President Bola Tinubu on Monday, commissioned the first set of 20 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses.
He performed the ceremony shortly after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The buses in the first batch were produced locally by Innoson Motors.
Five of the CNG buses were driven to the forecourt of the president’s office for the purpose of the event.
Details to come later
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Monday invalidated the certificates of 101 individuals who were fraudulently mobilized for national service by the University of Calabar (UNICAL) during the 2021, 2022, and 2023 service years.
The Scheme described this action as a major crackdown on certificate fraud and a step towards ensuring the integrity of the national service program.
According to Eddy Megwa, Director of Information and Public Relations at NYSC, the organization took this action to maintain the integrity of the national service program and prevent unqualified individuals from participating.
The affected individuals were found to have been mobilized fraudulently, and their certificates have been canceled immediately.
This move is part of the NYSC’s strong commitment to ensuring that only qualified individuals are issued certificates of national service.
The Scheme warned that it will continue to take action against any individuals or institutions found to be involved in fraudulent mobilization.
The NYSC also advised the public, especially Corps Employers, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Corporate and Religious Organizations, Multi-National Companies, and Corps Producing Institutions, to verify the authenticity of certificates presented to them.
Members of the public are encouraged to confirm the authenticity of certificates at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja to avoid employing or accepting fake corps members.
Megwa stated, “The Management of the National Youth Service Corps hereby restates its strong commitment to ensuring that unqualified locally and foreign-trained Nigerian youths, especially those purported to have graduated from unaccredited universities, are not recognized, while only qualified individuals are issued NYSC Certificates of National Service.
Arising from the above, the Certificates of National Service of the underlisted individuals have been invalidated immediately by the NYSC Management. Members of the public, especially Corps Employers, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Corporate and Religious Organizations, Multi-National Companies, Corps Producing Institutions, and other critical stakeholders of NYSC are to take note of this advertorial for prompt action.
“In addition, members of the public are also enjoined to confirm from the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja, the authenticity of Certificates of National Service, Exemption, and Exclusion Letters being presented for any purpose
Gunmen have abducted two Chinese expatriates, identified as Chen Wenguang and Liang Ding, in the Kémta/Abule-Owu area, along Onigbedu Road in Ogun State
It was learned that the two were abducted around 1:45pm on Sunday when they left the company to visit their friends.
police source, who was not authorised to speak on behalf of the command, informed our correspondent that Wenguang and Ding were affiliated with the Good One Carton Company situated in the area.
“Wenguang and Ding left the company on their own, without notifying security, including the police and military assigned to the company, nor did they inform the company itself.
“They mentioned to a few people that they were heading to Kémta village, about a kilometre away from the company, to visit some friends,” the source said.
Confirming the incident, spokesperson of the state Police command, Omolola Odutola, said the kidnappers had contacted the company to demand a ransom for their release.
She said, “the company’s security supervisor reported that one of the expatriates called to inform him that Wenguang and Ding had been kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding money in exchange for their release.
“Our operatives in the Ewekoro Division, with the assistance of local vigilantes, military personnel from the Social Orientation and Safety Corps, local hunters, and other security groups, thoroughly searched the entire Kémta Village forest for the duo but were unable to find them.”
She said that efforts to secure the release of the duo were ongoing.
The ministry of health has directed that all travelers to Nigeria must fill health declaration form to avoid the spread of infectious diseases.
The ministry made this know on its official website healthapp.ncdc.gov.ng/ .
Vanguard had four days ago, reported the resurgent of monkeypox in Africa. Two years after a global outbreak, fears are rife that a new strain of mpox — previously known as monkeypox — identified in DR Congo and now also in several neighbouring countries could further spread.
Deadlier and more transmissible than previous forms, the mpox strain surging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since September, known as the Clade Ib subclade, is spread person-to-person.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday it was considering convening an expert committee to advise on whether to declare an international emergency, as it did during the global mpox outbreak in 2022.
The Clade Ib strain causes skin rashes across the whole body, unlike other strains where lesions and rashes are usually limited to the mouth, face and genitals.
The African Union health agency, Africa CDC, registered 14,479 confirmed and suspected cases of the strain and 455 deaths in DRC as of August 3, representing a mortality rate of around three percent.
But researchers in the vast Central African nation say the mortality rate from the strain can be as much as 10 percent among children.
The Congolese government acknowledged last month an “exponential increase” in cases.
The disease has been seen in the displacement camps around Goma in North Kivu where the extreme population density makes the situation very critical,” Louis Albert Massing, medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in DRC said.
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The Federal Government has lifted the suspension on the operations of Arik Air.
Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), announced the development in a post on social media Thursday.
This comes more than a week after the airline’s planes were grounded over a dispute between Atlas Petroleum and Arik Air.
However, Achimugu said the conflict has been resolved.
“The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, and the DG of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo has successfully resolved the impasse between Arik Air and Atlas Petroleum,” he said.
“By this resolution, Arik Air will begin operations today.
“The priority of the Minister and the NCAA remains to ensure safe and secure air travel for all passengers.
“Arik Air passengers are currently checking in for scheduled flights.”
On July 30, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said it grounded some aircraft belonging to Arik Air after a federal high court order. NAMA said the court’s order was regarding a case of $2.5 million owed by Arik to Atlas Petroleum International Ltd.
A team of detectives from FCT Police Command was dispatched to Katampe-Mabushi Expressway, Abuja ,following a distress call to the Command Control Room on Thursday morning, that an unidentified person was lying motionless at the scene.
The Police Public Relations Officer, for the Police Command in the FCT,SP. Josephine Andeh, who disclose this said that preliminary investigations revealed that the individual was a man dressed in female clothing with no identification.
“He was taken to Maitama District Hospital, where doctors confirmed his death,” she said.
According to her,the Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh, has ordered a thorough and discreet investigation into the circumstances of the man’s death.
“Updates on this matter will be provided in due course,” the police image maker added.
AS the nationwide protests against hunger and bad governance entered the fifth day on Monday, President Bola Tinubu summoned a National Security Council meeting where issues of security threats to the country were discussed.
The security meeting which held at the President’s office at the State House Abuja, also looked into the new trend of protesters hoisting Russian flag in some states in the north.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the security meeting, the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa, described as a treasonable offence the hoisting of Russia flags in the cities of Nigeria.
The CDS also ruled out any possible coup to remove the democratically elected government, saying that the military would not allow any such attempt to succeed.
Recall that some protesters in Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara and Plateau states have hoisted the Russian flags in the afore mentioned states from Saturday last week, but the Chief of Defence Staff said that those behind such a grievous offence would face the wrath of the law.
He said, “We went to brief Mr President on the situation on ground and we know that since the riot (protest) started, all the security agencies are together.
“Initially, when the riot (protest) started they said it was a peaceful riot but we have realised that there are individuals that are willing to take advantage of it to cause mayhem. And we can see clearly what has happened since it has commenced. Criminals have taken over, a lot of looting taking place, stealing and all sorts of things are happening.
And besides, all of us have seen it where foreign flags have been flown within the sovereignty of Nigeria, and that is totally unacceptable.
We are warning in clear terms and the President has also said we should convey this, that we will not accept anybody, any individual flying any foreign flag in Nigeria.
“That is treasonable offense, and it will be viewed and treated as such. So nobody shall allow himself to be used by any individual.”
General Musa further said, ” For those of them flying flags and if you’ll see a lot of them are kids being pushed to do that, we’re following up with those sponsoring them.
“Those who are pushing them because you know, flags were also made. We have identified those areas and we are going to take serious action against that.The President is clear on his instructions for us not to accept anyone that wants to disrupt the peace and tranquility of Nigeria.
And we are all standing here together to show Nigerians that we’re working closely, we are working together with synergy to ensure that there’s still peace and tranquility in Nigeria, that we have assured Mr. President.”
Fielding questions on the issue of coup being rumoured in some quarters, the CDS said, ” Also the issue of coups, Nigeria is a sovereign nation, Nigeria is a democratic nation all security agencies are here to defend democracy and ensure that democracy continues to thrive.
“We will not accept anyone pushing or taking any action, seemingly or for whatever reason to want to push for any change of government. Democracy is what we stand for, democracy is what will continue to defend.”
Asked to clarify the allegations that some soldiers partook in the looting in some states, the army chief said, “No. I think it has been cleared, I think it was also a misconception. They actually have seen those things and they wanted to clear them away from the area and that’s what was done.
“We have investigated thoroughly, the Chief of army Staff is here. we have investigated thoroughly and there is nothing like such. No member of the Armed Forces fell into doing that.”
General Musa reiterated his earlier position that the military will step in to quell the protests when it gets out of hand.
He said , “You can see that some people supervising elements to push individuals to carry Russian flags in Nigeria, Nigeria is a sovereignty, that is crossing the red lines and we will not accept that.
“And those ones who have done that will go in for the books and they will be prosecuted.”
Further asked whether those behind the action have been identified, he simply responded, “I’m sure you have seen them on TV, that is enough for you to see.,”
In attendance at the meeting are the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Among the security and law enforcement agency heads participating are the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and the three service chiefs; as well as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
Also in the meeting are the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai, Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Col Adewale Adeniyi; as well as the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu is currently meeting behind closed doors with heads of security and paramilitary operatives under the aegis of National Security Council.
The meeting is holding at the President’s office, presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting is holding at the President’s office, presidential Villa, Abuja
The Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa is leading the service Chiefs and other military and paramilitary heads to the meeting.
It is coming amidst the nationwide protests against hunger and bad governance in the country.
Recall that President Tinubu on Sunday in a national broadcast had pleaded with the organizers of the nationwide protests to suspend especially as it has gone violent in some states with the attendant loss of lives and destruction of property.
The President, who said that he has heard the grievances of the protesters loud and clear, also warned that he would not sit and watch some people used by opposition politicians to destroy the democracy in the country.
Also at the meeting are Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun among others
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike said President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a mandate secretariat for youth affairs in the nation’s capital.
Wike made the development public on Monday during an interactive engagement with stakeholders in the Bwari area council
similar interactive session was held with residents of Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC and Abaji where Wike urged the people, particularly the youths, not to participate in the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Speaking on Tinubu’s commitment towards Nigerian youths, Wike said, “On Saturday, I told the people of AMAC, when they requested the establishment of the youth secretariat, that I knew that when I met Mr President, he would approve it.
“Yesterday, while in Kwali, I repeated what I said. I want to bring you good news. I saw the president last night, and he has approved the establishment of a secretariat for youth affairs.”
During the function, the FCT Minister also called on the residents to shelve the planned nationwide protest scheduled for August 1 and 10.
similar interactive session was held with residents of Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC and Abaji where Wike urged the people, particularly the youths, not to participate in the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Speaking on Tinubu’s commitment towards Nigerian youths, Wike said, “On Saturday, I told the people of AMAC, when they requested the establishment of the youth secretariat, that I knew that when I met Mr President, he would approve it.
“Yesterday, while in Kwali, I repeated what I said. I want to bring you good news. I saw the president last night, and he has approved the establishment of a secretariat for youth affairs.”