Responsibility
Coronavirus: Nigeria now at tipping point – PTF
The Federal Government, yesterday, took stock of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic vis-a-vis the attitude of Nigerians to embracing safety precautions, and concluded that the country was now at a tipping point. This came as government announced its decision to establish oxygen plants in all states of the federation as part of measures to resolve the “oxygen crisis” that had engulfed some of the isolation and treatment centres in the country. Meanwhile, Edo State has recorded 28 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 270, as the state government cautions residents to abide by the precautionary health and safety guidelines. Vanguard, meanwhile, gathered that former vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe and th...
Russia: U.S. broke all rules of world politics
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that the United States (U.S.) created exceptional havoc in world politics by breaking all possible rules, yet a new global war is off the table as long as there is nuclear parity, “Things show that no more ‘red lines’ remain at all. “In world politics, our colleagues from the U.S. created such havoc that all rules were simply broken. “Everything they teach at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations is no longer relevant. “That’s it, all rules were broken,” Mr. Peskov told the SolovyovLive show on YouTube. At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman denied that a new world war is what should be expected to follow the breakage of old rules. “The war is, thank God, impossible so long as there is nuclear parity. “It saves the world from...
Court orders Governor Obaseki to open defence in ‘certificate forgery’ case
The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Monday, closed the forgery case it instituted against Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, after it called a total of six witnesses and tendered 17 Exhibits. Lead counsel to the APC, Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN, announced decision of the party to rest its case, shortly after the court discharged the sixth witness, PW-6, Dr. Mikano Asekome, who is an Associate Professor in Banking and Finance Department at Benson Idahosa University, Benin city, Edo state. The PW-6 told the court that he was on December 23, 2020, summoned to appear as witness in the matter. The witness went ahead and tendered in evidence, the original copy of his certificate in Agricultural-Economics, which the University of Ibadan awarded to him on July 31, 1978. Under cross-examination, ...
Victor Osimhen faces Napoli sanctions for breaching coronavirus rules in Nigeria
Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso said Sunday he felt foolish for giving Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen permission to travel home for Christmas with the forward testing positive for coronavirus on his return. Osimhen faces club sanctions after images of him partying without wearing a mask were shared on social media. But Gattuso said he also felt embarrassed for giving the 22-year-old permission to return to Africa. “The responsibility of sending him to Nigeria was also mine. It’s embarrassing for the two of us,” Gattuso said after Sunday’s 4-1 Serie A win over Cagliari. Osimhen apologised earlier on Sunday. “I am sorry for what happened. I made a mistake going to Nigeria right now,” the forward said in an Instagram post. “I made a mistake going to a surprise party without understanding the gr...
Leicester edge up to second despite draw vs Crystal Palace
A much-changed Leicester moved up to second in the Premier League thanks to Harvey Barnes’ late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Monday. Wilfried Zaha’s stunning near post volley put the Eagles in front against the run of play after Kelechi Iheanacho had a first-half penalty saved for Leicester. With little over 48 hours rest between the Foxes’ 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Saturday and the trip to Selhurst Park, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers made seven changes with Jamie Vardy and Youri Tielemans among those left on the bench. Both were introduced midway through the second-half and Leicester’s pressure was rewarded with an equaliser when Barnes fired in a low shot from the edge of the box for his eighth goal of the season. Despite the upheaval of missing many of their st...
Millions of Americans risk losing jobless benefits as Donald Trump refuses to sign aid bill
Millions of Americans are about to see their jobless benefits expire on Saturday as U.S. President Donald Trump has so far refused to sign into law a $2.3 trillion pandemic aid and spending package, insisting that it did not do enough to help everyday people. Trump stunned Republicans and Democrats alike when he said this week he was unhappy with the massive bill, which provides $892 billion in badly needed coronavirus relief, including extending special unemployment benefits expiring on Dec. 26, and $1.4 trillion for normal government spending. Without Trump’s signature, about 14 million people could lose those extra benefits, according to Labor Department data. A partial government shutdown will begin on Tuesday unless Congress can agree a stop-gap government funding bill before then. Af...
U.S. agents search Nashville blast site, seeking clues behind Christmas explosion
Police and federal agents were scouring the charred site of a Christmas Day explosion in Nashville on Saturday, trying to determine how and why a motor home blew up and injured three people in the heart of America’s country music capital. The fiery blast, heard from miles away, destroyed several vehicles, damaged more than 40 businesses and left a trail of glass shards around the area. The motor home, parked on a downtown street of Tennessee’s largest city, exploded at dawn on Friday moments after police responding to reports of gunfire noticed the recreational vehicle and heard an automated message emanating from it warning of a bomb. The means of detonation and whether anyone was inside the RV when it blew up were not immediately known, but investigators were examining what they believed...
Coronavirus: FCT taskforce clears Abuja recreational spots of fun-seekers
The FCT Ministerial Task Team on Enforcement of COVID-19 Protocols, on Friday, cleared some recreational parks of fun seekers who trooped there to celebrate Christmas. Newsmen report that some of the parks where fun-seekers were sent out by taskforce included the famous Millennium Park, Jabi Lake, Unity Fountain and Magic Land. Although the gates at the Jabi Lake were closed, some anxious fun-seekers made their way into the park through porous entry points. Upon arrival at the Lake, many of the violators took to their heels for fear of being arrested but the task force had to call them to sensitise them on the need to adhere to safety regulations. Head, Media and Enlightenment of the task force, Mr Ikharo Attah, who addressed the fun seekers, said that the second wave of the COVID-19 pande...
Coronavirus: President Buhari extends tenure, mandate of PTF
President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the mandate of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 “for a further period till the end of March, 2021 bearing in mind the new surge in the number of cases and the bid for vaccines.” The president disclosed this Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the End-of-Year Report of the task force. He said: “Recent reports reaching me indicate that Nigeria is now facing a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide which is similar to the second wave of infections occurring in other countries across the world. “New epicentres have been identified and the nation cannot afford to lose the gains of the last nine months. ”I have critically evaluated the situation and remain convinced that urgent measures have to be taken to halt the spread and the attendant f...
Governor Lalong mourns NIPSS deceased chief
Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has described the death of Prof. Habu Galadima, the Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos, as a “great loss” to Nigeria. Lalong said this in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPA), Dr Makut Macham, in Jos. He also said that the demise of Galadima was a huge loss to his immediate family, NIPSS, Plateau and Nasarawa states. He said that the deceased would be greatly missed by the academic community in Nigeria and the diaspora. “Prof. Galadima is an astute scholar of international repute, administrator and professional who demonstrated uncommon commitment in carrying out every responsibility he was assigned. “Since he assumed office one year ago, Galadima had injected a fr...
Kaduna civil servants below level 14 to work from home
The Kaduna state Government has directed civil servants below grade level 14 to work from home starting from Monday 21st December 2020 following increased infection rates of COVID-19 in the state. The state Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai tweeted on Sunday that the measure was part of the Covid-19 containment strategy announced last week by his administration. He appealed to all residents to see COVID-19 prevention as a personal responsibility. “It is mandatory to wear facemask outside the house, organizations and individuals that allow people into their premises have the responsibility to enforce the no mask, no entry mandate, facemask should be worn to cover the nose and mouth,” he said. Daily Trust reports that the state recorded 179 positive cases as at Saturday, from 639 samples tested...
Militants attack US-NATO base in Afghanistan
Militants on Saturday struck a main U.S.-NATO base in Bagram district of Afghanistan’s Parwan province, north of Kabul, with five rounds of rocket fires, a provincial government spokesperson confirmed. There was no immediate report on casualties or extent of damage. “Five rounds of rockets were fired onto Bagram Airfield from an abandoned truck parked in Qalandar Khil locality of Bagram district roughly at 5:50 a.m. local time on Saturday,’’ Wahida Shahkar told reporters via a text message. She said seven rockets failed to be fired and were defused by Afghan security forces. Further details about the incident are still forthcoming. The Bagram Airfield, some 50 km north of the Afghan capital of Kabul, has been serving as a main U.S. and NATO military base in Afghanistan over the past 19 yea...
