Nigeria has defeated Cameroon by 10 wickets with 84 balls left in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

The game which was played at the Botswana Cricket Oval Gaborone on Monday, saw the Cameroonian side winning the toss and choosing to bat first in their debut ICC event.

They had majorly Nantia Kenfack to thank for scoring 23 runs in 32 balls ahead Jeanne Ngono, the other best performer in the team, who made seven runs in 13 balls, and together contributing to the team’s tally of 47 runs in 19.3 overs with all wickets out.

Like a walk in the park, a very confident Nigerian side needed only 6.3 overs to score 48 runs in the second innings.

The opening partnership of Esther Sandy and Kehinde Abdulquadri was enough to claim the victory, even though team captain, Blessing Etim, won the Player of the Match by downing four wickets and claiming four maiden overs.

A maiden over is an over in which no runs are scored that count against the bowler.

“This is the first time ever I am bowling four overs, four wickets and no runs. I give glory to God and I appreciate the efforts of my team mates for making this possible.

“ The game was not a very difficult one for us because we listened to our coaches and made our target,’’ an elated Etim said after the game, while also dedicating her award to her team mates.

On his part, Onome Oghenekevwe, the team coach, said the team’s victory showed that they were no push overs.

“Today’s victory was good. Ten wickets victory shows how strong the players are and as far as am concerned, this team is one of the best sides in this tournament.

“ I think that they need more time together as a team and gather as much experiences as possible so that they can go places,’’ Oghenekevwe said.

Nigeria had played four matches, winning two, but will have to await the outcome of the Uganda vs Sierra Leone match on Tuesday, to determine a spot in the semi-finals.

Namibia is currently top of the group and has already qualified with three wins in three matches, while Uganda is second with two wins in three matches, pending the outcome of their last game on Tuesday.

Nigeria, in third place, could have a fighting chance for a semis spot, if Sierra Leone defeats Uganda.

Four teams are expected to qualify from both groups, with Zimbabwe leading the pack in group A.

Dr Ramatu Aliyu, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday, cautioned youth corps members against influencing their postings to their preferred places of assignments.

Aliyu gave the advice when the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) led by the FCT Coordinator, Alhaji Abdul Suleman,  visited her office in Abuja .

The minister urged the corps members to desist from influencing their posting to rural communities to their places of interest.

According to her, corps members are not only needed in rural communities but gained more recognition in hard-to-reach communities.

“Corps members responsiveness to the plight of the people depicts a very high quality of leadership,  that is missing among our youths.

” So in essence,  it is in those rural areas that offer you the opportunity to show your leadership qualities.

“It is only in those remote areas that you can think out of the box for the benefit of the people. These are areas that often lack portable water, and other social amenities.

“Seeing the condition of the people can give you the necessary push to come up with ideas on what to do for the benefit of mankind, “she said.

Aliyu said that Garki and Wuse environments, would not offer corps members the opportunity to think of what to do.

” So for you to get all the latitudes to hit the ground running,  you have to serve in rural communities. Please, I urge you all not to work your ways to be redeployed,” she said.

Aliyu gave them the assurance that the FCT would continue to serve as home, to all corps members posted their for the youth service scheme.

Earlier, the NYSC FCT Coordinator, Alhaji Abdul Suleman, said that the 2021Batch ‘B’ Stream II Orientation Course had commenced as scheduled.

Suleman said the corps members had been exposed to the COVID-19 preventive protocols, adding that the camp officials and the entire camp community had been screened.

He said that a total of 1,340 corps members had been registered and sworn in by the representative of the Chief Judge of the FCT.

The coordinator said that the corps members had so far, exhibited a high level of discipline and resilience.

Suleman commended the FCT’s administration and the community, for providing the enabling environment for hosting the orientation course.

The highpoint of the event, was the presentation of an artwork, by a youth corps member, Okon Lawrence Idim, to the minister.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in collaboration with stakeholders in the Pension industry, is to hold a two-day sensitization workshop on, “Eradication of pension fraud in Nigeria”, from October 5 to 6 in Abuja.

The Commission’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who announced this in a statement made available to the newsmen, on Tuesday, in Ilorin, added that the event had been scheduled for the NAF Conference centre, Abuja.

He said that the workshop aimed to serve as a platform for sensitization and practical exchange of information, on how to eradicate pension fraud in the country.

Uwajaren quoted the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, as saying that the workshop would help highlight the areas of corrupt practices in pension administration and collectively develop strategies to curb the menace, which is threatening the country’s pensions industry.

The spokesman said that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, anti-corruption agencies, Legislators, and the National Pension Commission (PenCom) were expected to grace the occasion.

Other participants expected at the workshop include; officials from the Military Pensions Board; Police Pensions Board; Pension and the Records Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

Also, expected are the Federal Ministry of Finance; Budget Office; National Union of Pensioners (NUP); Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, (PTAD); Retirement Benefit Advisors; Pension Fund Administrators and Civil Society Organisations.