Taylor Swift donates £23,000 to teenager who set up a GoFundMe so she could attend university

 

Taylor Swift has donated over £23,000 to a teenager who started a GoFundMe appeal so she can go to University.

 

Vitoria Mario, a Tottenham teenager, wants to become a mathematician. In her online appeal, she explained that despite being offered an unconditional place at the University of Warwick to study mathematics, she could not afford to take it up. 

 

 

Taylor Swift found her GoFundMe appeal and decided to make a generous donation while leaving a touching message for the teenager.

 

Taylor wrote to the teen: "Vitoria, I came across your story online and am so inspired by your drive and dedication to turning your dreams into reality. I want to gift you the rest of your goal amount. Good luck with everything you do! Love, Taylor."

 

 

In response, Vitoria said: "My mind has been blown. I was wondering how to reach enough people to hit my goal and now this miracle has happened. I'm just over the moon. I got 1A and 2A*s in my exam results recently and this is just a huge cherry on the cake!"

Governor El-Rufai reacts to NBA's decision to withdraw his invitation to their annual general meeting

 

Kaduna state governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has reacted to the decision of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), to withdraw an invitation previously extended to him to speak at its annual general meeting.
 

NBA withdrew the invitation following an outcry by some lawyers who said the governor stands against what the profession represents. 

 

In a statement released on Thursday August 20, by his spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, Governor el-Rufai described the withdrawal of his invitation as an unfortunate embrace of injustice. He said he will continue to make his voice heard on the things the country needs to do to make progress. 

 

His statement in part reads

“While the decision about who speaks at its event is clearly the NBA’s, Malam El-Rufai wishes to make clear that he did not seek the platform and is not agitated that he has one less speaking engagement,” the statement read. 

However, the circumstances of the last few days warrant some comments. That a professional organisation has elected to endorse a one-sided narrative on a profound national issue is something that its members may wish to reflect upon.

For an association, whose bread and butter is about justice, to make a ruling based on the stridency of people who lampoon judicial processes against certain individuals without hearing the other side is odd. It bears noting that in its response to pressure, the NBA leadership has signalled an unfortunate embrace of injustice, unfairness, absence of fair hearing and total disregard for the rule of law.”

 

60-year-old fake doctor treating Coronavirus patients arrested

 

A 60-year-old fake doctor identified as Charles George has been arrested for treating COVID-19 patients. 

 

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria who confirmed the suspect's arrest on Thursday August 20, said he was apprehended at his one-room apartment at Block 1, Julius Berger Junior Staff Quarters popularly known as Berger Camp in Kubwa, by police detectives from the office of the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory.

 

Syringe (for abortion) and kidney dish among others were recovered from the fake doctor who was accused of subjecting his clients to unprofessional medical treatment which “may lead to sudden and unnatural death.”

 

The police presented a fake letterhead and COVID-19 cure threat SMS which the suspect was allegedly blackmailing his clients with, said in its statement;

 

"George has been vetted as a regular customer of the FCDA Police Station and Kubwa Area Command Headquarters for several matters in connection with mixed medicine and extortion of his clients since 2016.”

 

The Deputy Registrar and Head of the Inspectorate Department of the MDCN, Dr. Victor Gbenro on his own part said; 

 

“The arrest of the suspected fake medical/alternative medicine practitioner, by name Dr. Charles George, at his Kubwa premises is a major breakthrough for the MDCN under the leadership of the Registrar, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi.

“Acting on an intelligence report from the IG intelligence team, the Inspectorate Department of the MDCN as directed by the registrar effected the successful arrest of the fake doctor, who has been defrauding unsuspecting members of the public and posing as a member of the NCDC COVID-19 team.

“The suspect is alleged to have been practising alternative medicine without registration or licence from the MDCN, which is statutorily mandated to regulate the practice of medical, dental and alternative medicine in Nigeria.

“Investigation revealed that his practice is not known or registered by the FCDA Private Health Facility Registration Agency. The police have commenced further investigation and prosecution of the suspect. This is one among the several efforts of the council at sanitising the medical profession in the country.”

Final year student of Nasarawa state University dies while attempting to rescue a man who was being electrocuted

 

A final year student in the Department of Biology Education, Nasarawa State University, lost his life while trying to rescue a trader who was being electrocuted at the GSM market in Keffi, the state capital on Monday, August 17.

 

According to reports, a mobile phone repairer, Junaudu Shaibu was about to pick up his tools when he was electrocuted by a nearby high tension wire. Zaidu had tried to rescue Shaibu when he got electrocuted as well.

 

He has since been buried according to Islamic injunctions.

 

His family and friends have taken to social media to mourn his passing. May his soul rest in peace, Amen.

 

Immigration officer and 5 others arrested for cattle rustling in Katsina

 

An Inspector of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has been arrested alongside 5 others for allegedly being involved in cattle rustling. 

 

The suspects who were accused of terrorising Katsina and Zamfara states were intercepted with three trailer trucks loaded with 164 suspected rustled cows at Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State by a combined team of customs and police officers in Katsina state capital. 

 

Drivers of the three trucks identified as Muhammed Isah, Ibrahim Muhammed, Idris Muhammed, were arrested alongside one Alhaji Sa’idu Lawal of Garkudi in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State and Usman Muhammad who claims to have over 50 cows delegated to him to be taken to Buniyadi in Yobe state.

 

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah said; 

 

“It may interest you to know that the command has also succeeded in arresting one inspector Abubakar Shafi’u with service number 36702 who is from the procurement department of the immigration headquarters, Abuja. He was arrested while escorting these vehicles. An investigation is ongoing into this matter.

“Zurmi precisely remains one of the hideouts of criminals, we are not relenting we are going to investigate the sources of these cows and ensure that if anyone is caught wanting is taken to court for prosecution."

 

Speaking to newsmen, the immigration officer Inspector Abubakar Shafi’u said he was on casual leave and the remaining suspects are his relatives. 

 

He said; 

 

“I was in Abuja when they called me that they have become victims of Banditry in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. When they called me, they asked me on the next plan of action, I told them that I will be coming to visit them, when I arrived I advised them to pack all their animals to take them to a safer place which we now unanimously agreed to take them to either Damaturu in Yobe state or Adamawa.

“Before embarking on this journey, we visited the DPO where he signed and gave us a paper so also the Emirate Council including the state chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.

“This is the second batch we are taking to Damaturu, already seven trailers are in Zurmi waiting for me to facilitate their journey too."

FG reciprocates, bans EU flights from entering Nigeria

 

The Federal government says it would be also be banning flights from the European nations just as they have banned flights from Nigeria into their country.

 

As part of measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus in its region, the European Union in June this year released a statement listing some countries that are banned from flying into any of the countries in the region, and Nigeria was included.

 

At the daily briefing of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 on Thursday, August 20, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, announced that the Federal government will be reciprocating the EU's decision. Airlines from the European Union would not be allowed to fly into Nigeria once the International flights resume operations in Nigeria on Saturday, August 29.

 

The minister, who was represented by the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Musa Nuhu, argued that the decision was taken in the interest of Nigerians.

“On the list of countries (that are banned), we are working on the comprehensive list, but the main one that came up is when the EU opened their borders effective 1st July, Nigeria was among the list of 54 countries that were not allowed to enter the EU.

To my understanding, as the situation changes, they are going to look at the list and change it. But so far, we don’t have any contrary information to that first one that Nigeria is banned from going to the EU. So, as we open our airspace, we are going to apply the issue of reciprocity to those (EU) countries.” he said

 

The Minister announced that as International flights resume operations, inbound international passengers would be limited to 1,280.