Libyan authorities on Sunday announced the recovery of 12 unidentified bodies in mass graves in the city of Tarhuna, some 90 km south of the capital Tripoli. Abdul-Aziz Jafri, spokesman for the General Authority for Research and Identification of Missing Persons, told Xinhua that the 12 bodies were recovered from five newly discovered mass graves in the city. A total of 86 bodies have been recovered in Tarhuna since the beginning of a search in June, while Tripoli has seen the recovery of 28 bodies so far, said Jafri. The forces of the UN-backed Libyan government have been accusing the…
Author: Peters Okwudili
Centre-back Virgil van Dijk has damaged knee ligaments and is set to undergo surgery, English Premier League (EPL) club side Liverpool confirmed on Sunday. The Dutch defender was injured in Saturday’s Merseyside derby draw against Everton. He was substituted early in the game when Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a reckless challenge in the box, which left Liverpool, manager, Juergen Klopp fuming. “Liverpool can confirm Virgil van Dijk will undergo surgery on the knee injury he sustained during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Everton,” the club said in a statement. “The centre-back damaged knee ligaments following an incident involving Blues goalkeeper…
The Police Service Commission, PSC, has debunked report making wave on social media that it has dismissed Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abayomi Shogunle and Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Dolapo Badmos. A purported list of dismissal of 37 former SARS officials, including Badmos, a former Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, and Shogunle was on social media. Shogunle was a former head of the Police Public Complaint Unit. Many were happy that Shogunle and Badmus were purportedly dismissed or demoted by the PSC. But PSC’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, debunked the report, saying it could not be true as the commission…
As the #EndSARS protests continue in parts of Nigeria, the Federal Government is working assiduously to meet the demands of the protesters. The protesters’ demands include the immediate release of those arrested and justice for victims of police brutality. The protesters are also calling for the setting up of an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct. They are calling for psychological evaluation and retraining of all disbanded SARS officers before redeployment. The #EndSARS protesters also demand an increase in salary of police officers. To meet the demands of the protesters, Inspector General…
The Federal Government has agreed to release N30 billion as part payment of the Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Sen. Chris Ngige. Minister of Labour and Employment said this at the end of a meeting between the Federal Government and ASUU on Friday in Abuja. “The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) was committed to release N30 billion on or before Nov. 6. “The remaining N10 billion would be spread equally over the two tranches to be paid in May 2021 and February 2022 respectively. The OAGF should quickly conclude the verification of figures…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 148 new cases of coronavirus in the country, according to its official twitter handle on Thursday. It said that the 148 new cases were from 14 states in the last 24 hours, distributed as follows – Lagos State (66), FCT (25), Oyo (13), Plateau (11), Kaduna (7), Rivers (6), Ebonyi (5), Ekiti (4), Ogun (4), Imo (2), Ondo (2), Edo (1), Nasarawa (1), and Taraba (1). The NCDC said the 148 new cases bring the nation’s confirmed COVID-19 infection cases to 60,982. The public health agency noted that till date, 60,982 cases have been confirmed,…
Coronavirus cases in Lagos fell on Wednesday, but infections in the state are still something to worry about. Lagos had recorded staggering figures on Tuesday, raking in 165 COVID-19 cases even after state authorities said It had flattened the curve. Despite recording a fall in infections on Wednesday, which stands at 116 new cases, the figures are still too high for Lagos who had consistently for almost a month posted lower figures. In the last four days, infections in Lagos called for concern, as the state posted over 100 cases in three of the four days. A rise in infections…
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Osun counterpart, Gboyega Oyetola, have appealed to Nigerian youths protesting against police brutality to remain calm. They made the appeal at the 20th virtual conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos on Wednesday. They urged the protesters to allow their elected representatives take up the challenge from where they left off. The governors said the government was ready to do things differently and positively. Sanwo-Olu appealed to the youths to allow the effects of the protests go down to enable the government to…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 163 new cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in the country. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Sunday. The public health agency said that the 163 new infections brought the nation’s confirmed COVID-19 infections to 60,266. It also stated that the new infection were reported from 12 states. The NCDC also announced the discharge of 24 patients from isolation centres across the country. According to the agency, Lagos State recorded the highest number of cases in the country, with 113 cases, followed by Kaduna State with…
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for listening to the voice of the Nigerians over their dissatisfaction with the operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force. Lawan gave the commendation in a press statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Mr Ola Awoniyi, in Abuja on Sunday. He said that with the courageous decision to dissolve the police unit, the President and his government have shown themselves as responsive to the feelings of the people. “I am applauding the President because it is a demonstration of good leadership to yield to…
The Desert Foxes of Algeria on Friday pipped Nigeria’s Super Eagles 1-0 in an international friendly in Austria as the African champions extended their unbeaten run to 19 consecutive wins. The match, played at the Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt, saw Borussia Mönchengladbach star Ramy Bensebaini scoring the match’s only goal. The Algerians piled up pressure on the Nigerians, scoring after just six minutes when full-back Bensebaini followed up a rebound from a header off a corner-kick with the Eagles’ defence in disarray. Algeria continued to press forward as Nigeria struggled to settle into the match. The Super Eagles’ first real…
Candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, in the Ondo State governorship election, Hon Agboola Ajayi has denied that he had withdrawn from today’s exercise. His Media Adviser, Allen Sowore in a statement said that the letter of his resignation was forged. The statement said “Again, the attention of the Deputy Governor and candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Agboola Ajayi has been drawn to a forged resignation letter from the Governorship Election holding today, Saturday- 10 October, 2020. “The oppositions will not stop at nothing to peddle fake news. “This fake news being sponsored by the opposition and…
A Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered the temporary freezing of three accounts belonging to the embattled Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa. The order made on September 15 followed an ex-parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which is questioning the speaker for alleged graft. According to a court paper signed by the Registrar, Adebimpe Oni, and released to journalists on Thursday, the three accounts with Standard Chartered Bank are under restriction pending the conclusion of the substantive probe. They include —a United States Dollar account marked 001852963; a current account…
Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), says he needs about six weeks to recover before he can attend the trial in court. Maina has been absent from trial since he was released after meeting his bail conditions. Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, who is standing as a surety for Maina, had told the federal high court in Abuja on October 3, that he did not know the whereabouts of the former pension boss. But Francis Oronsaye, Maina’s counsel, told the court that his client was at Maitama General Hospital receiving treatment. Speaking from a…
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Thursday threatened to embark on strike over the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). With the latest threat by the union to embark on industrial action over IPPIS, ASUP has become the fourth trade union in the nation’s higher institutions currently at loggerheads with the Federal Government over the platform conceived by the government to check fraud in the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had been on a prolonged strike over the matter while the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Senior…
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday, provided the latest update on the closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State. He also thanked the Lagos State Government and residents for their patience during the ongoing repairs of the Third Mainland Bridge. Fashola while inspecting the bridge also called for more understanding saying that the planned three days total closure was important for completion and delivery of a safe and strong bridge for use, NAN reports. He said that from midnight of Friday to midnight of Sunday the bridge would be totally shut for important…
American Sofia Kenin’s amazing year continued as the fourth seed outmanoeuvred big-hitting Czech Petra Kvitova 6-4 7-5 to reach her first French Open final on Thursday. The Moscow-born Florida-based 21-year-old gave a masterclass of game management on a windy Court Phillipe Chatrier and will face Polish teenager Iga Swiatek on Saturday. A second Grand Slam title of the year is now in touching distance for the fourth seed who beat Spain’s Garbine Muguruza to win the Australian Open in February. She proved too solid for the 30-year-old Kvitova who had not lost a set en route to her first French Open…
Mesut Ozil will not be in Arsenal’s Europa League squad when it is announced on Thursday. The 31-year-old has not played for the Gunners since March and his future at the club has been in doubt for some time, with boss Mikel Arteta recently saying it has been “very difficult” for Ozil to break back into the side. Ozil is the highest-paid player in Arsenal’s history and the fact he has been ostracised has been something of a mystery. He played in every Premier League game under Arteta until the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic – and has…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 155 new Coronavirus (COVID-19), infections in the country. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Wednesday. The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that the COVID-19 national death toll in the country remains 1,113 persons after four days without recording any death across the country. The agency said that eight states had reported 155 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to 59,738. The NCDC also announced that 95 patients recovered from the infection and were discharged after testing negative to the virus. It said…
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday evening returned to the White House from hospital, three days after he was diagnosed with the coronavirus (COVID-19). Wearing a black mask and surrounded by Secret Service operatives, Trump walked out of the Walter Reed Military Medical Centre in Bethesda, Maryland, at 6:38 p.m. (11:38 p.m. Nigerian time). Against expectations, the president did not answer questions from newsmen, who could be heard shouting questions at him. He was driven in a motorcade to a helipad nearby from where the presidential helicopter, Marine One, flew him on a short trip back to the White House. On…
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a special salary scale for Nigerian teachers while also increasing the years of service from 35 years to 40 years. Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu made this known in Abuja during the occasion of the 2020 World Teacher’s Day. The theme of celebration ” Teachers: Leading in Crisis Reimagining the Future” captures the resilience of Teachers and school administrators globally amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Buhari instructed the ministry to facilitate the implementation of the new teachers salary scheme saying this will encourage the teachers in delivering better service.…
The Presidency has reacted to the calls by some individuals and socio-ethnic groups calling for the immediate restructuring of Nigeria, saying the Buhari administration will not succumb to threats and undue pressure over the matter. Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, stated this in a statement on Monday morning when he responded to the renewed agitation in some quarters for the restructuring of the country. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the leadership of some socio-cultural groups including Ohaneze Ndigbo and Afenifere as well as Niger Delta agitators and individuals…
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says he is concerned and angry that young men and women who are arrested, are in some cases, maimed or killed by men of the Nigeria Police Force. Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement, said the Vice President expressed this view on Sunday in Abuja. The Inspector-General of Police (IG-P), Mohammed Adamu, had on Sunday banned the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), the Special Tactical Squad (STS) and Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from undertaking routine patrols as well as stop and search duties. The Vice President, who had earlier, held a meeting with the I-G…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 160 fresh Coronavirus infections in the country. The NCDC disclosed this on its official twitter handle on Saturday. According to the NCDC, the country has conducted about 532,765 tests since the first confirmed case relating to the coronavirus pandemic was announced. The agency noted that the number of deaths had increased by one and that 125 patients were discharged after they were successfully treated in the past 24 hours. It said that the new infections were reported in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This brings the total number…
Scientists in Nigeria have developed a cheaper and faster Covid-19 test kit that will enable testing to be ramped up in a place that has faced kit shortages and chronic under-testing of a massive population, according to the country’s health authorities. The new test is cheaper than other PCR tests — the most common type of test — and can give results in less than 40 minutes, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) said. The diagnostic test kit will cost less than $25 and samples can be analyzed using a mobile machine that can be operated by low-skilled personnel…
Arsenal squeezed past Liverpool 5-4 on penalties to advance to the English Football League (EFL) Cup quarter-finals on Thursday after a goalless 90 minutes. With the Premier League champions making several changes to the team that beat Arsenal in the league 3-1 on Monday and their opponents also rotating, it was always unlikely to be a high-class encounter. Liverpool had the better chances and should have been awarded a 44th-minute penalty when Diogo Jota was brought down in the box. With the Premier League champions making several changes to the team that beat Arsenal in the league 3-1 on Monday…
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, Amb. Adeyinka Asekun, says the host country is unfairly denying a lot of Nigerians visas including students. Asekun stated this during a webinar on Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary organised by the mission on Thursday evening. He expressed the hope that the issue would be addressed in the draft bilateral agreement, which both countries have been working on, for better treatment of Nigerians in that regard. “Canada and Nigeria have for some time been working on a draft agreement that addresses a number of areas of mutual concern to both countries. “It is our further hope that a…
Liverpool’s new midfield signing Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating with minor symptoms, the reigning English Premier League (EPL) champions said on Tuesday. The Spaniard joined from Bayern Munich earlier this month and made his debut in their 2-0 win over Chelsea. He has now been ruled out of their next two games after missing Monday’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal at Anfield. “It is the choice of each individual whether they reveal publicly the outcome of a COVID-19 test,” Liverpool’s first-team doctor Jim Moxon said in a statement. “We have followed all the protocols to the…
A Spanish court on Tuesday acquitted former International Monetary Fund (IMF) director, Rodrigo Rato, of charges of investment fraud and balance sheet falsification. The National Court of Justice in Madrid also acquitted 33 further defendants in criminal proceedings relating to the disastrous flotation of the major Spanish bank Bankia in 2011. “The initial public offering of the bank, which a year later had to be bailed out and nationalised with billions of Euros from state coffers, was approved by all responsible supervisory authorities at the time,’’ the judges said. The prosecution called for an eight-and-a-half-year jail sentence for Rato, who…
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said his predecessor, former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi should not be walking free if Nigeria truly practices democracy. Wike said the shutdown of Rivers State Judiciary under Rotimi Amaechi’s administration as Governor of the state was a violation of the rights of the people of the state. The Governor said this during a live interview on AIT’s Focus Nigeria beamed from Government House, Port Harcourt in reaction to comments by Amaechi over the weekend. He stated that in civilized climes, Amaechi should not be walking free or be appointed as a government official because of…
