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Showing posts from June 22, 2020

Man Dragged To Court By DSS Over Facebook Post Against Osun Assembly Speaker

Osun Assembly Speaker, Timothy Owoeye. One Joshua Sayo Oki, a resident of Osun State, has been arraigned before an Osun State Magistrate Court for making a Facebook post against Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr Timothy Owoeye. Oki, 48, was alleged to have published contemptuous pictures and words on his Facebook account on June 19, 2020. He was arrested and charged by the Department of State Services for making the post allegedly portraying the Speaker in an embarrassing way.  Osun Assembly Speaker, Timothy Owoeye. He was charged for defamation as the prosecutor, Mr Boo Nweke, stated that the offence committed by the accused person was contrary to Section 374(1)b & 374 and punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Vol. 2 Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002. At the hearing of the case on Monday, Oki pleaded not guilty to the allegations as his legal counsel, Ibraheem Imran, applied for his bail. The Magistrate, Modupe Awodele, granted him a bai

No State In Nigeria Is COVID-19 Free –NCDC

NCDC Boss Chikwe Ihekweazu Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, has warned Nigerians against false optimism following 'COVID-19 free' declarations by some state governments. Ihekweazu said no state in the country can be declared Coronavirus free unless a vaccine was developed to treat the virus. The NCDC boss made this known in Abuja during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday.  NCDC Boss Chikwe Ihekweazu He said, "Concerning some states declaring themselves COVID-19 free because they were discharging patients, I will like to say no single state in Nigeria is COVID-19 free, not one. “No country in the world is COVID-19 free. Even New Zealand that is an island state is still having new cases after a period of not having any. We can’t separate ourselves from the rest of the country because we live in a context and viruses spread. “That is why prevention is very important; if you can’t pre

Nigeria’s Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Farouq, Makes U-turn, Says Government Owes 12,000 N-power Beneficiaries Stipends

Despite initially dismissing claims by beneficiaries of the N-Power programme that they have not been paid their monthly stipends, Sadiya Umar Farouq, Nigeria's Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has now said 12,000 beneficiaries are yet to receive payment. Farouq on May 23 said all beneficiaries had been paid in response to allegations that not all participants of the scheme had received payment. However, after overwhelming complaints reported across the media, she has now backtracked to admit that not everyone had been paid.  Speaking on Monday during the briefing by members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the minister said, “As far as the ministry is concerned, we have paid N-Power beneficiaries that have been verified and recommended for payment. We have 500,000 N-Power volunteers. “Those who are claiming that they have not been paid, we are looking into these issues with the Office of the Account General of the

COVID-19: Saudi Arabia Bans International Pilgrims From Hajj

Saudi Arabia has banned all international visitors from making the Islamic pilgrimage known as Hajj this year as part of measures to stop the spread of Coronavirus. Saudi Arabia has so far recorded 161,005 cases of infection and 1,307 deaths.  Only a very limited number of people currently living in the kingdom may take part, BBC reports. There are fears that Hajj might be cancelled altogether. So far, only citizens from countries around the world, who are already resident in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to attend this year. The authorities say this is the only way they will be able to make plans for social distancing that will keep people safe. International PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :  from All Content via

Nigeria's Economy Slippery Under President Buhari, Says PDP Chairman, Secondus

The Peoples Democratic Party on Monday tackled President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, saying the country’s economy was slippery under his watch.  Uche Secondus, National Chairman of the party, who stated this in Akure, Ondo State, said the ruling All Progressives Congress government at the federal level, had failed Nigerians.  He spoke while receiving Ondo State deputy governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, and some of his supporters to the PDP at its secretariat in Akure.  Secondus condemned the increasing cases of banditry and kidnapping in the country, noting that the economy was in comatose.  He said, "The APC has fooled this nation for the past five years and they have even performed woefully.  "The APC under Buhari had damaged this country and destroyed the economy and there is no longer security anywhere.  "As we can see, our country is slippery and sliding under his watch, if they cannot see it, we can see it clearly." While welcoming the Ondo deput

EXCLUSIVE: Eight-month Pregnant Nigerian Woman Trafficked To Lebanon And Locked Up In Office Building Cries Out For Help

Rasheedat Taiwo Saka, an eight-month pregnant Nigerian woman trafficked to Lebanon, has cried out for help after she was abandoned to her fate by Nigerian authorities.  Saka told SaharaReporters on Monday that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, she has had no access to food or medical care and was currently locked up in her traffickers' office alongside other victims. Narrating her ordeal, Saka said she left Nigeria after her husband died in November 2018 and things became difficult financially.  She said three agents in Nigeria including one Mr John and another person named Victor approached her and presented her the opportunity of working in Lebanon.  "Before I left for Lebanon, they bought our passport and ticket and said two months of our salary will be theirs' when we got there. "I didn't know I was pregnant when I left Nigeria. When I got to Lebanon, the agency and my employer took me to the hospital, they found out I was pregnant but still forced me

Ezekwesili Loses Mother To Cancer

A former presidential candidate and Minister of Education in Nigeria, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, has lost her mother, Mrs Cecilia Nwayiaka Ujubuonu. An official press statement by Ezekwesili’s spokesperson and publicist, Mr Ozioma Ubabukoh, stated that Mrs Ujubuonu died in the late hours of Sunday, June 21, 2020 at the age of 78. A native of Ndodolu Village, Umunuko, Ukpor, in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, she was widowed after the death of her husband, Benjamin Ujubuonu, in 1988.  Born on April 18, 1942, Ujubuonu, a retired businesswoman, devoted her life to her children, grandchildren, the church and service to humanity. She died in the arms and home of her daughter, Ezekwesili, in Abuja on Sunday night from cancer. Until her death, she was a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. News OBITUARY AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :  from All Content via

Ex-Edo House Of Assembly Speaker, Adjoto, Dumps APC

Former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Adjoto, has announced his resignation from the All Progressives Congress. Adjoto tendered his resignation to the Edo State APC chapter, adding that his action was in line with Article 9.5(i) of the APC constitution. “My resignation takes immediate effect," he said.  He added that he took the decision after deeply consulting with his conscience, family, friends and supporters. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Adjoto disclosed that he was leaving the APC because it was necessary for him to do so. Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :  from All Content via

Moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company Received N3.71bn Electricity Bill In 27 Months, Paid N1m

Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd has paid only N1m in electricity bills in nine quarters of reporting on the electricity industry by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission. The inactive company has been billed for power supplies worth at least N3.71bn within this window, although there are discrepancies in the data published by the commission, SaharaReporters has gathered. Since its commissioning in 1983 by then President Shehu Shagari, the steel mill has stayed idle but has still managed to pile a substantial deficit on the overburdened electricity industry. The government-owned entity is designated in the regulator’s reports as a special customer and distinguished from other distribution companies along with Nigeria’s two foreign electricity buyers – CEB which supplies 200mw of power to Benin Republic and Nigelec which transmits 100mw of energy to Niger Republic.  These three companies failed to make any remittance to the government in nine of the ten reports released by

Police Rescue Abducted Philippine Lady Lured To Nigeria By Supposed Lover

The police in Enugu State have rescued a 40-year-old lady from the Philippines, Irene Torento Panas, who was lured to Nigeria by a 54-year-old man named Chukwudi Odo. The woman was rescued six months after arriving Nigeria from her country in an apparent but unsuccessful search for love.     Panas, an accountant by profession and a native of Manila in the Philippines, arrived Nigeria in November 22, 2019 on a visit to Odo in Enugu State whom she met on Facebook on March 8, 2017.  The visit, which was originally intended to be for 10 days however, turned out to be a full case of abduction following Odo’s refusal to allow her return to her country against her will.  She was held incommunicado by the suspect until police operatives attached to the Unity Police Division, Ibegwa Nike, Enugu State rescued her following a tip-off from some residents of the area. She was immediately taken to the hospital for medical attention where she was admitted from June 5 to 16.  In a stateme

PDP Denies Endorsing Obaseki As Candidate For Edo Governorship Election

The Peoples Democratic Party has debunked insinuations that the party has adopted Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo as its chosen candidate for the governorship election in the state. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, disclosed this while speaking with SaharaReporters on Monday. He said the primary election slated for Tuesday was an open contest among aspirants, adding that the party would not pile pressure on any candidate to step down for anyone.  He said the defection of Governor Obaseki to PDP would not create any rift in the state, adding that leadership in PDP was about collegiate system. Kola said, "We don't have a structure where one person will say I am the automatic leader. What we have is a collegiate system. People hold consultations across various levels of leadership in the PDP. "In our party, we have utmost respect for our governors. Governors have their opinions on every issue which we put before collegiate leadership a

Kwara Civil Society Organisation Slams State’s House Of Assembly For Dismissing Bills From Groups

The Elites Network for Sustainable Development, a Kwara State-based civil society organisation, has berated the state’s House of Assembly for dismissing bills from members of the public and civil society groups. The group knocked the Assembly, saying it was worrisome that the KWHA that was supposed to give priority to requests from members of the public has been turned to a place where a public request can be swept under the carpet without any hope of being attended to. The group expressed disappointment at Razaq Owolabi, representative of Share/Oke-Ode Constituency (and Chairman of House Committee on Health and Environment) in the 9th Kwara State House of Assembly, who appeared on a radio programme and denied knowledge of a bill seeking to repeal the Kwara State governor and deputy governor (Payment of Pension) Law 2010.  "Neither the Speaker nor any member of our Assembly has received any request about Governor Pension Law as at today. No member of the 9th KWHA has rai

Edo Government Discharges 20 COVID-19 Patients

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Monday announced that 50 confirmed Coronavirus patients have been discharged. This brings the total number of discharged patients in the state to 197. Obaseki urged residents to comply with all safety and precautionary guidelines against the spread of the virus in order to protect the aged population, which accounts for only five per cent of the state’s total population.  He said, “We have discharged 50 COVID-19 patients from our isolation centres in the state. A total of 197 people have recovered so far.  "However, the death toll has risen to 31 with the elderly making up a large number of the fatalities. Please, keep safe and protect the elderly.” Meanwhile, Commissioner for Health official in the state, Dr Patrick Okundia, said the state had recorded a total of 784 confirmed cases, 5555 suspected cases and exited 2052 others, including 1706 line-listed contacts and 346 persons of interest, who have completed the compulsory 14

EXCLUSIVE: Former Oyo Governor Ajimobi's Health Condition Worsens After Days In Coma, Now On Life Support Machine

Family members, political associates and relatives of former Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, are fearful as hopes of him recovering from coma fades away by the minute. The 70-year-old slipped into coma on Thursday for the second time as a result of COVID-19 complications. The news sparked rumours of his death, sending panic across the landscape especially among his supporters and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he is the National Deputy Chairman (South) of the party. On Monday, a reliable source close to the ex-governor told SaharaReporters that Ajimobi had been on life support machine since Friday after he slipped into a deep coma and may not make any recovery going by the observations of medical experts around him.  The source further disclosed that the former Oyo governor has had a lung surgery since being hospitalised but made no progress while his kidneys have also failed. Doctors treating Ajimobi, it was reliably gathered, on Friday informed h

Ekiti PDP Tells Governor Fayemi To Refund Over N100m Collected From Job Seekers During Recruitment Exercise

Kayode Fayemi The Peoples Democratic Party has demanded an immediate refund of the over N100m collected from job seekers last year August under the pretence of giving them jobs.  The PDP said despite the fact that Governor Kayode Fayemi sacked over 3,500 workers in the state's public service as well as the Ekiti State University and Teaching Hospital, he had refused to employ anyone since last year August after employment forms were sold to over 100,000 job seekers.  In a statement on Monday, Secretary of the Ekiti State Caretaker Committee of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi, said, "It appears the recruitment exercise done by the State Universal Basic Education Board, Teaching Service Commission and Civil Service Commission has turned out to be scam, the over N100 million fraudulently collected from job seekers by the state government must be refunded. "With his anti-people policies, Governor Fayemi has no doubt remained the greatest pain in the neck of Ekiti and its peop

BREAKING: Ize-Iyamu Emerges Edo APC Governorship Candidate

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, one of the governorship aspirants on the All Progressives Congress platform in Edo State, has emerged winner of the party’s direct primary conducted on Monday. Chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee and Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, disclosed this on Monday in Benin, the state capital. Ize-Iyamu polled 27,838 votes, while his closest rival, Dr Pius Odubu, scored 3,776.  Another contestant, Osaro Obaze, polled 2,751 votes. Uzodinma further said that the election was a formality in accordance with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission as the other aspirants had already stepped down before the exercise.   Politics Breaking News News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :  from All Content via