Tag: COVID-19

Covid-19: Emirates airline resumes flights in Nigeria from June 23

Aminu Imam

Emirates Airline has announced that it would be resuming flight operations in Nigeria from June 23rd. The airline, in an issued statement, said it welcomes the latest protocols and measures announced by United Arab Emirates (UAE) Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management to allow the safe resumption of passenger travel from South Africa, Nigeria and India to Dubai. “We look forward to facilitating travel from these countries and supporting various travelers’ categories. We will resume carrying passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India in accordance with these protocols…

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UNGA president pledges not to let corruption continue unchecked

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Volkan Bozkir, said the effects of corruption are “detrimental to all of society” and it should not be allowed to continue unchecked. “We cannot pretend that there were no issues before the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “Transnational financial crime and corruption are unfortunately commonplace in our interconnected, interdependent world,” said Bozkir during the first day of a special session convened to galvanise political will to fight the scourge. The UNGA president, or the PGA, said that corruption affects decision-making…

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“My wives ran away after one governor infected me with Covid-19”, el-Rufa’i reveals

Aminu Imam

Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmed el-Rufa’i,  has disclosed that his wives ran away from him when he contracted Covid-19 from a fellow governor in 2020 and spent 26 days in isolation. El-Rufa’i, who revealed this while speaking at the 7th Ahmadu Bello Foundation lecture in Kaduna on Saturday, said that not less than 50,000 people would have been killed by the virus last year if a lockdown had not been imposed. Recall that the State government in March imposed a lockdown on Kaduna, following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to…

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Cases of domestic, sexual violence tripled during Covid-19 lockdown – Minister

Aminu Imam

The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, yesterday said cases of domestic and sexual violence tripled during the Covid-19 lockdown. Recall that the Federal Government imposed the lockdown in April last year in a bid to check the spread of Covid-19 in the country. Tallen, who disclosed this during a programme to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the World Union of Catholic Women in Abuja, was, however, silent on the number of reported cases before and during the lockdown. She also warned on discrimination between the male and the girl child…

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Covid-19: Again, FG announces fresh restrictions 

Aminu Imam

…Bans large gathering, shuts bars, night clubs, recreational centres The Federal Government has yet again announced another phase of nationwide Covid-19 curfew in a bid to further stem the tide of the disease in the country. According to the Presidential Task Force, (PTF) on Covid-19, National Incident Manager, Mukhtar Mohammed, who made the announcement yesterday, during the PTF on Covid-19 briefing in Abuja, said that the 12.am to 4 am curfew has now been restored and would take effect from midnight yesterday. Mohammed further said that bars, nightclubs, gyms and others should…

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FG denies receiving $5.6bn Covid-19 donation

Aminu Imam

The Federal Government has denied receiving $5.6billion for Covid-19 donations from anyone or any corporate organisation to cushion the effect of the disease in the country. The Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Clement Ikanade Agba, who rose to the defense of the government yesterday in Abuja, said he was reacting to social media publications by Civil Society Organisations, (CSOs), accusing the government to have received and mismanaged the sum of $5.6billion. “They are saying that the country received a donation of $5.6billion. That is incorrect,” Agba…

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‘More people likely to die of hunger than Covid-19 in Africa’ – AfDB President, Adesina

Aminu Imam

President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has conveyed fears that hunger and food insecurity may kill more Africans than Covid-19. This was made known by the AfDB President at the Leaders’ Dialogue on ‘Africa Covid-Climate Emergency‘ event, organised by the Bank and the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA). According to Adesina, “I think that the risks are probably much higher for many in Africa to die from hunger than Covid-19 pandemic. So, we must boost access to food and good nutrition because vaccines are important but only…

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“We gave Niger-Delta govs. N100m each as Covid-19 palliatives” – NDDC

Aminu Imam

The Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), has stated that it gave each of the governors of the nine oil-producing states N100 million each as Covid-19 palliatives.  This claim was reportedly made by NDDC officials while appearing before the Senate Committee on Ethics Privileges and Public Petitions.  The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Patrick Ayo Akinyelure told newsmen that the Senate may summon the governors to testify on how the money was spent. He warned that the NDDC Sole Administrator must appear before it or risk an arrest warrant being issued against him…

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Covid-19: “Nobody is safe until everyone is vaccinated” – Boss Mustapha

Aminu Imam

Ø  First dose of vaccines administered in Abuja Ø  Govs. to be vaccinated publicly on March, 10 Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha says nobody is safe from Covid-19 infection until everyone is vaccinated. The SGF, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19, stated this yesterday, during the formal rollout of Covid-19 vaccines at the National Hospital in Abuja, the nation’s capital. According to him, “We must understand that nobody is safe until everyone is vaccinated. We must recognise that…

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COVID-19: Nigeria begins AstraZeneca vaccination

Ishaku Yohanna

National Hospital doctor receives first jab Buhari, Osinbajo slated for Saturday As Governors, deputies set to be vaccinated March 10 By Ishaku Yohanna History has been made as a medical doctor, Cyprian Nyong, of the National Hospital, Abuja, received the first jab of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine as Nigeria on Friday commenced its COVID-19 vaccination exercise. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, flagged off the exercise on Friday on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari at the National Hospital,…

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