Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro has called the United States a threat to world peace. The U.S. today “represents the most serious threat facing our multipolar and multi-centred world,” Maduro charged in a pre-recorded speech for the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, which is taking place online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Maduro claimed that his country “is under constant attack from the U.S. empire.” He, therefore, called for an end to sanctions with which he said the U.S. wants to force a change of government in Caracas. The Venezuelan president called the administration of President Donald Trump “a…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 111 new cases of COVID-19 in the country. NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Wednesday. According to the agency, with the new infections, the total number of confirmed cases in the country is now 57, 724. It disclosed that 149 persons were discharged after being successfully treated and had recovered from the coronavirus. The public health agency said two deaths were recorded in the country in the last 24 hours from the deadly virus. NCDC said that the 111 new cases were reported from 12 states and…
Host Communities of Nigeria Oil and Gas Producing Communities (HOSCoS) on Tuesday appealed to the Federal Government to remit 13 per cent oil derivation fund to oil producing communities. Dr Mike Emuh, National Chairman, HOSCoN, made the appeal when the team visited the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs Sen. Ita Enang on Wednesday in Abuja. Emuh said that the 13 per cent oil and gas derivation fund if given, would enhance development in the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta region. According to him, the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended, made…
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, adjourned a hearing of a case of assault and enforcement of fundamental human rights filed against the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), and six others by a journalist, Desmond Utomwen to 5th November 2020. When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, the Court noted that the appellants’ brief of arguments were not served on the police, the Inspector General of Police and other police officers joined in the suit. The Court, therefore, directed that the respondents should be served before the next adjourned date. The…
The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over release of alleged bandit collaborator, who was arrested at a planned meeting bandit leaders in Gusau, Zamfara State capital. In the petition addressed through the governor of Zamfara state dated September 23, 2020, the group warned that Buhari’s fight against banditry in northern and other states, would be tainted by collaborators, who have connection with powerful politicians in various states. According to the letter signed by the spokesperson of CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman and the group’s Zamfara coordinator, Bilyaminu Aliyu and made available to Ashenewsonline on Wednesday, “the situation…
Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, and Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, are under fire for allegedly tinkering with the president’s approval in the award of radio and TV broadcasting licenses. In 2016, Mr. Kyari was accused in an online report of taking N500 million from communications giant, MTN, purportedly to help it mitigate the fine of $5 billion imposed on it by the federal government, just as the embattled NBC boss is currently facing charges bordering on the misappropriation of N2.5 billion. The recent recommendation by the NBC…
By Tina George, Minna The Executive Director of the International Press Center, IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade has charged journalists, to win back public trust by holding as sacrosanct their constitutional obligation of monitoring governance and holding government accountable to the people. He made the charge during a two-day media training workshop on use of Freedom of Information, FOIA, for Investigative Reports on Campaign Finance and COVID-19 Accountability Issues in Abuja. According to him, there is need for journalists to overcome the growing perception that the Nigerian media has been compromised and that investigative journalism is dead in the country. “We…
CDC Group, a UK development finance institution, says it is currently investing US$425 million to support 100 businesses and 38,000 jobs in Nigeria. The UK Group disclosed this during a virtual visit to Nigeria by its board led by Chief Executive, Nick O’Donohoe and Chairman, Graham Wrigley. According to a statement by British Deputy High Commission in Lagos, CDC also partnered with 40 investment funds, which included Afreximbank, African Capital Alliance and Indoram. The UK Government-funded institution says all proceeds from its investments are reinvested to improve the lives of millions of people in Africa and South Asia. “Nigeria plays a…
By Tina George, Minna A veteran journalists and correspondent of The Guardian newspaper in Niger state, Akin Alofetekun has died. Alofetekun died in Minna at the age of 64 on Tuesday, after a brief illness. The state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, former governor of Niger state, Dr Babangida Aliyu, the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and the NUJ Correspondent Chapel, have all commiserated with the family of the deceased journalist. In his condolence message to the family and NUJ, Sani Bello said that the counsel and wealth of knowledge of the deceased would be missed…
The Global Integrity Crusade Network, GICN, has observed that there was no need to invite the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, to appear as a witness before the Justice Ayo Salami-led Investigative Panel. Edward Omaga, the Network’s Executive Director, while making the suggestion in Abuja on Wednesday, said there was no need for the AGF to be invited since the panel had gathered enough evidence to do justice to its report. “There were reports that Malami is to appear as witness before the panel and we are saying the panel should be allowed to use its own wisdom in…