Diamond Celebrities

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 2,009,991 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT on Saturday. At least 93,803,240 cases of coronavirus have been registered. Of these, at least 57,889,800 are now considered recovered. These figures are based […]

White pigeons caused a stir at the Eagle Square on Friday when they refused to fly after being released by President Muhammadu Buhari. The president was at the venue to mark the Armed Forces Remembrance Day alongside his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, and leaders of the National Assembly. The president had opened the cage housing the […]

The Federal Government has again snubbed a recommendation by the Economic Sustainability Committee led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and decided to re-open orientation camps nationwide next Tuesday amid rising COVID-19 infections. The Osinbajo-led committee had in June 2020 recommended that while the National Youth Service Corps programme could continue, the three-week orientation exercise should […]

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said the country should start a discussion on how to ramp up capacity to be able to manufacture vaccines locally. Nigeria – and most African countries – has been largely left behind compared to countries such as the US, UK, Russia, and China that have rolled out mass vaccination […]

A Customary Court sitting in Mapo in Ibadan, on Thursday dissolved a 15-year-old marriage between a mother of two, Olubunmi Faseyitan, and her husband, Kolawole, over ”witchcraft” suspicion. President of the court, Chief Ademola Odunade, dissolved the marriage after Faseyitan admitted that she asked a witch doctor to ”tie her husband spiritually to milk him […]

Works and Housing minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola said the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge, partially shut since 24 July 2020 will be reopened to full traffic by 15 February. The Minister gave the definitive re-opening date during an inspection of repair work on major roads and bridges in Lagos. But he dropped hint of another traffic […]

The United Nations Children’s Fund says closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic will impact negatively on the development, safety and wellbeing of children globally, noting that schools are not drivers of the viral disease. UNICEF also warned that the effects of closing school for another year will be felt for generations to come. The agency […]

The Presidency has cautioned an Islamic group, the Muslim Solidarity Forum, to be mindful of its utterances against the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah. Punch had reported that the Sokoto-based group asked Kukah to vacate the state or tender an apology over his comments on Islam. Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the […]

Sani Aliyu, national coordinator of the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19, says the date for school resumption remains January 18. Speaking during a television programme on Tuesday, Aliyu said the date has not been changed pending further directives. On Monday, Adamu Adamu, minister of education, had said the federal government is considering shifting the January […]

A court-martial sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State capital has sentenced Trooper Azunna Maduabuchi to death by firing squad for killing the adjutant of his unit, one Lieutenant Babakaka Ngorgi. Trooper Maduabuchi was arraigned for murder after shooting Lieutenant Ngorgi in July 2020 at close range in Bama Local Government of Borno State for refusing to […]

The State Security Service (SSS, also called DSS) said it is aware of plans by some people to incite religious crises in the country. The agency made this known in a statement by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, on Monday evening. Mr Afunanya listed 12 states as the main target, urging Nigerians to shun any divisive […]

The ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) enrollment may be suspended considering the large crowds seeking registration in centres across Nigeria and the risk of COVID-19, the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, has said. He made this remark on Channels TV Sunrise Daily show where he appeared as a guest on Monday. Mr Mamora, […]

Former Super Eagles Coach, Christian Chukwu has debunked the news of his death, saying that he is hale and hearty. Chukwu disclosed this on Sunday in an interview at his Trans Ekulu residence, Enugu. The social media have since January 8, been awash with the news of Chukwu’s demise. However, the former Green Eagles captain, […]

Branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Sunday assessed COVID-19 protocols in the universities and said the institutions were not ready for safe reopening. The chapters of the union, in separate interviews with Punch, commented on the directive of the  National Universities Commission that universities could resume on January 18, but must adhere […]

Yinka Akinbami, one of the ministers at the House on The Rock, has died of coronavirus complications. Yinka died at the age of 61. Senior Pastor, House on The Rock, Paul Adefarasin announced the death on Saturday. He said he had yet to come to terms with Akinbami’s death and added that the incident was […]

President-elect Joe Biden on Friday described as “a good thing”, the disclosure by incumbent President Donald Trump that he won’t attend his successor’s inauguration on January 20. Biden, however, said Vice-President Mike Pence is “welcome” at his inauguration, saying it will be a “honour’ to have him at the event. The Democrat challenger also refused […]