Protocol
FCTA prosecutes 20 for breaching coronavirus protocol
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday arrested 20 persons for flouting COVID-19 protocols. The offenders were charged before Chief Magistrate Raphael Egbe of the FCT Mobile Court, sitting at the Eagle Square Abuja, and slammed with a one-count charge of violating COVID-19 protocol by not wearing face masks. The 20 accused persons, who were arrested by FCT TaskForce on COVID-19 were given an option of fines that ranged from N1,000 to N5,000, depending on their conduct during and after the arrest. Chairman of the FCT COVID-19 Taskforce, Ikharo Attah, said seven parks were shut within two days of the exercise for operating in stark violation of the new guidelines on the control of the pandemic. However, an officer of Nigeria Police Force, attached to the taskforce, sus...
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...
Governor Sanwo-Olu: Lagos can’t afford another total lockdown
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says the state cannot afford another total lockdown amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Friday said there were indications that the country had entered a second wave of the pandemic. “In Nigeria, the indication is that we have entered a second wave of infections, and we stand the risk of not just losing the gains from the hard work of the last nine months, but also losing the precious lives of our citizens”, Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, who represented Boss Mustapha, chairman of the PTF, said. Sanwo-Olu, who went into isolation last Saturday after testing positive for COVID-19, advised residents to adhere to health protocol and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to help limit the ...
Boko Haram leader justifies rice farmers’ killing
Agence France-Presse A factional leader of the Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has confirmed that his group was responsible for the killing of rice farmers in Kwashebe, Zabarmari, in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State. He also threatened to deal with those giving information on his group to the military. Shekau, in a three-minute video released on Tuesday, said his group “killed 78 farmers” because they arrested and handed one of his brothers to the Nigerian Army. He warned that those arresting his members and giving out intelligence on the group’s activities to the military would “face the same fate if they did not desist from doing so.” “The third message is on those who notoriously nab our brethren and hand them to the military or give them a clue on us. You should know that, un...
Mali: ECOWAS to hold emergency meeting
The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) will on Thursday hold an Extraordinary Summit on the socio-political situation in Mali. The Directorate of Communications of the ECOWAS Commission made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. The summit would be held virtually through video conference. The summit became necessary following the military coup d’etat that took place in the Republic of Mali on Tuesday. Newsmen recall that President Ibrahim Keita and his government resigned after soldiers arrested him. The soldiers have set up a body to work out modalities for elections. ECOWAS has strongly condemned the undemocratic change of government, adding that it is against its protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. The Au...
NAPTIP: Human trafficking worse in US than Nigeria
Facebook The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons says the rate of human trafficking in the United States is higher than that of Nigeria. The 2020 trafficking in persons report had placed Nigeria on a tier two watch list meaning that Nigeria failed to meet the minimum standards of compliance as regards human trafficking. NAPTIP, however, rejected the report, insisting that Nigeria had a better track record than the US. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, said it was curious that countries from which the victims are trafficked were placed on tier two while the countries that accept these victims are given favourable reports. Responding to a question, the NAPTIP boss said, “I am not ...
Group faults community’s plan to disown former Ebonyi commissioner
Edda Professionals’ League (EPL), a body of eminent experts and professionals of Edda extraction, has vowed to resist any plan aimed at humiliating Chief Abia Onyike, former Commissioner for Information and State Orientation in Ebonyi. EPL announced its plan to scuttle such humiliation in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Mr Ikenna Emewu, on Monday in Abakaliki. The group described the former commissioner as one the community’ most illustrious sons, that had contributed immensely to the development of Edda land, describing those behind the plot as “busy bodies.” The statement noted that some government functionaries, leaders of interest groups and traditional rulers from Edda in Afikpo South Local Government Area of the state, were forced to sign a document, where they were plo...
Refugees Day: Don seeks global support for refugees, IDPs
University of Ilorin Dr Abiola Adimula of the University of Ilorin has advocated for greater global support for refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Adimula made the call on Saturday in a statement made available to newsmen to commemorate the 2020 World Refugees Day. She called on the Federal Government to take more proactive measures to provide good health facilities, welfare items and economic empowerment for IDPs. According to Adimula, every action counts in supporting stateless people and their hosts. “Everyone, including refugees, can contribute to the society and every action counts in the efforts to create a more just, inclusive and equal world. “Whoever you are,no matter where you come from, every one of us can make a difference. “Every action truly counts; do an action...
Minister receives committee report on 2020 national sports festival
Honourable Minister for Youths and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, has disclosed that the organisers will meet with the government and stakeholders to discuss the way forward for the 2020 National Sports Festival. The Minister made this known shortly after he received reports from the 11 man committee of the 2020 national sports Festival in his office on Thursday. The Minister assured that he will get the Government and other stakeholders to round table in order to discuss on when the games will commence. “We’ll not shy away from making decisions based on the reality on the ground. This is a milestone to determine when to start sporting activities, but we would not jeopardise the health and wellbeing of our sportsmen and women.” “We shall study your report, sit down with relevant agencies of gove...
Sports minister receives report of Edo 2020 committee; set to make final decision
The Edo 2020 Sports Festival Committee set up to review Edo state readiness to host the event in the wake of the postponement due to the outbreak of covid-19 has submitted its report to Youth and Sports Development Minister Mr. Sunday Dare. Speaking while submitting its report to the Minister on Thursday in Abuja, Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Tonobok Okowa, said the committee had done a thorough job which would help the government decide on the best possible date to host the festival. According to the Minister, ”Exactly a month ago this committee was set up , i thank you for keeping to the schedule of your mandate. We shall study your report, sit down with relevant agencies of government to examine the recommendations therein. The Ministry is properly guided by Covid-19 protocol a...
Lagos assembly tasks governor on second wave of coronavirus
Following the ravaging effect of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the Lagos State House of Assembly, yesterday, called on the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to direct the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, to intensify public enlightenment campaigns to curtail its spread among Lagosians. Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, who presented the matter during plenary on Tuesday, also said it was important for the House to invite the Commissioner for Health, Professor Tunji Abayomi, to brief the House on the state government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the disease in the state. He stressed that there was an urgent need to ensure that all the COVID-19 protocols were strictly observed, even as he the government to ensure that enforcement was total as the most rel...