Celebration
Suez Canal reopens after stranded ship is freed
Traffic has resumed in Egypt’s Suez Canal after a stranded container ship blocking it for nearly a week was finally freed by salvage crews. Tug boats honked their horns in celebration as the 400m-long (1,300ft) Ever Given was dislodged on Monday with the help of dredgers. Hundreds of ships are waiting to pass through the canal which links the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. It is one of the world’s busiest trade routes. Peter Berdowski, CEO of Dutch salvage company Boskalis, said the Ever Given had been refloated at 15:05 (13:05 GMT) on Monday, “thereby making free passage through the Suez Canal possible again”. Egyptian officials say the backlog of ships waiting to transit through should be cleared in around three days, but experts believe the knock-on effect on global shipping could take w...
Suez Canal Authority says stranded ship partially refloated
The stranded container ship that blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week was almost fully re-floated on Monday and has restarted its engines, a shipping source with knowledge of the matter said, raising hopes the busy waterway will soon be reopened. The 400-metre (430-yard) long Ever Given has been straightened in the canal and will undergo initial inspections before being moved, two sources said. Video posted on social media appeared to show the ship’s stern had swung around, opening space in the canal. Other footage, which could not be immediately verified by Reuters, included cheering and ships’ horns sounding in celebration. Ship-tracking service VesselFinder has changed the ship’s status to under way on its website. The Ever Given became jammed diagonally across a southern section of...
Police arrest 17 kidnap, robbery suspects in Sokoto
The Police Command in Sokoto State on Thursday said it arrested no fewer than 17 suspects over armed robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state. Mr Kamaldeen Okunlola, the state Commissioner of Police, disclosed this to newsmen in Sokoto. Okunlola said that the command on March 4, arrested one Jabbi Wanto, over criminal conspiracy and kidnapping of two persons in Tamba Garka village of Wurno Local Government Area of the state. “The people of the village reported that on March 4, at about 3 a.m unknown bandits in large number invaded their houses and kidnapped two persons to unknown destination. “The villagers mobilised themselves and followed the bandits where the victims were rescued and Wanto was arrested, who during investigation confessed to have conspired with one ...
Umahi urges women to maintain priorities as mothers
File Photo The wife of the governor of Ebonyi State, Rachael Umahi, has urged women faithful to maintain their priorities as mothers and stick to God’s word for a better family. Mrs Umahi made the call on Sunday at the 2021 Mother’s Day celebration at the Christ Embassy Church, Abakaliki. The governor’s wife encouraged the women to also remain committed in the faces of challenges and continue to dwell in the word of God for a better life as well. “We must be excellent women in action, pillars of blessings and develop ourselves with God’s word for development. “We must also learn to tell our husbands bitter truth base on the words of God for the well-being of family and society. “Live out dreams in you every day, train your children to love and share,” Umahi said. Speaking, the Pastor in ch...
UNESCO scores President Buhari high in women inclusion in governance
Mr Steven Onyekwelu, Spotlight Project Manager, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), on Monday, said President Muhammadu Buhari demonstrated great inclusion of women in governance. Onyekwelu said this at the occasion of the International Women’s Day (IWD) in Abuja, with the theme of this year’s celebration “Choose to Challenge.” The project manager said UNESCO was satisfied with President Buhari’s commitment to women empowerment and equality. “We are satisfied, as a matter of fact, His Excellency the President is doing a lot to ensure that inclusion in every area, in terms of governance, education, in terms of health, women are included,” he said. The UN official, who congratulated women on the IWD, noted that UNESCO had through the spotlight project, ...
Oyo governor to declare Hijrah holiday from next year
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Wednesday, declared that starting from next year, the government would declare Hijrah holiday in line with the yearnings of the Muslim community in the state. Makinde, who made the declaration during the celebration of 2021 Mawlud Nabiyy, held at the Remembrance Arcade of the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, stressed the need for the Muslim faithful and non-Muslims as well to continue to peacefully coexist. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor equally declared that the state will always rise above the antics of perpetrators of evil, whom he said had tried all they could to plunge the state into chaos. According to Governor Makinde, only peaceful and harmonious coexistence would lead the...
IGP sues Sahara Reporters, publisher over tenure extension bribe report
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has instructed his team of lawyers to commence legal action against the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, over a report by the medium wherein the IGP was alleged to have expended N2 billion on his purported quest to get a one-year tenure extension at the helms of the Nigeria Police Force, spokesman, Frank Mba said on Monday. Adamu was due to retire from the service on February 1 but his tenure has now been extended by President Muhammadu Buhari, albeit under controversial circumstances. Mba, in a statement in Abuja said the three-month extension of tenure of the Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mohammed Adamu, is strictly the prerogative of the President which needed no bribe to effect. He said the reports in some sections of ...
Coronavirus: Rivers governor threatens to shut down churches
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has threatened to shut down churches if they fail to comply with the COVID-19 guidelines. Wike made this known during the thanksgiving service in celebration of the 90th birthday of Priscilla Mark, held at St. Martin’s Anglican Church, Omagwa in Ikwerre local government area of the state. He lamented the refusal of residents to use face masks, especially in churches and markets. “When you go to most churches, they don’t wear masks. Go to markets, they don’t wear masks. They believe COVID-19 is not real. It’s not real because it has not happened to you. Nobody has died whom you know that is very close to you. But if somebody has died and the person was close to you, you’ll know that COVID-19 is real,” he said. “I want to appeal to all of you that we have to...
Ekiti APC greets Christians, urges Nigerians to have faith in government
The All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Ekiti state has congratulated people of the state for witnessing another Christmas celebration. The party, in a statement released on Friday by its Public Relations Officer, Hon. Ade Ajayi on behalf of the Chairman, Barrister Paul Omotosho rejoiced with the people for witnessing another annual celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Describing this period as a time for sober reflection, APC equally admonished people of the state to continue to be supportive of the present administration in its bid to address past inequalities and misgovernance. It emphasised the commitment of the present administration to bringing dividends of democracy to the doorstep of the populace, stressing that democracy remains government of the people. APC further appealed ...
Yuletide: Police chief orders tight security nations wide
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, M.A. Adamu, has ordered 24/7 water-tight security arrangement and proactive high visibility patrols in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ahead of the Christmas and New Year Celebrations. The IGP gave the directives to all Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in charge of Zonal and State Commands nationwide to ensure a peaceful celebration. The IGP equally directed the Strategic Officers to ensure massive deployment of intelligence and other operational assets of the Force particularly on major highways, airports, railway stations, recreational centres, motor – parks, places of worship, financial institutions, amongst others. They are also to ensure that personnel deployed are adequat...
Imo governor orders workers to stay home over spike in coronavirus
Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma, yesterday ordered the workers in the state, to stay home from Monday next week till further notice, ahead of the festive period. The governor in his state-wide broadcast to Imo people in Owerri, said that the reason was that due to the expected influx of people coming home for Christmas that there could be a surge in the cases of covid -19. Uzodimma while wishing his people fruitful Christmas celebration noted that the wearing of facemask would be compulsory and that mobile courts would be deployed to within the state, to enforce the order. He continued: “My dear good people of Imo State, it is with a great sense responsibility that I address you on this auspicious season of Christmas.In normal times, with just a few days to Christmas, I should be saying ...
UATH honours 80 coronavirus frontline healthcare workers
The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada, FCT, on Wednesday honoured 80 COVID-19 frontline healthcare workers for their dedication and selfless service in the hospital. Presenting the awards to the recipients, Prof. Bissallah Ekele, Chief Medical Director (CMD), UATH, said that the gesture was to encourage and prepare them for greater tasks in the future. Ekele said that when FCT recorded its first case of COVID-19, the institution was the first to receive patients because of its capacity to manage the pandemic through the help of its frontline healthcare workers. “About this time in 2019, we gathered to honour and celebrate the 2019 UATH Staff Award winners. We are here today to do the same and we thank God for keeping us alive to witness another celebration. “Permit m...
