The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) says it is in touch with the World Bank for funds for states to mitigate the economic and social costs of the Covid-19 pandemic. Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, the NGF chairman, said this in a statement on Monday. Mr Fayemi also said there are…

The ICPC has said the arrest and detention of the former chairman of the defunct Special Presidential Investigation Panel, Okoi Obono-Obla, was done within the ambits of the law. The ICPC said this via a statement signed by its spokesperson, Rashidat Okoduwa, on Saturday. The commission was responding to a…

The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to suspend all funds deductions from states and restructure their debt repayments. Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, the NGF chairman, said this at the governors' second COVID-19 teleconference meeting on Wednesday. The details of the meeting were made…

The Federal Government on Wednesday disbursed N20,000 under its Conditional Cash Transfer scheme to 5,000 beneficiaries in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadia Umar-Farouq, supervised the disbursement. Henry Ayede, the spokesperson for the cash transfers programme…

Electricity tariffs will not be increased unless distribution companies (DisCos) "improve quality of supply, meter consumers and agree with consumers on rates," the power minister, Sale Mamman, has said. Mr Mamman was reacting to an announcement by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that tariff increase that was to commence…

The 36 state governors under the platform of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) have agreed to hold their weekly meetings via tele-conferencing to check the spread of COVID19 in the country. The NGF Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, said this in a communique made available to PREMIUM TIMES on…

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a three-month moratorium on loans to all TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni beneficiaries as relief efforts to tackle the Covid-19 impact on the Nigerian economy. President Buhari in his address on Sunday directed that the freeze should be implemented with immediate effect. He also directed that all government funded loans from institutions such as the Bank Of Industry and Nigerian…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked both the Minister of Health, Osagie Enahire, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to publish the details of their weekly spending of funds on the fight against coronavirus in Nigeria. The group said transparency in the…

The Director General of the Nigeria Governors' Forum, Asishana Okauru, and his wife, Ifueko have both tested negative for COVID-19 tests. Mr Okaura had announced on Wednesday that he was embarking on self-isolation along with his family due to his exposure to Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who tested positive…

A presidential aide has dismissed reports that the federal government would be paying Nigerians N30,000 as relief fund to help them stock up food in their homes. There were reports on Friday, attributed to the special adviser on media and publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, saying that the…

A senior lawyer, Femi Falana, has petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged plot by the Nigerian government to re-arrest Omoyele Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters, over his report on the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, testing positive for coronavirus. Mr Sowore in a post on his Facebook…

The federal government says national stadiums in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and Kaduna will be used as isolation centres for the treatment of coronavirus patients. National Youth Service Corp camps across the country will also be used for isolation if needed. The minister of youth and sport, Sunday Dare, said this…

Rights activist and publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Nigerian government of plotting to detain him over his report on the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, testing positive for COVID-19. In a message posted on his Facebook page on Thursday, Mr Sowore said his lawyers had informed him…

A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has asked the federal government to convert the International Cancer Centre along Airport Road in Abuja into an additional facility to isolate patients affected by coronavirus in the country. Mr Abubakar gave the suggestion in a tweet via his verified handle, @Atiku, on Wednesday.…

A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the federal government to provide some palliative measures to Nigerians to enable them survive as the coronavirus takes a toll on the economy. Mr Abubakar gave the advice in a statement on his Facebook page Wednesday. He said the money would assist…

The electoral commission, INEC, says all regular and non-essential activities will henceforth be suspended for 14 days in its headquarters and offices across the country because of COVID-19. Festus Okoye, a spokesperson for the commission, in a statement, on Monday, said the measures were taken in order to protect its…

The anti-graft agency, EFCC, says it will arraign the immediate past Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, on Monday for alleged N3 billion graft. According to a statement signed by the commission's acting spokesperson, Tony Orilade, on Sunday, she will be arraigned before Justice Taiwo Taiwo…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Muhammadu to instruct the anti-graft agencies, EFCC and ICPC, to track and monitor spending by federal agencies and state governments on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. SERAP, in a letter to President Buhari posted on its Twitter handle…

The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) says it will work with the Minister for Health, Osagie Ehanire, to set up functional test and isolation centres in every state in the country. The NGF chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, said this on Wednesday while addressing reporters at the end of…

The 36 state governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum, have said President Muhammadu Buhari does not necessarily have to address the nation on the now pandemic coronavirus in the country. The governors said this was because Mr Buhari had already set up a task force on the…

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has suspended all forms of daily congregational prayers and the weekly Friday prayers in all mosques as a means of curtailing the coronavirus pandemic in the country. The Council of Senior Scholars reportedly made the decision on Tuesday in a statement made available to the…

Completed constituency projects sponsored by Nigerian lawmakers will henceforth be labeled as 'Facilitated by' and no longer as ‘Donated by’, the House of Representatives Committee on Constituency Outreach has agreed. The committee reached the conclusion at a two-day retreat in Owerri, the Imo State capital, that ended on Friday. According…

The Nigerian military and the State Security Services (SSS, also called DSS) were used for electoral malpractice and voter intimidation in 2019 general elections, a United States government report has stated. The military and the SSS report to the president, with President Muhammadu Buhari winning re-election in 2019 and his…

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, has explained reasons for the delay in the payment of cooks engaged in the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme (NHSFP). In a statement signed by the special adviser on media to the ministry, Salisu Dambatta, on Sunday, she…

The continuous spread of the now pandemic coronavirus has proven to know no boundaries – ethnic, financial or religious - as it has also infected not only the poor and vulnerable persons but also notable and prominent individuals across the world. Following the outbreak, activities on the planet are gradually…