Author: Vera

In reaction to newly imposed sanctions, Mali’s ruling junta says it “strongly” condemns “illegal” sanctions imposed on the country by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Point News247 reports that this position was contained in a statement read on national television Monday. The military regime’s spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga announced the recall of Bamako’s ambassadors to the West African nations involved and the closure of air and land borders with them. ECOWAS and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) on Sunday imposed a range of economic and diplomatic measures against Mali, including border closures and a…

The Economic Community of West African States will impose additional sanctions on the military junta in Mali, withdraw all ECOWAS Ambassadors in the country, and close land and air borders between the ECOWAS member states and Mali. Point News247 reports that this was the resolution of the Extraordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday, January 9, 2021. The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, disclosed this on Monday in a statement titled, ‘ECOWAS countries to shut all borders against Mali, recall ambassadors, reject…

The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency has urged state governments to step up mass vaccination against COVID-19 as part of moves to combat the virus. The agency, in its latest advisory obtained by Point News247, also urged state governors to enact and enforce vaccination mandate for local and state government workers. This came to fore as the percentage for fully vaccinated Nigerians stalled at 4.2 per cent while those that had taken their first dose remained grounded at 9.8 per cent as of Sunday, January 9, 2021. The NCDC in its daily updates continued to report increase in the number…

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu held a closed-door meeting with members of the Nigerian Association of Nurses and Midwives, Lagos State Council at the State House, Marina on Sunday evening. Point News247 reports that the meeting was called by the Governor to address the grievances of the nurses in the State. At the end of the two hours meeting, both the Government and the union agreed on a number of issues that had been causing disaffection between the two parties. Governor Sanwo-Olu pledged Government’s sincerity in the implementation of all that was agreed on, to the delight of the representatives of the…

The Executive Committee of the Confederations of African Football (CAF) has announced the dates for both FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers and Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast 2023 Qualifiers draws at its meeting. This was contained in a press statement by CAF’s communication department which was obtained by Point News247. It read, “The Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast 2023 Qualifiers draw will be conducted on 21 January 2022 in Douala, Cameroon. “The preliminary round will be played by a knock-out system: home and away matches and will include the lower-ranked teams in accordance with the FIFA rankings.…

48-year-old man identified as,l Iloduba Augustine, has confessed to having swallowed 58 pellets of cocaine out of which he excreted 48 pellets which were delivered to a Kenyan while on transit in Addis Ababa for a fee of N1 million. Point News247 reports that Augustine was a passenger of Ethiopian Airline that arrived Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He was on New Year’s eve arrested and placed on observation during which he made the confession. He said he continued his journey to Nigeria with the remaining 10 pellets in his stomach, which…

South-West leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have faulted claims by ex-Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, that the party had zoned the 2023 presidential ticket to the North. Point News247 reports that the former governor said that the party had zoned its presidential ticket to the North. He made the comment on Friday when members of the Atiku Support Organisation visited him in Minna. But a former National Secretary of the PDP, Prof. Wale Oladipo, who spoke with Punch correspondent on Saturday, faulted Aliyu’s claim. Oladipo said, “He (Aliyu) should be asked at what meeting the decision was made?…

Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has left Abuja for Accra, Ghana to represent President Muhammadu Buhari at an Extraordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to discuss the political situation in the Republic of Mali. Point News247 reports that this update was released in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, titled ‘VP Osinbajo off to Accra, representing Nigeria at ECOWAS extraordinary summit on Mali’. Sunday’s meeting which is expected to be attended by leaders across the region follows previous meetings and efforts by the…

Point News247 reports that thirty students of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, and one teacher of the school, have regained freedom after six months in captivity. On June 17, 2021, bandits from neighbouring Rijau forest in Niger State, broke into the school and abducted students and staff. The armed men, who reportedly stormed the school on motorcycles, overpowered the security operatives on ground, killing a policeman in the process. Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi had ruled out negotiation with the armed group, which demanded ransom. Four months after the abduction, three teachers and 30 students were released but…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the federal government of Nigeria’s introduction of N10/litre on all non-alcoholic, carbonated and sweetened beverages. Point News247 reports that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed had announced the new tax on Wednesday. According to Ahmed, the new tax would raise revenue for health-related and other critical expenditures. However, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba in a statement wondered why the government did not place the excise duties on sugar itself as a commodity rather than on carbonated drinks, adding that the health reason proffered by the government for the re-introduction of…