Author: The Gazelle News

Construction work on the 13-floor new permanent headquarters of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in Port Harcourt, has suffered a set-back on account of the ravaging novel Coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, which is delaying the importation of essential components. Speaking during an inspection of the high-rise office complex at the Eastern By-Pass, the NDDC Acting Executive Director of Projects, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, noted that the initial deadline of March 31, 2020 for the completion of the headquarters was no longer feasible because of the delay in importing materials already paid for due to COVID-19. Ojougboh said that based on the…

A prosecution witness, Olaleye Isma’il on March 16, 2020 told a Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri presided over by Justice Aisha Kumaliya that Aisha Alkali Wakil (aka Mama Boko Haram) connived with two others to divert N111,650,000 contract funds. Wakil, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Complete Care and Aid Foundation alongside Programme Manager and Country Director, Dahiru Saidu Daura, and Prince Lawal Shoyade are standing trial for a five-count amended charge. Isma’il, an investigator with the EFCC, while being led in evidence by Benjamin Manji, told the Court that as part of investigations into the fraud…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Office, on March 16, 2020, secured the conviction of 15 oil thieves and two Vessels before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos. Justice Aikawa found them guilty on all three counts, and sentenced them to one year in prison on each count, which will take effect from the day of their arrest. Furthermore, Justice Aikawa ordered the forfeiture of the vessels to the Federal Government and imposed a fine of Six Hundred Thousand Naira on each convict aboard MT Zeebrugge and the sum of Nine Hundred…

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has convicted one Ekpe Sunday, a staff of Ecobank Plc who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraudulent diversion of funds, forgery and impersonation to the tune of N7,067,576.55 (Seven Million, Sixty-seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy-six Naira, Fifty-five Kobo only). His co-defendant, Dennis Joseph James, was however, discharged and acquitted by the Court. The EFCC had on May 21, 2014 arraigned the two staff of Ecobank alongside the bank over a fraudulent financial transaction…

By Timothy Adeoye, Osogbo The best Young Nigerian Scientist of the Year is a student of Osogbo Grammar School, Osogbo, Osun, The Gazelle News.com can report. His name is Master Akintade Abdullahi. The Gazelle News.com reports that Abdullahi achieved the feat having won the 1st position in the National Examination of the 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award, organised by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. For his efforts, The Gazelle News.com reports further that President Muhammadu Buhari awarded a full scholarship up to PhD level for Abdullahi. The Governor, State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola has thus expressed…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has set up a high-profile committee to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the Sunday morning explosions that ripped through Abule Ado and Ado Soba towns in Amuwo Odofin area of the State, which left a large-scale destruction in its trail, The Gazelle News.com reports. Also, The Gazelle News.com reports that the Governor has launched a N2 billion relief funds for the victims of the tragic incident. This medium also reports that the state government has ordered the immediate release of N250 million into the fund. The Governor stated that this is needed…

President Muhammadu Buhari and Governors of the All Progressives Congress have postponed the National Executive Council meeting of the party. The meeting was scheduled to hold on Tuesday, March 17, but following a meeting which lasted for about thirty minutes at the State House, the leadership of the party decided to postpone the meeting. Speaking on the postponement, the Chairman of the APC governors and governor of Kebbi state Mr. Atiku Bagudu told State House correspondents that the postponement is to allow the governors time to resolve all contending issues affecting the party.

Major world airlines on Monday axed almost all flights on a temporary basis as the worsening coronavirus crisis sparks travel bans, ravages demand and sends shares into freefall, triggering pleas to help carriers survive. IAG, owner of British Airways and Spanish carrier Iberia, announced it would slash flight capacity by 75 percent during April and May owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. The London-based carrier’s share price crashed nearly 27 percent in mid-afternoon deals. Other airlines tumbled, with Germany’s Lufthansa erasing almost 11 percent in value and Air France wiping out 17 percent on similar announcements. Britain’s Virgin Atlantic added that…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that N50 billion has been earmarked to support families and businesses affected by the impact of the novel coronavirus in the country. Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, Governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele, explained that six key initial policies will be introduced to help combat the Covid-19 scourge on the nation’s economy. He added that the interest rate for loans will be reduced from nine to five percent for one year effective from 1st March 2020. Mr. Emefiele said that the healthcare sector will receive credit support in a…

Austria Airlines, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa group, said Monday that it will suspend all of its regular flights from Thursday owing to a sharp drop in demand stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. Austria Airlines said that the suspension of flights would last until March 28 but that it would continue to operate flights to repatriate Austrians trapped abroad. The carrier’s last regularly scheduled flight is due to arrive Thursday morning from Chicago, a statement said. Last week, Lufthansa said it would cancel 23,000 flights across the group, a 50-percent reduction, as it tries to deal with the impact of…

Algeria’s Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad announced Monday a suspension of all scheduled travel links with Europe in a bid to forestall the spread of coronavirus. The measure, to take effect from Thursday, will hit all “air and sea travel to and from European countries”, the premier’s office said. “This exceptional suspension… will be accompanied by a repatriation plan for our citizens currently in the countries concerned,” it said. Algeria has already announced a suspension from Tuesday of all traffic links with France, which hosts a large Algerian community, following cuts with Spain and Italy. Four people have died from coronavirus…

Liberian President George Weah on Monday said that all travel from countries with over 200 coronavirus cases would be banned after the West African state recorded its first infection. The impoverished country on Monday announced that head of its Environmental Protection Agency, who recently returned to Liberia from Switzerland, had tested positive for the virus. Following the confirmation, Weah gave a televised address in which he said “all travels from all countries” with over 200 cases were henceforth banned. “All citizens or residents are urged to avoid public gatherings and large crowds,” he said, adding that people should also minimise…

West Africa’s Benin on Monday announced its first confirmed coronavirus case as the continent scrambles to stop the spread of the global pandemic. Health minister Benjamin Hounkpatin said a man coming from neighbouring Burkina Faso had tested positive, having recently visited Belgium. Health Minister Benjamin Hounkpatin said a man from neighbouring Burkina Faso, who had recently visited Belgium, tested positive after arriving in Benin. READ ALSO: Liberia Confirms First Case Of Coronavirus The announcement comes as numerous nations in sub-Saharan Africa have begun imposing entry restrictions or closing schools and banning public gatherings.

The Abuja Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested eight suspected internet fraudsters at different locations within Owerri, Imo State. The suspects were rounded up by the operatives of the Advance Fee Fraud Section, AFF of the Zone following an intelligence report on the illegal activities of suspected cybercriminals in and around Owerri city. Several Smartphones of different models, laptop and two motor vehicles were recovered from the suspects during the operation. They will soon be arraigned in court.

The market slump of crude oil price due to the global outbreak of Corona virus pandemic is a wake up call for Nigeria to look towards a life without oil, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has said. This, according to him, would require bold policy changes to restructure the country’s mono-product economy. Speaking as Guest of Honour at the 50th anniversary of the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, 1970 Set, Senator Omo-Agege also called on the old students to fashion out creative solutions to the challenges confronting the country. He said: “The recent global outbreak of the COVID-19……

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has commiserated with the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and families of victims of  Sunday’s fire at Abule Ado which claimed several lives and properties. Dr Fayemi also commiserated with residents and business owners who lost properties during fire incident The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode, regretted the huge losses recorded during the early morning fire, urging the victims not to lose hope in the face of the disaster. He also called on Nigerians generally to be conscious of safety of their environment, especially during…

Suicide is a bad character. The meaning was discussed in the previous episodes but for the sake of those reading for the first time, it is a public health problem and it can also be defined as a way to end one’s life as a result of a negative experience which could be for the following reasons: health, marriage, education, background, peer pressure, societal pressure, family demand, non achievement etc. But  all of these are not enough to kill one’self because there is nobody without problem even if you are the President of a country, you will still have enormous…

In continuation of Operation DECISIVE EDGE, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has successfully knocked out some logistics facilities and other structures belonging to elements of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) at Bukar Meram on the fringes of the Lake Chad in Borno State.  Similarly, aircraft dispatched by the ATF to provide close air support for ground troops at Gubio in the Northwestern part of Borno State also destroyed one gun truck and eliminated some ISWAP fighters at the location.  The attack at Bukar Meram was executed on 9 March 2020 on the heels…

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has commended the State Government of Osun under the leadership of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, for the recent education reforms in the State, especially the reversal from 4-5-3-4 to the 6-3-3-4 system. The UNICEF Field Officer in Akure Nigeria, Dr.Tushar Rene, in a letter to the state government, congratulated the State for the bold step taken to reverse the education system from 4-5-3-4 to 6-3-3-4. Dr. Rene also commended the state government for the reintroduction of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) which he described as necessary for remarkable brain development. In his words, “the commencement…

Female fighter pilots of the Nigeria Airforce (NAF), have continued in their success lines as the latest is the destruction of a stronghold of the Boko Haram in the North East. The destruction of the stronghold in collaboration with the ground troops has put the insurgents in disarray and serious panic in their camps, said an intelligence officer who spoke with PRNigeria on condition of anonymity. As the world marks the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020, the Women of War (WoW) in the Nigerian Air Force are breaking bounds and distinguishing themselves in a field often seen as the exclusive…