Passengers
Police arrest two ‘highway robbers’ in Osun
The Osun Police Command on Friday said it had arrested two suspected members of a highway robbery gang after they were identified by one of their victims in Ile-Ife. According to a statement by the Osun Police Spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, the suspects were arrested at about 12 noon on Friday after the driver of a bus they robbed earlier in the day spotted them at a bank and alerted the police. “We have arrested two suspected armed robbers, namely; Abiodun Abdulahi, 35, living in Ado Ekiti and Godwin John, 19, living in Lagos, but hails from Imo state. “They were arrested today at about 12p.m. at Ile-Ife by policemen. “The two and other gang members now at large, at around 9:45a.m. on Friday, robbed and dispossessed passengers of a bus coming from Lagos and heading towards Ilesa via Ife...
Governor Obaseki: No record of Indian coronavirus variant in Edo
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Friday said there was no record of Indian COVID-19 variant in the state, as was speculated on social media. The governor stated this in Benin at a news conference to provide an update on COVID-19 response in the state. Mr Obaseki was represented by the Permanent Secretary from the state Ministry of Health, Osamwonyi Irowa. He said the federal government had on April 26, taken precautionary steps by restricting international travel from India, Brazil and Turkey to curtail COVID-19. “We as government have reached out to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) with regards to any Indian variant in Edo and the verified information reveals that the said sample was collected in January. “There is currently no update or report suggestive of any such o...
Ebonyi government closes illegal, private motor parks
IN a bid to checkmate the movement of arms and ammunition within the Abakaliki metropolis, Ebonyi State Government, Tuesday directed the closure of all illegal and private motor parks not expressly approved by the Ministry of Capital City Development. The Government further directed that all loading and offloading of vehicles within the state capital should only take place in approved public and private motor parks. In a joint press statement signed by Barr. Chief Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Commissioner for Capital City Development and Chief Anthony Oko Ewa, Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Ebonyi State Council, the duo explained that undercover security and precautionary measures were being put in place to avert further security breaches in the state. According to them:...
Easter: Abuja airport records high traffic
The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Friday witnessed increased traffic due to huge number of passengers travelling to different parts of the country to celebrate Easter. According to NAN reports, flights from Abuja to other routes were fully booked before Thursday. Also, booking and check-in counters of many airlines were crowded with travelers rushing to board their flights. Many of the airline officials who spoke with NAN in separate interviews said there was upsurge in traffic, but ticket fare still remained same. The Max Air Station Manager, Kehinde Ogunyale, said that more people had chosen to fly home for the Easter celebration than the previous years. Ogunyele further said that Max Air also possibly experienced unique increase in passengers due to reduction in flight...
UAE waives extra coronavirus test for Nigerians
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has removed the rapid antigen test requirement for Nigerians travellers. This is according to a March 24 letter from the protocol department of the UAE ministry of foreign affairs seen by newsmen. The federal government had suspended Emirates Airlines after it announced an additional test requirement for Nigerian travellers in addition to the PCR test mandated by the presidential task force on COVID-19 (PTF). Agreeing to remove the test requirement, the UAE government demanded that the number of passengers on inbound flights to the UAE must not exceed 200 for two weeks. It also said only direct flights between the UAE and Nigeria are allowed. “Passengers need to present a valid negative PCR test conducted within 48 hours before boarding,”. “Provide the Embass...
MTN donates 300,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to Nigeria
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 said it received 300,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from MTN Nigeria. Speaking at the National briefing, the Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha said: “Yesterday, Sunday, March 21, 2021, the PTF received 300,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from MTN Nigeria. “This is acknowledged with thanks as we encourage other partners to contribute towards the fight against COVID-19.” Recall that the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, had said that the first part of the 1.4 million doses promised to be donated to Nigeria would be delivered by end of February, while the remaining balance would be delivered by end of March, 2021. Mustapha also said: “The disclosure that Nigerian...
Nigeria threatens to ban flights from UAE, Netherlands
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has threatened to ban flights from the UAE and The Netherlands as a reciprocal action. The task force said the Ministry of Aviation and its relevant agencies have been mandated to take the necessary reciprocal measures as may be permissible under the laws and other international obligations expected to be discharged against Emirates airlines operating from the UAE and other airlines from The Netherlands. Mr Boss Mustapha, the Chairman of PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, disclosed this at the routine briefing of the committee in Abuja on Monday. Mustapha said: “For over a month, Nigeria has been engaged with the authorities of the UAE and The Netherlands over pre-departure testing requirements passengers should meet before ...
RTEAN: Commercial buses strike illegal
Pool Photo The Lagos State Chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) on Monday said the stay-off-road action by commercial buses on the Lagos-Badagry Road was unnecessary. The Secretary of the chapter, Abdulrahman Amusan, told newsmen that the N800 ticket imposed on commercial buses in the state was for tax purposes. Newsmen report that the commercial bus drivers had on March 1, embarked on what they called “Cease Commuter Operation” on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway – from Badagry to Mile 2 – following what they termed an unbearable increment in ticketing and brutality by RTEAN. The drivers were still off the expressway while passengers remained stranded at various bus stops. It is still not certain when they will return to the roads. They claim that both the RT...
Report: Many Delta residents not aware of ongoing council poll
Some residents of Asaba and its and environs on Saturday said they that they were not aware of the local government poll taking place across Delta State, according to a report by newsmen. Agnes Afam, a business centre operator, said, “I never knew today is election. I only came out to discover that today election.” Sunday Ugwu, a carpenter who lives on Ibusa Road, said that he was not aware that there was an election, and as such, would not go to vote. Others have also complained that their polling units were far from their homes and would not participate in the election as a result. Okechukwu Onu told newsmen that he lived around ULO Ibusa Road and his polling unit was at the College of Education, Asaba, a distance he considered too far. “I advise the people in charge of elections to brin...
Troops foil Boko Haram attack, rescue passengers in Borno
Nigerian troops have foiled an attack from Boko Haram and ISWAP and rescued passengers along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway in the Auno axis of Borno State. Though the insurgents’ attack was repelled, a military intelligence officer disclosed that several passengers onboard commercial vehicles along a major road in Auno were rescued by troops, after the terrorists’ onslaught. Troops from 212 Battalion Garrison, Jakana, Goni Masari and Auno were quickly mobilised to the scene and escorted some of the passengers to Damaturu and Maiduguri. The intelligence source said: “The terrorists, who came in dozens, were all dressed in black, with militarized gun trucks. They also carried other lethal weapons. Some of them painted their faces with charcoal. “They daringly invaded the area with the inten...
Sheikh Gumi: GSC Kagara victims to be released in days
Staff and students kidnapped from GSC Kagara early Wednesday are expected to be released in days, according to a source on the delegation of Kaduna-based cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi. Gumi has been on a tour to visit bandit leader Dogo Gide and other top commanders at Dutsen Magaji forest for talks. The source said Niger government, which initially ruled out payment of any ransom to secure freedom of the kidnappees, would enter a dialogue and had sent a strong delegation. Passengers abducted earlier and the students are in good state, the source said. During the visit, Gumi was shown an entire community said to have been razed in a military bombardment and corpses dumped in wells. Gumi and his entourage are back in Minna, after travelling more than seven hours from Dutsen Magaji. Earlier, anot...
Sheikh Gumi: GSC Kagara victims to be released in days
Staff and students kidnapped from GSC Kagara early Wednesday are expected to be released in days, according to a source on the delegation of Kaduna-based cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi. Gumi has been on a tour to visit bandit leader Dogo Gide and other top commanders at Dutsen Magaji forest for talks. The source said Niger government, which initially ruled out payment of any ransom to secure freedom of the kidnappees, would enter a dialogue and had sent a strong delegation. Passengers abducted earlier and the students are in good state, the source said. During the visit, Gumi was shown an entire community said to have been razed in a military bombardment and corpses dumped in wells. Gumi and his entourage are back in Minna, after travelling more than seven hours from Dutsen Magaji. Earlier, anot...
