President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the families of the fallen heroes that the government will not jettision its plans to improve their standard of living as a matter of top national priority.
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday evening and signed by Malam Mohammad Abdulkadri, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity.
President Buhari made this known through the Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi who represented him at this year’s Armed forces Remembrance Day Celebration jumat prayer held at the National Mosque Abuja.
He said government is appreciatiative of the sacrifices of the serving, retired and unknown soldiers who paid the supreme price towars safeguarding the Nation’s territorial integrity.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces described the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration of which special jumat service represents a significant segment as a token of expression of love and appreciation for their gallantry and a platform to besiege Almighty Allah to uphold the families they left behind and to pray for the repose of their souls.
President Buhari seized the opportunity of the special AFRDC jumat prayer to assure Nigerians that the counter terrorism, anti-banditry and other military operations in parts of the Country aimed at restoring peace are well on course with greater commitment on the parts of the Fighting troops to achieve the end state of wiping out the criminal elements threatening national survival and stability.
The special prayer was attended by serving top Military hierarchies and members of the diplomatic communities.
Workers of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), have suspended the industrial action which they embarked on, on Thursday over poor allowances and the fear of exposure to COVID-19 in the agency.
One of the workers had also told Channels Television that the recent increase in the number of visitors at their office for registration of NIN had caused a lot of stress for them.
But they have now decided to put the strike on hold after a meeting with the Federal Government, where it was agreed that the demands of the employees would be addressed.
The President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NIMC unit, Asekokhai Lucky, confirmed the suspension of the industrial action saying workers of the commission across the country will be contacted to resume work by Monday and proceed with the enrolment of Nigerians for their National Identity Numbers.
Many Nigerians have been storming the various NIMC offices across the state as a result of the deadline issued by the Federal Government to all telecommunications operators in the country to block all Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) without National Identification Number (NIN).
The government has, however, extended the deadline for another six weeks from December 30 2020 to February 9, 2021.
The President, Main Common Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has assured Nigerians that the Boko Haram insurgency which began in 2009 within the North-East would finish this yr.
He, nevertheless, urged the residents to hope for the armed forces which can be endeavor operations in opposition to bandits and kidnappers within the North- West and a part of North- Central.
Buhari, who spoke on Friday, throughout the Juma’at prayer held in commemoration of the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day on the Nationwide Mosque, Abuja, declared that “this can be a year of motion and we are going to end what we’re doing”.
Represented by the Defence Minister, Maj. Gen. Magashi Salihi, (retd.), the President noted that “what is happening in this country will soon be over.
“This year, we will finish what we are doing; pray for us that we succeed”.
He said the nation will continue to remember the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces, and should not cease to pray for the repose of the souls of those that paid the supreme price while defending the territorial integrity of the nation.
He assured that the welfare and well-being of the families of the fallen heroes, as well as those who are still alive, would always top the priority list of the government.
Earlier, the Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Dr Mohammed Adams, prayed for the repose of the souls of the fallen heroes.
He also offered prayers for an end to insurgency, banditry and other social vices besetting the country.
Unidentified gunmen have kidnapped a councillorship aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in ward six, Asari-Toru LocalGovernmentArea, Mr. Ekine Nkrokeokiya, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
It was learnt that the sufferer was whisked away on Wednesday night at Igboukwu Avenue Diobu line, Port Harcourt.
A source, who recognized himself merely as Barango stated that the victim went to go to his good friend Derego when gunmen in two vehicles accosted him and took him away.
The source said two of the hoodlums wore police uniform.
The eyewitness said the victim’s car was also taken away, adding that the assailants had yet to establish contact with the victim’s family or make any demands.
He said: “Mr. Ekine had gone to visit his friend Derego in Dline when suddenly two cars, a jeep and a Jetta overtook and crossed them
“Two men in police uniform got here out of the red Jetta and took Mr. Ekine together with his car away and up until now no contact has been made with the abductors for the reason that incident occurred.”
The Rivers State police command has but to react to the incident.
The project will likely be carried out over a 5-years interval by the Chadian Ministry of National Education and Civic Promotion.
The Board of Directors of the African DevelopmentBank has authorised a grant of $11.26 million to the Government of Chad to finance the Women’ Schooling and Girls’s Literacy Undertaking– the bank’s first grant solelyconcentrating ongirls and ladies.
The undertakingwill likely be financed from the Bank’s Transition Assist Facility and will probably beapplied over a 5–yearsinterval by the Chadian Ministry of NationwideTraining and Civic Promotion, in coordination with companionsconcernedwithin thetraining sector, civil society organisations, and youth organisations. The Chadian government will contribute a non-financial contribution of $713,000 in the direction ofthis system.
“Via this financing, the African DevelopmentBank is offeringhelp to the Chadian governmentto scale back inequalities by way ofentry to schooling – particularlyfor ladies. This permitsthe event of job expertise and the advanceof girls’s productiveness potential by way of literacy, job coaching and the event of revenue–producingactions,” mentioned Solomane Koné, the Bank’s Deputy Director for Central Africa.
The undertakinggoalsto assistenhanceentry to high quality secondary training in a secure and wholesomefacultysettingfor 5,000 womenin addition topractice 2,200 lecturers and administrative officers. Additionally it isanticipatedto offer literacy programmes to greater than 7,500 ladies in Chad’s Hadjer Lamis, Ouaddaï and N’Djaména
areas, The Bank-funded mission has a partto liftconsciousnessamongstgoal–space residents about decreasing incidence of gender-primarily based violence, in addition to on the significanceof women’ educationto cut back early marriage and being pregnant. In Chad, sixty seven per cent (bit.ly/3pTBGQO) of women are married earlier than the age of 18, and 30 per cent (bit.ly/3pTBGQO) of ladies are married earlier than the age of 15, in keeping with non-governmental groupWomen Not Brides.
The Women’ Training and Girls’s Literacy Undertaking plans to renovate or rebuild college buildings and institutions, such because the Amriguébé collegeadvanced in N’Djamena that educates pre-main, major and highschoolkids, and a brand newladies’s highschool in Massakory, Hadjer Lamis area, which mightobtainacademic, scientific and digital tools. Undertakingparts have provisions to assistprovideeachfaculties with protectedconsuming water, solar energy, faculty clinics, constructlady–pleasant latrines, in addition toset uplaptop and science laboratories.
The Ladies’ Training and Girls’s Literacy Venture is built-in into the Government of Chad’s Interim Schooling Plan which is working to improve the nation’s schooling system and strengthen human capital –training, well being and nicely-being of kids and youth at the moment who will grow to be Chad’s working inhabitants of tomorrow.
They got here to Igbo Highway, by Yoruba Street to 1 Sylvanus Mbah’s store, Silver Tavern, and took every part in his retailer. They arrested him; they even beat up his kids
The Kano State Hisbah Board has detained a beer seller within the state, Sylvanus Mbah of Silver Tavern, alongside his youngsters and employees.
A source informed us that a northerner, who’s a Muslim had purchased the plot the place Silver Tavern is positioned however as a result of Mbah’s lease remains to be legitimate until February, the owner allegedly resorted to utilizing the Islamic police to pressure Mbah, a southern Christian out of the home.
He stated: “They got here to Igbo Highway, by Yoruba Highway to at least one Sylvanus Mbah’s store, Silver Tavern, and took every part in his retailer. They arrested him; they even beat up his kids. They took all of the beer and different alcoholic drinks in his store away. They destroyed some. They arrested his kids – two kids and his employees. They locked the person up; until now, he is within the custody of Hisbah.”
The source informed that the chairman of the affiliation of beer sellers and its executives within the state had tried to bail the person to no avail.
He mentioned it was widespread for beer sellers to be harassed by members of the Islamic police corps for no motive.
“That is the way it occurs right here. The Home of Meeting ought to proffer an enduring resolution to this. We’re all Nigerians and we pay taxes and we’re additionally a part of those that generate income for Nigerian government.
“The Nigerian constitution says we’re free to dwell anyplace within the nation however right here, it is a totally different ball recreation.”
The destruction of bottles of beer and different alcoholic drinks is certainly frequent in Kano and another northern states.
As an illustration, in November 2020, about 1,975 bottles of beer estimated at N200 million have been confiscated and destroyed by the safety outfit.
The incident came about within the metropolis of the state, following a court order, it was learnt.
Talking throughout the destruction train at Kalebawa within the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Space, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje mentioned the consumption of alcohol and all intoxicants that might distort the psychological functionality of an individual is forbidden in Islam.
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano has expressed fear over the hike in COVID-19 cases within the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr Don Adinuba in a press assertion quoted Obiano as being concerned over the rise in cases of the an infection and the seeming nonchalance of residents to using protecting masks and observance of the prescribed protocol.
“The second wave of the Coronavirus in Nigeria has resulted in a substantial spike in infections in Anambra State within the final two weeks. Gov. Willie Obiano has made a passionate enchantment to the folks to protect themselves from the pandemic.”
The assertion stated the “Reviews from throughout Anambra State exhibits an enormous improve within the incidence, which if not arrested now will produce a catastrophic consequence within the close to future.
“There are eighty confirmed COVID-19 instances within the state because the second wave started two weeks in the past, which means a median of forty instances per week. In distinction, the state used to file 9 instances per week on common within the first wave.”
The state government feared an enormous improve throughout the Christmas and New Yr festivities due to thousands and thousands of people that got here into Anambra State from completely different components of the nation and past.
It stated that it started early sufficient to challenge advisories on methods to include the second wave of the pandemic however was sad that guidelines had been uncared for.
“It’s disheartening that there are folks in Anambra State who doubt the COVID-19 is ravaging the nation, regardless of the dying of a number of extremely positioned individuals from the illness.
Mr Adinuba mentioned the governor was embarrassed a couple of latest incident wherein two individuals who not too long ago examined optimistic within the state refused to isolate, reasonably they have been seen attending public features, the place they could have distributed the illness.
He mentioned, “There are two individuals who a number of days in the past got here for testing and had been confirmed to be constructive. As an alternative of isolating themselves, they rejoined a marriage get together and should have contaminated numerous individuals,” he mentioned.
The Senior Particular Assistant on Development Control to Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Stanley Buba, is dead.
NAN reviews that the deceased died on the early hours of Friday at his resident at Akwanga Local Government Area (LGA) throughout a short sickness.
Reacting, the Governor in a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, on Friday in Lafia described Buba’s loss of life as a painful one and an enormous loss to authorities and other people of the state.
The governor described Buba as a dedicated group and youth chief, grassroots mobiliser, seasoned politician and a fearless lover of the state whose selfless service can be sorely missed.
He expressed his condolence to the rapid household of the deceased, the All Progressives Congress (APC) household and all the state.
Sule prayed God to relaxation the soul of Buba and provides all of the braveness to bear the loss.
Iran’s supreme leader on Friday banned the import of American and British-produced vaccines against COVID-19, saying they were “completely untrustworthy”.
“Importing vaccines made in the US or the UK is prohibited,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a tweet, accompanied by the hashtag #CoronaVaccine.
“It’s not unlikely they would want to contaminate other nations,” he added.
The Islamic republic has reported more than 1.2 million cases of the novel coronavirus, which have caused over 56,000 deaths.
Iran has accused arch-enemy the US of hampering its access to vaccines through a tough sanctions regime.
While food and medicine are technically exempt from the measures, international banks tend to refuse transactions involving Iran.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said last month that Washington had demanded that Tehran pay for the drugs through US banks, adding that he feared the United States would seize the money.
Khamenei also tweeted that “given our experience with France’s HIV-tainted blood supplies, French vaccines aren’t trustworthy either.”
That was a reference to a scandal in the 1980s in which blood infected with HIV was distributed in France, and later abroad, even after the government became aware of the problem.
Hundreds of people in Iran were among those infected.
France’s then-prime minister Laurent Fabius was charged with manslaughter, but acquitted in 1999, while his health minister was convicted but never punished.
Iran last month launched clinical trials of a vaccine developed in the Islamic republic, the Middle Eastern country hardest hit by the pandemic.
A screenshot circulating on social networks since at least April 2020 claims that Barack Obama has urged Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines.
This is false: AFP Fact Check found no official trace of any such statement by the former US president.
In a recent tweet, Obama said in fact that getting vaccinated against Covid-19 was “one of the most important things” to do.
“Barack Obama is asking Africans not to accept the vaccines that will come from America and Europe,” begins the caption of a post that resurfaced on Facebook in December 2020. The claim has been making the rounds online since at least April 2020.
It features an alleged quote by Obama saying he would be “an accomplice” if he didn’t denounce “this evil act white people want to do to Africans”. Referencing his Kenyan background, Obama purportedly said his African descent would not allow him to let “white people kill Africans with their toxic vaccine”.
A search using CrowdTangle – a social media monitoring tool – revealed the same claim was shared on Facebook here, here, here and here.
Similar posts circulated in French on Facebook (here and here for instance) as well as on Twitter (here, here and here).
The online claim re-emerged after Western countries started rolling out Covid-19 vaccines in December 2020, as AFP reported here.
No proof of quote
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic a year ago, Obama has spoken on several occasions about the novel coronavirus which has caused the death of more than 1.84 million people including nearly 400,000 in the United States as of January 4, 2020.
However, there is no official evidence that Obama encouraged Africans to refuse vaccination in any of his public speeches.
His spokesperson, Katie Hill, also denied that he had made the comments, according to the American news agency Associated Press (AP) in April, 2020.
“With COVID cases surging worse than ever, getting vaccinated is one of the most important things we can do,” Obama also said on his Twitter account on December 21, 2020.
With COVID cases surging worse than ever, getting vaccinated is one of the most important things we can do. But until the vaccine is widely available, socially distancing and wearing masks will actually save even more lives, and alleviate the pressure on healthcare workers.
Obama and other former US presidents including George W. Bush and Bill Clinton said they were ready to be vaccinated publicly. The 78-year-old president-elect, Joe Biden – who beat Donald Trump in the presidential race in November 2020 – received the Pfizer vaccine live on television on December 21, 2020.
US President-elect Joe Biden receives a Covid-19 vaccination at the Christiana Care hospital in Newark, Delaware (Alex Edelman / AFP)
The initial appearance of the false Obama quote coincided with the viral broadcast of an interview in April 2020 of two French doctors saying that vaccines should be tested in Africa.
Their comments sparked outcry in France and French-speaking African countries, with critics accusing the pair of wanting to use Africans as guinea pigs.
The belief that vaccines cause illness is commonly trumpeted by anti-vaxxers, who have falsely linked vaccines to plans to harm or even kill Africans and to secretly implant microchips into people’s bodies.
In a case similar to the Obama one, AFP Fact Check debunked false online posts in April 2020 that French microbiologist Didier Raoult had urged Africans “not to take the ‘Bill Gates’ vaccine”.
Another claim circulating in October 2020 showed a doctored image of a medic holding up a sign dissuading Africans to take the vaccines.
AFP Fact Check shone a spotlight on the issue of anti-vaccine sentiment in Africa in this analysis piece.
South Africa – the hardest-hit country on the continent with more than one million cases as of January 7, 2020 – announced that it had secured access to vaccines by entering the Covax program, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) mechanism for global vaccine distribution. The government hopes to start vaccinations in February.
Some African countries, like Madagascar, have been more wary. “We are not yet taking a position on the vaccine. In other words, we are not on the list of future beneficiary countries,” government spokeswoman Lalatiana Rakotondrazafy Andriatongariv said in late November 2020.
