Author: Opalim Lifted

The Federal Government said it has not considered imposing mandatory COVID-19 testing or restrictions on travellers from China until there is a need for it. The government, however, admitted that Nigeria was at risk of a fresh surge of the virus. It, therefore, advised Nigerians to go for vaccination. The Coordinator of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Dr Muktar Muhammed, disclosed this to one of our correspondents in Abuja on Thursday. But virologists warned that there could be a fresh outbreak of the virus in the country. There are reports that countries are imposing COVID-19 testing and restrictions on…

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, barred the Department of State Services and the Inspector General of Police from arresting and detaining the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, over allegations of terrorism and sundry offences against him. Meanwhile, the court has ordered an accelerated hearing in the matter and abridged the time of both the respondents and the applicant. Also restrained by the court order are the Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, who are listed as the first, second and fifth…

Messers CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium has been named as the preferred bidder for the proposed Lagos Fourth Mainland Bridge project. The announcement was made through the Office of Public Private Partnerships (PPP). Special Adviser to the governor on Public Private Partnerships, Ope George, at a news conference in Ikeja, said the project, which is a PPP transport infrastructure development, will comprise the construction and operation of a greenfield tolled road and bridge with a design speed of 120km/h, including the development of adjacent real estates. Yuletide: FG opens Second Niger Bridge for 30 days The project when completed, would become the second…

Ten vehicles worth several millions of naira, impounded by the disbanded Traffic and Indiscipline Management Agency of Abia State (TIMAAS), and parked at its yard at the premises of the Abia State Meteorological Complex, Umukalika, Aba have been destroyed by fire. It was gathered that the affected vehicles were those impounded by TIMAAS led by Bright Chindeu Ikeokwu before it was disbanded by a State High Court sitting in Obingwa Judicial Division. The court presided over by Justice E.O. Enwereji in Suit No: HOB/24/2022: between Kalu Nnamdi Collins (plaintiff) and TIMAAS and Bright Chinedu Ikeokwu (defendants) had declared TIMAAS an…

bThe Nigeria Immigration Service, Bayelsa State Command, claimed on Thursday that it had uncovered ‘new methods’ used by suspected human traffickers to traffick underage girls. In a statement by the state Comptroller, Mr Sunday James, the command however cited the ECOWAS Travel Certificate as one of the means adopted by the human traffickers in their illicit business. James claimed that the perpetrators use the ECOWAS travel document “to evade security checks and avoid suspicion and transport their victims to any of the regional body’s member states.” Bayelsa flood impacted 1.3m persons, 96 deaths He said, “A victim by the name…

Fun seekers who tropped out in their thousands to witness this year’s Calabar carnival have bemoaned the inability of the organisers to light up the city, especially the possession routes of the carnival. Some of the fun seekers spoke in a seperate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Wednesday at the day six of the annual carnival. The respondents noted that the non-functional street lights on the routes robbed the carnival which started on a high note during the day of the shine it deserved. NAN reports that the 12 kilometres routes from Eleven-Eleven Roundabout…

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), says it will intensify efforts towards improving aviation safety in 2023. NSIB Director-General, Mr Akin Olateru made this known on Thursday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). According to Olateru, one of the fundamental objectives of the bureau is to improve aviation safety by determining the circumstances and causes of air accidents and serious incidents. “It will also provide safety recommendations intended to prevent recurrence of similar accidents. The purpose of this is not to apportion blame or liability,” he added. The NSIB boss said to achieve the…

Families wept and kissed the tarmac at the main airport in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region as they reunited after being kept apart by war for more than 18 months. The emotional scenes followed the resumption of commercial flights between the federal capital Addis Ababa and the regional capital Mekelle. The city, which has a population of around 500,000, was largely cut off from the rest of the world during a brutal two-year war that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people, and displaced millions of others. The government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) finally signed a peace…

George Obiozor, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural organisation is dead, a source close to the organisation has said. According to the source, Obiozor died on December 26 from a heart-related illness. The chieftain, who wished to be anonymous informed our correspondent that Obiozor died of a heart-related disease. 2023: Northern governors planning to break-up Nigeria – Ohanaeze He, however, said the apex Igbo body would not announce Obiozor’s death until his family makes the announcement. “The man is dead but it’s not in our tradition to announce such death even when we have such information, we allow…

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), said he was “absolutely satisfied” with the performance of the newly promoted Commander, Brigade of Guards, Major Gen. Mohammed Usman. Buhari, who noted he was very difficult to satisfy, said shortly after decorating Usman at a short ceremony at the Villa, that, ‘‘Nobody has been able to touch me while you are here. I’m absolutely satisfied with your performance.” This was contained in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled, ‘President Buhari decorates newly promoted Commander, Brigade of Guards. Gunmen attack presidential…