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Oyo governor appoints retired general as Amotekun chairman
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appointed retired general Ajibola Kunle Togun as the Chairman of the Oyo State Security Network, code-named Amotekun. A statement signed by Moses Alao, Special Assistant to Makinde on Print Media, also indicated that a retired colonel, Olayanju Olayinka, was appointed as the commandant of the security outfit. According to the statement, the two retired military officers will oversee the state security network which was put in place to check insecurity in the state. Newsmen recall that Makinde on March 10, signed the State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) Bill, 2020 into law. The governor remarked that the initiative was purely to complement the existing security agencies in tackling security challenges and not a replacement for the existing ones. Ve...
50 ships with petroleum products, food items to arrive Lagos ports
Fifty ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected at the TinCan Island Port and the Lagos Port Complex from May 20 to June 3. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) made this known in its publication, `Shipping Position’, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday. It said that the ships contained vehicles, containers, bulk wheat, inballast, general cargo, sulphur in jumbo bag, base oil, frozen fish, bulk fertiliser, butane gas, petrol and automobile gasoline. The NPA said that another 50 ships that had arrived the ports were waiting to berth with container, used vehicles, bulk wheat, bulk malt, frozen fish, Jet A1, petrol and automobile gasoline. It said that 26 ships were discharging container, bulk sugar, bulk wheat, butane gas, gene...
Nigerian government approves N2 billion for building federal university medical school
The Federal Government has approved N2 billion for the establishment of a medical school at the Federal University, Dutsin-ma (FUDMA), Katsina State. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Amarya’u Bichi, disclosed this to newsmen shortly after assuming office. Bichi said that the building of the medical school had commenced and would be completed within four months. According to him, the university will admit candidates for medicine and other medical courses in 2021. He appealed to the federal government to provide additional funds for the institution to build its teaching hospital, where the students would do practical and internships. The vice chancellor said that plans were under way to establish Faculties of Engineering, Law and Agriculture in the institution. Bichi, who acted a...
31 coronavirus carriers on the run in Gombe
At least, 31 people who tested positive for Coronavirus in Gombe State are on the run, the state’s Taskforce on COVID-19 said on Wednesday. According to the task force, the 31 people have refused to show up once they knew they were positive. Chairman of the task force, Prof. Idris Mohammed, who spoke while giving update of Coronavirus in the State, said the 31 positive individuals who were yet to be identified and evacuated. The 31 positive cases were among people intercepted at the state entry points, whose samples were taken for tests after being isolated. However, by the time their results came out, which tested positive, they had found their ways back into their communities, refusing to be evacuated to the isolation centres. Mohammed, however, appealed to them to cooperate with the tas...
Task force denies 11 trucks entry to Cross River
The Cross River Government in collaboration with Peace Corps Nigeria have intercepted and sent back 11 trucks carrying Almajiri, Quranic education pupil, at the Gakem-Benue boundary of the state. Head of the taskforce team at the border, Mr Signor Omang-Idiege, told newsmen on Wednesday that the trucks were returned for carrying large numbers of Almajiri against the inter-state lockdown order. Idiege, who is the State Commissioner for Youth Development and Skill Acquisition, said that the trucks were sent back to their destination between May 4 and May 17, adding that the taskforce had continued to maintain a steady presence at the boundary. According to him, it was the desire of the state Governor, Ben Ayade, to ensure that the state remain COVID-19 free, hence the effective boundary surv...
Man commits suicide in Abia
A 50-year-old man, identified as Chukwudi Maduka has allegedly committed suicide at Umuezu-Ore Umuana village in the Uhuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State. The Public Relations Officer of the Abia State Police Command, Geoffrey Ogbonna, a superintendent of police, confirmed the development in an interview with newsmen in Umuahia on Tuesday. Mr Ogbonna said Mr Maduka was found dead early on Monday in his one-room apartment. The spokesman said the man did not leave suicide note, adding that the command had commenced investigation into the incident “to possibly unravel the reason for the suicide.” Narrating the development, a resident of the area, Dave Maduakor, said Mr Maduka set his apartment on fire before hanging himself, using the ceiling fan in the room. Mr Maduakor said nei...
Adamawa cuts 2020 budget by 24 per cent
The Adamawa State Executive Council has approved a downward review of the 2020 budget by 24 per cent, affecting only the capital expenditure and overhead costs. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Umar Pella, disclosed this shortly after an Extraordinary meeting of the council presided over by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri in Yola on Tuesday. The decision was reached after the council considered and approved a review of the 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper in line with the extant laws of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission 2018. Newsmen report that the state House of Assembly in December 2019, approved the 2020 proposed budget estimate of N183.3 billion presented by the governor. Pella explained that the measure was taken by the council after a holisti...
Zamfara denies recording 10 new coronavirus cases
Zamfara Government on Tuesday said the figure of 10 new COVID-19 cases in the state announced on Monday by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) was wrong, as the state had only recorded two new cases. Alhaji Yahaya Kanoma, the state Commissioner of Health told newsmen in Gusau that the state government had alerted the NCDC of the error and demanded that it be rectified. “We were shocked and bewildered by this latest figure from the NCDC which said 10 new cases were confirmed when we know it was only two. “Our records have shown that when results from the center returned, we had a total of 76 cases made up of 45 discharged persons, 26 in isolation and five dead, so we didn’t know where NCDC got the additional eight. “We approached the center which could not give a convincing explan...
Taraba announces resumption of religious activities
The Taraba government has announced the resumption of religious activities in the state. The state Deputy Governor, Haruna Manu, made the announcement on Monday in a statewide broadcast in Jalingo, the state capital. Manu, however, said that observance of social distancing and other safety protocols must be strictly adhered to. He also announced a slight ease on restriction of movement and other activities in the state. According to him, government has set aside Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to enable the residents carry out their activities from 8 am. to 6 pm. The deputy governor added that lockdown would still be observed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, adding that violators would face strict penalties. Manu urged religious leaders and other citizens to comply with the r...
Nasarawa Assembly members test negative for coronavirus
Nasarawa State Government All the members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly have tested negative for coronavirus (COVID-19), the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Alhaji Mohammed Omadefu, has said. Omadefu disclosed this during an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Keffi. Expressing gratitude to God over their COVID-19 status, the spokesman restated the assembly’s commitment in containing the spread of the pandemic in the state. “At last, all members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly have been certified COVID-19 negative. “This followed the fact that the only member out of the 23, whom controversies surrounded his COVID-19 status, Hon. Mohammed Bello Isa, member representing Uke/Karshi, has been cleared this afternoon as his two tests results of COVID-19 were all neg...
53 more Nigerian returnees from Ghana, Benin Republic arrive Seme border
Another batch of 53 Nigerian returnees from Ghana and Benin Republic arrived Seme Border Post in Lagos State on Saturday. Newsmen gathered that 39 out of the 53 returnees who came from Ghana were brought in two luxurious buses with registration numbers, Lagos KTU 833XY and LSD 614 YR. Newsmen also gathered that the remaining 14 Nigerian returnees from Benin Republic were dropped by different vehicles at the border by Beninoise officials. An official of Port Health Services (PHS) in Seme, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that the Nigerian returnees, comprising 39 males and 14 females, had been screened by health officials. “They arrived at 3:30 a.m. today from Ghana and Republic of Benin. “While those from Ghana came in two luxurious buses, the returnees from Benin Republic were dropped ...
Artist urges government to invest in tourism
Mr Femi Adegoke, an artist, has called on the Federal Government to invest more in tourism to diversify and boost the nation’s economy post COVID-19. Adegoke told newsmen in Ilorin on Saturday that the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the fact that the nation cannot survive only on oil proceeds. He said that the nation was blessed with abundant natural sites, adding that government should try and revive the tourism sector. “I don’t know why tourism in Nigeria seems dormant. Every other nation of the earth harness their tourism sites to boost their economy.” “We have very beautiful natural sites in Nigeria, but I don’t know why the government is not developing them into world class tourist attractions.” “It seems to be the least funded and ignored sector in Nigeria. This should not be.” “Ar...
