Breaking News Today Saturday 03 Oct 2020

The president, Muhammadu Buhari has raised concerns over slow pace of elimination of nuclear weapons.







He made this known while warning against trafficking in nuclear materials which may threaten international peace and security.

This is according to a statement by Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to buhari on Media and Publicity, the President revealed this in a video message to UN High-level meeting which is meant to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.


#* Agriculture is now a compulsory subject in Zamfara secondary schools.






The Government in Zamfara State, has directed all Secondary Schools in the state to include Agricultural Science-based subjects in their curriculum.

This is according to Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi, the State Commissioner of Education, who made this known while inaugurating a School Farm Programme and E-Quality Assurance Training, organised by the State Universal Basic Education Board (ZSUBEB) in Gusau.

The Commissioner while commenting on the quality assurance E-training, charged the participants to give more attention to the training.

#* 6 armed robbers have been killed by the police in Akwa Ibom state.






The Akwa Ibom Police Command has confirmed the killing of six suspected armed robbers who are known for car snatching in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

Amiengheme Andrew, The State Commissioner of Police (CP), Made the announcement while the remains suspects were being conveyed at Ikot Akpan-Abia located in Uyo.

Andrew further revealed that, the robbers were intercepted while on their way to Abia to sell the car was snatched earlier from a Calabar based medical doctor.

#* Obasanjo says Africa needs productive, policy push to transform agriculture.






Olusegun Obasanjo, a Former President of Nigeria, has said that Africa needs simultaneous productivity push and policy pull to transform farming from a struggle to survive to a business that thrives.

The former president who is the chairman of Africa Food Prize Committee, made the observation while congratulating the winners of this year’s Africa Food Prize (AFP) in Kigali, Rwanda.

#*. The Court of Appeal overturned the decision to overturn Douye Diri's election as Governor of Bayelsa. The court said on Friday that the ANDP had failed to give its candidate a valid nomination to reject the illegal eviction. The five-judge panel ruled that the court, which previously canceled the election, was acting outside of its jurisdiction.

#* The federal government of Nigeria has ordered the reopening of all schools in the country. It did so after about six months of stopping to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, announced this at a press conference in Abuja. The minister said all single schools must open by October 12, while public and private schools will set their own opening options.


#* . The federal government has also commissioned the reopening of state universities, technical colleges and colleges. Higher education supervisory authorities such as the National University Commission (NUC), National Higher Education Commission (NCCE), and National Technical Education Council (NBTE) have also directed universities to reopen. Night Education Minister Adamu Adamu, speaking at a press conference in Abuja, said the decision to open schools was a continuation of an overview of the COVID-19 situation in Nigeria.

#* US President Donald Trump was brought to Walter Reed Medical Center after experiencing mild symptoms of the deadly coronavirus infection. This was made known in a White House statement on Friday. The president said he would spend "the next few days" at a Maryland military hospital.

#*. The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday rejected Ebizimo Diriyai's party's appeal against the election of Bayelsa's deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo. The report stated that the appellate court rejected the appeal on the grounds that the contractor's allegations of forgery of certificates against Ewhrudjakpo were not firmly proven, as required by the Criminal Complaints Law.

#* Agoola Ajai, deputy governor of Ondo state, said Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had received Naira 750 million security votes and a down payment of around N 150 million per month. Ajay, the candidate for governor of the Zenith Labor Party (ZLP), also claimed that (Ajai) won 12 million Nira, not the N 13 million as Governor Akeredolu claimed. He replied to an earlier comment by Akeredolu, claiming that he (Ajayi) received the highest subsidy currently at N13 million per month.

#* The Presidency explains why President Mohammadu Bukhari compared fuel prices in Saudi Arabia with prices in Nigeria during his national broadcast on Independence Day on 1 October. The president also said it would be unwise and unfair for the government to subsidize gasoline prices for city dwellers, while farmers and herders who do not own cars or generators have nothing to do.

#* Ali Ndume, a senator representing Borno South, told the federal court in Abuja on Friday that he could not find the absent former head of the pension reform team, Abdulrahid Maina. Ndume is bail for Maina that is being sued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an estimated N2 billion money laundering count. Maina has been absent from court three times in succession a week.

#* Nigerian musician David Adeleke, known as Davido, said that there is no gap between himself and his fellow musicians Wizkid. During a black box interview with Ebuka, Obiuchendu revealed to Davido that he is always happy to do better because of Wizkid. According to him, he was inspired by his work, as well as the fact that he was young and making waves for himself.

#* The university's academic union, ASUU, said their continuing strike would continue even as the federal government reopened all schools. This was announced by ASUU National President Prof. Biodun Oguniemi on Friday. He said all issues raised by the federal government still needed to be addressed.

#* FG extended rail line to Niger Republic for economic reasons —Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said on Friday the Federal Government approved the extension of rail line construction to Marradi in Niger Republic for economic gains.

He added that the decision to extend the rail line to the landlocked West African nation was taken in the economic interest of the country.

The minister said: “I think there has been a lot of disinformation and total lack of information over the linking of Lagos, Kano, Katsina railway to Marradi.

“The wisdom behind it is that Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso are all landlocked countries meaning that they do not have access to sea.

What this means is that most of their imports and exports have to go through neighbouring countries’ seaports like Cotonou in Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana.

“Because we do not have a road infrastructure that will encourage Niger Republic to use our seaports, we believe that we will be able to take over their imports and exports with the rail linkage.

“The simple reason, therefore, is to strengthen the economy of Nigeria.

“For now, Niger Republic used seaport of Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana and the exporters go through the stress, challenges and time of being on the road from Cotonou, Lome or Accra to their country.

“But by the time we link them with rail line, it will be easier for us to take over the business.

“There is nothing like territorial expansion, it is purely economic. We are taking advantage of the proximity and efficiency of rail system.”

#* Facts don’t lie, Obasanjo’s eight years in govt were periods of national restoration, Atiku replies Buhari

A former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has said that 1999 and 2007, when Olusegun Obasanjo was president, were periods of national restoration.

Atiku said that between the periods Nigeria paid off her foreign debts and maintained an unprecedented 6 per cent annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

The former vice president was responding to President Muhammadu Buhari’s claim in his Independence Day speech that previous governments from 1999 – 2015 almost destroyed the country.

Buhari had said, “No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources. We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security. Those in the previous governments from 1999 – 2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticize our efforts.”

Ondo: Akeredolu collects separate N750m, N150m monthly, pays me N12m – Ajayi

The Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, on Friday fired back at his estranged boss, Rotimi Akeredolu, saying the governor collects N750 million as security vote.

Akeredolu had said his deputy, who is now the governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, receives N13 million monthly.

He also accused Ajayi of attempting to unseat him as governor of the state.

But in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Allen Sowore, the deputy governor said Akeredolu lied with his claim that he (Ajayi) collects N13 million monthly.

Ajayi insisted that he collects N12 million and not N13 million as claimed by the governor.

#* We are going through hell – Gov Bello tells Buhari

The Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, has told President Muhammadu Buhari that the people in his state are living in hell, following the collapse of two bridges along the Minna-Bida road and Bida-Wushishi-Zugeru road.

Bello met with Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Friday.

Speaking to State House Correspondents afterwards, the Governor noted that the poor state of federal roads has made life difficult for commuters and is threatening to cut them off from the rest of the country.

He also lamented that floods have destroyed acres of crops, particularly sugar plantations.

According to Bello, “something needs to be done immediately to provide alternative routes” and he hopes to be able “to get some quick intervention from the Federal Government so that we can support our local farmers that have lost their livelihood due to floods.”

Asked about the President’s response to his request, Bello said, “The President believes more in action, he doesn’t talk too much. I think from his countenance I can say that he felt bad especially for Niger State. We are shouldering all the weight, every cargo from South West passes through Minna specifically.

#* N2bn fraud: I can’t find Maina – Senator Ndume tells court

Ali Ndume, Senator representing Borno South, on Friday, told a Federal High Court in Abuja, that he cannot find former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulraheed Maina.

Ndume is standing as bail surety for Maina, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 12 counts of money laundering involving about N2billion.

Maina has been absent in court for three times in a row within one week.

In the line with terms and conditions of the bail which the judge Justice Okon Abang gave in January 2020, Ndume gave legal commitment to accompany the defendant to court every trial date and provided the court with the title documents of his property worth N500m in a choice area of Abuja as a guarantee.

But both Maina and Ndume were absent for the proceedings scheduled to hold on September 29.

The senator, who subsequently showed up in court on September 30 without Maina explained to the judge on Friday, that he was absent from the September 29 proceedings due to Boko Haram’s attack on the convoy of the Governor of Borno State.

#* How FG Plans To Create One Million Jobs Before End Of October – Sunday Dare

Mr. Sunday Dare, Nigeria’s Minister of Youths and Sports Development has disclosed that the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari plans to create one million jobs for unemployed youths.

The Minister added that plans are already in the pipeline to make the jobs available before the end of October.

Dare made the submission on Friday, 2nd October 2020 at a programme organized as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary celebration.

The event, which was a youth technology, entrepreneurial, and art exhibition organized by the federal ministry of youth and sports development in partnership with I Choose Life foundation, a non-governmental organization, had as its theme ‘My Nigerian Dream’.

According to the youths and sports Minister, his ministry is already collaborating with other ministries to make the job creation a reality.

#* Liverpool’s Sadio Mane Tests Positive For COVID-19

Liverpool’s in-form Senegalese forward Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating, the club said Friday.

“Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines,” Liverpool said in a statement.

“The forward, who started and scored in Monday’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal, has displayed minor symptoms of the virus but feels in good health overall.

“However, like with Thiago Alcantara, Liverpool Football Club are – and will continue to – follow all protocols relating to Covid-19 and Mane will self-isolate for the required period of time.”