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Thursday, 23 April 2020 05:14

FAAC: FG, states, LGs share N781bn for March

Despite the drop in oil revenues amid the ravaging impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) on Wednesday shared N780.9 billion to the three tiers of government for March 2020. This was confirmed in a statement from office of Accountant-General of the Federation at the end of the virtual FAAC meeting of representatives of federal, states and local governments, along with Federal Capital Territory. Others who participated in the online meeting included representatives of all the revenue-generating agencies, namely Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Nigerian National Petroleum…

Thursday, 23 April 2020 05:13

ASUU rejects FG's condition for payment of withheld salaries

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it has rejected submission of Bank Verification Number (BVN) as a condition for payment of February and March withheld salaries of lecturers in Federal Universities. Mr Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President, said this in an interview with NAN on Wednesday in Abuja. The Federal Government on Tuesday in a statement has approved payment of February and March withheld salaries of lecturers in universities, who were yet to enrol on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike on March 23, over failure of the government to address outstanding…

Thursday, 23 April 2020 05:11

Undergraduate commits suicide due to police harassment

An undergraduate of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Mr Seyi Akinade, has committed suicide. The victim, in a lengthy post on Twitter before his death, said he could no longer live with the continuous harassment by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, which he claimed led to his decision to kill himself. His step brother, Mr Toye Salawudeen, who announced the death on social media, told reporters that the family did not know about Akinade’s ordeal until after his demise. The deceased had narrated on his Twitter page, @Akinadeoluwa17, how he plunged into $20,000 debt after he was arrested by…

Thursday, 23 April 2020 05:10

FG secures pardon for 60 Nigerians in Tanzanian jail

Federal government has completed arrangement for the release of 60 of the 73 Nigerians jailed in Tanzania for various offences. Their freedom was made possible by Nigerian Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Sahobi Gada Head, Media and Public Relations Unit, Nigeria in the Diaspora Commission, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, made this known in a statement he issued yesterday in Abuja He said: “Ever before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian Mission had been working on the repatriation of Nigerian prisoners in Tanzania. The ambassador, Sahobi Gada, was in Nigeria in January 2020, specifically for this purpose after having successfully secured release of 60…

Thursday, 23 April 2020 05:09

Iran-US tensions rise on Trump threat, Iran satellite launch

Tensions between Washington and Tehran flared anew Wednesday as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard conducted a space launch that could advance the country’s long-range missile program and President Donald Trump threatened to “shoot down and destroy” any Iranian gunboats that harass Navy ships. The launch was a first for the Guard, revealing what experts described as a secret military space program that could accelerate Iran’s ballistic missile development. American officials said it was too early to know whether an operational Iranian satellite was successfully placed into orbit. Trump’s top diplomat accused Iran of violating U.N. resolutions. After Iran’s announcement, Trump wrote on…

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:53

Coronavirus likely to cause ‘biblical’ famines in Nigeria, Venezuela, others - UN

The world is at risk of widespread famines "of biblical proportions" caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the UN has warned. Mr David Beasley, head of the World Food Programme (WFP), said urgent action was needed to avoid a catastrophe. A report estimates that the number suffering from hunger could go from 135 million to more than 250 million. Those most at risk are in 10 countries affected by conflict, economic crisis and climate change, the WFP says. The fourth annual Global Report on Food Crises highlights Yemen, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria…

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:52

Buhari asks CJN to free prisoners because of coronavirus

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mr Tanko Muhammad, to free prison inmates who have been awaiting trial for six years or more to ease overcrowding as the novel coronavirus spreads, a spokesman said on Tuesday. A statement quoted Mr Buhari as saying 42% of Nigeria’s 74,000 or so prisoners were awaiting trial. He urged the CJN to reduce that number “since physical distancing and self-isolation in such conditions are practically impossible”. Buhari said inmates with no confirmed criminal cases against them, elderly prisoners and those who were terminally ill could be discharged. “Most of these…

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:51

Nigeria records highest single day jump of 117 in coronavirus cases

Nigeria, on Tuesday, recorded its highest daily figure since its first COVID-19 case in February as 117 cases were reported by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). With the latest update, the total tally of infected people in the country rose to 782 from 665 reported on Monday evening. The public health agency in a tweet Tuesday night said that new cases were reported in eight states. These are Lagos, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kano, Katsina,Ogun, Rivers, Bauchi and Borno states. All the cases were reported in states with existing cases. Also, Lagos State reported the highest daily figure for…

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:50

Coronavirus: Northern govs to ‘deport’ almajiris to states of origin

Governors across northern states have agreed to ban the almajiri system as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. This formed part of the discussion at a meeting convened via teleconference by Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau state and chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, on Tuesday. The meeting had 17 governors in attendance. Makut Simon Macham, director of press and public affairs to the Plateau governor, disclosed details of the meeting in a press statement issued on Tuesday night. “On border control and lockdown measures, the Northern Governors retained their earlier decision for the States to individually decide…

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:49

Buhari directs payment of two months salary arrears to varsity lecturers

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved immediate payments of the two months withheld salaries of University lecturers that refused to enroll on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS. The President’s approval came after he had a meeting with Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Chris Ngige yesterday in Abuja. Federal Government and leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have been on loggerheads over the refusal of the university teachers to join in the IPPIS payment platform. Even the other three university-based unions, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, and…

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Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:48

Lagos grants 400 percent increase in hazard allowance for health workers

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved increment of hazard allowance for all health workers in the state public service for this month from N5,000 to N25,000, an increase of 400 percent. Mr Sanwo-Olu had on Monday, while giving update on the pandemic coronavirus at the State House, Marina, Lagos, promised to increase the allowance of the health workers, whether in the frontline of the COVID-19 duty or not. In a circular No. 045, dated Tuesday and released by the Head of Service (HoS), Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the governor appreciated the dedication of the workers, particularly their fight against the…

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:46

Trump immigration ban targets ‘green card’ applicants

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his new U.S. immigration ban would last 60 days and apply to those seeking ‘green cards’ for permanent residency in an effort to protect Americans seeking to regain jobs lost because of the coronavirus. Trump plans to institute the ban through an executive order, which he said he was likely to sign on Wednesday. He said it would not apply to individuals entering the United States on a temporary basis and would be re-evaluated once the 60-day period had passed. Trump said that pausing immigration would put “unemployed Americans first in line for jobs”…

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:45

Ex-Attorney-Generarl of the Federation Akinjide dies at 88

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Richard Akinjide, is dead. Akinjide passed on at the age of 88 in his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State capital. It was gathered that the legal icon died around 1am following complications in his protracted illness. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria had been sick for three years, according to family sources. Akinjide was born in Ibadan in early 1930s to an influential family of warriors. He attended Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife in Osun State and passed out with a distinction (Aggregate 6). The legal luminary left for the United Kingdom in…

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 05:44

Buhari loses another aide

PRESS RELEASE After three years of struggling with diabetes, one of President Muhammadu Buhari’s bodyguards, Mr Lawal Mato, a Warrant Officer, on Tuesday passed away. The President described the officer, who had been working with him for many years before he won the 2015 elections, as “very thorough, trustworthy and dependable soldier who carried out his duty with diligence and focus.’’ Mr Buhari prayed that Allah will ease his passage to paradise and grant his family, government and people of Jigawa State, the fortitude to bear the loss. Mato was part of a team that former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua…

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