The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the concert, organised by the Foundation of Truth Assembly (FOTA) Church in Lagos , held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island.

The concert, which kicked off at about 5 p.m, ended at about 11.40 p.m.

The concert was aimed at garnering sympathy and creating awareness on the plight of victims of insurgency in the Northern region.

The Christian leaders used the event to seek for ways to assist the victims.

NAN reports that the concert also had in attendance, some widows from the northern region, who narrated how they lost their husbands to attacks and the harsh reality they faced, taking care of the children alone..

The evening concert featured music performances by prominent Nigerian gospel artistes, including Mike Abdul, Kaestring, Abbey Ojomu, Wisdom Chigozie and others, who rendered songs to stir state actors to end insurgency in the country.

Speaking at the event, the Convener, who doubles as the Senior Pastor of FOTA, Kasali, said that Christians in the North needed the empathy of their counterparts in the South to keep faith.

According to him, the polarisation of the body of Christ in the country by politicians, after the 2015 general elections, contributed to some of the insecurity crisis in the country.

“It is regrettable that some Christians remain aloof of their responsibilities toward their brethren in the north.

“It is no longer fashionable to remain on the fence but to take a step to aid those who had lost their bread winners because of ongoing insurgency and banditry in the north.

“We have taken measures to raise funds to ensure that most families/victims are catered for. The children who lost their fathers will go back to school, feed and get medicare through the funds.

“We cannot do beyond this as a body but we will continue to pray that this challenge will be halted soon,” he said.

Biniyat, leader of the northern delegate, urged people to come to the aid of victims with relief materials and society rebuilding schemes.

Also speaking, Buba, gave a gory tale of how communities were constantly attacked by bandits/insurgents.

” We need strong support of our brethren not just sympathy to restore peace in the region,” he said.

The cleric said that the northern region had lost more than 200 people in the last two weeks to insurgent attacks.

Similarly, Oritsejafor, regretted the bloodshed, and urged churches to support FOTA’s drive for assistance to the victims.

He urged the people to support governments’s efforts in defending the region. (NAN)

“Argentine football says goodbye to you wrapped in deep sorrow,” the Argentine Football Association said of the decision to delay games in his homeland by a day.

A minute’s silence will be held at matches this week.

Born in Buenos Aires in 1936, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church died on Monday aged 88.

“Francis was not only a spiritual reference, but also a footballing one, and met with players, leaders and football legends, such as the captain of the Argentine national team Lionel Messi and Diego Armando Maradona,” the association said.

“He never hid his passion for football and his unconditional love for San Lorenzo de Almagro,” it added.

In a memoir, Francis spoke of Maradona’s controversial “Hand of God” goal in Argentina’s 1986 World Cup soccer quarter-final against England.

When Maradona visited him at the Vatican years later, “I asked him, jokingly, ‘So, which is the guilty hand?’” the pope recalled.(Reuters/NAN)

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Tunde Moshood, the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

According to Moshood, the online reports are utterly baseless and untrue.

“Our attention has been drawn to certain online reports/stories suggesting that a certain lengthy period of concession has been agreed upon regarding the Enugu International Airport.

“It is true that Government is considering proposals for concession of five major airports, this is a proactive measure to ensure these vital facilities meet and maintain international standards, given increasing financial demands of their operations.

“Many of our airports are presently running at a loss, so they have to be subsidised each month by the Federal Government. It is noteworthy that this initiative to concession started from previous administrations. “

He, however, said that at this stage, prospective concessionaires have indeed submitted various proposals, including different durations for the concession.

He further said that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development had not established any fixed duration.

According to him, all submitted proposals are currently undergoing thorough evaluation that will eventually be reviewed by the Infrastructural Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) before it is presented to the Minister for conveyance to FEC for approval.

“We can confirm that this review process has not been concluded.

“However, for the sake of transparency, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, directed, some months ago that the Aviation Labour Unions be included as part of the negotiating teams.

“Therefore, we must state unequivocally that the information suggesting a predetermined concession duration is false, unfounded, and intended to cause unwarranted disaffection and mistrust in this process by those with entrenched interests.

“Please be assured that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development is committed to a transparent process that adheres strictly to due process, “ he said.

Moshood said that with the minister`s training and track record, he would not allow anything untoward to happen under his watch.

“ He has so far run the ministry in a transparent manner and will not fall into the same mistake of the past.

“We will ensure that all decisions are made in the best interest of the nation and the aviation sector. (NAN)