March 4, 2021

US Vice President Kamala Harris, in a call yesterday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has restated the United States’s opposition to an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories, the White House said.

The call between the two world leaders was their first since Harris and President Joe Biden took office in January, it came on the heels of the ICC’s announcement of the investigation on Wednesday.

The court determined in February that the occupied Palestinian territories fall under its jurisdiction, …

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, yesterday stated that insurgent groups such as Boko Haram, bandits, and kidnappers get funded by drug barons who provide with arms and ammunitions to undertake criminal activities in the country to destabilize the country.

Lawan made this heavy revelation when the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (Rtd), paid a visit to his office on Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja.

According to the Senate President, such drug barons who engage in trafficking heroine, cannabis, and cocaine have made Nigeria a major transit route for plying the illicit trade, which …

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for directing security agents to shoot anyone illegally bearing AK47 rifles.

Africa Daily News, New York reported that Buhari also directed the suppression of bandits who have refused to surrender.

Reacting, Ortom who spoke during a function at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi stated that the Buhari’s order would reduce the level of criminality, banditry and militia herders’ attacks on Benue communities as well as other parts of the country.

Read Also: Treat Herdsmen Just Like You Treat ESN, Ortom Urges FG

According to the Governor, the order would also …

The Federal Government has said Nigerians will not be mandated to take the COVID-19 vaccination. Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora disclosed this yesterday during a chat on Arise Tv.

‘Nothing will be made mandatory. It’s optional. The choice is yours. Nobody will be forced to take any vaccine,’ he said.

Asked if it might become mandatory later, Mamora said, “If that happens, it would not be a decision of Nigeria.”

According to him, just like Yellow Card certificate, countries might have to start demanding a COVID-19 vaccination certificate before allowing outsiders in.

Read Also: MTN Donates 1.4M COVID-19

U.S. President Joe Biden made has made calls with a number of African leaders snubbing Nigerian president Muhamadu Buhari in a move that has raised eyebrows.

Mr. Biden reached out to Africa Thursday after more than a month in office and a flurry of phone calls to American allies around the world.
He spoke to President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, while Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday.

Mr. Biden had earlier spoken to President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in November 2020, days after his election.

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Popular Senegalese opposition politician Ousmane Sonko has been arrested by state forces, this was confirmed by his lawyer on Wednesday.

The politician is being accused of disturbing public order and breach of peace in the capital, Dakar, as he travelled to court for a hearing in a rape case.

Owing to his popularity, his motorcade was followed by hundreds of chanting supporters, who were dispersed by police with teargas.