Author: The Gazelle News

By Timothy Alao, Osogbo Against the backdrop of COVID-19 outbreak in the country, the State of Osun House of Assembly has on Monday suspended all Parliament activities for 16days. Addressing a press conference after its parliamentary session, the Chairman, House Committees on Information and Health, Hon. Kunle Akande and Hon. Adenike Abioye respectively stated that the state Assembly having realized that it will be difficult to maintain the recommended social distancing, the House decided to put sessions and hearing on hold for 16days. He added that the house took the decision in order to ensure that everyone in the state…

By Adisa Omogbolahan, Ilorin  Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has hinted at more sweeping measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state and nationwide. Kwara currently has no confirmed case but the government has set up various preventive and safety mechanisms, including establishing and equipping an isolation centre, to tackle the virus as Nigeria records more confirmed cases in at least four states and the capital city Abuja. AbdulRazaq told reporters late Monday that COVID-19 may be treated as a national security issue which requires the support and understanding of every citizen to stamp out.  “We will…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja A serving female Senator in Nigeria, Senator Rose #Okoji Oko, is dead, The Gazelle News.com reports. She was aged 63. The deceased Senator represented Cross River North Senatorial District in the Red Chamber. She was a second term Senator and until her death was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Investment, this medium learnt further. The Gazelle News.com reports further that the female senator in the United Kingdom on Monday, 23 March, 2020 after a protracted illness described by a family member as “physical affliction”. The late Senator was first elected into the…

Sequel to the pandemic disease , COVID’19 being experience in the world, the annual Bola Tinubu Youth Summit (BTYS) has been postponed till further notice. A National youth event aimed at celebrating the leadership ideology of the former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to teach, enlighten young mindset on quality leadership, Good Governance and National Development in the country. The event which was earlier scheduled for Saturday 4th of April, 2020 has been postponed till further notice due to the health status of the country and the Lagos…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on Monday, March 23, 2020 arraigned the immediate past Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, HoCSF, Winnifred Oyo-Ita before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. She was arraiagned on 18 count charge bordering on Fraud and Money Laundering. They are being prosecuted over a N570, 000, 000 (Five Hundred and Seventy Million Naira) for offences which involve Corruption, Fraud, Obtaining Estacodes and Duty Travel Allowance, DTA for journeys either not undertaken or not in existence. Others that were arraigned along with Oyo-Ita were: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited;…

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate closure of all land borders with immediate effect. It also advised all Abuja and Lagos residents to stay at home. The Presidential Task Force for the Control of Covid-19 announced these at a press briefing on Monday, 23 March, 2020 as part of additional measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. Details later… Source: Punch

The Federal Government on Monday, 23 March, 2020 announced the indefinite postponement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meetings until further notice. This is just as it also announced a four-week closure of all land borders as part of measures to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha made the announcement in Abuja, on Monday. He said the weekly FEC meeting has been suspended “until further notice.” Source: Punch

In response to the escalating global pandemic, Y’ello Digital Financial Services (YDFS), a subsidiary of MTN Nigeria, has waived user fees for Cash2Cash – a local money transfer service offered by its MoMo Agent Network. The waiver, which takes effect immediately, enables people without a bank account to send and receive money across the country at no extra cost for the next four weeks. During this time, all cash transfer fees will be absorbed by YDFS as one of several new measures the company is introducing to support Nigerians as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise around the world. Commenting on this,…

By Ademola Akanni, Abuja The Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala AbdulKadir Muhammad, has gone into self isolation, The Gazelle News.com reports. The Gazelle News.com reports further that Senator Muhammad decided to go into self isolation after his encounter with Muhammad Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Muhammad Atiku Abubakar tested positive to the drreaded Coronavirus on Sunday, 22 March, 2020. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mukhtar Gidado, the Governor met with Muhammad Atiku Abubakar in an Aero Contractor flight…

The Uyo Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday March 23, 2020, arraigned one David Sambo Idio and Israel Sampson before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on a one-count charge bordering on obstruction of justice. The operatives of the zone, in December 2019, visited Sunhill Farms in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of the state to arrest one Ubon Emmanuel Essien who is allegedly involved in a money laundering case. Upon arrival, the defendants alongside others who are currently at large, mobbed and attacked the operatives…

As the spread of Coronavirus continues to ravage the world, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of The State of Osun has urged citizens and residents of the State not to panic but obey government’s instructions and follow basic personal hygiene habits. Oyetola said this during a statewide broadcast on Monday, 23 March, 2020 on the measures put in place by the the State government to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the State. The Governor who disclosed that there was no confirmed case of the virus in the state, called on residents of the State to cooperate with the government to fight…

By Sanni Taofeek, Lagos A top staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has tested positive to the deadly Coronavirus, The Gazelle News.com reports. The Gazelle News.com reports further that Salihu Umar, an Inspector of Tax with the agency, tested positive on Monday, 23 March, 2020. The tax guru announced this himself on his Twitter page. According to him, somebody on the same flight with him tested positive hence the need for him to go for test though he was initially on self isolation. At 10.35am, on Monday, 23 March, 2020, he twitted that because somebody on the same…

By Dare Ojelade, Lagos One of Nigeria’s leading bank, Access Bank, has temporarily closed its branch at the Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island, The Gazelle News.com reports. The Gazelle News.com reports further that the management of the Bank decided to shut the branch because a customer of the branch tested positive to the Coronavirus. The Gazelle News.com learnt that the customer visited the branch on Monday, 16 March, 2020 but as at that time did not exhibit any symptom of the dreaded virus. However, he later started exhibiting the symptoms and he tested positive afterwards and is now being monitored…

The former Managing Director of Petroleum Pricing Monitoring Corporation (PPMC), Engineer Suleiman Achimugu is dead, The Gazelle News.com reports. The Gazelle News.com reports further that the former PPMC MD died of coronavirus infection. The family of the deceased in a press statement signed by one Abubakar Achimugu, issued on Monday, 23 March, 2020, confirmed the sad development. The Gazelle News.com learnt that the late Engineer Achimugu died on Sunday, 22 March, 2020 some days after arriving from Nigeria from the United Kingdom. “He was in self isolation on his return from the UK and personally called the NCDC after experiencing…

Edo State has recorded its first confirmed coronavirus case. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control a announced this on Monday via its verified Twitter handle. The NCDC said additional five cases of Coronavirus were recorded on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 35. The NCDC via its Twitter handle, @NCDCgov, on Monday said, “Five new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: two in Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), two in Lagos State and one in Edo State. “Two cases are returning travellers from the United Kingdom. As of 09:45 am on 23rd of March, there are 35…

The Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods has shut 32 pharmacies and patent medicine stores for offences bordering on illegal operations and operating beyond the scope of practice. The state Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this today after reviewing the report of the first enforcement exercise carried out by the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit of the Ministry for the Year 2020, said the affected stores are located in Dopemu, Mangoro, Cement, Oniwaya, Ayobo-Ipaja, OrileAgege, Akinogun, Mosan and Ikola axis of Agege and Alimosho Local Government areas of the State. Abayomi noted that the…

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has announced that his son tested positive for coronavirus. He made his known via his verified Twitter handle on Sunday, 22 March, 2020. “My son has tested positive to coronavirus,” he tweeted. According to the former Vice-President of Nigeria, his son has been moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment. “The @NCDCGov (Nigeria Centre for Disease Control) has been duly informed, and he has been moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment and management. I will appreciate it if you have him in your…

May ALLAH SWT increase the joy and grace of my mum in Jannah. Aamin. Salutations, Respect, Love and Appreciation to my darling Wife and adorable Daughter for their care and affection. Both of you are my living mother. To all MOTHERS, the joy of today which is eternal, is that you SHAPE THE WORLD. That is your trophy, GOOD MOTHERS. RESPECT, GRATITUDE and ADORATION to all MOTHERS for their forbearance, optimism, resilience, discipline, hope, morality, toughness, care and LOVE. All responsible people, love and appreciate MOTHERS. Happy Mother’s Day. #Mothersday Rauf Aregbesola Minister of Interior Federal Republic of Nigeria Sunday,…

Telecommunications giants, MTN has expressed sympathy with victims of coronavirus all over the world, The Gazelle News.com reports.  In a statement released on Sunday, 22 March, 2020, the telecommunications giants also reiterated its commitment to the well being of the people and communities in the country and the world at large.  The statement from MTN reads thus: Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by COVID-19— those diagnosed with the virus, their family and friends, and all those whose jobs, education, and way of life have been affected. The situation unfolding around the world is unlike anything we’ve seen in…

A  Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has dismissed the application by Jennifer Timinipre Turner, wife of George Turnah,  former Special Adviser to Mr. Dan Abia,  erstwhile Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, challenging the admissibility if the statement she had volunteered to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The statement which the EFCC had sought to tender in evidence on February 27, was opposed by the defence counsel, Prof. Amuda Kaneke. Relying on Section 232 of the Evidence Act, he urged the court to mark the “statement” rejected. However, prosecuting counsel, A.I.Arogha described the application as…