Author: The Gazelle News

The pioneer Director, Information Technology Department, Voice of Nigeria, Mohammed Danjuma Usman, is dead. He was rushed to the hospital late afternoon where he died Monday April 20, 2020 after a brief illness. Born in Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria in 1958 Mohammed Danjuma Usman however grew up in Numan where he commenced primary education at Numan III Primary School in 1971 and completed it in 1976.  He thereafter gained admission into Comprehensive Secondary School, Numan in 1976. He spent only two years before proceeding to Government Technical Secondary School in 1978. Brilliant and unrelenting, the young Danjuma finished from Technical…

By Babafemi Ojudu Had I been a governor and have behaved the way most of our governors have in the past, this is what I will do at this uncertain moment. This moment when nothing, not even life itself is assured. When COVID-19 is wrecking inexplicable havoc on mankind. I will wake up in the middle of the night. Do a cup of coffee. Go to the bathroom, wash my face. After this is done, I will switch off my phone and take my iPad and head to my study. I will tell my wife not to allow anyone disturb…

With less than 4 days to the start of 2020 Ramadan fasting period, the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) in Lagos State has appealed to the government as well as private establishments to consider early payment of April salary. The students body makes case for Nigerian workers particularly the Muslim employees during this covid-19 period, urging employers to pay the April salary before the commencement of this year’s Ramadan fasting. The Amir, (President) MSSN Lagos state Area Unit, Dr. Saheed Ashafa in a statement, noted that timely payment of the April salary has become expedient due to the lockdown…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has commiserated with the family of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide, who died on Tuesday, 21 April, 2020. Lawan also condoled with the government and people of Oyo State over the loss. The Senate President said Chief Akinjide lived a fulfilled life and carved a nitche for himself as a walking encyclopedia of the law profession having made his mark on the sand of time before his exit. Lawan said the erudite lawyer made great contributions to the legal profession as well as…

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has felicitated with the President and Founder of Christ Missionaries Crusaders Church, Archbishop Goddowell Avwomakpa on his birthday. In a special congratulatory message personally signed by him, Senator Omo-Agege commended Archbishop Avwomakpa for his life-long commitment to the service of God and humanity. The lawmaker also applauded the renowned cleric’s tireless dedication to his duty as the spiritual shepherd of the people. According to him, the religious leader is not only an asset to the Urhobo nation in particular but also to the state and country in general. “On behalf of…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja There was a fire outbreak at the office of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Jos on Tuesday, 21 April, 2020, The Gazelle News.com reports. The incident was reported by the Apex Bank on its official Twitter handle. The bank said the incident was a minor one and has since been contained. No further details were given on the causes of the fire outbreak.

The private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has ordered for 250,000 supplies for tests and another 150,000 extraction kits to fast-track molecular testing for the deadly coronavirus, noting that the reality of the situation at hand was such that efforts must be put together with no stone left unturned in dealing with the scourge. The coalition also disclosed that no less than 1.7 million households would benefit from its food relief package as part of complementary efforts to help alleviate the effects of the lockdown and restrictions adopted by governments across the nation. Briefing newsmen in Lagos on the group’s…

The Deputy President of the Senate (DSP), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has expressed deep shock and sadness over the demise of the President and Founder of Trinity Gospel Mission, Ughelli, Bishop Diamond Emuobor. In a condolence message personally signed by him, Senator Omo-Agege condoled with the Urhobo nation and the Christian community in the state over the death of the renowned cleric. He described Bishop Emuobor, who chaired bodies like the Elders Council, Urhobo Christian Ministers Association (UCMAI), Delta State Christian Pilgrimage Board and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) (Ughelli North Chapter) as a religious leader who spoke truth to…

The Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Constitution Review Committee, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has congratulated a former Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Solomon Funkekeme on the occasion of his 58th birthday. In a congratulatory message personally signed by him, Senator Omo-Agege commended the politician for distinguishing himself in the various capacities he has served the state. Prior to his current appointment as Senior Political Adviser to the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Funkekeme had served as former member and Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, former  Commissioner for Works, erstwhile…

Ethical entrepreneurs have called on the Federal Government to exemplify its commitment to the development of alternative finance through inclusion of non-interest windows in its various loan and intervention funding programmes. Ethical entrepreneurs and financial experts who participated in a webinar on financial inclusion in Nigeria and government’s intervention funds called on government to adopt inclusive approach that combines both conventional and ethical finances in order to ensure inclusive development of the economy. They underscored the need for government to continue to deepen the non-interest alternative finance segment of the financial market through massive awareness campaign, inclusion within development finance…

The Department of Community Health and Primary Health Care, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LATHS), and LASUTH COVID-19 Response Committee have commenced the training of its health workers on the Coronavirus pandemic. Speaking at the training programme held on Monday, 20 April, 2020, at the hospital in Ikeja, the Head of Department, Community Health and Primary Health Care, LASUTH, Dr. Yinka Adeniran informed the participants that there is yet no known cure for the disease. Dr. Adeniran maintained that health workers must take precautions of social distancing, hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when…

While there was no reported cases of coronavirus in Lagos State on Monday, 20 April, 2020, two people died from the virus infection on the same date, The Gazelle News.com reports. The state Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, disclosed this on Tuesday, 21 April, 2020 on his verified twitter handle. According to the Commissioner, one of the deceased was a 45 year old man who returned from India in January this year. The second person was a 36 years old woman with severe underlying health condition. She had no history of travel or contact with any confirmed case. Below…

Security agencies at various checkpoints in the country have been advised to facilitate passage of vehicles conveying foodstuff, perishable farm products and livestock. They are expected to do this without compromising nation’s security and health measures. This was part of the decision reached at an Inter-ministerial Policy Response meeting which took place at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Monday, 20 April, 2020. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his counterparts from the Ministries of Agriculture, Defence and Police Affairs. The decisions taken at the meeting were sourced from the…

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide, is dead. Akinjide passed on at the age of 88 in his Ibadan residence, the Oyo State capital. It was gathered that the legal icon, who died of complications from a protracted illness around 1 am, had been sick for three years. Akinjide, an Ibadan high chief, was born in Ibadan, in the early 1930s to an influential family of warriors. He attended Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife in Osun State and passed out with a distinction (Aggregate 6). The Senior Advocate of Nigeria proceeded on his educational journey to…

By Nurudeen Yisa, Lagos The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria under the auspices of its global humanitarian group, Humanity First International Nigeria has donated food items including rice, beans,  noodles, and Garrison (Processed Cassava)  to feed 500 families in Lagos and 300 in Kano as well as the Nigeria Union Of Journalists in Lagos state. The donations were done separately at the Ahmadiyya Islamic Organisation headquarters in Ojokoro, Lagos and Kano as part of the group economic palliatives measures to battle with the economic hardship created by the ravaging and deadly Coronavirus Disease, otherwise known as COVID- 19 Pandemic. Specifically for…

As Muslims begin Ramadan fasting this week, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared that, there will be no Ramadan lecture sessions and congregation prayers in Mosques. The Sultan told Nigerian Muslims that, this year’s Ramadan is one with a difference, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, hence everyone should pray at home with their families, as Muslims cannot afford to be reckless with their lives. Sultan in a statement issued through the Secretary-General of JNI, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, therefore, recommended that Muslim faithful should in addition to…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja Sokoto, Gombe and Abia States have reported their maiden cases of coronavirus, The Gazelle News.com reports. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported on its verified twitter handle at 11.10pm on Monday, 20 April, 2020 that 38 new cases were reported and the total number of reported cases has now risen to 665 in Nigeria. Of the new reported cases, Kano continues to rake up its number with 23 reported new cases, five was reported in Gombe’s maiden, three reported in Kaduna, two each in Borno and Abia, one each in FCT, Sokoto and Ekiti.…

The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Mai-Martaba Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR, will on Wednesday, 22nd April 2020 clock 80 year-old. He has however directed the cancellation of any social or religious gatherings to that effect. A statement issued on Monday, 20 April, 2020 by the Emir’s media Aide, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona, disclosed that no congregational prayers should be held as usual in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that the cancellation of the annual birthday prayers in palace was part of measures towards supporting government’s efforts in curtailing the spread of…

The government of Oyo State has taken delivery of three truckloads of rice donated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The Controller of Customs for Oyo/Osun Area Command, Comptroller Helen Ngozi, who made the symbolic presentation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Ibadan on Monday, said that Customs was donating three truckloads of rice each to Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states as parts of measures to cushion the hardship of Nigerians at this period. A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the Commissioner for Agriculture, Honourable…

By next week, the use of face mask may be made mandatory in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu revealed on Monday, 20 April, 2020 during a statewide briefing held at the State House in Marina. The Governor said the rise in the number of confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the State indicated a slow spread of community transmission, noting that there was need to strengthen and ramp up the Government’s response to contain the infectious disease. Sanwo-Olu said the State had already embarked on local production of face mask in large quantities. The masks, he said,…