Crisis
NLC: Nigeria’s insecurity, poverty getting out of control
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday held their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, at the Nigerian Airforce Conference Centre, Abuja, where they lamented the precarious state of insecurity and economic woes in the country. According to President of the NLC Ayuba Wabba, hardly does any day passes by without one negative report of citizens either kidnapped or abducted for payment of ransome. Lamenting the situation, Wabba said our beloved country has never been emmeshed in the grips of insecurity turbulence and crisis as we witness today. He said in the past two years or so, we have witnessed an intense resurgence of terrorism, armed banditry, kidnap-for-ransom, militancy and resource conflicts all over the country. According to him, there is also the challenge of criminals ...
AC Milan ready to pay €30 million for Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz
AC Milan are willing to pay as much as €30 million (£26m/$36m) to land Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz, with the 21-year-old having made a positive impact during his loan spell with the Serie A side. Goal can reveal that Milan bosses are keen to make the loan move permanent and, although they do not have a purchase option, they are keen to discuss a transfer with Madrid. While Brahim has always wanted to succeed at the Bernabeu, Madrid will now weigh up whether to keep him beyond the end of the 2020-21 campaign or sell for what would be a significant amount amid the coronavirus crisis. Following his loan switch to Milan in September 2020, Brahim immediately took to life in Italy and has become an important member of Stefano Pioli’s first-team squad. He has made 25 appearances in all compet...
Somali opposition leaders ‘no longer recognise president’
Jack Hill/Reuters Somalia’s opposition leaders have announced that they no longer recognise President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, after his term expired without a political agreement on a path toward elections to replace him. The Horn of Africa nation was supposed to hold indirect elections before February 8 but the deadline was missed as the central government and federal states failed to break a deadlock over how to proceed with a vote. It now confronts a political crisis alongside a violent Islamist insurgency, a locust invasion and serious food shortages. A coalition of opposition candidates urged the president, better known by his nickname Farmajo, to “respect the constitution” and ensure a peaceful transfer of power in the fragile country. “Starting from 8th February 2021, the council...
Archbishop Kaigama: Why Nigerians are afraid to accept coronavirus vaccine
File Photo Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace Most Revd. Ignatius Kaigama, on Sunday, said many Nigerians are afraid to accept the COVID-19 vaccine because they believe that the health crisis was being manipulated by some people. Kaigama, who stated this in Abuja during his homily at St. Jude’s Parish Zuba, however, urged Nigerians to disregard insinuations that the vaccine was not medically safe and affordable. He said, “Even though many today will seriously question facts about COVID-19 and fear that there is manipulation by some people, we know that the disease is real. “People very dear to us have died of coronavirus disease. There is no doubt that our world is currently sick, ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The fear today is that the menace of Coronavirus will continue to be w...
Senator Marafa moves to end Zamfara APC crisis
The APC crisis in Zamfara state might have been over as the Senator Kabiru Marafa faction meet in Kaduna to finalize moves of reconciling with the Abdulaziz Yari faction. This development followed the meeting convened by the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, where virtually all the APC stakeholders in Zamfara attended. Senator Kabiru Marafa, who addressed hundreds of his supporters on Saturday in Kaduna, said their resolve to reconcile was in the general interest of Zamfara state. He said “we are meeting with critical stakeholders of our faction (APC Mai Jama’a, which literally means APC of the grassroot) today in Kaduna.” “You will recall that the chairman of the caretaker committee of our party, His Excellency, Governor...
Anti-coup protests ring out in Myanmar’s main city
The din of banging pots and honking car horns reverberated through Myanmar’s biggest city of Yangon late on Tuesday in the first widespread protest against the military coup that overthrew elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The party of the detained Nobel Peace laureate called for her release by the junta that seized power on Monday and is keeping her at an undisclosed location. It also demanded recognition of her victory in a November election. A senior official from her National League for Democracy (NLD) said he had learned she was in good health a day after her arrest in a military takeover that derailed Myanmar’s tentative progress towards full democracy. The U.N. Security Council was due to meet later on Tuesday amid calls for a strong global response to the military’s latest seizure o...
Ebonyi governor vows to prosecute officials linked to communal crisis
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has vowed to arrest and prosecute people, including government officials, linked to the communal crisis involving Effium and Ezza Effium indigenes of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state. Over 60 people have been arrested, according to newsmen. The police have confirmed that eight people died, while several houses have been razed in the crisis caused by a leadership dispute at a local motor park, newsmen reported. Even government officials involved in the carnage would not be spared, Mr Umahi said on Monday during a tour of the affected community. “All political appointments and developmental projects being executed in the crisis area should be suspended until permanent peace returns to the area,” the governor said, adding that a judicial panel of...
Yoruba youths: There’ll be crisis if Sunday Igboho is arrested
The Presidency has been advised against the planned arrest of Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho. The National President of Yoruba Youth Socio-Cultural Association, Olalekan Hammed, who said this in an interview with our correspondent said arresting Igboho will trigger a crisis in the area. He said Igboho offered to do what security agencies had not been able to do for the people, saying many indigenes of the land had been maimed and killed for so long by herdsmen. According to him, arresting Igboho will make the people lose confidence in the Federal Government. He said, “Ibarapa youths may react violently if Sunday Igboho is arrested. They will also lose hope in both the federal and the state government. “Ibarapa and other communities across Yoruba land seriously need to be guaran...
Delta government approves Kwale industrial park
Delta State Government held its first Executive Council (EXCO) meeting of the year at Government House, Asaba, weekend, announcing the approval of key infrastructural projects, including the full establishment of the Kwale Industrial Park in Ndokwa West. The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, disclosed these while briefing newsman on resolutions at the meeting presided by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. Aniagwu said approval was given for the establishment of the multi-billion-naira Kwale Industrial Park with 25 per cent equity for the state government, while private operators would hold the remaining 75 per cent equity. He stated that the approval was a boost to the industrial park, the process of which establishment was slowed down by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic last year. ...
Thousands of US-bound Honduran migrants cross border into Guatemala
<img width="696" height="391" class="entry-thumb" src="https://www.today.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/16201205-696×391.jpg" srcset="https://www.today.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/16201205-696×391.jpg 696w, https://www.today.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/16201205-300×169.jpg 300w, https://www.today.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/16201205.jpg 699w" sizes="(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" alt="Thousands of Honduran migrants push through the police fence as they attempt to cross the border at El Florido in Guatemala forming the first migrant caravan of the year on it’s way to the United States on January 15, 2021. – Some 3,000 people left Honduras on foot January 15 in the latest migrant caravan hoping to find ...
Ebonyi governor pledges to abide by peace pact with political opponents
Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has pledged to abide by the peace pact he made with political opponents in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Umahi made the pledge on Tuesday at his hometown Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state while briefing newsmen after a state Security Council meeting. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state founding fathers forum in conjunction with the Catholic Church in Ebonyi, recently organised a peace meeting between Umahi and stakeholders of the PDP in the state. The stakeholders include former Senate President, Sen. Pius Anyim, former Gov Sam Egwu among others whom had been at loggerheads with since his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor urged his supporters to cease all attacks, saying that he had ‘moved on...
Benue governor calls for arrest of ‘Fulani spokesman’
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has called for the arrest and questioning of a self-acclaimed spokesman of Fulani groups and All Progressive Congress, APC, chieftain, Garus Gololo, over alleged comments on Benue killings. Gololo had recently alleged that Governor Ortom was sponsoring attacks on Fulanis residing in Benue state. Piqued by the allegation, the governor demanded an apology and retraction. The Governor in a statement on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, alleged that Gololo had not been new to such false and malicious statements after his request, to be appointed a Special Adviser in Benue state was turned down. “Since Governor Ortom turned down his request to be made Special Adviser preferring to appoint another Fulani man as his aide, Gololo has launched a ce...