A mobile court sitting in Benin City, headed by Chief Magistrate Bright Eraze Oniha, on Tuesday, convicted 11 persons for disobeying the directive of the Edo State government on compulsory use of face masks and the restriction of movement.
The convicted persons, who were arrested at various locations in the state capital, pleaded guilty to the offence and asked for leniency from the Chief Magistrate. x
The court ordered the convicted persons to carry out three hours of community service within the premises of the Edo State High Court, Benin City.
Two other persons, Miss Stephine Francis and Mr. Uti Christopher, who pleaded not guilty, were discharged and acquitted by the Chief Magistrate on the ground of no witness to the alleged offence committed.
Buhari admits COVID-19 exposed Nigeria’s technology deficit
Olalekan Adetayo, Adeyinka Adedipe and Tony Okafor
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Tuesday said the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the technology and innovation gap between Nigeria and the developed world.
He however said the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure was strategically positioned to fill the gap.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled “President Buhari directs NASENI to bridge gaps in COVID-19 research, technology,” Buhari spoke at a meeting with the Board of NASENI at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President said, “The countries that are at the forefront of economic recovery have only one thing in common: investment and sustained research and development work in knowledge economy.