FACULTY LECTURE, FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

Dear All,

You are invited to the Maiden Faculty Lecture of the Faculty of ManagementSciences titled “Future of Mobility and Implications of Fuel Taxes.

Date: Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Time: 10:00am

Venue: Tunde Afolabi Hall

 

Best Regards,

Organizers

LAUTECH CROSSING FORM IS FINALLY OUT. SEE FULL DETAILS AND PROCESSES HERE

Finally!

The form will be out on Monday April 4 and ends on Monday April 18 2016. Check through the picture below.

SOURCE : 100% LAUTECH

LAUTECH ASUU EMBARK ON STRIKE! SEE DETAILS!!!

UNIVERSITY UPDATE!

The Academic Staff Union of Universities A.S.U.U Lautech branch has just embarked on  Strike...
The details of the reason and the duration is yet to be unveiled! 
Everyone is advised to go back to their various hostels as there would be no official activities!

---Gen Rep Kayboi Reporting...
SIGNED: Lautech Independent Press Team (LIPT)

SOLUTION TO CSE 201 ASSIGNMENT FOR LAUTECH 200L ENGINEERING AND FABAMSA STUDENTS!!!

This solution is basically for the ASSIGNMENT 1.

Solution to assignment 2 coming soon! God bless!!!
Submission to take place tomorrow Tuesday 29th of march ,2016.

- Gen. Kayboi

Worst fears come true for Pakistan’s Christians in Easter attack

Worst fears come true for Pakistan’s Christians in Easter attack

The worst fears of Pakistan’s Christians came true with the carnage in Lahore on Easter Sunday, said activists who had braced for a backlash since thousands took to the streets over the execution of a murderer feted as an Islamist hero.

Taliban militants said they were targeting Christians with the suicide bombing which killed at least 72 people, nearly half of them children, in a crowded park in Lahore as thousands marked Easter on a warm spring evening.

Christian leaders said they had been filled with foreboding ever since the government executed Mumtaz Qadri, who murdered a liberal governor calling for reform of the country’s blasphemy laws.

Their fears grew when Islamists announced on Friday that they would hold prayers for Qadri over the Easter weekend, four weeks after his hanging.

“The Christian community had the feeling that there would be backlash from Qadri’s execution, especially on festivals like Easter,” said Shamoon Gill, a Christian activist and spokesman for the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance.

“We feared that something might happen.”

The Taliban did not mention Qadri in their claim of responsibility.

But the attack came as thousands of his supporters clashed with police in Islamabad, several hundred kilometres away, with activists attacking the government’s apparent tolerance of the demonstrators.

“People are calling for an assassin to be declared a hero and the government is giving them space,” said Cecil Shane Chaudhry, executive director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace, a Christian NGO.

– Persecution –

Sunday’s blast was the latest in the “long history of persecution of Christians in the country”, leading human rights activist Hussain Naqi told AFP Monday.

In Rome, Pope Francis appealed to Pakistani authorities to step up security for religious minorities after the “abhorrent” suicide bombing.

Christians are frequently the target of militant attacks, including a double suicide bombing that killed 82 people at a church service in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar in 2013.

They also often face discrimination at work and routinely fall victim to the blasphemy laws, which rights groups say are often used to wage personal vendettas.

Blasphemy can carry the death penalty in Pakistan and is a hugely sensitive issue in the Muslim nation of around 200 million.

Even unproven allegations can stir mob violence. Christians, who make up 1.6 percent of the population, are often the target.

“We are teaching our kids a distorted, rather false history where the mullah is pious and the minorities are evil, and this is a very dangerous trend,” Naqi said.

“It’s not only with Christians, we are doing the same with Hindus and Ahmadis and that’s why they take every possible step — either legal or illegal — to leave the country.”

Chaudhry agreed.

“There is a growing sense of insecurity among minorities in Pakistan, and whoever is not a Muslim is not safe in this country,” he said.

Activists pointed to officials who appeared to dismiss the militants’ statement they were targeting Christians, accusing them of downplaying the threat.

“The target was not the Christian community in particular,” senior police official Haider Ashraf told AFP Monday despite the Taliban statement, adding that Muslims were among the dead.

Naqi branded the statement a “cover-up” and said the government was in denial, “trying to downplay the incident to hide its own failure at protecting Christians and minorities”.

On Monday around 3,000 of Qadri’s supporters were still holding a sit-in near main government buildings in Islamabad.

Their demands include the execution of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother-of-five who has been on death row since she was convicted of blasphemy in 2010.

They are also calling for Qadri to be officially declared a martyr and want the immediate imposition of Sharia Islamic law

FG has earmarked N3trn for projects in 2016

Abuja – Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, on Sunday, said the Federal Government had set aside N3 trillion for projects in 2016.

Shehu disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on the sidelines of a dinner held to celebrate the child dedication of Mr Paul Ibe, the Head of the Atiku Media Office in Abuja.

According to him, the government of President Buhari will make sure that contractors are mobilised and paid for executing the jobs.

He urged Nigerians to be patient with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government as it would deliver.

He added that “unlike what we have in the past, this government will award contracts and back them up with money to ensure their conclusion.

“Nigerians will be happy in a short while; let us just have a little more patience.”

The presidential aide, who said he attended the event to identify with the celebrator who had been a long standing companion, noted that the Federal Government had saved more than N3 trillion from the Treasure Single Account (TSA).

He said “Paul has been my friend for long; as a bureau chief and as editor; we have worked closely together for long.

“When he decided to leave ThisDay Newspapers, he accepted to serve with me at Atiku Media office.

“We were there as coordinator and deputy coordinator until my latest appointment.”

On her part, Hajiya, Titi Abubakar, wife of the former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, said that the hardship being faced by Nigerians at present would not be long.

She said that some wrongs ought to be put right before the economy would pick up.

She added that “anything God gives us, we have to say thank you to him; if at this particular time there is change, we have to put the country right before things get well again.

“We have to endure the hardship for a while and all will be good for us by the grace of God.

“Paul is my husband’s staff and we have come here to celebrate with him; God has answered his prayer and we give Him all the glory.”

Responding, Ibe said that the reason for the gathering was to give thanks to God for wiping away his tears.

He said God had renewed his commitment to mankind -that if man remained consistent, his words would be fulfilled.

“When we remain committed to Him, His promises may be delayed but must come to pass,’’ he said.

Ibe said he had waited for long for a child, adding that with persistence, God would always show His glory to those who trusted in him.

The new baby boy was named `Onweghihekaririchukwu’ –nothing is bigger than God.

FUEL CRISIS: Kachikwu splits APC

*He should resign — S-South APC
*No, he has been prudent — S-East APC
*Babatope, Tsav, Aluko, Odumakin, others react

By Clifford Ndujihe, Kingsley Omonobi, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Gbenga Oke, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Mike Eboh, Omeiza Ajayi, Rotimi Ojomoyela & Tare Youdeowei

LAGOS—THE ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was literally divided, yesterday, over whether or not Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, should retain his prime position in the APC-led Federal Government on account of the worsening fuel scarcity and his comments that he is not a magician.

While the National Vice Chairman of the APC, South South wants Kachikwu to resign immediately, the South-East chapter of the party thinks otherwise.

This is coming as mixed reactions greeted APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s, blasting of Kachikwu, weekend, on the issue. ‘’Kachikwu’s flippancy was out of line. He was basically telling Nigerians that they should be lucky that they are getting the inadequate supply they now suffer,’’ Tinubu spat.

DR EMMANUEL IBE KACHIKWU
Resign now, APC National tells Kachikwu
Peeved by his recent outburst that Nigerians should be grateful to the government that they could still get some fuel, the APC asked the minister to honourably resign his position from the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led government since he seemed incapable of doing his part by efficiently running the ministry assigned to him and providing workable solution to the current fuel scarcity in the country.

The party also said it was time Kachikwu descended from “his high horse to face squarely the duties required of him by his office, as responsibility to the people is one of the cardinal points of the APC, which he professes membership.”

The party said it aligned itself with Tinubu who had, weekend, taken on the minister for his outburst.

In a statement in Abuja, the APC National Vice Chairman, South-south, Prince Hilliard Eta, said “Kachikwu has not entirely cast off the orientation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP where he was”, adding that such is still manifesting in his actions and utterances such as the recent one that attracted opprobrium from many Nigerians.

“In the light of the foregoing, Mr. Kachikwu must not be a cog in the wheel of progress and he should do the needful by resigning honourably if he is not capable of doing his part by efficiently running the ministry assigned to him”.

While denying that there was any major rift in the party, APC said: “It is important to reiterate here that winning the federal election in 2015 has not eroded the core ideology of progressivism, which we espouse as it is the very foundation on which the party rests.

“This progressive ideology strongly emphasises government as a tool for service to the people, who are the custodians of power in the first instance. In line with this, it is not wrong or out of place for Tinubu to call the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to order owing to the anti progressive statements he made in the Presidential Villa on Wednesday March 23, 2016, while fielding questions from Journalists on the persisting scarcity of petrol.

“Secondly, we in the APC believe that it is proper to immediately correct mistakes or errors committed by any member of the party, no matter how highly placed and we are developing a culture of accountability to Nigerians that government is meant to serve.

“From this perspective, it is, therefore, understandable that Kachikwu’s statement to the effect that he has no solution to petrol scarcity bedevilling the country drew flaks from Tinubu and this does not, in any way imply that there is a crack within the party.

“In African culture, it is seen as irresponsible for an elder to watch a youngsters or an inexpensive person blunder without immediately calling him to order. ”

We don’t subscribe to resignation calls – South-East APC

However, the South-East chapter of the APC, in a statement by its Spokesman, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said the zone was against calls for Kachikwu’s resigantion.
It said: ‘’Whereas, our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not only politically correct but has the constitutional right to condemn the awkward joke made by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, over the national embarrassment caused our great country by the ugly fuel supply chain logjam; however, the South East Zone of the APC does not subscribe to the call for his resignation.

‘’Those who call for his resignation should not forget the transparent, frugal and prudent manner in which Kachikwu and co deployed in the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain; a policy which has saved our country over N500 billion.

‘’May we also remind those who call for his resignation, how the PDP turned the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain into a slush fund, recklessly increased the cost geometrically from N634 billion in 2010 to N1.6 trillion in 2012. In 2013, N888 billion was officially budgeted with a supplementary budget of N232 billion in the same year, making an average N1 trillion per annum.

‘’It is our considered opinion that Kachikwu should stay, for bringing sanity to the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain in the last 10 months.’’

APC is trying to play on our intelligence — Babatope
Reacting to the development, a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said that the APC was trying to play on the intelligence of Nigerians.
“The APC cannot continue to play on the intelligence of Nigerians when majority of Nigerians are feeling pains and cannot move from one place to another. Nigerians are feeling pains by the day; instead of Tinubu and Kachukwu to sit with the President and discuss on how to settle the economic hardships Nigerians are facing, they are busy throwing tantrums at each other while Nigerians continue suffering. What is happening right now goes beyond party politics, we should all sit down and solve the basic problems the country is suffering instead of trading blames on the pages of newspapers,” he said.

Tinubu stated the obvious—Odumakin
National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin said Tinubu stated the obvious, adding: ‘’I think there was a bit of arrogance on the part of the Minister when he told the nation that he was not a miracle worker. He should not have said that to the nation and I think that is arrogance, selfish and a state of wanton impunity. He is expected to serve us and not to boss over us. I think the Tinubu’s letter has really shown the disunity within the APC. If the APC is really a party that is in power and they have means of discussing within themselves, I guess that such letter would have been discussed within their party before going on the pages of newspapers.”

I agree with Tinubu—Aluko
Also throwing his weight behind the APC leader, immediate past Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Otuoke, Professor Bolaji Aluko said: “I identify with Bola Ahmed Tinubu here, while understanding Kachikwu’s plight. I have complained about the necessity of President Buhari to rein in any creeping mandarins in his cabinet – Education Minister Adamu Adamu was one early example with the VCs palaver, which remains un-resolved – and Kachikwu’s “I-am-no-magician-and-you-are-lucky-to-have-me” statement is another one that Tinubu has rightfully shot down.

“There is no doubt that Kachikwu has been hard at work and on his desk, a job that has both serious domestic and international dimensions. He is clearly technically competent, but he merely needs to tweak his socio-political antennas, and think a little more deeply.’’

‘Kachikwu has created widespread disenchantment in NNPC’
A source in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, said the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, has created widespread disenchantment in the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, saying this is a major contributory factor to the fuel crisis witnessed across the country.
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also stated that it would be foolhardy for K achikwu to reply Tinubu especially at this time when fuel is still scarce.

He did nothing wrong—Tsav
Defending Kachikwu, former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said: “Tinubu should not use the issue to score political points or get credits because Kachikwu as the minister said the obvious. I did not see any where that Kachikwu insulted Nigerians or erred by telling Nigerians the true situation of the fuel crisis. Issues like this should not be politicised because Kachikwu did nothing wrong.

“Kachikwu said the truth. He is the one running the NNPC and understands the situation there. He knows what they have on ground and the circumstances we found ourselves.”

Tinubu spoke the truth—Osinkolu
However, a chieftain of the APC, Olusegun Osinkolu disagreed with Tsav and argued that Tinubu was right to have cautioned the Minister.

Osinkolu, who said Tinubu’s statement should not be misinterpreted to mean existence of crack within the ruling party, maintained that the remarks were in the best interest of Nigerians and the APC-led government. Speaking in Ayede Ekiti, Osinkolu dismissed the insinuation that Kachikwu is not competent to handle the Ministry, saying the Minister spoke as a technocrat and not as a politician.Osinkolu dismissed the insinuation that Kachikwu is not competent to handle the ministry, saying the minister spoke as a technocrat and not as a politician.
Niger Delta group

Rising in defence of the minister, Niger Delta Indigenous Movement For Radical Change, NDIMRC, urged Nigerians to be patient with Kachikwu over the lingering fuel crisis the country, saying President Buhari never made a mistake in his appointment. NDIMRC, an oil monitoring group, in a statement by its President, Nelly Emma, Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Stanley Mukoro, said the minister never put a time frame of May ending to arrest the situation, describing it as misinterpretation.

It said: “The minister only said that the solution to the fuel crisis is a gradual process and as an oil monitoring group, we want to appeal to Nigerians to bear with Dr. Kachikwu over the lingering fuel scarcity.

“The minister has apologised to Nigerians over the worrisome situation and we want to implore Nigerians to be patient with the minister, who is capable of handling the fuel scarcity once and for all.”

‘Kachikwu working against Buhari’s govt’

Former, member of the House of Representatives, Halims Agoda, accused Kachikwu of sabotaging the efforts of President Buhari to restructure the petroleum sector and backed calls for his resignation.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Agoda said the minister’s recent remark of not being a “magician” to immediately end the queues at filling stations was not necessary.
Agoda asked the minister to resign if he could not end the lingering fuel crisis.

Tinubu trying to redeem APC—Okorie
The member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the House of Representatives, Linus Okorie, faulted Tinubu’s attack on Kachikwu.
Okorie, who is Chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, in a statement, said that Tinubu derailed along the line by using the attack as a platform to blame Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and shore up his party’s image instead of a genuine concern for the people.

According to him, the APC leader should take part of the blame for the failure of his party to fulfil their promises to Nigerians, instead of dwelling on excuses or looking for a scapegoat. He said:

“Tinubu mysteriously derailed from this ennobling track for no sensible reason than, probably, an urge to redeem some modicum of public respect and confidence for APC.

“The party has evidently lost more political capital through a consistent display of planlessness and crass incompetence than even its extreme opponents could have contemplated, a few short months ago. “Tinubu did this by attempting a weak and non-contextual connection of PDP to the “undemocratic excesses” of a rapidly evolving “fascist regime” of APC.

“APC has a responsibility to deliver on its over 3,000 promises to Nigerians and would do well to keep its eye on the ball than this compulsive and overburdened recline into the past.”

IS INEC UNDER BUHARI BECOMING A SHADOW OF ITSELF?

That President Muhammadu Buhari has admitted failure in the three elections conducted under his watch only confirms Sunday Vanguard’s insistence that the era of free, fair and credible elections may have gone for good.   And whereas the drumbeats of war, which came from both the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were enough to elicit the type of outcome witnessed in the Rivers State re-run elections, the less than efficient activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, introduced a dangerous dimension, to further inflame an already combustible situation.   This report will show that the President’s condescending disposition towards INEC, is partly responsible for the shambles being witnessed, just as it would point out why, if these inconclusive elections are anything to go by, the APC Federal Government may be suggesting to Nigerians that it is not interested in free, fair and credible elections.     Read the facts as they speak for themselves.

By Jide Ajani

IS INEC UNDER BUHARI BECOMING A SHADOW OF ITSELF?

Any lingering doubt that INEC is becoming a distant shadow  of the  organization under Jega faded as INEC again conducted another inconclusive elections in Rivers State.

These make the third inconclusive elections conducted by the Commission under the Buhari regime. This trend,   since  the  exit of the  Jonathan  administration era  of  peaceful  conduct of credible elections – exceptional in its own way, since the return of democracy in 1999 –  has created doubts in the minds of Nigerians on the commitment of the Buhari regime to free, fair and credible elections.

Many Nigerians and members of the international election observer-groups are  intensely  concerned that free, fair and credible elections that were  witnessed  in  2011 and more so in  2015  – and,  that was almost being taken for granted – are gradually regressing  under the Buhari government,  with all that the situation portends for the future of Nigeria’s democracy.

In  particular,  fears are  being expressed  – while  significant doubt is being created in the minds of Nigerians as the 2019 general  elections approach – that  the APC government is not committed to democracy and the rule of law,  given  the shoddy and condescending way the current regime has related with INEC.

This is why the Buhari regime must sit up and  make  amends to the degeneration of  INEC or face  possible  infamy in 2019.

Cleric laments incarceration of 8-month-old-baby in prison, frees inmates

In  the spirit of Easter,  the President of the Nigerian Women in Clergy, Nonnie Robertson, visited Suleja prison and set some prisoners free.

The occasion coincided with the birthday of the cleric, who is also the Overseer of the New Wine Ministries World Wide. According to her, it struck her on the eve of her birthday that some captives were held in different prisons across the country, some of whom might have committed petty crimes, and were thrown into the prisons after failing to meet their bail conditions or pay the fine set for their release. She said her effort was  in line with the dominant message of the season which urges men of goodwill to try to ‘set the captives free.’

President of the Nigerian Women in Clergy, Nonnie Robertson, addressing some of the inmates during her visit to Suleja prison
She lamented the incarceration of an eight-month-old – baby whom she said was in prison because her mother had committed a crime which ordinarily wouldn’t have taken her to prison. Nonnie further lamented that she was moved to tears seeing the condition this woman and her child were subjected to. She lamented the imprisonment of other children, saying they were in prison, not because of their own crime but a crime their parents committed. She asked why children should be incarcerated as well as their parents.

”There is an eight-month-old baby in this prison. I asked myself why? What was the crime? The mother is incarcerated! And you know what it means for a child to grow up in prison environment where there is no good food, no clothing, no baby food, and no good medical care. Is a child who grows up in that kind of environment not condemned for life?”, the Overseer said..

“I was really shocked when I saw the eight month-old-baby. The woman lives on dry food, that is, garri that outsiders provide for them. They don’t give them food. They depend on what people take to them. That is what they share among them and they drink garri even in the morning with little or no sugar. You can just imagine! There are many children living in this condition in Nigerian prisons but people would not know. There are issues. I weep for this country”.

Speaking on why she decided to visit the prison when top on the nation’s agenda are gender  issues, she said, “I always like to do things differently. I heard about what I could describe as ‘forgotten’ victims in Nigerian prisons; though I didn’t take it seriously because I was not led by the spirit;  I prayed over it and few, days to my birthday, God asked me to visit prisons. The first prison that came to my mind was Kuje prison, because, ignorantly, I thought that was the only prison around. But we later went to Suleja prison and we met inmates whose cases were poverty-driven crimes. Some are there serving jail terms with the options of N5, 000 to N15, 000 fines but they can’t afford it and nobody to help. This is why I call them the ‘forgotten victims’. We have people that have looted billions of naira in this country, yet they have their freedom and sailing around the world. This is sad”.

LAUTECH 200L FAG GNS 209 ASSIGNMENT QUESTION AND SOLUTION

Question

1. Mention 5 administrative posts in LAUTECH

2. Explain two of it.

SOLUTION…

JUST LIST FIVE AMONG ALL THESE IN THE PICTURES BELOW….
SO, JUST WRITE THE DETAILS OF JUST TWO AMONG THEM! e.g u can list : Deputy Vice Chancellor, registrar, bursar, Dean of faculty, Head of department. So you can just explain the Registrar and Bursar. Dats all.

– GEN. KAYBOI

17 killed in clashes between farmers and herders

Seventeen people have died in clashes between arable farmers and nomadic herdsmen in Ivory Coast’s northeastern town of Bouna, the government announced Friday warning that the toll could rise.

“During the night of 23-24 March, the situation became very aggravated and at this stage we have 17 people dead,” defence ministry official Vincent Toh Bi said on state television.

A further 39 people were injured in the fighting, including five members of the security forces who intervened, he added.

Around 900 defence and security personnel were deployed in the town to restore order.

“This is a provisional toll. This is a crisis. We’ll have to wait several more hours,  or even several days, to have a definitive toll,” said Toh Bi.

Violent disputes  between nomadic‎ herders and farmers, often over grazing and watering rights, are not uncommon, but such a high death toll is rare

The farmers complain that their fields are ruined by the passage of  herds of cattle.

Nigeria maintains 1st spot in Tuberculosis cases in Africa’

Dr Kabiru Getso, the Kano state Commissioner for Health, says Nigeria is still ranked first in Tuberculosis (TB) cases in Africa.
The commissioner disclosed this on Friday while addressing newsmen in Kano.

According to him, recent estimates showed that Nigeria in 2014 had about 600,000 people infected with the disease.
Getso added that “more than 500,000 people infected with Tuberculosis in Nigeria remain undetected and not placed on treatment. TB is treatable and curable if appropriate treatment commenced on time”.

FILE: A TB patient on a hospital bed.
He said that Kano was among the six states with the highest burden of TB in Nigeria with estimates suggesting that annually in Kano state about 30,000 people were infected with the disease.
He said in 2015, the state was able to diagnose and put on treatment 6,023 all forms of TB cases which comprised 5,550 adults and 428 children.

Getso said 45 Multidrug Resistant TB cases were diagnosed and put on treatment, leaving a huge gap of about 25,000 missed cases in various communities undetected.
However, he said that the state government and its development partners had established 110 laboratories where TB testing was provided free of charge.

Besides, Getso said the state government had set up 381 free TB treatment centres which also provide free TB treatment across the state.
The commissioner said that active TB cases search was going on in Kano especially in slums and overcrowded areas.

He added that other areas at risk affirming that massive awareness creation was being undertaken regarding TB in the state.
He called on citizens of the state to refer any person battling with cough for more than two weeks to the nearest designated health facility to ascertain his TB status.

Iraq buries young victims of football pitch bomb carnage

Iraq on Saturday buried the victims, among them many young boys, of a suicide attack that ripped through a trophy ceremony after a local football tournament and killed 32 people.

The attacker, who himself looks like a teenager on a photo distributed by the Islamic State group that claimed the attack, cut through a crowd gathered after the game and blew himself up.

“There are 32 dead and also 84 wounded, 12 of whom are in a critical condition,” an official in Babil province health directorate told AFP.

“Seventeen of those killed are boys aged between 10 and 16,” the official said.

The attack took place in the village of Al-Asriya, which lies near Iskandariyah, a town about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of the capital.

The bomber detonated his suicide vest late afternoon on Friday as local officials were handing trophies to the players after the tournament.

A video posted on social media shows a local official speaking in front of a table covered with trophies and calling out the name of a player before a huge blast.

The footage cuts off with a big flash of yellow light.

“The suicide bomber cut through the crowd to approach the centre of the gathering and blew himself up as the mayor was presenting awards to the players,” Ali Nashmi, an 18-year-old eyewitness, told AFP.

The mayor, Ahmed Shaker, was among the dead, as was one of his bodyguards and at least five members of the security forces.

Pictures posted on social media of the blast site showed mangled goal posts smeared with blood.

The US state department extended its condolences to the bereaved in a statement, as did United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon, who was visiting Iraq for talks.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest condolences to the people and government of Iraq, and particularly those members of the families affected by terrorist attacks yesterday,” he told reporters.

The Asian Football Confederation also released a statement condemning the bombing.

“Football is a powerful force for good and our game has a long history of bringing people together even during conflicts around the world,” it said.

“Using football and sport stadiums as a stage for these heinous acts of violence is a cowardly, completely unjust and indiscriminate act,” the AFC said.

IS has been losing territory steadily in Iraq for almost a year.

In the most recent operations, Iraqi forces have been gaining ground in the western province of Anbar and have just begun their reconquest of the province of Nineveh.

Observers have warned that, as their self-proclaimed “caliphate” shrinks towards extinction, IS fighters are likely to revert to their old guerrilla tactics and ramp up suicide attacks on civilian targets.