Nationals
Nigerian community disturbed over looting, destruction, violence in South Africa
The Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) has expressed concern over the looting, destruction and violence that has trailed the incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. NUSA, in a statement made available to newsmen by its President, Adetola Olubajo, urged Nigerians in South Africa, most especially in various cities in Kwa Zulu Natal and Gauteng Provinces, to be vigilant and adopt safety and security measures. ‘The union is highly disturbed seeing the extent of looting, destructions and violence perpetrated by the angry protesters during our fact-finding trip to Johannesburg this morning. ‘Violent protest erupted in KZN province during the weekend after the incarceration of former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma. Over 18 trucks were set ablaze, businesses looted and...
Another batch of 255 Nigerians stranded in Saudi Arabia arrive Abuja
Another batch of 255 Nigerians stranded in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. This was disclosed by the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) via its official Twitter handle @nidcom_gov, adding that the returnees arrived via Saudi Air Flight SV3405 at about 1.00pm time Monday, 29th March. According to the commission, they will proceed on quarantine at the Federal Capital Territory Hajj Camp for 14 days in line with the reversed COVID-19 protocols by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. The Nigerian government has evacuated nearly 2,000 of its nationals from the Kingdom in the last three months even as more returnees are expected in subsequent days. In February, Nigerian government received a batch of 420 returnees from S...
Several dead as freight ship sinks off Turkey’s Black Sea coast
A Palau-flagged freight ship has sunk off the coast of Turkey’s Black Sea province of Bartin, killing at least three crew members, according to Bartin Governor Sinan Guner. Guner had said earlier on Sunday that the ship, the Arvin, was a Russian dry freight vessel that sank off the coast of the Inkumu region in poor weather, but later corrected that. “The Arvin ship attempted to take refuge at the Bartin port due to poor weather conditions as it carried cargo from Georgia to Bulgaria,” Guner was quoted as saying by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency. The coastguard said the ship had sunk after taking in water amid poor weather. Six crew members had been rescued and efforts were under way to rescue others, it said in a statement. Anadolu said that all of them were hospitalised and were ...
Iran jails British-Iranian researcher for nine years for subversion – report
A court in Iran has handed a nine-year jail sentence to British-Iranian anthropologist Kameel Ahmady, after convicting him of conducting “subversive” research work, the semi-official news agency Tasnim said on Sunday. Ahmady was also fined 600,000 euros ($727,000) – the sum Iranian authorities said he received for his research from institutions accused of seeking to topple Iran’s Islamic government, Tasnim reported. There was no immediate official comment on the sentence, which was also reported by other Iranian news agencies and a human rights groups, as well as by Ahmady’s lawyer, who said that he would appeal. “Ahmady was accused of acquiring illicit property from his cooperation in implementing subversive institutions’ projects in the country,” Tasnim said. Ahmady, an ethnic Kurd who h...
Senator Lawan urges South Africa to secure business interests of Nigerians
President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan has urged the South African authorities to reciprocate Nigerian Government’s gesture by ensuring that business interests of Nigerians in South Africa are secured. Mr Ezrel Tabiowo, his Special Assistant on press, in a statement said lawan made the call in Abuja on Thursday when he received a delegation led by High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Mr Thamsanga Mseleku. Other members on the delegation include: Mr Bobby Moroe, Minister Plenipotentiary; and Ms Boipelo Lefatshe, First Secretary, Political. According lawan efforts by both countries to secure the business interests of their nationals would create better chances of employment for their citizens and guarantee stronger economic prospects for Nigeria and South Africa. “For quite some time n...
Saudi wounds guard at French consulate in knife attack
A Saudi citizen has wounded a guard in a knife attack at the French consulate in Jeddah on Thursday, state media and the French embassy said. “The assailant was apprehended by Saudi security forces immediately after the attack. The guard was taken to hospital and his life is not in danger,” the embassy said in a statement. Police in Mecca province, where Jeddah is situated, said the attacker was a Saudi, but it did not give the nationality of the guard, who they said had sustained minor injuries. The French embassy in Riyadh strongly condemned the attack and urged its nationals in Saudi Arabia to exercise “extreme vigilance”. Neither the Saudi authorities nor the French embassy gave any indication of the motivation for the attack. The assault came after a suspect in France, also armed with...
Afenifere disowns, condemns quit notice to Igbo people
The Pan Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, on Saturday distanced and disowned itself from the ultimatum some Nigerian national, especially the Inbox to vacate the southern region within the next 48 hours. The group who stated this in a statement issued by the leader of the group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti and signed by the General Secretary of the group, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa, said such directive does not emanate from the group. The group described the directive ascribed to it as not only untrue but embarrassing. The group however said it knew nothing about the quit order and in no way connected with the said directive issued by one Adeyinka Grandson. Fasoranti stated in the statement that is titled “Quit Yorubaland Ultimatum: not Afenifere initiative” said “our attention has been drawn to...
Three foreigners, six Nigerians arraigned over hijack of vessel
The Federal Government on Thursday arraigned three foreign nationals and six Nigerians for their alleged roles in the hijack of Equatorial Guinean Vessel, MV Elobey VI. The suspects and employees of Pilgrim Africa Limited were arrested by the Nigerian Navy in Port Harcourt following allegations that they conspired and paid 200,000 dollars to a gang of pirates who abducted three sailors. They were accused of facilitating to pay the ransom to the pirates for the release of two Moroccan nationals, Abaamrane Hamid and Chalabi Abdelaziz, and an Equatorial Guinean, Santos Ndong. The defendants were also accused of conveying the hostages to Calabar, Cross River, for onward hand over to the Equatorial Guinean Consul after payment was confirmed by the pirates. They are facing a seven-count charge o...
301 Chinese nationals evacuated from Nigeria
At least 301 Chinese citizens have returned home from Nigeria. The nationals were evacuated on Thursday night through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The about 20 hours flight is expected to arrive at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, China on Friday evening barring any technical or logistics hitches. “Air Peace on Thursday, May 28, 2020, operated its second flight to China as we evacuated 301 Chinese nationals back to their country. “The flight departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at exactly 22:05 yesterday to arrive at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, China,” the airline said in a statement on Friday. Although the Federal Government had shut all airports in the county in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, it allowed essent...
Britain announces more flights to evacuate nationals from Nigeria
The British government has announced three more charter flights for more hundreds of its citizens set to return home from Nigeria. Already, more than 1,700 British travellers had been evacuated out of Nigeria back to the UK on special charter flights between April and May from Lagos and Abuja airports. Details of the coming new flights include the charter flight slated for Friday 29 May from Lagos to London. The other special flights will be operated on Monday 1st June between Lagos and London while the third flight which comes up Saturday 6th June from Abuja to London. According to information gathered, the UK organised special internal charter flight will travel from Port Harcourt to Abuja on Saturday 6th June to enable British nationals based in, or near, Port Harcourt to join the 6th J...
Coronavirus: Lagos begins chloroquine clinical trial this week
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, has said the state will this week commence the clinical trial treatment of COVID-19 using chloroquine as approved by NAFDAC. The state, which is the epicentre of the virus in the country, had previously disclosed plans to carry out the chloroquine clinical trial. Omotoso, in an interview with newsmen on Saturday, said, “We are ready for the chloroquine clinical trial because we have just secured all the approvals. The documentation has also been completed. Those that will be used for the trials are ready too. By next week we should be ready for the trial. “Also, Lagos got a supply of additional 20,000 testing kits, although we were expecting 40,000. It means that the testing will increase now.” In a related devel...
Chinese nationals arrested for alleged N50 million bribe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has apprehended two Chinese nationals for allegedly offering bribe to the head of its Sokoto zonal office and his investigating team. The Chinese, Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi of China Zhounghao Nigeria Limited, a construction company, were arrested in an operation that lasted four days. Parading the suspects on Tuesday, the zonal office head, Abdullahi Lawal, told newsmen the duo offered him and his investigating team the sum of one million naira to compromise him in an ongoing investigation into the company’s operations. “On May 7, 2020, I was contacted by the Managing Director, China Zhounghao Nig. Ltd, Mr Meng Wei Kun, in respect of an ongoing investigation against their company. I and my investigating team were offered the sum of N100m to compr...
