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       Minna – A Councillor in Katcha Local government Area of Niger state (names withheld), has been declared wanted for allegedly disappearing with of 30 bags of grains meant to be distributed as palliative to members of his constituency. Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, who is the Chairman Niger State Taskforce on COVID-19, who confirmed this, said the Councillor was part of a Committee set up for the distribution of the grains to his co mmunity. The state COVID-19 Taskforce Chairman also explained that the 30 bags comprised of 10 bags of rice, 10 bags of maize, and 10 bags of millet was allocated each to all the 274 wards across the 25 Local Government councils by the state government. According to the Matane, “Committees have been set up in each of the 274 wards which comprises of Councillor, Party Chairman, Ward head, and a religious leader to monitor the distribution of the grains”. Matane, who expressed disappointment over the attitu

    Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, introduced a bumper scheme to cushion the effect of the ongoing lockdown of the State on its residents. The new palliatives were rolled out by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu less than 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari, in a nationwide broadcast on Monday night, extended the cessation of movement in Lagos, Ogun State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Sanwo-Olu announced the social intervention programmes during a briefing that followed Security Council meeting held at the State House in Marina, on Tuesday. The new scheme came on the heels of the commencement of the second part of Food Stimulus Packages being distributed to 250,000 vulnerable residents since the lockdown directive came into effect. The Governor disclosed that the State Government was moved by the need to support and ameliorate the inconvenience being experienced by vulnerable people as occasioned by the extended lockdown. The Government is opening food kitchen

      April 14, 2020 Press Statement Accept Failure, Provide Palliatives, PDP Replies Buhari Presidency The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the Buhari Presidency for throwing tantrums at Nigerians for complaining about President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to provide palliatives to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in our country. The party said rather than listening to Nigerians, shed its corruption and take urgent steps to address the issue of panacea being raised by poor masses whose means of livelihood have been crippled by the restriction order, the Buhari Presidency chose to spew vituperations against the PDP just to divert public attention from its failure. Our party holds that our position on Mr. President’s speech completely embodies the feeling and mood of Nigerians across board, as national commentaries have shown, and what Nigerians expected was for Mr. President to accept his lapses and immediately take steps to address the issue of palliati

      By Garba Shehu Something must definitely be wrong with Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) if they would-as they did yesterday- dismiss the important national broadcast by President Muhammadu Buhari as “disappointing,” a speech for which the European Union, through their Ambassador to Nigeria, congratulated the President, describing it as ‘‘a very powerful address to the nation last night.” But by no means is this the first shocker for Nigerians from a party that sees itself as the alternative government. The PDP has opposed every single decision taken in the interest of national security by the Buhari administration. The week before, they celebrated a foreign leader who they invited to come and tutor President Muhammadu Buhari, an army General and a successful war commander, on how to fight Boko Haram terrorists. This is a leader who has transformed the armed forces in the last five years and brought them to a respectable standing among nations. They questioned the bra

     Nineteen new cases of #COVID19 have been reported as follows: 14 in Lagos 2 in FCT 1 in Kano 1 in Akwa Ibom 1 in Edo As at 09:20 pm 14th April there are 362 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 99 have been discharged with 11 deaths As at 09:20 pm 14th April, number of states with confirmed cases of  # COVID19 : 19 + FCT Lagos- 203 FCT- 58 Osun- 20 Edo- 16 Oyo- 11 Ogun- 9 Bauchi- 6 Kaduna- 6 Akwa Ibom- 5 Katsina-5 Kwara- 4 Kano- 4 Ondo- 3 Delta- 3 Enugu- 2 Ekiti- 2 Rivers-2 Benue- 1 Niger- 1 Anambra- 1.

      Chief Victor Ikwuemesi, the Chairman of the defunct Sosoliso Airline died today in London, United Kingdom few days after he was diagnosed with the deadly COVID-19... A family source said that Ikwuemesi was admitted to a London hospital after a brief illness.He later tested positive for COVID-19. He was in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on oxygen since he arrived the London hospital. The source added: ”But, when the oxygen was removed for him to eat he couldn’t breath on his own. "So they put him on a ventilator and he died shortly after.” Rip to him.

       Overloaded vehicle arrested by Tambuwal Unit Command today in Sokoto.This car is just too small to carry all these load.We should all think of safety first before gain.

     Attention of Lagos State Police Command is drawn to a video on social media in which an Inspector was captured counting #40,000 he extorted from the owner of a vehicle he impounded for violating restriction of movement order.After analysing the video, the culprit was identified and arrested. He is Inspector Taloju Martin attached to Ago Police Station as Station Officer (SO).The complainant has also been identified. The money extorted is recovered and handed over to him by the Commissioner of Police.The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu psc has ordered the Deputy Commissioner  of Police in Charge of Criminal Investigation to carry out an in depth investigation into the activities of Ago Police Station as a whole.Meanwhile, the Inspector arrested is handed over to Provost Marshall for Orderly Room Trials.Commissioner of Police has reaffirmed his stance against corrupt practices and impunity. Members of the public will be updated on the outcome of the investigat

     Photo: President Buhari receives Senate President Ahmed Lawan and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila in State House on 14th April 2020.More details later and one more photo below.

      President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja commended the European Union for donating the sum of N21 billion (50 million Euros) to support Nigeria’s efforts at controlling the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Receiving the EU delegation to the country, led by Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, President Buhari said the donation would go a long way in supporting Nigeria’s efforts at controlling and containing the virus to prevent community spread, as well as revitalise the national health care systems. The President used the occasion to express sincere condolences of the Government and people of Nigeria to EU-member countries and families who lost their loved ones as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and communities impacted. We are confident from history that the resilience of Europe and our global collective will enable us to emerge stronger from this tragedy. ‘‘Although the EU is facing significant challenges due to

     • court also grants bail to accused 10 Passengers of Carveton Helicopters A Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt on Tuesday granted bail to Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari, both pilots with Carveton Helicopters who were accused of contravening the Executive Order of the Rivers State Governor issued to check the spread of coronavirus in the State. The Magistrate Court also granted bail to 10 passengers of Carveton Helicopters who were flown into Rivers State by the two pilots. Chief Magistrate D.D . Ihua-Maduenyi granted the two pilots bail after hearing the bail application by their counsel. Chief Magistrate D.D . Ihua-Maduenyi in granting the two pilots bail stated that they must present a surety who must be a management staff of Carveton Helicopters. The Court ruled that the surety must own a landed property in Port Harcourt and the surety must ensure that the two pilots attend trial. He added that the surety will sign a bail bond of N1million each for the two pilo

       - Recover 21 stolen cars of different makes, arms and ammunition The Nigeria Police Special Tactical Squad (STS) has smashed a two-man car stealing gang led by one Bashir Isiaku, aged 34, notorious for stealing cars from the car park of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). The arrest of Bashir, a graduate of one of the Federal Polytechnics, came after painstaking efforts and investigations by operatives of the STS to hunt down the criminals. Bashir and his accomplice, Aminu Yakubu specialized in using customized master key, crafted out of screwdriver to open and start vehicles. Police investigations show that their choices of cars are ones without special security features such as pedal or steering locks. A total of twenty-one (21) vehicles have so far been recovered from the hoodlums and their criminal receivers. The following criminal receivers have also been arrested: in Funtua - Rilwanu Garba, Ibrahim Hassan, Kabiru Aliyu, Sikiru Danjuma, Bashir Abba; in Sok

      With the arrest of 150 suspects by the Ogun State Police Command in connection with the series of harassments, robberies, burglaries and cult clashes that occured within the Agbado Ijaiye, Sango, Ijoko and Ifo axis of the State, the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has vowed to deal ruthlessly with criminals in the state. The governor said: "It has become expedient that we do not spare the rod and spoil the child. Anybody, no matter whose child he or she is, if found guilty of armed robbery, would be visited with the full weight of the law, including capital punishment". The governor urged the police to intensify efforts at curbing the nefarious activities of criminals, asking them to smoke out their hideouts and promptly investigate those involved in the nightmarish activities, not only in Ifo and Ado-Odo local governments but across the State. He said the State would avail all other security outfits, including the Department of State Security Service and t

       Actor Mike Godson wrote an open letter to the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof, Yemi Osinbajo to inform him that there's hunger in the land and he has been affected by it... The Nollywood actor said he is down to his last post of soup and there's no hope for another as he can't work at the moment due to the Coronavirus lockdown in Nigeria. He wrote: "Your exellency the vice president federal republic of NIGERIA. "Dear sir, My name is "Mike Godson" I'm a Nigerian Actor with the Nigerian film industry. "Sir, We have been instructed by the federal and state government to strictly avoid social gatherings and stay in our various houses, due to the spread of the virus. I must commend the federal and state government levels for the aggressive measures put in place to ensure the country's safety. But sir, the hunger in the land has finally reached my house. "As I write this letter, I have just finished eating my last p

      Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has taken her humanitarian gestures to another level as she feeds 1000 Nigerian children in Conjunction with her Son's Foundation KAD.More photos below.

     Some Masquerades have been arrested in Anambra State for defying a stay-at-home order issued by the the state government, over the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country. The Anambra State Government had ordered a restriction on movement and closure of markets in the state for 14 days. The Masquerades who flouted the order were arrested yesterday at Nkwo Uga, in Uga community of Aguata Local Government Area.More photos below.

     In a bid to preempt criminal elements in the state who may want to take advantage of the COVID-19 restriction order to raid communities like it happened in Lagos and Ogun recently, Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello has declared full blown war against kidnappers, bandits and armed robbers in the state. Efforts by governor to sustain the war against criminals in the state paid off last weekend when no fewer than 28 criminals were arrested at different locations in the last seven days across the state. The hoodlums were arrested by the Joint Task Force of the state Vigilante Service and the Neigbourhood Watch. Among those arrested were four dreadful kidnappers who confessed to be terrorizing the people of Dekina and Bassa local government areas on April 6. Also, over 16 members of a cult group who confessed to be from Ankpa local government area of the state were arrested in Olamaboro local government area where they were carrying out initiation of new members. The cult group a