Monday
NAF reaffirms commitment to safeguarding nation’s territorial integrity
Wikipedia The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country. Abubakar made the commitment in Gombe on Monday, at the ground breaking ceremony of 203 Combat Reconnaissance Group of the NAF, Sanni Abacha International Airport, Gombe. According to hm, the newly established group is strategically located in Gombe State to enable NAF to carry out its responsibilities more effectively, especially in the North-East. He said the group was also expected to add more value to organisational operations in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges in the zone and the country at large. “The group also marks another milestone in the service efforts to mark its ...
NNPC: AKK gas pipeline project contract not inflated
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project was not inflated to the tune of 1.527 billion dollars, as alleged in an online media outfit. The corporation disclosed this in a statement signed by its spokesman, Dr Kennie Obateru, in Abuja on Monday. He described the accusation as false, baseless and unfounded. Obateru noted that the NNPC was considering instituting legal actions against the medium and her collaborators. He added that the corporation brought the accusation to the attention of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) which rejected the speculative analysis of the online medium as false and not portraying the true position of the BPP’s report on the subject. “This is clearly a concocted analysis aimed at attacking th...
Serena Williams wins Greek odyssey to battle into US Open quarter-finals
Serena Williams booked a place in the quarter-finals of the US Open on Monday with a hard-fought, three-set win over 15th seed Maria Sakkari. Williams required 2hr 28min to defeat the 25-year-old Greek player 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 inside an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows. “I just was fighting. She was doing so well, she was being so aggressive and I knew that I needed to do the same thing,” said Williams. The match swung in different directions, with Williams saving three break points in game five of the first set before breaking Sakkari to power to a first-set win. Inset two, Sakkari took a 4-0 lead in the tie-break before Williams hauled it back to 6-6. And in the deciding set, Williams had to break Sakkari’s serve twice to come back from 2-0 down. Little separated the two p...
Tour de France begins first round of coronavirus tests
The Tour de France started the first round of in-race Covid 19 testing, originally announced for the first rest day, before the start of Sunday’s stage, organisers told AFP. The Tour had scheduled tests for the two rest days, the first of which is on Monday, but started the opening round in their mobile lab at the start in Pau. Organisers did not say if any riders had been included along with members of the Tour entourage. A second wave, focused on the riders, is scheduled for Monday, in line with the health protocol developed with the International Cycling Union. ASO, the Tour organisers, said 650 people would be tested and the results announced on Tuesday before the start of the 10th stage. The teams, their management and support staff are in the “race bubble” but will be thrown off the ...
NFF to unveil new national team jerseys October
The Super Eagles will launch new jerseys designed by kit-sponsors Nike for national teams in October. This was announced in a statement by the NFF’s Communications Department on Tuesday. Nike Senior Director, Global Communications, Heidi Burgett, had February 5, shared the designs of the new national team’s jerseys on Twitter. “New 2020 kits for Nigeria: Home kit’s hand drawn design fuses the traditional aesthetic of an agbada robe w/ modern football design. Away kit trim is inspired by Onaism. Broader collection of Super Eagles apparel includes a poncho, vest, dress, & more,” Burgett wrote. Burgett’s tweet came after NFF president Amaju Pinnick confirmed to newsmen January 28, that the new national team jerseys would be unveiled in New York, London and Nigeria. Further plans for the u...
Eight killed in Kebbi boat mishap
File Photo No fewer than eight people including women and children were drowned following the capsize of a boat at Tungar-Gegero in Jega Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The Chairman, Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Sani Dododo, disclosed this to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday. He said, “Just yesterday (Monday) about 10:30 a.m, there was an incident at Tungar-Gegero in Jega Local Government Area, where eight people lost their lives to canoe mishap. “Women and children, about 10 of them, were aboard with only one operator, a middle-aged man and he was trying to transport the people to a naming ceremony. “They have started the journey and crossed to the other bank of the stream successfully, but on their way back, the canoe capsized and all the occupants were drowned...
WHO harps on virus prevention plans
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has emphasised the need for effective COVID-19 prevention plans as countries reopen their economies and borders. Its Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, gave the advice during a news briefing from Geneva on Monday. Ghebreyesus said he had observed the eagerness of countries to “get their economies going again”, eight months into the coronavirus pandemic. According to him, if countries are serious about opening, they must prioritise the suppression of transmission and safety of lives. He warned that opening up without efficient and effective prevention measures in place was “a recipe for disaster”. Ghebreyesus said this might seem an impossible balance, but it could be done if countries were in control of the transmission. “The more control they have...
Kano chief judge appoints Abdullahi Ado-Bayero as acting chief registrar
The Kano State Chief Judge, Justice Nura Sagir, has approved the appointment of Abdullahi Ado-Bayero, as the acting Chief Registrar of Kano High Court. Mr Baba Jibo-Ibrahim, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Kano State Judiciary, made the disclosure in a statement issued to newsmen on Monday in Kano. It said Ado-Bayero will act the Chief Registrar pending the ratification of the appointment by the state Judicial Service Commission. “Justice Sagir approved the redeployment of Ado-Bayero, from Shari’a Court of Appeal to the High Court of Justice Kano as the acting Chief Registrar pending the ratification of the appointment by the Judicial Service Commission Kano.” According to the statement, the approval was sequel to the elevation of the Chief Registrar, High Court of Justice, Kano, Jamil...
Kwara records three new virus cases
Three new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kwara, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, the Spokesman of the state’s Technical Committee on COVID-19, made this known in a statement on Monday in Ilorin. Ajakaye, also the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said that this was the situation as at 9.30 p.m. on Sunday. Newsmen report that the state now has a total of 954 confirmed cases of the virus. According to Ajakaye, out of the 954 confirmed cases, 778 patients have been discharged, leaving 151 active cases in the state. He stated that 5,087 tests were conducted, while 5,103 tested negative with 25 deaths recorded so far in the state, and 30 tests were pending. Newsmen report that the virus has spread to 12 local government areas of the state. The local governments are;...
Northern governors congratulate Yahaya Bello over victory at Supreme Court
The Northern Governors Forum has congratulated Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, over his election victory at the Supreme Court. The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong, congratulated Bello in a message by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Macham, on Monday in Jos. Lalong said Bello’s victory was an affirmation of the mandate Kogi people entrusted on him, which he should work hard to justify. “The Supreme Court judgment affirming your election victory gives you an opportunity to settle down to serve your people and fulfill their aspirations without any distraction. “The people have already reposed their confidence in you and are looking up to you for the dividends of democracy,” he said. Lalong assured Bello that members of the Forum would continue to supp...
France has over 8,000 people on terror watch list – minister
There are 8,132 people on France’s security watch list for persons suspected of terrorist leanings, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Monday. Working out which people on the list were at risk of actually attempting acts of terrorism was a “very difficult and delicate task,” Darmanin acknowledged. France suffered a series of major Islamist attacks in 2015 and 2016, mostly claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, which cost the lives of more than 230 people. Darmanin’s comments come two days before the trial of 14 people accused of links to the first attacks, in January 2015, in which 17 people were killed. The suspects face various charges, including terrorist conspiracy and complicity in murder, related to the attacks on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, a kosher supermarket, ...
NSE market indices gain 0.07 percent
The Nigerian Stock Exchange on Monday closed the last trading day of August with a growth of 0.07 per cent, following sustained positive sentiment. Specifically, the All-Share Index rose by 17.76 points or 0.07 per cent to close at 25, 327.13 compared with 25,309.37 achieved on Friday. Similarly, the market capitalisation improved by nine billion naira or 0.07 per cent to close at N13.213 trillion against N13.203 trillion posted on Friday. The upturn was impacted by gains recorded in large and medium capitalised stocks, amongst which are: Mobil Nigeria, Dangote Cement, Lafarge Africa, Vitafoam and BUA Cement. Analysts at United Capital Plc said, “This week, we expect to see some profit taking, given the bullish performance in the last two weeks.” Mobil led the gainers’ chart in percentage ...
