Nigeria
#ENDSARS: Group urges youths to end proposed protest in Lagos
The Committee of Youths on Mobilisation and Sensitisation (CYMS) has urged Nigerian youths to boycott the proposed protest in the interest of peace and socioeconomic stability that were affected after the 2020 “ENDSARS PROTEST”. The Lagos State coordinator, CYMS, Leonard Obasi, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Friday in Abuja. To counter the proposed Feb. 13 protest #OccupyLekkiTollGate at the tollgate plaza, some youths had announced a #DefendLagos rally to hold at the same venue. The plan to #OccupyLekkiTollGate came barely a day after the controversial ruling of the Lagos Judicial panel of inquiry to reopen the Lekki Tollgate. Obasi said that this has become compelling owing to reports of a planned protest by what he described as some self-centered elements who were he...
INEC intensifies consultation on new polling units
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified consultations with stakeholders on the creation of new Polling Units (Pus), across the country. The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, who held a meeting with the media in Abuja, yesterday, said that existing 119, 973 PUs, created 25 years ago had become grossly inadequate, leading to crisis situations during elections. He said, “Nigeria has a critical problem of voter access to Polling Units. The country currently has 119,973 Polling Units established a quarter of a Century ago in 1996 by the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON). At that time, the voter population was projected at 50 million. “The voters’ register increased to 84,004,084 by 2019. We envisage that by the next General Election in 2...
How bandits made woman widow barely a month after marriage
A housewife Ramatu Idris of Unguwar Malam Lamu, Tankarau, Dutsen Abba Ward in Zaria Local Government Area (LGA), has narrated how bandits made her a widow barely a month after her marriage with late Yusuf Suleiman. Idris told newsmen, on Thursday that the incident happened on Feb. 4, at about 12.45 p.m., 28 days after her wedding to Suleiman. “There were about seven of them (bandits). They forced themselves into our home holding guns and a stick. “My husband and I went to find out what was happening on hearing noises and shouts for help,but he was shot on the neck in my presence and he died on the spot. Idris, who has been traumatised by the incident, claimed those who killed her husband were the same criminals that raided the residence of Alhaji Abdulaziz Sani, Councilor representing Duts...
Nigeria, UN partner on food availability, safety
To check the growing inequality in food systems in Nigeria and to meet certain components of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Federal Government is partnering with the UN to hold a food systems dialogue. The Nigeria National Food Systems Dialogue (NNFSD) 2021is preparatory to the Food Systems Summit scheduled to hold in September, the National Coordinator of the Dialogue and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mrs Olusola Idowu said on Thursday. Speaking at a webinar to draw the attention of stakeholders to issues relating to food systems, Idowu said that convening the Food Systems Summit was part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. “The Summit is aimed at launching a bold new action to deliver p...
Kwara records 107 new coronavirus cases – official
Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, the Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Governor, on Thursday said that the state had recorded 107 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infected persons to 2,469. Ajakaye, who is also the Spokesman for the state Technical Committee on COVID-19, said this in a statement in Ilorin on Thursday. He said the with this development, the state now had 2,469 confirmed cases of which 542 were active, 1,877 recovered and discharged, while 50 died. He urged the people to stay safe and follow all COVID-19 protocols to contain the spread of the virus. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat an...
Police: Wole Soyinka’s house not attacked
The Police in Ogun State on Wednesday refuted social media reports that the home of Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, located in the Kemta area of Abeokuta, the state capital, was attacked by suspected herdsmen The police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement said contrary to the reports, the incident was triggered by a stray cow sighted on Tuesday “within the vicinity of Soyinka’s home”. “The attention of Ogun State Police Command has been drawn to a video circulating on social media about a purported attack of Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka’s house by Fulani herdsmen and the command wishes to set the record straight,” Oyeyemi said. The police spokesperson said “one Kazeem, an indigene of Ijeun, who is into the cattle business, was informed by his cattle herder, Awalu Muhammed, tha...
Super Eagles boss wants Ahmed Musa to sort out his career before Afcon qualifiers
Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr hopes to see his captain Ahmed Musa back to action ahead of their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March. The three-time African champions will take on the Republic of Benin and Lesotho in their last Afcon qualifying games next month. Musa has been without a club since October when he left Saudi Arabian side Al Nass by mutual agreement. The forward starred for Russian Premier League club CSKA Moscow before moving to England to team up with Leicester City. The Super Eagles winger struggled to establish himself at the King Power Stadium and in an effort to enjoy more playing time, he left for Saudi in 2018. The forward is now looking to returning to Europe and has been heavily linked to Premier League club West Bromwich Albion. Rohr is hopeful ...
Nigerian government approves new debt management strategy
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy for Nigeria (MTDS) for the period 2020-2023. With the approval, announced during Wednesday’s virtual FEC meeting, the DMO which is saddled with managing the nation’s debt matters, has promised full implementation to support economic development while ensuring that public debt is sustainable. The MTDS is a policy document which provides a guide to the borrowing activities of the government in the medium-term, usually four years. It is recognised as one of the best practices in public debt management and is recommended by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure that public debt management is driven by a well-articulated strategy that is structured to meet a country’s broader mac...
Nigerian Airforce jets kill more bandits in Kaduna forests
Several armed bandits were neutralized as air platforms carried out armed reconnaissance missions over locations in Kaduna state. The Air Force jets hit at bandits in Rahama, Tami, Sabon Birni, Galadimawa, Ungwan Farinbatu, Sabuwa, Kutemeshi, Gajere, Sabon Kuyello, Dogon Dawa, Ngade Allah, Kidandan, and adjoining settlements in Birnin Gwari and Giwa local government areas. Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, said on Wednesday, that operational feedback to the Kaduna State Government revealed that although thorough scans were conducted over the general area, no suspicious activities were observed. The forest west of Gajere was nonetheless strafed with probing shots. The crew conducted further missions over Sabon Madada, Babban Doka, Gwa...
VP Osinbajo: We must resist all attempts to tear Nigeria apart
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called on Nigerians to resist any attempt to divide the nation saying Nigeria is better as one indivisible entity. He also called for the strengthening of community policing structures which he said will result in improved security situation across the country. Osinbajo who made this known on Tuesday while revalidating his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikenne ward one in Ogun state declared “we must resist any attempt to destroy the unity of this country, our people have lived and worked together for decades, even centuries.” He added: “While we must attend to the cries of communities, and the cries of our people for justice, equity and fairness, we can do so within this same union. Ultimately we are stronger together than apar...
WTO fixes date to announce next director-general
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has scheduled a special meeting of its General Council for Monday, February 15, 2021, where Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is expected to be formally announced as the Director General. According to a notification seen by newsmen Tuesday, the only agenda for the meeting is to, “consider the appointment of the next WTO Director-General.” The United State government last week gave its formal approval to the emergence of Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director General, thereby removing the final obstacle to her bid to be the first woman and the first African to run the Geneva-based trade body. The endorsement of the candidacy of the Nigeria’s two-term former minister was sequel to the withdrawal of her main challenger, the South Kore...
Official: Nigerian government to establish central database for forfeited assets
The Federal Government’s inter-ministerial committee on assets disposal said Tuesday that it would create a central database of assets for finally forfeited assets. The chairman of the committee, Dayo Apata, said this during a courtesy visit of the committee to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja. Mr Apata, who is the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, said: “the committee will create a central database of assets that had been forfeited to the Federal Government to ensure the Federal Government gets value for all the forfeited assets”. “Introducing uniform process of assets disposal, and avoiding wastages, so that the Federal Government can have the full benefit of what has been forfeited,” a statem...
