The Nigerian Navy has suspended the resumption for training of successful candidates of the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) Batch 30.
The candidates were initially scheduled to commence training at the NNBTS, Onne Port-Harcourt, Rivers State on 8 May 2020. However, this resumption date is no longer feasible in view of the current national efforts at containing the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Paul Enenche Family of Dunamis International Gospel Centre has dropped a new video.
This came following the success of their last song, Father in Heaven, which was received and written by Dr. Mrs. Becky Enenche.
The new song, which hit the airwaves on Sunday, is a message of hope that despite what is going on globally; there will be joy in the morning: ‘Just keep holding on.”
Be encouraged, watch, and share.
The lyrics of Keep Holding On by Dr Paul Enenche and family
Beyond the cloud the sun still shines
Beyond the bend the road goes on
Weeping may endure the night
But joy comes in the morning
Beyond the cloud, the sun still shines
Beyond the bend the road goes on
Weeping may endure the night
But joy yet comes in the morning….
Keep holding on
Keep holding on
Beyond the cloud
The sun still shines
Beyond the bend
The road goes on
Beyond the cloud
The sun still shines
Beyond the bend
The road goes on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
And keep holding on and on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
There is no need to give up
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
And keep holding on and on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
Your victory is here
Keep holding on…
With hope in God
You can make it
With faith in him
Your life is safe
With hope in God
You can make it
With faith in him
Your life is safe
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
And keep holding on and on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
There is no need to give up
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
And keep holding on and on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
Your victory is here
Keep holding on…
If you give up
You will go down
If you lose hope
You will lose out
If you give up
You will go down
If you lose hope
You will lose out
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
And keep holding on and on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
There is no need to give up
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
And keep holding on and on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
Your victory is here
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
And keep holding on and on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
There is no need to give up
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
And keep holding on and on
So keep holding on
And keep holding on
Your victory is here.
No fewer than eighty Almajiri kids have fled Bauchi State to Nasarawa state.
The Almajiris who are from Nasarawa state were accompanied by their teachers to Lafia, the state capital over 10 days ago.
All of them have been quarantined in Lafia, pending reunion with their parents.
Governor Abdullahi Sule revealed this Monday, when he visited the quarantine centre at the Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic in Lafia,to ensure the children and their teachers are not isolated alongside returnees from high risk states.
“Recently, we started also receiving the almajiris from the different northern states, so I came with the concern that we cannot mix people who are coming from the high risk areas with especially the almajiris.
“I am happy to see that we have only the almajiris that we received from Bauchi here roughly about seventy or eighty of them. We don’t have any returnee still here from high risk state here instead they have been moved to another location”.
“I came to make sure the Almajiris are well fed and have been tested.”
At another isolation centre, are also eleven returnees from Taraba state intercepted yesterday by security personnel and ten also from Kano state, who returned 5 days ago, mingled with their family before being traced and forcibly brought to the quarantine centre.
Several hundred Nigerians who are stranded in the United States because of the coronavirus crisis will be repatriated starting from next week, the Consulate General of Nigeria in New York confirmed in a statement this morning.
“A one-way flight for the evacuation of stranded Nigerian nationals in the USA to Abuja is being arranged for Sunday 10 May,” a statement read.
A total of 270 passengers will be flown by to Nigeria on the Ethiopia Airlines flight “at their own expense” – between 1,300 and 1,700 dollars, with reductions for children and infants.
The flight will arrive in Abuja at noon on the following day.
In total, around 700 Nigerian nationals have registered to be evacuated from the States with tickets for the first arranged flight available from www.ethiopainairlines.com on a first come, first served basis. More flights will be laid on later this month.
Sokoto city is currently engulfed in mass deaths whose cause is yet to be ascertained by medical experts. We pray to Allah (SWT) to bring an end to this scourge Amin.
Coming at a time of the global health emergency, the fingers are pointing towards the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the Tudun Wada cemetery in Sokoto, there are reports of over 100 bodies brought for burial in one single day. The situation in Sokoto is so tense that residents of Sokoto in particular and the entire state in general are now living in a very tensed and palpable atmosphere. This otherwise peaceful and ‘healthy’ state is now engulfed in an extended health emergency further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Something more than COVID-19 is happening in Sokoto.
The ongoing extended health emergency in Sokoto can be likened to the ongoing case of mass deaths in Kano which started a few weeks ago. One thing the two states share in common at the moment is the very high temperature leading to often times unbearable heat wave. There are also reports of these mass deaths in Kano and Sokoto involving diabetic patients and very old people. There has yet not been any direct link between the mass deaths in Kano and Sokoto to COVID-19.
In this regard, there is the urgent need for the appropriate authorities particularly the national centre for disease control (NCDC) to embark on an immediate fact-finding mission to Sokoto with a view to not only ascertaining the extent of this situation but also applying measures as necessary.
Although most of the deaths recorded are those of the aged elderly indigenes of the state, there are also cases of middle aged and the not-so-old. One such case was the death of a professor at the Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS) who died recently. Although the deceased is said to be diabetic, his death has not been confirmed to be from COVID-19 infection.
It is advisable that the Sokoto state government comes open on the true situation on the ground in Sokoto just as the Kano state government did.
Sokoto state government needs to seek help from the federal government so that it could increase its capacity to contain the situation.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state have jumped from zero in the last three weeks to 54 and rising as at today 3rd May 2020.
It is imperative to note that a full blown escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sokoto state will be unthinkable as the state lacks even the most elementary medical capacity to contain even the most basic health cases.
There is virtually no health care system in Sokoto state to respond to COVID-19 hence the state government had resorted to ‘public awareness and sensitisation’ as its best method to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
While other states such as Cross Rivers (with no reported case of COVID-19 so far) and Ondo are producing face masks locally, our dear Sokoto state government is resorting to ‘public awareness’.
Everything humanly possible must be done to stop the COVID-19 pandemic from reaching the grassroots local communities in Sokoto state and the rest of the country. The grassroots communities in Sokoto are too weak to manage any further spread of COVID-19 pandemic coupled with a non-existent health care system and ravaging debilitating unbearable endemic poverty in the state.
The Sokoto state government needs to upgrade its measures aimed at containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
In particular, there is the urgent need to impose a total lockdown of Sokoto city until the current situation of mass deaths is fully assessed by the NCDC and other relevant authorities. Appropriate palliatives should also be made available and the right steps put in place to ensure that these palliatives get to the poorest of the poor. Currently, the lockdown and restriction order in Sokoto state is majorly confined to inter-state travels. This lockdown order should be extended to the interior communities particularly in Sokoto city.
There is also the need for Sokoto state to start local production of face masks and make them available to the local village grassroots communities. Face masks should get to even the remotest part of the state.
Wearing of face masks should be made compulsory in public places until this health emergency is brought under control.
The state government should also invest in the local production of ventilators by the local engineers, fabricators and also at the Usmanu Danfodio university (UDUS) and other relevant tertiary institutions in the state. Bayero university Kano (BUK) is standing up to be counted in the fight against COVID-19 as it has locally produced a ventilator. This is a huge achievement
As a matter of fact, there are local engineers and fabricators in the state particularly the fabricators in Kara area Sokoto who, given the right support and encouragement can produce ventilators which can be certified fit for purpose by the appropriate medical experts including the NCDC.
Our dear Sokoto state is in a race against time unless something is done by medical experts and the relevant authorities to bring the current extended health emergency in the state under control.
Nollywood screen queen, Mercy Johnson-Okojie and husband Prince Odi Okojie have announced the arrival of their new baby girl.
The actress who took to her Instagram page to announce the baby’s arrival while sharing pictures said:
”Every good and perfect gift is from God. The wait is finally over, please share in our joy as we announce the arrival of our Daughter. Divine-Mercy Ehinomen Okojie”
Mercy Johnson who has been in the US for a couple of weeks now from where she gave birth was rumoured to have given birth a week ago but her husband dispelled the news as false.
Many efforts have been made by the World Health Organization in the discovery of COVID-19 drugs, but few of them have worked. However, the African leaders have not been left behind, after endorsing the adoption of COVID-19 organic medicine.
The presidents present in the meeting were; Cyril Ramaphosa (African Union Chairperson and South Africa), Abdul Fatah El Sisi(Egypt), Felix Tshisekedi (DRC), Uhuru Kenyatta(Kenya), Paul Kagame(Rwanda), Mahamadou Issoufou (Niger), Idris Derby(Chad), Boubacar Keita(Mali), Andry Rajoelina(Madagascar).
This happened in a teleconference call involving ten African Presidents, discussed adopting the COVID-19 organic medications.
This is a big step towards the fight of coronavirus pandemic, in an indigenous way.
This discussion arose after Madagascar developed COVID organic medicine to treat COVID-19 patients. This was made official earlier 20th April 2020, by the president of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina. They also discussed future plans to tackle such cases if they happen to occur.
This move is a perfect move towards eradicating the corona pandemic. many scientists across Africa will feel the motivation, which will create togetherness and come up with a more powerful drug.
However, WHO warned of carrying out self-medication, saying that they have not recommended any drug to treat corona.
This could be the best time to say goodbye to the corona virus. Unity makes everything possible including pandemics such as corona, which has caused loss of lives over a short period of time.
Nigerian troops in the Northeast of the country have recorded massive gains in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists with the killing of 134 insurgents, while arresting 16 informants of the group.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche in a statement said the terrorists were killed in Operation KANTANA JIMLAN which is being conducted preparatory to the final routing of BHT/ISWAP criminals from the Nigerian Territory by the troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE and coordinated by the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai.
A cache of arms and ammunitions have also been recovered according to the statement.
The statement reads in part:
The ongoing subsidiary operation in the North East Theatre of Operation codenamed ‘Operation KANTANA JIMLAN’ being conducted as part of the conclusive phase of Operation LAFIYA DOLE is already recording monumental successes.
The operation which is being conducted preparatory to the final routing of BHT/ISWAP criminals from the Nigerian Territory by the troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE and coordinated by the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has intensified on various fronts especially within the Timbuktu triangle, leaving the criminal elements and their leadership in complete disarray and thus setting the conditions for the commencement of the final assault on their evil enclaves and hideouts.
Several BHT/ISWAP targets were acquired and engaged with precision by Nigerian Army Artillery Regiments of Operation LAFIYA DOLE across the entire Theatre thus delivering accurate fire on the criminals who were seen fleeing in disarray. In one of such coordinated artillery bombardments conducted between 1st and 2nd May, 2020 around the Timbuktu Triangle general area by the Offensive Support Group of Operation KANTANA JIMLAN, 7 Boko Haram Gun Trucks were destroyed while 78 BHT/ISWAP fighters were killed as confirmed by both aerial and human intelligence.
Relatedly, within the same period, another successful artillery engagement to Buk in Damboa LGA of Borno State resulted in the neutralization of an additional 56 BHT criminals. Acting on intelligence that a large number of BHT members were converging at the location which they erroneously considered as being safe from aerial bombardment, the gallant troops of the Nigerian Army Artillery Regiments acquired and engaged the location with deadly precision, inflicting heavy casualties on them. As confirmed by our intelligence sources, only a handful of the terrorists escaped the location with gun shot wounds, with little chances of survival.
In a related development, 16 high profile Boko Haram informants have fallen into the troops’ dragnet within the last 2 weeks. The arrest of such high profile BHT informants has significantly dislocated the criminals’ information and supply chains and equally dislocating their communication. As the gallant troops continue to overwhelm the criminal elements on all fronts, it is quite apparent that the days of the criminal elements called Boko Haram are indeed numbered.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai who has been in the Theatre with the troops for the past 5 weeks congratulated the gallant troops for their resilience, courage and dedication to the noble cause of defending our fatherland against the criminal elements. He further urged them to remain focused and ruthless as they take the fight to the fleeing remnants of the enemies of our nation. The general public is hereby encouraged to provide credible information to our Troops as the NIgerian Military remain resolute in tackling the security challenges of the Country.
The Coalition of Arewa Youths for Good Governance (CAYGG) has charged the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and the troops on the frontlines to sustain the momentum against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.
According to the group, the onslaught must be intensified, so as not to give the terrorists any space to recuperate.
CAYGG made this appeal in a statement signed by its President Haruna Ochimana on Monday.
From experience, the group said the radical sect leverage on “any lull in attacks against them to recruit more hapless youth into their ranks and also pick up arms and provisions supplied by their sponsors”.
The group, however, expressed confidence in the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, especially with the COAS leading from the front.
It assured that the “ hour for a final victory is now and nothing should be spared in smoking those vermin out of those vermin out of their warrens”.
Read full text below:
After taking time to assess the ongoing war that the Nigerian Army has taken to the camps of terrorists in the northeast of the country, the Coalition of Arewa Youths for Good Governance is appealing to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and the Nigerian Army to sustain the upper hand they now have over the terrorists be it the Boko Haram elements or those dealing death under the franchise of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The onslaught against the terrorists must be intensified and slowed down on any account in order not to allow them any breathing space to reorganize. Past encounters have taught that the terrorists use any lull in attacks against them to recruit more hapless youth into their ranks and also pick up arms and provisions supplied by their sponsors.
We further appeal to the COAS and his commanders not to be distracted by the recent gimmicks of the terrorists and their sponsors as the singular objective of the military presence in the region is to ensure that the terrorists are sent into oblivion and the communities in the area can again resume their places as the agricultural, commercial and entrepreneurship hubs that contribute a huge chunk to the economy of Nigeria.
The trick that Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, is playing by being indecisive with whether he wants to surrender or be killed in battle is one that the COAS should not allow to slow down the efforts to bring this war criminal to justice. We rather see Shekau and his sponsors being caught in the confusion ensuing from the intensity with which the troops have descended on them.
We expect that the military anticipate the next front in the ongoing war, which would be fought in the theater of public opinion and populated by international NGOs that will publish fictitious reports to continue the strategy of distracting the troops. The military must put itself in a position to appreciate that patriotic Nigerian youth like the Coalition of Arewa Youths for Good Governance is more interested in having peace and security restored to their country and not given unnecessary consideration to what pro-Boko Haram international NGOs think about the rights of sociopathic murderers.
The news feeds are replete with the how troops of the Nigerian Army under the leadership of the COAS, who has relocated the fronts, have continued to dominate the winning streaks against the terrorists that once tormented the peace of the country. While not behaving like Oliver Twist, the Coalition of Arewa Youths for Good Governance sees now as the best time to sustain the momentum against the insurgent and eventually finish them off once and for all time.
We nonetheless greatly appreciate and thank the Army for putting the terrorists in their place because it would have been a calamity had the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists continued to torment Nigerians at a time when COVID-19 is ravaging the world. We are consequently grateful to the Nigerian military that they have sustained the war and maintained the tempo of victory against the insurgents, who would have added to the dread that the virus is instilling in hearts.
We believe our troops will do more especially at a time that the COAS is busy in the theatre of war to see to a final defeat of the insurgents from all angles. Nigerians both at home and abroad appreciate these selfless sacrifices, the tenacity of purpose and resilience being displayed by our gallant troops, their commanders and the Chief of Army Staff.
The troops should see that the hour for a final victory is now and nothing should be spared in smoking those vermin out of their warrens while also cutting off the head of the serpent as this amount to tackling the problem from its the root and bringing us the desired trophies from the war front. This is one battle that the world has been eagerly waiting for Nigeria to win and enthrone its long-standing superiority in the continent as the force against insurgents and terrorists.
The Borno State Governor Prof Babagana Zulum has appointed Umar Ibn Kyari El-Kanemi as the new Shehu of Bama.