Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson The COVID-19 pandemic poses serious risks for women in Yemen, who are often tasked with caring for the ill. In Yemen, health workers, already stretched to the limit by five years of grinding conflict, are sounding the alarm that the COVID-19 pandemic could spell catastrophe for the country. Last April 10, the country announced its first laboratory-confirmed case of the ravaging disease. Since then, 34 more cases and seven deaths have been reported. Dr. Amani Omar, at Azan Health Centre in rural Hajjah says “if the coronavirus spreads in Yemen, it will be a humanitarian disaster beyond…

By Akanimo Sampson Human Rights Watch has accused government leaders and senior officials globally of encouraging hate crimes and xenophobia. Accordingly, the global rights group wants governments to take urgent steps to prevent racist and xenophobic violence and discrimination linked to the COVID-19 pandemic while prosecuting racial attacks against Asians and people of Asian descent, On May 8, United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said “the pandemic continues to unleash a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering” and urged governments to “act now to strengthen the immunity of our societies against the virus of hate.” Several political parties and groups, including in…

Nigerians have poured torrents of grief over the unexpected demise of a one-time director of National Youth Service Corps, the retired Major-General Edet Akpan. Akpan died Friday morning in his house in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, but two of his domestic aides who confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES, Saturday morning were shocked over his death as he did not show any sign of illness. “The aide said they were too shocked to break the sad news to Mr. Akpan’s wife who lives in the same compound with the late husband,” the online newspaper stated. From Facebook posts, Franklyn Isong, the publisher…

Nigeria has discharged 1,472 persons infected with COVID-19 while 176 new cases of the pandemic have been recorded in Lagos, Oyo, Jigawa, and 11 other states. So far, the total number of confirmed infections in the country stands at 5,621. Announcing this on Saturday, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control tweeted “On the 16th of May 2020, 176 new confirmed cases and five deaths were recorded in Nigeria.” “No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours. “Till date, 5,621 cases have been confirmed, 1472 cases have been discharged and 176 deaths have been recorded in 34 states…

Twenty-four girls ranging from 13 to 27 years from Oron Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, were freed by policemen from their hideout in the Abattoir area of Agege, Lagos State. The Lagos State Police Command had rescued the girls trafficked for prostitution but arrested four suspected human traffickers. The traffickers: Okon Felix, Michael Etim, Victor Asuquo and Goodness Ebiefie, allegedly kept their victims in shanties in the Abattoir area of Lagos and collected N1,500 to N2000 from the customers going to have s3x with the girls. After frantic efforts to locate the whereabouts of one of the victims…

Against interstate lockdown order nationwide, Akwa Ibom people are apprehensive over the mission of 32 youths from the northern part of the country in the state. Vanguard gathered that the COVID-19 taskforce set up in Obot Akara local government area on Wednesday intercepted another trailer conveying the people along the boundary between Obot Akara of Akwa Ibom and Ikwuano in Abia state. Though the state governor Udom Emmanuel said during the lockdown order, he ordered repatriation of the 13 Northern youths after they had offloaded cows in Eket, but the 32 persons are yet to be deported. Akwa Ibom people…

Operatives of Anti-Child Theft Unit in Akwa Ibom State Police Command have smashed a child trafficking syndicate operated by a 27-year-old female pastor and two other women. Consequently, Pastor Ndukeabasi Isaac Bassey, the General Overseer of Alpha Ministry along Akpabong junction, Mbierebe Obio in Ibesikpo-Asutan local government area who deviated from her priestly call to engage in the illicit business was arrested. A press release signed by CSP N-Nudam K. Frederick, the Akwa Ibom PPRO confirmed that Mercy Bokime, an auxiliary nurse and the 26-year-old Theresa Anthony Aaron of Nna Umiang, Mbierebe Obio in Ibesikpo-Asutan were also arrested. The suspects,…

The Federal Government has said it does not know the whereabouts of the Chinese doctors and technicians who came into the country to offer assistance to Nigeria in the Coronavirus fight. The Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire made the shocking statement at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the containment of the COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday came one month after the controversial arrival of the Chinese medical team. Despite protest by some Nigerians and health workers’ groups, Osagie Ehanire, the Health Minister announced in April that the Chinese medical equipment and personnel had arrived the country…

By Akanimo Sampson A weekly intelligence report on Nigeria’s Politics and Security by Menas Associates has exposed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha. Menas is a political risk consultancy that provides actionable intelligence for its clients, from country entry strategies to due diligence, stakeholder analysis, political risk reports and exit strategies. It has been helping multinational companies operate in the Middle-East, Africa, and other emerging markets since the late 1970s. Its intelligence report says neither Osinbajo nor Mustapha has the kind of unfettered access to President Muhammadu Buhari that his late Chief…

By: Israel Umoh The pale strangers have come again. They have come to Africa, the cradle of civilization. They have landed in Nigeria, the home of ‘black gold’ and home of abundant human and natural resources. They have dark, silver-like hair. Their quint and brown eyes like a squirrel are all over. A mere look: sporty, pint-sized physique, broad foreheads and chins, tell of their nationality. They are the Lis, Wengs, Huis, Chengs, and Zhèngs. The list goes. They are Chinese from East Asia known as the most populous country in the world.  Like their European counterparts, they have raced…