At least 18 people, including four mothers and their babies, have been abducted in a raid by gunmen on their village in the northern Nigerian state of Kaduna, the local community association has said.
It’s the latest in a wave of kidnappings in the region.
The gunmen on motorbikes stormed Mando village in Birnin Gwari area in the early hours of Wednesday.
Residents say the abductees were taken to a bush. The attackers also looted food items from the village. A police spokesperson told the BBC that they’re investigating the incident.
It’s not clear who carried out the attack but kidnapping for ransom is rampant across Nigeria – particularly in that region.
Last month gunmen abducted more than 300 schoolboys from their dormitory in neighbouring Katsina state. They were later released following days of negotiations.
Despite the deployment of thousands of troops, criminal gangs continue to carry out attacks in the region.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, on Thursday, allayed fears of Africans over new variant of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), saying “no need to panic because new variant is emerging.”
Moeti said this while answering questions from some journalists on the impact of the new variant and COVID-19 vaccine at WHO Regional Office for Africa first online press briefing for 2021.
The regional director said the UN health agency would follow up on the report on the new variant. “There is nothing to panic about, we need to apply science; we need to reinforce public health response. “The new variant is not news until it shows characteristics that are problematic to the response.”
Moeti, who emphasised that the COVID-19 vaccine would not stop the pandemic at once, urged countries to be committed to the distribution of vaccines.
Earlier, she said WHO Regional Office for Africa, through COVAX facility, would deliver 600 million doses of the vaccine, while Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) would secure 270 million doses.
According to her, the first tranche will arrive by the end of March with large roll out by June. “I think the waiting will give us the opportunity to reinforce our readiness. “I hope when the vaccines land, our countries will be ready and we will be there to support. “We will move very strongly to make it available to vulnerable people.
We will also continue with public health measures until the coverage is sufficient for us to take life back to kind of new normal.’’ Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said “the new strain of virus is no news. “There is nothing to report about it, but it is news when it is associated with increase in transmission.’’
Earlier, he said, the NCDC was carrying out more investigations on a variant identified in samples collected between August and October 2020. On COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria, the director-general said NCDC was working with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to administer the vaccine to priority groups in line with WHO guideline.
He said NPHCDA would administer it first to frontline healthcare workers, the elderly and people with pre-existing health conditions. Ihekweazu, however, said that Nigeria would leverage on successes achieved from the polio and yellow fever vaccination campaigns to deliver the vaccination to Nigerians. In her presentation, Francisca Mutapi, Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity, University of Edinburgh, UK, gave a report on the new variant found in 23 Africa countries.
Mutapi, however, gave assurance that the COVID-19 vaccines would help to stem the rate of infection in Africa, calling for phase four clinical vaccine trial to know the impact of the vaccines. “We need to monitor the impact of the vaccination not just on the side effect but also to learn a bit more about the length of protection. “Also, to know the level of protection in people so phase four clinical trial is very critical after deployment of vaccines,’’ she said.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola on Thursday reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the speedy completion and reopening of the Third Mainland Bridge to traffic on Feb. 15.
Fashola during an inspection of the bridge assessed ongoing construction work as well as the planned diversion shifts on the bridge which will take effect from Friday, Jan. 15 to Feb. 13.
The minister expressed hope that work on the bridge would be completed and reopened to traffic on Feb. 15 to enable the government to begin work on the Falomo Bridge.
He explained that work on the Falomo Bridge was being delayed to avert the gridlock that may ensue.
“On the Third Mainland Bridge most of our work is almost done, we lost two weeks during the civil protest and our completion date earlier was towards the end of January, that has slipped.
“We are hoping that by 15th of February we should be done and the bridge should be opened to the public.
“That is one of the reasons why I also came to see how far and when this bridge will be opened to the public because this is delaying our work on Falomo Bridge.
“We have done some work on Falomo Bridge, we are going to have to close Falomo Bridge as soon as this is done so that we can also replace the expansion joints there.
“All the other preliminary work has been done there, but we left it in order to reduce the inconvenience to commuters in and around Lagos.
“So, the Eko Bridge that was closed is opened now, this one (Third Mainland Bridge) is going to be opened by Feb. 15,’’ he said.
The minister added that the closure of the Falomo Bridge will happen in consultation with the Lagos State Government.
While inspecting the rehabilitated Obalende Bridge damaged by tanker fire, Fashola commended Buildwell Plants and Equipment Industries Ltd, contractors that handled repairs of for doing a good job.
The Director, Bridges and Designs, Mr Emmanuel Adeoye, said that a trailer had fallen and burst into flame on May 1, 2020, damaging the concrete and Piers of the Obalende bridge linking Dodan Barracks.
“Now we have worked on the bridge and have done jacketing of the piers and as you can see everything has been well done,’’ Adeoye said.
Also, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola also shed some light on the ongoing rehabilitation works on the outer Marina Road on Lagos Island.
Popoola said that work had been completed on three kilometres to asphalt level out of the ongoing rehabilitation works on eight kilometres.
NAN reports that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, which was going through a series of repairs, had to be partially shut on July 24 for another round of rehabilitation works.
The federal government had earlier debunked various claims of a total shutdown of the Third Mainland Bridge and explained new diversion shifts by two kilometres for repairs.
Traffic was partially diverted on a stretch of 3.5km where construction is ongoing between Adeniji Ramp and Ebute Meta, while different time belts were allotted for traffic diversions on the bridge.
The 11.8km bridge is the longest of the three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the Mainland.
The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.
Constructed in 1990, the bridge was adjudged as the longest in Africa until 1996 when the Oct. 6 Bridge in Cairo, Egypt was completed.
Police in Imo State have confirmed the killing of an oil worker simply identified as Obiezu, younger brother of the state’s Accountant General Valentine Obiezu.
Obiezu, said to be a millionaire, was killed after kidnappers earlier made an unsuccessful attempt to kidnap him in his village, Akatta in Oru East Council area of the state.
Police spokesman Orlando Ikeokwu said the assailants shot him dead when he returned home for the New Year celebrations.
Local sources said Obiezu was driving his Toyota Hilux vehicle along the Orlu-Mgbidi Road when the kidnappers accosted him.
“They didn’t even wait for him to stop the vehicle before opening fire on the car. The gunmen simply pushed him out of the vehicle and drove it away,” a source told The Nation.
Nigeria’s air transport is set to experience a revolution as a proposed low-cost carrier – Green Africa Airways – is set to commence operations. It has already reached the final stage of certification.
Regulatory sources hinted that promoters of the carrier are putting finishing touches to secure the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), a mandatory regulatory prerequisite before any scheduled carrier could take off.
Sources hinted that commencement of flight operations by Green Africa Airways promises to reshape the aviation industry with its state-of-the-art aircraft.
Despite the ongoing pandemic, industry analysts agree that the long-term potential in the aviation market remains vibrant.
Experts say the right business model, fleet, and value proposition, new entrants can capture the attractive market opportunities.
Last October, Green Africa had formed a strategic partnership with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), which yielded $31 million in a combination of standby letter of credit and rolling working capital.
Green Africa is owned by Babawande Afolabi. Its leadership team includes two well-experienced leaders in the global aviation industry, Neil Mills – President/Chief Operating Officer and Kiran Koteshwar – Chief Financial Officer.
The planned unveiling of its crew uniform tagged “The Runway” will be made public soon.
Last December, the airline sent its pilots on a type-rating training. They include: Folu Oladipo, chief pilot; Victor Yem, John Ayerume, Stephen Okereke, Ladi Ogun, and Israel Eloho.
While Green Africa is yet to provide information about its launch and routes networks, the public continues to speculate ahead of its launch which the company says is on track for this year.
The company continues to scale-up the manpower required for the start of operations and some of the new recruited cabin crew members (Adefolabi Ogunnaike, Rosemary Uagbor, Afolabi Modupe, Juliana Aku, Aderounmu Yetunde, Okere Ijeoma, Chieke Immaculate, and Abimbola Segun) were also recently sent for type-rating training.
According to a source at NCAA, “the airline is serious. They mean business and could start soon, as they are close to acquiring the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC)”.
This stance corroborates the statement of the Director-General of NCAA late last year when he said the country could witness more four airlines in 2021.
Green Africa being confident of all its scheduled plans, has given out 24 free tickets during the December 2020 promotion tagged “This the season to gift”.
A cross-section of their social media pages shows various winners, all from different walks of life which shows the airline is for everyone, including those that take road transportation.
This is a daring step that most airlines around the world take only when they are already in operations. This feat is a stamp of commitment to get into the air as soon as possible.
Before COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, Green Africa ordered fifty A220-300s from Airbus and also committed to leasing an additional three of the aircraft type from leasing company, GTLK Europe. This was in February 2020.
Green Africa is anchored by a group of senior industry leaders led by Tom Horton, former Chairman & CEO of American Airlines, Wale Adeosun, Founder & CEO of Kuramo Capital, William Shaw, CEO of InterJet, Virasb Vahidi, former CCO of American Airlines and Gbenga Oyebode, Founder & Chairman of Aluko & Oyebode.
Professor Akin Abayomi, the Lagos state commissioner for health, has said that there is an increase in the number of coronavirus patients having breathing difficulties in the state.
Punch reports that he said the state government has activated an Oxygen Plant within the premises of the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba, to provide swift support to COVID-19 patients who require oxygen therapy.
Lagos government has given fresh details on the COVID-19 cases in the state which is the epicentre – Akin Abayomi, the state commissioner for health, said the situation is becoming scary – According to him, the government has activated oxygen generation capacity in the state to cater to patients with breathing problems.
Legit.ng gathered that the commissioner, who activated the plant, noted that the increased demand for oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients in the second wave of the pandemic necessitated the activation of oxygen generation capacity in the state.
Professor Akin Abayomi, the Lagos state commissioner for health, has said that there is an increase in the number of coronavirus patients having breathing difficulties in the state.
FG sends warning to Nigerians as COVID-19 cases rise above 100,000 The Lagos state commissioner for health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, urged the residents of the state to follow COVID-19 protocols.
Abayomi said: “We recognized the importance of generating oxygen because of the large number of patients who are currently on admission in our isolation centres and are largely depending on oxygen. This has resulted in an escalating and alarming demand for oxygen.”
The commissioner noted that about 300 cylinders of gas are being used a day in the state isolation facility stressing that a patient with a critical case may use about six cylinders of oxygen within 24 hours. Abayomi stated that high purity oxygen is needed in healthcare facilities and essential for patients undergoing COVID treatments. He further disclosed:
“This is particularly useful for patients with comorbidities who require prompt oxygen for survival. Oxygen from the plant will be very helpful for effective treatment due to proximity of the plant which serves as a source.”
Nigeria’s billionaire, Bolu Akin-Olugbade is dead.
The 61-year-old businessman passed away on Wednesday.
The socialite died at the Paelon COVID Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.
Until his death, Akin-Olugbade was the Aare Onakakanfo of Owu Kingdom.
He obtained a doctorate degree in Company Law from Cambridge University.
Akin-Olugbade was a Rolls Royce lover and one of the largest collectors worldwide.
His 10th Rolls Royce, the Cullinan worth $450,000, was reportedly the first shipped to Africa in 2019.
A man of taste and glamour, Akin-Olugbade told ThisDay in 2018: “I have different concepts of how I spend money.
“I spend money on cars because I have always loved cars. I bought my first Rolls Royce in 1984 and now, I am on my ninth Rolls Royce. I believe in dressing well and I travel a lot.”
Billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola and Founder of MRS Group, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata are some of the first set of Nigerian business leaders to pre-order the yet to be released book on Management and Leadership, *Strategic Turnaround*
The book, which chronicles the transformation of a strategic government agency is authored by Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Mr Femi Otedola who preordered 1,000 copies at cover price for distribution to selected institutions across the country expressed his belief In the reformation of public sector institutions as an enabler for private sector performance.
In his words, “I believe in the reforms of public sector institutions for greater efficiency and effectiveness. If our public sector institutions are functioning well like their counterparts in other parts of the globe, it will lead to improvement in quality of services rendered and will strengthen the private sector to create jobs. Job creation will address poverty and accelerate development.
“I believe that what happened in NIMASA in the past four years is a success story of institutional reform which can be replicated in other agencies of government which is why I am pre ordering this book so that more persons can read about it and be inspired to also reform whatever government institutions they find themselves.”
On his part, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, founding Chairman of MRS Group who has pre ordered 500 copies of the book wants as many aspiring leaders as possible to read the story of the transformation of NIMASA through committed and visionary leadership.
According to him, “I want as many persons as possible to read about the success story of how one of the most important agencies of government in Nigeria was transformed under a period of four years. If NIMASA can be effectively reformed then all other agencies can be reformed. All we need is visionary and focused leadership which Dr Peterside gave while at NIMASA.
” He said that the pre ordered copies would be distributed to selected public universities and libraries across Nigeria.
Six other notable business leaders have also pre ordered several hundred copies of the book, which according to the publishers, Safari books, will be released at a public presentation on 28 January 2021.
Strategic Turnaround is a book written in simple narrative and expository style that tells the story of the major reform initiatives adopted to transform NIMASA from a non performing agency to a global brand that is alive to its regulatory and promotional mandate. It is a detailed account of Management and leadership principles that were applied to turnaround NIMASA in such a short period.
One week, 3,870 new Coronavirus infections, 78 deaths
The much dreaded second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which is said to be a deadlier and more virulent strain of the virus is now here with us and is already claiming major casualties.
As at the time of writing this, Nigeria had recorded a total of 5,125 new cases of COVID-19 and 30 deaths within the first five days of 2021, an indication that the second wave of the virus is on the rise.
More worrisome is the fact that the 5,125 new cases are higher than the total infections recorded in the country in the first 75 days of the virus last year, according to statistics.
Reliable data shows Nigeria recorded a total of 4,641 cases From February 27 to May 11, 2020 and the average daily death from the virus within the period was three as against the average of six daily recorded within the first five days of this year.
Chief among the factors fuelling the resurgence in the coronavirus pandemic, according to health experts as well as the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF), is the activities and assumptions that the virus does not pose a serious threat to our youthful population, leading to an increase in the infection rate among young people, who are subsequently infecting older and more vulnerable family members.
Another major cause of this second wave of the pandemic is the lack of compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions – particularly the disregard for facial covering in public places, large gatherings at events linked to the yuletide season, as well as recent civil demonstrations.
Other lifestyle choices like disregard for public health preventive measures such as hand washing hygiene and physical distance requirements are also among the major culprits.
Social gatherings involving large congregations from different parts of the country, and the world, at events such as weddings, religious activities, political rallies, conferences and end of year celebrations have also been blamed for the upsurge in the respiratory disease.
These events, classified globally as ‘supers-spreader events’, make the risk of a single infection causing a large outbreak among attendees significantly higher.
The opening of the economy with progressive relaxation of restrictions in congregational areas such as places of worship, restaurants, bars, lounges, shopping and event centres is also not an exception.
It is against this backdrop that the youths are being encouraged to take personal responsibility to halt the spread of the virus and mitigate the negative consequences that another national lockdown could have on lives and livelihoods as was seen during the last time out.
The US House of Representatives has impeached President Donald Trump for “incitement of insurrection” at last week’s Capitol riot.
Ten Republicans sided with Democrats to impeach the president by 232-197.
He is the first president in US history to be impeached twice, or charged with crimes by Congress.
Mr Trump, a Republican, will now face a trial in the Senate, where if convicted he could face being barred from ever holding office again.
But he will not have to quit the White House before his term ends in one week because the Senate will not reconvene in time.
Mr Trump leaves office on 20 January, following his election defeat last November to Democrat Joe Biden.
The Democratic-controlled House voted on Wednesday after several hours of impassioned debate as armed National Guard troops stood guard inside and outside the Capitol.
The FBI has warned of possible armed protests planned for Washington DC and all 50 US state capitals ahead of Mr Biden’s inauguration next week.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Trump called on his followers in a statement to remain peaceful. “I urge that there must be NO violence,” he said, “NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind. That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for.”
What was Trump charged with?
Impeachment charges are political, not criminal. The president was accused by Congress of inciting the storming of the Capitol with his 6 January speech to a rally outside the White House.
He urged his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically” make their voices heard, but also to “fight like hell” against an election that he falsely told them had been stolen.
Following Mr Trump’s remarks, his supporters broke into the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to suspend certification of election results and take shelter. The building was placed on lockdown and five people died.
The article of impeachment stated that Mr Trump “repeatedly issued false statements asserting that the presidential election results were fraudulent and should not be accepted”.
It says he then repeated these claims and “willfully made statements to the crowd that encouraged and foreseeably resulted in lawless action at the Capitol”, leading to the violence and loss of life.
“President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government, threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of government.”
Last week, 139 Republicans voted against accepting the result of the 2020 election and Mr Trump’s defeat.
What did lawmakers say during the debate?
The lawmakers made statements for and against the vote in the same chamber where they hid under chairs and donned gas masks as rioters tried to force their way inside last week.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said on the House floor: “The president of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country.
“He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love.”
Democratic congressman Julian Castro called Mr Trump “the most dangerous man to ever occupy the Oval Office”.
Most Republicans did not seek to defend Mr Trump’s rhetoric, instead arguing that the impeachment had bypassed the customary hearings and calling on Democrats to drop it for the sake of national unity.
“Impeaching the president in such a short time frame would be a mistake,” said Kevin McCarthy, the House’s top Republican.
“That doesn’t mean the president’s free from fault. The president bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters.”
Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, accused Democrats of recklessly dividing the country to pursue a political vendetta.
“This is about getting the president of the United States,” said Mr Jordan. “It’s always been about getting the president, no matter what. It’s an obsession.”
Among members of the president’s party who voted to impeach him was the third-ranking House Republican Liz Cheney.
The Wyoming representative, who is the daughter of former Vice-President Dick Cheney, said of the Capitol riot that “there has never been a greater betrayal by a president”.
Trump makes history once again
Analysis box by Anthony Zurcher, North America reporter
Donald Trump has made history once again, this time as the first president to be impeached twice.
A year ago, the move was opposed in lockstep by the Republican Party. This time, a handful of conservatives backed the move. It is a reflection not only of the gravity of the moment, but also the president’s declining influence in the final days of his administration.
Impeachment sets up a Senate trial for Mr Trump that now appears destined to stretch into the early days of Joe Biden’s presidency, creating yet another challenge for the incoming president. It also will stoke an ongoing debate among Republicans over the direction their party takes in the days ahead.
The party is on a path that splits in two very different directions.
On one side is continued allegiance to the president’s brand of politics – one that created a new coalition of voters that delivered the White House and Congress in 2016, but lost both in 2020.
On the other is an uncertain future – but one free from the president’s unique style of heat and rhetoric – unfiltered invective that even many Republicans now believe contributed to last week’s Capitol riot
What happens next?
The impeachment article will head to the Senate, which will hold a trial to determine the president’s guilt.
A two-thirds majority is needed to convict Mr Trump, meaning at least 17 Republicans would have to vote with Democrats in the evenly split, 100-seat upper chamber.
As many as 20 Senate Republicans are open to convicting the president, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
If Mr Trump is convicted by the Senate, lawmakers could hold another vote to block him from running for elected office again – which he has indicated he planned to do in 2024.
But the trial will not come during Mr Trump’s remaining week in office.
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement: “Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week.”
He said it would best serve the interests of the nation if Congress focused on a safe and orderly transition of power for the incoming Biden administration.
Mr McConnell also said in a note to colleagues that he had not made a final decision on how he would vote.
No US president has ever has been removed from office through impeachment. Mr Trump was impeached by the House in 2019 but acquitted by the Senate. So was Bill Clinton in 1998 and Andrew Johnson in 1868.
Impeachment: The basics
What is impeachment? Impeachment is when a sitting president is charged with crimes. In this case, President Trump is accused of inciting insurrection by encouraging his supporters to storm the Capitol
Could Trump be removed from office? A simple majority of the House of Representatives is enough to impeach him – but to remove him from office, he then needs to be convicted of those charges by the Senate, where a two-thirds majority required for conviction is not guaranteed
So what does it mean? This is the second time Mr Trump will have been impeached, and even though a trial could begin after his term ends, a conviction could mean he is barred from holding public office again
