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Ex-Kwara Deputy Governor, Simon Sayomi is dead
His son, Ola confirmed his death in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ilorin.
According to him, his father died in his hometown, Igosun in Oyun Local Government Area of the State.
Ola said that the former deputy governor died after a brief illness.
“He died on Wednesday night between 9:30 pm and 10:pm. He was born in Oct. 10, 1925.
“We will miss him because he was a hero to us in everything,” he said.
Sayomi was the deputy governor of the State from 1999 to 2003 under the administration of late Muhammed Lawal.
The duo lost their re-election bid to Dr Bukola Saraki during the 2003 governorship election.
Chief Simon Sayomi, a former deputy governor of Kwara State is dead.
His son, Ola confirmed his death in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ilorin.
According to him, his father died in his hometown, Igosun in Oyun Local Government Area of the State.
Ola said that the former deputy governor died after a brief illness.
“He died on Wednesday night between 9:30 pm and 10:pm. He was born in Oct. 10, 1925.
“We will miss him because he was a hero to us in everything,” he said.
Sayomi was the deputy governor of the State from 1999 to 2003 under the administration of late Muhammed Lawal.
The duo lost their re-election bid to Dr Bukola Saraki during the 2003 governorship election.
December 17, 2020
Nigeria Reopens Borders After 16-Month Shutdown Raised Prices
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the reopening of the nation’s land borders, ending a 16-month shutdown that raised food prices and curbed regional trade.
Buhari ordered the closing of frontiers in August 2019 to halt the smuggling of rice, arms and drugs into Africa’s largest economy.
The action brought once-thriving border towns to a near-standstill, with supply constraints contributing to the highest inflation rate in almost three years.
Lifting the restrictions will help smooth the implementation of the African Continental Free-Trade Area, a continent-wide agreement due to come into effect on Jan. 1. After some initial reluctance the government said in November it plans to commit to the accord.
Four of Nigeria’s main land borders will reopen immediately, with others to follow by Dec. 31, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed told reporters Wednesday.
A ban on imports of rice, poultry and other products will remain in place and be enforced by border-patrol officers, she said.
“Now that the message has sunk in with our neighbors, we’re looking into reopening the borders as soon as possible,” Buhari said on Twitter shortly before Ahmed’s announcement.
December 17, 2020
NOA deploys WAI brigade to enforce COVID-19 protocols
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The National Orientation Agency, NOA, Director General, Dr. Garba Abari has disclosed that his agency has already dispatched the War Against Indiscipline Brigade of the agency to the communities to enforce Nigerians to comply with the COVID-19 prevention protocols.
This was contained in a press release signed by Paul Odenyi, Assistant Director, Press of NOA made available to Daybreak today.
According to the release, Abari the move was necessary to checkmate a further prevalence of the virus during the Yuletide season as Nigerian records 758 new cases of COVID-19.
The message read, “With 758 new COVID-19 cases in Nigeria and a total of 74,132 confirmed cases, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has warned Nigerians against non-adherence to the prevention protocols of facemask wearing, regular hand washing and physical distancing during the Christmas and New Year period.”
He stressed that the public should take personal responsibility for their own protection from the pandemic and that of their families, noting that the increasing COVID-19 figures in Nigeria are the result of non-compliance to prevention protocols.
Abari advised the public to obey the recent End-of-Year Travel Advisory on COVID-19 issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, which urges Nigerians to limit all non-essential travel, especially from high risk countries.

Abari said, “While we celebrate in this Christmas and New Year season, Nigerians should not lose sight of the real and present danger of COVID-19 in our communities. Our country and our loved ones need us alive and healthy in the coming year.”” Therefore, we should limit person-to-person contact by practicing physical distancing. Similarly, the constant wearing of facemask in public and regular hand washing/sanitization should be non-negotiable”.
According to the statement, the DG has directed all State Directors and Community Orientation and Mobilization Officers, COMOs, of the Agency to visit Churches, Mosques, traditional rulers and community gatherings in their respective States and communities, in the coming week leading up to Christmas, to sustain the sensitization on COVID-19 prevention. In addition, he said where any State Director or COMO is denied access to any of these locations for sensitization, such officer is to issue a clearly worded letter to the leadership of such organization communicating the dangers of non-compliance to COVID-19 protocols in their organization and copying same to the Agency’s National Headquarters

He also called on Churches, Mosques, traditional rulers, community leaders and social organizations to ensure that COVID-19 prevention protocols are strictly complied with in all programmes and activities within their purview during the yuletide.
December 17, 2020
Reps Call for Extension of NIN Registration Deadline On SIM Cards
The federal government had on Tuesday ordered all telecommunication service providers to ask its subscribers to provide their NIN within two weeks.
The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Communications Commission to extend its ultimatum to block phone numbers without National Identification Numbers (NIN) by 10 weeks.
The lawmakers took the decision while adopting a motion brought under matters of urgent national importance by the minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu.
The federal government had on Tuesday ordered all telecommunication service providers to ask its subscribers to provide their NIN within two weeks.
Subscribers who fail to do so within the timeframe are to be blocked from using their SIM cards.
The resolution was reached at a meeting between the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy and stakeholders in the communication industry on Monday.
The resolution was disclosed by the spokesperson of the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) in a statement on Tuesday.
The major telephone networks in Nigeria are MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat.
The meeting affirmed the earlier directive to suspend the registration of new SIM cards by all operators.
Emphasising the need for the extension, Mr Elumelu said two weeks was too little for the over 200 million Nigerians, especially considering the Christmas period.
“As laudable as the idea behind the policy may seem, the timing is very wrong because Nigerians have not been properly sensitized, as only a few educated persons who bother to read the dailies might have heard about this instructions.
“Therefore trying to enforce this policy in a period where most Nigerians are gearing up for Christmas festivities may lead to stampede in the process of rushing to get registered which could lead to unnecessary death and injuries.
“If the NCC is allowed to carry out this directive, it will bring about untold hardship as millions of subscribers will be disconnected this yuletide period which could spell disaster in an already volatile nation like ours.”
“If the NCC is not urgently called to halt their plans there may be unnecessary panic in the country, which may lead to exploitation of vulnerable Nigerian thereby causing more pains in an already pathetic situation, hence the need to urgently wade into this impending crisis,” he said.
Adopting the motion, the House urged the NCC to instead give a reasonable amount of time to enable Nigerians submit their national identity numbers to service providers.
December 17, 2020
Northern Governors Felicitate With President Buhari At 78
The Northern Governors Forum has joined other Nigerians and the family of President Muhammadu Buhari to celebrate with him as he marks his 78th birthday.
In a congratulatory message issued by the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong, the Forum said it rejoices with the President on another occasion of his birthday and wishes him many more years of good health, joy and God’s protection.
Lalong said members of the Forum have continued to enjoy the support of the President in serving the nation as well as meeting the aspirations of their people.
He noted that the President’s undeniable commitment to the transformation of Nigeria through the various change initiatives has yielded positive results in various sectors including critical infrastructure, anti-corruption, agriculture, human capital development among others.
The Governor assured the President that the Forum will continue to give him all the necessary support and encouragement to enable him carry out his vision of building a more prosperous, peaceful and self-sufficient country.
He also called for more prayers for the President as he deals with the many challenges facing the nation.
December 17, 2020
Jubilation as Sen Shehu Sani build, Commission Clinics in Kaduna
By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna

Angwan Katuka community in Birinin Gwari local area of kaduna State was bubbled with jubilation and excitement following the commissioning of primary health care (PHC) centre, built by Senator Shehu Sani, the Senator who represented Kaduna central in 8th Senate. Senator Shehu Sani also built a PHCs at H/Damani, Malam Bello and rigachikwu in lgabi Local Government Area of the State, as well as Kaduna South local government area of the State.
Also benefited, includes Bagado community, in Chikun local government area of kaduna State, which was launched by the first civilian Governor of kaduna State, late Alhaji Balarabe Musa, among other centres across the central Senatorial zones.
A senior aide, Suleiman Ahmed told our correspondent that aside the plans of buliding more, basic health facilities were procured for all the clinics built by the Senator.
Also speaking to our correspondent, a native, Sani Shehu who is also a former aide to Senator Shehu Sani said the Anguan Katuka clinic, named after the Senatior, started last year when Senator Shehu sani was already out of office.
The aide, Sani Shehu also said the community is very happy with the clinic because the location of the Government owned PHCs are very far away from them.
He stated that community leaders, women, youths and children were also very happy and grateful to Sani about the project and are already asking Local Government to supply it with staffs. “It’s something that everyone in the community was very happy and excited about the health project that was built and handover to them after commissioning.
The Birinin Gwari local government council chairman, the Yerima Birinin Gwari, among personalities graced the commissioning ceremony held Wednesday. End
A cross section of commissioning ceremony of PHC built by Senator Shehu Sani in B/Gwari LG, Kaduna state, Wednesday.
December 17, 2020
Barcelona stuns Real Sociedad with a comeback at Camp Nou
Barcelona knocked Real Sociedad off top spot in La Liga after coming from behind to claim a 2-1 victory at the Nou Camp.
Victory saw Barcelona move up to fifth, while Atletico Madrid are now the league leaders on goal difference from Real Sociedad.
READ ALSO: Lewandowski achieves another goal-scoring milestone
Willian Jose gave the visitors the perfect start, converting Portu’s pass in the 27th minute, but Barcelona hit back, Jordi Alba levelling with an excellent curled strike four minutes later.
Frenkie de Jong then gave the hosts the lead just before the break from Alba’s deflected cross. The goal was initially chalked off for offside, but a VAR review saw the goal eventually given.
Antoine Griezmann hit the crossbar as Barca tried to make the game safe from a tight angle and he spurned an excellent opportunity, deflecting the ball to the goalkeeper with the goal at his mercy.
Real Sociedad went close to an equaliser late on but they found Marc-Andre ter Stegen in fine form, making a double save to deny Jose and Alexander Isak.
Atletico Madrid, Real Sociedad, who had drawn their past six games, and Real Madrid are all level on 26 points at the top of La Liga, with Barcelona, who jumped from eighth to fifth, now only six points further back.
December 17, 2020
INSECURITY: Sokoto Government Close Boarding Schools Along Boarderlines
By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto

Arising from its 17th Security Council meeting, on Wednesday, Sokoto State government, ordered the immediate closure of 16 boarding schools along its borderlines.

Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to governor Tambuwal, Muhammad Bello in a statement further said this followed the brief received by the Council from the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Muhammad Bello Abubakar Guiwa on the security situation in the affected areas and the threats this portends.

The affected schools are: Government Girls Model Secondary School, Illela, Sultan Muhammadu Tambari Arabic Secondary School, Illela, Gamji Girls College, Rabah, Government Secondary School, Gada, Government Secondary School, Gandi and Government Secondary School, Goronyo
Others are: Government Secondary School, Isa, Government Secondary School Sabon Birnin Gobir, Boarding Primary School, Isa, Boarding Primary School, Balle and Boarding Primary School, Jabo.

The remaining are: UBE Junior Secondary School, Sabon Birni, Government Secondary School, Kebbe, Government Secondary School, Tureta, Government Technical College, Binji and Olusegun Obasanjo Technical College, Bafarawa.

Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal disclosed that “the schools were to be closed, temporarily for two weeks.”

The governor directed the Ministries of Basic and Secondary Education and that of Science and Technology to temporarily merge the students of the affected schools with those of other schools for the continuation of their studies pending the improvement in the security situation of the affected areas
Accordingly, Principals of the affected schools are hereby directed to comply with immediate effect.
December 17, 2020
COVID-19: Lockdown imminent as Nigeria records 930 new infections
The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control, NCDC, has announced 930 new cases of coronavirus infections in the country.
The NCDC made this known via its Twitter account on Wednesday.
NCDC said that no death was recorded from the virus in the past 24 hours in the country.
It said the 930 new infections were from 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory, adding that the new infections raised the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to 75,062.
The health agency said that 281 COVID-19 patients had recovered from the virus, raising the number of successfully recovered patients to 66,775.
The NCDC stated that Lagos recorded the highest number of cases with 279 infections, followed by FCT 179 , Plateau, 62, Kaduna, 54 and Kano, 52.
Katsina had 52; Imo 42; Jigawa 42; Rivers 38; Kwara 30, Nasarawa 19, Ebonyi 6, Bauchi 6, Edo 5 , Taraba 4, Sokoto 2, Cross River 2, Yobe 15, Ogun 13; Borno 10, while Oyo and Niger had 9 cases each.
The health agency noted that till date, 75,062 cases have been confirmed, 66,775 patients discharged and 1,200 deaths recorded.
December 17, 2020
13m Under 5 children get malaria chemo prevention intervention in 9 states – NMEP
…as Nigeria secures $300m World Bank, Islamic Bank funds to fight malaria
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
As a way of tackling malaria scourge amid COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, the National Malaria Elimination Programme, NMEP, said it has reached at least 13 million under five children with the seasonal Chemo prevention intervention in 9 states.
The National Coordinator of the NMEP, Dr. Audu Bala Mohammed made this known at the 2nd 2020 Bi Annual Media Chat in Abuja today.
In his opening speech, Dr Mohammed said, ” I am also glad to report that for Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention , SMC, a preventive measure targeting children between 3 and 59 months of age in 9 states that had being planned to reach.”
He disclosed that the 9 states captured in the SMC intervention are Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara States.
He explained that the SMC is to administer a particular prevention of under five, U5, children living in malaria high risk regions, adding that the programme was very successful in reducing malaria burden in children.
In the same way the NMEP also distributed insecticide treated nets, ITNs, to 56.7 million people across eleven states namely Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kwara, Oyo, Plateau, Osun, and Zamfara, adding that another 17 million ITNs were distributed in states like Borno, Enugu and the FCT without donor support giving a 95% coverage.
Meanwhile, the National Director of NMEP, Federal Ministry of Health, Professor Olugbenga Mukoula disclosed that in a drive to eliminate malaria in Nigeria, the NMEP has secured $200 million from the World Bank to support malaria prevention in six states and a cut cutting intervention in 13 states with an additional $100 million secured from the Islamic Development Bank to support malaria fight in five states within the period of 2021 to 2023.
According to Mokuolu, Nigeria accounts for 25% of global malaria burden with 53 million cases annually, with an additional 80,000 people dying from malaria fever annually.
In a presentation titled ” Delivering Malaria Intervention in the context of COVID-19: How have we fared” Professor Mokuola said that the agency through some of its interventions introduced as a result of the pandemic have recorded some success of a drop in malaria cases in the country.
Speaking on how the malaria agency has fared in the last one year amid the COVID-19 pandemic he said that the agency changed strategy from using distribution points to the house -to – house method for distribution of 17,398,201 Long Lasting Mosquito Treated Nets, LLMNs in six states namely Adamawa, Venue, Zamfara, Kwara, Ogun and Plateau.
” In 2019, the records indicated a monthly national average of 2,337,794, fever cases that reported at health facilities of which 2,117,783(91%) were tested , and of which anti- malarials which represented a slightly higher number of fever and malaria cases send in 2019 compared to 2020.”
He further noted that due to the stigma associated with COVID-19 majority of the people delayed in seeking health care in health facilities and resorted to self care due to dear of being labelled, adding that Frontline workers were sometimes also isolated in the course of carrying out their duties.
Daybreak reports that the 2nd Bi- Annual Media Chat of the NMEP held in Abuja today with a theme: ” Delivering Malaria Intervention in the Context of COVID-19: How we have fared’.
December 17, 2020