Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Author: Day Break

  • NAFDAC: No Approved COVID-19 Vaccines Yet

    NAFDAC: No Approved COVID-19 Vaccines Yet

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Friday stated that it has not approved any COVID-19 vaccine.

    It warned fake vaccines have started circulating in the country, urging the public not to purchase such drugs as they can cause COVID-19-like illnesses and can lead to death.

    It also urged government establishments, agencies and big corporations not to order COVID vaccines without confirming from NAFDAC if the vaccine has been approved.

    The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, made these known in Abuja during a virtual media briefing.

    She said: “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has not received any application from Covid Vaccine manufacturers yet and therefore no vaccines have been approved by NAFDAC.

    “Covid-19 vaccines are new, and the side effects or adverse events must be well monitored, therefore, if NAFDAC does not approve, the public should not use.

    “There are reports of fake vaccines in Nigeria. NAFDAC is pleading with the public to beware.

    “No Covid Vaccines have been approved by NAFDAC. Fake vaccines can cause Covid-like illnesses or other serious diseases that could kill.

    “Vaccines should not be ordered by any company or corporation. The companies that manufacture the vaccines if they are genuine companies know they have to submit their application to NAFDAC.

    “No government establishment or agencies should order Covid vaccines without confirming from NAFDAC if the vaccine has been approved.

  • Armed Robbers shoot female victim for allegedly resisting a rape attempt

    Armed Robbers shoot female victim for allegedly resisting a rape attempt

    Some gunmen suspected to be armed robbers on Wednesday shot their female victim for allegedly resisting a rape attempt on her at Agip Flyover, Rumueme, in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, near the Rivers State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology.

    The victim was found in a pool of blood and taken to a medical centre, where she was resuscitated.

    Speaking to our correspondent in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the President of the Student Union Government, Rivers State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology, Igwe ThankGod, said security guards of the college, who were attracted to the gunshot sound, found the victim and administered first aid to her before the arrival of the police.

    ThankGod added that the assailants escaped after perpetrating the act.

    He said, “Around 9pm, we heard a gunshot around the flyover at Agip Roundabout, close to my school, and when we went out to investigate what happened, we found out that a girl was shot in her hand after she was robbed of her money, phone and all her valuables. The hoodlums were attempting to rape her when our school security came out and rescued her.”

    ThankGod called on the police and the Rivers State Government to beef up security around the flyover to avert a recurrence of the incident.

    “We contacted the police at the Sani Abacha Road divisional headquarters and a team came and took the girl to a clinic. But before the police came, we had already taken her to the college clinic, but health officials demanded a police report before they would commence treatment on her, so first aid was given to her before the police patrol team came.

    “They said they would be taking her to either the police hospital or the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital so that they could attend to the girl in their presence,” he added.

    A spokesman for the Rivers State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the incident, said he had yet to get the details.

  • Schools resume January 18 as FG bans assemblies, Overcrowding an gives conditions

    Schools resume January 18 as FG bans assemblies, Overcrowding an gives conditions

    The Federal Government, on Thursday, banned overcrowding and large gatherings such as assemblies and visiting days, as schools reopen on Monday.

    It also put limitations to class sizes and hostel occupancy and asked the schools to ensure compulsory wearing of face masks by all students, teachers and workers, as well ensure temperature checks and put hand washing facilities in strategic locations in all schools

    The government also asked the school authorities to ensure constant supply of water and sanitisers, and make available functional health clinics with facilities for isolation and transportation of suspected cases to medical facilities.

    The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, gave the conditions in a statement by the Director of Press in the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Bem Goong.

    According to him, the decision to maintain the resumption date is the aftermath of “extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, including state governors, commissioners of education, proprietors and heads of institutions, staff unions and students.”

    Adamu told parents and the respective institutions to ensure full compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

    The statement read in part, “Sequel to the hint given during the press briefing on January 12, 2021 for the review of the proposed resumption date of January 18, 2021, the Federal Ministry of Education has undertaken a comprehensive appraisal of the situation.

    “After extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders, including state governors, commissioners of education, proprietors and heads of institutions, staff unions and students, the consensus of opinion is that the resumption date of January 18 should remain, while parents and respective institutions must ensure full compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

    “These measures, which are to ensure safe reopening of schools for academic activities, will be subject to constant review as we urge teachers, school administrators and other stakeholders to ensure strict compliance.”

  • FG urged Nigerians to disregard misinformation on lockdown

    FG urged Nigerians to disregard misinformation on lockdown

    The Federal Government on Thursday urged Nigerians to disregard the news circulating on the social media that it was contemplating another lockdown.

    Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), also Chairman, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, made the clarification in a statement signed by Mr Willie Bassey, Director Information in his office.

    Mustapha also advised Nigerians to join hands with the Federal Government to contain the spread of the virus by adhering to Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPI’s) as recommended by PTF.

    “The attention of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has been drawn to some misinformation circulating on the social media to the effect that the Federal Government is contemplating another lockdown this weekend.

    “The PTF wishes to state categorically that there is no such consideration at any of its meetings, nor has any recommendation been made to this effect to the President.

    “The PTF frowns at such unpatriotic misinformation which is capable of causing unnecessary panic and anxiety among the populace,” he said in the statement

  • President Buhari makes new appointments

    President Buhari makes new appointments

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of two Managing Directors for two River Basin Development Authorities.

    He also extended the tenure of seven other Managing Directors of the River Basin Development Authorities.

    This was contained in a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs Kenechukwu Offie.

    The statement said the appointments took effect from Jan. 5.

    Prof. Abdulkarim Muhammad, Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority; Dr Adeniyi Aremu, Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin; Saliu Ahmed, Managing Director, Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority; Muhammad Adra, Managing Director, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Makurdi, were among those whose appointment were renewed.

    Others are Mr Olufemi Odumosu, Ogun- Osun River Basin Development Authority, Mr Bassey Nkposong, Cross River Basin Development Authority, and Bature Mohammed, Managing Director, Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority, Sokoto.

    Those newly appointed by the President are Ma’amun Da’u Aliyu, Managing Director, Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority and Mark Darefaka, Managing Director, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority.

    The President also approved the appointment of Mr Aminu Abba as Executive Director, Agricultural Services, Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, Kano

  • Today’s Major Nigerian Newspapers’ Cover Stories 15- January -2021

    Today’s Major Nigerian Newspapers’ Cover Stories 15- January -2021

  • Two Police officers Die On Their Way To Pick Colleague’s Corpse At Kogi Mortuary

    Two Police officers Die On Their Way To Pick Colleague’s Corpse At Kogi Mortuary

    According to Solomon Aghure, sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state, the deceased persons were travelling in an ambulance when the accident occurred.

    Aghure explained that the ambulance officers and the ambulance driver were travelling with an empty casket to pick the corpse of a police sergeant from a mortuary in Ayingba.

    He said the ambulance collided with a Mercedes Benz truck coming from the opposite direction at a spot in Ojodu community.

    In a statement, William Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Kogi State, confirmed the incident.

    Aya said the two police officers were detailed to pick the corpse of the deceased sergeant at Ayingba and accompany it to Adamawa State for burial as requested by the family of the deceased.

  • Bandits abduct nursing mothers, babies in Birnin-Gwari

    Bandits abduct nursing mothers, babies in Birnin-Gwari

    No fewer than 18 persons, including four nursing mothers and their babies, have been reported kidnapped in Mando village of Birnin-Gwari Local Govermment Area of Kaduna State.

    The incident, The Nation gathered, occured around 1:30am on Wednesday when bandits invaded the village, shooting sporadically.

    It was also gathered the bandits went away with four motorcycles and food items.

    Confirming the incident, Chairman, Birnin-Gwari Emirate Development Union (BEDU), Barrister Salisu Haruna said, the bandits had arrived the village much more earlier unknowingly and studied the environment of their would -be victims before striking at the middle of the night.

    According to him, the attacked village is 5 kilometers away from Birnin Gwari town and about 3 kilometers away from the Airforce base in Birnin Gwari.

    He said the bandits came without any means of movement but went away with four motorcycles and food items, including their abductees.

    According to Haruna: “The bandits were heavily armed with dangerous guns and are about eight of them according to one of the persons that managed to escape.

  • Live COVID-19 updates: Nigeria to reopen schools despite surging Cases

    Live COVID-19 updates: Nigeria to reopen schools despite surging Cases

    The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

    ABUJA — The Nigerian government on Thursday directed all schools to reopen on Jan. 18 despite a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

    The directive followed a comprehensive appraisal of a school resumption proposal by stakeholders, Ben Goong, spokesperson for the Nigerian education ministry, told reporters.

    WASHINGTON — U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday unveiled a 1.9-trillion-dollar COVID-19 relief bill, which includes another round of direct payments to individuals, aid for state and local governments, increased unemployment benefits, as well as more funding for testing and vaccine distribution.

    Calling the recently approved 900-billion-dollar bipartisan relief package “an important first step,” Biden said in a speech in Wilmington, Delaware Thursday night that “we need more action, more bipartisanship, and we need to move fast.”

    RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil recorded more than 1,000 deaths from the coronavirus for the third consecutive day, reporting 1,131 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the national death toll to 207,095, the government said Thursday.

    According to the Ministry of Health, 67,758 new cases were registered in the past day, the third day in a row with more than 60,000 infections, raising the total caseload to 8,324,294.

    SEOUL — South Korea reported 513 more cases of COVID-19 as of midnight Thursday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 71,241.

    The daily caseload stayed below 600 for five straight days, after posting 451 on Jan. 11. It peaked at 1,240 on Dec. 25 last year.

    CANBERRA — A scientist who led the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has warned Australia against delaying its rollout.

    The Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology recently called on the Australian government to pause its planned rollout of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccines, saying it may not be effective enough to generate herd immunity to the virus.

    HARARE — A total of 47 COVID-19 deaths were reported in Zimbabwe on Thursday, the highest daily figure since the onset of the pandemic in the country last March.

    To date, the pandemic has killed 636 people in the country, according to the Ministry of Health and Child care.

    BEIJING — The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 144 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, of whom 135 were locally transmitted and the rest arrived from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said Friday.

    Of the locally transmitted cases, 90 were reported in Hebei, 43 in Heilongjiang, and one each in Guangxi and Shaanxi, the commission said in its daily report

  • PDP sues Kano election commission for impersonation

    PDP sues Kano election commission for impersonation

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sued the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) for “contempt of court,” ahead of the local government election scheduled for tomorrow.

    Also sued is the Aminu Wali faction of the PDP in Kano State. The party demands legal action against the factional group for alleged “impersonation of the authentic PDP and use of PDP logo on the ballots.”

    Kano State Chairman of PDP, Shehu Wada Sagagi, on Wednesday said the opposition party filed two law suits before the Kano High Court and Federal High Court in the state.

    KANSIEC Chairman, Prof. Garba Ibrahim Sheka had announced that 18 political parties, including PDP, were participating in the council election.

    Sheka, said his commission has screened ‘PDP candidates’ standing for the election, adding that he has not received any formal letter from the PDP declaring intention not to participate in the ballots. That the PDP has factions and is rocked by internal crisis is not a worry to the commission whose responsibility is to conduct transparent and credible elections.

    Sagagi further explained that the internal crisis within the Kano PDP was resolved by the judgment of a vacation Judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Kano.

    The court had ruled that Kwankwasiyya Movement is the authentic PDP, which prompted the party to elect new officials, with Sagagi as the chairman. The Wali faction appealed the judgment and also elected ‘officials,’ during which Muhammina Bako Lamido claimed to have emerged the party’s ‘chairman.’

    Sagagi said the PDP had declared publicly that it will boycott the council polls, even as it queried why KANSIEC is violating court verdict, by admitting candidates in the name of PDP.

    “The chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission is behaving like a politician. So, we are calling on the judiciary to save us in this situation.