Author: Safiu Kehinde

Safiu Kehinde The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned over expected to rise in Mpox cases in the next four weeks, with signs of flattening anticipated early next year. This was disclosed by the Chief of Staff at Africa CDC, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, during a weekly briefing on the outbreak. “We are hoping that after about four weeks, we should see some plateauing of the outbreak as a result of all the current investments. “Towards the end of quarter one, we can then see the bending of the curve,” he said. While assuring that intensified…

Agency Report A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, discharged and acquitted no fewer than 50 persons alleged to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of allegations bordering on terrorism. Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment, held that the Nigerian Police Force failed, in its entirety, to established a prima facie case against the 50 defendants, including four women. Justice Omotosho, who upheld the no-case submission of the defendants, said that the prosecution failed to adduce any credible evidence, linking the defendants to the allegations with which they were charged. The News Agency of Nigeria…

Safiu Kehinde An Abuja Federal High Court has,on Friday, admitted at least 109 foreigners, charged over allegations bordering on cybercrime, to a N1 billion bail with five suites. Justice Ekerete Akpan, who granted them bail, directed that the five sureties must have a landed property worth N200, 000 million each. The judge directed that the sureties must deposit the original and verified documents of their landed property with the deputy registrar of the court. He also directed the sureties to deposit their international passports while ordered the defendants to be remanded in Keffi Correctional Centre in Nasarawa State pending the…

Agency Report Mr Chris Maiyaki, Acting Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) says the commission will continue to encourage the establishment of more universities notwithstanding the criticism. Maiyaki made the disclosure on Friday in his lecture at the 22nd convocation ceremony of the Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo. The NUC chief said this was necessary considering the country’s population and its low literacy level. He, however, said that what the commission would not do was to compromise the quality of university education in the country. According to him, available statistics and studies shows that Nigeria needs more universities to harness…

Agency Report The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, says training is imperative for operators to acquire the right skills to manage the transport sector. Keyamo said this at the Global Transport Policy (GTP) maiden Women in Transport Conference on Friday in Lagos. The conference had the theme,’ Mindset Plus Skillset: Championing Inclusive Agenda for Women in the Nigerian Transport Industry’. Keyamo was represented by Mrs Obiageli Orah, from the Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Department, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). The minister noted that the transport sector was multi-faceted, comprising the air, road, rail and…

Safiu Kehinde A 26-year-old scavenger, Abdullahi Umar, has bagged three months jail term for stealing four bicycles worth N400,000 after court ruling by a Senior Magistrates’ Court in Karu, Abuja. Magistrate Lami Sani, who delivered the verdict, did not offer the convict an option of fine and cautioned him to desist from committing crimes in the future. Umar, a resident of Nyanya Pantaker, Abuja, pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of criminal trespass and theft. According to the prosecution counsel, Ayotunde Adeyanju, the complainant, Mr Lawrence Ezaka, reported the matter at the Karu Police Station on October 16. Adeyanju alleged…

Safiu Kehinde The Kwara State Government has vowed to take disciplinary action against teacher involved in an alleged physical assault of a corps member. While condemning the assault, the Commissioner of Education, Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu, as quoted in a statement issued on Friday by the Press Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Peter Amogbonjaye, appealed to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over the incident. She confirmed the teacher, identified as Mrs. Fatima Amuzat, has been summoned. According to report, the female corps member whose name was not disclosed was allegedly beaten up by teachers at the Government Day…

At least 18 people died when a boat carrying passengers heading to a market in Cameroon’s Far North region capsized, a local administrative official said on Friday. The accident occurred on Thursday on waterways leading to the district of Darak, an island in the Lake Chad Basin near the border with Chad, where seasonal floods have made boats the only viable means of getting around. Mamat Zarma, divisional officer of Darak, said the wooden boat was en route when it was rocked by violent winds, causing it to capsize. “So far, we have recovered the bodies of five women and…

Safiu Kehinde Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, have signed letters of intent in an effort to strengthen partnership on critical infrastructure and the long-term sustenance of agriculture and food security. This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. According to the statement, Tinubu and Macron signed two agreements on Thursday in Paris, France. The partnership agreements were signed at an economic forum attended by businessmen, captains of industry, governors, and some top government officials of both countries at the Palais des…

Agency Report The Niger House of Assembly Committee on Health and Nutrition says it has uncovered alleged mismanagement of primary healthcare (PHC) funds by some healthcare officials in the state. Mr Umar Nasir, Chairman of the Committee and member (APC-Paikoro), said this on Friday at a two-day interface with the 25 local government directors of health facilities in the state. Nasir alleged that some officers in charge of the funds withdrew money from the state government account into their personal accounts before utilisation. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the findings followed a petition from a social media…