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The Delta State government has confirmed the death of a 75-year-old woman as a result of Lassa fever. The state government in a statement signed by the Director of Information, Paul Osahor, said the incident occurred after the woman fell sick and went to the General Hospital, Umuolu, Ndokwa East Local Government Area (LGA) on Saturday, August 18, 2018. She was then referred to the Central Hospital, Kwale, Ndokwa West LGA the following day, August 19th and from there was further referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba on August 24, 2018. At the FMC, Asaba, the victim’s blood sample was taken to Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State for test but she died on August 29, 2018 the same day the hospital in Irrua received the lab result which was confirmed positive to the Lassa virus. The state government has therefore advised residents in the state not to panic, “as the Ministry of Health officials are on top of the situation, doing contact tracing on those who...

The Presidency yesterday denied releasing the names of the 50 persons placed on travel ban over corruption cases. The Federal Government had on Saturday announced the banning of 50 high profile persons from traveling abroad over corruption cases.  The ban was sequel to the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari for the full implementation of Executive Order 6 Daily Trust reports that in the statement announcing the ban, there was no names of the affected persons. However, a list has been on circulation in some national dailies (excluding this paper). Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said the presidency has not released any list and won’t do so. “On the so-called list you asked for confirmation, I want to confirm to you that we have not issued any list and we are not doing so, “ he said. Describing the Executive Order as revolutionary, he said its very essence was to make for speedy trials and conclusion of graft cas...

… shifts 2019 budget submission to November The federal government yesterday said it is not feasible to achieve the January -December fiscal circle in 2019. A Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) will however be submitted this month, while the 2019 budget estimates will be presented in November. The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, disclosed this while speaking exclusively to Daily Trust yesterday in Bali, Indonesia, venue of the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He said the delay in submitting the documents to the National Assembly was due to the long recess embarked upon by the National Assembly. “Now that they resumed, we are submitting the MTEF first this month and the budget next month,” the minister said. He said the 2019 elections would not distract the implementation of the budget, because the president has ordered that the economic team should sustain the tempo in the economic r...

President Muhammadu Buhari has enjoined Nigerian politicians who feel aggrieved over the just concluded primaries to put the stability of the country first before their political ambitions and accept the decision of their political parties or seek resolution through party reconciliation mechanisms or the law courts President Buhari gave the advise at an interfaith initiative for peace conference on Religious Harmony held in Abuja on Saturday. The President appealed to religious leaders in the country to steer clear from partisan politics to avoid the risk of losing their status and public respect. President Buhari told the religious gathering that under his watch, Nigeria has moved on from the era of free money, lack of transparency and accountability, noting that a better future lies ahead for the country. The interfaith conference is a religious initiative aimed at preaching the gospel of peace and unity as Nigeria prepares for another round of general elections next yea...

Suspected political thugs loyal to one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Kwara state physically attacked the correspondent of the Daily Trust newspaper, Romoke W. Ahmad, on Thursday in Ilorin over allegation of bad publicity against their principal. The correspondent was beaten by hoodlums at the party’s secretariat where she went to cover a protest rally. She lost valuables in the incident. It took intervention of her colleagues and law enforcement agents at the scene to ensure safety of the journalist as the political thugs allegedly aimed to inflict severe injuries on her. Narrating her experience, Ahmad said the thugs allegedly acted on the instruction given to them by the brother to the governorship aspirant one Muhammed Kudu, who was at the scene. She said she was deceived to attend and cover a rally organised by the Abdullahi Yaman support group. She added that Kudu was earlier seen discussing with the thugs and pointing at...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the Federal Government’s ban of 50 Nigerians from travelling abroad is a direct clampdown on democratic order. In a statement on Saturday, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the restriction as an attempt by the Buhari Presidency to foist a full-blown fascism on the country. “We hope this is not a ploy to harm certain eminent Nigerians on the claims of resisting travel restrictions. The PDP further notes that this “decree” is a direct clampdown on our democratic order and an overthrow of rights of our citizenry as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” the statement read in part. The party also stated that the presidency has gone into panic mode since the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate. Read Also: FG Bans 50 Prominent Nigerians From Travelling Abroad It, therefore, stressed that any attempt to clamp down on the opposition will be totally unaccepta...

Why I attended Atiku, Obasanjo reconciliation meeting (Gumi) From left: Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; PDP Presidential Candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; and Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi at the end of a meeting between Obasanjo and Atiku in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday The Kaduna State based Islamic scholar, Sheik Ahmed Gumi, has explained why he attended the reconciliation meeting between former president Olusegun Obasanjo and his estranged former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. Gumi, in a chat with Daily Trust on Sunday in his house in Kaduna, said he acted true to Islamic injunctions by making himself available to a process meant to ensure peace. He said, “It was the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad that whenever you are invited for a peace or reconciliation meeting even between Muslim and non-Muslim, the Prophet said you should attend it because Islam is concerned abo...

  The Federal Government has banned 50 persons from traveling abroad over corruption cases The ban followed a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari for the full implementation of Executive Order 6. The Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies have been directed to place the 50 persons on their watch-list, pending the determination of their corruption cases. The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, in a statement, said following the instant judicial affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of the Executive Order 6 (EO6), President Buhari has mandated the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to implement the Order in full force. “To this end, a number of enforcement procedures are currently in place by which the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies have placed no fewer than 50 high-profile persons directly affected by EO6 on watch-list and rest...

The serving deputy governor, Barrister Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, who is at present gunning for Jigawa North East senatorial district was dropped as a deputy governor after he served in same capacity for terms under two different governors. Hadejia, served under Saminu Turaki and Badaru each for a term. Earlier, it was learnt that Namadi’s name was chosen yesterday, after a marathon meeting of stakeholders in the state. The spokesperson to Badaru, Bello Zaki, confirmed the nomination to Daily Trust.

The president of a grade C customary court at Mapo, Ibadan, Chief Odunade Ademola, has dissolved the 23-year-old marriage of a commercial motorcycle operator, Nurudeen Adeoye, to his wife, Iyabo, over threat to his life.  Adeoye had prayed for a formal separation from Iyabo. He said, “I want this court to dissolve our marriage. Her trouble made us move from one house to another before she left my house five years ago to marry another man. She used to harass and embarrass me. I want this court to save my life.” Iyabo was not in court to defend herself on the allegations Adeoye levelled against her. Chief Odunade held that the fact defendant had left the plaintiff five years ago indicated there was no more love between them and dissolved the marriage.

The third edition of  African Drum Festival  has began in in Abeokuta in  Ogun state  in South West Nigeria on Thursday, with 20 states, 40 African countries, Haiti, Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago participating.  Alhaji Lai Mohammed , The Minister of Information and Culture, who spoke at the event disclosed that Nigeria was planning to incorporate the African Drum Festival into the national calendar of festivals. Muhammed, who represented  President Muhammadu Buhari   at the ceremony, noted that the festival had continued to grow better with each edition. The drum festival, which started in 2016 solely as a Nigerian affair in 2016 solely as a Nigerian affair is  an annual event organised by the Ogun government. However, the festival was expanded in its second edition in 2017 to draw participants from other African and foreign countries. The minister, who outline the economic advantages the Drum Festival wou...

Hip-hop superstar   Drake   has hinted that he would be releasing a new album in June. The hint came as the Canadian star dethroned himself on top of the singles chart. The Toronto artist posted on Instagram a picture of himself with his back to the camera sporting a jacket that read “Scorpion” and “June 2018.” Drake , though did not reveal an exact release date or other details, separately put out a picture of a necklace with a scorpion pendant. He has often played with the traditional album format, instead putting out sprawling song collections marketed as mixtapes. there is no doubt however that his albums do well in the market. His latest song was streamed in the  United States   more than 60 million times and downloaded 88,000 times in the week through Thursday, tracking service Nielsen Music said. His song  “God’s Plan”  topped the US singles chart for 11 weeks — until being dethroned Monday by another of his songs,...

Edo State Policemen Nab Notorious Kidnapper in Benin A notorious kidnapper,  Muritala Umaru  in  Edo   was paraded yesterday by the  Edo state police command. Umaru, who also is a herdsman, was reportedly apprehended with an  AK-47 rifle , breech number KO340119 and 10 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. Muritala Umaru, confessed to have made over N100 million from kidnapping. The suspect disclosed that he began kidnapping four years ago in  Okenne ,  Kogi States , and had participated in several other kidnappings across Edo State. Muritala admitted to own some cattle and that his gang has 10 AK47 rifles with which they carry out kidnapping. “One big man we call Chief in one community is the one that always gave us identities of victims before we strike.”

Nigeria Award winning writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, shared the story of her sexual assault at age 17, taking a cue from the #MeToo movement. While delivering the closing keynote address at the just concluded Stockholm Forum for Gender Equality, Adichie told the story of how she had written a book of poems and taken it to a “big man in the media” who she felt would support her quest to have it introduced to the public. According to Punch, she said that the so-called big man slipped his hand under her clothes and then into her bra to squeeze her breasts within minutes of praising her for writing a book. “I was so shocked that I did nothing for seconds but then, I pushed his hand away, gently, nicely, because I didn’t want to offend him. “Later that day, I broke out in a rash on my face, neck and chest, as though my body was recoiling, as though my body was saying what my lips had not said,” she shared. See Video:

The management of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has said that it loses N180m every month due to activities ot vandals. The Managing Director of the company, Alhaji Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna made the disclosure yesterday at an engagement meeting with Traditional and Religious in Kano state. Gwamna explained that the company is spending N4bn monthly on purchase of Energy but only generating between N1.8bn and N1.9bn. He said the company had engaged the District Heads and Chief Imams of Juma'at mosques across the 44 local government in order to tackle the problem of vandals in the state. He added that next to the issue of vandalism, was energy theft, lamenting that the company had only 500,000 registered customers in the whole of its three franchise states of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States. "With these huge problems and less credible customer's paying their bills, it' has become imperative to engage traditional and religious leade...

Youths Reject Imposed King In Ekiti State There was mild drama at the  Agbado Community  of  Ekiti State   as the youths of the community, have dethroned  and sent out an allegedly imposed traditional ruler named  Bolaji Okunbobabe   from the Owa oro town. Following the irregular appointment of the traditional ruler, youths had taken to the streets to protest, armed with stones , clubs and other weapons, chanting a war cry and blocking the Ado- Ikare road. The Public Relations Officer of the Agbado youths,  Mr. Sanya Adeoti,  popularly known as Napoli,  who provided this information clearly stated   “we just woke up to learn that a Regent has been appointed for our town and this is against the tradition of Agbado.” The imposed leader was alleged to have been a decision by incomplete members of the king makers of the community. Furthermore, Olori Omo Owa (head of princess and princesses),  Prince Sunday Adelu...

African Land Forces Summit Holds In Abuja Military Commanders from across Africa on Monday, kicked off a conference been hosted by the  Nigerian Army  and co-hosted by the  United States Army Africa (USARAF) aimed at boosting cooperation between countries fighting extremist groups. Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff,  Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai , gave the keynote address at the event holding at the conference hall of the Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja, Nigeria.Naij a News  learnt  that the conference known as The African Land Forces Summit, is targeted at bringing  together land force chiefs from across Africa for candid dialogue to improve security. Naija News  also   understands that military leaders from almost every country on the African continent, including   Angola ,   Cameroon ,   Egypt,   Kenya   and   Rwanda   are in Abuja with the aim of discussing on how to curb security threats in Africa...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested three suspected illegal oil dealers conveying the petroleum products in a Dangote truck. Spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. Uwujaren said the suspects were arrested by the Army in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. According to him, men of the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army stationed in Uyo nabbed the trio with the Dangote truck conveying  “illegally refined petroleum products”. “The suspects were arrested by soldiers during a routine check. It was later discovered that instead of cement the Dangote truck with Kano State registration number KNC 145 XA, was conveying illegally refined petroleum product. ”The products were concealed in huge cellophane bags numbering about 190  and were being conveyed to an unknown destination. “At the time of their arrest, the suspects could not produce any licence that authorised them to deal in petroleum produ...

A military aircraft which crashed outside Algiers, the Algerian capital has claimed the lives of No fewer than 257 people. Naija News   learnt that the plane which was said to be headed to Tindouf in Algeria’s south, home to camps for refugees and was said to be carrying mainly soldiers crashed just some time after it took off. According to the country’s defence ministry, the victims consisted of 10 crew members and 247 passengers who were mainly soldiers and their families. The ministry added that Investigations are still been carried out as the reason for the crash is yet to be ascertained Naija News  learnt that 14 Ambulance immediately gravitated towards the scene to rescue injured people. The crash is the worst in Algeria since 2003 when an Air Algerie jet crashed, killing 102 people.

A closed-circuit television footage believed to be from the Offa bank robberieshas been leaked online. Naija News  recalls that on April 5, armed robbers stormed some banks in Offa, Kwara State, killing more than 30 people. Among the victim banks were customers and staffs of Union Bank, EcoBank, Guarantee Trust Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank and Ibolo Micro Finance Bank. Meanwhile, Inspector General of the Nigerian Police, Ibrahim Idris has deplore to Kwara State three units of Police Mobile Force ( PMF),  high powered police investigation team and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to Kwara. The Senate President,  Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki,  has said perpetrators of the recent armed robbery in Offa, Kwara state which left many civilians and police men dead, must be brought to justice.