Billionaire drug baron who is alleged to be behind the N3 billion Tramadol deal involving the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari-led Intelligence Response Team, IRT, Afam Mallinson Ukatu has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. After months of surveillance and evading arrest, Ukatu who is Chairman of Mallinson Group of Companies was eventually nabbed onboard a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja on Wednesday 13th April. Investigations revealed he’s been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging…
Author: Newsdesk
A molecular biologist, Dr Bamidele Iwalokun, has advised Nigerians to urgently treat malaria attacks to prevent shortage of blood, cerebral malaria, acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. Iwalokun who is also the Director, Central Research Laboratory at the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, gave the advice in an interview to mark World Malaria Day. World Malaria Day is observed every April 25, to encourage continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. The theme for the 2022 commemoration is: “Harnessing innovation to reduce the burden of malaria disease and saves life”. “Some people with malaria also…
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says malaria remains a significant public health and development challenge with about 95 per cent estimated 228 million cases occurring in the WHO and AFRO Region, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, made this known in a message to commemorate the 2022 World Malaria Day with theme “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives”, The World Malaria Day, celebrated every year on April 25, is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. “Malaria remains a significant public health and development challenge.…
The Presidential Campaign Organisation of Dr Phillip Idaewor, Chairman of APC Diaspora Chairmen Forum, has urged the leadership of the party to reconsider the N100 million fees for the party’s nomination and declaration of interest forms for its presidential aspirants. In a statement signed by the Director General (DG) of the Ideawor Hope2023 campaign organisation, Mazi Charles Eze, the group said there was need for the party to reduce the fees to make it affordable and open to more Nigerians to participate. Eze said the high cost of nomination forms for aspirants for major political parties in Nigeria was fast…
French President Emmanuel Macron defeated his far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Sunday by a comfortable margin, securing a second term and heading off what would have been a political earthquake. Cheers of joy erupted as the results appeared on a giant screen at the Champ de Mars park at the foot of the Eiffel tower, where Macron supporters waved French and EU flags. People hugged each other and chanted “Macron”. In contrast, a gathering of dejected Le Pen supporters erupted in boos and whistles at a sprawling reception hall on the outskirts of Paris. Le Pen admitted defeat but…
Prof Ango Abdullahi has recanted reports which emanated from him that the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has endorsed two presidential aspirants from the North, former president of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed as consensus candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking with the African Independent Television (AIT) in a telephone conversation on Sunday, Ango Abdullahi said the endorsement was in his personal capacity and not on behalf of other members of NEF. According to him, the report was his personal assessment and evaluation of the four Northern aspirants on the platform of the…
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have said that they will fast-track the implementation of the G20 debt relief scheme. The IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva and the World Bank President, David Malpass announced at the ongoing 2022 Spring Meetings of the World Bank-IMF in Washington DC that the institutions would help debtor nations to achieve development and macro-economic stability. The G20 had in November 2020, reached an agreement on a Common Framework to deal with insolvency and liquidity problems in DSSI-eligible countries, including Nigeria. These include strengthening institutions and the capacity needed to improve debt transparency,…
The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Rev Felix Ajakaye has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Nigerian government to resolve the lingering crisis that has led to the closure of all public universities in the interest of the students, Parents and the country. He made the call at the funeral mass held in honour of the of the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Late Professor Adebiyi Daramola on Friday April 22 at St Peters Catholic Church Okemesi, Ekiti state. In his homily the Bishop Said the fight between two…
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen has said that the process towards a consensus presidential candidate for the forthcoming 2023 election has collapsed. This is contained in a statement by the Director-General, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen Campaign Organization, Lamis Shehu Dikko made available to newsmen on Sunday. While noting that the campaign organisation was aware of Prof. Ango Abdullahi-led committee’s decision to announce Bauchi governor Bala Mohammad and Senator Bukola Saraki as the preferred Northern consensus candidates for the PDP, it however stressed that the aspirants involved could not reach a compromise amongst themselves, resulting in the decision of…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing to welcome U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin to Kiev on Sunday as a delegation from Washington makes a visit to the embattled country. The announcement came as Russia continued to bombard Ukrainian cities on Saturday. Amid the onslaught, Zelensky said he planned to discuss with Blinken and Austin the weapons Ukraine needs and how quickly they can be supplied, in comments to the press in a Kiev metro station. Zelensky added that he hoped that US President Joe Biden would also come to Kiev “as soon as the…