Dozie Info

  The Federal Government has approved the payment of N33,000 as monthly allowance for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).   The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, disclosed this during a session with some corps members at the service’s Bauchi State Secretariat.   Brigadier General Ibrahim, who was on a working visit to the state, cleared the air on the amount approved as monthly allowance for corps members.   He explained that the approval was made in line with the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage by the Federal Government.   Ibrahim noted that contrary to the various amounts being circulated on social media, the sum of N33,000 had been approved as the new rate.   He stressed that provision had been made for the new allowance in the year 2020 Budget, adding that payment would commence as soon as funds were released by the appropriate authorities.   The NYSC boss advised the corps members to be security conscious at

  Mr Ndubuisi Emenike the Action Alliance (AA’s) candidate in the Imo North Senatorial District in the 2019 National Assembly election, has been shot dead by an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).   The Imo state Police command confirmed the killing on Sunday, January 26, 2020.   Speaking on the developing issue, police spokesman, Orlando Ikeokwu told journalists that Mr Emenike was mistakenly shot dead by the NSCDC official during a celebration party held in honour of APC’s Miriam Onuoha the winner of the Okigwe North Federal Constituency.   The said NSCDC operative is said to have been attached to the AA Senatorial candidate and had escorted him to the victory party.   Witnesses say NSCDC official was shooting consistently into the air and mistakenly shot his boss, disrupting the party which was already underway.   Mr Emenike fell and lost consciousness and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.   Police say the NSCDC official is pre

  The Adamawa state chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria said Boko Haram fighters have beheaded Rev. Lawan Andimi, branchchairman in Michika local government of the state.   Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza explained that the terrorists, who earlier demanded for a ransom of £2 million, however rejected an offer of N50 million.   He explained that two pastors in the state were killed at the same time in questionable circumstances, calling on the federal government to wake up to its constitutional responsibility.   The Adamawa state government has reacted to the execution of Rev. Lawan describing the action of the terror group as barbaric.   The Director General, Media and communications to Governor Ahmadu Umoru Fintiri called for sober reflection.   Mr Solomon Kumangar in an interview said that Mr Andimi was abducted two weeks ago when Boko Haram fighters stormed Michika town, in search of food stuff and petroleum products.

   The erratic power supply across the country maybe heading for the worse as Organised Labour in the sector has threatened to down tools and begin a nationwide industrial action over pending labour issues.   Some of issues include unpaid benefits to over 2000 disengaged staff of the defunct PHCN since 2013, underpayment of over 50,000 ex-PHCN staff, refusal of DISCOs to remit deducted contributory pension fund to workers' Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, payment of half salaries to workers by DISCOs, among other perceived unfair Labour practices.   In a petition to the Minister of Power, dated November 7, National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, issued a 21-day strike notice to the federal government, GENCOs and DISCOs to address all Labour concerns, failing which it would declare a nationwide industrial unrest. 

  A building along Jebba Street in the Okobaba area of Ebutte Meta area of Lagos is currently on fire.   It is unclear what the cause of the fire is and according to an eyewitness, but residents are currently making efforts to put it out.   The incident comes just days after a building was also gutted by fire in Balogun Market of Lagos Island, destroying goods and property worth millions.  This is the second fire outbreak within a week.

  Serie A could introduce five substitutions a match, after a request was sent by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to football's lawmakers.   The move is backed by Italy's top-flight clubs who want more choice, with teams already allowed to name 12 substitutes on the bench.   The five changes would be made over three stoppages, to reduce the number of breaks in play. Serie C already allow five substitutes.   FIGC president Gabriele Gravina has sent the request to the International Football Association Board (Ifab).   Champions League and Europa League games permit a fourth substitute in extra-time and it will also be allowed at the 2020 European Championship.   The Football Association announced in 2018 that it would permit an extra substitute in the latter stages of the FA Cup, from the quarter-finals onwards, while the Football League has permitted a fourth substitute in extra-time in all EFL Cup ties since 2017.

    Lionheart the 2018 film which was directed by Nollywood icon Genevieve Nnaji has been disqualified by the Academy from the 2020 Oscar race.   According to the organisers of the Oscars, the film does not meet requirements for ‘predominantly non-English dialogue track’   The disqualification came after the Academy’s International Feature Film Award Executive Committee recently viewed the movie and determined that it does not qualify in this category, formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film.   “Lionheart,” tells the story of a woman trying to keep her father’s struggling company afloat in a male-dominated environment, partially in the Igbo language but most of in English.

  The ongoing yellow fever outbreak in Bauchi State has killed no fewer than 23, infected 169 others and spread to Borno, Kano, Gombe, and Katsina.   The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Sunday in a situation report of a cluster of the ailment said the nation was responding well to the challenge posed to the people who were either residents or visitors in Alkaleri Local Council of Bauchi since the August 1, 2019 outbreak in the North East state.   The centre said suspected and confirmed cases with an epidemiological link to Bauchi have been reported in Borno, Kano, Gombe, and Katsina states, adding that the first incident was recorded on August 29 in Kano from a victim who had visited the Yankari Game Reserve.   The NCDC gave a breakdown of the infections to include 169 suspected cases; 10 presumptive positives incidents (IgM positive on serology); 15 confirmed ones by RT-PCR; 23 deaths; and five states being affected

  An alleged kidnap kingpin, Bello Abdul, 40, alias Yellow, has confessed to murdering over ten persons and abducting more than 50 victims on the notorious Abuja-Kaduna highway.   He spoke on Thursday after he was arrested by operatives of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).   According to the Nation newspaper, Yellow was arrested at his hideout in Niger State by detectives, who have been on his trail following allegations of operating an armed robbery, cattle rustling and kidnapping syndicate that spanned across Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.   It was gathered that his gangs, which had mainly young boys were responsible for over 150 kidnappings and several murders along the Abuja-Kaduna highways and Kajuru.   The suspect who spoke Hausa said: “Yes I am married with five children. I was in Niger State. I was in Kajuru before but I moved to Niger Republic in Iyamadamakwa. I live in Kara.

  Real Madrid has officially announced the signing of Luka Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported fee of €60million.   Jovic was in fine form last season scoring 17 Bundesliga goals and a further 10 in Eintracht's run to the semi-finals of the Europa League.   Jovic becomes the second player to join Madrid since Zidane's return, with a €50million move for Porto defender Eder Militao concluded in March.

  Mohamed Salah put last season's final heartbreak behind him by setting up a 2-0 win over Tottenham in Madrid and a sixth Champions League triumph for Liverpool.   Egypt star Salah was infamously injured in a challenge with Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos before the Reds subsided to a 3-1 defeat in Kiev 12 months ago but grabbed the opener in a largely forgettable contest at the Wanda Metropolitano.   The Premier League Golden Boot winner dispatched a second-minute penalty after Moussa Sissoko was penalised for handball.   Liverpool and their Premier League counterparts played in fits and starts thereafter, with Spurs enjoying their most consistent spell of pressure before substitute Divock Origi added to his semi-final brace against Barcelona by drilling clinically into the bottom-right corner three minutes from time.

  Singer R. Kelly was charged Thursday with 11 new counts of sexual assault and sex abuse charges, court documents show.   Four of the charges are aggravated criminal sexual assault, two are criminal sexual assault by force, three are aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim between 13 and 16 years old and two are aggravated criminal sexual abuse.   The aggravated criminal sexual assault charges are Class X felonies, which according to NBC Chicago is the most serious felony in Illinois and carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of six to 30 years.   The singer's attorney, Steve Greenberg, tweeted that Kelly was not charged with a new case, but re-charged in a case from a decade ago.   Kelly, 52, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was previously charged in February with 10 counts of felony aggravated sexual abuse. He has denied all the accusations against him.

  Eden Hazard appeared to confirm his Chelsea exit after scoring twice in his side's 4-1 Europa League final defeat of Arsenal.   "I think it's a goodbye but in football you never know. My dream was to play in the Premier League. I played here for seven years for one of the biggest clubs in the world and maybe it's time for a new challenge," he said while speaking to a reporter immediately after the match.

  Eden Hazard's brace helped Maurizio Sarri claim his first major trophy as Chelsea crushed Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final in Baku on Wednesday.   In perhaps his final appearance before a mooted move to Real Madrid, star man Hazard struck two second half goals to confirm Chelsea's second triumph in six seasons in this competition.   Olivier Giroud sparked the landslide against his former employers in the 49th minute before Pedro put a second past retiring Gunners goalkeeper Petr Cech.   Alex Iwobi pulled one back in between Hazard's double but Arsenal faded horribly after half-time and, having finished fifth in the Premier League, are now consigned to another season outside the Champions League.

   Andy Carroll, Adrian and Samir Nasri will leave West Ham when their contracts expire next month. Carroll Andy Carroll, 30, has scored 34 goals in 142 appearances over seven seasons at the club since arriving from Liverpool, and goalkeeper Adrian, 32, has played 150 times in six years.   Former France international Nasri, 31, made six appearances since joining on 31 December 2018.