News Agency of Nigeria
Stakeholders commend government’s decision to reopen school for exit classes
Stakeholders in education have commended the Federal Government’s decision made at the stakeholders’ consultative meeting to reopen school on Aug. 4 for exit classes. Newsmen report that they made this known in Ibadan on Monday in separate interviews. Kayode Adeyemi, the President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Oyo State (NAPPS), said that the decision was a welcome development given the prevailing circumstances. Adeyemi said with the level of learning loss occasioned by the lockdown was a good decision, adding that children would not be too backward because of the holiday. “I still remain cautious about the release though it’s from a stakeholders’ forum. I just hope that the ministry of education will not come up to say that they are not prepared again. “This is ...
UN suspends another employee over alleged viral sex video
The United Nations says it has identified and placed on administrative leave without pay another staff member involved in a recent viral sex video in Israel. Mr Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, disclosed this during the daily news briefing held virtually on Monday Haq said: “A third male international staff member who was in the UN vehicle in Tel Aviv has also been identified as having engaged in alleged misconduct. “The staff member has been placed on Administrative Leave Without Pay, pending the results and conclusion of the ongoing OIOS (Office of Internal Oversight Services) investigation.” On July 2, the UN announced the suspension of two employees involved in the video, which went viral on social media in late June. The video showed a couple allegedly having se...
Police investigate death of jilted lover in Kano
The Police Command in Kano State says it has begun investigations into the death of a 22-year-old jilted lover, Ashiru Danrimi, who allegedly committed suicide. The spokesman of the Command, Mr Abdullahi Haruna, a DSP, confirmed the development in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Sunday. Haruna alleged that Danrimi committed suicide on Thursday, after a failed romance, at Danrimi Quarters in Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state. He said the Command on July 23, at about 9:00 p.m. received report from one Musa Sani of Danrimi Quarters, indicating that a jilted lover had committed suicide after his girlfriend (namesithheld) dumped him for another man. “That his 22-year-old son, Ashiru Musa stabbed himself with a knife because he did not marry his lover. “On receiving information we...
Three foreigners, six Nigerians arraigned over hijack of vessel
The Federal Government on Thursday arraigned three foreign nationals and six Nigerians for their alleged roles in the hijack of Equatorial Guinean Vessel, MV Elobey VI. The suspects and employees of Pilgrim Africa Limited were arrested by the Nigerian Navy in Port Harcourt following allegations that they conspired and paid 200,000 dollars to a gang of pirates who abducted three sailors. They were accused of facilitating to pay the ransom to the pirates for the release of two Moroccan nationals, Abaamrane Hamid and Chalabi Abdelaziz, and an Equatorial Guinean, Santos Ndong. The defendants were also accused of conveying the hostages to Calabar, Cross River, for onward hand over to the Equatorial Guinean Consul after payment was confirmed by the pirates. They are facing a seven-count charge o...
Transactions close flat on NSE
Trading at the nation’s bourse closed flat on Wednesday with the All-Share Index (ASI), which opened at 24,174.45, closing at 24,173.53. Newsmen report that the ASI dropped by just 0.92 points or 0.004 per cent. Similarly, the market capitalisation lost one billion naira to close at N12.610 trillion against N12.609 trillion recorded on Tuesday. The marginal downturn witnessed in the market was due to losses in GlaxoSmithKline, Africa Prudential, Caverton, Sterling Bank and Consolidated Hallmark Insurance. Analysts at APT Securities and Funds Limited urged investors to position in fundamentally justified stocks. They noted that the market was set to rally in response to impressive half year earnings results. Eterna dominated the gainers’ chart in percentage terms, gaining 8.89 per cent, to ...
How Amotekun will tackle crime in Ekiti – commandant
The Corps Commandant of Amotekun in Ekiti, retired Brig.-General Joe Komolafe, says ancient and modern security techniques would be deployed to tackle crime in the state. Newsmen report that Amotekun is the security outfit initiated by the six states in the South West Zone to tackle crime in the region. Komolafe spoke at Efon Alaaye during a sensitisation tour to the three council areas of Ekiti West, Efon Alaaye and Ijero. He said the neglect of culture was responsible for the rising crime wave and urged traditional rulers to deploy their traditional powers to secure lives and properties. Describing Amotekun as a force of liberation, Komolafe said the security outfit would protect the people of the zone from criminals. He also said that the first phase in the recruitment exercise was aime...
60 convicted over face mask violation in Ekiti
COVID-19 Task Force in Ekiti, on Monday arrested not less than 60 people who violated regulation on the compulsory use of face mask. Newsmen report that the offenders were taken to a Special Court, where they were convicted for contravening Coronavirus Disease Regulations 2020. Prof. Bolaji Aluko, Chairman of the COVID-19 Task Force, who spoke on the development, said the enforcement would henceforth be a regular exercise. Aluko said that the offenders were arrested in various parts of Ado Ekiti including Ajilosun, Ijigbo, Old Garage, Okesa, Fajuyi, Adebayo and Basiri. ”A fine of N5,000 is imposed on the convicts for refusal to wear face masks in public, in line with the new law to contain the disease,” the task force chairman said. He expressed concern over refusal of some citizens to wea...
Ondo guber: Chief Imam of Akure urges politicians to embrace peace
Sheikh AbdulHakeem Yayi-Akorede, Chief Imam of Akure, Ondo State, has urged all politicians to embrace peace before, during and after the forthcoming governorship primary election Yayi-Akorede made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Akure on Sunday as the political parties prepared for primary elections in the state. Newsmen report that All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state will hold the governorship primary elections on Monday, July 20 and Wednesday, July 22 respectively while governorship election holds Oct. 10 in the state. According to him, all aspirants and their followers must shun any act that can be inimical to the peaceful coexistence of the people living in state. The cleric said that the contestants should have it at the back of t...
NCDC: Coronavirus presents malaria symptoms but it’s not
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says though Coronavirus (COVID-19) presents symptoms similar to malaria such as fever, both diseases are caused by different organisms and differ in mode of transmission. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle, while warning Nigerians against taking COVID-19 and malaria as the same infection. The health agency also identified 12 symptoms that could point to the existence of COVID-19 in the human body. According to NCDC, the listed symptoms will help Nigerians “take responsibility” by quickly calling the available holtines if they experienced a combination of this symptoms. The NCDC urged Nigerians to alert its officials, “If you have COUGH or FEVER and one of these symptoms: Loss of Taste; Loss of Smell, Difficulty Breathing, D...
Ekiti bans traditional festivals in towns, villages
The Ekiti State Government has directed traditional rulers in towns and villages to either postpone or cancel for the rest of the year, all pending local festivals in their domains to curb the spread of Coronavirus. The State Coordinator of COVID-19 Task Force Response Team, Prof Bolaji Aluko, made the announcement in a statement in Ado Ekiti. He disclosed that Ekiti State had cumulatively recorded 78 positive Coronavirus cases, with 29 active, 2 deaths and 47 discharged, warning that the cases can rise dramatically if public assemblies continued unchecked. He said as the state was gradually entering the full blown season of Traditional Festival, therefore, travels from within Ekiti State and various parts of Nigeria by indigenes and visitors to the various towns and villages during this p...
Education counsellor calls for consensus on 2020 WASSCE
Mr Benjamin Bamidele, an Education Counsellor, on Tuesday called on the Federal and State Governments to urgently resolve the impasse over the conduct of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Bamidele made the call during an interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti. He said such quick and amicable settlement of the impasse occasioned by measures toward curtailing COVID-19 spread was to secure the students’ future academic performances. According to him, the endless discussion and buck-passing between the Federal and State Governments over the conduct of the examination will only compound the challenges confronting the nation’s education sector. “Apart from those challenges associated with COVID-19, the education system has for a very long time been affecte...
Bauchi upgrades child birth units, renovates health centres
The Bauchi government says it has renovated and upgraded 26 existing childbirth spacing units in seven local government areas in the state, in its efforts at ensuring safe child delivery. Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, the Executive Chairman of the State Primary Healthcare Developmental Agency, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi on Wednesday. He said that the benefiting birth units were located in Bauchi, Toro, Jama’are, Ningi, Zaki, Katagum and Shira local government areas. Mohammed said that the initiative was achieved in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He said that the units would facilitate safe delivery as well as guarantee good health to both the mother and the new-born child. “We are committed to promoting the health of our people. The Gov. Bala M...
