In the spirit of Santa Nigeria’s very own remarkable Timzy Mani comes through with another Banger to end the year, according to him he has been doing the most low key, working on his art “Jingle Bell” freestyle is just a “free vibe” for his fans & lovers of Mani’s music
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Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, on Monday, December 21, refuted allegations by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress accusing him of sponsoring bandits in his state.
Matawalle was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019.
According to him, the state was “a colony of banditry in the whole world” during the APC administration of his predecessor, Abdul’aziz Yari.
However, Matawalle claimed that though insecurity has not totally been eliminated in Zamfara; terror attacks have drastically reduced in the state since he came into office.
In a string of tweets, Matawalle wrote, “I find it insulting that the APC is accusing me of sponsoring bandits in my own state. We all are living witnesses to the fact that during APC’s tenure, Zamfara State was adjudged as a colony of banditry in the whole world.
“We are not claiming that insecurity has totally been eliminated in Zamfara but it is on record that terror attacks have reduced drastically in the state in less than two years than APC’s unfortunate eight years when people were running away from the state.
It was widely reported that the APC accused an unnamed governor in North-West; of sponsoring banditry in the region.
The APC’s statement last Thursday followed the abduction of over 300 schoolboys; from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, by bandits who attacked the school on December 11, 2020.
“The All Progressives Congress has challenged security agencies to investigate an intelligence report; linking a North-west governor to the heightened cases of banditry; abductions; and other violent crimes in the zone,” APC Acting Deputy Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, had said in the statement.
Worried about the mutated strain of COVID-19 manifesting itself in the United Kingdom, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed revealed the Federal Government may impose a travel ban to and from certain parts of the world.
Lai Mohammed disclosed this on Monday, December 21, in Abuja at a press briefing.
The minister who is a member of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, said; while the government appreciates the negative economic impact of another lockdown; it would not rule out restrictions on movement to and from certain parts of the world.
“We are more concerned about the new strain of COVID-19 which is manifesting itself in the UK; that is the mutated strain.
“It is difficult to detect, it spreads faster; and people have been known to die of it within a very short period of its detection.
“This is a major concern to us as a country.
“While I do not want to pre-empt the PTF because we are meeting this afternoon; it is going to be top on the agenda of our discussions.
“I will not be surprised if that will be the recommendation of the committee which is meeting later today,’’ he said.
“Besides, many of our people, because of the traditional link we have with the UK; may want to go there for business or family reunion.
“It is a very testy time and it might be another dangerous period to transmit this new variant of COVID-19.”
The minister noted that many European countries had banned flights to and from the UK.
According to Lai Mohammed, the Federal Government will not hesitate in giving the directive; if it is the only way Nigerians can be protected from the agony of the new variant of COVID-19.
Besides measures to prevent the importation of the new strain of COVID-19, the minister said the government was worried about the spike in infections in the last couple of days.
He enjoined Nigerians to comply with the advisory being regularly issued by the PTF, including the use of face masks, compliance with social distancing protocols, and regular washing of hands with soap and water.
The minister also urged Nigerians to refrain from local or international travels except if absolutely necessary.
The Federal Government has extended the deadline for the linkage of the National Identification Number (NIN) with SIM cards registration records.
4wardwego reports that the new deadline is now January 19, 2021 for those with NIN.
For those without NIN, the deadline has been extended to February 9, 2021.
Earlier, the deadline for the linking of the NIN to SIM cards was fixed for December 30, 2020. Specifically, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had told telecommunications companies to block all unregistered SIM cards in the country in two weeks.
Also, customers of all networks were told to register with their NIN or risk losing their numbers.
Meanwhile, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on Monday, December 21, shut down its office; in the Alausa area of Lagos State due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
4wardwego also gathered that the Federal Government has approved the use of agents in the National Identity Number (NIN) registration process.
The NIMC reportedly shut down its operations for the day and asked people to return the next day.
Recently, the FG issued a two-week ultimatum for the registration and linking of National Identity Number (NIN) to mobile numbers; otherwise, users risk having their SIM cards blocked.
In the early hours of Monday, an official of the commission who addressed the people present at the office; explained that there was an instruction to shut down the office due to the crowd that was likely to increase the vulnerability of the people to the deadly coronavirus disease.
He further explained that there is a spike in the number of cases; in the state specifically and the country at large; hence, the need to take precaution and adhere strictly to COVID-19 protocols.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State on Sunday, December 20, demanded the resignation of Governor Godwin Obaseki over the worsening insecurity in the state and disobedience of court’s order.
This call was made by the Chairman of APC Caretaker Committee in the state, Col. David Imuse (retd); who also accused the state government of taking a N25 billion loan without disclosing the motive for collecting the loan.
He added that Obaseki refused to obey a court judgment that declared the removal of the chairman of Estako East local government area of the state illegal.
Imuse said: “No one is safe in Edo. The state is under siege. We have a governor who has lost focus. Fear and insecurity have become the order of the day.
“Because Edo State is designed to be governed by relevant laws, Edo APC is ready to take the bull by the horns, as it can no longer condone a governor who has no regard for the rule of law.”
The party also blamed Obaseki for making Edo the third most indebted state in the country. Further, it wondered why he would borrow N25billion from the capital market without telling the people of the state the motive for the loan.
1st News had reported that the rift between the governor and APC reached a climax in July; when he was disqualified from the party’s governorship primaries over alleged discrepancies in his academic certificates.
He later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and secured the party’s ticket for the governorship election.
Obaseki was re-elected for another term of four years after he defeated the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
He also defeated Ize-Iyamu in the 2016 election.
According to various sources, the students were on their way back from a Maulud occasion at Unguwan-Alkasim, Dandume to Mahuta; when they were ambushed and kidnapped by the bandits.
However, the Katsina State Police Command on Sunday, December 20, announced the successful rescue of the students.
The Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Gambo Isah, who gave the situation report, revealed that a team of combined security operatives carried out the rescue mission on Saturday.
A fresh attack by the dreaded jihadist sect, Boko Haram, has resulted in the death of five soldiers.
The development was confirmed by military sources on Sunday, Daily Mail reports.
Furthermore, scores of civilians were kidnapped in a separate attack by Boko Haram. The death of the soldiers resulted from an attack on a military convoy. The convoy came under attack in Borno state on Saturday. Earlier on Friday, Boko Haram fighters attacked a transport convoy, abducting 35 people and killing one woman.
Meanwhile, the attack on the military convoy took place outside of Mafa, 44 kilometres (27 miles) north of the regional capital Maiduguri.
A security source told Daily Mail that the military convoy was ambushed.
“The terrorists fired an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) on the convoy which hit one of the vehicles with five soldiers in it. All the five were killed.”
Also, the Boko Haram insurgents allegedly seized two vehicles in the attack, a second source disclosed.
Furthermore, dozens of civilians were kidnapped late Friday by ISWAP militants at a fake checkpoint in Garin Kuturu village outside Jakana, 25 kilometres from Maiduguri.
A militia official revealed that the terrorists wore military camouflage.
“The ISWAP terrorists who were dressed in military uniform stopped the vehicles… Some of the passengers fled into the bush while 35 were taken hostage,” the official said.
Also, he revealed that a woman was shot dead and several others were injured when the militants opened fire on those fleeing into the bush.
Daily Mail states that Jakana, which lies along the 120-kilometre highway linking Maiduguri and Damaturu; the capital of neighbouring Yobe state, is an ISWAP stronghold. Abductions of civilians by the jihadists in the area have been on the rise; prompting increased military deployments which have failed to end the abductions.
The attacks follow the killing of at least three people by Boko Haram on Saturday when a teenage girl blew herself up in a crowd in the town of Konduga, about 40 kilometres from Maiduguri.
At the end of November, about 100 of its fighters slit the throats of at least 76 farmers working in a field not far from Maiduguri; the “most violent” attack against civilians this year, according to the UN.
Then on December 11, criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, abducted more than 300 children from a secondary school on behalf of Boko Haram in Katsina. The children were finally released on Friday after negotiations between the authorities and the criminal groups.
Boko Haram whose insurgency began in 2009, had already made headlines in recent weeks. The group has prosecuted an over a decade long insurgency against the Nigerian government. The imsurgency has resulted in the death of over 36,000 people and displaced around two million.
In 2006, a splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), emerged; further adding a more deadly dimension to the conflict. ISWAP claims allegiance to ISIS.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering a proposal towards reforming the nation’s electoral process and contest.
This was contained in a report released by the commission on Sunday, December 20.
Under the reforms, the INEC is seeking an amendment to sections 68, 109, and 117 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as parts of efforts to curb the frequency of by-elections.
Furthermore, the reform seeks a legal framework to enable the political party that sponsored a late candidate to replace him through its internal party mechanism rather than be compelled to hold fresh primaries to pick a replacement as the extant practice.
The INEC is also considering an amendment to section 285 of the constitution to make it possible for all pre-election disputes to be concluded before the conduct of the general election.
In addition, sections being considered for amendments are sections 78 and 84 of the Electoral Act to enable political associations wishing to be registered as political parties to file their applications; also, to have all processes concluded at least 12 to 18 months before the general election and the same thing should apply to political parties wishing to merge.
The event was jointly organised in Abuja by the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and Political Parties Leadership and Policy Training Centre.
According to him, altering the provisions of the constitution with a bearing on the electoral process must be pursued simultaneously with amending the Electoral Act.
He explained that the constitution is the fundamental law of the land and the Electoral Act derives its potency and efficacy from the constitution.
He said: “Our proposition is that resignation of membership should devolve the seat automatically to the candidate and political party that came second in the election while the political party that sponsored a late candidate should replace him through their own internal party mechanisms.
“This will engender more respect for the sovereign right of the voters, make elected representatives more responsive, and reduce the spate of by-elections in Nigeria thereby saving the taxpayers’ money.”
Regarding the proposal to reduce the frequency of by-elections due to the resignation of lawmakers, Okoye said the aim is to ensure stability and avoid the distraction that by-elections cause.
On pre-election matters, Okoye said: “The INEC proposes further alteration to section 285 of the constitution to make it possible for all pre-election disputes to be concluded before the conduct of elections.
“This can be achieved by making it possible for the court of the first instance to conclude all pre-election matters within a period of 60 days rather than 180 days while the Court of Appeal can hear and deliver its judgment within a period of 30 days rather than 60 days. All pre-election matters should terminate at the Court of Appeal.”
In a recent murder-suicide case in Texas, USA, a Nigerian medical doctor strangled his wife to death before taking his own life. 1st News gathered that he also attempted to kill his two sons, however, he was unsuccessful.
The Sugar Land Police in Texas are investigating the death of a Nigerian couple found dead in apparent murder-suicide.
The Nigerian medical doctor and wife identified as Benjamin Okigbo, a medical doctor and Theresa Okigbo were found dead at their Greatwood home on Friday morning, December 18.
The discovery was made around 10:05 am at the Greatwood Subdivision in the 1500 block of Brookstone Lane. Police said the case is being investigated as a murder-suicide.
On Saturday, Police said that their investigation revealed that Benjamin Okigbo strangled Theresa Okigbo to death. He then attempted to kill both of his 21-year-old sons by strangling them before he eventually killed himself by hanging.
Both of the sons survived the attack with injuries that are not life-threatening. They are both receiving treatment at a hospital.
On Friday morning, the couple’s daughter, who doesn’t live at the home, went there after she became concerned. She then called 911 and told the dispatchers that her parents were dead.
“One of the kids dialed 911 apparently there was a fight or disturbance going on inside the residence,” Police chief Eric Robbins said.
When officers arrived, they found the couple’s bodies inside. They were both in their 50s.
Many neighbours were shocked when they heard the news. One said the couple had lived in the Greatwood home for about 20 years. She said she spoke to the wife a few days ago and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Pirates have struck once again off Nigeria’s coast on Saturday, abducting crew members of a vessel.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed that six of its nationals were among the crew members abducted.
The crew members were aboard a Cameroon-flagged STEVIA cargo ship. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Oleg Nikolenko, as quoted by the Ukrinform news agency, said the pirates attacked the vessel in the Gulf of Guinea, Africa’s most economically active and oil-rich region.
He confirmed that the pirates captured eight members of the crew; adding that the incident occured 28 nautical miles (51.8 kms) off the coast of Nigeria.
“Yes, we are aware of this situation. As a result of a pirate attack on the ship off the coast of Nigeria on December 16; eight crew members were captured, including six Ukrainian citizens,” Nikolenko said.
Further, the diplomat disclosed that the owner of the STEVIA cargo ship is an Albanian company; noting that both the Ukrainian embassy in Nigeria and Albania were taking appropriate response measures.
The daughter of one of the captured sailors, on Saturday, also said that there were six Ukrainians aboard the vessel.
Pirate activity in the region has increased in recent years; prompting Nigeria, Ghana, and other surrounding countries to set up a naval coordination operation to combat the phenomenon.
Clean Music Gang presents it’s very own remarkable music maestro Thunder Matinja with a brand new body of work to round up the year, he tagged this supper amazing project 2020 THE EP, a great compilation worthy of your play list.
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