Author: straightnewsng.com

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved $8.5m dollars to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Humanitarian, Disaster Management, and Social Development, for the evacuation of over 5,000 (registered and unregistered) Nigerians stranded in Ukraine. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada stated this to statehouse correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting today March 2. According to him, two flights from Air Peace and one from Max Air are expected to carry out the evacuation exercise starting Wednesday. Read also: Ukraine invasion: $2 billion Nigeria-Russia Trade at risk Mr Dada said all agencies are fully resourced to ensure…

Queen Elizabeth II resumed public engagements Tuesday after surviving Covid-19, as her son and heir Prince Charles was quoted as saying that she is “a lot better.”  Concerns mounted for the 95-year-old monarch’s health since she tested positive on February 20, overshadowing the start of her record-breaking 70th year on the throne. But a palace statement indicated she was now well enough to hold virtual engagements, hosting the new ambassadors of Andorra and Chad from her home at Windsor Castle. The queen last week cancelled similar scheduled engagements with new ambassadors as she was suffering from what were described as…

The Itu and Ibiono Ibom Youth Leaders Forum in Akwa Ibom has kicked against the imposition of an aspirant under any guise, declaring that this could bring about the end of Peoples Democratic Party in the state.  Recall that Governor Udom Emmanuel had on Sunday, January 30, 2022, presented his Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umoh Eno to PDP stakeholders in the state as his preferred successor. The forum called on the Governor to be democratic in his approach towards supporting his preferred candidate by separating and distinguishing his official position from his personal and private capacity in…

Ukraine-based Nigerian pastor, Sunday Adelaja has escaped from the war-torn Ukraine, leaving his multi-million church, members and properties behind in the country. Adelaja who has been living in Ukraine for 36 years, recounted how he was targeted by the Russian Vladimir Putin led forces and how he and his wife escaped miraculously. He rose to become one of the most influential pastors in the country and built “the biggest church in the country” that boasted of thousands of members. But now, he has to leave everything behind because of the war currently rocking the country, and he does not know whether he will ever set his foot…

Alphabet has confirmed with TechCrunch that it has disabled certain Google Maps live traffic tools in Ukraine which is meant to confuse Russian troops.  The news, reported by Reuters, comes after the company has consulted with local authorities as the country faces attacks from Russian forces. The features will remain on for local turn-by-turn navigation for drivers, while broader global access is disabled. The popular mapping technology has served a surprise role in the invasion of Ukraine since the outset. One research facility in California was able to spot the Russian approach toward the Ukrainian border hours before the “special military operation”…

The clamour for local government autonomy yielded result as Nigerian Senate passed bills granting financial and administrative autonomy to local government areas in the country. While 92 senators voted to pass financial autonomy for local government areas, 88 voted to pass administrative autonomy of local government areas. The Senate also approved financial autonomy for state legislatures and the judiciary. Read also:  Senate in a fix as Buhari Rebuffs assent to Electoral Act Amendment Bill Senate President Clears air on Salaries for Senators and House of Reps Nigerian Senate approves Buhari’s $16b, €1b loan requests The approval came on Tuesday during…

Publisher: Parresia Publishers Limited, 82 Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. 2020 Number of Pages: 192 Author: Anietie Usen Arnold Udoka, Ph.D Chapter 18, Sharpshooters and the Hooligans, introduces the reader to sports native to and imported into Afaha Akpan Iman Ibom of the 1960s like ekak, oyo, ikara, nsa isong and backyard football. A lively community with tempestuous youth, Akan soaks in this milieu, but he is not as fierce as Odudu who canes people once he is behind the mask or snatch a football even from the owner in his family house. Akan acquits himself of the character of a bully.     …

Officials of the Nigerian Embassy said they have received 130 Nigerians safely at Bucharest, Romania where they have been provided accommodation and would be documented. Ministry of External Affairs added that “Officials at Budapest, Hungary have received and accommodated 74 Nigerians safely, “We expect another batch of about 200 into the city of Budapest, tomorrow.” The ministry stated that in Warsaw, Poland, they have received 52 Nigerians and 23 Nigerians are being processed at the Polish Government Reception Point, and at Hala Kijowska, Milny 90, 37-552 Milny, which they say is near the border of Korczowa-Krakowiec. Read also: US boosts Ukraine…

The Nigeria-Russia trade valued at more than $2 billion is facing risk following Russia declaration of war against Ukraine. Nigeria also stands the risk of suffering from significant food shortages and uptick food inflationary pressure, following the war, which broke out last Thursday. The war started after the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of his troops into Ukrainian territories, thereby causing several casualties in the area having camped at Ukrainian borders for weeks. Russia is a powerhouse in the global economy, being one of the largest exporters of crude products, coupled with its impact in the energy…

Publisher: Parresia Publishers Limited, 82 Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. 2020 Number of Pages: 192 Author: Anietie Usen Arnold Udoka, Ph.D Chapter 9, The Reluctant Schoolboy, is about Akan rejecting to no avail, his oversized school uniform sewn by his mother. He is forcefully dressed in his oversized uniform and literally dragged to school. At registration in the school, Akan is so miffed by uncle Ekong’s character and betrays to his mother, a radical trait earlier unknown to the mother. He chooses not to share the same surname with his terror of an uncle, Ekong. Instead, he chooses Godsday as…