COVID-19 vaccine : Active cases soar as NCDC reports 156 fresh cases

 

Active cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have again jumped to 7, 837 as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, reports 156 new infections in 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

NCDC announced this late hours of Tuesday via a post on its verified Facebook page.

 reports that the new figures remain the highest number of daily cases in more than a month.

The health agency also discharged 49 patients after recovery.

So far, Nigeria has recorded 164,912 cases with 2,063 while about 155, 012 patients have been treated and discharged.

The post reads: “156 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria;

Lagos-50
Enugu-43
Adamawa-40
FCT-8
Ogun-5
Akwa Ibom-3
Plateau-3
Jigawa-1
Kaduna-1
Oyo-1
Rivers-1

164,912 confirmed
155,012 discharged
2,063 deaths”.

COVID-19 vaccine : NAFDAC approves use of Pfizer-BionTech COVID-19 vaccines

 

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has approved Pfizer-BionTech COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use in Nigeria.

The approval was announced on Friday by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye in Lagos State.

The DG said the vaccines were approved only for emergency use in the country.

She noted that it can be stored between -15oC to -25oC equivalent to freezer temperature.

NEWS : US to prioritise student visa applications for Nigerians

 

The United States Mission in Nigeria has said it will prioritise visa applications for students who hope to resume academic studies in the states by September 2021.

This was contained in a statement signed by the US Mission Country Consular Coordinator, Susan Tuller and released by Temitayo Famutimi of the Public Affairs Section of the US Consulate General on Friday.

The statement said the Mission said it would prioritise visa interview appointments for Nigerian students in advance of their programme start date.

“As we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our staff and customers, processing student visas remains a high priority for the US Mission in Nigeria.

“We will increase the number of student visa appointments in May and June to ensure that we can offer appointments to as many students as possible.

“ If your US studies are scheduled to begin this Fall, we encourage you to schedule your appointment as quickly as possible,” Tuller was quoted as saying in the statement.

“All student visa appointments must be booked through the US Travel Docs website.

“However, applicants are warned against the use of third-party services, including touts, and fixers who broker visa appointments,” the statement said.

 

NEWS UPDATE : Mbaka asked Buhari for contract as reward – Presidency

 

The presidency has alleged that the Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry (AMEN), Ejike Mbaka had visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the States House seeking for contract.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made the allegation on Friday.

 reports that the allegation followed the clergy’s call for the President to resign for failing to address the deteriorating security situation across the country

According to Shehu, Mbaka once brought three contractors to the President and insisted he must be rewarded for his support to the President. However, Buhari informed him that due process must be followed.

Shehu said: “Father Mbaka is everything apart form what he claims to be… an outsider distilling the avalanche of verbiage will be surprised that after supporting the President two times to win the Presidency, Father Mbaka has made a complete U-Turn, preposterously asking President Buhari to resign or be impeached,” Shehu said.

“Here is the point of departure: Father Mbaka asked for a meeting and to the shock of Presidential Aides, he came accompanied by three contractors. The President graciously allowed them in, and to everyone’s surprise, Father Mbaka asked for contracts as compensation for his support.

“Anyone familiar with President Buhari knows that he doesn’t break the laid down rules in dealing with contracts or any other government business for that matter. He requested the appropriate authorities to deal with the matter by laid down rules.

“Inside the Villa, discretion prevailed, that if those pictures and requests were made public, the followers will turn against the religious leader. None of it was released. Now, this is what is eating Father Mbaka.”

BIAFRA NEWS : IPOB Reacts To Miyetti Allah’s Threats, Says It Will Be Blood For Blood

 

The IPOB said this in reaction to threat by the herders' group that they would avenge the death of every herdsman killed in the South-East. The Indigenous People of Biafra says members of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore will meet their demise if they attempt to hurt any Nigerian of Igbo extraction in the country.

While speaking through a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, the Nnamdi Kanu-led group said the Miyetti Allah will lose if it tries to carry out its threat.

 The IPOB said this in reaction to threat by the herders' group that they would avenge the death of every herdsman killed in the South-East.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported how the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore vowed to take both legal and cultural actions in avenging the killing of its 50 members, it said had died in the hands of the IPOB in the last one month.
 
Spokesman for the group, Saleh Alhassan, disclosed this while reacting to the killing of one of the commanders of Indigenous People of Biafra gunned down by security operatives last Saturday.
 
Alhassan, speaking on Thursday had said, “The security agencies should intensify efforts in dealing with all those terrorists killing Fulani herders, burning police stations, prisons and destroying institutions in the South-East.” 

 Alhassan said at least 50 herders had been killed in the South-East in the last one month, adding that his group would avenge the death of those members.
 
He said, “So far, more than 50 herders have been killed in the South-East in the last one month, we have the record and the Igbo terrorists led by Nnamdi Kanu will pay for everybody they killed.
 
“It is unfortunate that they have forgotten history, how we saved a lot of Igbos in the North during the Civil War but now they are killing our people. They are making a grievous mistake. We will take necessary steps, both legal and cultural steps, to avenge the killings of our members.”

Reacting on Thursday night, the IPOB said such an intimidation was meant for the South-East governors, not for the pro-Biafra group.
It added that it would 'be blood for blood.'
 
"Miyetti Allah, hear this: IPOB is not South-East Governors that you can threaten and get away with. We are the same IPOB that collapsed the #Zoo," the IPOB partly said in the statement.

It further reiterated that its major task is to kill the Fulani murderers marauding as herders.
 
"We are after every killer herdsman. We’re after you Fulani terrorists and murderers masquerading as herdsmen. 

"If you implement this your threat, it shall be your last. We no longer believe in turning the other cheek, it is now blood for blood and you will lose," the statement concluded.

BIAFRA NEWS : We’ll Avenge Death Of Every Herdsman Killed In South-East By Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB, Miyetti Allah Threatens

Miyetti Allah spokesman lauded the security agencies, adding that they should “intensify efforts” in dealing with all terrorist elements in the country.  

One of the umbrella bodies of herdsmen in Nigeria, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has urged security agencies to deal with “terrorists killing” Fulani herders in the South-East.

Spokesman for the group, Saleh Alhassan, disclosed this while reacting to the killing of one of the commanders of Indigenous People of Biafra gunned down by security operatives last Saturday.

Police operatives and their counterparts from the Nigerian Army and Department of State Services had killed an IPOB leader, one Commander Ikonso and six other militia members in Imo state.

The IPOB men, who were members of the secessionist group’s security arm, the Eastern Security Network, were killed during an early morning raid on their hideout at Awomama village, Oru East Local Government Area of the state last week.

IPOB has since threatened “madness”, saying the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, will “pay dearly” for the killing of its commander.

But speaking on Thursday to Punch, the Miyetti Allah spokesman lauded the security agencies, adding that they should “intensify efforts” in dealing with all terrorist elements in the country.

He said, “The security agencies should intensify efforts in dealing with all those terrorists killing Fulani herders, burning police stations, prisons and destroying institutions in the South-East.”

Alhassan said at least 50 herders have been killed in the South-East in the last one month, adding that his group would avenge the death of those members.

He said, “So far, more than 50 herders have been killed in the South-East in the last one month, we have the record and the Igbo terrorists led by Nnamdi Kanu will pay for everybody they killed.

“It is unfortunate that they have forgotten history, how we saved a lot of Igbos in the North during the Civil War but now they are killing our people. They are making a grievous mistake. We will take necessary steps, both legal and cultural steps, to avenge the killings of our members.”

Free Speech : 44 Civil Rights Groups Vow To Shut Down Nigeria Over Insecurity, Buhari Government’s Clampdown On Free Speech

 

The coalition, in a statement titled ‘State of the Nation: A Call to Action’ and signed by all 44 members, on Thursday, decried how the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had ignored its demand that it should provide good leadership amid the growing insecurity and other crises in the country. he Civil Society Joint Action Coalition, a coalition of 44 civil rights groups, has vowed to shut down the country from Monday, May 26, 2021 along with other anti-government actions scheduled to express their displeasure with the state of Nigeria.

The coalition, in a statement titled ‘State of the Nation: A Call to Action’ and signed by all 44 members, on Thursday, decried how the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had ignored its demand that it should provide good leadership amid the growing insecurity and other crises in the country.

It said, “We are appalled to note that in spite of our strongly worded statement, President Buhari’s government has failed to heed our call to fulfil his role as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and Nigeria’s democratically elected President. We are therefore left with no other option than to take action to drive home our call to the government.

“We are therefore calling on all Nigerians to register their displeasure with the state of affairs across the country by participating a national shutdown from Monday, the 26th of May, 2021, participate in solemn assemblies across the country to commemorate the 4th National Day of Mourning and Remembrance of Victims of Mass Atrocities on May 28th, 2021 and boycott all Democracy Day activities on May 29, 2021 in protest of the deplorable state of our democracy.

“We again call on the Federal and state governments to rise up to their constitutional duties as enshrined in S14(2)(b), to ensure the security and welfare of all Nigerians, and pull the nation back from the path of destruction.”

The coalition had in February called on the government to “end impunity for abuse of power and sectionalism through his appointments by balancing the need for competence with the federal character principle. In this way, he will demonstrate that every part of Nigeria matters as sectional appointments appear to fuel sectional violence.

“Take responsibility and end the persecution of the media and free speech both of which are foundations of a democratic state.”

Speaking on the level of insecurity in the country, it stated: “In the first quarter of 2021 (January to March), we recorded an all-time quarterly high of almost 2,000 fatalities from mass atrocities incidents across the country. This week, across the 6 geopolitical zones, there were escalated combustions of violence resulting in even more deaths.”

In February 2021, the had catalogued the assortment of mass atrocities plaguing the country.

The issues highlighted by the group include: “The unending war in the North East with our troops often bearing the brunt of this government’s security failures, gross injustices by President Buhari’s government against the Nigerian people such that peaceful protesters are threatened and attacked by the government’s security agents while terrorists carrying out mass murder, rape, maiming and kidnapping of Nigerians including women and children are feted, molly coddled, granted ‘amnesty’ and paid by the government and industrial scale kidnappings all across the country.”

The group had also asked the government stop the “terrorist herder attacks on unarmed farming communities and reprisal attacks in the face of government inaction and failure to bring the terrorist herdsmen and their funders to justice; large scale terrorist attacks in the North West irresponsibly tagged by the government as ‘banditry’ in a bid to downplay their criminality; extrajudicial killings by State Security agents in various forms; inter-ethnic violence; and menace of political cult gangs and ethnic militia.”