Abubakar Malami Denied Buying House For His Son Abdulazeez As A Wedding Gift.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has denied media reports that he purchased a house for his son, Abdulazeez, who tied the knot on Friday, July 10.

SaharaReporters had claimed the Minister purchased a mansion for Abdulazeez as a wedding gift. The reports also claimed the wedding ceremony flouted all NCDC guidelines for mass ceremonies.

However, in a statement released today July 11 by his media aide, Umar Gwandu, the Minister denied claims he bought a house for his son. He also denied reports that the wedding did not follow NCDC guidelines. The Minister also denied reports he hired the service jet companies to ferry some persons to Abuja for the wedding.

Read the statement below

The attention of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN has been drawn to a mischievous, deceitful and perfidious publication by the notorious factory of fake news in Nigeria, the Sahara Reporters with an intent to spread lies.

It is regrettable that the information communication technology tools have been hijacked by disgruntled elements in spreading fake news and blatant lies.

The report by the media is a clear violation of ethical journalism practices on verification of facts and authentication of claims. It evinces lack of professionalism and exposes rash and reckless presentation of figment of imaginations shrouded with bigotry and bundled with sentiments of unscrupulous questions.

For instance, who is the vendor of the purported house bought for the son of the Minister in Abuja at N300m? Where is the so-called mansion located in Abuja? Where are the title documents?

While refuting the claim, Malami said “God knows that I did not purchase any house for him in Abuja. Not even a rented house was secured for my son in Abuja, because he has no plan to live in Abuja

The Federal Government has announced the indigenous development and validation of RNA-Swift in Nigeria.

RNA-Swift is a test kit used for the identification of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent for COVID-19.

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the development of the test kit was aimed at speeding up effective testing of Nigerians during the pandemic.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, talking to reporters in Abuja said;

“The RNA-Swift has amazing precision for the detection of SARS-COV-2 and will be commercially available at a price that places it ahead of competitors in terms of sensitivity and affordability.”

“I want to confirm to you that the RNA-Swift product team is in consultation with the African Development Bank for the funding of an African-wide testing programme for COVID-19 and the establishment for RNA-Swift production in Nigeria,” he stated.

Vice President Wants Blogger Investigated Over N4BN Allegations.

Lawyers to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have written to the Inspector General of Police asking for a full investigation into allegations made by an online journalist Jackson Ude from Point-Blank news who on the 8th of July 2020 wrote an article alleging that the vice president had received 4 billion naira from the embattled EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu.

According to the article, the money was part of a 39 billion naira loot by Mr Magu.

The blogger is also said to have alleged that the embattled EFCC chair is begging for a soft landing from the presidential panel because of this.

The letter written by the chambers of Bayo Osipitan and Co dated 8th July 2020 describes the allegations as vicious and malicious meant to portray the vice president as a dishonest and disloyal public officer unfit for the office of the vice president.

Embattled acting boss of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu is said o have spent four days in police custody.

The letter called for a thorough investigation into the allegations made by Jackson Ude, noting that if those claims are found to be false, then criminal proceedings for criminal defamation should be brought against Jackson Ude.

Osinbajo’s call comes on the heels of an ongoing probe into the operations of Ibrahim Magu as acting boss of the EFCC.

Magu, who is believed to have been removed from office is spending a fourth day in the custody of the Nigeria Police.

This comes as the presidential panel continues its investigation into the activities of the commission under the leadership of Magu.

The panel is reported to have extended its probe to properties alleged to have been acquired by Magu in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

On Tuesday night, a team of security officials reportedly searched his homes in Abuja and were reported to have left with some documents, although it was not confirmed if anything incriminating was found during the search.

The investigation of Magu followed the allegations of misconduct levelled against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. 📹: @channelstelevision

The US passport is now as weak as the Mexican Passport.

According to a new report by The Henley Passport Index, which periodically measures the world’s most travel-friendly passports.

Before Covid-19 came, Air traffic had been rising steadily for decades and the average US passport-holder worldwide was enjoying visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 107 global destinations.

But now faced with travel bans, coupled with the fact that the US has the highest number of Coronavirus cases, the Henley Passport Index, has placed Japan and Singapore, both Asian countries, as the passports that allow its holders visit the most countries.

Japan, according to the index is offered visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 191 destinations around the world while Singapore is in second place (with a score of 190) and South Korea ties with Germany in third place (with a score of 189).

The standard ranking, however does not take temporary bans into account. Henley & Partners in a release said; “It is eye-opening to consider what travel freedom currently looks like for the holders of once-prestigious passports.”

Last week, the EU released its list of the 14 countries whose residents would be allowed entry into the EU from July 1, banning the US but allowing Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada.

Japan and South Korea made the grade when it came to the EU’s coronavirus-related health and safety criteria, as did Australia and Canada (in joint ninth place on the Henley Passport Index).

The United States, currently placed seventh in official index, alongside Brazil and Russia is banned from entering the EU.

Trump administration begins formal withdrawal from World Health Organization

The Trump administration has notified Congress and the United Nations that the United States is formally withdrawing from the World Health Organization, multiple officials tell CNN, a move that comes amid a rising number of coronavirus cases throughout the Americas over the past week.

The withdrawal, which goes into effect next July, has drawn criticism from bipartisan lawmakers, medical associations, advocacy organizations and allies abroad. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden vowed Tuesday to reverse the decision “on (his) first day” if elected.

Sen. Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee tweeted the news Tuesday.

“Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the U.S. from the ⁦‪@WHO⁩ in the midst of a pandemic. To call Trump’s response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn’t do it justice. This won’t protect American lives or interests—it leaves Americans sick & America alone,” he wrote.

A State Department official also confirmed that “the United States’ notice of withdrawal, effective July 6, 2021, has been submitted to the UN Secretary-General, who is the depository for the WHO.

” The spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres said he had received the notice and “is in the process of verifying with the World Health Organization whether all the conditions for such withdrawal are met.

” Those conditions “include giving a one-year notice and fully meeting the payment of assessed financial obligations.”

The letter addressed to the UN is very short, around three sentences, a source briefed on the correspondence told CNN, and it triggers a one-year withdrawal timeline. However, this source also cautioned that they cannot confirm they saw the final version of the letter.

Among its current functions, the WHO is attempting to coordinate efforts to get personal safety and medical equipment, like ventilators, to hospitals around the world. Elizabeth Cousens, the president and CEO of the UN Foundation, said the organization is “indispensable” in the fight against Covid-19.

Loyce Pace, president and executive director of Global Health Council, echoed that point, telling CNN: “Thousands of people have spoken, from health experts to heads of state and heroes on the frontlines: the world needs WHO. This move signals a dangerous gamble in the midst of a pandemic we have yet to conquer, and without a viable alternative to WHO.”

Some have warned that withdrawal in the current environment could also interfere with clinical trials essential for developing vaccines, as well as efforts to trace the spread of the virus globally.

President Donald Trump said he was halting funding to the organization in mid-April and announcing his intention to withdraw from the WHO in May after he said it “failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms.” Trump had denounced the US’ contribution to the WHO — $400-500 million — in comparison to China’s and consistently accused the organization of aiding China in allegedly covering up the origins of the virus and allowing its spread.

While lawmakers from both parties have long cited systemic problems with the WHO, many have also denounced the President’s decision to withdraw during a once-in-a-century global pandemic.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it “is an act of true senselessness.” Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said he disagreed with Trump’s decision.
“If the administration has specific recommendations for reforms of the WHO, it should submit those recommendations to Congress, and we can work together to make those happen,” he said.
Last month, despite alleging that the World Health Organization “enabled” the Chinese government’s sweeping cover-up of the coronavirus pandemic’s origins, members of the GOP China task force urged Trump to reconsider his decision to terminate relations with the international body, arguing that the US can do more to affect change as a member. Credit: @CNN