February 2021 – Page 2

London Could Lose Out To New York Under Draft EU Finance Deal – Document Reveals

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

London (Precise Post) – The City of London’s finance industry would be worse off than rival New York under an early draft for a cooperation agreement in financial services between Britain and the European Union, a document, seen by Reuters, showed. Britain’s financial services industry has been largely cut off from the EU, its biggest customer, since a Brexit transition period ended on Dec. 31 as the sector is not covered by the UK-EU trade deal. Trading in EU shares and derivatives, for example, has already left Britain for continental Europe. Both sides are committed to agreeing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by the end of March on regular, informal talks about financial rules and market supervision. An early draft, this document, seen by Reuters, has less substance than a deal the EU agreed with the United States in 2016, industry officials said. “This is the start of a negotiation – the Commission proposed text is clearly more limited than the UK ambition,” said Chris Bates, a financial services lawyer at Clifford Chance. The U.S. deal, for example, says equivalence, …

News

Abduction of 300 Schoolgirls: See Futility Of Your Action – Shehu Sani Mocks Gumi, Bello

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Chris Udochukwu Abuja (Precise Post) – Former federal lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Sani has reacted to the latest abduction of about 300 boarding schoolgirls in Zamfara by bandits by mocking Sheik Ahmed Gumi and Governor Bello of Bauchi State over their justification of atrocities of AK-47 carrying herdsmen, sayings those who are spraying fragrances on the feaces of these bandits can now see the futility of their action. Shehu Sani reacted via his twitter handle shortly after the news of the latest abduction hit the air waves this morning. Recall that Sheik Gumi is asking for amnesty for the killer herdsmen shortly after meeting with them in the forest while Governor Bello is throwing his weight behind the bandits by saying that state governors are not allowed to evict herders out of the forest even after security reports have confirmed that the bandits use the forest as safe-heaven for kidnapped victims of bandits. Further recall that Precise Post reported that gunmen at early hours of today abducted yet to be ascertained number of schoolgirls from Government …

News

Another 300 Schoolgirls of GGSS Kidnapped by Bandits in Zamfara

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Zamfara (Precise Post) – Information reaching Precise Post has it that gunmen at early hours of Friday abducted yet to be ascertained number of schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara local government area of Zamfara state. However, in a developing story on BBC Hausa, about 300 felames students were said to have been abducted. This is coming less than 10 days after terrorists killed a student, abducted 27 students and three staff of Government Science college, Kagara, Niger state. 12 relatives of the staff and students were also kidnapped in the process. A resident in Kawaye village, who identified himself as Sadi Kawaye said that his daughters, Mansura and Sakina were among those abducted. “I’m on my way to Jangebe now to see the situation myself. I was told they invaded the school around 1:00am,” he said. The spokesman of the state police command command SP Muhammad Shehu didn’t deny the abduction but pleaded for time to ascertain the true situation. (TheNewsGuru)

Politics

2023 Presidency: Buhari Successor Must Be Yoruba Muslim – MURIC

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Ogechi Okorie Abuja (Precise Post) – Group under the auspices of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has vowed that the next President of Nigeria must be a Muslim from the South Western region of the country. The group wondering why no single Yoruba Muslim has ever ruled Nigeria since independence to date, argued that all Yoruba that have occupied the position have been Christians all along. MURIC’s argument is contained in a statement issued by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Friday, contending that Yoruba Muslims have been at the receiving end of political and religious persecution for too long. It said in the interest of fairness and equity, it’s time to allow a Yoruba Muslim occupy Nigeria’s number one seat come 2023. MURIC argued that even on the state level, Muslims in the South West have suffered marginalisation in the appointment of Commissioners and other political positions by Governors of Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo and Ogun. “Are Yoruba Muslims third class or second class citizens? Are we not equal before the law? “It is our strong belief that the …

News

Must Rescue Of The Kidnapped Be At Expense Of Christian Blood – Fani-Kayode Slams Sheik Ahmed Gumi

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Chris Udochukwu Abuja (Precise Post) – Nigeria’s former minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has slammed Sheik Ahmed Gumi over the statement credited to him to the bandits and terrorists to the effect that Muslim soldiers are not the ones that are killing them but rather the Christian ones. Fani-Kayode who discribed the comment as irresponsible, reckless, dangerous and incendiary and capable of sparking off a chain of events that can cause Nigeria and West Africa to be engulfed in the fire and horror of war for the next 50 years, wondered why his (appreciated) efforts to rescue the kidnapped must be at the expense of Christian blood? He continued: “Are the Christians of the North expendable? Should they be the whipping boy and the sacrificial lamb for the barbaric savages and terrorists? I really do wonder why the Gumi’s hate Christians so much? Is it genetic or are they just irredeemably heartless and insensitive?” Fani-Kayode expressed his displeasure when he took to his twitter handle and tweeted as follows:: In 1989, when IBB was in power, the founder of …

World News

$1.9trillion Biden’s Aid Bill Wildly Popular With Americans — Except Republicans In Congress

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Washington (Precise Post) – The White House is losing hope that congressional Republicans will back U.S. President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill despite a campaign-style push that has won support from business leaders, local government officials, unions and voters. The administration has heavily promoted the “American Rescue Plan” as crucial to getting millions of unemployed back to work and children back into schools. The House of Representatives will vote on it as soon as Friday. But Republican leaders in Congress are seeking to unify their caucus in opposition to the plan, and even moderate Republicans who signaled initial willingness to work with Biden are balking, largely citing the program’s cost. Utah Senator Mitt Romney, who voted to impeach Biden predecessor Donald Trump, this week labeled the relief bill a wasteful “clunker.” Pennsylvania’s Pat Toomey called it “completely partisan and divorced from economic reality.” While the relief package can pass without Republican support because of narrow Democratic control of the Senate, Biden promised a return to bipartisanship when he entered office in January. His failure to get Republicans on …

News

COVID-19 Update: Nigeria Records 634 New Cases, Total Now 154,476 – NCDC

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Chris Udochukwu Abuja (Precise Post) – The latest COVID-19 report from Nigeria has it that the country has recorded 634 fresh cases, bringing the total confirmed cases to 154,476, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said. According to the report released via the agency’s twitter handle late Thursday night, these new infections were recorded from 22 states including the FCT as follows; Lagos-259; Osun-45; Edo-38; Ogun-35; FCT-33;Anambra-26; Imo and Ondo-24 each; Akwa Ibom and Plateau-20 each; Abia and Kaduna-19 each and Ebonyi-17. Other states where fresh cases were recorded are; Borno and Rivers-10 each; Kano-9; Delta-8;Kebbi-7; Nasarawa-4; Oyo-3; Enugu and Ekiti-2 each. The NCDC further noted that 131,699 patients have been treated and discharged from across the various isolation facilities in Nigeria. The health agency regrettably announced that1,891 lives have been lost to COVID-19 related ailments since the index case was reported in February 27 last year in the country. Below is the breakdown of total confirmed cases supplied by the NCDC:

News

Operation Puff Adder II: How Police Arrested 48 Criminal Suspects, Recovered 14-AK47 Rifles, Others

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Ogechi Okorie Abuja (Precise Post) – Barely ten (10) days after Operation Puff Adder II was flagged-off by the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, operatives of the FIB Intelligence Response Team and Special Tactical Squad of the Force attached to the Operation Puff Adder II have arrested forty-eight (48) criminal suspects for their involvement and indictment in cases of armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful possession of firearms, cybercrime/financial fraud and other heinous crimes in some parts of the country. Some of the items recovered from the suspected in the operations include: forty-one (41) prohibited firearms including fourteen (14) AK47 rifles, ten (10) AK47 Magazines, fifty-eight (58) live cartridges, four (4) AK47 live ammunition, four (4) POS Machines, two (2) laptop computers, eighteen (18) mobile phones, Internet MODEM and nine (9) ATM cards. The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters C.P Frank Mba disclosed this on Thursday in a statement he signed and made available to Precise Post. The statement reads: Following the flag-off of ‘Operation Puff Adder II’ by the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni on 15th February, 2021, to reinvigorate …

Politics

Malami Won’t Let Bawa Succeed, He Has Become Too Powerful – Sagay

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Our Reporter Abuja (Precise Post) – The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), says he is afraid that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), will interfere in the duties of the new Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, and prevent him from succeeding. Sagay said this during an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday while reacting to Bawa’s confirmation by the Senate. The PACAC chairman, who was a staunch supporter of former acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, said Malami is a politician and must not be allowed to directly control the activities of the EFCC as this could derail the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government. The senior advocate, who had in 2019 led a delegation to the Senate to push for Magu’s confirmation, stated that Malami had become too powerful. On the independence of the EFCC, Sagay said, “This issue is a very big question because I noticed that they both come from the same state of Kebbi and they may even be related. For me, …

Politics

Insecurity in Nigeria Caused By Governors – Buba Galadima

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Chris Udochukwu Abuja (Precise Post) – Elder statesman and Buhari critic, Engr Buba Galadima has said that the insecurity in Nigeria is caused by the governors. Galadima who stressed that the insecurity being witnessed in Nigeria today is man-made, made the call claim on Thursday at during the National Restructure Actualisation Summit held in Abuja on Thursday. He also condemned the agitation for presidency based on ethnic group saying that what we should focus on is an electoral reform for credible election where the will of the e electorates. Galadima used the opportunity to explain that the nepotic leadership style of President Muhammadu Buhari is not the northern agenda, adding that the north in general is the victim of his mis-governance with Katsina being the worst in particular. Details later….

Photo News

Anti-graft War: New EFCC Chair, Bawa Receives Presidential Briefing

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Sports

CAF U-17 Nations Cup: Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets Drawn In Group B With Algeria, Congo and Tanzania

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Ogechi Okorie Abuja (Precise Post) – Two-time African champions, Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, begin the quest for a third continental title and a 13th trip to the World Cup finals with the team drawn in Group B alongside Congo, Tanzania and Algeria for next month’s U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, from which the four African qualifiers for the World Cup will be determined. The draw ceremony was held on Wednesday at the Monotel Dar El Barka Hotel in Nouakchott, Mauritania, and it was conducted by CAF’s Director of Competitions, Samson Adamu. The Fatai Amoo-led team qualified for the finals after reaching the final of the WAFU B U-17 Tournament staged in Togo last month, where they lost 2-3 to the Cote d’Ivoire team. Host Morocco are drawn in Group A alongside Uganda, Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire. Group B sees former champions, Nigeria, Congo, Tanzania and Algeria. In Group C, we have Cameroun, Senegal, Mali and South Africa. The U-17 Africa Cup of Nations will be held in Morocco from March 13 to 31. Nigeria won the FIFA Cadet World Cup …

News

Insecurity: We Would Deliver On Core Mandate Given by Buhari – Service Chiefs Assure Senate

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Ogechi Okorie Abuja (Precise Post) – The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj-Gen Lucky Irabor and other service chiefs have yesterday expressed their individual and collective readiness to bring the scourge of insecurity to an end in the country. Precise Post recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had in a letter dated January 27, 2021, forwarded the nominations of the service chiefs to the Senate for confirmation. When the nominees appeared before a joint Senate Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force chaired by Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko for their screening yesterday in company of the minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd), they all pledged their best to ensure that insecurity becomes a thing of the past. The new CDS, Irabor, said the mandate of President Buhari was very clear to him and his colleagues; hence they would deliver on the core mandate. For his part, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, assured the panel that if confirmed for the position, he would provide the right leadership for the Nigerian Army and reposition it. …

News

We’ll Not Relent In Ensuring That Lives, Property Are Safe Guarded – Irabor

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Chris Udochukwu Abuja (Precise Post) – Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Man Gen Leo Irabor has assured that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) will not relent in ensuring that lives and property in Nigeria are safe guarded. Irabor stated this yesterday during a meeting with the GMD NNPC and his team, as well as Branch Chiefs of Defence Headquarters in a bid to ensure that the Nation’s economy infrastructure is adequately protected. The CDS disclosed this via his official twitter handle thus: Today, I had a meeting with the GMD NNPC and his team, as well as Branch Chiefs of Defence Headquarters in a bid to ensure that the Nation’s economy infrastructure is adequately protected. The AFN will not relent in ensuring that lives and property are safe guarded.

Business

Access Bank Sets Aside N10m For Africa Fintech Programme

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Abuja (Precise Post) – Access Bank has set aside N10million for Africa FinTech Foundry (AFF’s) accelerator programmes. The cash, which will go to the top three finalists, will be used to empower emerging startups, with mentorship programmes and advisory. The programme which opened its entries last month, received 306 registrations and after rigorous assessments was later shortlisted to 30 participants. These finalists were further screened by the Head of the Africa Fintech Foundry, Mr. Daniel Awe; Group Head, Emerging Businesses, Access Bank, Mrs. Ayodele Olojede; and Vice President, Investments MBO Capital and Fintech Consultant, Mr. Oshone Ikazobor, to narrow it down to 10 -15 finalist. Awe said the AFF was committed to empowering startups with resources and to ensure start-ups are equipped to scale their businesses. He said: “If a start-up has an idea and you throw it into a market of 42 million customers, the acceleration is going to be faster. So, it is using the entire ecosystem of our group to build the future of the country. “In the next 10 years, these guys coming here we see …

News

COVID-19: Nigeria Records 655 New Cases – NCDC

February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Francis Etuko Abuja (Precise Post) – Nigeria yesterday recorded 655 new cases of #COVID-19, the nation’s Centre for Disease Control said. The health agency disclosed this late Wednesday night via it’s official handle, said that Lagos State, the epicentre of the novel virus led the infection chat with 240 cases, followed by Ogun with 88 cases while Rivers came third with 56 cases. Other states where new infections were recorded are: FCT-51; Kaduna-43; Kano-25;Plateau-21; Taraba-19; Edo-17; Abia15; Delta-13; Nasarawa-11; Akwa Ibom, Kwara and Oyo-10 each; Kebbi-9; Borno-5; Bayelsa and Gombe-4; Ekiti and Osun-2. The NCDC further reported that the total confirmed cases have risen to 153,842 while 130,818 Patients have been discharged across the various isolation facilities in Nigeria. The health agency regrettably announced that1,885 deaths have been recorded since the index case was reported in February 27 last year. The NCDC gave a tabular representation of the total confirmed cases below: