Health / News

105 Medical Doctors resign in Ondo

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has expressed concern over the resignation of 105 doctors in the service of Ondo in the last year.

Its State Chairman, Dr. Stella Adegbehingbe and State Secretary, Dr. Olorunfemi Owa in a statement released in Akure blamed the trend on irregular and percentage payment of salaries by the state government.

According to the leadership of the association “Some Departments in the State-owned Teaching Hospital, which could hitherto boast of between 6 and 8 Doctors are now left with 1 or 2 Doctors.

” This makes it practically impossible for the hospital to function at a minimum acceptable level.

“Consequential vacancies in the medical officer cadre need to he urgently tilled. About 50 medical Doctors in this cadre have left the employment of the Hospital Management Board without replacement over the last few months.

Also Read: Troops foil another attack on Imo State Police Command, Neutralize ‘Dragon’, 4 other assailants — Army

“Yawning vacancies exist in the Resident Doctor and Consultant cadres at the Teaching Hospital.

“These have remained difficult to till due to the haphazard safety payments.

“We have it on good records that about 105 medical doctors have resigned their employment from the Teaching Hospital in the last year alone.

“Ondo State has not been able to engage requisite numbers of House officers since 2019.

“This has made our work almost impossible because this group of Doctors have a peculiar role in Health service delivery.

“It is troubling to note that only three (3) house officers are left in the service of the Ondo State Government across the three senatorial zones.

They added that “There is no gainsaying that the ongoing laudable efforts at having a Contributory Health Insurance Scheme in the state can only be successful if the urgent issue of manpower need is adequately addressed,”…

Gospel / News

Nigerian prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua Dies at 57

Nigerian evangelical preacher Temitope Balogun Joshua has died from an undisclosed cause, his church said on Facebook. He was 57.

The preacher, popularly known as TB Joshua, founded The Synagogue Church of All Nations, a Christian megachurch in Lagos.

The father of three was one of Africa’s most influential preachers with millions of television and social media followers. More than 15,000 people from Nigeria and abroad attend his Sunday services.

“God has taken his servant Prophet TB Joshua home … His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God,” the church wrote on its Facebook page on Sunday, without giving further details.

One of the pastor’s lawyers Olalekan Ojo also confirmed his death.

“I confirm that the man of God, pastor TB Joshua passed away on Saturday after his evening programme,”

the preacher was one of the most respected pastors in Africa’s most populous country.

“He rose to prominence in the 1990s at a time when there was an explosion of televangelism in Nigeria and many parts of Africa. He was one of the most followed preachers in Nigeria and [across] Africa,…

Health / News

Lassa fever update, Measles in Borno, Gastroenteritis in Bauchi

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported five additional confirmed Lassa fever cases, all from Edo State the week ending May 30.

This brings the number of confirmed cases to 286 since the beginning of the year.

Of all the confirmed cases,79% are from Edo (44%), Ondo (29%) and Taraba (6%) States.

The death toll among confirmed cases remains at 58.

Measles in Borno

Health officials in Borno State reported an additional 600 suspected measles cases the week ending May 24, bringing the total to 6,253.

Six more fatalities were reported, bringing the death toll to 78–from Bayo (1), Konduga (2), Magumeri
(24) and MMC (51) LGAs.

Gastroenteritis in Bauchi

Health officials in Bauchi State report an outbreak of gastroenteritis that has affected 13 LGAs. 732 cases have been reported in the outbreak, including 28 deaths.

Rilwanu Mohammed, chairman of BSPHDA said Bauchi and Toro LGAs had recorded the highest number of cases with 507 and 73, respectively.

He said out of the cases, 21 samples of gastroenteritis were confirmed to be positive of vibrio cholera.

…
News / politics

President Buhari presides over Police Council meeting

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently presiding over the Police Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting would likely discuss the confirmation of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, and the current security situation in the country.

According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), those in attendance at the meeting include Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Chairman of the Governors’ Forum and Executive Governor of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

Others physically attending the meeting are the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammed Bello and the Chairman Police Service Commission, Musiliu Smith.

In case you missed it

It can be recalled that President Buhari on May 25, directed the postponement of the Police Council meeting, which was earlier scheduled for Thursday, May 27, to Thursday, June 3, in honour of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and ten other senior military officers and servicemen, who died in a plane crash on Friday, May 21, 2021.President Buhari had on April 6 approved the appointment of DIG Usman Alkali Baba as acting Inspector-General of Police to replace Mr Mohammed Adamu whose tenure was extended by 3 months in February by the President.…

Entertainment / Foreign / News

‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry splits from fiancée

According to People, the movie star said their relationship did not work out.

“Sometimes things just don’t work out and this is one of them,” Perry said, in a statement. “I wish Molly the best.”

The former couple started dating in dating in 2018 and got engaged in November 2020.

“I decided to get engaged. Luckily, I happened to be dating the greatest woman on the face of the planet at this time,” Perry told PEOPLE in 2020.

Their split comes on the heels of the premiere of the highly anticipated Friends reunion, which saw Perry getting back together with his former costars from the hit NBC sitcom.

…
Entertainment / News

I feels like a failure after 3rd failed marriage – Kim Kardashian

The mother of four made this known during a chat with her sisters in a new episode of their reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians. She broke down in tears as she called herself a ‘loser’ and ‘failure’ for not being able to keep her marriage. “He deserves someone that can go support his every move and go follow him all over the place and move to Wyoming,” she said.

In tears, Kim continued to say Kanye should “have a wife that supports his every move.”

“I feel like a f**king failure, that it’s like a third f**king marriage,” Kim said. “Yeah, I feel like a f**king loser.”

The Divorce news first broke in February 2021.

This came weeks after speculations about their marriage collapse.

It would be recalled that Kanye West called out his wife on Twitter back in July 2020, for meeting with rapper Meek Mill at the Waldorf hotel.

He later deleted the tweets.

Kim later took to her Instagram page where she revealed that her Husband was Bipolar

She appealed to everyone to support her family as they struggle with the music star’s illness.

Kim and Kanye were married in 2014 and have four children, daughter North, 7, son Saint, 5, daughter Chicago, 3, and son Psalm, 2.

…
Crime / News

UNILORIN student allegedly raped to death

A 300-level Agricultural Science Department of the University of Ilorin, Olajide Omowumi Blessing, has been allegedly raped to death.

The deceased, who hails from Oke-Opin in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, was said to have been raped to death in her Tanke, Ilorin home on Tuesday. The deceased was said to be staying with her elder sister at Tanke area before her death. Kwara State Police Command spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident, adding that the Command has launched a manhunt on the perpetrators.

Okasanmi gave details of the incident: “The deceased stayed with her elder sister.

“The elder sister came back from work at about 6pm on Tuesday, saying that she had tried severally to reach her on phone but couldn’t as the phone kept ringing.

“She came back from work to meet the door of her apartment locked and couldn’t gain entry despite repeated knocks on the door.

“She then called some Neighbor’s who helped to break open the door.

“They all met the deceased lying dead on the floor when they entered with her two hands tied to the back and her mouth gagged.

“She was met naked, bruises were noticed on her private part, her mouth was covered among others.

“Also, a note said to have been written on a piece of paper was placed on her chest containing a message: ‘Unilorin doesn’t forgive.’

“The people later informed the police at ‘F’ Division Police Station, who discovered the dead body, snapped the picture, and took the corpse to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital for autopsy.”

Okasanmi said the Command’s Commissioner, Mohammed Bagega, has directed immediate investigation and arrest of the attackers.

Reacting to the development, Hon. Ganiyu Abolarin, representing Ekiti Constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, decried the growing insecurity in the State, demanding immediate investigation, apprehension and prosecution of the culprits.

Abolarin said: “I am deeply concerned about increasing cases of rape and brutality against the girl-child in Nigeria.

“This gruesome murder of Olajide Blessing, who was allegedly raped to …

Agriculture / News / Production

Why Nigeria must legalize cannabis cultivation, Akeredolu insists

Ondo State Governor and Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, says it is important for the country to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes.

He spoke on Thursday on a live interview program tagged ‘Governor Speaks’, which is part of activities lined up in commemoration of his 100 days of his second term in office. Akeredolu was sworn in for a second term on February 24, 2021 after he won the October 10, 2020 governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

Speaking during the live interview, the governor said cannabis could be a strong foreign exchange earner for Nigeria if its cultivation was legalized.

Akeredolu said, “We must find a way to legalize cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes. There is nothing wrong about it. We are only shooting ourselves in the foot. It is a foreign exchange earner for people outside the country. People want this. We ourselves, even our pharmacies want to develop.

“I travelled out of here and I was in Thailand trying to study the cultivation of cannabis for pharmaceutical use. We did all these, we even went there with NDLEA (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency), the chairman at that time went with us, maybe he came and said what he went for was for a different thing but that was why we went and all I felt that let us look at the way they did it over there.

“Everybody has drug problem, most country has drug problem. We are having it here, it is not as pronounced here as in other places but there are ways they went about these things that those who are involved in drugs, those who are selling, those who are exporting had other ways of doing things that they had to leave it. So, when we talk about cultivation, we are saying in which it is a monitored one, in which NDLEA will have an office (near farms).”

It was earlier reported on January 7, 2021, that the House of Representatives was …

News / politics

Buhari meets Governors of Cross River, Kogi

President Muhammadu Buhari has met behind closed doors with Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the President met separately with the two governors as Ayade was visiting the Presidential Villa for the first time since his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to All Progressives Congress two weeks ago.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the meeting, Ayade emphasised that he left the PDP for the sake of Buhari, adding that the President’s virtues attracted him to the APC.

He said: I moved into the APC because of my personal relationship with Mr. President.“I have watched him and I found honesty, integrity and I see his wish and commitment to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“To that extent, I have a leader that I trust.

“Opposition in the third world means let everything happen that will make the other party look bad.

“I am one of the strong Nigerian Governors who has risen beyond party lines and ethnic lines by virtue of my education and exposure.”

According to Ayade, his decision to join the APC is generating a lot of concern for the PDP occasioned by the fact that it came as a rude shock.

He said: “And sincerely, it is indeed a rude shock because until I defected, I was a very strong member of the party in truth and in spirit.

“And the reality is that PDP had the best result in Cross River – of all the elected offices, all the chairmen of council, all the counsellors, all the National Assembly members, but one, all the chairmen of the local governments, all commissioners, all the appointees, all of them were PDP before I defected.

“So, in terms of performance of PDP, it should be highest performance in the last election in Cross River, which means of all the elected offices, except for one office, PDP cleared all.

“So, for such a governor who led PDP to …

Business / News

Ketron Investment Limited acquires Shoprite Nigeria

A deal has been reached in the acquisition of Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited, owner and operator of the Shoprite stores in Nigeria, by Ketron Investment Limited, a Nigerian company owned by a group of reputable institutional investors led by Persianas Investment Limited.

The divestment by Shoprite International is in line with its strategy to change from an ownership model to a franchise model.

This change in ownership has also received the approval of the Nigerian regulator, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

Speaking on the acquisition, Chairman, Ketron Investment Limited, Tayo Amusan, said: “We are thrilled to complete the acquisition of Shoprite, ensuring the continued operations of one of the biggest retail success stories in Nigeria.

Since its launch in Lagos in December 2005, Shoprite has expanded to 25 outlets across eight states and Abuja, FCT.

According to the terms of this acquisition, Ketron acquires 100 per cent ownership of Shoprite in Nigeria and will continue operations across all existing outlets.

It also plans to open additional stores and introduce more Nigerian-made products in the stores.

This, he noted, will also result in more opportunities for Nigerians.

“It is our vision to create fundamental change for the better within Nigeria,” said Amusan.

“With benefits from our knowledge of the ever-evolving Nigerian retail marketplace, well-grounded social and economic research, and hands-on experience from our team, we are confident that this acquisition will foster a robust and sustainable business model for the ultimate benefit of all stakeholders.”

Professional services firms, KPMG, MBO Capital Management Limited and Banwo & Ighodalo, advised Ketron on the deal.

Jide Ogundare, CEO, MBO Capital, stated that the deal signals an opportunity for Ketron to uphold a thriving business.

“It will be hard work,” Ogundare said, “but with the plans we have in place, and with the support of the larger Shoprite family in Nigeria including our staff and every Nigerian shopper that walks through our doors, we are confident of success.”

Shoprite Holdings is Africa’s largest food retailer, operating 2,843 supermarkets in 15 countries and serving …

News

South East Governors will approve Biafra Day – Umahi

Following the sit-at-home ordered by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the declaration of the Sovereign State of Biafra, the South East Governors’ Forum Chairman, Dave Umahi, has said May 30 would be set aside as a day to remember millions of Igbo that lost their lives during the civil war.

Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State, who stated this during a television interview on Tuesday, said there was the need to set aside a date to honour the Igbo who died during the three-year war, insisting there was nothing wrong with it.

He said if a proposal to do so comes before the South East Governors, they would give it consideration.

Explaining the reason May 30 should be set aside in Anambra, Abia, Enonyi, Enugu and Imo States as a day to remember the dead, he said if the country can recognise June 12 as Democracy Day to honour M.K.O. Abiola, winner of the 1993 presidential election, there was nothing wrong in setting aside a day to remember five million Igbo, including children who were killed during the war.…

Kidnapping / News

N110m ransom Demanded by Bandits for Tegina Islamiyya schoolchildren

Bandits, who abducted children attending Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina town in Rafi Local Government of Niger State, have demanded N110m ransom for their release.

The school headmaster, Alhaji Abubakar Alhassan, disclosed this on Tuesday.

He said the bandits made contact with the school on Monday to demand for the ransom.

Alhassan told reporters the bandits claimed to have 156 children in their custody, adding they threatened to kill them if the ransom is not paid.

It was gathered that parents of the children and the community have started soliciting funds for release of their children.

Niger Deputy Governor Ahmed Ketso has stated the government would not pay ransom for the release of the children.

He said the government believes that negotiation would work like it did during Kagara boys abduction.…

News / politics

Those who want to destroy my government have shock coming their way — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday issued a stern warning to those bent on destroying the country through promoting insurrection and burning down critical national assets: a rude shock awaits them, and very soon too.

The President spoke after he received briefing from the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on series of attacks on facilities of the electoral body round the country.

“I receive daily security reports on the attacks, and it is very clear that those behind them want this administration to fail,” President Buhari said.

“Insecurity in Nigeria is now mentioned all over the world.

President Buhari recalled that he visited all the 36 states of the country before the 2019 election, “and majority of the people believed me, and the election proved it.”

He promised to continue leading the country in accordance with Constitutional provisions.

He said those misbehaving in certain parts of the country were obviously too young to know the travails and loss of lives that attended the Nigerian Civil War, adding: “Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.

“We are going to be very hard sooner than later.”

The President said the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police have been changed, “and we will demand security from them.”

On the dangers posed to future elections by the burning of INEC facilities, President Buhari said he would give the electoral commission all it needed to operate “so that no one would say we don’t want to go, or that we want a third term.

“There will be no excuse for failure. We’ll meet all INEC’s demands.”

“Most of the attacks happened in the last seven months, and they are unrelated to protest against previous elections.

“From the pattern and frequency of the most recent attacks, they appear to be targeted at future elections.

“The intention is to incapacitate the Commission, undermine the nation’s democracy and precipitate a national crisis.”…

Education / News

Thousands of candidates may miss 2021 JAMB – NANS

Kaduna State Chapter of the apex students union in the country, the National Association of Nigerian Students has raised concern that thousands of candidates may be disenfranchised from taking part in this year’s Joint Admission and Matriculation Board examination due to hitches in their NIN/Profile code.

NANS Chairman in Kaduna State, Huzaifa Bello in a statement disagreed with the JAMB on reasons it gave, hence, called for reasonable extension of electronic registration instead of risking students’ lives to travel to JAMB headquarters in their respective states capital for manual registration.

According to him, JAMB had shut out thousands of candidates who were unable to obtain profile codes before May 27 from registering online for this year’s examinations. As a result, we have been inundated with calls and all manner of correspondences by students, parents and other concerned persons who have expressed their dissatisfaction and bitterness at this decision taken by the Board.

“Obtaining a profile code is mandatory for all prospective JAMB candidates. This year’s procedure has been plagued with numerous challenges due to the requirement that candidates have to link their phone numbers with their National Identity Number (NIN). “These challenges have already caused a shift in the closing date for registration from May 15 to May 29 and a shift in the examination dates as well. But even with the latest two weeks extension granted by JAMB yesterday (Monday), thousands of candidates are still out there without the mandatory profile code. We therefore call on the examination body to further extend the closing date for another two weeks, making one month to allow all intending candidates register.”…

News / Penson

Lagos State pays N29 billion to 7,308 retirees in two years

Lagos State Government has said it paid N29,088,291,668.35 as accrued pension rights to 7,308 retirees in the last two years.

The Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle, said this at the 2021 ministerial briefing to commemorate the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

She disclosed that the money was paid between May, 2019 and April, 2021, adding that the government implemented the upward review of pension contributions into Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) from 7.5 per cent of employee contributions and 7.5 per cent employer contributions to 8 per cent employee contributions and 10 per cent employer contributions, which s affect electronic archiving of records of payments and vital pensioners’ documents for preservation and ease of reference.

She also explained how the entire public service witnessed capacity development despite restrictions on physically gathering, following the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic last year.

The commissioner revealed that over 73,448 public servants were trained in 2020 as against the yearly average of 3,000 trained employees.

She said the ministry leveraged on several online virtual platforms to embark on training programs in a successive manner for the state’s employees.

She said: “A total of 3,101 officers were trained in 2020 across 98Ministries, Department, Agencies and Parastatals under the virtual training initiative comprising of 52 Grade Level 17 officers, 274 GL 16, 1023 GL 15, 901 GL 14, 9 and 851 GL 13.”

Ponnle further disclosed that the government paid N4,203,784,514.49 to pensioners in the state under the Defined Benefits Scheme otherwise known as ‘Pay As You Go’ from May 2019 to March 2021.

Ponnle stated that as part of commitment to the welfare of pensioners, Sanwo-Olu approved payment of 33 per cent increment for all State pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme and also paid the balance of the 25 per cent rent allowance for officers on Grade Level 07 and above who retired between May 2000 and August 2004.

Similarly, Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to staff welfare and conducive working conditions of all public servants to ensure …

Military / News

Eight gunmen, two policemen killed in Abia State

The Abia State Police Command has confirmed the killing of two police officers in the attack on state CID in Umuagu, Umuahia on Saturday by gunmen.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, who made the confirmation, also said eight of the hoodlums were gunned down in the crossfire.

This was in addition to the commercial tricycle operator said to have been killed by a stray bullet during the gun duel police had with the criminals.

Briefing journalists in Umuahia, the PPRO expressed regret that two Inspectors lost their lives in the attack.

The police image maker said policemen on duty engaged the gunmen before reinforcement from the command headquarters, which added to the fierce engagement with men on ground that eventually saw eight of the hoodlums neutralised.

He added that some of the attackers escaped with gunshot wounds, while two vehicles were recovered.

The State CID, Ogbonna said, was razed following the detonation of an explosive through the back of the building.

While informing that suspects in detention were released and an exhibit car burnt, the PPRO, however, said no firearm was carted away.

Ogbonna urged medical facilities within and outside the state to report to security agencies anybody who comes for treatment with bullet wounds.…

Covid 19 / Health / News

Smokers face 50% higher risk of developing COVID-19, other diseases – WHO

World Health Organisation Director-General, Dr. Tedos Ghebreyesus, says smokers have up to a 50 per cent higher risk of developing severe diseases and death from COVID-19.

Ghebreyesus said this in a message to commemorate World No Tobacco Day, globally marked on May 31 annually, to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocate effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

According to him, quitting is best thing smokers can do to lower their risk from coronavirus as well as the risk of developing cancers, heart disease and respiratory illnesses.

“We urge all countries to play their part by joining the WHO campaign and creating tobacco-free environments that give people the information, support and tools they need to quit, and quit for good,” he said.

“The Quit Challenge gives daily notifications of tips and encouragement for up to six months to help people remain tobacco-free. It is available for free on WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger and WeChat,” he said.

According to Ghebreyesus, the agency also released a “quitting toolkit” which includes these innovations, but also existing services such as brief advice from health professionals and national toll-free quit lines.

Globally, he stated roughly 39 per cent of men and nine per cent of women use tobacco; the highest tobacco use rates among men are currently found in the Western Pacific region at 49 per cent and among women in Europe at 19 per cent.

He said: “As part of the ‘Commit to Quit’ initiative, WHO calls for the adoption of bold policies that promote tobacco cessation; increasing access to smoking cessation services; raising awareness of the tobacco industry’s tactics; and support for consumers trying to stay away from tobacco.

“Currently, 29 countries are working with the agency to support tobacco cessation through national awareness campaigns and new digital tools.”

Ghebreyesus added that the efforts included policy review, training of health workers, opening of specialised clinics, support for nicotine replacement therapies, and courses to quit smoking.

According to the UN health agency, the report that smokers are more likely to develop …

Covid 19 / News

Nigeria records huge spike in deaths, new cases of the Corona Virus

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed additional 203 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 166,518.

The NCDC made this known on Monday night via its official Twitter handle, where it disclosed that the additions were recorded in five states, including the Federal Capital Territory.

The public health agency stated that Benue State led the chart with the highest number of infections, with 178 new cases, followed by Lagos State with 10 and Ondo with six infections.

The FCT and Kaduna State also reported four cases each, while Plateau State confirmed one case.

It noted that its report for May 31 included a backlog of data from Benue and Nasarawa States, recorded from February to May 2021.

The agency added that zero cases were registered from Ekiti, Enugu, Kano, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Sokoto States.

The public health institution said that with 39,818 tests processed across the nation in one week, the country had now conducted a total of 2,133,061 tests since the first case relating to the disease was announced in 2020.

The agency also disclosed 28 additional COVID-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours.

It, however, said that 2,223 people who have been successfully treated have recovered from the virus and have also been discharged from isolation centres across the nation.

According to it, till date, a total of 166,518 cases have been confirmed, 158,781 cases have been discharged and 2,099 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the FCT.

Meanwhile, the agency noted that the number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country remains below 10,000.

It added that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre, activated at Level 2, continues to coordinate the national response activities.…

Military / News

Gunmen murder Imo Immigration Command’s Provost

Gunmen have killed the Provost of the Imo State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Okiemute Mrere.

The Provost was reportedly murdered on Saturday night along the Owerri-Port Harcourt Expressway.

Mrere’s corpse was, however, discovered in the bush on Sunday.

The source said Mrere was riding in a Hilux van belonging to NIS when he was allegedly ambushed and shot to Even after he was killed, his attackers were said to have bolted without making away with his service pistol as it was found on him when his corpse was discovered the next day.

But his official Hilux van was riddled with bullets, the source added.

The sources told The Sun: “The Provost of Nigerian Immigration service, Imo State Command, Okiemute Mrere, has been assassinated. “He was killed on Saturday night.

“He was riding in his official Hilux van when he was attacked; they shot him several times judging from the bullet holes on his official vehicle.

“His corpse was discovered the next day, which was on Sunday morning.

“Nothing was taken from him, not even his service pistol.

“The command is quiet.

“There is panic as officers are dumbfounded with this tragic development.”

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Winifred Ogu, who confirmed the incident to Daily Sun, said details of his death were still being investigated and as such she could not speculate.…

News

Buhari to security agencies: Expedite action towards release of 200 Tegina students

President Muhammadu Buhari has charged the nation’s security and intelligence agencies to expedite efforts towards the recovery of the 200 children kidnapped from an Islamic school in Niger.

The President gave the order in a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Monday.

According to the presidential aide, Buhari, who received briefing on the latest incident of school kidnapping, condemned it.

He urged all the agencies involved in the rescue operation to do their utmost in securing their immediate release.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Niger State Police Command had on Sunday confirmed the abduction of school children and some residents of Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

Adamu Usman, the Commissioner of Police in the state, told NAN in Minna that the children were abducted from Salihu Tanko Islamiya School. He also confirmed that the abductors killed one person in the process.

He explained that the incident occurred at about 3pm when a large number of bandits on motorcycles attacked the town.…