Author: Femi Adeniyi

Given the threat posed by Coronavirus, COVID-19, the World Bank board of directors has approved the sum of $114.28 million to help Nigeria prevent, detect and respond to the threat. According to a statement issued by the bank, the fund is aimed at helping Nigeria to boost states capability for COVID-19 response. PUNCH reported that the fund includes $100m credit from the International Development Association and $14.28m grant from the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility. The government of Nigeria is expected to provide grants to 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through the COVID-19 preparedness and response project (CoPREP). It…

A military official has confirmed that an explosion at a military base in the Somali capital Mogadishu has killed at least eight people and injured 14 others. Though it was not yet clear what caused the blast witnesses said a car loaded with explosives attacked the compound near a stadium. Islamist militant group Al-Shabab often carries out bombings targeting security forces and government officials. Explosion In Somalia According to BBC Africa, earlier this week two security guards were killed after stopping a suicide bomber from entering a restaurant in the capital.

A top Presidency official has confirmed that Nigeria’s first lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari has been flown to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates for treatment of severe neck pain. The first lady was reportedly flown out of the country during the Sallah holiday last week after complaining of neck pain for about two weeks before that time. It was gathered that the neck pain started shortly after she visited Florence Ajimobi, widow of former Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who died of COVID-19 complications on June 25, 2020. Also, The PUNCH said a top Presidential aide revealed that Mrs Buhari had severe neck…

Barely 24 hours after he was trolled on the Instagram, former Big brother Naija housemate Frodd has received a brand new Mercedez Benz as a car. The BBnaija star, who shared the news on his Instagram page revealed that he got the car after he was insulted by a troll. BBNaija Star Frodd He shared the video showing the car and captioned the post “Please swipe!!! yesterday i was insulted on Instagram by a troll and see what happened Jeesussszss somebody please wake me up , it’s not a joke … jesussssszzzzzzaaussssz, My God My God , @sir_justine you meant it…

The Osun State government has launched a 100 million naira post-COVID-19 scheme under the economic intervention pilot programme. The state governor, Gboyega Oyetola said his government will disburse 100 million naira to 2,000 beneficiaries after undergoing entrepreneurial development training. According to Oyetola, the initiative was conceptualised to reposition the state economy which he said had become weak due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Post COVID-19 He said his administration decided on an economic strategy to generate 15,000 direct jobs annually through the intervention programme. The governor further stated that the scheme would help to engender socio-economic and commercial development. He said…

Ahead of the September 10 governorship elections in Edo state, the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Pastor Ize Iyamu on Friday visited President Muhammadu Buhari. In a tweet, Iyamu said he was at the Presidential Villa to receive the flag of the APC as the party’s candidate in the Edo governorship elections. The tweet reads “Today at the Villa, I received the flag of our great party, the @OfficialAPCNg from President @MBuhari as the party’s candidate in the Edo Governorship election. Our party is united, strong, and ready for victory at the polls.” During the visit, President Buhari formally…

The United Kingdom has warned its citizens against travelling to 18 states in Nigeria. The warning is coming a few days after the United States of America alerted Nigerians about the infiltration of the Al-Qaeda insurgent into the North-western parts of Nigeria. In a publication on the official website of the UK Foreign Office, the UK government warned its citizens in Nigeria against travelling to the North-east, North-west, and South-Southern states in the country. According to the publication, the warning is because of the current spate of insecurity in the listed states. Volatile States In Nigeria The states are; Borno,…

As parts of efforts to further strengthen the election management process, the Independent National Electoral Commission has introduced an election result viewing portal. According to the commission’s spokesperson, Festus Okoye, the portal will avail voters the opportunity to view election results from polling units. In a statement issued by the commission’s spokesman, it was revealed that the portal is a new step to further enhance the transparency of the electoral system in Nigeria. INEC Okoye added that the use of the portal will commence with the election in Nasarawa Central Constituency election. Also, it will be deployed in Edo and…

In fulfilment of an earlier threat to ban the TikTok app in the United States of America, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning the app from operating in the US. The orders were issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law that grants the administration sweeping power to bar US firms or citizens from trading or conducting financial transactions with sanctioned parties. It was gathered that the executive orders would affect both TikTok and WeChat in 45 days if they are not sold by their Chinese-owned parent companies. In the executive order, Trump declared the…

Rwandan Health Minister, Daniel Ngamije has revealed that the country is using robots to protect doctors, who treat COVID-19 patients through minimising contact. The Minister, who said this at a news conference in Moscow confirmed that some health personnel have been infected with COVID-19. He stated that there are less than 10 infected personnel given the deployment of all the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) measures and different measures taken to avoid that health personnel contract the virus. According to him, the country also uses robots to reduce contact of health personnel with patients. Ngamije noted that the robots are helping…

Nigerian businessman and politician, Ben Murray Bruce has taken to the social media platform to declare support for one of the housemates in the Big Brother Naija reality Tv show season 5. In a tweet, Bruce, who is the founder of Silverbird Group urged his followers on the platform to support Kiddwaya, whom he described as a decent and hardworking guy. The former Senator noted that the reality show has become a huge part of youth culture in the country. “BBNaija has become a huge part of youth culture in Nigeria, and this year I’ll be supporting @realkiddwaya, Decent and…

The Chairman of Zango Kataf local government area of Kaduna state, Elias Manza said gunmen, suspected to be Fulani militia on Thursday attacked three communities in the state. Speaking with journalists, he explained that seven people were killed in Takmawai while 13 others were killed in Kurmin Masara in what seems like a coordinated attack. Manza added that several houses were burnt down by the attackers while residents fled their homes to neighbouring communities for fear of more attacks. Fresh Attacks In Kaduna Channels Tv reported that the series of fresh attacks carried out on Kurmin Masara, Apyia Shyim and…

The Baale of Oose Agbedu Ajibawo in Owode-Yewa area of Ogun state has been arrested by men of the Owode Egbado police station for raping his 15-year-old biological daughter. Daily Post reported that the village head, Rasheed Sholabi was arrested following a report by the daughter, who accused her father of raping her for about four years. Ogun State Police public relations officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, while confirming the incident stated that the daughter reported that her father had been having sex with her since when she was eleven years old. It was gathered that the rape has affected the urinary…

Some Nurses working in the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo State have accused the state government of not taking their welfare seriously. During a protest staged against the non-payment of their salaries, they urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to look into their matter. The protesters, who shunned their duty posts to protest on the premises of the hospital complex alleged that the government owed them five to six months salary arrears. Ondo Nurses

The West African Examinations Council, WAEC has dismissed the rumour making the rounds about an alleged fire outbreak at the Council’s headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In a press release tagged Fire Outbreak At WAEC Headquarters, Abuja, the examination body noted that its attention has been drawn to the rumour about a fire outbreak at its headquarter in Abuja. The council stated that there was no fire incident at its Headquarters or any of WAEC offices in Nigeria. WAEC Clears Air Over Reported Fire Outbreak It described the reports as fake and a handi-work of mischief-makers who are…

A commander of the US special operations command, Africa, Dagvin Anderson has revealed that the Al-Qaeda insurgent group has started to penetrate the north-western part of Nigeria. Dagvin, who disclosed this during a briefing said the group is also expanding to other parts of West Africa. In his remarks, Anderson said the US will continue to partner with Nigeria in sharing intelligence to understand how Boko Haram, ISIS and al-Qaida are looking to expand further south into the littoral areas. Al-Qaeda In North-East However, Anderson regretted that there has been set-back in the fight against insurgency despite successes recorded in…

The Presidency has reacted to the #RevolutionNow protests embarked upon in some parts of the country on Wednesday, August 5. Reacting to the protests, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina described the protests as irritating and child’s play. Adesina, who made this known during a Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday said the protests were carried out by only a few youths out of the 200 million Nigerians in the country. The presidential spokesman noted that the protests are nothing to worry about adding that revolution is a mass thing and not a…

Given the Federal Government’s approval of N138.62 as the ex-depot price for a litre of petroleum, members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) have been directed to sell a litre of petrol at N150. The Nation reported that the new price modulation was announced on Tuesday by Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA. Meanwhile, IPMAN’s Vice President, Abubakar Maigandi revealed that the Federal Government was yet to come up with a new pump price for the month of August. New Petrol Pump Price According to Abubakar, private depots decided to increase the price marginally to N139 per…

Following reports about a planned attack on the facility of the Edo state House of Assembly complex, Police have taken over the Assembly in Benin City, the state capital. It was gathered that Dozens of the security officials stormed the complex on Thursday morning while patrol vehicles were stationed around the facility. The police officers were led to the Assembly by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Ayoola Ajala. Police Besiege Edo Assembly This is coming hours after the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Yekini Idiaye was impeached by the state lawmakers. Yekini was accused of collecting 40 million naira from the…

Petroleum Products Marketing Company, PPMC, a subsidiary of the NNPC has increased the retail pump price for petrol to N138.62 for August. This was contained in a statement signed by the Manager of Sales, Mohammed Bello. According to the statement, the new price changes would be effective from the 5th of August. The PPMC further disclosed that the wholesale depot price would be sold to marketers at N113.70, while the retail prices were set at N138.62 per litre. New Petrol Pump Price However, fuel marketers are expected to sale the product at N145, as the price of petrol is being…

Leader of the revolution Now campaign, Omoyele Sowore has raised alarm over the arrest of some people who took part in the protests embarked upon in Abuja, Lagos, Osun and some other parts of the country. In a tweet, Sowore accused police officers of disrupting the peaceful protest in Osogbo, the Osun State Capital. According to the tweet, protesters were arrested for speaking the rights and voicing out their ills. Another prominent member of the Revolution now campaign, Deji Adeyanju tweeted “We are currently witnessing a joint madness by the military, police and other security agencies as over 60 of our comrades have…