Author: Chief Editor

REUBEN ABATI In the past week, in the South Western part of Nigeria, we have been treated to stories of conflicts in Ondo and Oyo States between herdsmen, identified as Fulani, and the Yoruba owners of indigenous communities. In Ondo State, the issue at stake is the conversion of the state’s forest reserves into a criminal space by herdsmen who violate the integrity of the reserves and a hide-out for kidnapping, extortion and killings. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu affirming his powers as the Chief Security Officer of the state gave a seven-day ultimatum to the herdsmen in the forest reserves to…

The Northern Elders Forum says the appointment of new service chiefs is not enough to bring the needed change Nigerians expect to see in the country’s war against insurgency and sundry security challenges, adding that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), must exercise leadership as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces. “The key is the president, he has to change his attitude to the defence and security of this country. You cannot run this country with all these security challenges and maintain the distance that he maintains with what is going on. You listen to the president and his…

Manchester City stormed to the top of the Premier League on Tuesday with a 5-0 demolition of West Brom to extend their winning streak to 11 games. Ilkay Gundogan scored twice, while Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez, and Raheem Sterling were also on target as Pep Guardiola’s men moved a point ahead of local rivals Manchester United at the top of the table. “Good result, in general a good performance and three more points,” said a satisfied Guardiola. United can move back in front when they host bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United on Wednesday, but on the evidence of recent weeks City will…

The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Olafayo Amao, was born on September 14, 1965, at Enugu. He hails from Oshogbo in Osun State. Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Olafayo Amao He enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on January 19, 1984, as a member of the 35 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy. He had previously served as Trainee/Squadron Pilot, NAF Unit 99 ACTG Kainji (1993-2004), Instructor Pilot/Squadron Pilot, 301 FTS Kaduna (2004-2007), Air Assistance to Chief of Air Staff, Deputy Defence Adviser, Nigerian High Commission London, Assistant Director of Operation Defence…

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said on Tuesday that he did not think his players were distracted by the club’s financial problems and called for “focus” when they visit Rayo Vallecano in the cup. Koeman has recalled Lionel Messi to the squad for Wednesday’s round-of-16 trip to second-division Rayo after a two-match ban for a red card in the Spanish Super Cup final loss. Koeman told a press conference that the Argentine was “looking forward to it” but refused to say if Messi would start. “Leo is very keen to play and to win things, he is used to winning trophies,…

Barcelona on Tuesday announced March 7 as the intended date for the football club’s delayed presidential election and will, for the first time, allow postal voting. The vote was originally scheduled for January 24 but postponed in the face of increased Covid-19 restrictions in Spain. The regional government in Catalonia has since modified the law governing votes at sports clubs to allow a postal ballot. The club said that members over the age of 65 would also be able to vote from home. The club had originally planned to set up polling stations across Spain and Andorra but said on…

World Health Organization experts on Tuesday cautiously backed delaying second injections of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine in some situations, as they did for the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs. The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) also insisted international travellers should not be prioritised for any Covid-19 jabs for the time being. During a meeting last week, the experts discussed the Moderna vaccine which, like that of Pfizer-BioNTech, uses mRNA technology and is being rolled out across the world. Both vaccines require boosters after three to four weeks, but several countries facing limited vaccine supplies have said they will delay…

The announcement that the coronavirus strain sweeping Britain could be more deadly, as well as more transmissible, has raised fresh concerns about the variant that has spread to dozens of countries. Initially, British experts said that their evidence suggested the new strain circulating in the UK — one of several to have emerged internationally in recent months — was between 50 percent and 70 percent more transmissible. On Friday, however, the government said the new variant could also be 30-40 percent more deadly, although it stressed the assessment relied on sparse data. What has changed? In mid-January, two separate studies…

Prof.Isaac Albert, Director, Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the removal of Service Chiefs. Albert said this on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan. The expert said that Buhari had responded to the yearnings of Nigerians by the removal of the service chiefs. Albert, however, said the removal of the service chiefs only would not solve the security challenges facing the country. He urged the president to move to the next stage by addressing other challenges such as inadequate equipment and military personnel. Albert also called on…

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), to collaborate with Dynali Company, a Belgian Helicopter Manufacturing Company, for the local production of helicopters. The President gave the directive at a meeting with the Board of NASENI at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday. Buhari also approved the National Tractor Refurbishment and Recovery Programme, to cater for the repairs and repositioning of more than 55,000 tractors across the country, He directed the NASENI to work towards bridging the gaps in research and technology that keeps Nigeria waiting on other countries for supplies and solutions,…