The Nigerian Army Monday kicked off a 3-day prayer for soldiers who died in the Kaduna air crash.
The prayer which took place at the Staff Flag House Niger Barracks, Abuja was for the deceased, their families, Nigerian leaders and the country at large.
Signature TV Correspondent was at the prayer and tells us more
Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Portland, USA Professor Simon Aihiokhai says Nigerian democracy is battling with tribal consciousness.
Aihiokhai made this statement during an interview on the Signature Show on AIT.
According to him, the slow and diminishing progress Nigeria is having today is contributed by challenges of tribal identity and tribal consciousness where  public officers corner resources to their tribe undermining citizens from other tribes.
He maintained that Nigeria as a country does not have a true culture of democracy and those in leadership positions lack the understanding of what he called the philosophy of democracy.
Aihiokhai suggested that Nigeria should de- emphasize tribe  and have a national conversation to tackle the challenge of tribalism retarding the progress of the country.
Vehicular movement was halted on the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Monday following a protest by the residents of Gauraka community in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The residents took to the streets to protest the incessant cases of kidnapping in the community by burning tyres on the highway.
They demanded that the State and Federal Governments boost security in the area and end the incessant attacks.
This comes after kidnappers stormed the area on Saturday and Sunday, kidnapping at least fifteen persons from the community and killing three others.
Residents lament that they have long lost sleep due to the activities of kidnappers who have continued to terrorise the community.
More than thirty people have been abducted from January till date in the Gauraka community which is about five kilometres away from Nigeria’s seat of power, Abuja.
Anambra State Police Commissioner, Chris Owolabi said there were no police casualties in the attacks launched by hoodlums against its ‘B’ Division and the office of INEC on Sunday night in Awka.
On the contrary, he said four of the gunmen who attacked the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were shot dead during a gun-battle.
Owolabi who spoke at a press conference in Awka on Monday, said the policemen on duty successfully repelled the armed hoodlums at the ‘B’ Division, although they burnt the Charge Room.
According to him, during the face-off, three vehicles were demobilised, with six pump action guns, one AK -47 and one General Purpose Machine Gun recovered from them.
Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, who was at the press briefing said the main building of INEC is safe even though the hoodlums burned vehicles, the stock and collation centres of the commission.
The federal government has declared 63 Nigerians and 27 foreigners wanted over violation of COVID-19 guidelines.
A statement issued on Sunday night by the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 and signed by its Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the identified individuals failed to observe the newly instituted mandatory protocols recently put in place against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the statement, the list, which contains a total of 27 Indians and 63 Nigerians, arrived in Nigeria through the Muritala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the PSC, while the affected airlines are Ethiopian airline and Qatar airways, the 27 Indian violators were categorised as unregistered.
The statement gave the dates of their arrival to be between May 8 and 15, noting that they evaded the mandatory seven-day quarantine for persons arriving from restricted countries.
The Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma says no fewer than 400 people who caused mayhem in the state have been arrested and charged to court.
This was contained in a statement in Owerri signed by Uzodinma’s Chief Press Secretary Oguwike Nwachuku.
According to him, over 70 per cent of the criminals are not Igbo.
The Governor however threatened to crush anybody who attempts to attack Imo people again.
Uzodinma then called on the people to go about their businesses without fear of molestation or harassment.
ON THE FOREIGN SCENE
The United States has announced visa restrictions for Ethiopian and Eritrean government officials and members of security forces over atrocities tied to a months-long conflict in northern Ethiopia.
The Secretary of State Antony Blinken also announced on Sunday that the U.S. has imposed wide-ranging restrictions on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia after parties to the conflict in Tigray have “taken no meaningful steps to end hostilities.”
He however said that the U.S. will continue with humanitarian assistance and other critical aid to Ethiopia including health, food, education, human rights, democracy, and other areas. He said the Biden administration will continue with its broad restrictions on aid to Eritrea.
Prior to taking these steps, the Biden administration had repeatedly called for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean and Amhara forces from the Tigray region and asked for the African Union to help resolve the crisis, to no avail.
Thousands of people have died since November in the conflict in Ethiopia’s northernmost region. At least 2 million people are reported to have been displaced.
Sunday’s announcement is the latest step from the international community to hold those responsible for the Tigray atrocities to account.
The European Union delayed budget support payments to Ethiopia following reports of the crisis. #
In sportS
The international friendly encounter between the Super Eagles and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will take place at the Weiner Neustadt Stadium in Austria on Friday, June 4.
The game according to information on the Super Eagles Twitter handle will kick-off at 8.30 pm.
The 10,000, capacity stadium is the home ground of Austrian Regional League East outfit SC Wiener Neustadt.
The stadium which has also been used for speedway racing was opened on 19th May 1955 and renovated in 2008.
Super Eagles Head coach Gernot Rohr has already released a provisional list of 31 players for the game.
The friendly is expected to prepare both teams for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers scheduled to kick-off later this year.
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That’s the Signature TV News Update on behalf of my Producer Damilola Abudu
