DONALD OTITO

By Udeme Akpan THE Federal Government has concluded plans to sell crude oil to the $15 billion Dangote Refinery in Naira. This is part of measures adopted to strengthen the currency and by extension the nation’s economy. The governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who visited, Saturday, to inspect the ongoing construction of the Dangote Refinery, Petrochemicals Complex Fertiliser Plant, and Subsea Gas Pipeline project at Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, said: “We have taken the decision to sell the crude to the Refinery in Naira because we want to impact the economy. “We also hope that by the time the Refinery start to refine, and sell its petroleum products in Naira, the local currency will be stronger, and by extension the nation’s economy, which is still oil-driven.” According to him, this is expected to help Nigeria save about 41% of its foreign exchange that is being expended on the importation of refined petroleum products. Emefiele, who noted that the first shipment of U...

President Muhammadu Buhari has described the latest abduction of hundreds of students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara, as inhumane and totally unacceptable. The president, who stated this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Friday, warned bandits and their sponsors that his government would not succumb to blackmail. While reacting to the incident, President Buhari said: “This administration will not succumb to blackmail by bandits who target innocent school students in the expectations of huge ransom payments. ”No criminal group can be too strong to be defeated by the government. ”The only thing standing between our security forces and the bandits are the rules of engagement. “We have the capacity to deploy massive force against the bandits in the villages where they operate, but our limitation is the fear of heavy casualties of innocent villagers and hostages who might be used as human shields b...

…hold a summit in Bauchi over insecurity, others By Charly Agwam – Bauchi Youths from eight northern states have met in Bauchi, Saturday, with a mandate from the Northern States Governors Forum, to share ideas and find solutions to the myriad of challenges facing the region and the country. The youths under the umbrella of ‘Committee on Youths Engagement Priorities and Inclusion in Governance in Nigeria’ among other things demanded the declaration of a State of Emergency in education in all states of the northern region to catch up with other regions of the country. The youth committee blamed the poor education index as the major reason for the developmental setbacks in the region when compared with other regions of the country. “We can no longer pretend that all is well. The north is burning and we are looking the other way. Two-thirds of our people are children and youths, and a massive number of them are out of school. Does that not explain the poverty and insurgency that our region...

Secretary General to the Federation/Chairman Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha. By Omeiza Ajayi Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha has said barring any last-minute change of plans, Nigeria will get its first tranche of vaccines on March 2. He spoke Saturday night on a television programme monitored in Abuja. He said; “I can assure you that the vaccines are coming and get are coming very quickly barring any change in the delivery plan that has been released to us by UNICEF, wee believe that our vaccines should depart India on March 1 by 10:30pm and arrive Abuja, Nigeria at about 11:10am on March 2”. The Federal Government had earlier raised the alarm over the circulation of fake COVID-19 vaccines in the country, warning Nigerians of dangerous consequences should they resort to taking such uncertified jab. It added that following the recent certification given by the National A...

Sanwo-Olu BY DONALD NWANOSIKE OTITO  Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, said that the third mainland bridge maintenance and rehabilitation is completed, and is now fully accessible to all. The Governor, who said this on his Twitter handle, also enjoined commuters to adhere strictly to traffic laws. third mainland bridge donaldotito.blogspot.com

Buratai By Shaina Abubakar The immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai on Saturday disclosed that he survived three assassination attempt on his life. Buratai, who was represented by Major Banjo Daniel at an inter-denominational prayer organised for him by the Olowu Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude on his appointment as an Ambassador and successful completion of his tenure as Chief of Army Staff at his palace in Kuta, Osun state, said he was ambushed by bandits and insurgents three different time. He added that he took the loyalty and professionalism of the army to survive the ambush, stressing that the army would successfully combat insecurity in the country. “Buratai told me that as the Chief Army Staff, he was ambushed thrice by bandits and insurgents, it took the professionalism and loyalty of my troop to whisked me out of danger at those times. “His friendship with Oba Adekunle was divine, it was not predicated on any material gain, it is because their heart...

Lady Gaga Lady Gaga’s two French bulldogs, which were stolen by thieves who shot and wounded the dogwalker, were recovered unharmed Friday, Los Angeles police said. A woman brought the dogs to the LAPD’s Olympic Community Police Station, just northwest of downtown, around 6 p.m, said Capt. Jonathan Tippett, commanding officer of the elite Robbery-Homicide Division. Lady Gaga’s representative and detectives went to the station and confirmed that they were the dogs. The singer is currently in Rome to film a movie. The woman who dropped off the dogs appears to be “”uninvolved and unassociated” with Wednesday night’s attack, Tippett said. It wasn’t immediately clear how she obtained the dogs. The dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was shot once as he walked three of the singer’s dogs in Hollywood. Video showed a white sedan pulling up and two men jumping out. They struggled with the dog walker before one pulled a gun and fired a single shot before fleeing with two of the dogs. The dog walker can be...

Lady Gaga Lady Gaga has offered half a million dollars for the safe return of her two pet dogs, saying her “heart is sick” after they were stolen at gunpoint in Hollywood. French bulldogs Koji and Gustav were seized in Los Angeles after the employee walking them was shot and wounded Wednesday night, and the gunman escaped in a vehicle. “My heart is sick and I am praying my family will be whole again with an act of kindness. I will pay $500,000 for their safe return,” wrote the “Poker Face” singer on Instagram. She added: “Email KojiandGustav@gmail.com to contact us. Or, if you bought or found them unknowingly, the reward is the same.” Lady Gaga’s dog walker Ryan Fischer was shot and hospitalized in the incident, which is being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department’s robbery-homicide division. “I continue to love you Ryan Fischer, you risked your life to fight for our family. You’re forever a hero,” wrote Lady Gaga, referring to the employee. A third dog, Miss Asia, ran away...

President Joe Biden said Friday that a US air strike against an Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria, the first since he took office, should be seen by Iran as a warning. Asked what the message was from the air strike, Biden said: “You can’t act with impunity.” “Be careful,” he added, speaking in Houston during a tour of relief efforts after a huge winter storm in Texas. Syria and Iran on Friday condemned the attack with Damascus calling it a “bad sign” from the new Biden administration and Tehran saying it would further destabilize the region. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said two F-15E “Strike Eagles” dropped seven precision-guided munitions on Thursday on facilities in eastern Syria used by the militias believed to be behind a spate of rocket attacks on US troops in Iraq. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was sending “an unambiguous message.” “He’s going to act to protect Americans and when threats are posed, he has the right to take an action at the time and in t...

More than 400 prisoners were on the run in Haiti on Friday a day after they escaped from jail in a violent breakout that left 25 people dead, including the prison director, officials said. AFP photographs showed at least three dead bodies lying outside the prison on Thursday and some captured prisoners under armed guard in the back of a truck. “Twenty-five people died including six prisoners and Divisional Inspector Paul Hector Joseph who was in charge of the prison,” Secretary of Communication Frantz Exantus said of the Thursday’s mass escape from the jail in the suburbs of capital Port-au-Prince. “Among those killed were some ordinary citizens who were killed by the prisoners during their escape,” Exantus told a press conference, adding 1,125 of the 1,542 prisoners at the Croix-des-Bouquets jail were in their cells on Friday morning. One of the inmates who died was gang leader Arnel Joseph, who was gunned down on Friday at a police check 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the prison....

Former US president Donald Trump has signaled he will seek revenge on fellow Republicans who voted to impeach him last month, and he followed through Friday, endorsing an ex-aide against an Ohio congressman. Trump threw his “complete and total” support behind Max Miller, a 2020 deputy campaign manager and White House advisor challenging Representative Anthony Gonzalez, one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the deadly January 6 riot at the US Capitol. “Max Miller is a wonderful person who did a great job at the White House and will be a fantastic congressman,” Trump said in a statement. “Current Rep. Anthony Gonzalez should not be representing the people of the 16th district because he does not represent their interest or their heart,” Trump added. It is believed to be the first endorsement Trump has offered to a challenger of one of the Republicans who voted for his ouster. “I will never back down and will never betray my constituents,” Miller, 32, said in a tweet high...

Says 5 Northern States worst to live in As projections for peace, security in Nigeria remain bleak By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja An international rights organization, Global Rights Nigeria, Monday, reported that 4, 556 Nigerians were killed in 2020 as the insecurity situation remains worrisome across the country. The report called ‘Mass Atrocities Report 2020’ was made public by the Country Director, Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu, at a media briefing, while delivering a speech on the report. Baiyewu said tracking of mass atrocities across Nigeria for 2020 was based on casualties of violent attacks, clashes, terrorism, kidnappings, and extrajudicial killings. According to her the state with the highest number of fatalities remained Borno State in the North East region of the country, closely followed by Kaduna State, in the North West region, while the state with the lowest number of fatalities was Gombe State in the North East region with one victim. She also pointed out that the c...

The deployment of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa has accelerated amid the quest to contain the virus and reopen the continent’s economy, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, said this in a statement issued in Nairobi on Thursday. Moeti said the continent had stepped up procurement of vaccines to inoculate groups at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus. “The roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines is an incredible, much-awaited leap forward for African countries that have spent months preparing while wealthy countries race ahead with vaccination,” Moeti said. Ghana on Wednesday became the first African country to receive 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine procured through the COVAX facility. Moeti said Cote d’Ivoire would receive its vaccine allocation Friday while 24 African countries were expected to receive their doses procured under COVAX in a fortnight. “COVAX is a global expression of equity and it cannot be stressed enough t...

A study which will expose volunteers to the coronavirus is to begin in Britain within a month after it gained approval from the country’s clinical ethics body, the government said on Wednesday. The study, the first of its kind in the world, will expose up to 90 volunteers between 18 and 30 years old to Covid-19 in a controlled environment, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said. The trial will look to establish the smallest amount of virus needed to cause infection, in order to help develop vaccines and treatments. “While there has been very positive progress in vaccine development, we want to find the best and most effective vaccines for use over the longer term,” Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said. The study will “help accelerate scientists’ knowledge of how coronavirus affects people and could eventually further the rapid development of vaccines,” he said. Britain, one of the hardest-hit countries in the world by the coronavirus with more than 118,000 d...

Dr Okonjo-Iweala By Dennis Agbo Leading Pan-Igbo socio-cultural organizations have made encomiums on the newly appointed Director-General of the World Trade Organization, WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The groups include parent Igbo body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Alaigbo Development Foundation, ADF. Ohanaeze Ndigbo said that her appointment has once more proved that the only way to advance the course of humanity and compete favourably in the global community is through an unwavering commitment to competence, fairness and excellence. National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Ogbonnia in the congratulatory message said that the group received with immense joy the news of her historic emergence because she was the only first African and first woman to clinch the enviable position since the WTO came into existence in 1995. “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Ambassador Professor George A Obiozor uses this opportunity to thank President Muhammadu Buhari and all Nigerians for all...

By Lawani Mikairu The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has opened the runway of the Muritala Muhammed Airport, domestic wing, Lagos after Tuesday’s night incident involving an Azman Air aircraft. The General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu who confirmed the reopening on Wednesday said it took the combined efforts of relevant stakeholders to evacuate the aircraft from the runway. Recall Azman Air Boeing 737 aircraft with registration 5N SYS, and flight number ZQ2325 on Tuesday night had a tyre burst after landing on runway 18 R of Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. Though no life was lost in the incident, the mishap forced the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, to close the runway to flight operations. While confirming the closure of the runway, Mrs Herrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN,  had said: ” Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria hereby announces a temporary closure of Ru...

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says ten COVID-19 fatalities were recorded in Oyo State on Friday, bringing total deaths to 104. NCDC, on its microsite, also announced that the state recorded 124 new COVID-19 infections, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 6248. Prof. Temitope Alonge, the Coordinator, Oyo State COVID-19 Isolation Centres, in a press briefing on Saturday said that early evidence indicated that the new variants may be more deadly. Alonge said that with the new variants of SARS-CoV-2, (the virus that causes COVID-19), patients may not show symptoms of the virus before they succumb to severe illness or even death. According to him, when people test positive for COVID-19, a thorough examination is important for early detection of any organ dysfunction. “Absolutely, we need to do a thorough examination even when there are no symptoms, with this current wave the symptoms don’t even last long before some patients succumb. “You know with the original...

— No Amotekun personnel killed — State Commander Dayo Johnson Akure Four suspected arsonists who set a village ablaze and the operational vehicle and motorcycles of the Ondo state security outfit codenamed Amotekun at Jugbere farm settlement/Sanusi village in Owo council area of the state have been arrested. Recall that two persons, a farmer and a member of the vigilante group in the state were murdered by suspected herdsmen in Owo area of the state. Acting on a tip-off, the Amotekun personnel stormed the farm settlement to rescue the abductors but the herdsmen took to their heels after killing the two victims and set ablaze the village, the operation vehicle and motorcycles parked in the village by the Amotekun rescued team. Addressing newsmen in Akure, the state commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye denied that his men were killed during the operation and that one of his operative Sesan Adebayo was missing after the Owo operation. The two persons killed according to him had b...

There was a brief comic relief when the Black Maria used to convey arrested protesters at Lekki tollgate broke down and had to be pushed by the LCC officials. Legit.ng

9mobile 9mobile, a telecommunication company, says it has commenced the National Identification Number (NIN) registration exercise in selected experience centres in Lagos and Abuja. The telco in a statement on Monday said that the development followed  Federal Government’s approval granting telecoms the licence for NIN enrollment to ease the pressure of large crowd turnout at the various enrollment centres of the Nigeria Identity Management Commission (NIMC). The Chief Commercial Officer, 9mobile, Stjepan Udovicic said:  “9mobile  will always seek opportunities to collaborate with regulators and other stakeholders on initiatives that will enable Nigerians to achieve their full potential. ” We are pleased to announce the commencement of NIN enrollment at select experience centres duly approved by NIMC to help expand registration access to Nigerians ahead of the new deadline set by the government for the exercise,” Udovicic said. According to him, 9mobile experience centres...

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has ordered full enforcement of COVID-19 health protection regulations as directed by the Federal Government. Oyeyemi gave the order while addressing the FRSC high command on Road Traffic Crashes and facilities on Friday in Abuja. He said there was an urgent need to protect the health and well-being of all Nigerians, noting that the COVID-19 Health Protection regulations 2021 affected members of the Corps in their individual capacities and were expected to comply as may be required of them. The FRSC boss said it was expected of the Corps, as law enforcement and regulatory agency of government, to enforce some specifics of the regulations. He said it was important to examine closely part 2 of the new regulation which related to the fleet operation and general road transport. According to him, part 5 (35) and (36) on enforcement application, mandated the Corps to implement and apply the regulations as follows: “Perso...