President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Rev. Yakubu Pam as the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC).

Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

Until his appointment, Pam was the Chairman of the Plateau State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board.

Born on Feb. 20, 1960, in Gyel, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau, Pam holds a first degree in Christian Education.

As an ordained Minister, Pam brings to the position more than 30 years of leadership experience in the Christian community, coupled with a deep understanding of promoting inter-religious harmony and conflict resolution in the northern parts of the country.

The cleric has held many leadership positions in the Church, including Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of Northern Nigeria (which includes the 19 Northern States and Abuja) from 2016 to date; and Vice President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, 2013 to date.

He was also the District Superintendent, Jos Mainland Assemblies of Nigeria, 2010 to date.

Pam also served as Chairman, Plateau State Inter-Religious Council; and Chairman, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Committee, Plateau State.

According to the presidential aide, Pams appointment took effect from June 26, 2020, for a period of five years.

Source: NAN News

Flood

Early morning downpour that occurred in Abeokuta metropolis on Saturday created problem of flood for some residents and motorists in the city.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the heavy downpour had destroyed property and houses at the back of Ogun River.

Among the property destroyed were personal belongings of some people which were washed away by the flood and also the destruction of building fence in other areas.

Some of the affected areas included Kuto, Isale-Igbein, Lanfewa, Amolaso, Ijeun-Titun, Ago-Ijesa, Abiola way, Isale Abetu, Sokori, Igbore, Oke Mosan and Isale Ake area, all in Abeokuta South and North Local Government Areas of the state.

A NAN correspondent who visited some of the areas;reports that residents were counting their losses and pleaded with the state government to come to their rescue.

The popular Ogun River was filled to the brim while vehicles on the roads were trapped in the flood.

Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Spokesman, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) in Ogun, said that officers from the command had been deployed to control traffic.

Akinbiyi explained that the command had already issued traffic alert informing motorists about the state of the roads and where they should ply.

Those going through inward and outward should not pass through Leme axis because of the flooding. They should go through Kuto so that they can navigate their route down to Idi Aba and other areas.

Our men are atthe Governors office axis,Iyana mortuary,Sapon, Ibara under bridge and Brewery area, to ensure the roads are free of crashes, he said.

Source: NAN News

By Yemi Adeleye

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) says the death toll in the Fridays evening boat mishap near Ikorodu has risen to six, while one victim is still missing.

The General Manager of LASWA, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos while providing an update on the incident on Saturday.

According to him, the total number of rescued victims of the ill-fated 20-passenger ferry now stands at 14 as against 16 earlier quoted.

There were 21 people in the ferry including the captain, 14 of them were rescued alive, the fatalities have increased to six so far from five. One victim is still missing.

The ongoing search by LASWA, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), local boat operators and the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) continues, Emmanuel said.

NAN reports that on Friday, a 20-capacity passenger boat with the name Lalek Marine was suspected to have left Ebute Ero Jetty around 8 p.m. after the approved sailing time of 6 p.m. and didnt arrive at its destination, which was Ikorodu Terminal.

The boat, which took off illegally from bt r Jetty, heading toward Ikorodu, ran into an unforeseen object on the waterways, which resulted in the mishap.

The accident happened at Owode/Ibeshe near Ikorodu at about 8.30 p.m. on Friday evening.

The LASWA boss had said that both the boat operator and the passengers broke the law against night travel on waterways.

According to him, the Lagos State Government, through the authority, had repeatedly warned boat operators and passengers against night travel on the Lagos Inland waterways.

Source: NAN News

Dr Chikwe Ikekweazu NCDC Boss

By Abujah Racheal
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 454 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

The information is on the centres official Twitter page on Friday night.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with the latest cases, Nigerias total infections now stands at 27,564.

The health agency said that no new state reported a case in the last 24 hours.

According to it, till date, 27,564 cases have been confirmed, 11,069 cases have been discharged and 628 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The NCDC said that the 454 new cases were reported from 19 states, namely: Lagos (87), Edo (63), FCT (60), Ondo (41), Benue (32), Abia (31), Ogun (29), Oyo (19), Kaduna (17), Delta (16), Enugu (15), Borno (14), Plateau (9), Nasarawa (8), Kano (5), Bauchi (4), Gombe (2), Katsina (1), Kogi (1).

Meanwhile, the health agency said that at least, one out of every 10 persons over 50 years old who had COVID-19 died from it in the country.

The NCDC urged Nigerians to take responsibility to protect themselves , their loved ones and the elderly around them and in the society because COVID -19 is real.

NCDC announced that it also served as co-lead of Africa Center for Disease Controls COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Working Group.

It explained that our responsibility is to work with Africa CDC to train frontline health workers across Africa and provide guidance based on evidence to protect them from COVID-19 infection.

With support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and West Africa Healh Organisation (WAHO), the Africa CDC IPC Working Group trained over 3,000 healthcare workers in four months on public health safety measures

Weve developed guidance on proper use of face masks, Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and environmental decontamination.

The NCDC also stated that the team recognised the work done in often difficult circumstances, with concurrent outbreaks happening in some African countries.

It added that the agency was committed to working with the Africa CDC to empower health workers and prioritise their safety.

Source: NAN News

IGP, Mohammed Adamu

By Monday Ijeh
The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the posting and redeployment of senior police officers.

This is in line with the recent presidential approval for the re-organisation of the force.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

He said the presidential approval included the creation of an additional Department, the Directorate of Intelligence, expansion of the police zonal structure from 12 to 17 and the creation of two additional FCID annexes.

According to Mba, the Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) affected by the posting and redeployment are Mr Adeleye Oyebade, Head, Department of Research and Planning and Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, Head, Directorate of Intelligence, Force Headquarters.

He said prior to the posting, Oyebade, was a Directing Staff at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Jos while Lamorde, was the AIG in-charge of Force Intelligence.

The FPRO said the I-G had also ordered the posting of five senior police officers to the newly created zonal commands.

Mba said the AIGs affected by the posting are Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Zone 13, Awka; Rabiu Yusuf, Zone 14, Katsina; Lawal Ado, Zone 15, Maiduguri; Austine Agbonlahor, Zone 16, Yenagoa; and David Folawiyo, Zone 17 Akure.

Mr Asuquo Amba, former Commissioner of Police (CP), Ekiti Command, takes charge as AIG of the new FCID Annex Gombe.

Mr Olafimihan Adeoye, former CP Federal-SARS takes charge as the AIG, FCID Annex Enugu while Mr Uche Anozie, former CP Cross River takes charge as AIG, FCID Annex Lagos, he said.

Mba said the I-G urged the affected officers to bring their wealth of experience to bear in their new places of assignment.

He enjoined them to bring policing closer to the people and work with relevant stakeholders to tackle crime and improve on policing services across the country.

He said the postings and re-deployments were with immediate effect.

Source: NAN News

By Florence Onuegbu

The Lagos State Government says it will start charging face mask defaulters to court from next week, as the period of grace was over.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said this while briefing newsmen on the update of the COVID-19 management in the state on Friday.

Sanwo-Olu said that at this phase in the evolution of the coronavirus pandemic, taking personal responsibility was now more important than ever.

He said that such personal responsibility was not only for self-protection but also for protecting other people, including loved ones.

According to him, mask usage is mandatory in public places as a strategy to curb the spread of the virus.

We are asking offices, business and commercial premises to refuse entry to any persons not wearing masks in line with the Presidential Task Force directive on No mask, no entry.

No mask, no service enforcement agencies will from this week charge defaulters to court, as the period of grace is now over.

Dear Lagosians, please continue to wash your hands regularly. As much as possible, maintain social distancing, especially in public places.

On our part as a government, we will continue to do everything possible to protect and uphold the health and wellbeing of the people of the state, the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu further said that the state government was commited to scaling up testing and isolation capacity and enforcing the guidelines issued.

With regards to enforcement, we are increasing our focus and efforts in this area. As you all know, guidelines and directives are effective only to the extent to which they are complied with by the citizenry.

The best laws and guidelines are of no use if they are disregarded by the people for whom they have been issued.

Lagos State belongs to all of us. We must join hands to ensure that we defeat this virus, he said.

The governor noted that the states COVID-19 hotline remained 08000CORONA.

He added that the hotline was available round the clock for people to make reports, seek testing and for infected persons to gain access to counselling and psychological support during the period of isolation and treatment.

Source: NAN News

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), has confirmed four passengers killed and four others missing in a boat mishap on Friday night in Ikorodu Lagos.

Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, the General Manager of the agency, confirmed that the accident happened at Owode/Ibeshe near Ikorodu at about 8.00 p.m. on Friday evening.

Emmanuel said the boat, marked Lalek Marine, carrying 20 passengers was heading to Ikorodu from Ebute-Ero when it capsized.

He said that 11 passengers were rescued while one person was critically injured.

On Friday night, a-20 capacity passenger boat with the name Lalek Marine was suspected to have left Ebute Ero Jetty around 8.00 p.m. (after the approved sailing time of 6.00 p.m.) and didnt arrive at its destination which was Ikorodu Terminal.

The boat capsized at Owode Ibeshe, not too far away from Ikorodu.

As at this time, 20 passengers were presumed on board.

LASWA search party, local boat operators, Marine Police and the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) convened search and so far eleven passengers were rescued alive with one person in critical condition.

We have four fatalities while four still missing.

Search and rescue is still ongoing, the LASWA Manager said.

He said that the captain of the ferry was still missing and being searched for.

According to him both the boat operator and the passengers broke the law against night travel on waterways.

He said that the boat, which took off illegally from bt r jetty, heading towards Ikorodu, ran into an unforeseen object on the waterways, which resulted in the mishap.

Emmanuel said that during this COVID-19 pandemic, the last boat is expected to leave the jetty at 6.00 p.m.

Normally, boats are supposed to operate between 6.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. according to rules but during this COVID-19, operations should be between 6.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m.

Emmanuel said that the Lagos State Government, through the authority, had repeatedly stated that night travel on the Lagos Inland waterways was strictly forbidden.

NAN recalls that on June 23, a local boat with four adult males on a boating expedition capsized due to water turbulence.

Three of the passengers were rescued alive while one was missing.

Earlier on June 18, LASWA had celebrated zero records of boat mishap in the last six months in the state waterways.

Source: NAN News

Arsenals Brazil Under-23 striker, Gabriel Martinelli, has signed a new long-term contract at the Premier League club.

The news comes 48 hours after a fellow teenager, Bukayo Saka, 18, also agreed a new long-term deal with the Gunners.

The 19 year old Martinelli, who penned his new contract exactly a year after joining Arsenal, has scored 10 goals in 26 games for the club since moving from Brazilian side Ituano last year.

He has been sidelined for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in training which required surgery.

I am very happy that Gabi has signed a new contract with us.

He is a very talented young player and he has impressed us with his performances, attitude and work-rate.

We are looking forward to getting him back to full fitness and to watching his development at our club, Manager Mikel Arteta told the club website

Martinelli is the first teenager to score 10 goals in a season for Arsenal since Nicolas Anelka over 20 years ago. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Deborah Coker
The Nigerian Army on Saturday distributed palliatives to Vulnerable persons in Igoh community, Upper Ekenhua in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo.

Brig.-Gen Usman Bello, Commander, 4 Brigade, Benin who distributed the palliatives on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai, said the exercise was part of activities to mark the 2020 Army Day celebration.

Bello said that the COAS took cognisance of the vulnerable people in the community in particular and the society at large as well as widows of military personnel in the Ekenhua cantonment.

He said that they constituted the worst hit by the various restriction and protocol adopted by government to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

He said it was in view of this that the COAS decided to reach out to them in order to cushion the effect of hardship occasioned by COVID-19.

He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about loss of jobs to many as well as economic crunch in the society.

However, we want our communities to know that we appreciate them and their contributions to make our work easier.

We also want them to continue to appreciate us so as to encourage us not to relent in service delivery in line with our constitutional obligations.

The packages may be small, but the spirit behind it is what matters, he said.

He further said that the exercise was simultaneously going on across all Army units and formations across the country.

He noted that the Army Day was an annual event celebrated in honour of Nigerians who have paid the supreme sacrifice in defence of the country.

In his remarks, the Head of Igoh community, Chief Suaues Osadolor, thanked the Army for the gesture.

According to him, it was an honour for his community to be chosen out of the several communities in the state to benefit from the COAS goodwill.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that more than 100 persons received the palliative packages.

NAN also reports that the palliatives include rice, vegetable oil, seasonings, salt and beverages.

Source: NAN News

Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations.

The Defence Headquarters says the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole, on Friday, killed several Boko Haram terrorists in airstrikes in Borno.

The isurgents were killed in air strikes at Mina along the Gulumba Gana-Kumshe axis in Northern Borno.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Saturday, said the air raids also destroyed the terrorists logistics supplies at the location.

Enenche said the air interdiction missions being executed under the subsidiary Operation Long Reach II, had further destabilised the terrorists new leadership and curtailed their freedom of action.

He said the operation was sequel to intelligence reports indicating that the terrorists location had recently been reinforced with fighters and logistics supplies to provide resistance against troops positions.

According to him, confirmatory surveillance missions also observed significant numbers of terrorists in the settlement.

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets that engaged the location scored accurate hits in their bombing runs, neutralizing some of the terrorists and destroying some of their structures, including one of the terrorists logistics huts which was seen engulfed in flames.

Some of the fighters who escaped the bomb attacks were mopped as the jets strafed their hiding positions.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, commends the ATF for their dedication, dexterity and professionalism.

The Defence Headquarters equally urges them to intensify the air offensive against the terrorists and all other criminal elements threatening the peace and security of our beloved country, he said.

Source: NAN News