Nigeria
Nigerian government receives coaches, locomotives for Lagos-Ibadan, Abuja-Kaduna railways
The Federal Government on Monday announced that it had received some coaches and locomotives to be deployed on key rail lines in Nigeria. It said the coaches were the last set which were ordered in March. It was also gathered that the locomotives and coaches, which arrived Nigeria from China, would be deployed once operations begin. The government disclosed this via a tweet by the Nigerian Railway Corporation through its official Twitter handle, which was also confirmed to our correspondent by the NRC’s spokesperson, Yakub Mahmood. The corporation said, “Some days ago, Nigeria took delivery of the last dozens of train coaches ordered in the month of March. “The coaches have been transported to Nigerian train base in Papalanto, Ogun State and will be used on the Lagos-Ibadan railway when op...
President Buhari meets Governor Obaseki at Villa
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met with the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Personal Assistant on New Media to the President, Bashir Ahmad, announced this via his Twitter handle. He said, “President Muhammadu Buhari meets with Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki this afternoon, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.” Newsmen reports that eight governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, on Sunday, held a meeting with the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, at the State House Marina, Lagos State to make a case for Obaseki. It was gathered that the governors were at the closed-door meeting to seek Tinubu’s intervention in the search for a truce in the political conflict between Obaseki and h...
Nigerian government says churches, mosques can reopen
The Federal Government has announced relaxation of restriction on gatherings in places of worship imposed as part of the guidelines to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 led by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation and chairman of the PTF, announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the relaxation of the ban for four weeks on Monday. He however said the state governments and PTF will issue guideline to be followed for the reopening of the religious centres. “Relaxation of restriction on places of Worship based on guidelines issued by the PTF and protocols agreed by state governments,” PTF said. “The PTF submitted its recommendations and the PRESIDENT has approved the following for implementation over t...
NMA: Nigerians may suffer if governors take over coronavirus management
File Photo The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow states take full control of managing the COVID-19 pandemic saying Nigerians may suffer. Newsmen recall that Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, said on Sunday in the next phase of the lockdown, states will take more responsibility in their areas. “I can assure you of one thing: the ownership of the next phase will be the responsibility of the states under national supervision and coordination, because we have gone into community transmission. Where are the communities? The communities are in the states,” the SGF said. However, speaking on COVID-19 Watch on AIT, on Monday, the NMA president, Innocen...
Senate calls for quick diversification of economy, frowns against high cost of oil production
The upper chamber of the National Assembly has called on the federal government to quickly diversify the economy, following the high cost of oil production without commensurate result. Berating the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the high cost, which resulted into marginal profit of just $3 per barrel for the country, the Senate noted that the high cost of oil production in the country is higher than other oil producing nations. This development was noted when when officials of NNPC appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance. The Senate also noted that the high cost of oil production which is $21.2 per barrel, almost equaling $25 per barrel oil price benchmark fixed for the N10.509 trillion 2020 revised budget. The upper chamber expressed its displeasure when the Ch...
Professor worried by low number of coronavirus tests in Kano
The Director, Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Bayero University, Kano, Professor Isa Abubakar, has expressed worry over the decline in the number of samples being supplied to the state epidemiology team for COVID-19 tests. He spoke in Kano while receiving a GeneXPert modular machine, certified by the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) for COVID-19 and other diseases test, donated to the centre by philanthropists. The professor of infections and epidemiology insisted that the present decline in the number of active cases in the state is not a sign of relief as the number of COVID-19 tests being conducted in the state had equally dropped in the recent time. ‘Honestly, as an epidemiologist, I will only be happy if the number of tests we are conducting is larger than what we a...
Lagos records 21 more coronavirus recoveries, three fatalities
Lagos State has discharged 21 coronavirus patients. The state also recorded three more COVID-19 fatalities, according to the state Health Ministry on Saturday. It said in a statement that 15 of the discharged patients were males while six were females, noting that they tested negative twice for the virus upon treatment at the state isolation centres. “21 COVID-19 patients; 6 females and 15 males including a foreign national have been discharged from our Isolation facilities to reunite with the society. “The patients; 6 from Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba; 11 from Onikan; 3 from Agidingbi and 1 from Gbagada Isolation Centres were discharged having fully recovered and tested negative for COVID-19. “This brings to 875, the number of COVID-19 discharged cases in Lagos now. “3 addit...
Akwa Ibom discharges two coronavirus patients
The Akwa Ibom State Government has discharged two of the 29 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment from its medical facilities. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, who announced this on Saturday said those discharged have been certified negative by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, bringing to 16, the total of those treated and discharged of the viral infection since the first set of cases were recorded on April 1, 2020. Dr. Ukpong who is also the State Incident Manager explained that Governor Udom Emmanuel has expended so much in healthcare delivery and in emergency operations, and that accounts for the 100% recovery rate currently being experienced in the state. “Yesterday, you saw the magnificent 300 – bed facility that the Governor put up at Ituk Mbang, and I to...
Thirteen killed in Katsina bandit attacks
Thirteen people died on Friday when villagers fought back against armed cattle thieves in Katsina State where rustling has been on the increase. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Gambo Isah, confirmed this to Channels Television on Saturday. Also speaking to AFP, the PPRO noted that residents of four villages, organised in local militias, took on the livestock rustlers. “Thirteen people were killed and others injured in the process,” Isah said. “We keep telling people who are only armed with muskets and machetes to avoid confrontation with bandits who came with Kalashnikov rifles”. Northwestern Nigeria has been wracked by years of violence between rival communities over land, attacks by heavily-armed criminal gangs and reprisal killings by vigilante groups. Cattle rustling and k...
268 Nigerian nationals arrive Abuja from China
.responsive_ad { width: 300px; height: 250px; } @media(min-width: 768px) { .responsive_ad { width: 468px; height: 60px; } } @media(min-width: 1019px) { .responsive_ad { width: 640px; height: 80px; } } @media(min-width: 1140px) { .responsive_ad { width: 696px; height: 86px; } } At least 268 Nigerians evacuated from China have arrived in Abuja. .responsive_adz { width: 300px; height: 600px; } @media(min-width: 768px) { .responsive_adz { width: 468px; height: 60px; } } @media(min-width: 1019px) { .responsive_adz { width: 640px; height: 80px; } } @media(min-width: 1140px) { .responsive_adz { width: 696px; height: 86px; } } The flight that conveyed the evacuees landed at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport on Saturday afternoon. Get more stories like this on Twitter .responsive_ad { width: ...
Ekiti polytechnic produces hand washing and sanitiding machines
The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, has produced machines for hand washing and sanitiser as part of its contribution to governments’ efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state. Speaking at the inauguration of the hand-free and pedal-operated equipment on Saturday, the Rector, Dr. Dayo Oladebeye, commended the efforts of the Department of Mechanical Engineering on the initiative. Oladebeye also applauded the functionality of the machine saying that, “it is efficient to use and it is smooth, without any friction.” The rector said that aside the hand washing and sanitising machine products, the Polytechnic has other initiatives that will attract patronages from across the country. “The Polytechnic is already making contacts to present the pedal-operated handwashing and sanitising ...
Nigerian government distributes relief materials to victims of bandits attack in Sokoto
The Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to victims of banditry attacks, kidnappings and animals rustling in Wurno and Raba local government areas of Sokoto State. Tribune Online reports that the gesture was facilitated by the member representing Wurno/Raba Federal Constituency, Arc. Ibrahim Almustpha, in recognition of the plight of his constituents’ as results of incidents. Speaking during the distribution ceremony on Friday, NEMA’s Head of Sokoto zonal office, Dr Kofoworola Soleye, said Almustpha forwarded request for support to people affected with disasters and followed it up until it was approved by the Federal Government. Soleye, who was represented by the Zonal Planning Officer, Mr Tukur Abubakar, said items inc...
