The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has lost one of its Special Forces (SF) personnel in a gun battle as troops of ‘Operation Hadarin Daji’ neutralised 30 bandits at Maje Riverline near Yar-Katsina, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara. The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, AVM Ibikunle Daramola, who disclosed this in a statement, on Monday, in Abuja, added that the feat was achieved when the troops from Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) at Kekuwuje, Kwatarkwashi and Maru, comprised mostly of SF personnel, were mobilised. Daramola explained that the mobilisation was in response to reports that scores of bandits,…
Author: Editor
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib has dismissed speculations that the expected COVID-19 vaccines in the country contained microchips and would alter human genetic information. Shuaib gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 national briefing. While encouraging Nigerians to take the vaccines once available, he said it would not only protect people but would trigger an immune response that would protect the body against the virus, if encountered. “We encourage all Nigerians to get vaccinated when vaccines become accessible as the benefits of the vaccines far outweighs the…
The Ministry of Finance has released N10 billion to support domestic vaccines production to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the disclosure at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) COVID-19 briefing on Monday in Abuja. Ehanire said: “The Ministry of Finance has released N10 billion to support domestic vaccine production. “While we are working to develop our own vaccines, Nigeria is exploring options for licensed production, in collaboration with recognised institutions. We are also exploring the option of local production of the vaccines in the country.” He urged Nigerians to ignore claims by…
The Maiduguri zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned Aisha Alkali Wakil, popularly known as ‘Mama Boko Haram’ before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, on a fresh three count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and obtaining the sum of N41,777,750.00 by false pretence. A statement by the spokesperson of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren made available to ASHENEWS on Monday, said Mama Boko Haram was arraigned alongside Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyede, Programme Manager and Country Director of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (Non-Governmental Organisation), respectively. The defendants were alleged to…
Governor Rotimi of Ondo, on Monday ordered herdsmen to vacate the state’s forest reserves within seven days. The governor in a chain of tweets through his Twitter handle @RotimiAkeredu also issued a prohibition order against cattle movement within the city and highways in the state. According to Akeredolu in a series of tweets, the insecurity in the state could be attributed to some bad elements masquerading as herdsmen. “Today, we have taken major steps at addressing the root cause of kidnapping, in particular, and other nefarious activities detailed and documented in security reports, the press and debriefings from victims of…
The African Bar Association (AFBA) has appointed two Nigerian lawyers as Technical Advisers to the International Commission of Inquiry into alleged systemic racist police violence against people of African descent in the United States. Spokesman for AFBA, Mr Osa Director, said in a statement that the two appointees – Mr Promise Asikpo and Ms. Faith Onyekperem – would act as Technical Assistants to the AFBA President, Mr Hannibal Uwaifo, who was appointed a commissioner in the commission. According to the statement, Asikpo will be coming with his wealth of experience in human rights and access to justice, while Onyekperem has…
President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated Malam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo as the acting Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), pending the appointment of a substantive Director-General for the Agency. A statement by the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Monday, said the president’s approval followed the nomination of Fikpo by Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo. President Buhari had on December 9, 2020, relieved the former DG of the agency, Nasiru Ladan Argungu, of his appointment. According to Shehu, the directive on the sack of NDE DG was…
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio has opened up to media reports that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami received a bribed of $5 million bribe to facilitate the appointment of the Sole Administrator for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Reports in the media late last week alleged that Akpabio gave Malami $5 million in that regard, reports that Malami in a statement, denied while challenging those behind it to provide evidence. Also reacting, Akpabio in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary and made available to news men on Monday,…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the digital television operator StarTimes, have announced the signing of an agreement on broadcasting rights for the Total African Nations Championship, Cameroon 2020 (Total CHAN Cameroon 2020), which is scheduled to hold between 16 January and 7 February 2021 in Cameroon. A statement by StarTimes, the operating license issued by CAF grants StarTimes the right to broadcast all the competition’s 32 matches in the territories of sub-Saharan Africa, in accordance with the agreement. “The collaboration between CAF and StarTimes is the first of its kind between the two entities, with the ambition of…
The new Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has resumed office and bemoaned the increasing number of drug users at over 15 million in Nigeria. Speaking during his inaugural address at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Monday, he lamented the growing population of drug users, pointing out that in 2018 about 14.3 million Nigerians between the ages of 15-64, were found to be drug users, which is nearly three times global prevalence at the time. Marwa vowed to overhaul and expand the NDLEA in line with the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory…