Nigeria
British lawmakers write Commonwealth over killings in Nigeria
Thirteen members of the House of Lords, United Kingdom, have expressed concern over the killings by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East and Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt region. The upper house of parliament members said the failure of the Federal Government to protect Nigerians was a breach of the Commonwealth Charter. They requested the Commonwealth to raise the killings with its Ministerial Action Group. This was contained in a letter to the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, dated September 14, co-signed by Baroness Cox, Baroness Kennedy, Jim Shannon, Fiona Bruce, former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams and 14 others. They cited a report by the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief, which accused unnamed ...
Edo election: US expresses concern over vote-buying, intimidation of voters
The United States Government Wednesday said it is concerned over recorded cases of vote-buying and intimidation of voters and observers during last Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State. The US government in a statement by the United States Mission in Nigeria, also applauded the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Nigerian security services on the positive role they played in the election. According to the statement posted on its verified twitter handle, @USinNigeria, said the US government also recognizes the critical role that Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the exercise. The statement reads: “Congratulations to the people of Edo State on a credible and pea...
NUC directs universities to conclude resumption arrangements as Nigerian government gives nod
The National Universities Commission has directed Universities to conclude arrangements for their reopening following the decline in the number of Coronavirus Disease cases in Nigeria. The directive, the NUC said, followed the nod given to it for universities to reopen by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education. The Federal Ministry of Education is represented on the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, which announced the significant decline in COVID-19 cases. According to the directive, contained in a memo addressed to Vice Chancellors, the universities are to conclude their resumption arrangements in line with the guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The memo, signed by ...
Nigerian doctor named one of TIME’s Most Influential People in the world
TIME named Nigerian physician Tunji Funsho to the 2020 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The full list and related tributes are available now at time.com/time100, and Mr Funsho’s TIME100 profile is available here. The list, now in its seventeenth year, recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals. Mr Funsho, a cardiologist based in Lagos, Nigeria, is the first Rotary member to receive this honour for the organisation’s work to eradicate polio, having played an essential role in ensuring Africa’s certification as wild polio-free in August of 2020. “I’m honored to be recognized by TIME for my part in ensuring that no child in Africa will ever again be paralyzed by wild polio, a disease that once disabl...
President Buhari describes demise of two Borno emirs as ‘rare double tragedy’, painful loss
President Muhammadu Buhari has described the death of two Borno Emirs as a “rare double tragedy” and a painful loss to the people of Nigeria. Buhari in a condolence letter he sent to Gov. Babagana Zulum and the people of Borno, commended the roles played by the late Shehu of Bama, Umar El-Kanemi, and the Emir of Biu, Mustapha Aliyu, in maintaining peace and stability in their respective emirates, especially in the wake of violence caused by the Boko Haram insurgents. Presenting the letters on behalf of Buhari, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who led the federal government delegation, commended Gov. Zulum for his foresight, commitment, devotion and courage for his peace building efforts to restore normalcy in his state. “We would like to pray to God to change the situation fro...
Nigeria’s Hauwa Ojeifo wins Gates Foundation changemaker award
A Nigerian gender and disability rights advocate, Hauwa Ojeifo, has won the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation changemaker award for 2020. According to the Gates Foundation, the award celebrates an individual who has inspired change using personal experience or from a position of leadership. Ms Ojeifo, who heads “She Writes Woman,” a women-led movement giving mental health a voice in Nigeria, was recognised for her work in promoting gender equality (Global Goal #5), a statement by the foundation said on Tuesday. The awardee, who is a sexual and domestic abuse survivor, founded her platform in 2015 to provide “mental health support through a helpline, teletherapy and virtual support groups serving as a first point of contact to ensure that survivors of gender-based violence and those livin...
EFCC docks polytechnic lecturer for N27 million fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today docked for fraud Pius Ugochukwu Ezeokafor, a former Director of Physical Planning, and now Senior Lecturer in the Department of Architecture, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State. Ezeokafor, who is an architect faces a three count charge of obtaining money by false pretence and gratification to the tune of N27 million. He is facing trial before Justice O. A Ezeoke of the State High Court sitting in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. One of the charges read,”that you, Arc. Pius Ugochukwu Ezeokafor sometime between the year 2011 and 2012 at Oko, Aguata Local Government Area within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Anambra State, did commit felony to wit: with intent to defraud, obtained by false pretense ...
Labour plan nationwide protest, strike for Monday
File Photo The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have vowed to embark on a nationwide protest on Monday, September 28 to protest recent hikes in fuel prices and power tariff. The TUC, in a statement by its President, Comrade Quadri Olaleye and Secretary-General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, appealed to Nigerians to get ready for the “unprecedented mass action against corruption, obnoxious policies, rape and other violent offences, breach of Collective Agreement, unemployment, etc.” The National Executive Council of the NLC endorsed the decision of the Central Working Committee to proceed on strike on Monday. It noted the decision by government to increase petrol and electricity tariff must be challenged by workers, civil society groups and other labour centres. The ...
Akwa Ibom enacts law to establish own official symbols
Akwa Ibom governent has enacted a law to establish the state’s official symbols and other other related matters just it’s celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its creation. The “Bill for a Law to Establish the State Official Symbols and other matters connected therewith” was passed into law on Tuesday by the state house of assembly. It had at Plenary on Thursday, September 17, 2020, scaled its first and second readings and was committed to the Committee on Information for scrutiny. Presenting the report at Plenary on Tuesday, Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Aniefiok Dennis, noted that the general principle of the Bill was sufficiently indicative that the Bill when passed into law, will entrench pride, hope and dignity in the state and also foster unity among the people. Subsequently, the Hous...
Governor Fayemi: Traditional institution agent of grassroots development
The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has promised to always accord the traditional institution with respect, describing it as agents of grassroots development, hence the desire of his administration to always fill vacant stools promptly Fayemi’s said this on Tuesday, at the presentation of the staff of office and instrument of appointment to the new Olorin of Orin Ekiti, Oba Olufemi Adeniran Ajibewa. The ceremony was held at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti in line with COVID-19 protocols. Fayemi urged Oba Ajibewa to see his new position as a call to duty to serve his people and move the town forward. Represented by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, the Governor described the throne as a sensitive position that calls for considerable wisdom, diligenc...
Ogun pensioners protest, demand immediate payment of gratuities
Pensioners in Ogun State on Tuesday demanded immediate payment of gratuities of State and Local Government retirees from 2014 and 2011 to date. Newsmen learnt that the state government pensioners are owed from 2014 while local government pensioners are owed from 2011. The pensioners who protested around Abiola Way in Abeokuta, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Repeal the obnoxious pension bill now”, ”Mr Governor, please don’t deprive us our legitimate pension and gratuities”. Others are “Severance to politicians are paid at exit”, ”Pay our gratuities now” among others. Addressing journalists after the protest, Mr Waheed Oloyede, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, in the state, said that the proposal by government to release every quarter, the sum of N500 million from January ...
Nigerian government putting in place strategies to maximise non-oil revenue – minister
In a bid to cushion the effect of continued dwindling oil revenue, the Federal government says it is putting in place an Integrated Revenue Monitoring System in place to help the monitoring of the revenues of the Federal Government Owned Entities (FGOEs) online real-time to improve transparency and accountability. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said this at the orientation program for Directors of Revenue Tuesday in Abuja. She said the federal government is putting robust policies in place to maximize its non-oil revenue as it is increasingly concerned with the dwindling profile of Revenue, a trend she said has to be quickly arrested particularly with Key revenue generating agencies of the Government. The minister noted that with revenue dwindling...
