Word's going round the country's newspapers that Obafemi Martins, the "22 year old" Nigerian footballer for Newcastle FC in the English Premiership, was not in his car in Lagos when it was attacked by marauders. His friends had borrowed his car and were caught in a bad place.

Nigeria can be a fearful place atimes but still Martins didn't have to do falsehoods. He told the press in Britain, he was in the car and narrowly escaped death.