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Sunday, 09 February 2020 05:12

China's virus death toll surpasses SARS but new cases fall

Mainland China’s death toll from the new virus outbreak has risen to 811, surpassing the number of fatalities in the 2002-2003 SARS pandemic. However, the number of new cases reported over the last 24 hours on Sunday fell significantly from the previous period, something experts see as a sign the spread of the virus may be slowing. Another 89 deaths were reported, while 2,656 new cases were added for a total of 37,198. On Saturday, 3,399 cases were reported for the previous 24 hours. SARS is widely considered to have killed 774 people and sickened 8,098, mainly in mainland China…

Sunday, 09 February 2020 05:11

Thailand shooting: Soldier kills 20 in gun rampage

A soldier who killed 20 people in a gun rampage in the Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima has been shot dead by the security forces, Thai police say. Jakraphanth Thomma on Saturday killed his commanding officer before stealing weapons from a military camp. The suspect continued his attack on the streets and in a shopping centre in Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat. The gunman, who posted material to social media, was shot dead after being cornered all night in the building. His motives for his actions remain unclear. "We don't know why he did this. It appears he went…

Saturday, 08 February 2020 05:18

NEPAD supports Buhari on border closure

The ongoing closure of Nigeria’s land borders has been hailed by a key African development agency as necessary to curb economic criminalities in West Africa. President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticised by leaders of other West African countries for ordering the closure of Nigerian land borders, shutting trade along crucial routes with its neighbours. Critics hinged their argument on how badly-timed Nigeria’s decision was, coming as the continent was adopting African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The policy, signed in 2018 and now adopted by 54 out of 55 member states of the African Union, seeks to engender a more…

Saturday, 08 February 2020 05:15

Sultan chides Nigerian elite, says they have failed to lead well

Sultan of Sokoto, Mr Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on Friday said Nigerian elites have failed the country by not addressing the insecurity ravaging parts of the nation, leading to bloodbaths. The president-general of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs was speaking at the second ‘Plateau State Forgiveness and Reconciliation Day’. The day, held in commemoration of victims of past violent crises in the state was held at the Forgiveness Garden on Friday in Jos. Plateau Peace Building Agency, in partnership with Interfaith Mediation Center Kaduna, had in 2019 initiated efforts at reconciling aggrieved parties, which led Governor Simon Lalong to declare every…

Friday, 07 February 2020 05:21

Economic Advisory Council gives first briefing to Buhari, enumerates challenges

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday received an important briefing by the new Economic Advisory Council (EAC), giving firm commitment that his administration would be bound by their advice on economy related matters. At a meeting with the Doyin Salami-led eight-member council at Presidential Villa, Abuja, Mr Buhari gave the first directive from their recommendations that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, address immediately the observed lapses in coordination between ministries and all agencies of government. In his remarks after listening to the report of macroeconomic importance and their views and recommendations, Buhari said on the issue of…

Friday, 07 February 2020 05:20

Senate constitutes Constitution review committee

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, yesterday, constituted a 56-member Constitution Review Committee to handle all bills seeking one alteration or the other in the 1999 Constitution. The committee consists of eight principal officers who will serve as steering committee heads within the larger committee, a senator from each of the 36 states and two senators from each of the six geo-political zones. The announcement of Deputy President of Senate, Mr Ovie Omo-Agege as chairman of the committee and presiding for the first time since inauguration efffectively laid to rest rumour of rift between him and Lawan. For several months, there have…

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…

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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…

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