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The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is retraining its personnel on the rules and regulations guiding the use of arms in crisis situations, particularly during internal security operations. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Saddique Abubakar, at the flag of a two-day seminar on Monday in Jos, said the seminar was a response to increasing cases of human rights abuses. “This Seminar is a further effort to expand the audience in the wake of increasing observations of human rights abuses within the theatre of operations and its negative consequences on the armed force. “Accordingly, it has become increasingly important to…

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja Nigeria’s economy is recovering gradually from the 2016 recession, with growth projected to pick up from 1.9 percent in 2018 to 2 percent in 2019 and 2.1 percent in 2020-21, latest World Bank Nigeria Economic Update (NEU) Report, has indicated. According to the report released in Abuja on Monday, “this growth outlook is vulnerable to external and domestic risks, including geopolitical and trade tensions that may affect inflows of private investment. With population growth (estimated at 2.6 percent) outpacing economic growth, per capita incomes are falling”. The report noted that Nigeria has the opportunity to advance…

By Harry Awurumibe, State House, ABUJA Determined to make fertilizers readily available and cheap for Nigerian farmers all year round, Nigerian Government and the Russian Federation today (Monday) in Abuja signed a fertilizer production agreement. The agreement which was signed on behalf of the two nations by the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr. Uche Orji and Mr. Dmitry Konyaev the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Uralchem took place inside the Chief of Staff Conference Room, Presidential Villa, Abuja. Speaking at the brief event which was witnessed by Chief of Staff (COS) to…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured the business community that the State Government has concluded plans to improve infrastructure around industrial zones communities in the state. The Governor said all necessary amenities that can enhance the growth of businesses in the State will be put in place. He made this declaration on Monday at the Lagos House in Alausa during a courtesy visit by the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, George Steiner and Board Members of the Swiss-Nigeria Business Council. Sanwo-olu asserted that his government will build up the relationship between the State and Swiss companies stating that…

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) resumed trading for the month of December on Monday with a marginal loss of 0.04 per cent. Specifically, the All-Share Index lost 11.56 points or 0.04 per cent to close at 26,990.59 compared with 27,002.15 achieved on Friday. In the same vein, the market capitalization which opened at N13.032 trillion dipped N5 billion or 0.04 per cent to close at N13.027 trillion. The downturn was impacted by losses recorded in medium and large capitalized stocks, amongst which are; Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN), UAC of Nigeria (UACN), GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank and…

Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has identified the inability of politicians in Rivers State to eschew bitterness and rancor as being responsible for the slow pace of development and growth in the state and called for an end to it. Abe, who spoke at the funeral service in honour of Late Mrs. Fyna Oby Boms, wife of former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State, Barrister Worgu Boms at the Civic Centre in Port Harcourt on Saturday said, the time has come for the political elites to put politics of bitterness and hate behind them and work together to…

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged the 2019 Batch C, Stream 2 corps members to equip themselves with the right values to ensure brighter future. Makinde made the call on Monday at the swearing-in of the corps members deployed to the state, at the NYSC camp, Iseyin. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor was represented at the occasion by Mr Seun Fakorede, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, who also doubles as the Chairman, Oyo State NYSC Governing Board. Makinde implored the corps members to see their national service as a sacrifice for…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has expressed sadness over the demise of the member representing Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency of Niger State, Rep. Ja’afaru Iliyasu. Rep. Iliyasu, a member of the ruling APC who was one of the 360 members of the 9th House that took the oath of office and oath of allegiance on June 11, 2019, passed away on Monday morning at his Maitama residence in Abuja. He had just returned to Abuja on Sunday after a retreat organized for members of the House Committee on Public Accounts in Lagos. The Speaker said he…

Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, on Monday, received the new payslip for the state civil servants from the state Ministry of Finance. Presenting the new payslip to the governor, the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Abdussamad Dasuki, said the change in the new payslip was as a result of the 2017 biometric census conducted for the state civil servants. Dasuki explained that more than 19,321 civil servants were properly captured in the biometric data with their pictures embossed. He, however, said that no fewer than 10,000 of them whose pictures were not captured during the exercise would be invited later…

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno on Monday presented N134.5 billion appropriation bill for the year 2020 before the state House of Assembly for consideration. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill tagged “Budget of Recovery and Stabilization” was less than the N144 billion budgeted for 2019, representing about 7.5 per cent decrease. Zulum disclosed that the bill consists of N67.54 billion recurrent expenditure, representing 50.37 per cent and N66.96 billion capital expenditure, representing 49.7 per cent of the total budget size. He said that the budget would be funded through N14.2 billion revenue and N66.9 capital receipts, adding…