Buhari gets minimum wage panel report, promises prompt action (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday received the report of the Bismarck Rewane-led Presidential Advisory Committee on New National Minimum Wage with a pledge to act promptly on the document. The panel was inaugurated on January 19, 2019 after organised labour and government had in December agreed on a new wage of N30,000 for civil servants nationwide. The report presentation comes one week after the Senate sanctioned the pay for workers in government’s employ across the federation. Consequently, the parliament passed the National Minimum Wage Bill after third reading. Read more
INEC server: Secondus kicks as APC wants PDP leaders arrested for ‘illegal access’ (Punch)
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council on Monday asked the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services to invite, interrogate and possibly prosecute leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party over what it described as their illegal access to the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission. The organisation’s Director, Strategic Communications, Festus Keyamo (SAN), made the call in a petition addressed to the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; and the Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Bichi. Although he was not specific on the identities of the PDP leaders he wants investigated, Keyamo made reference to the fact that the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has filed an election petition against the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and has made a claim of having access to INEC server. Read more
El-Zakzaky, wife’s trial suffers setback as court adjourns case indefinitely (Guardian)
A Kaduna State High Court yesterday adjourned sitting in the murder case involving Shiites Leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Hajiya Zeenat indefinitely. El-Zakzaky and wife are standing trial over allegations of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace, among other charges brought against them by the Kaduna State government. Justice Gideon Kurada adjourned the matter indefinitely when it came up for hearing, following his appointment as Judge in the Presidential and National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Yobe State. Read more
NYSC’s biometric clearance system’ll curb corruption – DG (Punch)
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Maj Gen Suleiman Kazaure, has disclosed that the corps has introduced a biometric clearance system to eliminate corruption and compromise by officials and corps members. The DG stated this on Monday during a leadership and anti-corruption sensitisation workshop in Abuja, designed to raise a crop of officials that will imbibe good leadership qualities and enthrone a culture of transparency and accountability. He also revealed that the scheme had ensured strict compliance with the government policies on the Treasury Single Account, the Integrated Personnel and Payroll System and the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System. Read more
Shettima raises panel over child prostitution, abortion in Maiduguri prison (Guardian)
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has raised a panel to investigate alleged cases of child prostitution, sodomy and forced abortion at the Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison. Shettima, while inaugurating the committee yesterday at the Government House in Maiduguri, said he was surprised and dismayed about the allegations. According to him, these are not only unfortunate and sad, but also worrisome, disheartening and condemnable. “As the chief security officer of the state and responsible government, it behoves on us to treat these allegations with all the seriousness they deserve,” he said. He said the panel, which has one week to submit its report to him, must put an end to the ugly development and punish those involved. Read more
Ondo court sentences man to death for killing girlfriend (Punch)
An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced one Chukwudi Onweniwe to death by hanging for killing his girlfriend, Nifemi Adeyeoye. The convict was arrested by the men of the Ondo State Police Command after killing the deceased, who was a student of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, in February 2017 at Ogbese in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state. Before the killing, Onweniwe was said to have abducted the deceased and taken her to a farm near the community, where he raped her, after which he strangled her to death. Read more
Zamfara governor seat may be vacant as court nullifies APC primaries (Guardian)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) might have forfeited its win of the Zamfara State governorship election to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).This followed a ruling yesterday by the Court of Appeal in Sokoto, which nullified the party’s primaries in the state. The verdict came two weeks after the party’s candidate, Mukhtar Shehu, was declared winner. It set aside the judgment delivered by a Zamfara High Court, which had allowed the APC to field candidates in the elections. Senator Kabiru Marafa, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and 129 others filed the appeal through their counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr. Mike Ozhekome. Read more
Command arrests three for killing nurse in Enugu (Punch)
The police in Enugu State, on Monday, said that three suspects had been arrested in connection with the assassination of the Head of Nursing Services at the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Mrs Mary Amadi. PUNCH Metro gathered that Amadi was shot dead last Thursday around 4pm in front of her house at the Federal Housing Estate, Enugu, by suspected assassins, who were said to have trailed her from the office. A family source told our correspondent that Amadi had closed from work, drove to her house and while she was about to open the gate, she was shot by the gunmen, who made a U-turn after and sped off. Read more
We’ve sustained Akunyili’s legacy by wiping out fake drugs, says NAFDAC (Guardian)
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday said it has sustained the legacy of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili by working towards drug security in Nigeria. The director-general, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, at a media briefing to mark the 25th anniversary of the agency in Abuja, noted that NAFDAC was able to seize 23 containers of Tramadol worth about N198 billion last year. According to her, the celebration is to enable the agency “look back to see what we have learnt in the past 25 years.” Read more
Health minister, experts decry rising cases of Tuberculosis in Nigeria (Guardian)
Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, as well as local and international medical experts have expressed concern over rising cases of Tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria, especially among the country’s productive workforce. Speaking in Abuja yesterday while launching a roadmap that would enable the country to tackle the scourge, Adewole and the global health experts said Nigeria was not making progress in fighting TB, which is estimated to affect 407,000 persons yearly.To underscore the burden, Adewole said Nigeria’s TB treatment coverage for 2018 was 255, adding that out of an estimated 418, 000 new cases, only 106,533 cases were reported in 2018 leaving over 300,000 cases undiagnosed. Read more
Thailand election: Evidence of ‘irregularities’ says ex-PM Thaksin (BBC)
Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has alleged that the election on Sunday was plagued with “irregularities”. Mr Thaksin, who was ousted in 2006 and lives in self-imposed exile, told the BBC the inconsistencies “worried” him. The election was Thailand’s first since a military coup in 2014 removed Mr Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. Early results saw the pro-military Palang Pracha Rath Party (PPRP) gain a larger share of the popular vote. But there have been growing complaints about discrepancies in the voter turnout and number of ballots cast. Officials have said there were some cases of “human error” in reporting the data. Read more
US-Mexico border wall: Pentagon authorises $1bn transfer (BBC)
The Pentagon has authorised the transfer of $1bn (£758m) to army engineers for new wall construction along the US-Mexico border. The funds are the first under the national emergency declared by President Donald Trump to bypass Congress and build the barrier he pledged during his election campaign. Democrats have protested against the move. The funds will be used to build about 57 miles (91km) of fencing. President Trump has called the situation at the southern border a “crisis” and insists a physical barrier is needed to stop criminals crossing into the US. His critics say he has manufactured the border emergency. Read more
‘Nigerians will see a different Super Eagles against Pharaohs’ (Guardian)
Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has assured football-loving Nigerians they would see a different team in today’s international friendly against the Pharaohs of Egypt. It will hold at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba. Speaking with journalists yesterday, Rohr said the Eagles were not too aggressive against Seychelles because the team was not under any form of pressure. He added that today’s friendly against Egypt, which is part of the build-up to the 2019 African Nations Cup, would be used to access the performance of some players quality before he draws the final list. Read more
Amuneke is a good risk taker, says Adepoju (Guardian)
When coach Emmanuel Amuneke picked up the job of qualifying the Taifa Stars of Tanzania to the 2019 AFCON, some Nigerians felt he was embarking on an ‘impossible mission,’ considering the long absence of the East Africans from the African Nations Cup. For 39 years, Tanzania had struggled without success to return to the competition. But Amuneke, a former Super Eagles assistant coach, was able to re-write history on Sunday by guiding the Taifa Stars to their first African Cup of Nations appearance in 39 years, defeating the Cranes of Uganda 3-0 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Read more
Infantino, African football presidents confirmed for NFF awards (Guardian)
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that FIFA President, Gianni Infantino and African Football Federation presidents from 25 countries will grace the second edition of the NFF Awards, which will hold in Lagos on April 1, reports footballive.ng. The NFF Awards, which rewards Nigerian footballers and administrators who were outstanding in the previous year, will this year recognize the Super Eagles team of the 1994 class with special posthumous awards to the departed among them. The NFF President, Amaju Pinnick revealed that all logistics have been put in place for a better award ceremony this term than it had last year. Read more
Ronaldo injured in Portugal match (BBC)
Forward Cristiano Ronaldo went off injured as Portugal drew their European Championship qualifier against Serbia. Ronaldo pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury when sprinting after the ball and was substituted in the 31st minute. Serbia led at the time after Dusan Tadic’s early penalty but the hosts equalised through a spectacular 25-yard strike from Danilo Pereira. Euro 2016 winners Portugal have begun their defence with two draws at home. Read more
France cruise past Iceland in Euro qualifying (Guardian)
Kylian Mbappe scored one and set up two more as France routed Iceland 4-0 at the Stade de France on Monday night to move to the top of Group H in Euro 2020 qualifying. The result gives France six points from their first two matches and puts them ahead Turkey, who also won 4-0 on Monday, on goal difference. “It was our objective to take six points but the manner was good as well,” France manager Didier Deschamps told the post-match press conference. Read more
Sterling calls for stadium bans as racist abuse overshadows 5-star England (Guardian)
Raheem Sterling believes UEFA should punish alleged racist chanting aimed at England players in Monday’s 5-1 win over Montenegro in Podgorica with a stadium closure. Manchester City’s Sterling celebrated the visitors’ fifth goal by cupping his ears towards the home fans on a night when another impressive performance to start Euro 2020 qualifying by the Three Lions was overshadowed. “I just want to show them you need more than that to upset us and stop us,” Sterling told Sky Sports. “It’s 2019 now, I keep saying it. It’s a shame to see this going on and we can only bring awareness to the situation.” Read more
Miami Open: Roger Federer beats Filip Krajinovic to reach fourth round (BBC)
Roger Federer reached the Miami Open fourth round with a straight-set win over world number 103 Filip Krajinovic. The Swiss, who is bidding for a fourth title in Miami, beat Serbia’s Krajinovic 7-5 6-3. Federer converted just two of eight break points in the opening set but became more accurate as the match progressed, finishing with 35 winners to 23 unforced errors. He will face either American Reilly Opelka or Russian Daniil Medvedev next. Federer hit 14 aces against Krajinovic and won 74% of first-serve points. Read more