Author: Victor Gai

President Muhammadu Buhari is reportedly frustrated with the service chiefs in Nigeria over their strategy in tackling insecurity, warning them to be alive to security problems bedevilling the country. Disclosing this to State House correspondents on Thursday after a security briefing, the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), said the President was unhappy with the current state of security in the country, Sahara Reporters says.  According to Monguno, the President said, though the security chiefs had been doing their best, their best had not been good enough for the challenges facing the nation. He also expressed displeasure over the lack…

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The International Crisis Group has given its suggestion on the way out of the current violence in North-West Nigeria which has continued to claim lives and valuable properties. In it’s a recent report released in May, 2020, titled: Violence in Nigeria’s North-West: Rolling back the Mayhem, the group called on state and non-state actors to intervene in the crisis. In its Executive Summary, it noted that Nigeria’s arid North West is beset by violence between herders and farmers, which has been compounded by an explosion in criminal activity and infiltration by jihadist groups into the region. The last decade has seen thousands…

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Nantes have completed the signing of Moses Simon on a four-year deal from Levante. The Nigeria international will have the opportunity to continue his impressive performances in Christian Gourcuff’s team after he was named the Canary of the Season for the 2019-20 campaign. Simon joined the Canaries on a temporary deal from Levante last summer after struggling to make an impact in La Liga last season. Before the early conclusion of the French season, the Super Eagles winger contributed nine goals and eight assists in 30 appearances for Nantes and he also helped them finish 13th in the Ligue 1 standings. The 24-year-old’s permanent contract is expected to start…

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A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Bauchi State, Alhaji Bibi Dogo has challenged the former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar to account for the over N321 billion he allegedly collected within the period of his administration or show the projects he executed with the funds. Dogo who made the claim in an interaction with journalists in Bauchi, said that the funds that were expended under the watch of the former governor, include the Paris club fund, statutory allocation of State and Local Governments, donations from the United State of America for educational development, internally generated revenue, domestic…

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•Boasts of achievements in social and economic infrastructure •Regrets drop in GDP President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that Nigeria’s external reserve had witnessed an improvement from $33.42 billion to $36.00 billion. He, however, noted that the country’s GDP had declined by 1.87% lately. The President disclosed this in a Democracy day speech on Friday. “In order to stabilize the economy, the Monetary Authority took steps to build the external reserves which resulted in improved liquidity in the foreign exchange market. The external reserves grew from $33.42 billion on April 29th 2020 to about $36.00 billion in May, 2020 which is…

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President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that his administration has created millions of jobs through the social investment programme and the special public works. The President said this in a Democracy day broadcast on Friday. “Our Government has continued to work to reduce social and economic inequality through targeted social investment programmes, education, technology and improved information. “Our Social Investment Programme has continued to be a model to other nations and has engaged 549,500 N-Power beneficiaries, 408,682 beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme and 2,238,334 beneficiaries of the Growth Enhancement and Empowerment Programme. This is being done in collaboration with…

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The coming of Gernot Rohr to Nigeria has brought a tremendous change to the structure of the country’s national football team- the Super Eagles. It has also improved the rating of the team with successes at the African and world football stage. However, the local football scene has deteriorated despite international successes. One of the failures of the Franco-German coach might be his failure to discover and utilize local players for the national team. Rohr’s excuse is that the local players aren’t good enough for the task of rebuilding the national team. He may be right after all Nigerian club…

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… Confirmed cases hit 12,233 Nigeria has recorded 12,233 COVID-19 cases in 35 states and the federal capital territory (FCT), since the index case was confirmed on February 27, 2020, the NCDC says. The NCDC had on Saturday highlighted efforts by the agency, the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 and state emergency operation centres to contain the spread of the virus. “One hundred days after the first case, we remember all Nigerians who have passed away from the disease. We commiserate with their families and friends who have had to deal with the difficulty of losing loved ones at…

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A total of 24 local council areas in the states of Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Cross Rivers, as well as the Gashaka Gumti National Park, Mambilla Plateau and the Obudu Cattle Ranch, may be ceded to the proposed UNO state of Cameroon which is waiting to be declared a sovereign state on July 10, 2020. According to findings by The News Chronicle, some of the local council areas to be ceded in the affected states include: Bama, Gwoza, Ngala, Kala/Balge, Dikwa in Borno state. Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Mubi South, Mayo/Belwa, Toungo, Ganye, Serti, Hong, Jada, Maiha, Jada in Adamawa state, Kurmi,…

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Bauchi govt., fertilizer coys train 5000 Bauchi farmers on modern farming techniques By Nick Yashi The Africa Fertilizers Nigeria Limited, OPC Africa in collaboration with the Bauchi State Government has commenced a three day training for 5,000 farmers on new farming techniques. Declaring the training open, the State Commissioner of  Agriculture,  Sama’ila Adamu Burga, commended the fertilizer company for the initiative saying that the intervention will alleviate their plights, particularly with the negative effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. “Under the COVID 19 project, 5,000 farmers will benefit from the project who were carefully selected from the three senatorial districts of…

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Bournemouth midfielder shows interest in playing for Nigeria By Victor Gai Bournemouth FC of England midfielder, Phillip Billing said he is “very interested” in playing for Nigeria, but that he should be given some time. Speaking in an interview with ESPN, the German tactician, who recently signed a two-and-half-year deal with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said Billing, 23, told him he wanted some time after he asked the player few questions about the Nigerian team. Rohr said: “Billing’s agent called me and said he was interested in coming to Nigeria because he doesn’t play as much for Denmark. “So he wanted…

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COVID 19: Bauchi records 5 new cases, 246 total confirmed cases By Nick YashiFive COVID-19 cases have been recorded at the new Bauchi State Molecular Reference Laboratory on Thursday, bringing the total confirmed infections to 246.According to information received from the Emergency Operation Center of the State Ministry of Health COVID-19 Center, 221 patients have been discharged so far since the outbreak of the disease in the state with only 17 patients on admission at Isolation centers in the state.Although as at 3/6/2020, no patient has been discharged, the total number of laboratory samples taken so far is 1,850 even as…

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President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the family of the Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100 level student of the University of Benin, who was raped to death recently. The President, in a Twitter statement, promised to bring the perpetrators to justice. “I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Uwaila Omozuwa. “I expect the Nigeria Police Force to speedily and diligently investigate this case and ensure that all the culprits responsible for this barbaric act are brought to justice”, he stated.

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…Bauchi governor mourns Former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru is dead. He died late Friday night at age 60. Mele Kyari, the current Group Managing Director of the Corporation announced the death early Saturday morning.  “My brother, my friend and my mentor, Dr Maikanti Kachalla Baru, immediate past GMD of NNPC died late last night,” Mr Kyari wrote on Twitter. “He was of exemplary character and disposition. May Allah forgive him and have mercy upon him.” Mr Buhari replaced Mr Baru with Mr Kyari in July 2019. The NNPC in an official statement by…

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The Federal government had in a letter by the Nigerian Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, urged the board of the AfDB to ignore calls for an independent investigation of Mr Adesina. According to Premium Times report, Mrs Ahmed urged Kaba Niale, chairman of the AfDB board of governors, to follow laid down processes to protect and preserve the bank. “The call for an independent investigation of the president is outside of the laid down rules, procedures and governing system of the bank and its articles as it relates to the code of conduct on ethics for…

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Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, has promised that the current Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) leaders, Plateau United FC, will not play their continental matches away from home should they go on and win the league. Instead, the Ultra-modern Jos stadium will be completed before time to enable them to play at home. The State football team had once suffered a lot of setbacks as a result of playing away from home when they represented Nigeria in the CAF Champions League, having been league champions, owing to the non-accreditation of the stadium by CAF. Speaking during a live program on…

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Gov. Simon Lalong has disclosed that 27 uncompleted roads will be completed before the end of his administration in 2023. According to the governor, agriculture, mining and tourism were areas the state had a comparative advantage and that were it not for the COVID-19, the state would have convened its first economic summit. While speaking on a live program on Silverbird Rythm FM on Tuesday, Lalong stated that the inauguration of a committee on community policing by the state recently was a fall out of a teleconference meeting he had with President Buhari on the deteriorating security situation in the…

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The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with Taraba State governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku has formalized a new partnership to improve the management and delivery of water and sanitation (WASH) services to help people live healthier lives through reliable access to clean water.  In a press release by USAID, says a Memorandum of Understanding was signed online recently which “outlines commitments between USAID and Taraba State to jointly develop a professionally managed, commercially oriented, and accountable state Water Board. This will be accomplished by improving the Water Board’s financial viability, and strengthening policy, institutional, and regulatory frameworks for…

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Gov. Nyesom Wike has on Monday, released a sum of N450 million to victims of the 2019 bloody general elections in Ijaw communities in Abonema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state. According to The Nation, the governor, who met with the victims, deceased families and the council of chiefs at their town hall in Abonema on Monday said their bank account numbers would be credited with the amount of money due them from Wednesday. There were indications that the families of 37 persons, who paid the supreme price, were entitled to N9m compensation each.  

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The Jos Plateau is a range of mountains in the north-central region of Nigeria and like its name, is situated in Plateau State. It covers the entire northern zone of the state and a greater part of the central zone. The highest ranges stand at about 1800 meters above sea level and have an average high temperature of 31.9°C and an average low temperature of 17.9°C. She can boast of weather almost similar to that of some European countries. She has crops that are unique because of the climate conditions and soil.  It is indeed a tourist’s haven! Because of…

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The Plateau State government has stated that “all Eid praying grounds across the State shall be closed to all worshippers” in “line with the existing ban on all large public gatherings in tandem with the directive of the President-General, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, His Eminence, Sultan Mohammed Abubakar that all Muslims should suspend congregational Eid Prayers and pray at home”. This was contained in a press statement by the Commissioner of Information and Communication, Dan Manjang on Friday. The statement added that “where prayers are observed in mosques, they should abide by the regulations for not more than 50…

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President Muhammadu Buhari will observe the Eid-el-Fitr prayers with his family at home in Abuja, in line with the lockdown imposed on the FCT to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presidency stated in its Twitter handle. “With the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations around the corner and the month-long Ramadan fast coming to an end, President @MBuhari will be conducting his Eid prayers with his family at home. “This is in observance of the lockdown measures in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, put in place “to save lives and protect people from all dangers.” “This is also in line with the directive of…

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President Donald Trump has opined that the 1.5 million cases of coronavirus in the US is a “badge of honour” and that the U.S. has more than 1.5 million cases of coronavirus — the highest number of infections globally — saying the total is simply a reflection of a successful testing regime, according to Time. “I view it as a badge of honour, really, it’s a badge of honour,” Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday. “It’s a great tribute to the testing and all of the work that a lot of professionals have done.”…

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President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Borno state born Kashim Ibrahim Imam, as Chairman Board of Trustees, Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFUND). The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, disclosed this in a letter. The letter read: “I write to convey to you the approval of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, of your appointment as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) in Abuja with effect from May 14, 2020,” the letter read. “The appointment is for a tenure of four years in the first instance…

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has begun moves to finalise Super Eagles Manager, Gernot Rohr’s new contract within one week, with a view to getting the German ready to continue working on getting the senior national team to the top of the world game, The Guardian reports. The NFF’s new deal proposal for the former Bordeaux defender has some clauses, which the coach must agree to if he desired to continue managing the Super Eagles. Among the conditions is that he must reside in Nigeria to monitor the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), players. This is aside accepting that his…

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This is not the best of times for Plateau State as the people have constantly been facing terror attacks from suspected Fulani militia. These attacks have been there since 2010 when the ethnoreligious crisis between native Christians and the settler-Hausa community of Jos North had receded. Meanwhile, there have been conflicts in Jos North in September 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2010, which recorded the loss of lives and property. However, the Dogon Nahawa massacre of 2010 where a whole community was wiped out by Fulani militia marked a watershed in the prolonged and sustained campaign of bloodshed on the Plateau.…

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The Plateau state government has returned 601 Almajiris to five states and received 119 from two states, Governor Simon Lalong said in a broadcast on Sunday. According to him, out of those received, only one tested positive for COVID-19. “On the profiling and return of Almajiri children, which commenced on 26th April 2020, we have made a lot of progress. So far, we have returned a total of 601 Almajiris to their States of origin to be tested, reunited with their families and properly cared for. The States include Kaduna (38), Bauchi (419), Kano (92), Jigawa (47), Gombe (5). “We…

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The Plateau State government has relaxed the lockdown in the state to run from Thursday to Sunday, instead of the earlier Friday to Sunday. In a broadcast on Sunday, Lalong said, “with effect from 17th May 2020, the total lockdown will resume from midnight of every Sunday and be relaxed on Wednesdays midnight”. “This will henceforth be the pattern until further review. In order words, the total lockdown is relaxed on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; while Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays remain locked down”, he added. Governor Lalong hinted that the State had recorded more cases of COVID-19 that rose…

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To ensure the observance of the various measures put in place to check the spread of COVID-19 in Plateau State, civil servants on levels 10-14 are to be deployed across the state. This was disclosed on Sunday by Gov. Simon Lalong during a state broadcast. “During my visit to our State boundaries at Forest- Hawan Kibo; Ganawuri-Manchok; and Jingre-Saminaka, I again warned that those compromising our collective security will not be allowed to prevail as Government was more than ever determined to put an end to the flagrant disregard for directives. “The use of facemasks in public places remains compulsory,…

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The Police in Jos has revealed how a lecturer with the University of Jos, Dr Nandi Drenkat, was murdered in the early hours of Saturday and the successful rescue of his six-year-old daughter who was kidnapped in the process. According to the Police, its operatives have arrested a suspected kidnapper, recovered one AK 47 rifle, 29 rounds of live ammunition and rescued two kidnapped victims. “On 16/5/2020 at about 0030hrs, the Command received a distress call at road 6 University Senior staff quarters Jos where some hoodlums entered the house of one Dr. Nandi Drenkat, a lecturer with the University…

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