Author: straightnewsng.com

Omicron: Fears mount on Cyril Ramaphosa’s Visit to Nigeria Fears have mounted on the Monday’s visit of the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, to Nigeria following an outbreak of a new strain of COVID-19 in South Africa. President Muhammadu Buhari together with other top government functionaries of his administration is expected to receive Ramaphosa, who is to undertake a three-day visit to Nigeria from November 29 to December 1. South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases had revealed that there were 22 positive cases linked to the new strain of COVID-19, adding that the percentage testing positive was “increasing quickly”.…

Kidnappers demand N50 million to release DPO The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Fugar Division in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, has reportedly been kidnapped near Ise River along Auchi-Ekperi-Agenebode Road. DPO Ibrahim Ishaq, according to reports, was travelling with his orderly on Friday evening, November 26, when they were attacked by the kidnappers. A source close to the police said the kidnappers are demanding a N50 million ransom for his release. “He was coming from Agenebode to Fugar and he passed through Ekperi Road and they were attacked. He was kidnapped but his orderly escaped and…

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, renewed his pledge to consider “all options,” including acquiring enemy base strike capability, vowing to create a stronger Self-Defense Force to protect the country amid growing threats from China and North Korea. Kishida at his first troop review Saturday, said the security situation around Japan is rapidly changing and that “the reality is severer than ever,” with North Korea continuing to test-fire ballistic missiles while advancing its capability, and China pursuing a military buildup and increasingly assertive activity in the region. “I will consider all options, including possessing so-called enemy base strike capability, to pursue strengthening of…

HOSF directs civil servants to resume duty on Dec 1 Federal civil servants in the country have been directed to resume at their offices on December 1 but will be required to show proof of COVID-19 test and vaccination. This was contained in a circular on Friday signed by the Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan. Yemi-Esan directed all workers from Grade Level 12 and below to return to the office on the same date and ensure they get vaccinated before resumption. The federal government in February had directed all federal civil service workers on grade level 12…

Nineteen persons die as Catholic pilgrims’ bus slammed into building in Mexico Central Mexico, Toluca, the state capital, Ricardo de la Cruz-assistant state interior secretary, Joquicingo-southwest of Mexico City, Michoacan, Chalma, Roman Catholic pilgrims Nineteen people died and 32 more injured after a bus carrying Catholic pilgrims to a religious site in Central Mexico crashed on Friday, November 26. Authorities said the bus lost its brakes and slammed into a building in the State of Mexico. Six of the victims suffered injuries so severe they were flown to a hospital in Toluca, the state capital. Ricardo de la Cruz, the assistant state…

US and EU enforce flight ban on South Africa over new Coronavirus variant The US will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other southern African countries in effort to contain new coronavirus variant named Omicron spreading there. From Monday, only US citizens and residents will be allowed to travel from the region. This follows a similar flight ban imposed by the EU and the UK. Canada is also introducing travel restrictions. The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier declared the new variant to be “of concern”, naming it Omicron. US officials said flights from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho,…

Central Bank of Nigeria has granted N5 million loans to graduates under the Tertiary Institutions Entrepreneurship Scheme to tackle underemployment and unemployment in the country. Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, while launching the scheme on Thursday, in Abuja, said the loans range from N4.1 million to N5 million to graduates who applied and were selected. “The scheme, developed in partnership with Nigerian polytechnics and universities, is designed to harness the potentials of graduate entrepreneurs by creating a paradigm shift from the pursuit of white-collar jobs to a culture of entrepreneurship for economic development and job creation,” he…

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has identified formal education as a panacea for national security. Akpabio stated this on Friday, while delivering A Pre-convocation lecture at the Fifth and Sixth (combined) Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, entitled, Impact Of Security On Education And Sustainable Development In Nigeria. He said with sound education, national security could be achieved through concerted efforts in collaboration with relevant stakeholders across the different levels and sectors. The former Akwa Ibom governor described the provision of security as the most valuable objective that a serious government…

The new road contract award in Akwa Ibom The contract award for the construction of some new roads in Akwa Ibom is a welcome development. Arising from its recent meeting, the State Executive Council presided over by Governor Udom Emmanuel who is also the Chairman of Finance and General Purpose Committee awarded the contracts. We applaud the state government for awarding the new jobs, considering the deplorable state of many Trunk B and C roads, comprising state and local government roads. This will open the rural areas and unlock agricultural potentials for seamless evacuation for intra- and inter-states’ trades services.…

Court declares proscribed bandits groups as terrorists: Abuja Division-Federal High Court, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, Yan Bindiga, Yan Ta’adda, Federal Government(FGN), Federal Ministry of Justice, Director of Public Prosecution, DPP-Mohammed Abubakar, President Muhammadu Buhari(PMB) The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has declared proscribed bandit groups as terrorists.Specifically, the court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held that activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups, constitute acts of terrorism The ruling declaring bandits terrorists followed an ex parte motion the Federal Government filed through the Federal Ministry of Justice. The motion was moved by…