By Ahmed Kaigama

Wikki Tourists Football Club of Bauchi on Sunday secured a hard-fought 3-1 win over visiting Katsina United in a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 19 fixture.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium (ATBS) in Bauchi saw the Wikki side taking the lead in each minute through Manu Garba.

However, Katsina United through Joseph Atule drew level 21 minutes, while 30 minutes later Manu Garba scored the second goal.

The second half proved to be tough for both two teams, and the coaches admitted it.

Katsina Uniteds coach Baldwin Bazuaye said: Its a pity we lost where we are not supposed to lose but it is a game and the goal margin was much.

Its normal in a match there should be plus and minus, But we are looking towards our next match which will be well prepared for, he said.

Coach Abdallah Sheriff of Wikki Tourists, on his part, said Sundays outing was commendable.

The most important thing is that we broke the jinx. We have not been having a good run at home, but today we broke the jinx and we won convincingly.

I hope the jinx will be broken forever, so that we will keep on grabbing the three points.

But we are trying to work it out at home. A lot of players are rotated because of injuries, and those that have not been playing have come out to give a very good account of themselves.

It was a good outing that is very commendable, and we are hoping to do more than that, he said.

NAN reports that WIkki Tourists FC now occupy the 12th position with 24 points from 19 matches.

Source: NAN News

By Usman Aliyu

Mr Musa Ebomhiana, the Project Manager, Media and Communications, Sub-Committee for the Edo Games, says seven athletes at the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Benin have tested positive to COVID-19 screening.

Ebomhiana confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Monday.

He said the infected athletes had been quarantined at the Stella Obasanjo Isolation Centre in Benin.

According to him, the affected athletes are from different states of the federation and stood disqualified from the festival.

He, however, noted that the development was a good one when compared with the large number of athletes and officials participating in the national sporting fiesta.

But it is good one compared to number of athletes and officials.

It shows that the country is trying in flattering the cause of COVID-19, he said.

The spokesman for the games, tagged Edo 2020, also clarified that only Oyo state contingents had been readmitted into the games following the completion of the COVID-19 screening.

Taraba is still pending, because they have to undergo test for their athletes and officials.

But Oyo are through with their test and they had been readmitted into the games.

On the number of participating states, Ebomhiana confirmed that 25 states had so far arrived for the games.

You know they keep on coming; there is no end to it.

Some will want to come towards the end; some will miss out the major events, that is how they want it.

As at yesterday, we have 25 states on ground, he said.

The Edo 2020official, however, said all was set for the official opening of the games on Tuesday.

The preparation for official opening ceremony tomorrow is in top gear.

Go to the main bowl and see what is happening there.

The arrangement are in top gear, we are ready. We are more than prepared, the Vice President will be here about noon tomorrow, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Igbaugba Ehigimetor

The torch of unity of the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) on Monday morning began a tour of Edo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the torch will however only visit the headquarters of the states three Senatorial Districts, unlike how it was done previously.

Then, the torch had gone through all the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The torch-bearers are being led by Sixtus Omokhagbor, an aide to Philip Shaibu, theChairman of the festivals Local Organising Committee (LOC), who is also Edos Deputy Governor.

NAN reports that other members of the team include Osagie Ohaimu, national record holder in the 21km walk race, and Faith Fidelis, an 800m and 1500m specialist.

The first senatorial district billed to be visited is Auchi, headquarters of Edo North.

There, the Head of Service (HoS) of the Etsako West LGA is expected to receive the torch on behalf of the other six LGAs in the district.

The torch is expected to move to Edo Central senatorial district where the HoS of Ekpoma, Esan West LGA will receive it on behalf of the district.

The last place of visit will be Edo South senatorial district, where it will be received by the HoS of Oredo LGA on behalf of the district.

NAN reports that the torch named Unity Torch will be lit at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Tuesday by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who will officially open the 20th NSF.

The 20th NSF, tagged Edo 2020 and the countrys biggest sports event, began on Friday with the arrival of state contingents of athletes and officials.

It will end on April 14 with the departure of all the participants and other visitors. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

India, on Monday, reported its biggest-ever daily surge in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, with the country crossing 100,000 infections for the first time.

There were 103,558 new cases in the past 24 hours, data released by the Health Ministry showed.

Indias national count was more than 5,500 cases higher than the previous peak of 97,894 reported on Sept. 17 last year.

Another 478 fatalities took the death toll to 165,101.

India is battling the second wave of COVID-19, which is driven by surging infections in the countrys richest state Maharashtra that has accounted for 57,074 cases.

Amid fears that the health care system could run out of capacity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a senior-level meeting to review the situation and expert teams were rushed to Maharashtra and the two other worst-affected states.

Authorities in Maharashtra have announced new restrictions including a night curfew in the state and a strict lockdown over the weekends, in place from Friday at 8.00 p.m. until Monday at 7.00 a.m. in order to tackle the virus surge.

Several affected states have also re-introduced restrictions that were relaxed earlier, including closing educational institutions and restricting numbers at marriages and social functions.

The government is also pressing ahead with its vaccination programme, which was opened to all people above 45 years of age last week.

The country aims to vaccinate more than 300 million people by the end of July.

India has logged the third-highest number of cases in the world after the United States and Brazil.

Source: NAN News

Ethiopia registered 1,878 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 215,189 as of Sunday evening, the countrys Ministry of Health said.

The ministry said 27 new deaths from COVID-19 were reported across the country during the same period, bringing the national death toll to 2,963.

The East African country reported 742 more recoveries, taking the national count to 161,968.

According to the ministry, Ethiopia currently has some 50,256 active COVID-19 cases, of which 857 are said to be under severe health conditions.

Africas second-most populous nation, Ethiopia has so far reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the East Africa region, being the fourth most affected country in Africa in terms of positive cases.

The latest figures from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention showed that Ethiopias COVID-19 cases accounted for about five per cent of the African continents total confirmed cases.

The country has so far conducted 2,389,558 COVID-19 medical tests, including 6,962 tests in the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

Ethiopia started COVID-19 vaccine jabs last month after it received the first 2.2 million vaccines from COVAX.

Last week, Ethiopia received a batch of Chinas Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, donated by the Chinese government.(Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Pope Francis dedicated his noon-day public prayer on Easter Monday to the elderly and sick, as well as residents of nursing homes, saying he hoped his words gave them encouragement and hope.

The prayer known as the Regina Caeli (Queen of Heaven) was delivered from the Vatican and viewable for streaming.

It officially ended the Easter celebration in the Catholic Church.

The commemoration of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Mother of God replaces the Angelus (Angel) prayer, which is more common at other times.

This year was the second time after 2020 that the head of the Church had to celebrate the festivities to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Vatican under strict coronavirus restrictions.

There were virtually no pilgrims in Rome over the weekend and the huge St Peters Square was almost empty on Monday.

Easter is the climax of the ecclesiastical year for believing Christians.

In his Easter message earlier on Sunday, the 84-year-old Francis had called for more vaccinations against COVID-19 also for poorer countries in front of a few listeners in St Peters Basilica.

The Argentinian also warned against wars and arms races in the world. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Hairdressers and garden centers on Monday reopened in Scotland as the country eases out of lockdown.

As part of its route out of pandemic restrictions, retail stores that may now reopen include hairdressers and barbers, homeware shops, electrical repair shops and vehicle showrooms.

Teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 can also start playing outdoor sports.

Hairdresser Alan Edwards said he and his clients were super excited about being able to have their hair coloured and cut for the first time in months.

Its absolutely amazing, he told broadcaster ITV. Everyones waiting to have their hair colour done, which is the big thing. It really helps peoples self-esteem.

What weve had to do is reduce the client capacity down to 50 per cent. We have an appointment system, we have all the protocols in order, we have hand sanitizer and we have screens to separate the clients out to make them feel safe, he added.

Hairdressers and barbers reopened in Wales on March 15, while in England they are due to reopen on April 12.

The Northern Irish government has not yet announced when hairdressers and barbers will reopen. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

Sen. Abba Moro, the Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Army, has pleaded with the Nigeria Police to step up investigation on attack of Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue.

Moro (PDP-Benue) made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

Ortom was recently attacked in his farm at the outskirts of Makurdi, the state capital.

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G) Mohammed Adamu, had ordered full-scale investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Moro speaking on the investigation said that he was hopeful that the I-G would come up with a report that would fish out the perpetrators of the act.

I dont want to preempt what the police is doing now. The I-G had sent a special task force from the headquarters to go and investigate the activities.

We better wait and see what the report will be like. In the meantime, we thank God that the governor is safe, he said.

He further said that Nigerias security situation is scary noting that it had taken new dimensions.

There are new dimensions that are being introduced now. In the past it used to be the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. But today you find it has gravitated to a level of banditry and kidnapping and armed robbery that had been a thing of the past.

The lawmaker, however, called on the government to step up activities of security agencies.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chiazo Ogbolu

APM Terminals, Apapa, has acquired seven new forklifts to facilitate customs examination and improve on movement of heavy materials at the terminal.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) ofNigerias leading container terminal operator,Apapa, Mr Steen Knudsen, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos.

Knudsen saidthat the new equipment, including six 5tonns and one 16tonns forklifts, would enhance efficient performance of tasks at the customs examination bay and other units without having to share forklifts with other teams.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the terminal operator had, in 2020, announced an investment of million for 2020-2021 fiscal year.

The amount brought the total investment by the company since 2006 to million (N168 billion), widely seen as the highest investment by any terminal operator in Nigeria.

Knudsen saidthat as part of the companys fleet renewal and expansion programme, it had acquired additional cargo handling equipment, including seven reach stackers, two empty handlers, two mobile harbour cranes MHCs) and four rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTGs).

With the new acquisitions, he said that the company now had 27 RTGs, 13 MHCs), several reach stackers, forklifts, empty handlers and specialised terminal trucks in operation, thus making it the best-equipped port terminal in Nigeria.

The COO added that the terminal had also rolled out a talent development programme which included functional training for all employees.

Our engineering maintenance team are undergoing industrial automation and control training for better optimisation of the latest RTG fleet and other equipment.

The functional training is in phases and it cuts across all departments.

APM Terminals Apapa also recently embarked on massive digitisation of its operations and services through the deployment of 4G LTE wireless network and construction of a new operation command centre to enhance service delivery, he said.

Knudsen expressed the companys commitment to deepening its investment in Apapa to enable it handle increasing volumes at the port.

The additional investments will create capacity to handle growth in the economy to support the Federal Governments efforts on trade growth and improve service delivery across the logistics chain, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Yakubu Uba

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, has urged NAF pilots, technicians and ground troops to remain resolute in the fight against insurgency in the North-East and other parts of the country.

Amao made the call while having anEaster lunch with troops of the Air Component of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri.

He urged them to sustain the fight against insurgents.

You are all aware of efforts we are making to rescue our pilots and recover crashed aircrafts. We will continue to sustain the efforts.

The sad situation notwithstanding, now more than ever before is the time NAF must show strength, determination, be undeterred and unrelenting until the entire North East is rid of terrorists and criminal elements, Alao said.

The CAS lauded the President and Commander in Chief for his sustain support to NAF and military in general.

Source: NAN News