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Nigerian entertainer Funke Akindele, who made the news in 2020 is star actress, producer, and director, Funke Akindele-Bello. Sometimes around April during the statewide lockdown occasioned by COVID-19, the Jenifa star got into the news for throwing a party to celebrate the birthday of her husband Abdul Rasheed Bello aka JJC Skillz. The party, which had Naira Marley, Eniola Badmus, and over twenty people in attendance, contravened the social distancing directives and regulations of the Lagos State government to prevent the spread of the virus. Akindele-Bello was widely criticized online and in the news for months. The couple was later charged to court, pleaded guilty, and was ordered to pay N100,000 Naira each as fine, 14 days community service, and thereafter to observe a period of isolation. Subsequently, the couple was granted state pardon by the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in October. In July Funke Akindele-Bello gifted a new apartment to veteran actor, Kayode Olasehin...

A new study conducted by scientists at the University of Washington Health Sciences says the spike protein of COVID-19 can cross the blood-brain barrier. This is just as a renowned Professor of Virology, Oyewale Tomori described SARS CoV-2 as the “Devil’s Virus” because of its invincible nature. The summary of the research, which was posted recently on a peer-review site, Science Daily revealed that the researchers discovered that the COVID-19 spike protein, often depicted as the red arms of the virus, can cross the blood-brain barrier in mice. The report strongly suggested that the spike proteins, often called the S1 protein, alone can cause brain fog and can equally dictate which cells the virus can enter. According to the corresponding author, William A. Banks, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the virus usually does the same thing as its binding protein. Banks said binding proteins like S1 usually by themselves cause damage as they detach f...

The Lagos State Government has shut down 12 facilities in the state for flouting the COVID-19 regulations concerning social and recreational centers. This was done by the Lagos State Safety Commission while monitoring the compliance with the government’s directive on the COVID-19 pandemic during the holiday period. The facilities which were shut down during the operations led by the Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, include DNA Night Club, Buzz Bar, Silverfox, Cocoon, Westend Nightclub, Rumours, Lekki Waterside, Landmark Event Centre, The Wave Beach club amongst others. Mojola mentioned that recalcitrant establishments who broke the government’s seal and continued partying will be charged to court once documentation has been properly processed. He affirmed the government’s commitment to curbing the spread of COVID-19, saying it would leave no stone unturned to achieve the mandate. The commission had earlier shut down Cubana, The Corner, 355 Restaurant a...

Bill Gates, a co-founder of Microsoft corporation has said he does not understand why coronavirus numbers have not been as high as predicted in Africa. Recall that Gates and his wife, Melinda, had in more than one occasion, warned that there will be dead bodies all over the streets of Africa if the world does not act fast enough. Melinda said her heart was in Africa, adding that she is worried that the continent might not be able to handle the devastating effect of the virus. But in his end of the year note, Bill said he was happy his prediction about Africa has not happened, “One thing I’m happy to have been wrong about—at least, I hope I was wrong—is my fear that Covid-19 would run rampant in low-income countries. So far, this hasn’t been true,” he wrote. In most of sub-Saharan Africa, for example, case rates and death rates remain much lower than in the U.S. or Europe and on par with New Zealand, which has received so much attention for its handling of the virus. “The hardest-hit co...

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control has said that over 100 million Nigerians would have received the COVID-19 vaccine by March 2021. This was stated by the NCDC Director-General, Chikwe Ihekweazu while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday. Ihekweazu expressed confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine saying Nigeria has been able to eliminate polio and fight smallpox through vaccines. He said, “No medical intervention, not one, has saved more lives since the beginning of mankind than vaccination. No great hospital, no surgery, no medicine, not even antibiotics, has saved more lives than vaccines. We’ve just celebrated, in-between this pandemic, the elimination of polio in Nigeria. We completely eliminated smallpox through the effort of humans through vaccination.” The NCDC DG said that efforts to educate Nigerians on the benefits of vaccines are currently going on around the country. “We are going to work very hard to educate Nigerians on the benefits of va...

ASUU National President, Biodun Ogunyemi made the announcement during a briefing of the union in Abuja, explaining that the development followed the agreement reached with the Federal Government and a meeting with its National Executive Council (NEC). While warning that the union would return to strike without notice if the government fails in meeting its part of the agreement reached with the university lecturers, Ogunyemi noted that the reopening of the schools, considering the COVID-19 pandemic, lies with the FG and Senate. Professor Ogunyemi thanked students and their parents for their understanding throughout the nine-month period and said: “no amount of sacrifice would be too much to get the matter resolved as long as the government is consistent with its commitments.” The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) on Wednesday “conditionally” suspended its strike, ending a protracted industrial action that started since March 2020. He said the suspension of the strike takes effec...

 The National Assembly Joint Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission Matters has proposed a review of the provision in the Electoral Act which pegged the eligibility of a voter at 18 years. The federal lawmakers have specifically recommended that INEC should consider any married girl who is not up to 18 years as eligible to vote. The Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya, and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Aisha Dukku, tabled the proposal before the Technical Committee. The technical panel which would work on the new Electoral Act being proposed by the National Assembly was made up of lawmakers, INEC officials and civil society groups dealing with election matters. Both Gaya and Dukku at the inaugural session of the technical panel which also had in attendance, the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said the proposal was a unanimous decision of the joint committee of the National Assembly. Gaya said, “The joint committee has p...

The Senior Staff Association Of Nigerian polytechnic IPPIS have decided to join in the strike by January 4 if nothing is done by the FG concerning the ongoing ASSU Strike  #NEW : The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, SSANIP, reveals plan for next year as members today fixed January 4, 2021 to begin strike over IPPIS amongst other disagreements with the federal government. #SSANIP — Official_ASUU (@ASUUNGR) December 18, 2020  

Crosso River Statein Cross Commissioner of police Lanre Abdulkadir Jimoh, has been confirmed dead. According to research in the Police command, Mr Jimoh died in an isolation centre in Calabar, the state’s capital, CrossRiverWatch reports. He was reported to have shown COVID-19 symptoms earlier this year. Several calls to DSP Irene Ugbo, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, were neither taken nor returned as at press time before his decease.

The Nigerian government has ordered the cancellation of N20 fee for the retrieval of National Identification Number (NIN) on mobile networks. NIMC USSD service to retrieve NIN usually attracts a N20 fee which is deducted from the phone credit balance after dialing *346#. Isa Ali Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, on Friday, gave the directive which takes effect immediately. A statement signed by the spokesperson for the Minister, Mrs Uwa Suleiman, said the directive was aimed at making the process easier and affordable. "By this waiver, all Nigerians, subscribers and applicants can access the service using the *346# code for their NIN retrieval at no charge for the duration of the NIN/SIM Card integration exercise," he said. The government had earlier directed that NIN be integrated with Subscriber Identification Modules for security purposes. It also licensed 173 centres and 30 state government institutions to conduct enrolment of all persons, inclu...

Over 300 schoolboys who were said to be kidnapped have been reunited with their families, just a week after the kidnappeing from their school in north-west Nigeria. The boys were dropped off at the state capital Katsina by bus. Witnesses report that  the boys  looked tired and weary but otherwise well. Some were still wearing their school uniforms, while others clutched grey blankets. The kidnappi occured earlier on  December 11th in Kankara town and  was claimed by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. It is not certain yet that those captured have all been released. Katsina Governor Aminu Bello Masari said on Thursday that 344 children had been turned over to security officials. "I think we can say ... we have recovered most of the boys, if not all of them," he told the Associated Press.

#Awakeoisrael

 Mrs Abigail Musa, who was delivered of five babies after 23 years of bareness, has been stranded at the Fertile Ground Hospital, Zaramaganda Road, Jos, Plateau State, over an accumulated hospital bill of N3.7m. PUNCH Metro learnt that Abigail had been staying in the hospital for the past three and half months when the babies were born. However, two of the babies were said to have died. Her husband, Mr Garba Musa, a pastor with the Church of Christ in Nations, told our correspondent on Sunday that efforts to raise the bill and take his wife and the three surviving babies home had been abortive. He said, “My wife and the babies were discharged from the hospital about two days ago, but we could not go home due to the hospital bill. “It’s really a big challenge, which we do not know how to handle because the outstanding money, which the doctor said must be paid before we leave, is N3.7m. This is just too much for us.” Explaining how the hospital bill accumulated, the cleric said, “My ...

The Federal government said on Thursday that the price of data has been reduced by more than 50 percent following a directive that the Nigerian Communications commission, NCC, should put in place measures to that effect. Accordingly, the price of data of 1GB has been reduced from 1000 naira to 487 naira beginning from last November. The Minister of Communications and digital economy Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami who broke the news, said it was in line with the directive he gave to the regulatory agency (NCC) to put measures in place to reduce the average cost of data in the country. “The average cost of 1GB of data has reduced from the January 2020 cost of N1,000 to N487.18 in November, 2020. “This was based on a report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) submitted to the Honourable Minister following the implementation of the directives,” Dr Pantami’s Technical Assistant, Mr Femi Adeluyi said in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja. Adeluyi who is Technical Assistant, Informat...

The Federal Government is prosecuting Mr Maina on a 12-count charge of fraud and money laundering before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. Mr Maina was recently extradited from the Niger Republic after he jumped bail and escaped the country. The former pension boss collapsed when his counsel, Anayo Adibe was addressing the court on his no-case submission before Justice Okon Abang. Before Maina’s collapse, his counsel was praying the court for an adjournment to enable him to get records of court proceedings. The proceedings would help him prepare for the no-case submission he intends to file on behalf of his client, Adibe said. But after Maina collapsed, the court rose abruptly to enable officials of the Correctional Service and relations of the former pension boss to attend to him. The matter had been adjourned on Wednesday to today for the defendant to argue his no-case submission and for the prosecution to respond to the same orally.

  The Peoples Democratic Party, on Thursday, knocked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for his failure to secure lives and property in the country in the last five years. According to PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, Buhari has nothing to tell Nigerians and that could be responsible for his reported boycott of a joint National Assembly sitting today. “Mr President is afraid of the obvious, he knows he has nothing to tell Nigerians on the security situation in the country. That is why he is running from the National Assembly. He also failed in every area of governance including security,” Ologbondiyan stated on Thursday. The spokesperson of the opposition party also said there was no plan by the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives to embarrass the president at the sitting today. “There is no plan of any sort by any member of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party to embarrass Mr President. ...

This is a recent video of a keke rider allegedly killed by a policeman because of N100 in Port Harcourt. #EndSARS : Sad news from Rukpokwu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. A Police Officer shot a keke driver because he refused to give him N100. National Assembly CNN and BBC #LekkiMassacre #EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeraNOW pic.twitter.com/OQoUuoQT0P — Matthew E U (@EbaseMatthew) December 10, 2020  

The National Association Of Nigerian Students NANS came to a conclusion of closing down all tertiary institution still function in n the country, if something is not done about the ongoing ASSU Strike. It is getting intense. National Association of Nigerian Students NANS, have vowed to shut down all tertiary institutions, including private versities, if the 9-month ASUU strike is not called off. pic.twitter.com/rEpgPs5s9Y — Hashtagcampus (@HashTagCampus) December 9, 2020  

 Report states fresh protest going on in Abuja and Lagos starting yesterday December 8th 20202.

A schedule meeting with the FG was postponed, ASSU giving reasons being that there wasn't much time given to them to consult members of the union. There is no given date for the next meeting yet as the current postponment is indefinite according to @officiaASSU President. #Breaking : The FG-ASUU Meeting Scheduled To Hold Today Has Been Postponed Indefinitely. The reason for the postponement According to ASUU President was because the time frame given to the union to consult its members is too short. #ASUU — Official_ASUU (@ASUUNGR) December 9, 2020    

 Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Thursday presented N10 million each to the wives of six officers killed during the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests.  Sanwo-Olu’s gesture was in fulfilment of his earlier promise during a meeting with police officers at the State Police Command. “Some of our gallant police officers paid the supreme price for our security and safety during the recent EndSARS protests,” the governor said while presenting the cheque to the wives and children of the slain officers at the 14th Town Hall meeting on security held at Civic Centre on Victoria Island. “These are the officers deployed to protect our families from hoodlums but they were lynched in the violence. Today, I am happy to announce and present N10 million compensation through LSSTF to each family of the officers. All their children have also be placed on scholarship up to university level, courtesy of the State Government.”

  The EndSARS protest, which gripped the country for about two weeks in October, resumed in Lagos State on Thursday with protesters marching by Tejuosho Road in the Yaba area of the city. SaharaReporters gathered that older women and some young men brandished various placards in the area, defying the scorching heat to march for almost two hours. They continued to chant, "End SARS and we march for our children." A number of them were also seen carrying the Nigerian flag in their hands, with microphones to make their voices audible. On Friday morning, more Nigerians vow to storm the streets, in what they termed a "second wave of protests."  #ENDSARS became a top trend on Twitter with many Nigerians expressing their determination to voice their anger against bad governance and police brutality in Nigeria.  The hashtag also appeared on the US trends in the early hours of Friday. Tweeting on Friday morning, an activist, Gbenga Sesan wrote, "#EndSARS protests are bac...

The House of Representatives has resolved to invite the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, over the “unsubstantiated” claim by a member of the United Kingdom parliament that Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s former Head of State, looted the public treasury. Tuesday’s plenary session, the lawmakers also delegated its Foreign Affairs Committee to investigate the claim while stepping down some prayers sought in a motion on the matter. The lawmakers questioned why the British government has not issued an apology over the parliamentarian outburst. The resolution of the House followed a motion from a lawmaker, Yusuf Gagdi, who is from the same constituency as Gowon. The House agreed that the speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, should write to the speaker of the UK parliament to express displeasure over the unfounded allegations. The Nigerian lawmakers also agreed that the letter should demand that the UK parliamentarian who made the allegation offer a public apology to Gowon, as well as the...

The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, has said the union is still consulting on what its reply will be to the offers the Federal Government made for it to end its eight-month-old strike. According to Vanguard, the consultation is being done with members across the country and other critical stakeholders. “We have what the government is offering and have transmitted the same to our members nationwide, and we are consulting on what the next line of action will be. You know a tree does not make a forest, and our union is democratic in nature and practice. “As for how long the consultation would take, I cannot say, but it may go beyond this week. Whatever we decide on is going to be in the national interest, the interest of our children, the interest of our members and the good of all,” Ogunyemi said. Recall that after a series of meetings the leadership of the union held with the government team led by the Minister of Labour, Dr ...

  The President made this call on Tuesday during the unveiling of the National Gas Expansion Programme and National Autogas Roll-out Initiative “I, therefore, encourage everyone to embrace gas in form of LPG, CNG and LNG as an alternative fuel for autos and other prime-movers,” he said. “The Minister of State Petroleum Resources is hereby directed to commence the process of hand over of mass transit buses to Organized Labour as part of our government’s pledge to continue providing the support that will ease the transportation challenges Nigerians are facing at this time.” On his part, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, said the Ministry is focusing on the development of skills, technology and manpower as well as growth in the utilisation of LPG, CNG and LNG. He said that the National Gas Expansion programme which was initiated this year to boost the utilization of gas in the short and medium-term “is expected to create two million jobs per annum, promote ...

  The Nigerian Senate has again called on President Muhamadu Buhari to sack all Service Chiefs due to their failure to ensure adequate security in the country. The resolution of the senate was a sequel to a motion sponsored by Kashim Shettima, Senator representing Borno Central. Shettima drew the attention of senators to the killing of over 45 farmers at Kwashabe village, about 20 kilometres north of Maiduguri, Borno’s capital. The upper legislative chamber also asked the Nigerian government to equip the troops with modern weapons. Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Marshal Ibok- Ete Ibas are all overdue for retirement, critics of the government say. Despite calls for their sack, Presient Buhari has kept them in office.

The President's daughter, Zahra has taken to social media to react to the murder of 110 rice farmers in Zabarmari village in Borno state. Zahra took to her Instagram story to share a newspaper shot of the Zabarmari massacre and wrote, “My heart bleeds”. Her reaction comes two days after Boko Haram terrorists attacked rice farmers in their farms and slaughtered them.

  Investigative Journalist   Dr.KemiOlunloyo apologized to Davido, Linda Ikeji and several other celebrities she has had a misunderstanding with. This was made known in a post the self-acclaimed investigative Journalist shared on her verified Instagram page on Monday, November 30. The list of people Kemi Olunloyo is apologizing to is a long one, and contains names like Davido, Linda Ikeji Eniola Badmus, Dayo Amusa, Venita Akpofure, Seyi Law, Georgina Onuoha, Iyabo Ojo, Lasisi Elenu, Toyin Lawani. Describing herself as the nicest person in the world, she called for all ‘industry beefs’ to end this year. The journalist who extended an olive branch to the concerned celebrities pleaded with them to let love lead as everyone is now looking forward to a better 2021. She wrote, “I love you all. Nobody is blocked. Don’t let someone’s hate for me make you hate me. Hate is a strong word. Don’t let people influence U the wrong way. Many people meet me apologising for hating me via t...

  Amnesty International is urging the United Nations Security Council to renew its arms embargo on South Sudan, saying violence, atrocities and war crimes against civilians have quadrupled this year despite a cease-fire and formation of a unity government in February. The Security Council first imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan in May 2018, which it renewed a year later and again in May 2020. Brian Castner, senior crisis adviser and weapons investigator at the New York-based rights group Amnesty International, told South Sudan in Focus the embargo is needed because government forces do not “use their weapons responsibly,” adding that they are “often the ones committing the atrocities themselves.” In a report Amnesty International submitted to the Security Council last week ahead of a midterm review of South Sudan’s arms embargo to be conducted sometime before December 15, the rights group reported numerous cases of extrajudicial executions, forced displacement, rape, torture a...

  The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has said that the government needs N81 million to cut the grass that has taken over the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. He made the revelation while speaking during a seminar organised by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria. The minister said he had reached out to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board for an assessment of the stadium, which was built in 2003 with N53 billion on a 29 hectares (72 acres) of land, Daily Trust reports. “We approached AEPB to come to see what can be done to clear the grass and weed in the stadium and they told us it would cost us N81m. “If we tell Nigerians we used N81m which is not even available; there will be an outcry. The funds are not there for us, and that is why we are partnering with private investors to bring back the key components of our infrastructures,” he said.