Author: Chief Editor

President Muhammadu Buhari was yesterday briefed by ECOWAS Special Envoy on Mali, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on latest developments regarding the political impasse in the landlocked West African country. Buhari expressed delight at the news broken by the Nigerian ex-president during a visit to the State House, Abuja. He was told that the situation had calmed down considerably, following interventions by ECOWAS leaders. Jonathan said the mission given him by the sub-regional body was almost accomplished, as a government with a largely civilian face had been inaugurated. He added that ECOWAS Chairman and President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, would formally brief…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic prepares to return in Saturday’s Milan derby but Juventus will be without Cristiano Ronaldo as Serie A swings back into action after the international break in the shadow of coronavirus. In a week where Napoli were deducted a point and handed a 3-0 defeat to Juventus for failing to turn up for their match because of two virus cases, Covid-19 looks set to be a game-changer in a season already in turmoil going into round four. “The real victory is to finish the championship, the result is secondary,” said Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini as his team headed back…

Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has set up a panel to investigate the allegations of human rights abuse against the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the state. The governor said this yesterday while addressing EndSARS protesters in Awka yesterday. According to a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C-Don Adinuba, the governor said the panel would also look into the allegations of extrajudicial killings levelled against a former leader of SARS in the state, Chief Superintendent of Police James Nwafor (retired). Nwafor’s appointment as Special Assistant to the Governor has since been terminated. The statement quoted…

•Yakubu restates February 18 date for 2023 presidential poll Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has faulted claims by social critics that the serial review of the 1999 Constitution as amended is a waste of resources and has not achieved anything. Osinbajo, in his goodwill message yesterday at the inauguration of the House of Representatives’ special ad-hoc committee on the review of 1999 Constitution, said the various amendments to the constitution have strengthened the document and made the nation’s democracy better. In furtherance of the review, the House yesterday inaugurated a special ad-hoc committee to superintend over the exercise. The committee listed…

•Supervise new tactical team, establish fund for victims •IG cautions personnel on use of force •Again, hoodlums attack demonstrators in Lagos Youths protesting police brutality for the past nine days got hefty concessions from the federal and state governments yesterday as the National Economic Council (NEC) rose from a meeting in Abuja and directed the 36 state governors and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to take charge of negotiations with the protesters in their respective states. Specifically, the NEC directed the governors to establish judicial panels to investigate alleged police brutality, supervise fresh tactical team being set up by…

The Federal Capital Territory has banned protest against police brutality in all parts of Abuja. Anthony Ogunleye, spokesman to FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello announced the ban in a statement on Thursday. Ogunleye said the decision to ban the protest was made when the FCT Security Committee met to review the security situation in the Federal Capital Territory with a view to addressing identified challenges. “The Committee noted with concern that despite the pronouncement by the Inspector General of Police scrapping the FSARS, the #ENDSARS protests continued in parts of the Territory,” Ogunleye said, “The protesters caused inconveniences to…

By Olusegun Adeniyi Email: olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com Events of the past one week across the country have revealed the true character of the Nigerian police: It is an institution that still sees its role as basically to put down any form of dissent or resistance, including to glaring injustice. Even at the cost of human lives. Only a few days of protests and we are already counting bodybags. Trending videos feature supposed officers of the law kicking and punching women on the streets. In contrast, there have been daily protests in Hong Kong for the past 16 months over a contentious bill…

Cristiano Ronaldo, who has tested positive for Covid-19, left the Portuguese team camp near Lisbon on Wednesday to fly back to Northern Italy on his private jet, local media reported. The Juventus player’s jet took off in the afternoon from the Tires airfield, in the outskirts of Lisbon, according to images broadcast by CMTV. The Portuguese Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Ronaldo tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, the day after Portugal drew 0-0 with France in Paris and would not be in the squad for Wednesday’s UEFA Nations League match against Sweden in Lisbon. The 35-year-old five-time Ballon…

Despite the outrage in some quarters over the uncoordinated play of the Super Eagles in the two international friendlies against African champions Algeria and Number 2 ranked team in the continent Tunisia, Head Coach, Gernot Rohr appears unfazed by those criticizing his team’s outing in Austria. Nigeria lost 1-0 to the Fennecs of Algeria last Friday while the Tunisians fought back to tie the clash with Super Eagles 1-1. In both games, Rohr used six uncapped players in the absence of key men like Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Joe Aribo and goalkeeper Francis Uzoho. But speaking on the…

The federal government negotiating team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, will meet with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) today in a bid to end the over six months strike by the university lecturers. A statement signed issued yesterday by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations at the ministry, Mr. Charles Akpan said “Ngige will be hosting a meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursday, October 15, 2020”. ASUU had called out its members on an indefinite industrial action following their opposition to federal…