Nigerian Eye

CAN urges members to adhere to safety guidelines as worship centres reopen in Ogun

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The Ogun State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has appealed to the heads of denominations, churches, leaders, and ministers in the state to work towards meeting the safety guidelines highlighted by the state government ahead of the reopening of churches on August 16. 
 
The State CAN Chairman, Bishop ‘Tunde Akin-Akinsanya, who was reacting to the tentative lifting of the ban on religious centres by Governor Dapo Abiodun, said it was necessary for churches to abide by the laid down guidelines to avoid “embarrassments and sanctions.” 
 
Akinsanya in a release made available to newsmen, commended Governor Abiodun for his understanding and support that allowed for peaceful engagements with religious leaders and other stakeholders throughout the trying period. 
 
The Bishop, however, reminded Christians that the COVID-19 Pandemic is real and out there, advising them to adhere to the safety measures as well as faithfully and humbly seek the face of the Lord in prayers for an end to the scourge. 
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He stated: “To the glory of God, the Governor in his Press 
 
Conference of Wednesday 29th July 2020 announced the relaxation of lockdown on worship centers with effect from Friday 14th and Sunday 16th August 2020 for both the Muslims and Christians respectfully. I thank God that His Excellency granted our two requests on the duration and number of worshippers for each service. 
 
“I hereby appeal to all Heads of Denominations/Churches and their ministers to prepare adequately according to the guidelines in our various worship centers 
 
“There should be proper monitoring by each denomination to ascertain full compliance to the guidelines so as to avoid embarrassments and sanctions. This policy document will soon be made available to us. 
 
“Our appreciation goes to the Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Prince ‘Dapo Abiodun MFR and his entire team for the understanding and support that allowed for peaceful engagements throughout this dark period”. 
 
“Our profound gratitude also goes to all our Heads of Blocs, Heads of Churches, Stakeholders, CAN Officers at all levels and all ministers of the gospel across Ogun State for your patience and cooperation all this while. 
 
“We also appreciate all individuals, clergy and laity, who had also engaged the State Government to intervene in this matter at one point or the other. 
 
“Also, we cannot but salute all our critics, those who felt and said; “we are not doing anything”, “we are not doing enough”, “we have collected money from the government and sold the Church to be shutdown perpetually”, “we are operating illegally”, and so on and so forth. 
 
“They really set us on our toes in this trying time and therefore, they should also be part of the victory. Thank you all. We are so grateful”. 
 
“In closing, let us be reminded that COVID-19 Pandemic is real and is out there. In addition to our adherence to the safety measures, we need to faithfully and humbly seek the face of the Lord in prayers. 
 
“It is time for the body of Christ as intercessors to stand in the gap for our dear State/Nation and seek God’s face for DIVINE INTERVENTION. I am convinced that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shall give us speedy intervention on this plague. 
 
Isaiah 43:19 says, “Behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” 
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Latest-News CAN urges members to adhere to safety guidelines as worship centres reopen in Ogun

The Ogun State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has appealed to the heads of denominations, churches, leaders, and ministers in the state to work towards meeting the safety guidelines highlighted by the state government ahead of…

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I can date my fan, says Mama Ajasco

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Plus-size actress, Moji Oyetayo better known as Mama Ajasco has stated that she doesn’t have issues with dating her fan. 
 
The bubbly role interpreter noted that fans are also human beings. 
 
“Fans are human beings. I can if the fan is within my expectations. What are my expectations? I like a God-fearing person, I like someone with a lot of respect. I cannot stand disrespectful people”, she told Punch. 
 
Fondly called Mo Hips by her friends, the outspoken actress said she is used to people staring at her. 
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Hear her, “I am used to people staring at me. I am used to people talking whenever they see me. I am used to people opening their mouths when they see me. I am also used to people smiling and blowing me kisses. Sometimes I really can do without the attention, when you are not just in a good mood. I am proud of the way I am. I am a disciplined person. When it comes to male admiration, I appreciate them and move on. But you will not see me with this male today and another tomorrow. I am not one of such women. I am very strict”. 
 
On the importance of multiple streams of income for artistes and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected her, she said, “In as much as I haven’t been working which is the general story of an actor, the grace of God has been there for me. You know with my size, it’s difficult for you to see the effect of COVID-19 on me. I have started selling in order to have a side income”.

Latest-News I can date my fan, says Mama Ajasco

Plus-size actress, Moji Oyetayo better known as Mama Ajasco has stated that she doesn’t have issues with dating her fan. The bubbly role interpreter noted that fans are also human beings. “Fans are human beings. I can if the fan is within my expecta…

‘APC will rule Nigeria beyond 2023’

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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The National Woman Leader and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extra Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CEONCPC) Hon. Stella Okotete said the on-going re-positioning of the ruling party will secure its continuous reign beyond 2023.</div>
 
She spoke on Friday at Karonmajigi Village in Abuja where she donated food items and celebrated the Eld-Kabir festival with some internally displaced persons and physically challenged persons in the Federal Capital Territory. 
 
The woman leader said efforts at re-positioning the party by the Gov. Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker Committee in the last one month have recorded tremendous progress, which placed the party in vantage position for continuity beyond 2023. 
 
According to her: “Our repositioning efforts of APC are clear for everyone to see. 
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“We are having new members and old members come back, we have repositioned the party for high grounds and continue governing the country beyond 2023. 
 
“I can tell you that non- APC states will be APC states by 2023. I can assure you that we are taking Edo state back from the PDP and we are going to maintain APC in Ondo state, we are taking Anambra, Osun and Ekiti states next year. 
 
“Definitely we are going to maintain the status quo. Definitely it is going to be APC, APC, APC beyond 2023.” 
 
Okotete, who is the only woman in the 13-man caretaker committee, also unveiled her plans for women folks of the party by changing the narrative and ensuring they are well represented and positioned as positive change agents. 
 
Admonishing the IDPs, Okotete assured them APC government under President Muhammadu Buhari will ensure their quick return to their various villages and town. 
 
The Women leader said: “The President has done so well in the area of security and I can assure them(IDPs) that in no distance time, very soon they will be back home.” 
 
Chairman of the Physically Challenged Persons in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abubakar Shehu Abduljelil, commended the APC for recognising the physically challenged persons, even in the party’s constitution from the ward to the national level. 
 
He urged Buhari to continue to support the physically challenged persons to maximize their potentials for national development. 
 
Items donated include bags of rice, beans, cartoons of Noddles and spaghetti as well as soft drinks

Latest-News ‘APC will rule Nigeria beyond 2023’

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EDO 2020: APC reacts to Oba of Benin endorsement of Obaseki

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The Deputy National Chairman on Communication and Publicity for the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council in Edo State, Patrick Obahiagbon, has said that the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, did not endorse the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s candidate, Godwin Obaseki when the party’s chieftains visited earlier in the week. 
 
The APC spokesman said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday that the visit by PDP does not translate to the revered monarch endorsing the party’s candidate. 
 
Obahiagbon did not also confirm or refute the question of whether the APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu has the blessing of the Oba. 
 
According to him, the Oba of Benin is a neutral traditional king and does not endorse anybody but prays for all his subjects. 
 
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“If you watch his prayers very meticulously, he would say that ‘may the candidate that would bring freedom, may the candidate that will bring economic prosperity to my kingdom have the blessing of the great architect of the universe,” Obahiagbon added. 
 
“So we cannot situate or locate the visit of PDP to His Royal Majesty to be an endorsement. In any case, the APC is yet to carry out its campaign. When we do that, we will equally visit His Majesty,” he added. 
 
According to him, APC’s Ize Iyamu is confident of victory in the September governorship election. 
 
The APC Campaign had yesterday described the state Governor, Obaseki, as a confused man merely projecting the criminal plans his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are perfecting. 
 
It said it was dawning realization for the PDP and its candidate that they have been rejected by the people of Edo State.

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US President, Trump, to ban Chinese-owned TikTok

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President Donald Trump said Friday he will bar fast-growing social media app TikTok from the United States as American authorities have raised concerns the service could be a tool for Chinese intelligence. 
 
US officials and lawmakers in recent weeks have voiced fears of the wildly popular video platform being used by Beijing for nefarious purposes, but the company has denied any links to the Chinese government. 
 
Media reports circulated earlier Friday saying that Trump would require the US operations of the app be divested from its Chinese parent firm ByteDance, but the president announced a ban. 
 
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said: “As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States.” 
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He added he would take action as soon as Saturday using emergency economic power or an executive order. 
 
Trump’s move comes following a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) in the United States, which investigates deals affecting US national security. 
 
TikTok, especially popular with young audiences who create and watch its short-form videos, has an estimated billion users worldwide. 
 
Queried by AFP, TikTok declined to comment on the reports of the forced sales, saying only: “We are confident in the long-term success of TikTok. 
 
“Hundreds of millions of people come to TikTok for entertainment and connection, including our community of creators and artists who are building livelihoods from the platform.” 
 
The firm this week pledged a high level of transparency, including allowing reviews of its algorithms, to assure users and regulators. 
 
“We are not political, we do not accept political advertising and have no agenda — our only objective is to remain a vibrant, dynamic platform for everyone to enjoy,” TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer said in post this week. 
 
“TikTok has become the latest target, but we are not the enemy.” 
 
The popularity of the platform surged after ByteDance acquired US-based app Musical.ly in 2017 and merged it with its own video service. 
 
James Lewis, head of the technology policy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said he believes the security risk of using TikTok is “close to zero” but that ByteDance could face pressure from China to engage in censorship. 
 
“It looks like ByteDance may be getting squeezed by Beijing, so making them divest makes sense,” Lewis said. “They could start censoring stuff.” 
 
Lewis said US authorities under CFIUS have the power to unwind an acquisition previously approved and that a similar action was taken in 2019 with the dating app Grindr after it was bought by a Chinese firm.

Latest-News US President, Trump, to ban Chinese-owned TikTok

President Donald Trump said Friday he will bar fast-growing social media app TikTok from the United States as American authorities have raised concerns the service could be a tool for Chinese intelligence. US officials and lawmakers in recent weeks …

Afenifere leader, Fasanmi, brought dignity to Yoruba race — Ooni

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The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has described the late Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, as a man of accomplishments, who brought dignity to all descendants of Oduduwa. 
 
The was contained in a tribute signed by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Moses Olafare, in Ile-Ife. 
 
Ooni Ogunwusi described the late Afenifere leader as an epitome of leadership, politics, and good governance. 
 
“Pa Ayo Fasanmi was a great leader whose words, actions, and involvement in Nigerian politics brought dignity to the Yoruba people. 
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“He came, he saw and indeed conquered. The kind of blessings he received is uncommon and God in his infinite mercy crowned it all with a healthy long life filled with prosperity. 
 
“We are going to miss him greatly because of the roles he has been playing as an elder statesman after stepping out of partisan politics. 
 
“But we shall continue to remember him for the goods he did when he was with us. 
 
“Our leaders, particularly those in the political class have a lot to learn from Pa Fasanmi’s selfless style of leadership. 
 
” We must wake up to our responsibilities towards creating the great Nigeria of our dream.” the royal father said.

Latest-News Afenifere leader, Fasanmi, brought dignity to Yoruba race — Ooni

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has described the late Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, as a man of accomplishments, who brought dignity to all descendants of Oduduwa. The was contained in a tribute signed by his Director of Media …

Amaechi reacts as workers oppose Buhari’s naming of Apapa Station

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Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has assured that more prominent Nigerians will be honoured in the naming of railway stations. 
 
Amaechi said this in a statement on Saturday by his spokesman, Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni. 
 
He was reacting to a call by the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NUR) for reversal of the Apapa Railway Station naming. 
 
President Muhammadu Buhari had designated it ‘Bola Tinubu Railway Station‘. 
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Segun Esan, NUR General Secretary, declared that Waziri Mohammed, Chairman of Nigerian Railway Board until his death, deserved the honour. 
 
Esan argued that Mohammed died while in active service. 
 
He stressed that remaining the infrastructure after him would be a mark of his sterling contributions to nation building. 
 
In his reaction, Ameachi said Mohammed would be named after a bigger railway facility. 
 
“We are naming a bigger station after Waziri Mohammed”, the former Rivers State Governor assured.

Latest-News Amaechi reacts as workers oppose Buhari’s naming of Apapa Station

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Ekiti Governor, Fayemi, recovers from COVID-19 ‌

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The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has tested negative for coronavirus. 
 
He announced this via his Twitter handle on Saturday. 
 
Fayemi had on July 22 announced that he tested positive for the virus. 
 
He tweeted, “After 11 days in isolation, I received news that my CoviD 19 repeat test came back negative. 
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“My sincere gratitude goes to God Almighty, my family, my medical team, and all well-wishers for the prayers and solidarity. We must continue to do all we can to tackle the pandemic.” 
 
Fayemi, who is the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, is the eighth governor to test positive for COVID-19. 
 
Others who have tested positive in the last four months include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir el-Rufai. 
 
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu had also contracted the virus.

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From pure water hawker to the most expensive footballer in Africa: Victor Oshimen tells his story

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On Friday, Napoli officially announced the signing of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from Ligue 1 side Lille on a five-year deal worth €81 plus add-ons. 
 
Aside the mega-money move making Osimhen the most expensive African footballer ever, the forward, according to close sources, will earn a whopping 4.5m Euros annually – the highest ever by a Nigerian footballer — as salary at the Italian giants. 
 
The 21-year-old, now regarded as one of the hottest youngsters in global football — after a phenomenal rise in two seasons at modest Belgian side Charleroi and Lille — never had the best of beginnings while growing up. 
 
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Living in one of the many makeshift houses around the Olusosun dumpsite in Lagos, Osimhen and his family had a hellish time trying to cope with the environmental and health hazards posed by the dumpsite, noted for its emission of thick smokes, foul smell and routine fire outbreaks. 
 
The 100-acre Olusosun landfill, which receives up to 10,000 tons of rubbish each day, is regarded as one of the largest dumpsites in the world. And it’s also a hideout for criminals, who hide dangerous weapons and hard drugs inside the massive dumpsite. 
 
Living under these terrible conditions posed enough headache for the footballer’s family, but at just six, Osimhen, last child among seven siblings, lost his mother, while his father lost his job, leaving him and his siblings in the dark world of uncertainty. 
 
Insecurity, poverty and the perennial fear of eviction by the Lagos State Government stared his family in the face. 
 
The setback, however, didn’t deter the teenager, who made lemonade from the lemons life threw at him: he opted to hawk water, popularly known as ‘pure water,’ on the streets of Lagos. 
 
“I come from a place where so many dreams have died but I’m the kind of person who doesn’t give up irrespective of my situation. So, I was forced to go out and get myself a life,” Osimhen said. 
 
“In Lagos, they sell water (bottle or sachet) which is the easiest, but the hardest because you have to run and give somebody the water and collect money.” 
 
Running on the ever-busy Lagos roads chasing passengers was the perfect training for Osimhen, who turns 22 in December, on the way to stardom. And he combined this with street football. 
 
 
 
But while hawking put food on the family’s table, street football didn’t, then. 
 
The skinny up-and-coming footballer eventually caught the attention of the country’s U-17 coaches and scouts, who selected him for the 2015 U-17 World Cup in Chile, but not without a story. 
 
“Getting into camp was a different life, a different story,” Osimhen told Elegbete TV. 
 
“When we got to the FIFA Goal Project pitch in Abuja (where the U-17 officials were screening players), there was a huge crowd, it was like two million players. I thought, ‘how can this man (coach Emmanuel Amuneke) see me when some players had been there for several days?’ 
 
“The screening was just for 15 minutes. Amuneke said if you’re talented, you don’t need one hour to show it. ‘In 10 minutes, if you show what you’ve got, you can be in the team,’ he said. And I said, ‘no problem, let’s go.’ In a spate of 15 minutes, I scored two goals. But the coach was so tired and said, ‘just go.’ He chased everyone out. I told the person who brought me, ‘I came to Abuja to do my bit but I wasn’t picked, I think we should go back to Lagos.’ 
 
“But the team doctor told Amuneke, ‘I think you should try the guy on green.’ That’s me they didn’t know my name. When he (Amuneke) called me, he said, ‘don’t you eat, why are you like this?’ 
 
“He told me to sit down and I was happy. Then I played against the main team in camp and I was fighting really hard, giving them problems. 
 
“After screening, the coach told some players to go but asked me to come back the following day. And he fell in love with me. The final day I was picked, the U-15 players at the Goal Project were very happy for me.” 
 
Osimhen would go on to lead the Golden Eaglets to a record fifth U-17 World Cup triumph, scoring 10 goals, the highest ever at the tournament, and scooping the Golden Boot and Silver Ball in the process. 
 
He was also named CAF Youth Player of The Year for 2015. 
 
That attention-grabbing achievement sold the rising star to the world and German side Wolfsburg grabbed him. 
 
However, street hawking also counted for something in his burgeoning career. 
 
His pace and strength, qualities you must possess in the highly competitive Lagos hawking business, gives opposing defenders nightmarish moments. 
 
“It wasn’t easy, but I had to do it and that set my path in which I will never give up in life no matter the situation or where I am and that gave me the zeal and momentum no matter what life throws at me,” Osimhen said. 
 
He added, “Growing up in a family when it was hard to get three square meals in a day, I can say that I have seen it all in life; the hardest part was when I was at Wolfsburg. It was really a tough period for me and at some point, I started doubting my abilities. 
 
“I had thought that everything was going to be smooth after my days with the Golden Eaglets but I thank God for the experience I went through at Wolfsburg and it made me realise that life is not that easy as it seems.” 
 
After his Wolfsburg experience, where he was plagued by a series of injuries, making just 12 Bundesliga appearances and scoring no goal, Osimhen’s career seemed set for a decline after Belgian clubs Zulte Waregem and Club Brugge, who had shown interest in the striker, both turned him down under inexplicable circumstances. 
 
But an amazing career revival at Belgian side Sporting Charleroi, where he scored 20 goals in 36 games in the penultimate season, soon set him on the path to the top. 
 
Last summer, the Nigerian joined Lille for €12m and scored 18 goals with six assists in 38 games across all competitions. He was voted the club’s Player of The Year and also scooped the Marc-Vivien Foe prize for the best African player in Ligue 1, before Italian giants Napoli grabbed him from the French club on Friday, after protracted talks, following the player’s change of agents. 
 
He will wear the respected No.9 jersey at the two-time Italian champions next season. 
 
“We are very happy at Osimhen’s arrival,” Aurelio De Laurentiis, Napoli president, said on Radio Kiss Kiss. 
 
“The young man has been enchanted by Partenope. He will wear the No.9 jersey. 
 
“(Gennaro) Gattuso (Napoli manager) really wanted to sign Osimhen. (Director of sport Cristiano) Giuntoli did a great job because the lad changed his agents during the negotiations. 
 
“Lille will receive circa €80m, while the player over the years will get between €4m and €4.5m per season.” 
 
“We don’t have to expect everything and immediately, even if he doesn’t score 25 or 30 goals, but he should express himself well in this extraordinary team and also make the other Azzurri score.” 
 
The player himself is hoping to deliver the goods in the highly technical and demanding Serie A as he charts a new career course as Africa’s most expensive footballer ever. 
 
“The next chapter @Napoli is a very exciting one and I can’t wait to get on the pitch with the team. I want to thank the fans for the past few weeks. I will definitely give my all on the pitch for the common good of the club,” Osimhen tweeted on Friday. 
 
Playing alongside experienced professionals like captain Lorenzo Insigne, José Callejón, Fernando Llorente, Hirving Lozano, Dries Mertens, David Ospina, Kalidou Koulibaly and Arkadiusz Milik will surely come handy in helping Osimhen develop into one of football’s best strikers, as he hopes to leave the dreaded Serie A defenders in his wake, on a regular basis.

Latest-News From pure water hawker to the most expensive footballer in Africa: Victor Oshimen tells his story

On Friday, Napoli officially announced the signing of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from Ligue 1 side Lille on a five-year deal worth €81 plus add-ons. Aside the mega-money move making Osimhen the most expensive African footballer ever, the forwar…

Senate probes fresh multi-billion naira fraud in NDDC

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The Senate said it had received fresh fraud allegations against the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission. 
 
The red chamber said the new financial infractions were not captured in the list of the allegation of N40bn reckless spending which a whistle-blower brought against the NDDC to the parliament recently. 
 
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The Senate said the fresh probe would be handled by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. 
 
The chairman of the panel, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, confirmed the development in Abuja. 
 
He explained that the acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Kemebradikumo Pondei, would be summoned after the Senate panel had concluded its public hearing involving the United Bank for Africa Plc and the liquidators of the defunct NITEL/EMTEL, which would take place next Wednesday. 
 
Akinyelure said, “There is a petition that has just been sent to my committee by the leadership of the Senate. 
 
“I received it on Tuesday. It is about the alleged fraudulent practices of the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission. 
 
“I will take my time to study the petition. Our committee will invite him as soon as we conclude hearing on the case involving the UBA which is before our committee. 
 
“We will invite the MD to come and explain to the whole world how he allegedly misappropriated billions of funds as the head of the agency.” 
 
Akinyelure, who did not give further clue into the content of the petition against Pondei, however, said the embattled MD would also answer questions about allegations of contract scam against some federal lawmakers. 
 
The senator from Ondo Central said, “He (Pondei) will also tell Nigerians about the details of the senators who allegedly took gratification and contracts from him. 
 
“He must come and prove it beyond reasonable doubts. No senator awards contracts. We can only facilitate project allocation for our various constituencies. 
 
“We don’t even know when the executive would advertise those projects. 
 
“Our job is to ensure that the project is executed. If any Senator or House of Representatives member had gone to the NDDC management to take money or contract, we will ask the MD to expose such a person. 
 
“The NDDC should stop blackmailing the entire Senate. We have 109 members in the Senate. We are celebrated Nigerians. 
 
“We were millionaires before we came into the Senate. We had jobs. All the allegations against us are fallacy of the highest order.” 
 
Investigations revealed that the fresh petition against Pondei was sent to the leadership of the Senate after the chamber’s ad hoc panel had concluded its probe of the NDDC and even submitted its report. 
 
The report of the panel, led by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, was considered and approved by the upper chamber before proceeding on its annual vacation last week. 
 
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, however, gave a hint about some of the fresh allegations against Pondei in a statement he signed last week. 
 
Nwaoboshi had while reacting to the allegations by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, wondered while the former Akwa Ibom State governor chose to blackmail lawmakers instead of checking the alleged daily reckless spending in the NDDC despite its probe by the National Assembly. 
 
Nwaoboshi alleged that the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC under Pondei paid N39.4m to a media outfit, Messrs Clear Point Consultancy, to defend media attacks against Akpabio. 
 
He alleged that Pondei’s IMC was using taxpayers’ money to launder Akpabio’s image. 
 
The senator also said the IMC was allegedly paying N51.8m every month as an allowance to Pondei while other members of the team were allegedly being paid N18m monthly. 
 
Nwaoboshi said, “The above revelations are just a tip of the mind-boggling and reckless payments running into billions of naira by the IMC members to themselves and expended with the approval of Mr Akpabio.” 
 
The Senate had last Thursday called for the dissolution of the IMC. 
 
It also asked the embattled IMC, led by Pondei, to refund an extra-budgetary expenditure amounting to N4.923bn to the NDDC accounts. 
 
The red chamber took the decision after approving the recommendations of its ad hoc committee. 
 
The ad hoc panel was set up to unravel the alleged financial recklessness at the NDDC between October 2019 and May 2020. 
 
The Senate asked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the Presidency to take over the supervisory role of the NDDC. 
 
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, had said the report would be submitted to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), who according to him, was “eagerly expecting it.” 
 
Meanwhile, The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday regretted that some people in his government and the previous one abused the trust reposed in them. 
 
He was speaking when journalists sought his reaction to the revelations coming out from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Niger Delta Development Commission. 
 
The President regretted that some people in his government and the previous one abused the trust reposed in them. 
 
Buhari spoke in an interview he granted State House correspondents after joining his family members and some top government officials to observe the Eid El-Kabir prayers inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja. 
 
He said, “There has been abuse of trust by people trusted by previous administration and this administration. 
 
“A number of assets and some money have been recovered. But we have introduced TSA where all the monies are taken and I said asset should be sold and the money be put through TSA so that it can be identified at any level and I will see who will come after us and take it back again to those who misappropriated public funds.” 
 
On insecurity, he said his regime had done its best as far as fighting members of the Boko Haram sect in the North- East and militants in the South South was concerned. 
 
The President’s claim that he had done his best on insurgency and militancy came two days after insurgents attacked the convoy of the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum. 
 
 
The governor was said to be on a routine inspection when his convoy was attacked by suspected members of Boko Haram between Baga and Munguno on Wednesday. 
 
On Thursday, multiple explosions from mortars fired by suspected Boko Haram members hit Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, leaving many injured. 
 
But Buhari, who recalled that his regime inherited the security challenges from the previous administration, said he had done his best. 
 
He, however, knocked security agencies on the current security challenges in the North-West and North-Central, saying they could do better than what they were currently doing. 
 
The President said, “I want Nigerians to be very conscious of their country and what we inherited when we came in 2015 was Boko Haram – North-East and the militants, the South-South. Nigerians know that we have done our best. 
 
“What is coming up in the North-West and North-Central is very disturbing indeed but I believe the military, the police and other law enforcement agencies from the report I am getting; I think they could do much better. 
 
“They could do much better, but we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.” 
 
When asked what he wished Nigerians, Buhari said, “I wish Nigerians the best of luck. In the Eid El-Kabir sermon, the Imam has said it all. We want security, prosperity and well-being of Nigerians.” 
 
The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, later issued a statement quoting Buhari as giving assurances that there would be more resources for the country’s military, police and other security agencies to deal with the unwanted security situation in some areas of the country. 
 
The statement was titled: “President Buhari pledges more resources to deal with ‘very disturbing’ security situation in parts of the country.” 
 
Shehu said, while assessing the state of security in the country, the President described the situation, particularly in the North-West and the North-Central parts of the country as “very disturbing.” 
 
He further quoted Buhari as saying that while much had been achieved, as regard security, from the situation he inherited in 2015, more still needed to be done. 
 
The statement read, “He (the President) said considering the security situation on the ground when he came to office, ‘Nigerians know that we have done our best. However, what is coming out of the North-West and the North-Central is very disturbing.’ 
 
“Responding to a specific question on the performance of the service chiefs, which recently he said needed to get better, the President said that the military, the police and other security agencies were working hard. 
 
“’We are making resources available to them to even do better,’ he assured, adding that ‘from the reports I am getting, they could do much better…they could do much better. But we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.’” 
 
On the issue of corruption, Shehu quoted Buhari as saying that all past and present cases would be fully investigated. 
 
“This is why we put the commission (of investigation) in place. There has been abuse of trust by people trusted by the previous administration and this administration,” the presidential aide quoted Buhari as saying, stressing that all of such cases would be uncovered and firmly dealt with by his government. 
 
The statement added, “On the specific case of the Niger Delta, the President decried the wastage of the resources earmarked for the betterment of the lives of the people of that region, lamenting that corruption had been unhelpful in that regard, especially ‘if you recall there is the 13 per cent derivation.’ 
 
“He also warned against the vandalism of oil pipelines in the oil- producing areas which often results in environmental pollution. 
 
“Those who are blowing up pipelines and interfering with the production of petroleum products are hurting their people more than the rest of Nigerians because the majority of their people are fishermen, fisherwomen and farmers. Now if they pollute the land and the waters, the fish go into the deeper sea where the people cannot go and they cannot grow anything. They are hurting their immediate communities more than any other thing,’ the President further noted.” 
 
Buhari had earlier in the day joined Muslims all over the world to mark this year’s Eid El-Kabir. 
 
The President, his family members and some top government officials observed the sallah within the precinct of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. 
 
His wife, Aisha and son, Yusuf, were among those who took part in the prayers led by the Chief of Imam of the State House mosque, Abdulwaheed Sulaiman. 
 
Shortly after the prayers, Buhari witnessed the slaughtering of the sallah rams and thereafter took group pictures with family members. 
 
Those who participated in the prayers, including the President, wore masks and maintained social distancing with the arrangement of their prayer mats on accordance with the guidelines issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. 
 
The President later wrote on his Twitter handle, @MBuhari, “I observed the Eid El-Kabir prayers at home with my family, this morning, in keeping with the advisories from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. 
 
“Once again I wish us all a safe and happy Eid. #EidMubarak.” 
 
The President’s wife also took to her social media platforms to wish Muslims well. 
 
She wrote, “On this occasion of Eid el Adha, which signifies the spirit of sacrifice, I wish to congratulate Nigerian Muslims and charge them to imbibe the lessons of the period. 
 
“I wish to use this opportunity to thank Nigerians for respecting the protocols designed for COVID-19, and to call on them to remain resolute in ensuring that the pandemic is controlled. 
 
“I also call on Nigerians to make best use of the financial support being provided through CBN to boost their businesses in order to cushion the effects of COVID-19. 
 
“It is my ardent prayer that we overcome the pandemic as soon as possible so that we return to our normal lives in earnest.”

Latest-News Senate probes fresh multi-billion naira fraud in NDDC

The Senate said it had received fresh fraud allegations against the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission. The red chamber said the new financial infractions were not captured in the list of the allegation of N40bn reckless spending w…

Buhari vows to investigate all past, present corruption cases in Nigeria

01:55 Unknown 0

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A disappointed President Muhmmadu Buhari spoke yesterday against the backdrop of the ongoing investigation of the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), expressing regrets that some public officials put in positions of trust had abused the confidence reposed in them. 
 
He vowed that all ongoing investigations into previous and new corruption cases would be painstakingly pursued. 
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Buhari, speaking after the private Eid prayers held with his family and aides at the forecourt of the State House, Abuja yesterday, said he emplaced the special investigative panel on EFCC to ensure the probe of all cases. 
 
He also spoke on the security challenge in parts of the country, pledging more resources for the military, the police and other security agencies to deal with the situation. 
 
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that when asked how he felt about recent revelations coming from the EFCC and the NDDC, Buhari said: “There has been abuse of trust by people trusted by previous administration and this administration. 
 
“A number of assets have been recovered and some money. 
 
“But we have introduced TSA where all the monies are taken and I said asset should be sold and the money be put through TSA so that it can be identified at any level and I will see who will come after us and take it back again to those who misappropriated public funds.” 
 
While assuring that all past and present cases would be fully investigated, he said: “This is why we put the commission (of investigation) in place.” 
 
On the Niger Delta, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said Buhari decried the wastage of the resources, especially the 13% derivation meant for improving the lives of the people of that region. 
 
He said corruption has not helped the generality of the people. 
 
In a series of tweets two weeks ago, Buhari asked the National Assembly and other agencies investigating the misuse of national resources to work together in ensuring transparency and accountability from individuals and institutions entrusted with public funds. 
 
”I am determined to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta in spite of the enormous national resources dedicated to this annually. This administration remains committed to bringing rapid, even and sustainable development to the region,” he said in one of the tweets. 
 
Buhari also yesterday warned against the vandalization of oil pipelines in the oil- producing areas which often results in environmental pollution. 
 
His words: “Those who are blowing pipelines and interfering with the production of petroleum products are hurting their people more than the rest of Nigerians because majority of their people are fishermen, fisherwomen and farmers. 
 
“Now if they pollute the land and the waters, the fish goes into the deeper sea where the people cannot go and they cannot grow anything. They are hurting their immediate communities more than any other thing.” 
 
Buhari described the deteriorating security situation in the North West and the North Central as “very disturbing.” 
 
President Buhari said that while much had been achieved security wise from the situation he inherited in 2015, more still needed to be done. 
 
“I want Nigerians to be very conscious of their country, and what we inherited when we came in 2015 was Boko Haram – North East and the militants, the South-South. Nigerians know that we have done our best,” he said. 
 
Responding to a question on the performance of the Service Chiefs which he recently said needed to get better, the President said that the military, the police and other security agencies were working hard. 
 
“We are making resources available to them to even do better,” he said. 
 
He added: “From the reports I am getting, they could do much better…they could do much better. But we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.” 
 
Asked what he wished Nigerians as they celebrate the Eid El-Kabir, the President said: “I wish Nigerians the best of luck. 
 
‘In the Eid-Kabir sermon, the Imam has said it all. We want security, prosperity and wellbeing of all Nigerians. We want Nigerians to be very conscious of their country.” 
 
The President after the prayer personally slaughtered his own ram in accordance with Islamic injunctions. 
 
The Senate and the House of Representatives are currently investigating how the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) allegedly squandered N40 billion within a few months. 
 
There is a separate forensic audit into the affairs of the commission by the Presidency. 
 
The Presidency also set up a Presidential Probe Panel headed by retired Justice Ayo Salami to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the suspended acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu. 
 
The setting up of the Ayo Salami panel followed a memo by the Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, in which he accused the EFCC under its suspended chairman, Ibrahim Magu, of “not acting in the overall best interest of the country and the policies of this administration due to its mismanagement and lack of transparency in managing recovered assets; diversion of recovered assets for personal enrichment; neglecting to investigate the P&ID case as directed by the President; flagrant disobedience to directives and to court orders.” 
 
For instance, Malami said: “EFCC reported a total naira equivalent of N46, 038,882,509.87 while the naira equivalent of the foreign currency lodgments were N37,533,764,195.66, representing a shortfall of N8,505,118,314.21. 
 
“These inconsistencies cast a serious doubt on the accuracy of figures submitted by the EFCC. It is the committee’s view that the EFCC cannot be said to have fully accounted for cash recoveries made by it. 
 
“While EFCC reported total naira recoveries of N504,154,184,744.04, the actual bank lodgments were N543, 511,792,863.47. These discrepancies mean that EFCC’s actual lodgment exceeded its reported recoveries by N39, 357,608,119.43. 
 
“This is an apparent case of manipulation of data in a very brazen and unprofessional manner and this has greatly eroded the public confidence in the anti-corruption efforts.” 
 
He said Magu refused to clarify the discrepancies and inconsistencies in the figures. 
 
The minister also cited alleged mismanagement of recovered assets by the EFCC. 
 
In his defence to the panel, Magu said: “The existing structure in the EFCC on the recovery of assets and the management of same will not allow any form of mismanagement of recovered assets to be perpetrated. 
 
“In the Commission under my watch, funds are recovered vide bank drafts issued in favour of the Commission and lodged in the recovery accounts domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). 
 
“Even when cash is recovered during execution of search warrant, such funds are meticulously counted, kept in the safe custody of the Exhibit Keeper and lodged in the recovery account. 
 
“I am not a signatory to these accounts and the funds therein. I have never approved a withdrawal from any of the Commission’s recovery accounts for my personal benefit. 
 
“Nowhere have I reported the Naira equivalent of the foreign currency recoveries. As a matter of standard practice and procedure, the Commission under my leadership reports foreign currency recoveries and not the naira equivalent of same. 
 
“The commission under my leadership has never converted foreign currency recoveries to Naira.”

Latest-News Buhari vows to investigate all past, present corruption cases in Nigeria

A disappointed President Muhmmadu Buhari spoke yesterday against the backdrop of the ongoing investigation of the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), expressing regrets th…

Abuja topples Lagos as COVID-19 cases rise to 43,151

01:55 Unknown 0

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Friday night announced 462 fresh infections in the country making the total cases 43,151. 
 
The NCDC disclosed this in an update posted on their Twitter. 
 
FCT led again with 93 new infections cases, followed by Lagos with 78, Plateau with 64 and Kaduna 54. 
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Other are: “Oyo-47, Ondo-32, Adamawa-23, Bauchi-19, Rivers-9, Ogun-9, Delta-9, Edo-7, Kano-6, Enugu-6, Nasarawa-5, Osun-1,” 
 
However, 19,565 people have so far been discharged, while the infection has claimed 879 lives. 
 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<div dir="ltr" lang="tl" xml:lang="tl">462 new cases of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19Nigeria?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19Nigeria</a>; 
 
FCT-93 
Lagos-78 
Plateau-64 
Kaduna-54 
Oyo-47 
Ondo-32 
Adamawa-23 
Bauchi-19 
Rivers-9 
Ogun-9 
Delta-9 
Edo-7 
Kano-6 
Enugu-6 
Nasarawa-5 
Osun-1 
 
43,151 confirmed 
19,565 discharged 
879 deaths <a href="https://t.co/m4LZc6V7eI">pic.twitter.com/m4LZc6V7eI</a></div>
— NCDC (@NCDCgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/NCDCgov/status/1289326929842184192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Latest-News Abuja topples Lagos as COVID-19 cases rise to 43,151

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Friday night announced 462 fresh infections in the country making the total cases 43,151. The NCDC disclosed this in an update posted on their Twitter. FCT led again with 93 new infections cases, foll…

Oyakilome blasts Buhari - "You don't have the right to tell us the number of hours to worship God"

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Founder, Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has warned the Federal Government to stay away from the affairs of the church, saying it has no right to tell churches the number of hours to worship in their assemblies. 
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The Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 had said churches should only worship on Sunday for one or two hours. 
 
Oyakhilome, during a broadcast to members of his churches said Christians would serve God the way He wanted them to and not as somebody wanted. 
 
“We can serve God as he wants us to, not as somebody says we should. I am appalled that some people have the audacity to tell us how many hours we can spend in church. How dare you?” 
 
He asked: “What in the world do you think you are? Your time is short. You cannot tell God’s people how long they can spend in church. 
 
“If you built the building for them and you are saying you are not going to let them enter the building, maybe because you built it.” 
 
“But if you didn’t, you have no right to tell God’s people you’re going to spend one hour or two hours in church. I tell you, the number of hours you tell them they have in the church is the number of hours you have left.”

Latest-News Oyakilome blasts Buhari - "You don't have the right to tell us the number of hours to worship God"

Founder, Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has warned the Federal Government to stay away from the affairs of the church, saying it has no right to tell churches the number of hours to worship in their assemblies. The Presidential Taskforce on…

Meet 17 year-old US teenager who hacked Twitter accounts of prominent politicians, celebrities

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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="700" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgTeMiszWj9fM-wFe6VQNzGQE4moTDG_yFUoK-Pq2Q01LybDt85lm1NJvK5i1ZW6r1hqlk9hkw67vAhDXFdrad27nHoyj82TlHDeNi7ZFU8g6SJW3UkHoNFcwtRsk7BywCYB5XuRXho0U/s640/hkhkk.jpeg" width="640" /></div>
 
A 17 year-old Florida teenager, Graham Ivan Clark led the three-man hacking gang that took over the Twitter accounts of prominent politicians, celebrities and technology moguls on 15 July. 
 
Clark along with a British teenager, a Florida man, were identified by authorities Friday as the hackers who seized the accounts to scam people around the globe out of more than $100,000 in Bitcoin. 
 
The teenager was arrested Friday in Tampa, where the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office will prosecute him as adult. 
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He faces 30 felony charges, according to a news release. 
 
Mason Sheppard, 19, of Bognor Regis, U.K., and Nima Fazeli, 22, of Orlando, were charged in California federal court. 
 
In one of the most high-profile security breaches in recent years, hackers sent out bogus tweets from the accounts of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Mike Bloomberg . 
 
Accounts of a number of tech billionaires including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, were also hacked. 
 
Celebrities Kanye West and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, were hacked as well. 
 
The tweets offered to send $2,000 for every $1,000 sent to an anonymous Bitcoin address. 
 
“There is a false belief within the criminal hacker community that attacks like the Twitter hack can be perpetrated anonymously and without consequence,” U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson for the Northern District of California said in a news release. 
 
“Today’s charging announcement demonstrates that the elation of nefarious hacking into a secure environment for fun or profit will be short-lived.” 
 
Although the case against the teen was also investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice, Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren explained that his office is prosecuting Clark in Florida state court because Florida law allows minors to be charged as adults in financial fraud cases such as this when appropriate. 
 
He added that Clark was the leader of the hacking scam. 
 
“This defendant lives here in Tampa, he committed the crime here, and he’ll be prosecuted here,” Warren said. 
 
Security experts were not surprised that the alleged mastermind of the hack is a 17-year-old, given the relative amateur nature both of the operation and the hackers’ willingness afterward to discuss the hack with reporters online. 
 
“I think this is a great case study showing how technology democratizes the ability to commit serious criminal acts,” said Jake Williams, founder of the cybersecurity firm Rendition Infosec. 
 
“I’m not terribly surprised that at least one of the suspects is a minor. There wasn’t a ton of development that went into this attack.” 
 
Williams said the hackers were “extremely sloppy” in how they moved the Bitcoin around. 
 
He also said he was conflicted about whether Clark should be charged as an adult. 
 
“He definitely deserves to pay (for jumping on the opportunity) but potentially serving decades in prison doesn’t seem like justice in this case,” William said. 
 
Twitter previously said hackers used the phone to fool the social media company’s employees into giving them access. It said hackers targeted “a small number of employees through a phone spear-phishing attack.” 
 
“This attack relied on a significant and concerted attempt to mislead certain employees and exploit human vulnerabilities to gain access to our internal systems,” the company tweeted. 
 
After stealing employee credentials and getting into Twitter’s systems, the hackers were able to target other employees who had access to account support tools, the company said. 
 
The hackers targeted 130 accounts. They managed to tweet from 45 accounts, access the direct message inboxes of 36, and download the Twitter data from seven. 
 
Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders has said his inbox was among those accessed. 
 
Internal Revenue Service investigators in Washington, D.C., were able to identify two of the hackers by analyzing Bitcoin transactions on the blockchain — the ledger where transactions are recorded — including ones the hackers attempted to keep anonymous, federal prosecutors said. 
 
Spear-phishing is a more targeted version of phishing, an impersonation scam that uses email or other electronic communications to deceive recipients into handing over sensitive information. 
 
Twitter said it would provide a more detailed report later “given the ongoing law enforcement investigation.”

Latest-News Meet 17 year-old US teenager who hacked Twitter accounts of prominent politicians, celebrities

A 17 year-old Florida teenager, Graham Ivan Clark led the three-man hacking gang that took over the Twitter accounts of prominent politicians, celebrities and technology moguls on 15 July. Clark along with a British teenager, a Florida man, were ide…

152,878 Americans killed by COVID-19

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There are now at least 4,536,240 cases of coronavirus in the US and 152,878 people have died from the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. 
 
On Friday at 3:15 p.m. ET, Johns Hopkins reported 41,225 new cases and 823 reported deaths. 
 
The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases. 
 
Missouri’s health department reported 1,489 new Covid-19 positive cases on Friday. 
 
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The department has reported more than 1,000 positive cases each of the past 11 days. 
 
On Thursday, the department said in a series of tweets that due to increased testing throughout the state combined with the testing delays at labs across the country, there was a backlog of data processing and entry in its office affecting the case counts over the previous 10 days. The tweets on Thursday said that today’s numbers would be current with only cases reported over the past 24 hours. 
 
The total number of Covid-19 cases in Missouri is now 50,323, according to figures released Friday afternoon by the department. The state reported a 9.7% positivity rate averaged over the past seven days. 
 
There were also 10 new deaths in the state, according to the department, bringing the total to 1,243. 
 
However, an ensemble forecast published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now projects more than 173,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States by August 22. 
 
The new projections, published Friday, forecast 173,270 deaths by August 22, with a possible range of 167,692 to 182,366 deaths. 
 
“State-level ensemble forecasts predict that the number of reported new deaths per week may increase over the next four weeks in: Alabama, Kentucky, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, and Washington,” the CDC says on its forecasting website. 
 
Unlike some individual models, the CDC’s ensemble forecast only offers projections about a month into the future. The previous ensemble forecast, published July 23, projected roughly 164,000 coronavirus deaths by August 15. 
 
At least 152,072 people have already died from Covid-19 in the United States, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. 
<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-07-31-20-intl/index.html"> </a><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-07-31-20-intl/index.html">Source: CNN</a>

Latest-News 152,878 Americans killed by COVID-19

There are now at least 4,536,240 cases of coronavirus in the US and 152,878 people have died from the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. On Friday at 3:15 p.m. ET, Johns Hopkins reported 41,225 new cases and 823 reported deaths.…

Lagos governor rescues man from suicide attempt on Third Mainland Bridge

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, rescued a man who wanted to commit suicide because he has a debt of N500,000. 
 
The governor made this known while speaking to journalists after he visited the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Broad Street and some other hospitals in different parts of the State, to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir with in-patients and health practitioners. 
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Speaking on his response to a recent viral video of a boy begging his mother to calm down while punishing him for an offense he committed, Governor Sanwo-Olu said he believes strongly in paying attention and creating time to little things because there might be somebody somewhere who needs a help. 
 
He said: “You look at big things but you need to certainly create time for little things as well. That is the difference. You know, you are going to build a bridge and it is nice but you have somebody who is just somewhere who needs a help. 
 
“Just this morning (Friday), we rescued somebody who was planning to jump at the Third Mainland Bridge all because he said he has a debt of N500,000. We had to rescue him and we paid the debt. Those little details are what make the difference. 
 
“I don’t have two heads, I don’t have 15 fingers. We are still same human beings. So, we need to show that human part of us while we are not losing sight of the big picture. The big picture is that we want to build roads, bridges and new schools. But we also need to pay attention to little one like the young boy on that video. By the way, I have spoken to him and his mother. They are doing great and I will see him one of these days very soon.”

Latest-News Lagos governor rescues man from suicide attempt on Third Mainland Bridge

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, rescued a man who wanted to commit suicide because he has a debt of N500,000. The governor made this known while speaking to journalists after he visited the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Broad…

Every Nigerian received Covid-19 relief -Buhari's minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq

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Latest-News Every Nigerian received Covid-19 relief -Buhari's minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq

…

2023: Mamman Daura has no qualification, experience to give directives ― Edwin Clark

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Former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari’s influential nephew, Mallam Mamman Daura for saying on Tuesday that there was no need for zoning the  2023 Presidential ticket to any part of the country. 
 
In a statement Thursday in Abuja, Chief Clark who asked Daura to stop fooling himself and those around him, said that he (Daura) lacks the experience and qualification to give directives on Nigeria’s Governmental Affairs. 
 
According to the Elder statesman, Mamman Daura has never held a notable political appointment in the country to qualify him to be a Political Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari. 
 
Recall that the head of the kitchen cabinet of the President Buhari administration, the President’s nephew, Malam Mamman Daura, had spoken on the vexed issue of zoning and rotation of the nation’s presidency, arguing that competence, not geography should determine the next president of Nigeria in 2023. 
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He had said that “This turn-by-turn, it was done once, it was done twice, and it was done thrice… It is better for this country to be one…it should be for the most competent and not for someone who comes from somewhere,” he told the BBC Hausa Service in an interview. 
 
Dismissing the clamour for power shift, he said it was time for the country to unite and go for the most competent person to lead the nation.” 
 
According to him, since Nigerians have tried the rotational presidency about thrice already, it would be better to go for the most qualified candidate in 2023 irrespective of whether he comes from the North or the South. 
 
But taking a swipe at him, Chief Clark in a statement titled, “Who is Mamman Daura fooling”, said “This morning, Wednesday, 29th July, 2020, I listened to the various comments by the electronic media, particularly the interesting discussion on the Arise Morning Show anchored by Dr Reuben Abati and his colleagues. 
 
“I have known Mamman Daura for very many years; when he was Deputy Editor of the New Nigeria Newspaper when his friend, the late Mallam Adamu Ciroma was Editor. 
 
“Mamman Daura later became the Editor when Adamu Ciroma was appointed Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The Newspaper became very famous during the trial, of Andrew Obeya, a prominent Public Servant. Mamman Daura was not a politician or activist. 
 
“I saw MammanDaura for the first time in Kaduna in 1975 when as Federal Commissioner(Minister) of Information, I accompanied Gen. Yakubu Gowon, the then Head of State, to Kaduna to commission a Low Cost Housing scheme popularly called Masa-Masa Project. Mamman Daura accompanied Mallam Adamu Ciroma and Col. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, as he then was, to the Guest House, at the Government House in Kaduna. 
 
“Mamman Daura has never held any notable political appointment to qualify him to be a political adviser to Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari on the affairs of Nigeria, which entitles him (MammanDaura) to have permanent accommodation/residency at the Aso Villa, with his family, where politicians go to him, to lobby for political appointments. 
 
“It is, therefore, not true that he visits the Aso Villa to advice, Mr. President. He resides permanently at the Villa with his family. 
 
“This is what led to the open display of shame between the First Lady, Aisha Buhari andMammanDaura’s Children. 
 
“The First Lady Mrs Aisha Buhari has severally complained openly of how her husband’s nephew, MammanDaura and his family, keep harassing and interfering into the affairs of the first family. 
 
“He is the leader of the ‘Villa Cabal’ and the Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to Mr President, Garba Shehu is the go-between or the errand boy of the ‘Cabal’. 
 
“MammanDaura as nephew to Mr.President has every right to speak on their family matters because he is part of Muhammadu Buhari’s family. But he has no experience or qualification to give directives on Nigeria’s governmental affairs. 
 
“The qualities of capability, competence, intelligence and transparent leaders, and availability of such, are notonly either in the North or in the South, neither is it the prerogative of one group or area. 
 
“In fact, citizens with such qualities exist in each of the six geopolitical zones. In terms of size, each of the six zones is as large enough, in fact, each zone in the country is even larger and more populated than some African Countries. 
 
“The matter of zoning was sufficiently discussed at the 2014 National Constitutional Conference which was attended by over 490 Delegates, representing various aspects of the Nigerian public, including professional bodies, Trade Unions, Market Women, the physically challenged and the Youths. And the essence was to give a sense of belonging to all. 
 
“The Conference lasted for about four months and all decisions taken, where unanimous. The late JusticeIdrisKutigi, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, was the Chairman of the Conference and his Deputy was Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, former Foreign Affairs Minister. Mrs Valerie Azinge, (SAN), was the Secretary and one of her assistants at the Conference is the present Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu. 
 
“Six Hundred recommendations were made by the Conference, and submitted to Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the then President and Commander-in-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria, who set up the National Conference. 
 
“The first set of recommendations was purely meant for Mr President and his Executive to implement, which he did not do until he left Office. 
 
“The second set was for the President to submit to the National Assembly for implementation, while the third recommendation was purely a draft Constitution for Nigeria, which is meant to be considered, amended and approved by the National Assembly, and then finally to be submitted for a National referendum. 
 
“This could have given to us a well restructured Nigeria, with full devolution of power from the centre to the other federating units. Nigeria is made up of over 250 ethnic nationalities and many regional bodies. 
 
“That was why the Conference recommended that even at the State or regional level, the Governorship should rotate among the three Senatorial Zones of the State. 
 
“A situation whereby one ethnic group, because it thinks it is lager, will use its size and population to dominate smaller ethnic groups in a State is unacceptable. 
 
“And it is for this reason that some of us are recommending that the South-Eastern part of Nigeria should now be allowed to produce the President of the country, now that it is the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce a President. 
 
“The likes of Ahmed Bola Tinubu of the Southwest zone, a zone which has ruled this country at three different times with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo ruling as Military Head of State and as a democratically elected President, and Chief Ernest Shonekan as Interim National President, should allow the Southeast, which was also part of the three principal regions of Nigeria headed by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as first President of Nigeria from 1963-1966, the Sarduana of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello and the Premier of Western, Chief Obafemi Awolowo as heads of the regional governments. 
 
“It is, therefore, unnecessary and insincere of the same Northern Politicians to say that they no longer believe in the rotation of the Presidency between the North and the South while this was the reason why at that time they accused President Jonathan of breaching the rotation agreement that the Presidency should rotate between the North and the South, and insisted that the North should produce the President to complete the two tenures of 8 years of president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. 
 
“It was this grievance, during the 2011 Presidential elections that resulted to the crisis where many Southerners who were in the North, including Youth Corpers, were killed by northerners, particularly in Bauchi State, where ten Youth Corp members were brutally murdered including my nephew Mr Elliot Adowie. 
 
“In 2015, it was this same issue of rotation that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power as there was great opposition from the northerners who insisted that President Jonathan should not contest the 2015 General Elections, because it was the turn of the North. Today, President Buhari is doing his second term. 
 
“So you can, therefore, imagine MammanDaura and a few others like my good friend Professor Ango Abdullahi of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), who are now advocating for a competent President from any part of Nigeria and that rotation should be dropped. 
 
“A united Nigeria where citizens are equal and are qualified for any appointment in the governance of the country is the only answer to a United Nigeria, a Nigeria where no region will continue to dominate the others is the panacea for peace. 
 
“When Lord Lugard amalgamated the northern and the southern parts of this country in 1914, he did not say that one region should lord it over the others. 
 
“One other reason and advantage of rotation is that it goes a long way to ensure the stability and security of the country, there will be that feeling of oneness and conviviality among Nigerians that all are equal citizens of this country. 
 
“Even if participatory democracy is built on trust and competent, every region in this country has people with such credentials. Let us not deceive ourselves.” 
 
According to Clark, “I have been accused of advising and misdirecting former President GoodluckEbele Jonathan. Yes, I agree that I advised President Jonathan because I contributed to his becoming the President of Nigeria; first as Vice President in 2007, and when he became the Acting President during the absence of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who went to Saudi Arabia on medical grounds but did not comply with Section 145 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as Amended which states that; 
 
“Whenever the President is proceeding on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, he shall transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representative to that effect, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, the Vice President shall perform the functions of the President as Acting President” 
 
“Since this was not done by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, because of the nature of his illness, some prominent Northern politicians opposed and prevented Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, from acting. 
 
“And as a result, there was growing tension in the country. For instance, groups led by Pastor Tunde Bakari of Southern Nigeria demonstrated several times in Abuja demanding that Dr Jonathan should function as Acting President of Nigeria. 
 
“As usual, former Head of State of the country, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, a man of peace and a promoter of national Unity base on equality of all citizens of Nigeria, invited some prominent leaders in the country to a meeting at the ECOWAS building. 
 
“The meeting had in attendance former Heads of State including late President AlhajiShehuShagari, Chief ErnestShonekan and former Vice President, now late, Alex Ekwueme; three former Justices of Nigeria including Justice Alfa Belgore, late Justice Idris Kutigi and Justice Mohammed Uwais; other prominent Nigerians including Gen. T.Y Danjuma (rtd), Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Ahmed Joda and late Solomon Lar. 
 
“I was also one of them. It was during discussions at the meeting that Justice Alfa Belgore, raised the issue of Doctrine of Necessity citing instances of where the Doctrine had been used where the Constitution of the country did not anticipate such event and, therefore, not provided for in the Constitution. 
 
“After elaborate debates, it was decided that we should adopt the Doctrine of Necessity. Prof. Jerry Gana and Senator Jonathan Zwingina of Adamawa State, who acted as Secretaries to the body, were asked to draft a letter to the National Assembly, recommending to them to consider the Doctrine of Necessity in order to solve the political impasse. 
 
“Gen Gowon, who chaired the meeting, said that he will be leaving for Ethiopia immediately after the meeting, and asked the late former President Shehu Shagari to lead a delegation to the National Assembly and to the Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan. 
 
“That was how the Senate presided over by Senator David Mark, the then-Senate President, adopted the Doctrine of Necessity which was also later adopted by the House of Representatives presided over by Rt. Hon.Dimeji Bankole the then-Speaker of the House. 
 
“It was after that that PresidentGoodluck Jonathan was directed to act as the President of Nigeria until the return of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.”

Latest-News 2023: Mamman Daura has no qualification, experience to give directives ― Edwin Clark

Former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari’s influential nephew, Mallam Mamman Daura for saying on Tuesday that there was no need for zoning the 2023 Presidential t…

I am neither bisexual nor homosexual, I still date women - Bobrisky

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Latest-News I am neither bisexual nor homosexual, I still date women - Bobrisky

…

Army dismisses 300 soldiers for desertion, BVN inconsistency

10:55 Unknown 0

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The Nigerian Army has dismissed over 300 soldiers from service for deserting the Operation Lafiya Dole counter-insurgency campaign in the North-East and going away without leave, among other allegations. 
 
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the men were disengaged by their unit commanders between 2015 and 2016. 
 
Investigations showed that some of the soldiers were also discharged for certificate forgery, age fraud, inconsistent Bank Verification Number and other conduct deemed inappropriate by the various unit commanders. 
 
Records obtained by newsmen show that 24 soldiers of the 118 Task Force Battalion, Kaura Cross, Baga, were dismissed from the military on December 13, 2015, for refusing to board an articulated truck from Maimalari cantonment to Baga. 
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The men had complained about the mode of transportation and proceeded to trek for five days to the battlefront at Baga to retake the location from Boko Haram. 
 
On arrival, their Commanding Officer, Col. S. Omolori, charged them with desertion and dismissed the first batch of 24 soldiers. 
 
Three weeks later on January  4, 2016, Omolori discharged the second set of 30 soldiers and another 24 men also for desertion. 
 
Further investigations revealed that 45 soldiers of 157 Battalion were equally expelled on January 16, 2016, for going AWOL. 
 
Also, on February 28, 2016, 24 soldiers were demobilised for going AWOL just as 36 privates who graduated from the Army depot were sent packing by the authorities for certificate forgery, inconsistent BVN, age fraud, among other issues. 
 
Checks, however, revealed that some of the affected soldiers had challenged their dismissal by their unit commanders, whom they accused of high-handedness and tyranny. 
 
The ex-soldiers, in their petitions to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, pleaded to be reabsorbed into the military. 
 
A lawyer to the former troopers, Johnson Oyewole, expressed confidence that the COAS would address the soldiers’ complaints, nullify their dismissal and reinstate them into the army, noting that many cases were being reviewed. 
 
Oyewole, who is representing over 200 dismissed soldiers, said, “The problem is from some field commanders who have failed to flush out insurgents in their areas of responsibility and were venting their frustration on the troops.”

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Eid-el-Kabir: Continue to pray for Nigeria, promote tolerance, Atiku urges Nigerians

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has called on Nigerians to continue their prayers for the country. He also urged the citizens to promote love,peace,mutual respect and tolerance. 
 
He made this appeal in the 2020 eid -el -Kabir message he personally signed titled: Let’s Work To Promote Love, Mutual Respect, Peace And Tolerance In Nigeria. 
 
The statement reads: “Since February when the incident case of the novel corona virus emerged in Nigeria, life has not been the same for us all. Our economic and social lives have been seriously disrupted.For the first time in living memory, Muslims in our country fasted this year without spiritual acts of worship that accompany the Holy Month of Ramadan, and had Eid celebration devoid of the mandatory congressional prayers. Historically too, this would be the fourth time in all time that the holy pilgrimage of Hajj would suffer restrictions 
 
To the glory of the Almighty, the restrictions are being eased. But we are not yet there. There’s still work to be done to ensure that we contain the spread of this virulent disease and rebuild our economic and social life post Covid-19. 
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It is important that we continue to priotise personal hygiene of washing our hands, using face masks, avoiding crowded places and observing social distancing. 
 
The essence of the Eid el Kabir festivities is a reminder of a life of service as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and encouraged by Prophet Muhammed (SAW). In this season of a virus pandemic, we should acknowledge that part of the sacrifices required of us is adherence to instructions and protocols towards the containment of the spread of the corona virus. 
 
In the last four months or so, we have been united in our common resolve to beat this disruptor to our lives. We have drawn strength from one another. We have been guided by the dictum that no man/woman is an island, and that a threat to one is a threat to all. Above all, love has in this season of great uncertainty, broken down the walls of divisions that seek to compromise our resolve to stand united. 
 
And, as Muslims in Nigeria celebrate Eid el Kabir Sallah, it is my hope that we will continue to pray for the country and work assiduously for the promotion of love, mutual respect, peace and tolerance in order to build a stronger and more united country. 
 
I believe that despite our diversity, we can transform our differences into strength by identifying the common interests and issues that bind us together. 
 
Yes, we may have been born different, but religious differences shouldn’t be allowed to lead to acrimony and antagonism among fellow Nigerians. 
 
It is incumbent on all political leaders, too, to increase their connectivity with the ordinary people because if they (leaders) are not in touch with the conditions of the people, it might be difficult to assess the success or failure of given policies. 
 
May the blessing of Allah fill your life with peace, joy and good health. Barka Da Sallah.

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Arsenal vs Chelsea: Fabregas picks winner of FA Cup final

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Cesc Fabregas has admitted he would rather see Arsenal win the FA Cup instead of Chelsea. 
 
Fabregas played for both Premier League teams and won the FA Cup with Arsenal in 2005 and the same trophy with Chelsea in 2018. 
 
The Blues defeated the Gunners in the 2019 Europa League final. 
 
Arsenal last won a trophy in 2017, when they beat Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley to win the FA Cup. 
<a name='more' id="more"></a> 
 
The trophy was their third major honour of the decade, a period in which Chelsea won 11 cups and Fabregas feels the North London side needs silverware more. 
 
“Arsenal need it more. Chelsea basically every year has won a trophy, so it’s a different animal in this case. 
 
“In terms of trophies, Arsenal needs it more and for confidence for next year and getting into Europe. Chelsea are in the Champions League and Arsenal has nothing at the moment,” Fabregas told the Daily Telegraph.

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COVID-19: No herbal medicine has been approved – NAFDAC

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has insisted that it is yet to approve any herbal medicine for the treatment of COVID-19. 
 
The Director of Public Affairs of the agency, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, in an interview with our correspondent, said a drug could only be certified for use after going through clinical trials. 
 
He said, “There is a procedure for everything, we are talking about human lives here, people cannot just put together concoction and expect people to consume it just like that. So far the herbal mixture will be for public consumption due diligence must be followed. 
 
“Science is one, it does not tell lies; even if the son of the NAFDAC DG brings herbal product and the laboratory has failed it, we cannot go ahead and register it. Forget about sentiment, NAFDAC doesn’t have anything to gain by not registering herbal products. Is it not to our pride if register and certify products for consumption? 
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“The major problem in the herbal medicine industry is that, until recently, most of them are illiterate. They do not understand the language of science, what we are trying to do is to teach them how they can pass on this knowledge by connecting them with the academics who understand the language of science. But it is unfortunate that the illiterate person is always suspicious of the educated person, thinking he will steal his inventions.” 
 
The NAFDAC DG, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, in a statement, titled, ‘Approval for listing status by national agency for food and drug administration and control,’ said the agency was processing twenty one herbal medicinal products for “Safe to use” or Listing status. 
 
“Many of the applicants claim that their products are immune boosters and anti-infectives useful for relief of symptoms that could be associated with COVID-19. However, no clinical study has been done yet on any of the products to prove their claim of efficacy. 
 
“Once the product is able to meet all requirements, a listing status is granted with a clear DISCLAIMER that states clearly that claims have not been evaluated by NAFDAC. The applicant can arrange for clinical trials that will involve the use of human subjects in order to prove efficacy or claim for treatment following laid down procedures and with the approval of NAFDAC,” Adeyeye said. 
 
A naturopath, Prof. Idowu Ogunkoya, in an interview with our correspondent said it was wrong for any herbal drug manufacturer to claim to have a cure for COVID-19 at the moment. 
 
He said, “Nobody can claim to cure COVID-19 at the moment, what they can lay claim to is managing the symptoms. Which clinical trial have they done? It is too early for any herbal medicine producer to claim to have found a cure for coronavirus? If they claim that they have drugs that can manage the symptoms, it is acceptable.”

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Foreign reserves drop by $673.13m in two months

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The country’s foreign reserves fell by $673.13m from $36.57bn on June 1 to $35.89bn on July 28, the latest figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed on Thursday. 
 
The CBN, in its first-quarter economic report, titled ‘Gross official external reserves,’ said the gross external reserves fell in the first quarter of 2020. 
 
It stated that gross external reserves were $33.69bn at the end of March 2020. 
 
This indicated a net decrease of 11.6 per cent, compared with the level in the fourth quarter of 2019. 
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The external reserves position would cover 4.5 months of import of goods and services or 7.3 months of import of goods only, based on the estimated value of imports for the first quarter of 2020. 
 
A breakdown of the external reserves by ownership showed that the share of federation reserves was $0.32bn (0.9 per cent); Federal Government reserves, $5.85bn (17.4 per cent); and the CBN reserves, $27.52bn (81.7 per cent) of the total figure. 
 
The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting, reiterated the need for the government to urgently reduce its reliance on oil revenue by gradually diversifying the economy and improving tax collection. 
 
He said headwinds to growth remained the legacy issues of the persistent infrastructural and security challenges. 
 
“Central to the committee’s considerations were the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the oil price shock and the likely short- to medium-term consequences on the Nigerian economy,” he said. 
 
Emefiele added that the committee acknowledged the gradual improvement in macroeconomic variables, particularly the improvement in the equities market, the containment measures of the COVID-19-induced health crisis and the impact of the increase in crude oil price on the external reserves.

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The country’s foreign reserves fell by $673.13m from $36.57bn on June 1 to $35.89bn on July 28, the latest figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed on Thursday. The CBN, in its first-quarter economic report, titled ‘Gross official external re…

Nigerians suffering in Europe, says UK consultant

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The Founder of Napier Consulting Services, Roy Napier, has lamented the rate of exploitation of young Nigerians who travelled to Europe for greener pastures only to have their hope dashed. 
 
Napier said in his travels around the world, he discovered that many youths were ill-informed on the conditions they would meet in many developed countries. 
 
The consultant spoke in Lagos on Thursday during a walk to commemorate the World Day Against Human Trafficking. 
 
The 2020 celebration is tagged, ‘Human Trafficking Destroys Lives, Take a Stand.’ 
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Personnel of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related offences were joined by men of the Nigeria Police Force on the walk, which also included a non-governmental organisation, Live Abundantly, among others. 
 
The groups moved round some parts of the Ikeja area as they sang, distributed fliers and spoke against human trafficking. 
 
Napier said that although he grew up in the UK, he had been visiting Nigeria since 1995. 
 
“I remember being in Spain on vacation and there I saw an entire Nigerian community; huge numbers of Nigerian people on the streets of Spain, selling all the things you buy on the side of the streets; the silly things for tourists. 
 
“I have seen what happens to Nigerians who travel to Europe. I can absolutely confirm that it is worse than here. Nigeria and Africa have enormous opportunities for expansion, trade, business and for entrepreneurs. It is far better and you are likely to become a successful business person in Nigeria than in Europe.” 
 
The Founder and Executive Director of Live Abundantly, Dr Ama Onyerima, said in Nigeria, 70 per cent of women and children were vulnerable to human trafficking, hence the need to take a stand. 
 
“Human trafficking must start to be addressed in schools and in the communities to create greater awareness because it is an epidemic on its own,” she added. 
 
The Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Lagos, Daniel Atokolo, said human trafficking was a modern day slavery, urging Nigerians to take a stand against traffickers, trade in human parts and organs, baby factory and sale of babies.

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The Founder of Napier Consulting Services, Roy Napier, has lamented the rate of exploitation of young Nigerians who travelled to Europe for greener pastures only to have their hope dashed. Napier said in his travels around the world, he discovered t…

PANDEF, MASSOB slam Daura over comment on zoning

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The Pan Niger Delta Forum has said that the statement credited to Mamman Daura, nephew of the President Muhammadu Buhari was capable of creating tension in the country. 
 
Recall that Daura had said that rotational presidency should be jettisoned, while the next president of the country in 2023 should emerge based on competence. 
 
PANDEF described Daura’s suggestion as insensitive and unfortunate. 
 
The forum, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Ken Robinson, said, “That kind of statement is not only insensitive, but most unfortunate. It is unarguably capable of creating unnecessary tension in the country. 
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“Nigeria is currently being confronted with grave challenges of insecurity, with attendant threats to the socio-economic fabrics of the country; lives and property of innocent citizens are being devastated daily, across the country. 
 
“Surprising, that seemed not to bother the northern leader, who is reportedly a close confidant of Mr President.” 
 
Also, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State Daura statement was an indication that the North remained desperate for power. 
 
MASSOB said the desperation and lack of competence by the North to move the nation forward had forced some Nigerian ethnic groups to begin to consider a breakaway from the country. 
 
The National Director of Information for the movement, Sunday Okereafor, in an interview with newsmen, added that Daura was speaking the mind of President Buhari. 
 
Okereafor advised the Igbo to listen to the President’s nephew and intensify the struggle for Biafra. 
 
He said, “Those saying it is time for the Igbo to produce the next President of Nigeria should listen to what Mamman Daura said. Daura is speaking President Muhammadu Buhari’s mind; he is speaking the mind of the Fulani and the Caliphate. 
 
“If the North had utilised the opportunity they had in the past well, Nigeria would not have been in its current situation. There would not have been any consideration for Biafra or Oodua. Daura’s statement shows that the North wants to hold on to power. 
 
“Even Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will find it difficult to get there. There is never a plan by the Fulani to give Tinubu the presidency. Olu Falae tried it and failed, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and others (from the West) tried it and failed,” Okereafor added.

Latest-News PANDEF, MASSOB slam Daura over comment on zoning

The Pan Niger Delta Forum has said that the statement credited to Mamman Daura, nephew of the President Muhammadu Buhari was capable of creating tension in the country. Recall that Daura had said that rotational presidency should be jettisoned, whil…

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