WARNING: N5,000,000 fine for anti-govt speech The Federal Government has handed down stern warning... Nigerian teen jailed for blasphemy has sentence quashed   CNN   Reuters   bbc.co.uk   Africanews English   U.S. News & World Report Nigeria approves $17m for nationwide oxygen plants amid Covid-19 surge   CNN   FRANCE 24   Africanews English   BBC News   Premium Times Nigeria to Bar Exporters Withholding Proceeds From Bank Services   Bloomberg Nigeria's Upstream Petroleum Sector: Looking Back at 2020 and...   The National Law Review Christian Group Names Nigeria Hot Spot for Persecution   Voice of America Nigeria Now Expects First Covid-19 Vaccines in February   Bloomberg Turkish cargo ship hijacked by pirates off Nigeria   Anadolu Agency 2nd Circ. Seems Wary Of Enforcing Nixed $2.7B Nigeria Award   Law360 Western Media and Distortion of Nigeria's Chibok Kidnapping   Council on Foreign Relations Nigerian programmes emerging   Reuters Gunmen kill 6 villagers in northwestern Nigeria   Xinhua Son of Homophobic Nigerian Politician Comes Out, Responds to Trolls   Out Magazine Joe Biden reverse Trump Travel ban on Nigeria and oda African kontris   BBC News Drug supply shortage in Nigeria during COVID-19: efforts and challenges   DocWire News 4 killed 11 injured in Nigeria tanker explosion-ANI   BW Businessworld Nigeria emerges as Africa's primary export hub for ivory, pangolin scales   Mongabay.com Young, Bold, Feminist: How Is Nigeria's Damilola Odufuwa Creating Space for Africa's Women?   Global Citizen Why is it so dangerous to be a Christian in Nigeria?   Angelus News Insecurity: Atiku call on America new President, Joe Biden to help Nigeria fight Insurgents   BBC News Nigeria expects to get 1st COVID-19 vaccine in February   Anadolu Agency Coronavirus   Africanews English Ogonna Chukwudi: Madrid CFF sign Nigeria midfielder from CSKA Moscow   Goal.com Nigeria: A Governor's Wife Goes Houston To Take the Vaccine   IDN InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters Fear and frustration in Nigeria as millions at risk of phone suspension   Yahoo Finance Australia Nigerian author Tade Thompson takes the science fiction world by storm   The Africa Report Former Nigeria assistant coach Joe Erico passes away   Goal.com How Africa's largest city is staying afloat   BBC News Nigeria President Buhari pays tribute to former Super Eagles assistant coach Joe Erico   Goal.com Nigeria readies for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines   Africanews English Nigerian stunt crew aims to kick-start Nollywood action boom   Reuters Osinachi Ohale: Madrid CFF sign Nigeria defender from AS Roma   Goal.com Nigeria Opens Schools Despite Jump in COVID-19 Cases   VOA Zimbabwe Rome: Ciampino locals help migrant street sweeper return to Nigeria for his mother's funeral   Wanted in Rome Atlas Mara Mulls Options on Nigerian Bank After Approaches   Yahoo Finance Nigeria awaits final confirmation for WHO-led COVAX vaccines: official   Xinhua Daughter of Nigerian Immigrants Hopes to Lead by Example in Minnesota Legislature   Voice of America Nigerian Qua Iboe exports to resume as production returns: sources   Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide Significant Economic Presence And Taxation Of Non-Resident Companies In Nigeria   Mondaq News Alerts The Impact Of COVID-19 On VAT Revenue Generation In Nigeria   Mondaq News Alerts Biden’s emergence in the shadows of Nigeria’s 2023 contest   Vanguard Attack on Fulani a social upheaval that may destabilise Nigeria ― ACF   Vanguard

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1. Federal Universities Non-Teaching Staff to Go on Strike Feb 5 [Premium Times] The non-teaching staff of federal universities have resolved to embark on a nationwide strike on February 5, over the non-implementation of the agreement entered with the Federal Government, an official has said.
   
   
2. Supreme Court Quashes Bid to Unfreeze Abacha Accounts in UK, Others [Leadership] The Supreme Court, has for the second time, refused the request by Alhaji Ali Abacha, a brother to the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, to unfreeze accounts traced to him and relatives of the late Abacha in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Jersey, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.
   
   
3. Obono-Obla, Buhari's Ex-Aide, Arraigned for Fraud, Certificate Forgery [Premium Times] The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Friday arraigned a former aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Okoi Obono-Obla, and two others for fraud and certificate forgery.
   
   
4. Naira Falls Against Dollar As CBN Vows Sanctions Over Remittances [Premium Times] Naira lost both at the import and export window, and the parallel market.
   
   
5. Govt Set to Evacuate 600 Nigerians Stranded in Saudi Arabia [Leadership] The chairman of the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said that the federal government is set to evacuate 600 Nigerians who have been stranded in Saudi Arabia for more than seven months.
   
   
6. Varsity Workers to Begin Nationwide Strike February 5 [Leadership] Nonacademic staff of universities have concluded plans to embark on a nationwide strike on February 5, 2021.
   
   
7. Development of Nigerian Covid-19 Vaccine Underway - Osinbajo [Leadership] Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said Nigeria has made significant progress in developing a vaccine to tackle the novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) since the nation recorded its first case last year.
   
   
8. Experts Task Govt On Youth Development Policy [This Day] Experts have advised the Federal Government to consider developing a policy that will specifically address youth development.
   
   
9. Basketball Federation in Sponsorship Talks for 2021 Season [This Day] Amidst global challenges as occasioned by Covid-19, the Nigeria Basketball Federation is in deep talks with sponsors of the domestic leagues in its quest to kick start the 2021 league season.
   
   
10. All Herdsmen Are Not Bandits [This Day] Crime has no ethnic face. When criminality is defined according to ethnic origin or religion, social cohesion is threatened. There are people of criminal inclinations in every group, race, place and religion. In fact, we defeat the fight against insecurity if we lend ourselves to ethnic prejudices. The insecurity devouring Nigeria affects everyone - Igbo, Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Idoma, Jukun -- and people of different religions. The criminals pillaging the country do not select victims based on ethnicity an
    
    
11. Osimhen Returns to Training After 79 Days [Premium Times] Osimhen is resuming training after recovering from COVID-19 and shoulder injury
    
    
12. Akeredolu's Quit Order and Playing the Ostrichreef [Leadership] The 7-day ultimatum issued on criminal herdsmen on January 18, 2021 by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to either vacate forest reserves in the state or face the full wrath of the law has culminated to acrimonious reactions from various groups, including the presidency. The quit directive to the criminal herders, according to the governor, was issued after reviewing cases relating to kidnappings and other crimes in the state.
    
    
13. NIMC Begins Enrolment of Diplomats [This Day] The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has commenced the enrolment of diplomats in Nigeria.
    
    
14. Onu Advocates Protection of Intellectual Property [This Day] Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has called for the protection of intellectual property of inventors and innovators.
    
    
15. EFG Hermes Gains Top Spot At Kenya, Nigerian Stock Exchange [This Day] Egyptian Financial Group Hermes Holding, EFG Hermes, has been ranked first on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and second by value traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, highlighting the significant strides made in both Sub-Saharan Africa's western and eastern financial hubs.
    
    
16. Obono-Obla, 2 Others Arraigned for Alleged N19.9 Million Fraud [This Day] Abuja -- Chairman of the now disbanded Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Mr Okoi Obono-Obla was on Friday arraigned alongside two others before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo, Abuja over allegations bordering on fraud.
    
    
17. Covid-19 and Reopening of Schools [This Day] The House of Representatives argues that the reopening of schools is ill-timed, writes Peter Kumu
    
    
18. Chief John Nnia Nwodo - Ijele Ndigbo Takes a Bow [Premium Times] On Sunday, January 10, Professor George Obiozor emerged as the new president-general of Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural body of an estimated 40 million Igbos at home and in the diaspora. The change of guard was a sombre ceremony following an election held earlier that day at Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri. The day also marked the end of a pivotal era that started in January 3, 2017. The dramatis personae of that epoch was no other than the Ike Ukehe, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, a man whose vision and char
    
    
19. Abuja Cultural Market Creates 2,500 Jobs - NCAC DG [Leadership] The director-general of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has said the council is ready to create over 2500 jobs for Nigerians in the next two months as it opens its cultural market to the public.
    
    
20. Ortom Urged to Run for Senate in 2023 [This Day] George Okoh in Makurdi
    
    
21. 'Recognition' Uncountable [This Day] Media Gaffes By Ebere Wabara
    
    
22. Appeal Court Unseals Seplat Petroleum's Offices [This Day] Tobi Soniyi
    
    
23. U.S.$20 Million - Entitlements for Ex-Presidents, Deputies, Others in 2021 [Premium Times] This expenditure is a yearly ritual in the nation's budgetary cycle, and by the end of this year, it would have cost Nigeria about N68.8 billion in five years.
    
    
24. Islamic Leader El-Zakzaky's Wife Contracts Covid-19 in Prison [This Day] Zeena Ibraheem, the wife of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has contracted COVID-19 in prison at a correctional centre in Kaduna State
    
    
25. Nigerians Pay One of World's Highest 'Implicit Tax Rates' - AfDB President [Premium Times] The AfDB president speaks extensively on how the government can use tax to improve its revenue battered by the coronavirus pandemic.
    
    
26. Why Restructuring Country Won't Work - Former President Jonathan [Premium Times] Mr Jonathan says restructuring will not work until issues that divide Nigerians are resolved.
    
    
27. Former U.S. Officials Call on Biden to Back WTO Selection for Okonjo-Iweala [allAfrica] A cross-section of former senior U.S. government officials, including a Nobel Laureate, along with academicians and civil society leaders, have written to President Biden in support of the election of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Opposition from the Trump administration has stalled her selection which requires consensus according to WTO procedures. Here is the text of the letter that was delivered after Biden took office on January 20.
    
    
28. Western Media and Distortion of Nigeria's Chibok Kidnapping [CFR] Washington, DC -- Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, writing for the BBC, argues that Western media distorted the 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping of more than two hundred girls sitting for high school examinations. Based on conversations with some of the freed schoolgirls, she argues that the episode was not so much an attack on female education, as portrayed in Western media, but rather banditry gone wrong. A consequence of Western media attention was that it inflated Boko Haram's prestige and set the stage for its later use of female sui
    
    
29. We Can't Restructure Nigeria Without Tackling Tribalism, Nepotism - Jonathan [Leadership] A former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has said that the nation cannot restructure in isolation without tackling the challenges of tribalism, nepotism and religious extremism.
    
    
30. Concerns Over Sale of Contaminated Fuel to Airlines [This Day] There are concerns that some fuel marketing companies might be selling contaminated fuel to airlines due to poor regulation.