News In Nigeria This Evening, 9-11-2020

News In Nigeria This Evening, 9-11-2020

1. Buhari directs compulsory health insurance for corps members.

President Muhammadu Buhari has given a fresh directive to the National Youths Service Corps to enrol corps members into the National Heath Insurance Scheme.

The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, made this known during a meeting with Bureau Chiefs, Media Executives and Correspondents in Abuja on Monday.

He assured that the NYSC remains committed in mentoring Nigerian youths in order to promote national unity and development.

“I would like to express our gratitude to the security agencies and other stakeholders for their continuous support to this scheme.

“Also, it is important to state that we have concluded arrangement with the NHIS for the enrollment of corps members into the NHIS in line with a presidential directive.

“However, we have also mapped out huge resources on critical health needs of corps members, including footing of medical bills,” Ibrahim said.

2. We won’t escape another #EndSARS protest if…, Senate President warns.

THE President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, warned on Monday that Nigeria as a country, will not escape another citizens’ restiveness in the mode of #EndSARS protest if it failed to effectively address the issue of youth unemployment and make practical steps in its national budget to meaningfully engage the youths.

Speaking when he formally declared open the 2021 budget defence for the Ministry of Agriculture before the Senator Abdullahi Adamu, All Progressives Congress, APC, Nasarawa West led Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, Lawan said that some youths genuinely expressed their anger in recent #EndSARS protest and successfully gained government’s attention.

Recounting the events of #EndSARS, the President of the Senate warned that a good number of them who may not have had the opportunity to vent their anger are in the rural areas; pointing out that there was the urgent need to meet them in their needs.

Lawan who advised that there was need to be more practical with budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Agriculture to create jobs for many of the youths, said, “Let’s meet them where they are and many of them are in the rural areas. Let’s give them what we can and keep them in the rural areas and make their lives productive”

“On our part, we are going to be accountable. We escaped this on (#EndSARS Protest); the other one is inescapable.”

3. Fuel Scarcity Looms As Oil Workers Begin Strike.

Scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol may hit Nigeria starting from this week as oil workers began a nationwide strike on Monday.

The oil workers under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria were directed to down tools.

The order was issued in a letter dated November 8, 2020, and signed by the General Secretary, PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa.

The letter was also copied to the Central Working Committee members of the association,.directing them to withdraw their services.

The directive comes after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government over IPPIS implementation agreement.

4. #EndSARS: Edo CP issues ultimatum for looted arms, ammunition to be returned.

Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to all those who looted arms and ammunition belonging to the police and other security agencies during the attacks on government and private facilities in the state, in the guise of #EndSARS protest, to ruturn them.

The seven-day ultimatum takes effect from Monday, 9th November, 2020.

It would be recalled that no fewer than three police stations were razed and looted by hoodlums during the protest.

Also, the warehouse of the Nigerian Customs Service at Aduwawa was broken into and several items, including seized arms and ammunition were carted away.

Kokumo in a statement signed by the command’s spokesman, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, vowed that failure to comply with the warning, the police would adopt all legal means to arrest, disarm and prosecute such lersons accordingly.

“The CP warns criminal elements to return within seven days, with effect from today Monday, 9th November, 2020, the police and other security agencies arms and ammunition looted during the attacks on government and private facilities in the state, in the guise of #EndSARS protest.

“Failure to comply with this warning, he vows to adopt all legal means to arrest, disarm and prosecute them accordingly,” the statement said.

The CP who acknowledged the fact that the police cannot do it alone, called for collaboration with the general public and cooperation of the people, in the area of information gathering and dissemination.

“Edo state police command wishes to thank the general public, especially the law-abiding citizens of Edo state, for their concern and understanding during the period of #EndSARS protest that was later hijacked by hoodlums in the state, and seeks for continued, sustainable and enduring collaboration,” he said.

Kokumo promised a handsome reward for anyone with useful information that would lead to the arrest of suspects and recovery of arms and ammunition.

He, therefore, appealed to the people “to say something whenever they see something.”

5. Troops apprehend gun runners, kill bandits in Sokoto, Zamfara.

The Defence Headquarters says that troops of troops of Operation Accord have apprehended two suspected gun runners and eliminated two bandits in Sokoto and Zamfara.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Enenche said that the suspects have been kept in custody for further action.

He said that the troops also eliminated two bandits at Fegi Baza village in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara, following credible intelligence that bandits were operating in the area.

He said that items recovered included one motorcycle, four magazines and two cell phones.

The Coordinator also said that troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, deployed at Dan-Ali village arrested one suspected bandits’ collaborator -Jamilu Usman, at Funtua LGA of Katsina state.

He said that the suspect has been kept in custody for necessary action.

He said that the gallant troops have continued to dominate the general area with aggressive and confidence building patrols.

“Additionally, the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji has continued to dominate the air space with air patrols providing close air support for ground troops with Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance missions,’’ Enenche.

He added that the Military High Command has congratulated the gallant troops for their dexterity and encouraged them to remain resolute in the fight against enemies of the nation.