Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Tuesday 16th March 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 16/03/21
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Italian Firm On Corruption Trial Granted High Level EU Access To Lobby For Fossil Gas, Agency Alleges
An Italian energy firm, Eni, has been granted access to push fossil gas at the highest echelons of the EU, despite being on trial for an alleged bribery scheme involving millions of dollars channelled to politicians.
A new report from Global Witness, a non-governmental online research agency, reveals alleged attempts to obstruct justice by Eni executives.
This was contained in a release signed by Senior Communications Adviser, Dominic Kavakeb, obtained by SaharaReporters.
He said later this month, a verdict is expected in the Italian trial where Eni, Shell and senior executives are accused of knowing the $1.1bn they paid in 2011 for a Nigerian offshore oil field (OPL 245), would be used to pay bribes to Nigerian public officials.
According to the report, Eni’s CEO, Claudio Descalzi, who is also individually on trial in the same Italian case met with the EU’s Energy Commissioner in June, 2020.
Despite facing a possible eight-year prison term, Descalzi was granted a meeting with one of the EU’s most senior officials to discuss the role of fossil gas in the future of the EU, amongst other topics.
This follows a meeting with the Commissioner for Internal Markets in September 2018, the very same month public hearings in the corruption trial began.
According to the report, Eni’s in-house lobbyists hold more passes for the European Parliament than any other oil and gas firm. It was also alleged that, the lobbyists have been in 49 meetings with senior EU officials since 2014 — the second most of all Italian companies.
In that time, Eni, and the pro-fossil gas industry groups of which it is a member, have spent up to 100 million Euros lobbying in Europe.
With coal and oil out of vogue in the EU, fossil gas has become a key last stand for fossil fuel companies, with Eni central to the industry’s push.
A presentation, sourced by Global Witness from public records of information requests, delivered by Eni to EU climate officials argued for gas as a “clean and safe partner” for renewables and called for support for the “coal-to-gas switch”.
Gas Campaigner at Global Witness, Barnaby Pace said: “The European Commission has waxed lyrical over its ambitions to fight climate change yet grants unrivalled access to some of the world’s biggest polluters. Serious action on the climate will not come about by giving fossil fuel companies access to policy making, particularly those who seem ever willing to ride roughshod over the rules.
“Fossil fuel companies must be prevented from polluting the political process. We don’t ask tobacco companies for advice on quitting smoking, so we shouldn’t be asking those who got rich from oil and gas for climate advice.”
Italian prosecutors also allege that Eni executives arranged kickbacks for themselves as part of the deal. In a separate, fast-tracked Italian trial, two middlemen involved in the deal have already been sentenced to jail terms with the judge in that case ruling that the management of Shell and Eni were “fully aware” that part of their $1.1bn payment for the block “would be used to remunerate Nigerian public officials”.
She further ruled that it was proven that Eni managers planned and possibly received kickbacks from the deal. The conviction has been appealed.
The ruling in the fast-tracked trial does not in any way determine the guilt of defendants in the ongoing trial, though it shows that the allegations against Eni, Shell, Descalzi and others are credible and must be taken seriously. The defendants in the case have all pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.
Allegations of misconduct against Eni do not stop there. Italian prosecutors have alleged that Eni managers ordered surveillance against journalists, prosecutors and possibly even judges.
Descalzi and several other Eni managers are suspects in a related criminal investigation into attempts to interfere in the investigation into the OPL 245 case.
Eni told Global Witness that all the charges and allegations regarding OPL 245 and the alleged conspiracy are unsubstantiated and they have provided all the evidence to the Milan court and judicial authorities to support their case.
Eni also stated that its transition plan “is ambitious, detailed, and wider in scope commitments than our peers and has been welcomed by a number of external experts and commentators” and that it rejects “the allegations and insinuations” regarding the company’s “commitment to the energy transition.” The EU Commission did not respond to an opportunity to comment on the findings and recommendations of the report.
Barnaby Pace said: “From the criminal investigations into Descalzi and Eni you’d be forgiven for thinking this is an organised crime group on trial rather than a global oil and gas firm. Eni managers are accused of interfering in investigations, attempting to bribe a witness, and spying on law enforcement and journalists on top of paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes, all to secure oil and gas that cannot be burned if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”
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How INEC, Lawyer Forged Documents To Push Out Sowore As AAC Chairman
Omoyele Sowore at #OccupyINEC Protest today.
The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) and one of its lawyers, Emeka Ozoani forged different court documents to get a judgement against African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Omoyele Sowore, SaharaReporters has gathered.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had in 2019 sacked Sowore as the National Chairman of the AAC.
Omoyele Sowore at #OccupyINEC Protest today.
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The judge, Inyang Ekwo, in his ruling, also validated the removal of Malcolm Fabiyi as the Deputy National Chairman of the party.
However, SaharaReporters gathered that Ozoani known in some quarters for doing dirty jobs for INEC, packaged a fake litigant to obtain the judgement for one Hon Bago.
“He forged documents used to get a fraudulent judgment from Justice Ekwo against Omoyele Sowore of the AAC.
“He was rewarded with SAN (Senior Advocate of Nigeria) while he was litigating to take away AAC from Sowore. INEC has now become a ridiculous umpire in the conduct of elections. INEC chairman, commissioners have all become tools in the hands of Buhari and his party, All Progressives Congress,” an INEC staff member familiar with the case told SaharaReporters.
Meanwhile, Ozoani is currently enmeshed in another scandal after being exposed by some deregistered political parties for using fake court records in pursuing an appeal for INEC at the Supreme Court.
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BREAKING: Police Arrest Protesting AAC Members At INEC Headquarters In Abuja
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#OccupyINEC: @YeleSowore Leads @AACparty Members To Protest At @INECnigeria HQ Abuja Over Imposition Of Sponsored Group | Sahara Reporters pic.twitter.com/yDldXbfJjC— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) March 15, 2021
According to PREMIUM TIMES, the fake court records surfaced in the appeal filed by INEC at the Supreme Court to challenge the August 10, 2020 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, ordering the relisting of 23 political parties earlier deregistered by the electoral body.
The rules require an intending appellant to file a notice of appeal and compile the records of the lower court and have them transmitted to the higher court within three months of the delivery of the judgment to be challenged.
INEC had filed a notice of appeal against the August 10, 2020 judgment of the Court of Appeal, but the records it claimed to have compiled and transmitted to the Supreme Court to set the stage for the hearing of its case by the apex court, have been exposed by the respondents to be fraudulent.
From the court documents seen by the newspaper, INEC, which admitted that an impostor truly signed its transmitted records, is now scrambling to be granted an extension of time to compile and transmit fresh records from the Court of Appeal to the apex court.
Not pleased with the Appeal Court’s ruling, the electoral body filed a notice of appeal in the Supreme Court, challenging the verdict.
But curious about the records transmitted by INEC in pursuing the appeal, the law firm of the legal icon, Afe Babalola, which is defending one of the respondents, the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), had written to the Court of Appeal authorities on December 10, 2020, alleging that an impostor of the court official signed the records purportedly transmitted by the electoral body.
The Court of Appeal, in a letter dated December 21, 2020, confirmed that Hassan Binta, who signed the record of appeal transmitted by INEC, was not known to the court.
“The record of appeal and the supplementary record of appeal were not compiled and transmitted by the registry of this court.
“The Registrar in the person of Hassan Binta, who is said to have signed the record of Appeal and the Supplementary record is not a staff (member) of this court,” the Head, Litigation Department of the Court of Appeal, Sehriffat Adebayo, stated in the December 21, 2020 reply to the letter by Mr Babalola’s law firm.
Following the Court of Appeal’s confirmation, the law firm, through one of its lawyers, Funmilayo Longe, sent a letter dated January 14, 2021, to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, expressing shock about the development and demanding an investigation.
A copy of the letter entitled ‘Request For Clarification On The Transmission of Records of Appeal’.
It reads, in part, “To our chagrin, the Court of Appeal vide their letter December 21, 2020 informed us that even though the notice of appeal was filed in the registry of the Court of Appeal, the record of appeal was not compiled and transmitted by the lower court’s registry and the registrar in the person of Hassan Binta, who signed the records of appeal is not a staff (member) of the Court of Appeal. (A copy of the aforementioned letter written by the Court of Appeal is herewith attached).
“In the light of the above facts, we hereby request that investigation be carried out regarding the transmission of records in this appeal.”
INEC has however admitted that a court official’s impostor signed its record of appeal but failed to offer any explanation about how it happened.
The electoral body is now scrambling to be allowed to compile a fresh record of appeal.
It filed an application before the Supreme Court on January 25, 2021, seeking leave and an extension of time to compile and transmit the fresh records.
The commission, in an affidavit filed in support of the application, stated that it sought to compile and transmit fresh record after it was only informed of the fraud in the previous records by Babalola’s law firm.
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How My Mother Developed Stroke As ASO Savings And Loans Withheld Money Belonging To Her, Others —Nigerian Lady
A lady, Iyabode Ilori, has alleged that ASO Savings and Loans PLC as well as the Union Homes Savings and Loans withheld customers’ funds without offering an explanation on the issue.
According to Ilori who spoke with SaharaReporters on Monday, her parents’ retirement benefits and life savings worth over N12 million were still withheld in the Union Home Savings and Loans, a subsidiary of ASO Savings and Loans PLC and Union Bank, with no explanations whatsoever.
Ilori said her parents had always banked with Union Bank but for three years now, they had been unable to access their funds which resulted in a stroke for the mother who could not handle the shock.
She called on Union Homes Savings and Loans PLC to issue a memo to customers so they can have an idea of the actual situation.
Ilori said, “My parents fixed some money with Union Homes, a subsidiary of Union Bank. ASO bought into Union Homes. For about three years now, they have not been able to give anybody money. Once we say we want our money, they cannot produce it.
“We don’t even understand how the issue came to be. We weren’t informed at all. Many people have their savings and investments there. My dad and mum saved there and they are retired, all their retirement funds are saved there and I learnt that the bank has not been able to give any of their customers any money, even those who have approached them. No memo, nothing to explain. My parents have about N12 million with the bank.
“My mother developed a stroke as a result of the shock. I got to know that our funds had probably been diverted into Aso Savings and Loans when I was surfing the internet. I could see that Union Bank bought into ASO savings. The transaction was done in a fradulent way such that we cannot take our money.
“I have gone to the bank several times to explain that at least my mother needs it for treatment but nothing came up. We went to their headquarters at Onipanu, we even wrote letters to them that we need our money, nothing came out. They said they didn’t have money. Their staff and all other branches are shut down.
“The funny thing is, Union Homes still retains its name; the name has not changed. We don’t know what happened. We wrote to the Central Bank of Nigeria, and they just said they would look into it, but nothing changed.”
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Kano Residents Experience Severe Vomiting, Bloody Urine After Consuming Sachet Water, Local Drink
Some residents of Kano Municipal, Kumbotso and Gwale local government areas of Kano State have shown symptoms of severe vomiting and blood-in-urine after consuming sachet water and local drink suspected to have been prepared with expired and adulterated products.
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, on Monday, said it was investigating the cause.
NAFDAC said it had collected water samples and flavour products for laboratory analysis, following the outbreak of the yet-to-be ascertained infectious disease in the Kano metropolis, NAN reported.
The state coordinator of the agency, Shaba Muhammad, said the samples had been referred to its laboratory in Kaduna for analysis.
Muhammad said the agency received a report of manifestation of the disease, suspected to be caused by drinking sachet water and locally processed drinks in the metropolis.
He explained that a team of officials of the agency had visited the infected persons at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Kano, as well as some of the affected areas.
According to the agency, reports indicated that the infection involved the consumption of sachet water and local drinks suspected to have been prepared with expired and adulterated products.?“Reports indicated that the infection involves sachet water and local drinks suspected to have been prepared with expired and adulterated products.
“We collected samples of the suspected water and the products for analysis to establish the cause of the disease,” he said.
Muhammad urged residents to always check labels of products, adding that NAFDAC had scaled up surveillance to check the circulation of fake and counterfeit products in the state.
The state Ministry of Health said it had begun to investigate the disease recorded in parts of Kano Municipal, Kumbotso and Gwale local government areas of the state.
The infected persons developed symptoms such as severe vomiting and urine mixed with blood after drinking suspicious sachet water and local drink.
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Pregnant Woman Hacks Husband To Death With Machete, Reports To Police In Delta
A 22-year-old pregnant woman simply identified as Okiemute has allegedly macheted her husband, Edafe, to death at Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area in Delta State.
It was gathered that the incident, which took place at the Ekrejebor area of the metropolis, happened over allegations of infidelity.
According to sources, Okiemute was angry that her husband did not spend the night at home and had, on his return attacked him with a machete.
A source told Vanguard that the woman who knew she had inflicted machete injuries on one of his hands and abdomen, “ran to Ughelli ‘A’ division to report herself.”
The source said: “Friends of her husband rushed him to Central Hospital, Ughelli where he was confirmed dead. Angered by his death, the friends wheeled and dumped his corpse at the entrance of Ughelli ‘A’ division.”
Disclosing that the woman is a mother of a two-year-old child, the source said Edafe had only recently bought a new car for his wife.
Acting Police Public Relations Officer for the command, Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident, said the matter had been transferred to the state command headquarters for further investigation.
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Panic As Massive Deportation Of Nigerians From Germany Begins Tomorrow
Nigerian activists protesting last year in Dresden at an event organised by the Voice Refugees Forum
Many Nigerians illegally staying in Germany will leave Frankfurt for Lagos on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, as part of massive deportation plans by the German government, the Network for Critical Migration Consciousness (NfCMC) has announced.
The upcoming charter deportation operation will be the first for this year since the initial plan for January 18 was cancelled owing to the Coronavirus pandemic, SaharaReporters has gathered.
Nigerian activists protesting last year in Dresden at an event organised by the Voice Refugees Forum
Osaren Igbinoba
A statement by the NFCMC noted that at a February meeting with the Nigerian Ambassador in Berlin, Ambassador Tugger informed the NGC president-led delegation of his engagement with the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 to address the situation of deportation and the risk of the Corona pandemic.
He further confirmed the Federal government’s position to refuse landing permits for deportation flights based on the collective responsibility to contain the coronavirus’s further spread.
Ambassador Tugger’s intervention arose from a November 2020 Zoom conference organised by the Nigerian Community (NGC München) with the Nigerian Ambassador as a guest.
Ambassador Tugger was commended for his commitment to interact with Nigerians throughout the online section.
His attention was drawn to the ongoing deportation collaboration, ignoring Germany’s position as a major Corona hotspot (Germany exporting Corona to Nigeria) – especially at a time when the country is still trying to cope with the continued economic hardship from the Corona lockdown, bad governance and subsequent incidents like insecurity and insurgency, corruption, religious and ethnic conflicts, #EndSARS #RestructureNigeriaNow revolution etc.
The group urged those who are not too sure of their residential status, otherwise with so-called Duldung Status (Tolerated/Obligated to leave the country), to contact their lawyers or their asylum counselling centres.
“Please be aware that arrest is ongoing based on provisions of the German Foreigners Law which legitimates keeping so-called tolerated persons in deportation custody to guarantee their availability for a planned deportation enforcement flight.
“We would categorically like to draw the attention of persons who are at the moment participating in the German so-called Voluntary Returns Program – a project of the racist “Perspective Heimat Program” meant to coerce asylum seekers to volunteer for their self-deportation.
“Experiences have proven that such persons could be used to fill up spaces in scheduled chartered deportation flights since their passports are in possession of the foreign officers.
“An obvious eyeopener was the December 10, 2020 deportation enforcement. Two young Nigerians, who had trusted and were actively cooperative in the Voluntary Return Program, were brutally deported to Nigeria.
“That deportation incidence exposes more realities of the German Voluntary Returns Program as a farce. Further investigation of the issue has proven that the respective Foreign Officers were receiving routine updates on their active and cooperative engagement in the training courses. A worse scenario is that the respective Foreign Officers were lying even three days before the deportation enforcement. They appeared for the covid-19 test unknowing that this was meant to prepare them for the following deportation flight schedule.
“After the scandalous and inhuman deportation incidence, correspondences with the deportation responsible, authorities confirm the fact that the so-called Voluntary Return program remains only as an offer with no binding legislation to suspend deportation until the successful completion of the Voluntary Returns Preparatory training. Such wasted expenses are borne out of taxpayers funds.”
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My Randy Wife Ruined My Life, Introduced Her Lover To Me, Man Tells Court
File photo used to illustrate story.
A public transporter, Oluseyi Adegoke, on Monday begged a Customary Court sitting at Mapo in Ibadan to dissolve his 20-year-old marriage to his wife, Bunmi on the grounds of adultery, threat to life and attempt to inherit his property.
Oluseyi, a resident of Bembo-Apata area in Ibadan and a member of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ibadan told the court that life had not been the same with him since he became aware of his wife’ romantic affair with another man.
File photo used to illustrate story.
He added that his wife had introduced her lover to him as her relation and that he had unknowingly accorded him respect as an ‘in-law’.
“In 2017, a woman in our neighbourhood confronted me that Bunmi was in a serious romantic affair with her husband and begged me to warn my wife.
“I was shocked, but still asked her father about the man and the whole incident.
“Bunmi’s father, however, told me that the man was not a member of their family and in fact, doesn’t know him.
“When Bunmi realised that her promiscuity had been demystified, she abandoned my home in December 2017 with all my property.
“Three months after, Bunmi had squandered all the money and started sending emmiserries to plead with me for her return,” he explained.
Adegoke further said that despite his opposition to her return, he came home one night to meet Bunmi fully back as the two children also pleaded with me to allow her stay.
“My lord, ever since she returned in 2020, I have not been myself as I have struggled with one illness or the other.
“Soon, I developed a stroke and lost my means of sustenance while Bunmi refused to show any concern about my well-being.
“Besides, she got angry recently and attempted to smash a pestle on my head, but after my escape from the scene, she destroyed the winscreen of the only car I have left.
“Worse still, she locked me outside and claimed that the house belonged to her, but for the quick intervention of the police at Apata police post, she would have permanently claimed it.
“My lord, Bunmi has put me in bondage and she has continuously looted my valuable property for sale,” Adegoke sobbed in court.
Bunmi opposed the suit and denied all the allegations levelled against her.
She noted that her husband was only being hunted by his past evil deeds even though she refused to speak on the issue of promiscuity levelled against her.
“I linked Adegoke with my brother who was an executive officer in the then NURTW in Ibadan who put him in charge of income generation where he made a lot of money, but he pretended as if there was nothing there.
“Adegoke never took care of the children and me, including their school fees.
“He is with my N500,000 and I catered for him when he was critically ill,” Bunmi said.
Delivering judgment, the President of the court, Chief Ademola Odunade held that any mother who instigates the children against the father and vice versa as Bunmi did would incur the wrath of God.
Odunade consequently dissolved the union so that there might be peace.
He awarded custody of the two children to Adegoke and ordered Bunmi to leave the house immediately.
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Police Transfer Suspected Fulani Warlord, Wakili, Two Others To CID, Ask Public For Evidence Against Them
The Oyo State Police Command on Monday transferred the Ibarapa-based herdsmen, Isikilu Wakili to the state Criminal Investigation Department,L (CID), Iyaganku, Ibadan for discreet investigation.
A statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi, denied that the command detained complainants who reported any case against the Fulani herdsmen at the police station in Ibarapa axis.
The command refuted the allegation, describing it as unfounded and baseless.
Wakili was arrested by members of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) following a petition by residents of Ayete in the Ibarapa North Local Government Area that Wakili and his men were attacking their people.
The statement reads, “We would like to inform the general public that sequel to the arrest of Iskilu Wakili and two (2) other persons and subsequent transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, discreet investigation on the suspects has commenced.
“Consequent upon this, seasoned detectives have since started investigating Wakili and his suspected accomplices. The Command wishes to invite members of the public who have corroborating evidence against them to appear; this will go a long way in ensuring that water-tight evidence is established for the purpose of diligent prosecution.
“The Commissioner of Police wishes to refute the allegation of detaining complainants who reported any case against the Fulani herdsmen at the police station in Ibarapa axis and equally taking money from them before granting them bail. This assertion is unfounded and baseless. While assuring that diligent investigation and prosecution will be taken into consideration at all times, the CP wishes to strongly discourage the propagation of unverified and misleading news, by persons or groups of persons as this is counterproductive to feats achieved by the police through diligence and dedication in the pursuit of justice.”
Wakili had been blamed by the Yoruba community in Ibarapa, Oyo State for many killings and kidnap cases in the area.
Shortly after he was arrested by OPC members and handed over to the police, the police arrested and detained three OPC members, saying they were responsible for burning Wakili’s house and killing a woman.
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9 Bandits Killed On Their Way To Buy Foodstuff, Recharge Cards, Four Arrested In Niger State
At least nine bandits have been reportedly killed while men of the vigilante group arrested four others during an exchange of fire at Fapo near Gulu in Azza community of Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State.
The incident happened on Sunday when two persons going to pay ransom for an abducted relative coincidentally met in the bush with the vigilante group’s men on a rescue mission.
The bandits sent those going to pay ransom to buy some foodstuff and recharge cards when they met the vigilante members.
A source, who narrated what happened, said the vigilantes reinforced and attacked the bandits, leading to the death of nine of the armed bandits after a gun duel that lasted for hours.
It was reliably gathered that the vigilantes had reinforced and searched for the kidnappers to effect more arrest if possible.
A resident of Gulu, who spoke with DailyTrust, said that a woman came into the town naked on Saturday night after escaping from the kidnappers.
She stated that the said woman escaped when the rain started falling and she was left with other three women and four men who were tied to trees by the bandits.
Other sources said she was hosted by the Gulu district head where she explained details of her ordeal; hence vigilantes were mobilized to search and rescue others.
Unfortunately, the four men were said to have been killed by the bandits when they could not account for the women who escaped.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, when contacted for confirmation, did not respond to his calls or reply messages sent to his phone.
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COVID-19: More Countries Suspend AstraZeneca Vaccine Over Blood Clot Fears
Several countries have suspended AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines amid rising fears over blood clots and other possible side effects.
AstraZeneca, an Anglo-Swedish company that developed the vaccine with Oxford University, has insisted that there is no risk.
On March 11, Denmark said it would suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure over fears of blood clots in vaccinated people.
Iceland and Norway followed suit on the same day, temporarily suspending the use of all the supply of the vaccine, citing similar concerns.
Bulgaria suspended the use of the vaccine on March 12 as it investigates the death of a woman with several underlying conditions who received the jab in the past week.
An initial probe suggested the woman died from heart failure and an autopsy found no link with the vaccination.
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More European Countries Suspend AstraZeneca Vaccine As Lagos Starts Inoculation Today
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Thailand abruptly delayed the start of its rollout of the vaccine the same day. The country was joined by the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On Saturday, Norwegian health officials report three more cases of blood clots or brain haemorrhages in younger people who received the jab, but said they cannot yet say they were vaccine-related.
The next day, Ireland and the Netherlands joined the list of countries temporarily deferring the use of the vaccine.
On March 8, Austria announced that it had stopped administering a batch of the vaccine following the death of a 49-year-old nurse from “severe bleeding disorders” days after receiving it.
Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Luxembourg also suspended the use of doses from the same batch, which has been delivered to 17 countries and included one million vaccines.
Italy’s medicines regulator on March 11 also banned the use of a batch as a precaution, triggering a similar decision from Romania.
And on Sunday, Italy’s northern Piedmont region suspended use of the vaccine after the death of a teacher who had received it the day before.
Amidst the suspensions, the Nigerian government said the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine it received was not part of the batch allegedly causing a blood clot in some countries in Europe.
President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, some state governors and front-line health workers have received shots of the vaccine.
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Nigerians Mock Buhari, Osinbajo For Taking AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Which Austria Suspended After Death Of Woman
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The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), on its part, said since the country commenced its COVID-19 vaccination, no Nigerian has observed any adverse reaction; noting that all side effects reported by those who have taken the jab have been mild.
“We are aware of precautionary concerns that have been raised regarding one specific batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine, namely ABV5300.
“We understand that investigations are being conducted to determine if the batch is in any way linked to an observed side effect.
“While we await the outcome of the investigations; it is important to clearly state that Nigeria did not receive any doses from the batch of vaccines with issues.”
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