Trailer crushes 8 vehicles in Abuja, injures many

It was an unfortunate Monday morning, for residents of Mpape community, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory  as a trailer carrying granite along the busy Mpape road lost control and crushed into eight vehicles.

The accident  which happened around 9:15 AM on a busy Monday morning along Mpape axis, left scores of people injured and the  vehicles damaged,  although no life was lost

This is not the first time such ghastly accident is happening on the busy road to Mpape.

An attempt to speak to the police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), proved abortive as  they  rebuffed any  interview.

Anambra Polls in Jeopardy as Hundreds of Adhoc Workers resign over IPOB

Hundreds of adhoc workers for the Anambra State governorship election have resigned due to fear of attacks by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in May increased the polling units in Anambra State from 4,608 to 5,720 with about 10,000 ad hoc workers required for the governorship poll.

According to a reliable source who pleaded anonymity, INEC is now short of thousands of ad-hoc staff members due to IPOB instructions,  adding that those who initially signed up have now resigned en-masse.

IPOB had  in a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Sunday, gave the Nigerian Government up till November 4 to release Nnamdi  Kanu unconditionally, or it would commence a one-week lockdown in the region effective November 5.

Buhari unveils e-Naira 

President Muhammadu Buhari has  unveiled Negeria’s  digital currency

Speaking at the event held in Abuja on Monday, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwill Amiefele said  the e-Naira was  a culmination of several years of research work in advancing the boundaries of payment system in order to make financial transactions easier.

Amiefele noted that the launch of the digital currency is a major step forward in the evolution of money.

The bank vowed to ensure that the e-Naira, like the physical Naira, is accessible by everyone.

The  digital currency was billed to be unveiled on October 1 but was shifted due to activities on Independence Day.

Some journalists in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday stormed the Police Headquarters, Abuja, asking the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to provide answers on the missing National Assembly correspondent, Tordue Salem.

According to reports,  Salem, a journalist with Vanguard newspaper, was last seen 13 days ago, October 13 when he was at his beat covering event.

His colleagues and family members raised the alarm two days after his whereabouts could not be ascertained. The reporter’s disappearance was reported to the Police on the October 15th for p.

His colleagues, who are marking the 13th day of his disappearance, stormed the Police Headquarters on Monday to demand immediate action from the security agency.

Speaking at  the Police Headquarters, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, FCT chapter, Emmanuel Ogbeche, said all they wanted was for IGP Baba to come and state what the Force was doing about Tordue’s disappearance.

He urged the journalists to be law-abiding as it was  not time to fight or be violent.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said it would provide brailed ballot papers for visually impaired voters in the Nov. 6 governorship election in Anambra state .

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the state, Dr Nwachuku Orji, stated this during a voter sensitization programme for visually impaired person in Awka on Sunday.

Orji, who was represented by INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity in the state, Samuel Nimem, said the commission was committed to ensuring an all-inclusive election where no one would be left out.

Orji urged persons with disabilities, especially the visually impaired to participate actively in the governorship election.

The  Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Anambra chapter, Ugochukwu Okeke said that visually impaired persons  find it difficult to vote because the ballot papers were not brailed.

He commended INEC for factoring the visually impaired into the election process.

2022 budget: BudgIT raises concerns, queries missing N198.7bn oil company payments to NDDC

BudgIT Foundation, a civic-tech organization leading the advocacy for transparency and accountability in public finance in Nigeria, has raised concern on the glaring missing of the list oprojects to be embarked upon by Niger Delta Development Commission , NDDC,  estimated to  be one hundred and ninety-eight point seven  N198.7bn in the 2022 budget proposal.

These concerns were raised by the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Gabriel Okeowo, in a statement signed by the body’s Communication Associate, Iyanu Fatoba.

BudgIT also  raised concerns over the complete omission of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, capital budget from the overall budget, the continuous unrealistic revenue projections, soaring year-on-year debt burden and weak accountability structure, among others.

The organization called for cautious optimism, especially as the proposed 2022 spending plan comes with a N6.26tn deficit, which would be borrowed.

More Than Half Of Afghans Face ‘Acute’ Food Crisis, Says UN Agencies

United Nations agencies on Monday, warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than half the country facing “acute” food shortages.

According to the statement issued by the World Food Programme and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, one in two Afghans faces Phase 3 “crisis” or Phase 4 “emergency” food shortages.

According to the statement, more than 22 million Afghans will suffer food insecurity this winter, as a drought driven by climate change adds to the disruption caused by the chaotic Taliban takeover of the country.

One of the officials of the agencies stated that the crisis was already bigger in scale than the shortages facing war-torn Yemen or Syria, and worse than any food insecurity emergency apart from the Democratic Republic of Congo#

 Ed Sheeran cancels in-person shows as he contracts COVID-19

British singer, Ed Sheeran, has announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19, thereby cancelling all in-person shows.

Ed Sheeran took to his verified Instagram page on Sunday to break the sad news, adding that he’s currently self-isolating and following government guidelines.

According to him, all his planned shows and interviews would be conducted from his home, as all in-person commitments have been cancelled.

This comes one week after the singer alongside Nigerian songstress, Yemi Alade, performed at the first-ever ‘Earthshot’ prize awards at the Alexandra Palace.

CAF: Enyimba advance, Rivers United out

Enyimba qualified for the play-off round of the CAF Confederation Cup after they defeated Senegalese club Diambars 3-0 at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba on Sunday

The People’s Elephant victory meant they advanced 4-0 on aggregate after claiming a 1-0 victory away in Senegal a week earlier.

Enyimba went ahead in the first minute courtesy of a Tosin Omoyele strike.

After missing many chances, the People’s Elephant scored their second goal in the 31st minute played through Victor Mbaoma.

With the game looking to end 2-0, Samuel Kalu, who came on for Sadiq Abubakar in the 74th minute, scored in the last minute of regulation time to give the home side a comfortable 3-0 victory.

However ,  it was a sad tale for Rivers United, who were sent crashing out from the CAF Champions League after a 1-0 defeat to Sudanese giants Al Hilal in Egypt.

Also,  Bayelsa United, were dumped out on Saturday after they lost 4-0 to Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien, and bowed out 4-1 on aggregate.