News Headlines for the 11th of May 2021.

New Covid-19 lockdown restrictions begin as fear of deadly strain rises 

• The federal government on Monday reviewed the COVID-19 restrictions amid concern about the strains of the virus which is said to have hit countries like India, South Africa, Turkey and Brazil. 
• This restriction methods includes restriction of activities at night clubs, bars, recreational centers, and public gathering in enclosed areas like places of worship and enforcement of curfew from 12AM-4AM till further notice. All of these were put in place by the Presidential Steering Committee at its press briefing in Abuja.
• According to a statement by Eminent virologist and Chairman, Expert Review Committee on COVID-19, Professor Oyewale Tomori, and a virologist at the University of Ibadan, Prof. David Olaleye, in separate interviews, they warned Nigeria that there are indications that rate of the virus could spike in Nigeria as it has spread to over 20 countries in Africa.

NIS shortlists 6,105 applicants for final screening 

• The Nigerian immigration service has picked out 6,105 candidates out of the 45,323 applicants that took part in the computer-based aptitude test under the 2019/2020 recruitment program. 
• The selected candidates will undergo final screening of credentials and physical fitness exercise. The NIS public relations officer disclosed this in a statement on Monday. 
• For the final screening, candidates are to be invited via their emails and SMS on the mobile telephone lines they gave from Monday, May 10, 2021.
• The applicants are advised to check on the NIS website: https://immigrationrecruitment.org.ng for their names, examination locations, guidelines for the recruitment exercise and print out their invitation slips.

Lagos to ban tricycle and bikes

• The Lagos State government has resolved to ban the use of bikes and tricycle popularly known as ‘keke’ saying that the decision was made because of security concerns in the state.
• This was contained in a press release issued after a security meeting held at the Alausa secretariat in ikeja yesterday. According to the press release, the decision was made based on the string of lawlessness daily witnessed from the confrontation between commercial motorcyclists and law enforcement agencies in the state.
• The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu who was present at the meeting said from next week, the state would be inaugurating the First and Last Mile buses which would take the routes the motorcycles were plying.

Subsidy removal implementation is suicidal, says NUPENG

• The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) has said that the advice by the Presidential Economic Advisory Committee is wrong and suicidal.
• According to the General Secretary, NUPENG, Olawale Afolabi, its implementation will have a disastrous effect on the masses considering the current economic situation in Nigeria
• He said that NUPENG had previously advised the government that the full deregulation of the downstream of the oil industry was a better path to follow.
• Afolabi said this when asked in an interview with Punch newspaper yesterday, on his thoughts on the advice by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.