Thursday
Nigerian government to dispatch experts to re-engage Kogi on coronavirus
The Federal Government on Thursday announced that a ministerial team of experts would soon be dispatched to Kogi on a mission to engage authorities of the state, to determine material and technical needs of the state on COVID-19. The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the announcement in Abuja at a news conference by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19. Newsmen report that the Kogi Government had alleged refusal of NCDC officials to observe protocols in line with the containment of the coronavirus when they visited the state. The allegation stirred up drama between the two parties as the NCDC officials left Kogi without adhering to terms and conditions, rolled out by Gov. Yahaya Bello. Following the development, Ehanire said the committee would need to re-engage the governor an...
INEC approves new policy framework for Edo, Ondo states
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday approved a new policy framework known as Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic. The commission, in a statement issued by Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in Abuja said the policy document would be released on May 25. Okoye said that the provisions would be applied to the conduct of governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States scheduled for Sept. 19 and Oct. 10, respectively, as well as other by-elections to be conducted soon in seven states. “The general purpose of the Policy is to enable officials and staff of the Commission to understand and respond adequately to the challenges of conducting elections in the context of the COVI...
NBS: Inflation rises to 12.34 percent in April
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, increased by 12.34 per cent year-on-year in April 2020. The NBS made this known in its latest CPI and Inflation Report for the month of April released on Thursday. It stated that this figure showed 0.08 per cent points higher than the rate recorded in March 2020 which was 12.26 percent. It explained that month-on-month basis, the headline index increased by 1.02 per cent in April 2020 and this was 0.18 per cent rate higher than the rate recorded in March 2020 which was 0.84 per cent. According to the bureau, the composite food index rose by 15.03 per cent in April 2020 compared to 14.98 per cent in March. “This rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of potatoes, yam and ...
Coronavirus: Nigeria issues fresh directives to banks, offices
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, has asked banks and offices to start adjusting their structure, as the federal government ponders lifting restrictions. Aliyu stated this during PTF’s daily briefing on Thursday. He reiterated the 8 am to 2 pm working hours and need to adhere to physical distancing. “For banks and other financial institutions as well as offices, now is the opportunity to start adjusting to the new life post-COVID, as we lift restrictions over the next few weeks. “We are therefore asking banks and offices to make allowance for physical distancing measures both inside and outside their premises, to ensure staff working in the offices are limited to not more than 50% capacity and to encourage online banking as well as working fro...
Central bank reschedules MPC meeting over holidays
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has rescheduled it’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting from Monday and Tuesday May 25 and 26 to Thursday, May 28. The CBN Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday. Okorafor explained that the rescheduling of the meeting was due to the declaration of May 25 and May 26 as public holidays by the Federal Government to commemorate the Eid-el Fitr. He said for the avoidance of doubt, CBN had put necessary machinery in place for the meeting to now hold for only one day on account of the ongoing COVID-19 national lockdown. He added that this step taken was also to align this meeting with the extant rules of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and advisories from other rel...
Police arrest 413 lockdown violators, impound 98 vehicles in Kano
The Police Command in Kano State has arrested and prosecuted 413 violators and impounded 98 vehicles in one week, following the enforcement of total lockdown operations to control the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Habu Ahmad, told newsmen on Thursday in Kano that the violators were held for disobeying interstate movement restriction order. Ahmad noted that the arrests were made after mapping the state, strategic deployments of both human and material assets of the command were made to 34 strategic points/areas across 17 front lines. “The front lines bordered Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa and Bauchi States and are mapped out to checkmate and enforce the interstate movement restriction order,” he said. According to him, 289 violators were arrested from Kaduna/Kano bou...
Nigeria begins sale of N150 billion sovereign Sukuk at 11.2 percent
The Federal Government on Thursday began the sale of its third tranche 7-year N150 billion Sovereign Sukuk, the Debt Management Office (DMO) said. The offer circular, which was obtained from its website, said the seven year Islamic Sukuk, referred to as Ijarah, was at a rental rate of 11.2 per cent and would be due in June 2027. The bond, which was aimed at funding key road infrastructure across the six geo-political zones, was payable semi-annually. Subscription for the bond, guaranteed by the government, would close on June 2. The circular said subscribers could purchase N1,000 per unit subject to a minimum subscription of N10,000 and in multiples of N1,000 thereafter with First Bank and Islamic wealth manager, Lotus Capital managing the sale. The DMO said it qualified as securities in w...
Senator Lawan distributes palliatives to thousands in Damaturu, Yobe North
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has distributed food palliatives to thousands of residents in Damaturu and the six local government areas in Yobe North Senatorial District of Yobe State. The local governments are: Bade, Nguru, Jakusko, Yusufari, Karasuwa, and Machina, respectively. The gesture by Senator Lawan was aimed at providing relief to residents in Damaturu, the State Capital and his Constituency, who are affected by the lockdown policy following the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The distribution of palliatives was accompanied with the provision of infrared thermometers, chemicals for disinfection, spraying machines, hand sanitizers, face masks, hand gloves and boots. Also to be provided are Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) to some hospitals across the various local gove...
Court sentences man to two weeks community service for theft
A Grade 1 Area Court, Kubwa in Abuja on Thursday sentenced one Nura Usman, to two weeks community service for stealing one iron pipe and escaping from lawful custody. Usman was convicted and sentenced for criminal trespass, theft and escape from lawful custody. The judge, Muhammad Adamu, sentenced Usman to one week community service with an option of N3, 000 fine for the offence of criminal trespass and theft. Adamu also ordered Usman to observe one week community service for escape from lawful custody. He however, warned him to desist from committing crimes and be of good behaviour. Earlier, the prosecuting counsel, John Okpa told the court that one Emmanuel Ukam reported the matter at Kubwa Police Station on May 11. He said Usman criminally trespassed into the complainant’s compound at K...
NMA laments security maltreatment of members
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), on Wednesday, lamented the maltreatment of its members on essential duties by security personnel and has directed doctors to leave all official duty and close when it is exactly 4 pm daily. The directive, according to the President of NMA, Dr Francis Faduyile, is to stop the doctors from working late and reduce the embarrassment they face in the process of carrying out their lawful duties. “That with effect from today, Wednesday, May 20th 2020, all medical and dental practitioners should henceforth work between the hours of 8.00 am and 4.00 pm, to give enough time for them to return back home,” the NMA president said. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Dr Faduyile said: “The NMA observed with dismay the pains and anguish foisted on our members return...
Adamawa imposes curfew on crisis-ridden Lamurde communities
The Adamawa State Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on warring communities in Lamurde Local Government Area. A statement to this effect said the curfew is government’s response to “the violence that erupted on Thursday, May 14th 2020 and the attendant tension.” The statement, signed by Humwashi Wonosikou, the Press Secretary to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, said, “Sequel to breach of peace in Tigno Dutse Tito, Sabon Layi and Bagashi communities, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has approved the imposition of a 24-hour curfew from 6:00pm to 6:00am with immediate effect.” The statement added that Governor Fintiri views the disturbances as unacceptable, warning that security agencies have been directed to enforce the curfew, and urging residents of Lamurde Local Government Area to shun rumor-mo...
Egypt editor detained outside Cairo jail
Egyptian security services on Sunday detained the editor-in-chief of prominent independent news outlet Mada Masr, its lawyer said, the latest in a crackdown against journalists. Lina Attallah was arrested outside Cairo’s Tora prison as she was interviewing rights activist Laila Soueif, mother of jailed activist Alaa Abdel Fattah who recently began a hunger strike. “The prison security guards asked Attallah to show her identification card and later called her in for an investigation that lasted three hours,” lawyer Hassan al-Azhari told AFP. He said she was later taken a police station and was expected to appear before the prosecution Monday morning, adding the reason for her arrest and charges remained unclear. Later on Sunday, Mada Masr tweeted that the prosecution ordered Attallah’s rele...
