Friendly Matches: French Embassy Denies Visas for Super Eagles Players, Officials

Ahead of the Super Eagles friendly matches in France and Luxembourg later this month, some of the team players and officials have been denied visas by the French embassy.

Those affected are the only home-based player, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, two coaches and administrative officials of the three-time African champions.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF have pleaded with the authorities of the French Emabassy to issue the visa to allow for smooth preparation for the friendly matches.

The NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi said, “We are appealing to the Embassy of France in Nigeria to reconsider its stance and issue visas to these officials.

NFF Unveils Super Eagles' Interim Managers

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Wednesday that Shaibu Amodu, the Technical Director of the NFF and Salisu Yusuf would take charge of the Super Eagles on interim basis.

This was part of the decisions taken after Wednesday's meeting of the NFF Technical Committee which took place at the NFF secretariat.

The appointment would see the coaches lead the Eagles to the two international friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg national team on May 27 and June 1 respectively.

NFF confirms Mali, Luxembourg friendlies for Eagles

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has announced that the Super Eagles will take on Mali and Luxembourg in friendly matches.Nigeria football senior national team, the Super Eagles will take on the Eagles of Mali and the Luxembourg senior national team in two international friendly matches in Europe.

This was confirmed via their official Twitter handle.

Nigeria, former African champions will take on Mali, ranked four places above them at 63, at the Stade Robert Diochon in Rouen, France on May 27. 

The Eagles of Mali have already qualified for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals, having garnered 10 points from their first four matches of the qualification series.

United Nations Security Council to vote on improved Syria aid access

The United Nations Security Council is set to adopt a resolution Monday authorizing humanitarian convoys to serve millions of Syrian civilians by traveling from neighboring Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, according to Agence France-Presse.
After weeks of negotiations, Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg drafted the text for a vote.

Damascus' ally Russia, which has already used its veto on four Syria-related resolutions since the conflict began in March 2011, has no plans to do so this time.

Nigeria assumes rotational UN Security Council presidency for one Month

Nigeria on Tuesday in New York assumed the rotational presidency of the UN Security Council for April. Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Joy Ogwu, took over from Sylvie Lucas of Luxembourg, who held the presidency last month.

A statement e-mailed to the News Agency in Nigeria by the Nigeria Mission at the UN in New York, said that Nigeria would actively promote international peace and security during its presidency.

“With the support of all other members of the council, Nigeria will use its month-long presidency to actively promote the cause of international peace and security, in line with the principles of the UN Charter and the mandate of the council,” it said.