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Friday, 07 February 2020 05:19

Youth Corps members pay thank-you-visit to Buhari over pay raise

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, praised the National National Youth Service Corps scheme as a strong uniting force among Nigerian youths. He lauded initiators of the scheme, especially former Head of State, Mr Yakubu Gowon, for introducing NYSC as an avenue for people to know the country better. Buhari cited an instance with Lagos, where he said there were people living on Victoria Island, who had never visited Ikeja. But he noted that such people could travel all the way to Daura, in Katsina State, through posting to serve the country as corps members. The President spoke in Abuja when…

Friday, 07 February 2020 05:18

Senate raises alarm over strange epidemic outbreak in Benue

PRESS RELEASE Senate has raised alarm over the outbreak of a strange epidemic on January 29, 2020, in Oye-Obi Local Government Area of Benue State. The upper chamber, accordingly, urged Federal Ministry of Health to immediately mobilize focal persons to the area to investigate and ascertain the nature of the disease which has so far claimed fifteen lives. Senate also urged Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to promptly put up surveillance to contain the disease, see to the treatment of victims and protect others from contacting it. These were resolutions reached sequel to the consideration of a motion brought…

Friday, 07 February 2020 05:17

Nigeria slashes visa fees for U.S. citizens

Nigerian Government has slashed its visa application charges for citizens of United States from $180 to $160. The old amount comprised $160 as visa fee and $20 as “processing and expedient fees”. According to Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, the reduction followed a review of the U.S.’ visa reciprocity policy for Nigeria. Babandede stated this in a Feb. 5 memo marked NIS/HQ/CGI/806/7 and addressed to Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In August, 2019, the U.S. government imposed additional visa fees on Nigerians in retaliation for the “treatment afforded to U.S. citizens” by the Nigerian government.…

Thursday, 06 February 2020 05:39

Oyo, Ogun, Osun cut off national grid as fire guts power facility in Ibadan

Some states in Southwest Nigeria, such as Oyo, Osun and Ogun may experience blackout as a giant transformer at the transmission station belonging to Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), at Ayede, Akinyemi, Ring Road, Ibadan, was yesterday gutted by fire. The T1B 150 Mega-volt Arm (MVA) 330KVA 132, transformer, which serves some parts of Ibadan, Iseyin in Oyo; Iwo in Osun State as well as Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, was gutted by fire. The inferno destroyed some expensive cables attached to the transformer. Chief Operating Officer of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), Mr John Ayodele, while speaking with…

Thursday, 06 February 2020 05:38

FG to bar Nigerians from owning more than three SIM cards

Federal Government on Wednesday directed Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review SIM card registration and usage to disallow any Nigerian from owning more than three mobile telephone lines. The directive came in the wake of the rising wave of killings and kidnapping for ransom and general insecurity. Telecom operators will also be required to block all unregistered SIMs from functioning on their networks. Communications and Digital Economy Minister, Mr Isa Pantami said: “The revision of the policy is based on feedback received from security agencies, following the successful revalidation of improperly registered SIM cards in September 2019 and the blocking…

Thursday, 06 February 2020 05:36

North launches own security outfit ‘Shege-Ka-Fasa’

Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) on Wednesday unveiled northern Nigeria security outfit code-named ‘Operation Shege-Ka-Fasa’ which literally means “I dare you to attack or surrender” in Hausa. It is believed to be a Northern version of the South-West regional security initiative ‘Operation Amotekun’ (Leopard). Addressing the press, spokesman for the group, Mr Abdullazeez Suleiman, said the security outfit is the vanguard of northerners irrespective of ethnic and religious affiliation. Suleiman said: “In the prevailing circumstances, the only option is to resort to voluntary self-defence mechanisms in line with initiatives taken by other regions that are even least affected in comparison…

Thursday, 06 February 2020 05:33

Plane skids off runway in Istanbul, killing three and injuring 179

A Pegasus Airlines plane flying into Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport skidded off the end of the wet runway and broke into three pieces after landing on Wednesday, killing three people and injuring 179 others, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said. Speaking to reporters in the eastern province of Van, Koca said that three people had died in hospital after the accident, adding that 179 out of the 183 passengers and crew on the plane were wounded. Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said earlier that the plane was carrying 177 passengers and six crew from the western province of Izmir. He said the…

Wednesday, 05 February 2020 05:56

FG begs China for $17bn loan

Federal Government on Tuesday explained why it decided to approach the China-Exim Bank for a $17bn loan request. It said other lending institutions like the World Bank and African Development Bank were not showing much interest when Nigeria approached them during recession. Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, stated this in Senate while defending the decision of the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari to borrow $29.96bn loan to fund critical infrastructure across the country. She explained that the 8th National Assembly had approved about $6bn for the Federal Government out of the $29.96bn loan, leaving a balance of $22.8bn. Ahmed…

Wednesday, 05 February 2020 05:55

U.S., Jersey sign $300m Abacha loot repatriation deal with Nigeria

United States and the British dependency of Jersey have agreed with Nigeria to repatriate more than $300 million in funds stolen by former military ruler Sani Abacha, the three governments said. Abacha ruled Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, from 1993 until his death in 1998. Corruption watchdog Transparency International estimates he stole as much as $5 billion of public money during that time. He was never charged with corruption during his life and Nigeria has been fighting for years to recover the money. Companies linked to the Abacha family have gone to court to prevent repatriation, alleging infringement of their…

Wednesday, 05 February 2020 05:54

Buhari launches new Visa Policy, says it’ll make Nigeria competitive globally

With the official launch of the federal government’s new visa policy yesterday in Abuja by President Muhammadu Buhari, the president has disclosed that the document would propel Nigeria to attain a globally competitive economy, improve the country’s business environment and boost tourism. Under the new policy, Africans willing to visit Nigeria without visa can now obtain visas on arrival at four entry ports excluding the land borders. Tagged: “New Visa Policy,” the new document launched in the State House by Buhari in company with Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, and Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr…

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Wednesday, 05 February 2020 05:53

Buhari says 90 percent of Boko Haram victims are Muslims

President Muhammadu Buhari says 90 percent of the victims of Boko Haram are Muslims contrary to views that the group is primarily targeting Christians. He said this in an opinion piece published in “Speaking Out” a guest opinion column for Christianity Today. The President, in the piece titled “Buhari: Pastor Andimi’s Faith Should Inspire All Nigerians”, extolled the virtues of Mr Lawan Andimi who was killed by Boko Haram for his refusal to denounce his Christian faith. Buhari said: “But we may not, yet, be completely winning the battle for the truth. Christianity in Nigeria is not-as some seem intent…

Wednesday, 05 February 2020 05:52

Nigeria working to have U.S. travel ban lifted - Foreign Minister

Nigeria has begun working on the security and information sharing requirements for the lifting of a U.S. travel ban on prospective immigrants from the African nation, Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said on Tuesday. Speaking at a joint news conference in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Onyeama said Nigeria was ‘blindsided’ by the U.S. decision on Friday to add it and five other nations to an expanded version of the U.S. visa ban. U.S. President Donald Trump issued an expanded version of his travel ban on Friday as part of a presidential proclamation which said Washington would…

Wednesday, 05 February 2020 05:48

There’ll be flooding in Nigeria this year like never before - FG

Ahead of the raining season, Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) has predicted more intense flooding. Director General of the agency, Mr Clement Nze, who made the disclosure when he briefed newsmen on the 2020 flooding season in Abuja, yesterday, admonished Nigerians to make adequate preparation to avoid loss of lives and property. Last years, flash floods hit at least 124 local government areas across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory – Abuja (FCT) and affected 210,117 people with 171 casualties and 130,610 people reportedly displaced. He called on all state governments, stakeholders, multi-national companies and the general public to…

Wednesday, 05 February 2020 05:47

Kenya's former President Daniel Arap Moi is dead

Kenya’s longest-serving president Daniel Arap Moi, whose rule was marred by corruption and torture of opponents, died on Tuesday, the office of the president said. There was no immediate explanation for Moi’s death, but he had been in and out of hospital with breathing problems in recent months. Plaudits poured in from Kenyan politicians, but some of his victims were less forgiving. “Our nation and our continent were immensely blessed by the dedication and service of the late ... Moi, who spent almost his entire adult life serving Kenya and Africa,” President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement. Moi died…

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