A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday fixed June 1 to hear a suit filed by the former senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, against the National Assembly over the consideration of the infectious diseases bill 2020. The bill was sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu fixed the date to enable the applicant to serve court processes on all counsel in the matter. Earlier, the counsel to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, said he was yet to receive the processes of the application and was therefore…
Author: Emmanuel Anthony
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday, struck out charges of resistance to arrest instituted against the immediate-past Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye. Justice Yusuf Halilu struck out the eight counts on the grounds of lack of diligent prosecution. The judge made the order following the inability of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to produce its sole proposed witness to testify on Tuesday. Melaye was on January 22, 2019, arraigned before the judge by the Inspector-General on Police, who later handed over the case to the AGF office. Melaye was arraigned…
Kano State Government has provided an exclusive Testing Center for Resident Christians in Sabon Gari, Kano. According to the Governor, Umar Ganduje, this is to speed up the tracing and tracking of everyone with Coronavirus infection in the state. Speaking while hosting the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN to a meeting in Government House Kano, Tuesday, Governor Ganduje said the essence of providing the testing centre exclusively for Christians is to allow them to test freely without any interference. ‘The testing centre exists in Sabon Gari, such that a Christian can go to the place and test himself or go…
The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has condemned the “incessant obstruction” caused by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The organisation said the situation was hindering the Ease of Doing Business policy of the Buhari administration and called on the President to act urgently. NECA alerted that some businesses were going down due to the actions of Customs’ officers and men. NECA Director-General, Timothy Olawale, laid the complaint via a statement on Monday. Olawale lamented that Customs operatives obstruct legitimate businesses through inconsistent and arbitrary tariff classification, excessive and unfriendly duty rate on key raw materials without local substitute. The DG…
The Federal Government on Monday extended the gradual easing of the lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun States by two weeks. Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus Pandemic and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, made this known during a press briefing in Abuja. Mustapha said the decision for gradual ease was due to the increasing number of cases in the country. He said the extension which will begin on Tuesday will last till the first week of June. Recall that Buhari had two weeks ago extended the lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State has donated a COVID-19 Testing Centre to the state government as part of its contribution to fighting the pandemic. The party also through donations from its members provided and commenced distribution of cash and food items to its members in all the political wards in the state. Chairman of the Anambra PDP COVID-19 welfare/distribution committee, Mrs Chidi Onyemelukwe, disclosed this to journalists in Awka on Saturday at the PDP Secretariat, shortly before the commencement of the distribution of the materials. “We are committing N125 million for the distribution of food items and…
President Muhammadu Buhari has received the coronavirus cure developed in Madagascar. The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmed made this known on Saturday. Bashir said the president reiterated that his government will listen to science before allowing any medicine to be given to Nigerians He tweeted, “President @MBuhari has received the Madagascan native formulation against the COVID–19 pandemic “He reiterated that he will listen to science before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians.” “We have our institutions, systems and processes in the country. Any such formulations should be sent to…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday handed over a property forfeited by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke to the Lagos State Government. The mansion is to be used as an Isolation Centre for COVID-19 patients. The property consisting six flats of three bedrooms and a boys’ quarter was forfeited by Diezani, a minister under the Jonathan administration, following an order of Lagos State Federal High in 2017. Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Lagos Zonal Head of the EFCC, Mohammed Rabo, stated that the gesture was part of the commission’s social responsibility efforts towards the fight…
News hunters have laid hands on a document revealing how Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, approved the sum of N258m for the printing of invitation cards for the inauguration of lawmakers two months after the event had been held. The document explicitly stated that the fund was processed on the orders of Obasa for the inauguration of the Ninth Assembly with 34 returning members and six new members, which was held on June 7, 2019. The document, which was used for the approval and release of the funds, was fraudulently processed two months after the…
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has again cautioned Nigerians against COV1D-19 treatment. The agency on Thursday insisted that chloroquine was not an antidote for coronavirus as it had not been certified. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, gave the warning in a chat with newsmen in Abuja. “Nobody should buy chloroquine and use. If you have COVID-19, go to a doctor. We have warned Nigerians and shall do that again. Do not take chloroquine,” she said. The DG NAFDAC explained that the delay in approving some of the drugs for the treatment of the virus was…
Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt will on June 1 hear a suit filed by the Northern Community in Rivers State against Governor Nyesom Wike. Justice E.O. Obile fixed the date to allow the plaintiff to put Governor Wike on notice. The Northerner Community are demanding the sum of one hundred million naira for the arrest of their kinsmen including their Livestock and trucks by Governor Wike, which they say is an infringement. Counsel to the arrested Northerners, Eze Kpaniku while speaking with newsmen lamented the arrest by the Governor, adding that the victims had waivers from the Federal…
A member representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, Hon. Farah Dagogo has knocked the Federal Government saying that the school feeding programme is one of those scams that has reduced the country to where it is. Reacting to the exercise that was due to commence, the lawmaker wondered how such a programme could be successful when the targeted school children are at home, noting that certain persons have entrenched their selfish agenda. In an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Dagogo assured that if the Federal government goes ahead with the “National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP, there would be…
The Chairman, Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board, Rev Fr Raymond Arazu has described the invention of a herbal drug for COVID-19 by Madagascar as a challenge to Nigeria. Father Arazu, a Holy Ghost father of the Catholic Church and a renowned traditional medicine practitioner of over 50 years in an interview with newsmen in Awka said he could not imagine a small nation like Madagascar boasting of a remedy for the novel Coronavirus, while Nigerian government is yet to accept the fact that some traditional medicine practitioners in Nigeria including himself have already invented a cure for the ailment. President…
President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated 42 people as ambassador-designate, all of the career officers. The names were contained in a letter sent to the Senate and read on the floor of the upper legislative chamber by President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday. In the letter, the President sought the consent of the Senate for the confirmation of the nominees. He also said the profiles of the nominees would be forwarded to the Senate. Some of the names are Nwachukwu C. A, A. Kefas, Y S. Suleiman, G.M. Okolo, G.E. Edopa, among others.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has kicked against plans by the Federal government to import the COVID-19 syrup being produced in Madagascar for the treatment of patients with the viral disease here in Nigeria. President Buhari has given a directive for the importation of the herbal syrup. In a statement released on Tuesday by its president, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, the umbrella body of Nigerian pharmacists said it received with utter disbelief the news of the planned importation of the herbal syrup. Ohuabunwa said the society is shocked that the Federal government can move swiftly to collect such syrup from an…
Nigerians in Diaspora under the aegis of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) have accused the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa of policy inconsistency. NIDO alleged that the NIDCOM boss was contouring the functions of the Commission away from the Act that established it, in such a manner that indicates the commission was not designed to serve Nigerians in Diaspora. The allegations were brought forward in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer and Assistant General Secretary, NIDO Europe, Mr. Fidel Wilson. The Nigerians in Diaspora Organization, in the statement, insisted that other Diaspora…
Madagascar’s breakthrough on coronavirus is expected to land in Nigeria soon. The drug named ‘COVID Organics’ is for the prevention and cure of the disease. It was gathered that the consignment coming to Nigeria has been dispatched to Equatorial Guinea from where it will be shipped to Abuja. According to reports, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 was preparing to receive the solution in the nation’s capital, Abuja. The source said a decision will be taken when the herbal drink arrives in the country. “Before any food or drug can be administered in this country, there are certain protocols…
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has said he has no regrets revealing the identity of the state’s COVID-19 index case, Mrs. Susan Okpe, despite her desperate attempts to politicise the issue and whip up ethnic sentiments. He insisted that the decision was made in the best interest of the people of the state stressing that with the identity of the index case known, tracking and isolation of all who had contacts with her became easy. The Governor in a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, expressed shock that Mrs. Okpe had through several social media videos…
A fresh power play is covertly in place in the Presidential Villa with a new force trying to dismantle the hitherto powerful cell, otherwise called “The Cabal.” Since the illness and eventual death of the late Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, it has been difficult for some members of ‘The Cabal.’ Besides the redeployment of the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr. Jalal Arabi, the access accreditation tag of a prominent member (name withheld) was withdrawn to enable the power broker to apply as a visitor; a candidate nominated by the Secretary of ‘The Cabal’ to coordinate an agency was…
President Muhammadu Buhari has terminated the appointment of the Interim Management Team of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA). He also approved the appointment of Alwan Hassan as acting Managing Director of the bank. This was conveyed to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, via a letter with reference No. PRES/95/MARD/14. Hassan, who hails from Kano State, holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He had before now served on the Management Boards of Orient Bank, Uganda; Bank PHB in the Gambia and Platinum Capital and Trust Limited, Nigeria. Hassan was the Chairman/CEO of Midrange Universal Biz Ltd…
Reactions have continued to trail yesterday’s verdict of the Supreme Court that freed the former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu. On its part, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said the Supreme Court’s nullification of the conviction Uzor Kalu was unfortunate. Also nullified was the judgement against his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and Jones Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and Account of Abia State Government. The apex court ordered their fresh trial at the lower court. EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, in a statement noted that the court based its verdict because Justice Mohammed Idris,…
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has threatened to mobilise the Nigerian organised Civil Rights community to institute a suit at a competent court of law if, after 78 hours, President Muhammadu Buhari fails to recall the recent approval given for the constitution of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Board of Trustees. HURIWA described the appointment of retired Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba and others into the board of Trustees of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund as unconstitutional. The rights group said it was astonished and shocked beyond comprehension that Buhari failed to involve the states in the constitution of…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commended President of the African Development Bank, Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, over the clean bill of health given him by the Board of Directors of the financial institution. This was contained in a statement by the President’s Spokesman, Garba Shehu, on Thursday. Recall that a report dated May 5, 2020, signed by Chairman of the Bureau of the Board of Governors, Niale Kaba, indicated that Dr. Adesina had been exonerated of allegations against him by whistleblowers, which were thoroughly investigated by the Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors, and a recommendation made to Governors…
The Osun State University on Thursday announced its resolve to hold the 13th matriculation ceremony of the institution online for newly admitted students of the Ivory Tower. In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the school, Mr. Ademola Adesoji, the move was in line with the Federal Government’s directive to all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to activate virtual learning environment in the face of protracted lockdown. Adesoji added that virtual teaching has been part of the university’s innovation even before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, including holding meetings through digital means. He said: “In line with the…
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has faulted the decision of Senate to probe 5G network in Nigeria. Sani said the 5G Stoppage Order by the senate was needless. In a tweet, the former lawmaker maintained that it’s political to link 5G to health concerns. According to Sani, there is no scientific basis backing such conspiracy theory. He tweeted, “The 5G Stoppage Order by the Senate is needless. The nation’s political elites are simply drawn into the global technological chess game between giant tech companies backed by their governments. “Linking 5G to health concerns is Political and economics, but lacks…
The Federal Government of Nigeria has extended the ban on local and international flights by four weeks. This was revealed by Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, during the daily briefing on Wednesday. “Tomorrow marks the last day for the enforcement of the closure of Nigeria’s airspace to flights. We have assessed the situation in the aviation industry and have come to the conclusion that given the facts available to us and based on the advice of experts, the ban on all flights will be extended for an additional four weeks,” he said. “The Honourable Minister…
The Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Ignatius Kaigama, has advised the Federal Government to take proper care of doctors in Nigeria. He observed that medical workers were getting scared of treating patients with or without coronavirus. Kaigama told reporters on Tuesday that there must be sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical personnel. “There should be provision for more people to get tested and healthcare workers should be equipped with PPEs so that they don’t need to run away from patients. That I have malaria may not be COVID-19″, he said. The cleric urged the government to do more to…
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has revealed the drug used in treating COVID-19 patients in Nigeria. Ehanire during a press briefing on Tuesday said Nigeria has started using Remdesivir. Remdesivir is an antiretroviral drug, in managing COVID-19 patients. “We have been using that (Remdesivir); we have tried that in Lagos too,” he said. “So, we have tried the antiretroviral drug to see what effect it has.” He added that Nigeria has moved from disease importation to community spread. Recall that the US had approved emergency use of Remdesivir, for treatment of the disease. The US National Institute of Health…
As Nigeria eased its strict lockdown rules on Monday, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, has ordered the issuance of processed passports nationwide. Babandede in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Sunday James, urged passport offices to take advantage of the Federal Government phased easing of lockdown to release processed passports to applicants. He directed that applicants be invited in batches via SMS and be mandated to be on face masks while at the passport collection offices. The statement read in part: “NIS has directed applicants to follow the NCDC…
The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has lashed out at Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, for demanding compensation from China over the Coronavirus pandemic. Recall that Ezekwesili had last month in a post on ‘The Washington Post’ asked China to pay compensation to African countries over the Coronavirus pandemic. According to her, China ought to pay for failing to manage COVID-19, which had severely injured Africa’s development prospects and worsened the conditions of the poor. She opined that the best solution was for China to accord damages and liability compensation to Africa. She maintained that Africa should not suffer more because…
