March 9. Things You Need To Know Today

• Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has mocked former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and an ex-military commander, General Theophilus Danjuma, over their separate calls for restructuring of the country.

Nnamdi Kanu in a tweet on Sunday said these were men who rather took up arms against the Igbo than restructure the country in 1967.

• The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari, his administration and Governments of countries affected by coronavirus to impose an international travel ban on their officials.

TIEMS Director (Nigeria/West Africa), Ismail Sani, who made the call in a statement on Sunday, lamented that despite the alarming rate the deadly virus was spreading, some government officials in Nigeria and elsewhere were still travelling outside their countries for conferences and events.

• Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, was attacked Sunday afternoon at Ohaji area of the state.

Upon the governor’s arrival at the area, youths of Mmahu community repeatedly shouted “Onye Oshi Vote, Onye Oshi Vote” (meaning “stolen votes” in Igbo language), throwing bottles and sticks at the convoy.

• President Muhammadu Buhari, Sunday, sent messages to Presidents Hassan Rouhani and Moon Jae-in of Iran and South Korea respectively, and the Prime Minister of Italy, Guiseppo Conte, expressing “deep sympathies” following increasing incidents of the deadly Coronavirus in their countries.

In the messages, President Buhari said the Nigerian government will continue to diligently carry out its duty to the international community by ensuring that the spread of the disease is curtailed.

• President Muhammadu Buhari has approved 65 radio FM and digital television licenses across various parts of the country.

Top amongst the beneficiaries were the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp who acquired radio FM broadcasting license each, the Nigeria Customs Service (radio and television licences), and Blueprint Newspapers which got approval of a free view digital terrestrial television licence.

• The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, OYC, has warned that there will be crisis in the country if part of the $22.7 billion loan approved by the Senate for President Muhammadu Buhari-led executive is not used to build infrastructures in the South East.

OYC warned that, “South East exclusion will fuel crisis and political uncertainty and push the region out of Nigeria” in a statement signed by the President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the Secretary-General on Sunday.

• Nigerian singer, Ejiro Emokinovo, has died in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, after performing at the 90th birthday celebration of the mother of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Ejiro, who was the lead vocalist of a popular singing group, Veentage Band, died after an unsuccessful surgery.

• A Nasarawa United player, Chineme Martins, has slumped and died during one of the Nigeria Professional Football League fixtures on Sunday.

Martins collapsed after colliding with a Katsina United player as efforts to resuscitate the player proved abortive, as he eventually gave up the ghost before he was even rushed to hospital.

• The Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide also known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has described the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as the worst in the history of Nigeria.

Oyedepo, speaking on Sunday, while delivering a sermon during the second service of the church at the Faith Tabernacle, Ota, Ogun State, said the hate speech bill being sponsored by Senator Sabi Abdullahi was the most ridiculous bill anyone could think of.

• The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has said 2.2 improperly-registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards across Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have been completely deactivated.

Danbatta, at the weekend in Abuja, said the action was sequel to a ministerial directive that the NCC should compel service providers to block all improperly-registered SIM cards, pending when their owners regularise their registration.