Nigeria’s economy strong amidst security concerns — NIPC

Despite the security problem facing the country, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC has said the nation’s economy still thrives after all. The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. Saratu Umar who stated this in a keynote address entitled: Translating Nigeria’s Foreign Direct Investment, FDI Benefits into a reality, at the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG  in Abuja said the country’s economy has shown a strong resilience in spite of the security concerns while stressing that the NIPC is reviewing the Pioneer Incentives currently being granted to investors to cover only critical activities. She assured that NIPC is ever poised and positioned to give a hand-holding support to investors (both local and foreign) that have decided to make the country their preferred investment destination, adding that the Commission is putting various strategies in place to make it more pro-active to investors’ needs and demands. She explained that NIPC is a private sector company within the Government as such, it has a big role to play in the economic growth and advancement of Nigeria. She said: NIPC is one of the strong vehicles to drive investment into the economy and it is being re-engineered for better service delivery.

Vanguard Newspaper

What does it better? Immune system or experimental drugs

It is the morning after for American missionary health workers, Dr. Kent Brantly and Mrs. Nancy Writebol. The duo who contracted the Ebola Virus Disease while working with patients in Liberia have since been declared cured of the virus. However, science is still unclear what the cure agent is and what role the experimental drug, ZMapp, played in nursing the duo back to health. Indeed, the director, Emory Hospital’s Infectious Disease Unit, Atlanta, United States, Dr. Bruce Ribner, admitted that being an experimental drug, it is erroneous to give credit to ZMapp. Frankly, we do not know if it helped them, made any difference or even delayed their recovery, said Ribner during a press conference. The doctor’s comments have called to question how a cure is being achieved in the survivors. Across Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, tens of patients have survived the infection. It is no different in Nigeria, where four survivors have been released from the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, to resume normal activities. According to the Minister for Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chulwu, none of the survivors got any experimental drug during treatment. He emphasised that all the survivors got was supportive treatment such as intravenous fluid and keeping their vital signs stable.

Punch Newspaper

Boko Haram declares Gwoza new caliphate

A man who appeared like Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram insurgents in a new video released yesterday, boasted that the sect has established an Islamic caliphate in Gwoza town, southeast of Borno State, saying the village has ceased to be part of Nigeria. Thanks be to Allah, who gave us victory to attack Abuja and in Yobe town, called Damaturu. We still thank God for the successful bombing of Damboa and other parts of Nigeria. We are grateful to Allah for the big victory he granted our members in Gwoza and made the town part of our Islamic caliphate, he said in his characteristic unstable presentation. He also lashed at western nations for supporting Nigeria to fight insurgency. He suggested the terrorists’ rejection of the Nigerian nation, saying: We are in Islam­ic caliphate. We have nothing to do with Nigeria. We don’t believe in this name. He vowed to continue attacks to increase their quest for more control. He said Boko Haram released the video to make clarification about its recent attacks, adding that the insur­gents carried out most of the recent attacks including Damboa, Gwoza and other communities in Borno and Yobe states. He said the sect also killed some of their members, who he described as infidels. Oh people, I’m making this speech because of the lies being spread always by the government, he stated.

Sun Newspaper

Bodies of Ebola victims cremated in Lagos

Bodies of the four Nigerians, who died of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, have been cremated in line with World Health Organisation, WHO, requirements for disposal of such corpses. The body of the index (first) case, Patrick Sawyer was the first to be cremated on July 25, 2014. The decision to cremate the bodies, it was gathered, may not be unconnected with the deadly nature of the Ebola Virus which is known to be easily transmissible from human to human during handling of corpses of victims. A health official at the Emergency Operation Centre, EOC, of the Mainland Hospital, Lagos, who confirmed the development, said the Lagos State Government in following strict guidelines for disposal of the bodies, authorised cremation of all the bodies. The official who pleaded anonymity said the decision to cremate all bodies was to ensure appropriate containment measures and guarantee proper handling of the bodies. All the bodies of those who died of Ebola from this centre have been cremated. None was allowed to undergo traditional burial because extreme care is being taken to prevent further infections, the official noted. The WHO in recommending that people who die from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried, notes that cremation, which is the application of high temperature to reduce bodies to basic chemical components (ashes), is ideal for safe disposal of bodies of such persons in order to minimise further transmission.

Vanguard Newspaper

Military Debunks Boko Haram Claims of Islamic State in North-East

The Nigerian Military debunked the claim by the leader of Boko Haram terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau in a new video  that some of the North East towns seized in their recent offensive earlier this month has been placed under an Islamic caliphate. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in its twitter handle @DefenceInfoNG, stated that this move, which is similar to the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS) is false, saying "the claim is empty".The Defence authorities assured that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state is still intact. The brief statement read: Any group of terrorists laying claim to any portion of the country will not be allowed to get away with the expression of delusion and crime.

Thisday Newspaper

FG Orders Sale of Forfeited Vehicles to the Public

The federal government has set up a committee to dispose all forfeited vehicles and items recovered from criminals by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The committee which was inaugurated by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), is headed by the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Mr. Ade Abolurin. The committee will sell the items to the public by auction. The items are in NSCDC’s offices nationwide. Others members of the panel are: a representative each from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Accountant General of the Federation, Assistant Commandant General of the NSCDC and the Legal Adviser of the NSCDC among others. The committee will identify, verify and ascertain the condition of the items and ensure that they are sold in accordance with the laws and transparently. The committee’s chairman, Abolurin is to  appoint an independent valuer who would determine the market value of the items. At the inauguration in Abuja last week, Adoke told the committee that proceeds from the sale of the vehicles must be deposited in the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federation after a period of 30 days had lapsed and no claim of right was made by any person on any of the forfeited items.

Thisday Newspaper