Author: Chief Editor

Pope Francis decided to deliver Sunday’s prayer by livestream and Italy called in retired doctors as the new coronavirus epidemic gathered strength and emptied streets in Europe’s worst affected country. The 83-year-old pontiff broke with centuries of tradition by enlisting the help of technology to keep crowds from descending on Saint Peter’s Square for the traditional Angelus Prayer. “The prayer will be broadcast via livestream by Vatican News and on screens in Saint Peter’s Square,” the Vatican said in a statement. It had originally promised to review the Argentine-born pope’s schedule “to avoid the dissemination” of the new COVID-19 disease.…

A Federal High Court in Kano has granted an interim injunction restraining Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission from further investigating Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. In an exparte order granted by Justice Lewis Allago yesterday, the court instructed the state Anti-Corruption and its Chairman, Mr. Muhuyi Magaji, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Kano State and Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion. The order dated 6th, March, 2020 and signed by the court registrar Bello Nuhu Ahmed, also directed suspension of any attempt by the commission…

Jurgen Klopp accepts he will “never compare” with Liverpool great Bill Shankly despite guiding the Reds to a record-breaking 22nd consecutive home Premier League win. With a 2-1 victory against Bournemouth at Anfield, Liverpool became the first team in top-flight history to string together such a run of triumphs on home turf. Shankly – a three-time title-winning manager – had achieved a stretch of 21 straight home successes to hold the record prior to Klopp’s exploits. But the current Liverpool boss insisted he could not hope to rank alongside Shankly, although he hailed the team’s “fight” as they close on a…

Just three more wins to go. It was not a famous performance, but it was a record-breaking result, one that should end any of that title-collapse talk before it got out of hand – and one that reminded everyone how wonderfully ruthless Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah can be. Liverpool were certainly not brilliant against Bournemouth, the standard of their display mostly in keeping with a recent run in which they had lost three of their past five games and scored only four times, but they are back to winning ways and have surpassed their own record for consecutive top-flight…

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who have not registered in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) should no longer expect their salaries, Finance, Budget and National Planning Minister, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said on Thursday. She said that 55 per cent of the varsity teachers’ has so far been enrolled. The minister spoke at the opening of the 2020 Management Retreat for Treasury Directors of Finance and Directors of Internal Audit in Kano on Thursday. “Unfortunately, most reforms that you undertake, you come across resistance. We have had resistance from ASUU on the implementation of…

President Muhammadu Buhari has informed the nation that the challenges faced by the nation is higher than our national income. He said this is a major challenge that must be overcome as a nation if we are to make progress. The President added that although the government has been challenged on all fronts from security, absence of critical infrastructure, poverty to unemployment, the essence of the Next Level Agenda is to consolidate on the achievements of the last four. He added that among many challenges governments all over the world face, funding is the major one because it is the…

Frank Lampard lauded Carlo Ancelotti as a “fantastic manager” ahead of Everton’s trip to Chelsea on Sunday, insisting the Italian will be warmly received at Stamford Bridge. The Blues boss will again come up against a former coach of his, having got the better of Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham two weeks ago. With Chelsea buoyed by their midweek FA Cup win over Liverpool, their bid for a top-four finish in the Premier League continues with the visit of Ancelotti’s side. Asked what sort of reception Ancelotti will get on returning to the club where he won the 2009-10 league and FA Cup…

Cameroon has confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus, a French national who arrived in the capital Yaounde in February, the government said on Friday. The man, 58, has been placed in isolation in a hospital, the health ministry said in a statement. In sub-Saharan Africa, Senegal has registered four cases, all foreign nationals, and South Africa and Nigeria have one case each since the outbreak emerged in December in China. [GuardianNG]

• PDP, a rights group, others condemn approval • OPS expresses worry over the nation’s ability to repay • Lawmakers okay N346.3b NDDC’s 2019 budget It was a rancorous session yesterday in the Senate as the lawmakers engaged in heated arguments on the $29.96 billion loan request made by President Muhammadu Buhari for infrastructural development. Although approval of $22.7billion was eventually given to the request, the unity among the senators was weakened. It was a straight disagreement between those opposed to automatic approval of the loan and those who wanted a thorough debate on every item of the request. Senate…

• Insist on 13 per cent derivation before FAAC • Herdsmen chase away Benue ruler, rape wife, in-laws • Residents flee as terrorists invade Yobe community • North-East governors meet on insecurity, others The South-South Governors Forum yesterday resolved to set up a regional security outfit and revive the BRACE Commission to tackle developmental issues. Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who is the forum’s chairman said that he and his colleagues who met in Asaba agreed that there was a need for a regional security outfit. At the meeting were the governors of Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.…