Mone; Best Oniwei; Iyemiyelawei Mone; Mathew Suku Polobubou; Dedewei Mone and Bado Ogbudugbudu said the gang have been operating in the riverine area for a while until security operatives started clamping down on them.

One of the protesters, who simply called herself Faith said the ringleader of the gang, Kutu Mone, who hails from Asere, invaded the community alongside his gang members because he felt his people were giving security men tip-offs about their activities.

On his part, the Paramount ruler of Agadagba Kingdom, Oba Zachueus Doubra said he received a report that one of his subjects, who he described as a ‘recalcitrant boy’ invaded Asere to burn down the community.

Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Tee-Leo Ikoro, said the Police is on top of the situation, urging the people to back to their normal businesses.

“Our men have taken over the area and with no time, MK and his gang would be arrested and be prosecuted as well.”

 

Morrison tells Tuchel Chelsea player that shouldn’t make starting XI again after 2-0 over Porto

 

Former Premier League star, Clinton Morrison, has told Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel to keep Timo Werner out of the team.

Morrison said the Germany International ‘needs time out’ of the Chelsea team after the striker struggled again in the game against Porto in Sevilla last night.

Werner has endured a difficult season at Chelsea, scoring just eight goals in 38 appearances for the Blues in all competitions.

The 25-year-old was subbed off by Tuchel in the second-half of Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Porto on Wednesday.

“Chelsea have got other attacking options – it just depends on how long Tuchel wants to stick with Timo Werner,’ Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Listen, Werner is not a bad player. You don’t become a bad player overnight. It’s just at the moment, he’s getting into positions and not being clinical.

“Maybe he needs a bit of time out of the team and he can make an impact coming off the bench.”

The Blues have one foot in the semi-finals of the competition after an impressive 2-0 victory over the Portuguese champions.

Two goals, one each from Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell (their first Champions League goals) gave the Blues the needed confidence going into the second leg at the same venue (Sevilla) next week.

Draxler names best player in the world following PSG’s 3-2 win over Bayern Munich

 

Julian Draxler has said that his Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Kylian Mbappe has ‘quality like no-one else in the world.’

Draxler said this after Mbappe netted twice to help the French champions to a memorable 3-2 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday night.

Mbappe opened the scoring for the visitors and Marquinhos made it 2-0, but Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Thomas Muller had equalised for Bayern before Mbappe netted again.

PSG now have a huge advantage going into the second leg in France with three away goals and Draxler had no doubts who they had to thank for the fine win.

He said the prolific Frenchman possesses quality that no other player in the world can match.

“That’s what [Mbappé] is there for because he has quality like no-one else in the world,” Draxler told reporters after the game.

“We need his speed. At the moment, he has chances and he scores. That’s really important for us, especially against this Bayern side.”

The Germans had 31 shots at goal and Draxler praised the efforts of the entire team as they miraculously kept Bayern down to just two goals.

Why I’m scared of checking my phone – Arsenal’s Willian

 

Arsenal forward, Willian has said that he is too scared to look at his phone at times for fear of racial abuse on social media.

The Brazilian said this following the racial attacks on Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Naby Keita and Sadio Mane..

The Liverpool stars were sent racist emojis on Instagram ahead of their Champions League quarter-finals first leg clash with the Real Madrid game on Tuesday.

Willian is calling for the handlers of the social media platforms to take more responsibility for their output.

“Does it frighten me to look at my phone? Yes, sometimes, to be honest,” Willian said, according to Express.

“We are human. I want to understand who these people think they are to come to speak like that to us.

“It really affects me when they talk about my family. If they want to criticise me, it’s no problem, I always accept that.

“But when they come to attack your family with those words that I cannot say here, that hurts.

“I think we have to find a way to change the profile of social media. I think people want to have Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, they need to put their ID, passport or whatever.”

Willian will file out with his Arsenal side on Thursday as they face Slavia Prague in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-finals.

And Slavia Prague will be without their Finnish midfielder Ondrej Kudela after being suspended for one match by UEFA for racially abusing Rangers’ Glen Kamara in the last 16.

Joe Cole hails one Chelsea player after 2-0 win at Porto

 

Former England midfielder, Joe Cole, was full of praise for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, after his superb performance during their 2-0 Champions League win away at Porto on Wednesday.

Mount scored his first goal in the competition, with a fantastic piece of skill and finish from Jorginho’s pass.

Ben Chilwell made it 2-0 in the second half, giving the Blues a big advantage ahead of the second leg at home.

But Cole was most impressed by Mount and said on BT Sport: “He’s a manager’s dream, he has the natural ability to impact a game.

“He does the tactics to a ‘T’ off the ball, in the difficult spell just before Tuchel came in, he stood up, he is a leader.”

Arteta identifies Arsenal players he will drop

 

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has vowed to drop players in his squad, who act like they are on holiday.

This follows Emmanuel Petit’s brutal review of his former club. 

Petit, who won the Premier League and FA Cup during his time with the Gunners, criticized the club’s recent recruitment and said too many players treat it like a “holiday retreat”.

Arteta, speaking ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash with Slavia Prague, says he has taken Petit’s assessment on board and vowed to change his mind about Arsenal.

“He [Petit] knows the club well. He was here in their most successful years and has that opinion. I’m here to change that opinion.

“I am here to give my evaluation of what I see every day and where we are and I know where we are and where we want to go. We have to respect that.

“Showing passion goes with the character. People who are much more extroverted than introverted show more emotion with their body language than others.

“But it doesn’t mean it does not hurt as much. For sure, players who don’t have that passion, that emotion and that commitment, won’t be in this football club,” Arteta said.

Tuchel explains why he substituted Havertz, Werner against Porto

 

Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel, has given reasons he took off Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, during their 2-0 win at FC Porto in the Champions League quarter-final.

The Blues returned home with a commanding lead from the first leg of the game.

Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell got the goals, while it was another miserable outing for Werner and Havertz.

Werner was replaced by Olivier Giroud and Havertz by Christian Pulisic.

“At the time I accepted that it was a tough match for Timo and Kai today, they didn’t have their best day.

“We did not deliver so good, so the connection between the seven and the front three wasn’t there. The balls we delivered weren’t the best balls.

“Also, I could feel that our two German players, Kai and Timo, didn’t play at their highest level so I wanted to have an impact from the bench.”