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Edo 2021: Kogi Athletes, Officials Test 100 Per Cent Negative to COVID-19

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All 41 athletes and 35 officials from Kogi State in the 20th National Sports Festival have tested negative to COVID-19.

Kogi State government had persistently maintained that the state is COVID-19 free despite reports by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that it had some cases.

The state contingent, who arrived at the festival on Saturday, got their COVID-19 test results early Sunday.

They were reportedly subjected to a lengthy wait under the elements.

Observers noted that the suspicion from the NCDC officials was high and not unconnected with Kogi State’s official stance on the coronavirus disease, which has killed millions around the world and 2, 058 in Nigeria.

Recall that in the early days of the pandemic when panic measures were taken by many world leaders, the Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, was caught on video declaring, “We ain’t got no COVID.”

He dismissed reports that he either had the disease or that it had reached his state.

The video, which subsequently went viral, was said to have set the pace for the governor’s controversial positions on the disease over the next year.

Governor Bello also refused to institute a universal mask mandate and would not join in the lengthy lockdowns adopted by his colleagues at the NCDC’s insistence.

He kept his state and economy open throughout and this set him on a collision course severally with the NCDC, the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, and other bodies in the coalition managing the disease for the country.

A top health official at the sports fiesta in Benin City said it was against this background that the closer-than-usual spotlight was put on the Kogi State contingent.

“The 100 per cent negative COVID-19 result for Kogi contingents in the ongoing sports festival in Benin is now raising questions. Could Governor Yahaya Bello have been right all along? Should we have listened more to him?” she queried.

The Guardian

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Mass Comm Dept Produces 18 First Class Female Graduates at UNILAG’s 55th Convocation

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The Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has made history by producing 18 all-female first-class graduates for the 2023/2024 academic session.

This remarkable feat was unveiled during the award of first-degree honours at the university’s 55th convocation ceremony, which commenced on Tuesday.

The convocation, spanning three days, will see 16,590 students conferred with degrees and diplomas. Of this number, 9,865 will receive first degrees and diplomas, while 6,659 will be awarded postgraduate degrees. Additionally, 66 students will graduate from the UNILAG Business School (ULBS).

The exceptional Mass Communication graduates include Feranmi Abiola, Ahuruele Akani, Oyindamola Arikawe, Ifedayo Ayilaran, Demiladeogo Bankole, Olaide Bankole, Eniola Daramola, Faith Enang, Temiloluwa Igbinlade, Joy Imanah, Ifeoma Iwelunmor and Chelsea Jegede.

Others are Opeyemi Kareem, Eunice Obidi, Frances Odogu, Mofesola Olanrewaju, Funmilola Onabanjo and Peace Onuoha.

The university commended the graduates for their diligence and resilience in achieving academic excellence.

Speaking at the ceremony, UNILAG’s Vice-Chancellor, Folasade Ogunsola, celebrated the university’s groundbreaking achievements in innovation, infrastructure, and academic excellence.

She highlighted the MED-AFRICA GMP Laboratory, the first of its kind in West Africa, located in the Faculty of Pharmacy. “The $450,000 state-of-the-art facility facilitates groundbreaking research on HIV prevention,” she said.

The Vice-Chancellor also mentioned the inauguration of the African Centre of Excellence for Drug Research, Herbal Medicine Development and Regulatory Science (ACEDHARS), funded by the World Bank, and the launch of the Green Air Initiative, which introduced eight electric buses for campus transportation.

In addition, she acknowledged contributions to the university’s development, including Tunde Fanimokun’s N14.5 billion pledge for hostels and research centres, and support from the Lagos State Government for various projects.

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Suspect Who Killed, Butchered ‘Girlfriend’ Says He Has No Regrets

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Alleged gospel singer, Timileyin Ajayi, 32, has admitted to killing 24-year-old Salome Adaidu, a corps member serving in Abuja.

Ajayi, arrested on Sunday, January 12, while conveying Adaidu’s severed head to an unknown location, claimed jealousy and infidelity pushed him to commit the crime when the deceased visited his residence in New Karshi, Karu Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State.

According to a video shared by Channels TV, Ajayi while speaking during his parade at the Nasarawa State Police Command headquarters in Lafia, confessed to dismembering the deceased body after the murder.

Ajayi, who lives in the Pablana area, was caught around Angwan Bako near the Kaja Estate in the New Karu LGA when conveying the severed head of Salome to an undisclosed destination on a commercial motorcycle, popularly known as ‘okada’.

“Consequently, an angry mob descended on the suspect, and upon receipt of the information, the Commissioner of Police directed police personnel to move to the scene immediately.

“They raced to the scene and rescued the suspect from being lynched. The suspect was then taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment. A follow-up investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at the suspect’s residence, where the remains of the lady who was later identified as Eliojo Salomey, 24 years old of Yanyan, FCT, Abuja, and a serving corp member, were recovered,” the Nasarawa police spokesperson Nansel Ramhan, said in a statement sent to The ICIR in the evening of Monday, January 13.

According to the police report, Ajayi used a knife and machetes to kill and dismember her body, placing the parts in multiple polythene bags.

He was subsequently paraded at the Nasarawa State Police Command headquarters.

“I killed her because we don’t have each other all the time. It’s not something I planned. It happened on that day and it happened. Not that I had the plan in mind, she was cheating.

“She hides most of the things from me most times. I got to know from her phone. I saw her chats with other guys on the phone, that was why I decided (to kill her),” he said.

When asked if he regretted his actions, he said he had no regret as he explained that the victim must reap the consequence of her infidelity.

Source: ICIR

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Court Sacks Pro-Wike Rivers PDP Chairman

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A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, on Monday, sacked Chukwuemeka Aaron, as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.

Chukwuemeka is a loyalist of the former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Justice Stephen Jumbo, in his ruling, nullified the PDP ward, local government and State congresses held in July 2024.

The development is coming barely one month after another High Court nullified the ward, local government and State congresses of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ruling sacked another Wike’s loyalist, Chief Tony Okocha, as the Rivers State chairman of the APC.

The court’s decision to sack the PDP chairman followed a dispute over the legitimacy of the PDP congresses.

The congresses were conducted by a faction of the party loyal to Wike.

A State High Court presided over by Justice Charles Wali had on July 20, 2024, stopped the PDP from going ahead with the ward, local government and State congresses.

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