Author: darelasisi@gmail.com

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Ekiti Command, has intercepted a bus that sneaked into Ekiti with some traders. The traders were alleged to have come from Sokoto State under false pretenses that they were traders from Ilorin to sell onions. Mr Solomon Iyamu, the State Commandant of NSCDC, made this known in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Tolulope Afolabi in Ado Ekiti on Thursday. Iyamu said the suspects were arrested at Afao-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area (LGA) of Ekiti, having traveled through bush paths and abandoned roads from Ilorin, Kwara to…

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) said it has concluded plans to commence the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable in nine Niger Delta states. NDDC Acting Managing Director, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, disclosed this at the inauguration of a palliative committee in Port Harcourt, a statement by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, stated on Thursday. According to Pondei, the distribution of palliatives is aimed to reduce sufferings faced by residents due to containment measures put in place by the government to halt the spread of COVID-19. “So, we decided to come up with this palliative measure to reach…

The Nigeria Civil Society community commends the decision of the House of Representatives to subject the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill to a public hearing in furtherance of the right of citizens to contribute to law making. Harnessing the inputs of critical stakeholders and the Nigerian people, for whom the bill is proposed, gives it the necessary legitimacy. The decision, as announced by the Honorable Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who is also one of the sponsors of the Bill, is an acknowledgment of the sincere concerns generated by the Bill. Soliciting public inputs therefore responds to the demands to subject the…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over efforts put together by some stakeholders to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Gbajabiamila spoke when he paid an inspection visit to one of the isolation centres in FCT located at the Thisday Dome, where he noted that the action by the Sahara Group, Thisday Media Group and CCECC who put resources together for the conversion of the event centre to an over 300-bed isolation centre was commendable and worthy of emulation. The Speaker, who was accompanied by Chairmen…

The Oyo State Government, on Tuesday, arrested eight persons for establishing a block making industry illegally on the land belonging to the Community Basic School Ologuneru area of the state. Dr Nureni Adeniran, the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said the eight persons would be brought to justice in a statement to newsmen in Ibadan. According to him, the arrest is in line with the state’s zero-tolerance for unlawful occupation and operation on the premises of the state public schools. Adeniran and his team were monitoring the completed model school situated at Agbopa-Akufo farm settlement in…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Wednesday announced a reduction in the ex-depot price of petrol from N113.28k per litre to N108.00K per litre across all its products loading facilities as well as in its throughput operations. A release today in Abuja by the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, quoted the Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Musa Lawan, as saying that the new ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, reflects the company’s market strategy to make more sales while complying with the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory…

Apparently to avoid a spike in Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases after the gradual easing of lockdown across the country, the Federal Government on Wednesday announced the extension of the ban on flights in and out of Nigeria. The Chairman of Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 Pandemic, Mr. Boss Mustapha announced this while speaking at the PTF daily press briefing in Abuja. According to him, PTF had reviewed the ban on flights in and out of Nigeria and decided that it will be counterproductive to resume flight operation in Nigeria with the daily increase in the numbers of people testing positive…

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the opening of five COVID-19 Donor Accounts which form part of the existing TSA arrangement in the following commercial banks: Zenith Bank; Access Bank; Guarantee Trust Bank; UBA; and First Bank. This is in addition to the main COCAVID Fund Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. Meanwhile, the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), has issued a framework on how funds donated by private individuals and institutions to mitigate the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic should be administered. According to the framework released on Tuesday, disbursements of all COVID…

The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has donated N1.5 billion ($3.8 million) to the ‘Nigeria/United Nations COVID-19 Basket Fund’ to boost the fight against the novel coronavirus disease. The UN in Nigeria announced the donation in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja. According to the statement, ADF collaboration with the UN will booster the Nigerian Government’s efforts at strengthening the functional capacity of the healthcare systems and support to those affected by the novel coronavirus. The statement quoted Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group and Chairman of the ADF, as saying that the contribution would support…

The Federal Government has decried the continued violation of the new guidelines set up as part of measures to check the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country. Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, on Wednesday in Abuja, frowned at the deliberate violation of the guidelines. The minister warned against the backlash of violating guidelines like physical distancing, wearing of face masks in the public, among others. Adebayo gave this warning at the weekly briefing of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) of the Committee on Sustainable Production and Delivery of Essential Commodities During COVID-19. He said…