Author: Chief Editor

• Ooni cautions against politicisation of insecurity, Aregbesola urges unity Chairman of South-West Governors’ Forum and Ondo chief executive, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and his Oyo counterpart, Seyi Makinde, yesterday, separately briefed President Muhammadu Buhari s on the security situation in their states at the State House, Abuja. While Akeredolu declined comments at the end of the meeting, a statement by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, in Akure said he secured a presidential nod to evict elements in Ondo. The statement read in part: “The governor met with the President and it centered on issue of security in the…

• NMA, others welcome guidelines • Urge pharmacies to moderate costs of preventive items President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, signed Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Protection Regulations 2021 as part of efforts to boost the COVID-19 response in the country. The introduction of the Regulations is a welcome development, according to Nigerian Medical Association and other stakeholders in the health sector. Buhari said the regulations, which would take immediate effect, were given urgent consideration to safeguard the health and ensure the well-being of Nigerians, especially in the face of rising COVID-19 cases in the country. The guidelines state that any person that contravened…

A former Presidential candidate in the 2019 general election, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), can achieve a lot in the area of restructuring by urgently sending an executive bill to the National Assembly in areas where a national consensus has been built. He said this while speaking to newsmen, in Abuja, on Wednesday. The businessman turned politician noted that from ongoing public debate, it was obvious that consensus has been built around issues such as the desirability of state police to deal with insecurity, devolution of powers to states to control resources in…

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has said the newly appointed service chiefs are aware of the expectations from Nigerians regarding security in the country. Buhari who had his first meeting with the service chiefs today said he reminded them that their loyalty is to Nigeria. He advised them to prioritise their welfare and that of their men while assuring them of his full support. “I met with the service chiefs today. They’re fully aware of the high expectations of Nigerians regarding security nationwide. I reminded them their loyalty is to Nigeria and asked them to prioritize the welfare…

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has said that the new Service Chiefs will be more effective if President Muhammadu Buhari shows interests in their conduct and performance. In a statement on Wednesday in Kaduna, the forum’s Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, urged Buhari not to distance himself from defence and security matters by holding Service Chiefs and senior commanders accountable for successes and failures. Baba-Ahmed said: “The priorities of the Service Chiefs should include real improvements in professional standards and morale of fighting men and women as well as fighting corruption within the armed forces. “In our current…

Charges them to rise up to the security challenge CDS assures Nigerians of adequate security President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met with the newly appointed Service Chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja with a directive that they should rise up to the nation’s current security challenges. The meeting was coming barely 24 hours after the new top military chiefs were named by President Buhari. Present at the meeting held behind closed doors were Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao,…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the parliament will pass the long awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law in April this year. The Speaker gave the assurance while delivering his remarks at the public hearing organized by the House Ad hoc Committee on PIB at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. He said despite the position of any vested interest, the parliament will ensure that it protects the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). Gbajabiamila said though the PIB has been in the National Assembly…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke out against racism on Wednesday after a heated exchange with former Manchester United teammate Romelu Lukaku during the Italian Cup quarter-final in which he evoked voodooism. The AC Milan striker squared up to his Inter Milan counterpart in Tuesday’s match, accusing the Belgian international of using voodoo, according to Italian media reports. On Wednesday the Swede took to Twitter, writing; “In ZLATAN’s world there is no place for RACISM. “We are all the same race – we are all equal!! We are all PLAYERS some better then others.” The heated altercation between the pair began at the…

New Covid-19 variants that make the virus more contagious and could render vaccine and antibody protection less effective have spread rapidly across dozens of countries, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. In its latest epidemiological update, the UN health agency said the more contagious Covid-19 variant first spotted in Britain had by January 25 spread to 70 countries across all regions of the world. That variant, which is known as VOC 202012/01 and has proven to transmit more easily than previous variants of the virus, had thus spread to 10 more countries over the past week, it said. British…

It was a dream come true for former Nigeria international Odion Ighalo when he joined his boyhood club Manchester United. But his spell at The Theatre of Dreams has come to an end. “It’s so hard to see this dream come to an end,” Ighalo said in a farewell message to Manchester United fans. “But I give God the glory for helping me fulfill this life long dream of putting on a Manchester United shirt as a player and represent this great club, it was indeed an honor I will forever cherish and be grateful for.” United signed Ighalo in…