The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has opposed a suit seeking to remove the Ajami (Arabic) inscriptions on naira notes. It told the Federal High Court that it would cost the country a “colossal sum of money” to discard the existing notes and print new ones without Ajami. The CBN said Ajami is not a symbol or mark of Islam but an inscription to aid non-English speakers who are literate in and use Ajami for trade. The apex bank made the submission in a counter-affidavit to a suit filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo, before Justice Mohammed Liman.…
Author: YemieFash
NONE of the 37 orientation camps of the National Youth Service Corps would be shut down should one corps member test positive to COVID-19, the Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, has said. According to him, prevention, detection and prompt response remained critical factors for the safe reopening of camps. He stated this ahead of the nationwide reopening of NYSC orientation camps on Tuesday, November 10, 2020. A statement issued on Sunday by the NYSC Director (Press and Public Relations), Adenike Adeyemi, said Ihekweazu gave the conditions during a webinar held for the 2020 Batch ‘B’ prospective…
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Monday warned political office holders and policymakers against paying lip service to youth unemployment. He challenged his colleagues in positions of authorities to factor youth employment and empowerment into the 2021 budget so as to escape another round of #EndSARS protests. Lawan gave the warning when the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Sabo Nanono, led top officials of his ministry to defend its 2021 budget before the Senate Committee on Agriculture. The Senate President said, “Recently, we had protests by some of our youths. Some of them, very genuine, were seeking the…
Goods valued at over N1.2m were on Monday lost to a fire that razed parts of a shopping complex in Osogbo, the Osun State capital. According to sources in Orita Aje, Iludun area, where the burnt shopping complex was located, smoke was observed in one of the shops some minutes to 11am. An eyewitness, Joseph Kolapo, told PUNCH Metro that owners of some of the shops were around when the fire started and made efforts to prevent it from escalating. Apart from goods in four shops that were destroyed before the fire was put out, Kolapo said no life was lost to…
A 38-year-old man, Victor Ani-Laju, has declared his intention to run for the office of Nigerian president come 2023. Mr Ani-Laju, the founder of ePay, an electronic payment solutions provider, on Monday, said his intention to run for the office was ignited by the protests against police brutality held in various parts of the country. Amongst other things, the #EndSARS protest questioned the reliability of the older generation of leaders and appears to have raised the awareness of Nigerian youth to demand active roles in the governance of the country. In his address to journalists at a press conference held…
Lecturers under the aegis of the Congress of Universities Academic has urged Vice-Chancellors of public universities to recall students for academic activities. CONUA, which is a breakaway faction of ASUU, said its members across the nation are not on strike and are ready to lecture. The National Secretary of CONUA, Dr Henri Oripeloye, made this known in a press statement made available to newsmen. Oripeloye assured that “should VCs recall their students now, academic activities will resume without any rancour in public varsities as many lecturers are ready to resume since they have complied with government’s directive on IPPIS”. The…
Niger Governor Abubakar Bello has tested positive for COVID-19. The Governor announced this on his twitter handle on Monday. Details shortly….
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has postponed the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates in Nigeria. Head of Public Affairs, WAEC Nigeria, Mr Demianus Ojijeogu, who made this known in a statement, said the examination commences by Monday, November 30, 2020. The statement was titled: ‘West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) For Private Candidates, 2020-Second Series: Change in Timetable’. Ojijeogu stated: “The West African Examinations Council, Nigeria wishes to inform all registered candidates for WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2020-Second Series and the general public that there has been a change in timetable. “The…
Pending determination of his nomination for reappointment as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Monday named an Acting Chairman for the Commission. He handed over to AVM Ahmed Mu’azu (rtd), as Acting Chairman, pending his clearance by the Senate. Yakubu’s five-year tenure ended Monday. He was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015. Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Yakubu noted it will be inappropriate for him to remain in office beyond November 9 without confirmation by the Senate and swearing to another oath of office as provided by law. According to him:…
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Monday returned the seized passport of one of the #EndSARS promoters, Modupe Odele. She made this known in a tweet after picking the passport. The tweet quoted Odele as saying, “Passport now picked up. No issues. I’m told I can travel at any time. Thank you so much everyone for the help and concern.” It would be recalled the NIS said the passport of Odele was seized as part of a routine border assignment. The Spokesman for the NIS, Mr. Sunday James, had said that whenever a restriction has been placed on any individual, the…