Author: Newsdesk

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has extended its warning strike by eight weeks. ASUU’s decision followed its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja secretariat after the expiration of its one-month warning strike. According to the union in a statement by the president, Emmanuel Osodeke, its decision is based on lack of seriousness on the part of the federal government. “NEC, having taken reports on the engagements of the Trustees and Principal Officers with the Government, concluded that Government had failed to satisfactorily address all the issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of…

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Former U.S president Barack Obama has tested positive for a mild case of Covid-19, the former US president said on his Twitter account Sunday. Obama who tweeted on his Twitter handle @BarackObama however said that his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, has so far tested negative. “I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple of days, but am feeling fine otherwise. Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, and she has tested negative. “It’s a reminder to get vaccinated of you haven’t already, even as cases go down,” he tweeted. “This vaccine means hope,” Obama said…

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Thirty-one evacuees arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from Romania Monday morning. They arrived aboard a Turkish airline and they were airlifted from Romania where they had fled following the war in Ukraine. The evacuees numbering 31 arrived at 6:30 am and were received by officials of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), and the Refugee Commission. This is the second set of evacuees from Romania following the Russian invasion of Ukraine which has left many displaced. However, unlike the previous batches of returnees that arrived via chartered flights, the 31 evacuees arrived…

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates for the Ekiti governorship election slated for June 18. A statement by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye on Monday, said the list was released in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and following the close of nominations by political parties. “On Wednesday 16th February 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the personal particulars and list of candidates (Form EC9) for the Ekiti State Governorship election in our State and Local Government offices as required by law. “In compliance…

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Suspended DCP Abba Kyari and his co-defendant, ACP Sunday Ubia, on Monday, asked a Federal High Court, Abuja, to admit them to bail. Kyari and Ubia, through their lawyer, Mahmud Magaji, told Justice Emeka Nwite while arguing the bail application Magaji, who said the offences with which Kyari and Ubia are being charged are bailable ones, also said that the constitution gave the court the discretionary power to do so. However, counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Joseph Sunday, a director of Prosecution and Legal Services, opposed the bail application. Also, counsel to other police officers in the…

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South Korea’s health authority said on Monday that it would administer COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 5-11 later this month to tackle the spread of the Omicron variant. The two-dose vaccine, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, would be given to the minors from March 31. That will be administered with a lower dose of 10 micrograms instead of 30 micrograms for those aged 12 or above, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The agency said the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant recently raised the number of COVID-19 cases in the age group as well as…

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The Jigawa state chapter of the All Farmers Association (AFAN), says the nationwide lingering fuel scarcity will likely affect dry season farming in the state. The AFAN Chairman in the state, Maiunguwa Jaga, made this known in an interview in Dutse on Monday. Jaga said that most of the dry season farmers depended on pumping machines to pump water to their farms. “I’ve been receiving calls since yesterday (Sunday) from farmers who have already planted but expressing fears that they cannot afford to buy fuel for their water pumps. “For those that use gas, it is now costs between N500 N600…

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The House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on the recovery of outstanding debts owned the federal government by Oil and Gas companies in Nigeria, has invited the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and many others for investigation. Others invited include the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS), Upstream Regulatory Commission, Midstream, Downstream Regulatory Authority, among others. This is based on the report of the National Extractive Industries Extractive Initiative (NEITI) that 77 Oil and Gas companies operating in Nigeria are owing the federal government over N2.6 trillion. Mr Eric Makwe, the Clerk of the Committee, said this in…

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Former state governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso has said that even though he is in talks with the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, he is still a member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). Kwankwaso said the new party is for people who believe that there is a need to change the system introduced since 1999 to one that will benefit Nigerians. According to him, there is a need to study what the country can change to and get a new focus, but he insisted that he is still in the PDP. “As we speak, I am still in the PDP. We…

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Dangote Cement Plc has assured Nigerians of product availability, even as it deepens its market equity and penetration. It said a combined output from the Dangote Cement factories in Obajana, Gboko, Ibese, and Okpella would allay concerns about product availability in some quarters. This is coming as Dangote Cement Plc sustains its position as a leading contributor to Nigeria’s economy with a tax charge of N173.93 billion for the financial year ended December 31, 2021. According to the cement group’s audited results released on the portal of the Nigerian Exchange Ltd (NGX), the tax charge represents an increase of 78.7…

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