Author: The Gazelle News

Independent Hajj Reporters, (IHR), a civil society organisation that monitors and reports about Hajj activities have pleaded with the federal government to include private tour operators within the Hajj and Umrah industry in the N50 Billion palliative meant to cushion the effect of Coronavirus Pandemic on small businesses. This was contained in a statement signed by its national coordinator Ibrahim Muhammad on Wednesday, 1 April, 2020. The statement said the ban on Umrah by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has impacted negatively on private tour operators in the country which have resulted in huge revenue loss. “It is noted…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Port Harcourt Zonal office on Tuesday March 31, 2020 secured the conviction of one Sampson Onyekachi on one count charge bordering on issuance of Dishonored Cheque contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Sub-section (b) (i ) and ( ii) of the Dishonored Cheques ( Offences) Act Cap D11 of the Reversed Edition (Laws of the Federation) 2007. The Charge reads: “That you Mr. Sampson Onyekachi trading on the name and style ESTEEMED TECHNICAL NIGERIA LTD, Sometime in May 2016, at Port Harcout in the Port Harcout Judicial Division of…

The Uyo zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, secured the conviction of 10 internet fraudsters brought before Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State. The convicts are: Abasiama Essien Ekopimoh (aka Foster Scolt), Gabriel David, Ogon Godspower, Etim Stephen, Kolade Shobayo Jonathan and Raphael Bassey. Others are: Ahmed Adelakun, Mbang Prince Peter, Nnamdi Ogana, and Edafe Matthew. They were arrested on March 11, 2020, at various locations in Calabar, Cross River State. During questioning, the convicts confessed that they specialized in sourcing for…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Nigeria has risen to 151, The Gazelle News.com can report. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced on Wednesday, 1 April, 2020, that as at 12.30pm that 12 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed bringing the total number to 151. Out of the 12 cases, nine were from Osun, two in Ondo and one in Ekiti states. Out of the 151 cases in Nigeria, Lagos still leads with 82 cases, FCT 28, Osun has risen to 14, Oyo 8, Ogun and Edo have four each among…

Members of CMC Gladiators led by popular renowned publicist and talent hunter per excellence, Ambassador Cornell Udofia has applauded the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu for deploying intelligent and remarkable award winning police officer, CSP Ngozi Braide to the IGP Monitoring Unit, FHQ, Lagos Annex. Speaking with journalists in Lagos recently on the deployment, President of the group, Amb. Cornell Udofia said the workaholic IGP is doing his best in term of crime fighting and preventions, especially posting of his officer in certain offices. “He is actually putting right peg in right holes, for him to post celebral…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja The Federal Government of Nigeria has again reduced fuel price in the country, The Gazelle News.com reports. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) announced on Tuesday, 31 March, 2020 that petrol pump price is now N123.50 per litre with effect from 1 April, 2020. This was a N1.50 reduction from the previous N125 announced for the month of March by the PPPRA. The Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Abdul Kadir Saidu, who made the announcement stated that the new price was in line with government’s approval for a monthly review of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly…

By Timothy Alao, Osogbo Governor of the State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, has set up a 21-man Food and Relief Committee – comprising eminent Nigerians – to cushion the effect of restriction placed on human and vehicular movements across the State, as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the State. The committee members are: Asiwaju Tunde Badmus, Chief Adebayo Jimoh, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Pastor Matthew Asimolowo, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja I, General Alani Akinrinade (Rtd), Chief Tunde Ponle, Rt Hon Patricia Etteh, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, Sir Demola Aladekomo, Rt Hon Lasun Yusuff,…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja The number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Nigeria has risen to 139 with three new cases confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and one in Lagos. The Gazelle News.com reports that this was announced on the Twitter handle of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday, 31 March, 2020. The news was contained in the situation report of the Centre as at 8.00pm. The number in Lagos has now risen to 82 while that of the FCT rose to 28. There has been nine people discharged while two people have lost their…

By Sofiyyah Abdur Rasak, Lagos and Timothy Alao, Osogbo Billionaire business man, Dr Deji Adeleke has donated N500 million to tackle the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the country, The Gazelle News.com reports. This was revealed on Tuesday, 31 March, 2020 by the billionaire’s son and popular musician, David Adeleke a.k.a Davido on his Instagram page. According to Davido, the news was contained in a statement issued by Dr (Mrs) Dupe Adeleke. The Gazelle News.com learnt further that apart from the cash donation, Dr Adeleke is also giving out N250 million worth of rice and beans to be distributed among…

A socio-political group, Oyo Kajola Group (OKG), said on Tuesday, 31 March, 2020, that despite testing positive to Coronavirus, it was sure Governor Seyi Makinde would continue to do everything possible to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the state. The group hailed the Governor for immediately making the result of his test open and saddling a former Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Professor Temitope Alonge, with the responsibility of leading the Oyo State Covid-19 Task Force. According to the group, the business of governance in the state will not slow down even as Makinde…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja All the 360 members of the House of Representatives have donated their 100% salaries for March and April for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, The Gazelle News.com reports. This was announced on Tuesday, 31 March, 2020 by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila. The Speaker stated that the donation is independent of individual efforts by the Lawmakers to alleviate the effects of the pandemic in their respective constituencies. Rt. Hon Gbajabiamila stated further that he has directed the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transfer the salaries of…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto Zonal Office, on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 secured the conviction of one Freedom Inah, before Justice M.S. Sifawa, Chief Judge of the Sokoto State High Court sitting in Sokoto, on a one-count charge bordering on Cheating to the tune of N1,830,250 (One Million Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Naira). The count one reads: “That you, Freedom Sampson Inah, while acting as travel agent of Gulf Centre International Travel and Tourism, United Arab Emirate (UAE) and Top Valley Speciality Hospital UAE and Nwabueze Uzochukwu Joseph, Peter Ike (now at…

By Omogbolahan Adisa, Ilorin Kwara State Government has announced the immediate closure of its local and external borders amid ramped up efforts to block entries of vehicles from outside and prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state. The government however said the border closure excludes all categories of movement sanctioned in the broadcast of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that the partial shutdowns within the state remain in force until further notice. “The government hereby announces the shutting down of all our land borders to ban movement to the state from elsewhere. The only exemptions to this rule are those…

Giving.ng, a crowdfunding platform, has said it is partnering Sterling Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, to raise N1 billion from donors to support healthcare professionals taking care of persons infected with the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across the country. A statement released in Lagos by the crowdfunding platform Tuesday, 31 March, 2020 urged well-meaning individuals, associations, corporations and institutions to contribute to the fight against the Coronavirus disease through the intervention fund by visiting www.giving.ng to donate. It added that Sterling Bank launched the fund with a donation of N25 million to support healthcare workers at the frontline of…

By Dare Ojelade, Lagos The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) is providing succour for business owners in the state as it has extended the period for filing of Annual Returns for taxpayers in the state, The Gazelle News.com reports. A press statement from the LIRS on Monday, 30 March, 2020 stated that the decision to extend the deadline was taken to mitigate the effects of the Coronavirus-induced alterations of socio-economic activities on businesses and taxpayers in the state. The extension, according to the statement, would last for two months; between 1 April and 31 May, 2020. Statutorily, the filing…

FirstBank has announced its donation of the sum of N1 billion towards the joint effort by the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to rapidly expand the health facilities; especially Testing, Isolation, treatment and the provision of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities pivotal to controlling the spread and importantly, treating individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. This is in addition to the Bank’s drive to move one million children to e-learning, together with an early partner–Rod catering – as recommended by the Ministry of Education, Lagos State In line with the 14-day stay home directive for Lagos, Ogun and FCT Abuja…

As part of her efforts to raise awareness of the deadly pandemic disease, Coronavirus, the Ondo State First Lady, who is also the Ada Emeabiam II of Emeabiam Autonomous Community, Owerri West LGA, Imo State, Chief (Mrs) Betty Anyanwu- Akeredolu, has organized a training for town criers within the old Mbato autonomous community, now five autonomous communities namely: Emeabiam, Umuokpo, Eziobodo, Eziokele and Okolochi autonomous communities. The training was necessitated by the low awareness of the deadly COVID-19 disease at the rural areas, which exposes a lot of lives to the danger of being affected by the disease. Speaking at…

Contrary to insinuations in some quarters that the governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, who on Monday, tested positive to Covid-19, contacted the disease at a zonal rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, has said that his boss did not contact the disease at the much-talked about PDP unification rally. The governor’s spokesman, who spoke to Silverbird Television on Tuesday, 31 March, 2020 explained that there was no known incident of Covid-19 as of the time the rally was held. He said: “The issue of…

 By Ademola Akanni, Abuja The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammadu Musa Bello, has vowed to arrest and prosecute defaulters of the lockdown order in the FCT, The Gazelle News.com reports. The Minister made this vow on Monday, 30 March, 2020, after an emergency security meeting organised to discuss the modalities for the enforcement of the lockdown order in the FCT for the next 14 days. Mallam Bello vowed to ensure that the lockdown order is implemented to the letter in the FCT. In the late briefing after the emergency meeting which was attended by the heads…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has joined other concerned citizens of Oyo State, family and friends of the state Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde to wish him a quick recovery after he confirmed testing positive to COVID-19. The Minister commended Governor Makinde for reinforcing the key messaging for slowing down the spread of the virus by deciding to self-isolate, though he is currently asymptomatic. According to Dare, “Your Excellency, I am sorry to learn about your test result on the coronavirus. I join all concerned citizens of Oyo State, your family and…