January
BUK: ASUU worries over coronavirus spread as university announces resumption date
File Photo Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday worried over a potential spread of COVID-19 pandemic in schools as the country battles the second wave of disease. ASUU’s concern was announced after the Senate of Bayero university, Kano approved January 18 for resumption and commencement of lectures for the 2020/2021 academic session. Director Public Affairs, BUK, Mal. Ahmad Shehu told newsmen that the decision was reached at the end of the meeting presided over by the university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Sagir Abbas. Ahmad noted that contrary to information making round on the social media, the university did not cancelled the 2019/2020 session but rather adjusted the previous session to be concluded in April, 2021. According to him, the postgraduate program will also ...
Police foil armed robbery attack in Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Police Command has foiled an armed robbery attack at Gidan Gambo community along Lafia-Shandam road with the attempt to rob unsuspecting commuters at about 10:45 on Sunday night, January the 3rd. A statement signed by the Nasarawa State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ramhan Nansel, and issued to reporters in Lafia, said that the Command had received a distress call that hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers had blocked the road at Gidan Gambo along Lafia-Shandam road with the intent to rob unsuspecting commuters. ‘Upon the receipt of the information, the Commissioner of Police mobilised police personnel attached to Assakio Police Station and a team of Safer Highway personnel to the area where a gun duel ensued. Consequently, the hoodlums were dislodged and one yet...
Rivers governor orders closure of Creek road, Bonny-Bille Jetty
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed the closure of Creek road in Port Harcourt to vehicular and human traffic beginning from midnight (Monday) to January 9, 2021. Governor Wike has also barred boat operators from using the Bonny -Bille Jetty during the same period. He stated this during inspection of the multi-million naira ultra modern Bonny-Bille jetty on yesterday. Governor Wike bemoaned the conversion of the dualised Creek road to market by traders and the filthiness of the Bonny-Bille jetty that is due for commissioning this Saturday. The governor while addressing residents of the Bonny-Bille waterfront, explained that the State government would from Monday midnight, close Creek road and temporarily shutdown the jetty for a thorough sanitation of the area. Governor Wike...
UK needs tighter coronavirus rules to avert catastrophe – epidemiologist
Britain’s government needs to bring in tighter coronavirus lockdown rules to avert a fresh wave of deaths from a new strain of the disease, a leading epidemiologist and government adviser warns. Britain reported 41,385 new COVID cases on Monday, the highest number since testing became widely available in the middle of 2020, and English hospitals say they have more COVID patients than during the first wave of the pandemic in April. “We are entering a very dangerous new phase of the pandemic, and we’re going to need decisive early national action to prevent a catastrophe in January and February,” said Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at University College London, on Tuesday. More than 71,000 people in Britain have died within 28 days of a positive test for the dis...
CBN: Naira to fall further in January
Barely five days to the end of the year 2020, the Central Bank of Nigeria has disclosed that a survey carried out by its Statistics Department revealed that the naira is expected to depreciate further in January 2021. The report, titled, ‘December 2020 Business Expectations Survey Report’ added that there might also be a steady rise in interest rate from December till the next six months. The naira witnessed a sharp fall in recent weeks, reaching its lowest on November 30, 2020, when it exchanged for N500/$1. Since then, the dollar has been hovering between N460 and N470. As of Friday, however, one dollar exchanged for 465 in the parallel market. Also, the Nigerian economy had on November 21 slid into its second recession in five years when the economy shrank again in the third quarter. Th...
Japan to halt all new entries from abroad next week
Japan will halt all new non-resident foreign arrivals coming from overseas from Monday until late January, Tokyo said Saturday, as the country reported its first cases of a new strain of the coronavirus. Japan currently restricts entry for foreigners from most countries over fears of the virus, requiring all visitors to undergo mandatory quarantine upon arrival. Tokyo now plans to strengthen those requirements: Japanese travellers and foreign residents from countries where the new coronavirus strain has been reported must take tests within 72 hours ahead of their departure for the country and again upon arrival at Japanese airports. It will also strengthen quarantine requirements on all travellers returning to Japan. Citing the Japanese government, the Jiji Press and Kyodo agencies said th...
Yuletide: FRSC decries violations of coronavirus protocols, speed by motorists
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has decried high level of speed and COVID-19 violations by motorists across the country during the yuletide. Zonal Commanding Officer RS9, Enugu, Mr Owoimaha Odoma, disclosed this to newsmen on Friday in Owerri. He said the issue became worrisome as over speeding often led to road crashes, while violation of COVID-19 protocol by motorists could also escalate the dreaded virus in various communities. Udoma, who is the zonal inspection head on FRSC ‘Operation Zero Tolerance to Road Traffic Violation’, warned motorists against over speeding. “We embarked on road monitoring in the states under the zone and we have observed that violations of speed and COVID-19 guidelines were the major challenges on the road during this period. “We started this road inspection ...
Coronavirus: Nigerian government rolls out measures for UK, South African returnees
The Federal Government has rolled out new containment measures against the importation of COVID-19 particularly from the United Kingdom and South Africa, saying returnees from both countries are required to present two documents before boarding. National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, disclosed this during Thursday’s briefing of the Taskforce. He said; “In particular, international travellers must register with the Nigeria international travel portal. “We are concerned a out the emergence of the new variant of COVID-19 in the UK and an additional mutant in South Africa. Our protocol to ensure the safety of our citizens and prevent the importation of cases into the country is one of the most strict. “Specifically, for the UK and South Africa, the P...
Qatar to host FIFA Club World Cup 2020 across three venues
Qatar will host the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 from February 1 to 11, 2021, after it was postponed earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six continental confederations, as well as the host nation’s league champions, will compete in the tournament, which will be held across three FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums — Ahmad Bin Ali, Khalifa International and Education City. The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, inaugurated just last week on December 18, will stage the opening match between Qatari champions Al Duhail and Auckland City of New Zealand on February 1, and the final will be played at Education City Stadium on February 11. Joining the two teams will be European champions and German side FC Bayern Munich, CONCACAF champions Tigres UANL from Mexico, Al Ahly SC, Egyptian side and winners ...
Inter Milan confirm Christian Eriksen on transfer list
Christian Eriksen could have played his last match for Inter Milan, with club CEO Giuseppe Marotta confirming Wednesday the Danish midfielder was on the transfer list. The former Tottenham midfielder missed Inter’s final game before Christmas at Verona on Wednesday, with Italian media reporting he had returned to Denmark to be with his wife who is due to give birth to their second child. “Eriksen is among the transfers,” Marotta told Sky Sport before the game. “It’s not a punishment but he has struggled to settle into the squad… so it is right to give him the opportunity to find more space elsewhere.” The Danish international arrived from Spurs on four-and-a-half-year deal in January for a reported fee of 27.5 million euros including bonuses. But the 28-year-old has scored just four goals ...
National Assembly raises 2021 budget by N580 billion, approves N13.588 trillion
The two chambers of the National Assembly yesterday passed the 2021 Appropriation Bill, increasing the budget size from N13.08 trillion presented to them by President Muhamnadu Buhari 11 weeks ago to N13.588 trillion. The passage of the 2021 budget followed consideration and adoption of harmonised reports separately submitted to them by their Committees on Appropriation. The two chambers increased the 2021 budget by about N580 billion and pegged daily crude oil production at 1.86 million barrels per day, while oil benchmark price was fixed at $40 per barrel. They approved N379 to dollar as the official exchange rate while GDP growth rate was pegged at 3 per cent. Highlights of the report approved by the Senate showed aggregate expenditure to be N13,588,027,886,175, statutory transfer of N4...
Coronavirus: Schools to remain close till January 18 – PTF
The Federal Government has said schools in the country would remain shut till January 18, 2021. The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday. Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, also announced the closure of bars, night clubs, pubs, event centres, and recreational venues for the next five weeks. He further urged religious centres to maintain 50 per cent capacity at all times and as well as ensure strict compliance to Covid-19 protocols at all gatherings. According to him, the measures were important to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease as the country battled the second wave of the pandemic. He said, “All government staff on Grade Level 12 and below are to stay at h...
