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Ogun State Government has announced the closure of its borders with the neighbouring states and the international border with the Republic of Benin. According to a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Ogun State Governor, Kunle Somorin, and made available to INDEPENDENT, “the closure will be effected at 12 Midnight on Sunday, 29th March, 2020. It will be in force for two weeks in the first instance.” The statement read further: “With this restriction order, movement in and out of the state is thus banned as a further measure to contain the corona virus pandemic. “The state is constrained to effect border closure in order to stem and flatten the curve of the spread of the dreaded corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic, not only in the state but in the country and in the West African sub-region. “The position of Ogun State is peculiar. It not only shares an international border with the Republic of Benin, it does so with all other states in the South West (except Ekiti)...

First Bank of Nigeria on Friday announced the closure of its physical branches in the light of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the resultant lockdown in different states of the federation. The bank made the announcement in a letter to its depositors on Friday entitled: ‘Physical branches closed, virtual branches open’. “In light of COVID-19 and the lockdown being experienced in different states, be informed that we have made arrangements to ensure the availability of ATM services at our branches across the country. “We, however, urge you to make use of our alternative channels for all transactions during these period. “All our alternative channels will be available for you daily,” the bank said. Newsmen report that the bank had recently announced measures it took to control the spread of the COVID–19. In a statement, the bank’s Group Head, Folake Ani-Mumuney, assured stakeholders of business continuity management. “Embedded in our corporate strategy is business continui...

Cristiano Ronaldo’s consistency puts him ahead of Lionel Messi as the world’s best player, according to Pele, but he doesn’t believe that either man is as good as he was in his prime. Ronaldo and Messi continue to set the benchmark in terms of individual brilliance even as they approach the latter stages of their respective careers, with the former now plying his trade in Italy with Juventus and the latter still Barcelona’s talismanic performer. The two men have shared 11 of the last 12 Ballon d’Or awards between them, with Messi edging one ahead of his rival after picking up a sixth Golden Ball back in December. The Argentine has since helped Barca return to the Liga summit and reach the Champions League knockout stages, scoring 22 goals across all competitions. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has 25 to his name for Juventus, including 16 in his last 12 Serie A outings which have helped Maurizio Sarri’s side stay on track for an unprecedented ninth consecutive Scudetto. Supporters a...

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde will, on Monday February 16th, 2020, kick off free medical mission in Oyo North Senatorial District. The medical mission will include free surgical operations and other medical examinations. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bashir Bello, revealed this in a statement signed on Friday, March 13, 2020. He added that the free health mission was introduced by the present administration with the aim to improve the quality of healthcare among the residents of Oyo State. “The free medical mission was introduced with the aim of improving the quality of healthcare services among the people and reducing medical quackery practices”, the statement read. Dr. Bello also added that the mission will kick off at L.A Primary school, Agede, Kisi, in Irepo Local Government Area and will entail free medical activities such as checking of blood pressure, HIV test with free drugs, checking of Hermia, Lipoma, Sebaceous cyst and breast lumps. The Statement furt...

The Lagos State Taxi Drivers and Cab Operators Association, popularly known as Yellow Taxi/Eko Cab, on Tuesday unveiled EkoCab Mobile App to promote transit system in the state. The app, tagged “EkoApp: A New Approach to Lagos Transport” was launched in Ikeja at an event attended by stakeholders in the transport sector. Mr Taiwo Omolekan, the General Secretary and incoming President of the association, said that the development was to ensure that it was not left behind in the technology-driven world. Omolekan said that henceforth, commuters could download the app and book for a taxi (branded) or a cab (unbranded) in the comfort of their homes to commute around the state. “With the advent of technologies, taxi business has moved from the traditional flagging down of taxi on the road to electronic ride hailing services, in which taxi drivers could be called from the comfort of one’s home for a ride to any part of the state. ” Therefore, the Yellow taxi, which is the pride o...

The Imo State Director, National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Ikenna Unegbu, has been arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court sitting in Owerri, the State capital, for allegedly defiling a two-year-old girl in his office. The incident was said to have happened on February 5, 2020 in Unegbu’s office at the NIMC. The complainant, who is also the mother of the victim, Chinonye Obioma, told the court that her little child was defiled on February 5, 2020 by the Director. She explained that the Director had taken the child from her in the guise of consoling her after she (Obioma) scolded her (the child) for pouring water around the office. “My daughter went into the office twice with biscuits and groundnuts, only to come out from the Director’s office the third time, crying,” she told the court, according to the newspaper. Obioma further said that on her way home, she noticed abnormal movement and posture of her baby after she urinated. “When I asked her what happened...

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday, canvassed a new constitution for the country as against an amended one. He also hailed the Southwest governors for what he called their courage in establishing the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) Operation Amotekun to check insecurity in the region. Obasanjo who spoke at the first Annual Frederick Fasehun Memorial Lecture in Lagos said “nothing has united the people of the Southwest like Amotekun since Nigeria’s Independence in 1960.” He stressed that a new political order and arrangement would strengthen Nigeria’s unity and make room for healthy and useful competition among its component parts. Obasanjo recalled how Nigerians’ disenchantment with the current political structure started with the quest for “true federalism” during his tenure which has since changed to “restructuring”. He feared that the next phase could turn out to be call for self-determination by one or more geo-political zones, which will not be ea...

Deontay Wilder’s video message to Tyson Fury has given the go-ahead to part three of the saga between the two professional boxers. Tyson Fury knocked out Deontay Wilder in the seventh round to win the WBC Heavyweight championship title belt last weekend but it was the first time the American has been stopped in his 44-fight career. However, Wilder blamed his assistant trainer for throwing in the towel in last week’s rematch. He also blamed the heavy costume he wore for the ring walk and has decided to take up the 30-day clause to stage another rematch. In his video calling out Fury on Saturday, Wilder said: “‘Hello my people, my Bomb Squad army, my Bomb Squad nation, to all my loved ones around the world, I just want to let you know I am here. “Your king is here. And we ain’t going nowhere, for the war has just begun. I will rise again. I am strong. I am a king, you can’t take my pride. “I am a warrior. I am a king that will never give up. I’m a king that will fight ...

Arsene Wenger thinks Chelsea broke “rule number one” after a brutal lesson from Bayern Munich pushed them to the brink of Champions League elimination. Bundesliga champions Bayern took a giant step towards the quarter-finals of the competition with Tuesday’s resounding 3-0 success at Stamford Bridge. A second-half brace from Serge Gnabry, followed by Robert Lewandowski’s 39th goal of the season, did the damage as Chelsea were comprehensively outclassed in the first leg of the last-16 tie. “What has he [Lampard] learned… but he knew already, because you don’t lose five home games if your team is superior to every other team,” Wenger told beIN Sports. “But at that level, to give possession away you’re punished at some stage because they make you run too much, and you cannot survive for 90 minutes. “In the Champions League, if you lost the midfield you’re in trouble, it’s rule number one. “Because you play against good teams, if they can feed the strikers you, at some stag...

Getfitng Technologies, a weight loss company, on Tuesday accepted the challenge by Eniola Badmus, popular Nigerian actress, to use her to prove its claim on weight loss pills. Badmus on Monday threw the challenge to the company. The Nollywood icon wrote on her official page @eniola_badmus “if truly your weight loss pills and food works, use Eniola Badmus as a project. “Work on me and let the world see the progress. Stop using people we know as slim people to advertise weight-loss food, pills and etc,’’ she said. Reacting to her challenge, Getfitng technologies said the company was ready to use her as `guinea pig’ for free, as long as she was ready to abide by the routine. Getfitng technologies made the statement through its official Instagram page @getfitng “challenge accepted @eniola_badmus, we accept to use you as a project for three months and melt your stubborn belly fat for free! “If you accept to follow our instructions consistently and share your progress pict...

A 16-year-old boy, Adekunle Ayomikun, who allegedly hid in the toilet of a bank overnight and stole N340,000 was yesterday, remanded at Special Correctional Centre for boys in Oregun, by a Lagos magistrate’s court sitting in Igbosere. The defendant, who is facing a count charge of stealing preferred against him by the Police, was docked before Magistrate K. O. Doja-Ojo. However, the teenager pleaded guilty to the charge against him. When Magistrate Doja-Ojo asked him, how he got into the bank, Ayomikun told her that he entered the bank around 4 pm during banking hours and locked himself in the toilet. He said: “After closing hours at night I went to the bulk room of the bank where I saw money, and I took N340,000 and kept it in my pocket. “I had a lighter with me, so when I was trying to come out of the bank, the lighter attracted the security guards at the bank who saw me, then I ran back into the toilet and locked myself up, again.” Ayomikun also added that when he ...

​Social media has become an integral part of an athletes life in the current climate with almost a majority of them on one platform or the other and now a report from social media marketing firm, ​Opendorse claims that the world's most valuable Twitter posts from athlete endorsers comes from professional soccer players. There is no surprise as to who comes out on top when it comes to raking money among athletes from Twitter, with a tweet from the Portugal and ​Juventus superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly generates an equivalent advertising value of $868,604. Ronaldo who has nearly 82million followers on Twitter has a number of partnership deals with global brands, including Nike, streaming service DAZN and Herbalife. These partnerships along with his global appeal, help generate both publicity and income in high numbers. Former ​Barcelona icon, Andres Iniesta who now plays for Japanese club, Vissel Kobe is ranked second on Opendorse’s list with an estimated v...

Governor Nyesom Wike has asked embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole to resign over his failure to stop swearing of Sen Douye Diri as Bayelsa state Governor. Wike, addressing the media Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, in furtherance of his reactions to the political watershed in Bayelsa, also vowed that Oshiomhole and the APC would never succeed in wrestling political power from PDP in Rivers. He said: “This is a country where you see people who do not have character. Today they sing a song, tomorrow they sing another. I think Oshiomhole as National Chairman of APC is not a character anybody should associate with. “First, I have never been violent, will never be. However, when you see an armed robber come to your house, will you plead with the robber and say I beg you, leave my house. People think armed robbers are only those who cart away people’s money. “The worst form of armed robbery is when you steal people’s mand...

​Lionel Messi's run of not scoring in a grand total of three league games means that he has officially hit his worst goalscoring run in two years. The last time the Argentine magician went three games without troubling the scorers was back in February of 2018, ​according to AS. However, it is worth mentioning that despite not scoring in the games against Valencia, Levante and Real Betis, Messi has laid on 5 assists for his teammates in that time, including a hattrick of assists in the team's 3-2 win Betis this past weekend. Moreover, he has also attempted 22 shots in the 3 games, meaning that is it probably a matter of time before the net starts bulging for him once again. However, in comparison, arch rival Cristiano Ronaldo has been on an absolute goalscoring tear for​ Juventus, having scored in each one of his last 10 league games en route to breaking a club record. In fact, ​no striker in the top leagues in Europe has scored more since the begin...

For the ninth year in a row, Aliko Dangote of Nigeria has been declared as the wealthiest person in Africa, with an estimated net worth of $10.1 billion. In the latest ranking of the world’s billionaires by Forbes, the American global media company focusing on business, investment, technology, entrepreneurship and leadership, Dangote’s present worth is down from his estimate of $10.3 billion, a year ago, a development attributed to possibly a slightly lower stock price for his Dangote Cement flagship company. Africa has 54 nations, but only eight countries have billionaires, according to Forbes, with South Africa and Egypt dominating not only the top 10 richest people in Africa list, but in the rankings overall with five billionaires each. Nigeria comes second with four billionaires. Nassef Sawiris of Egypt is the new number two richest, worth $8 billion, up from $6.3 billion last year. Sawiris’ most valuable asset is a stake in shoemaker Adidas worth a recent $4 billio...