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American Pharmaceutical giant, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), announced yesterday that it was starting safe human trials with its COVID-19 vaccine after its study on monkeys showed that its best-performing vaccine candidate offered strong protection in a single dose. A published study in the journal, Nature, stated that during the conduct of the trials, when exposed to the virus, 6 out of 6 animals who were given the experimental vaccine were completely protected from lung disease. Also, 5 out of the 6 animals were protected from infection as measured by the presence of the virus in nasal swaps. The Chief Scientific Officer of J&J, Dr. Paul Stoffels, in a telephone conversation with Reuters said, ‘’ This gives us confidence that we can test a single-shot vaccine in this epidemic and learn whether it has a protective effect in humans.” J&J said that it had started early-stage human trials in the United States and Belgium and would test the experimental vaccin...

Airtel Africa Plc said it is almost fully ready for the implementation of the 5G network. Chief Executive Officer, Raghunath Mandava, disclosed this during the telecoms company’s recently-held Q1 2020 earnings call. The transcript of the earnings call was seen by Nairametrics. Mandava responding to a specific question about Airtel’s perspective regarding the 5G network and how far they’ve come towards developing their 5G network. “5G availability is valued across the world and I have said before this is an area where we are very keen. Some of our networks are actually very well set up for 5G or surely 4.5G,” Mandava stated.Mandava noted that there are still a lot of things that need to be done in mapping out the framework for 5G network in Nigeria. This is because the country is not fully ready to adopt 5G technology, he stated. He then went ahead to fully explain his point of view, saying: “We are planning ahead but the key question is, what instances do we run 5G on...

Governor of Kaduna state Nasir El-Rufai  has linked the attacks in the southern part of the state to banditry.   Southern Kaduna has been in the news lately after scores of persons were killed in the area, despite efforts by the Federal Government. But El-Rufai said Kaduna is not the only state facing security challenges, explaining that Northwest and Northeast have been battling similar situations. He said during his appearance on Channels Television’s News At 10 and claimed that the crises have gained much attention due to the injection of ethnic and religious connotations. “I think the issue is not just in Kaduna State. We have security challenges all across the Northeast and Northwest,” the former FCT Minister explained. “But I think what makes Kaduna’s case situation unique and headline-grabbing is because of the injection of religious and ethnic connotations to the attacks and the clashes between the various ethnic groups.” Since Kaduna has a long history of e...

China’s Huawei has overtaken Samsung to become the number-one smartphone seller worldwide in the second quarter on the back of strong domestic demand. Canalys said the embattled firm, which is facing US sanctions and falling overseas sales, shipped 55.8 million devices — overtaking Samsung for the first time, which shifted 53.7 million units. The findings marked the first quarter in nine years that a company other than Samsung or Apple has led the market, Canalys said. US sanctions had “stifled” Huawei’s business outside mainland China, the research group added, but it had grown to dominate its substantial home market. More than 70 percent of Huawei smartphones are now sold in the country, Canalys said, where Samsung has a very small share of the market. Huawei said in a statement it was a sign of “exceptional resilience”. Overseas shipments, however, fell nearly a third in the second quarter and Canalys analyst Mo Jia warned that strength in China alone “will not ...

Brazil is the country with the second-highest number of infections and deaths in the pandemic, after the United States, and the virus is still spreading quickly. That is bad news in every way but one: it makes the South American country an ideal testing ground for potential vaccines against the virus. The job of guinea pig falls to medical staff who work in facilities treating patients infected by the virus, because they are the most likely to come into contact with it, enabling researchers to run a controlled experiment to see how well it works.  “I want to contribute, and this is my contribution — through science,” said pediatrician Monica Levi, one of 5,000 volunteers in Brazil helping test one of the most promising vaccines so far, developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. Levi, 53, works at the Specialized Clinic for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases and Immunizations (Cedipi) in Sao Paulo, the epicenter of the outbreak in Brazil, whe...

US President Donald Trump has suggested that November’s presidential election be postponed, saying increased postal voting could lead to fraud and inaccurate results. Trump floated a delay until people could “properly, securely and safely” vote. There is little evidence to support Mr. Trump’s claims but he has long railed against mail-in voting which he has said would be susceptible to fraud. US want to make postal voting easier due to public health concerns over the corona virus pandemic. Under the US constitution, Trump does not have the authority to postpone the election himself. Any delay would have to be approved by Congress. The president does not have direct power over the two houses of Congress. In a series of tweets, Trump said “universal mail-in voting” would make November’s vote the “most inaccurate and fraudulent election in history” and a “great embarrassment to the USA.” He suggested – without providing evidence – that mail-in voting, as it is known in...

President Muhammadu Buhari has again explained that the imposed restrictive measures against the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), which have also limited their access to normal religious worship practices, were for their own protection. The President, who gave the explanation in his Sallah message to Nigerians in marking this year’s Eid El-Kabir, however reiterated his call on all citizens to continue to exercise patience and understanding over the inconveniences created by the precautionary measures, especially the regulations on places of worship. President Buhari said the outbreak of coronavirus has made it difficult for people to gather in places of worship as they are used to, urging worshipers to abide by the guidelines for safety of their lives, and loved ones. In his message contained in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President said “the coronavirus has had devastating adverse impacts on our ...

The suspended acting chairman of the EFFC Ibrahim Magu, has denied that he fraudulently enriched himself by diverting and mismanaging proceeds of recovered assets. In his response to a presidential probe panel investigating allegations of gross misconduct against him by the Attorney general of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, Mr Magu described the allegations against him as false and calculated to tarnish his image despite the “commendable” achievements of the EFCC under his leadership. In the detailed response, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Magu instead accused the office of the AGF of interfering with investigations, recovery and management of recovered assets. He also claimed that the office of the AGF has been “less cooperative and supportive” of the process of assets recovery. He accused the AGF’s office of being “laidback” “particularly in cases of extradition.” The suspended EFCC boss also accused Mr Malami of not giving him the opportunity to respond to any o...

According to a statement signed by the State’s Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode, the elder stateman’s passing was confirmed by his first son, Hon. Justice Obademi Fasanmi on behalf of the familu. “Pa. Fasanmi was an epitome of humility, selflessness and integrity, the statement said. “He made enviable and remarkable contributions to his profession, to the socio-political development of Yorubaland, and to the nation at large.” In the old Western Nigeria, Pa Fasanmi served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Old Western Nigeria Housing Corporation. He was National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria in 1977, elected into the Senate in 1979, and became a member of the House of Representatives in 1983. He also served with the National Constitutional Conference Commission in 1994, as a member. The state government added: “Baba Fasanmi was a leader who demonstrated his love for our great country in many laudable ways; but...

The Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore ,recently  announced the establishment of its nationwide security outfit in order to curtail security challenges confronting the country. National President and Secretary of the association, Bello Bodejo and Saleh Alhassan, respectively, who disclosed news of the formation of the outfit in a communique issued in Abuja on Wednesday, said the outfit, code-named Miyetti Allah Vigilante, is aimed at assisting security agencies in checkmating such crimes as kidnapping, cattle rustling and banditry. The formation of the outfit, however,called the attention of other socio-cultural and political groups, such as the Yoruba’s Afenifere, Igbo’s Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Niger Delta’s PANDEF, who protested against the national outlook. They contended that the activities of the Fulani security outfit should be localized, rather than giving it national coloration. However, the Miyetti Allah leaders said the vigilante would o...

The Rainbow Social cultural groups and prominient persons in the country have been reacting to the call by President Muhammadu Buhari's nephew, Malam Mamman Daura, for the 2023 presidency to be based on competence rather than rotation between North and South. In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Daura who is regarded one of the President’s closest confidant, urged Nigerians to embrace competence, and not zoning, in determining the next president in 2023. But major cultural groups in the South and Middle Belt – Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo; the Niger Delta socio-cultural group, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); and frontline nationalist and leader of the South-south, Chief Edwin Clark, have reacted swiftly saying the nation stands no chance of moving forward except it ensures equitable distribution of power and restructuring of the country. The ruling All Progressives Congress also distanced itself with the vie...

Senator Ali Ndume has criticised the Federal Government’s amnesty to terrorists, saying that a repentant Boko Haram member, who was recently integrated into the community, killed his father, stole his wealth and disappeared. Speaking on a BBC Hausa programme monitored in Kaduna State yesterday, Ndume, who represented Borno South in the Senate, queried government’s rationale for spending the nation’s funds to ‘reform’ the terrorists.The lawmaker alleged that many of the ‘repentant’ Boko Haram members had since gone back to their former den. He said: “They are like Kharajites. Many among those released have since run away. They will never repent. The government should know what to do about them, but not re-introducing someone who killed your parent or relations to you. Haba, not that he even apologised to the government. His thinking is that the government has failed; hence they are being pampered.” According to him, the government’s amnesty programme is unacceptable, insisting that the ...

The Guild of Medical Directors in Nigeria has declared that there is no scientific proof to back Stella Immanuel’s position on COVID-19 treatment. The Nigerian-trained U.S based doctor is trending globally for her insistence that Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), Zinc and Zithromax, are effective. She claimed that over 350 patients were treated with the combination in her clinic in Houston, Texas. Video of her speech, viewed by millions across the world, was shared by United States President Donald Trump. At a White House briefing on Tuesday, the American leader said Immanuel’s voice was “important”. The Guild President, Prof. Olufemi Babalola, noted that Immanuel made the comment at a news conference organised by the America’s Frontline Doctors founded by Dr Simone Gold, a board-certified physician and attorney. He told the public that there is currently no scienti...

Are Southeast and Southwest about to be played again? Mamman Daura's statement on a recent tweet says that presidency should be by competence and not zonal. It was earlier known that the presidency has been promised to both zones. However, the Afenifere group rejected Daura’s position saying the country must continue with the common understanding of power rotation between the North and the South. Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2023-presidency-no-need-for-zoning-mamman-daura-says.html Joe Odumakin who is the spokesman of the group said in an interview that the south was not unmindful of the fact that the north would want to have a shot again at the presidency after Buhari. Also the chairman of the Niger Delta Darlington Nwauju said that the call for the cancellation of rotational presidency was myopic and of no relevance. Major opinions on this matter suggests that the rotational presidency be maintained, but the challenge is which of the groups is next? Afenifere Rea...

Twitter has suspended Donald Trump Jr.’s account for retweeting a viral video about hydroxychloroquine. Twitter said the video was a ‘potentially harmful information’. Trump Jr had retweeted a viral video of Nigeria-trained doctor, Stella Immanuel, making some claims about hydroxychloroquine. She had claimed that she has successfully treated more than 350 corona virus patients in the United States using hydroxychloroquine, zinc and Zithromax. The doctor said this while addressing the media, after America’s Frontline Doctors Summit in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington DC on Monday, July 27. Responding to a tweet by a republican @surabees, Twitter said the tweet violated its rules. Surabees had said “BREAKING: @Twitter & @jack have suspended @DonaldJTrumpJr for posting a viral video of medical doctors talking about Hydroxychloroquine. “Big Tech is the biggest threat to free expression in America today & they’re continuing to engage in open election inte...

The president of the United States Donald Trump,  is in support of a Nigerian-born doctor in America, Stella Immanuel, for her stance on COVID-19 treatment. Trump’s commendation was sequel to her insistence that coronavirus has a cure. At a news conference in Washington D.C., Immanuel insisted that three drugs were effective against the virus. The physician listed them as, Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc, and Zithromax. Trump had shared a footage of Immanuel addressing the media. But the video, already viewed by millions worldwide via different platforms, was taken down by Twitter. Other social media majors, YouTube and Facebook followed the same action. The removal of this video sparked a fresh debate about the purported conspiracy of the pandemic and if COVID-19 truly has a cure. Trump’s critics have launched attacks on Immanuel, accusing her of publishing a potentially dangerous information. But the American leader’s supporters insist that her comments should not be di...

Nigeria’s banks are expected to take a big hit to revenues and face rising borrowing costs this year as central bank measures to support the naira currency squeeze lenders already hit by fallout from coronavirus and the oil price shock, analysts say. Banks in Africa’s largest economy - a mainstay for equity and fixed income frontier market investors - have learned to navigate challenges in a country that has long struggled with dollar shortages and multiple exchange rates. But the prospect of anemic growth, dwindling oil revenues, declining remittances and dollar shortages exacerbated by the central bank’s latest action aimed at curbing naira liquidity and currency speculation are putting pressure on lending by banks and the quality of existing assets. The central bank has sucked as much as 900 billion naira out of the local banking system since raising the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 5% to 27.5% in January, according to analysts’ calculations. “General sentiment in the ma...

The Cross River chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association has accused the state government of lack of transparency in the management of Corona virus in the state. According to the association, the situation had put the lives of doctors in grave danger by exposing them to the deadly virus. In a letter addressed to Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, Agam Ayuk, Chairman of the NMA in the state, said positive cases in the state were not transmitted to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control situation report room. The letter reads, “There has been no significant progress in the overall outbreak response in view of the NCDC strategies COVID-19 response pillars. Cross River Government should be encouraged to give the National Rapid Response Team the needed support to carry out their terms of reference in supporting the state’s response activities and ensure containment of the outbreak. The presence of two tests centres in the state was expected to lead to an upscale in testing. Ho...

A Nigerian-born doctor, Stella Immanuel, said she had successfully treated more than 350 covid 19 patients  in the United States  using hydroxychloroquine, zinc and Zithromax. Immanuel disclosed this when she addressed the press after America’s Front line Doctors Summit in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Monday, July 27. She had first touted the effectiveness of the drug on April 27. “Hydroxychloroquine works if given early. President Trump we are with you. Many of us doctors know it and have used it. Don’t stop speaking up for us,” she tweeted. Hydroxychloroquine has long been used to treat malaria as well as other conditions such as lupus and arthritis. It’s used to reduce fever and inflammation, and the hope has been that it can also inhibit the virus that causes Covid-19. US President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro have since claimed hydroxychloroquine could prevent or treat COVID-19. “I’m here because I have pe...

The 2020 West African Examination Council (WAEC) is reported to commence  on August 17. The government has asked secondary schools to reopen on August 4, 2020 for students in exit classes to sit for for their final  examination. Two weeks has been granted to student to study and  prepare for for the  WAEC examination. These were parts of decisions taken at the end of a virtual consultative meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, Commissioners of Education of the 36 states, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), the proprietors of private schools and Chief Executives of examination bodies. In a statement by Director, Press and Public Relations, stakeholders at the meeting agreed the exit classes should resume immediately after the Sallah break to enable them prepare for the exam. "The meeting also resolved a passionate appeal be made to the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and public spirited Nigerians for assis...

Senator James Manager, representing Delta South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has denied benefitting from contracts of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during and after his chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, as reported by Akpabio. The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had arlier mentioned Manager to Femi Gbajabiamila as one of the lawmakers who got six NDDC contracts. The Executive Director Projects of the agency, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had accused the Senator of getting contracts from the Commission. However, Manager, in statement on Monday, threatened legal action against the Commission’s Executive Director Projects for defamation. Manager stated: “I sincerely wish to react as follows; That my tenure as chairman of Niger Delta Committee in the Senate effectively ended in 2015.Ever since then I have never visited NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt or any of its branches. “That NDDC never awarded ...

Minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed denied media reports that he ordered the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission to suspend the Big Brother Naija show due to the current pandemic. It was earlier reported this week that the minister in a memo gave an order to the NBC to stop the reality show due to corona virus risk. but in a ststement by his media a ids on Saturday, the minister debunked the media claim saying 'the report was not credited to him or his ministry' . Describing the report as speculative, the minister added  that there was no memo to support the claim that he order  the NBCto suspend the show on DSTV. Statement: The report is not credited to the minister, we will not dignify speculative reports. If a minister issues a directive, it will not be issued verbally. Theres going to be a memo to that effect that e will send; anybody that is sure that the minister made this statement should provide the memo.

601 former boko haram members  reintegrated back into the society after graduation in gombe state.  14 nationals from cameroon, chad and Nijer were included. Nigerians express their dismay as these people were terrorist and they are being sent back into communities. some recent tweets shows that Nigerians are not happy about the president's   decision concerning these claimed repented terrorist. instead of punishing these people, He lets them back to the society, making citizens feel unsafe.

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has disclosed a few names of federal lawmakers who allegedly recieved contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The named lawmakers include the Chairman of the Senate committee on Niger Delta, Peter Nwabaoshi , whose name was listed against 53 projects. Some of the projects include emergency repairs of Asue Street, Owa Phase 2; ldumuogbe Road via Ojemaye; Otolokpo College Road, Otolokpo; and the Police lshu Ani Ukwu Road, Issele Uku, in Delta State. Mr Akpabio also said Senator Matthew Urhoghide got six projects, Senator James Manager got six contracts while a former senator, Samuel Anyanwu, got 19 projects. The former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the NDDC, Nicholas Mutu , was also listed among by the minister as receiving 74 contracts, which makes him the recieveer of the highest number of contracts among the listed lawmakers. Some of the projects are emergency roads in Del...

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that the Russian Navy would be armed with hypersonic nuclear strike weapons and underwater nuclear drones, which the country's Defense Ministry said were in their final phase of testing.  The weapons, some of which have yet to be deployed, include the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone, designed to be carried by submarines, and the Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile, which can be deployed on surface ships.  The combination of speed, maneuverability and altitude of hypersonic missiles, capable of traveling at more than five times the speed of sound, makes them difficult to track and intercept.  Speaking in St. Petersburg at an annual  Navy Day parade  that showcases Russia's best ships, nuclear submarines and naval aviation, Putin said the navy's capabilities were growing and it would get 40 new vessels this year.  " This year, 40 ships and vessels of various classes will be put into service with [the Na...

A person was Killed after  several shots were fired during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Austin, Texas, on Saturday, authorities said. Footage posted during a Facebook Live disclosed the moment when several shots rang out in the Texas capital as about 100 people marched and chanted, "Fists up! Fight back!" Austin police and emergency medical services made a statement on Twitter that one person was killed during the shooting. There were no other deaths or people shot, according to the EMS department. Initial reports indicate the suspect was carrying a rifle and shot at the victim, who was in his car, police told a briefing. Police claims to have  detained the suspect.

Federal Government  states that it cannot afford the N300billion payment demand by the N-Power beneficiaries. The 500,000 beneficiaries made their demands through their representatives during a protest in Abuja on Thursday. The beneficiaries requested that the  Government should employ all of them and also pay them a grant of N600, 000 each. The Federal Government is currently conducting an enrolment exercise to absorb 400,000 youths in the scheme in continuation of its move to empower youths as the present beneficiaries exit the scheme by the end of this month. Reacting to their demands, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, said their demand was not covered in the engagement agreement signed at the onset of the programme. It further explained that it had so far spent  billions on the current beneficiaries in the last four years. This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Friday by the Deputy Director Information of t...

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has condemned The president over his trip to Mali. HURIWA described  Buhari’s peace-making trip to Mali  as shameful. The civil rights advocacy group wondered why Buhari should travel to Mali on a peace-making mission when Nigeria was having challenges of Insecurity. A statement by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and its National Media Affairs Director, Zainab Yusuf lamented the killings by Fulani herdsmen across the country statement reads partly: “We condemn the shameful Peace-making mission by President Muhammadu Buhari; President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Mali when half of Nigeria is on fire due to Insecurity". Insecurity could be said to be the greatest challenge facing the administration of President Buhari. Since the return to democracy in 1999, traditional security threats such as violent conflicts, militancy, armed robbery and kidnapping hav...

Kano High Court has nullified the election of a House of Assembly Member of APC platform, Magaji Dahiru Zarewa. With this development, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) gained an additional seat in the Kano State House of Assembly. The Court in Kano on Friday sacked Magaji Dahiru Zarewa of the APC and declared Jibril Isma’il Falgore of the PDP as the elected member, representing Rogo Federal Constituency. The court said Mr Zarewa failed to resign from his position as the Managing Director of the Kano Drugs and Consumables Supplying Agency 30 days to the election. It therefore directed the state Assembly clerk to immediately swear-in Mr Falgore as the legitimate member for Rogo constituency.

Federal High Court in Gombe State has convicted a former council chairman, Samuel Bulus Adamu, and sentenced him to 31 years in prison for alleged N97m fraud. The EFCC Gombe zonal office secured the conviction in a matter presided over by Justice N. I. Afolabi. Adamu, a former chairman of Show gonna Local Government Area (LGA) of Gombe State, was arraigned on March 9, 2015 on a seven-count charge bordering on fraud, cheating and money laundering to the tune of N97.6 million. When the charges were read to him, he pleaded “not guilty” to them, thus prompting the EFCC to prosecute him for more than five years. During the trial, prosecution counsels, A. M. Labaran and A. Y. Muntaka called four witnesses and tendered several exhibits, in order to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. The EFCC investigated the case and established that Adamu committed the offence, hence his prosecution and conviction.

The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District has dismissed over 92 aides working under his supervision. The Senator, Nicholas Tofowomo announced the disengagement of the aides on Friday. According to the senator, the dismissal of the 92 non-statutory political aides takes effect from July 24, 2020. The aides were appointed last year shortly after he won the senatorial election in 2019. Tofowomo, in a statement signed by his media aide, Olumide Akinrinlola said a reconstitution of new aides would be communicated later at the appropriate time.

The chairman of Nigeria's lead opposition party, PDP, Secondus, has called for President Buhari's resignation - Secondus predicated his call for the president's resignation on the rampant cases of corruption in federal agencies - The PDP chairman accused Buhari of  not fulfilling his promise to fight corruption during electioneering campaigns in 2015 and 2019.    The PDP has callfor President Muhammadu Buhari's resignation over alleged rampant cases of corruption in federal agencies. The Nation reports that the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, made the call in an ongoing media parley in Abuja. It was gathered that  Secondus cited ongoing corruption investigations in the Niger Delta Development Commissione (NDDC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), and others.  The PDP chairman said corruption has become a way of life among Nigerians while President Buhari plays the ostrich.  It wa...