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IMF Joins World Bank In Supporting Ukraine, Approves $1.4bn Emergency Financing The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says its executive board has approved $1.4 billion in emergency financing to support Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia. The Washington-based institution, in a statement, said the executive board gave its approval on Wednesday night. According to IMF, the support comes from its rapid financing instrument (RFI). The RFI provides rapid financial assistance available to all IMF member countries facing an urgent balance of payments need. Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director, said the Russian military invasion of Ukraine has been responsible for a massive humanitarian and economic crisis. She said the “tragic loss of life, huge refugee flows, and immense destruction of infrastructure and productive capacity is causing severe human suffering and will lead to a deep recession this year.” “Financing needs are large, urgent, and could rise significantly as the war c...

March 11, 2022 Press Statement INEC’s Non-Recognition Confirms APC’s Ineligibility for 2023 Elections- PDP The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alerts that the non-recognition of the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) further confirms PDP’s position that APC lacks the legitimacy and statutory requisites to participate in the 2023 general elections. The PDP emphasizes that INEC’s refusal to honour APC’s invitation to attend its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting as well as the Commission’s disapproval of APC’s National Convention scheduled for March 26, 2022 further authenticates PDP’s stand that the APC is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in liquidation, preparatory to winding up, that cannot legally produce candidates for the elections. This decision by INEC is therefore another unmistaken ‘red flag’ to intending aspirants on the platform of the APC in the 2023 general elections that the APC has become defunct...

Governor Wike In Rivers State Made Thousands Of Northerners Jobless – Arewa Forum The Arewa Consultative Forum has accused Governor Nyesom Wike of being responsible for the thousands of Northerners who are jobless in the state. The state chairman of the group, Usman Wada told our correspondent that the slaughter market that the governor demolished had sent thousands of Northerners into joblessness. He said, “over 90 percent of Northern traders were doing business in the slaughter market before Wike came and demolished it. “Up till now, our brothers have not been able to find other trade or job. “Majority of the Northern population in the state came because of cattle and goat slaughtering business and that market that Wike demolished was our place of survival. “As I speak to you. life has not been easy with our people in the state especially those who were trading in that market.”  

A young Nigerian man identified as Bonus Emmanuel Chigozie, allegedly beat his pregnant wife, Itunu Lawal Emmanuel to death. It was gathered that the sad development which left everyone in shock happened at their residence in Okota area of Lagos State. A source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the couple got married about four years ago. He added: “Emmanuel started abusing his wife after they had their first child. She suddenly became disgusting to him and he always looked for every reason to be vioent.” The source further narrated that Chigozie started cheating on his wife to an extent that he started threatening her to leave the marriage. Chigozie will also abuse Itunu physically. He will beat her severely if she dare ask for the N2.7million she loaned him. Itunu got pregnant with their second child, he abused her until the baby died inside of her. She was rushed to the hospital but unfortunately, both Itunu and the baby died yesterday, Thursday, March 10, 2022. One more...

NIGERIAN ARMY HOLDS COAS FIRST QUARTER CONFERENCE 2022 The Chief of Army Staff First Quarter Conference 2022 is scheduled to hold from 14-18 March 2022 at the Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess 1, Asokoro Abuja.  The Conference will provide a platform for the NA to appraise its performance thus far for the year 2022.  Additionally, it will retrospectively and holistically evaluate all ongoing operational engagements by the NA, with a view to effectively project into the future. Expectedly, it will also provide an interactive framework between the COAS and Field Commanders.    The Conference will be declared open by the COAS Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya on Tuesday, 15 March 2022. Thereafter, there will be series of briefs and presentations in the coming days. These will include; updates  on operations, training, logistics, welfare amongst other topical issues.  ONYEMA NWACHUKWU Brigadier General  Director Army Public Relations 10 March 2022  

The Duchess of Cornwall opened the new The Royal Academy of Dance in Battersea yesterday.  Her Royal Highness was shown around the state-of-the-art facilities by Chief Executive, Luke Rittner and President, Dame Darcey Bussell.  The Duchess is Vice Patron of RAD and The Queen is Patron. The Duchess observed dance classes, including RADiate for children with additional needs and a Silver Swans ballet class for older learners.   The Swans are truly international, with a class calling in from Australia.  Her Royal Highness viewed a number of items from the RAD archives, including their original Royal Charter, granted in 1936, and the satin ballet slippers worn by Adeline Genée, RAD’s first President. The Duchess was treated to a fantastic dance presentation showing the scope of RAD’s world leading teaching before unveiling a plaque to officially declare the open new RAD headquarters open. More photos below. 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo along with Governor Seyi Makinde, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Ooni of Ife attends the coronation ceremony and presentation of Staff of Office to the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland in Oyo State. More photos below. 

LASG ANNOUNCES TRAFFIC DIVERSION ALONG AWOLOWO WAY FOR JUNCTION IMPROVEMENT WORKS · Project To Span Between Ikeja Underbridge, Simbiat Abiola Way The Lagos State Government will divert traffic on Awolowo Way between Ikeja Underbridge and Simbiat Abiola Way from noon on Saturday, 12th March to 6.00am on Monday 14th March 2022, for junction improvement works. In a statement released by the Ministry of Transportation, the Commissioner, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, explained that the traffic diversion was necessary to facilitate the delivery of the junction improvement works in record time while ensuring the safety of motorists. Assuring that an adequate traffic management plan has been put in place for the period of the diversion, the Commissioner disclosed that motorists inbound Awolowo Way from the General Hospital, Ikeja or Airport Road will be diverted to Oba Akran through Ikeja Underbridge, or make a turn at Allen Junction to Ajao Road by Lagoon Hospital to link Adeniyi Jones and c...

Variety Cover #TheKardashians premieres on April 14 on Hulu. It’s 5:51 a.m., and Kris Jenner wants to talk. The text delivering this news arrives before the crack of dawn, but Jenner has already been up for hours. “She’d love to do soon,” her representative says in a message to a Variety reporter. Jenner hasn’t taken many days off since 2007, when her family’s show, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” premiered on E! and became a cultural phenomenon — making her and her five daughters (you know them, from oldest to youngest, as Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall and Kylie) into mononymic media moguls with their own business empires, with ventures ranging from cosmetics to liquor to fragrances to shapewear. In all, the Kardashians have dominated both popular culture and business, and are estimated to be worth more than $5 billion. But in September 2020, the family decided not to renew its deal with E!, and “Keeping Up” came to an end last June after 20 seasons. Even so, Jen...

Nigerian man and his new girlfriend set ablaze by ex-partner in Australia A Nigerian man is in critical condition after his former partner and mother of his kids set him and his current girlfriend ablaze. Stanley Obi was at his home in New Beith, in Brisbane's southern suburbs, just before 3am on Thursday, March 10, when his ex Sarah Mudge, 31, broke into the house, stormed into his bedroom and doused him and his new lover with petrol, before setting them on fire. According to Queensland Police, Sarah tried to set Mr Obi and his new lover on fire while his three young children were in the house.  However, the only person the mother-of-four managed to kill was herself. Mr Obi's new girlfriend, 30, escaped with burns to her airway along with all three children - aged five, three and two. Mr Obi's burning body was dragged from the burning building by a hero neighbour known as Al. Al stayed with Obi, who suffered burns to 90 per cent of his body, until an ambulance came 35 minu...

The New Anambra State Burial Law. (The aftermath of the killings during burial last week in Awka). 1. All burial/funeral ceremonies of indigenous deceased persons must be registered with the town union of the deceased persons. Registration fee is NGN1,500 2. No person must erect any billboard, banner or posters of any kind of deceased persons in the State. 100k fine or 6 months jail term or both for violation. 3. Persons are allowed to erect only directional posts (such as the ones leading to the venue). Must not be erected before seven days to the burial date and must be removed not later than seven days after the burial date. 100k fine or 6 months jail term or both for violation. 4. Corpse must not be deposited in the mortuary or any other place beyond 2 months from the date of death. 100k fine or 6 months jail term or both for violation.  5. No blocking of road/street because of burial except with the approval of the appropriate local govt authority. 6. No public display of cask...

35,000 Boko Haram Members And Families Have Surrendered – Borno Government A photo released by the army on August 16, 2021, shows some of the repentant Boko Haram fighters seated on the floor. Borno State government has announced that more than 35,000 Boko Haram insurgents and their families have surrendered. Special adviser to the governor on security matters, Brigadier General AS Ishaq (rtd), confirmed this during a stakeholders’ dialogue on the reintegration of repentant Boko Haram hosted by the Peace Ambassadors Center for Humanitarian Aid and Empowerment (PACHE) in Maiduguri on Wednesday March 9. Delivering a paper detailing how the over 35,000 Boko Haram members who surrendered are being managed, Ishaq said the non-kinetic approach adopted by Operation Hadin Kai of the Nigeria Military Command and Control Centre played an immense role that led to the mass surrender. The Special adviser to the governor on security matters who revealed that three more Chibok girls have also returne...

We Have Invested Alot In APC, We Should Be Democratically Fair - Tinubu Cries Out Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be “fair” in its dealings. The presidential aspirant said the party would be able to make more impact on the country if its internal processes are democratic. Tinubu said many progressive leaders invested time, energy, ideas and resources in forming the APC with a view to providing a better Nigeria. “The president is a founder of this party. I too have lent my humble bit. As founding fathers of this party, we must continue to guard its purpose,” he said. Let not the APC descend into the ways and rank of the other parties. Instead, may we strive to be an exemplar for a caring and democratic society.”  

BISHOP AJANG EMERGES CBCN CHAIRMAN ON SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS  The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria ( CBCN) has appointed His Excellency, Most Revd David Ajang as the Chairman Directorate of Social Communications. Bishop Ajang was appointed alongside other officials to pilot the affairs of CBCN for a period of four years, at the first 2022 plenary of CBCN, held in Abuja, from Sunday 6 -Thursday- March 10 , 2022. The Bishop's appointment followed his readiness to use the gift of the generation (Social Media) to evangelize, and for being media friendly as well as his incredible capacity for work given to him. The Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Lafia, therefore congratulate the bishop on this exalted appointment and pray God who made communication a veritable tool for every human and divine activity to bequeath him with the necessary wisdom and the enablement to carry out the task bestowed on him.  Revd Fr Godwin Apesuu Ag. Directo...

NDLEA intercepts 3million opioid caps at Lagos terminal; 8, 613kg Loud at Eko beach Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted three million capsules of opioids more dangerous and potent than tramadol at Jaelith Bonded Container Terminal under Tincan seaport in Apapa area of Lagos. The seizure of 3,000,000 capsules of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol weighing 1,500 kilograms on Monday 7th March 2022, followed a similar operation in which anti-narcotic officers of the Agency also intercepted 8,613 kilograms of Loud cannabis smuggled in from Ghana through the waterways at the Eko Atlantic Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos the previous day, Sunday 6th March.  The seized drugs at the bonded terminal were discovered during a joint examination of a 20ft container, SUDU 7774749 with men of Customs service. Though the consignment was said to have originated from Ningbo province in China and falsely labelled as containing 271 packages of “insulating fittings, fau...