News
False Alarm: There’ll Be No Three Days Darkness, NASRDA Clarifies
The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has debunked a video trending on TikTok platform of looming total darkness on the earth, which will supposedly last for a couple of days starting from April 8, due to eclipse of the sun.
The viral message has been trending via TikTok, claiming that there will be three days of darkness on earth, which would occur when the earth passes through the photon belt.
However, NASRDA’s Director of Media and Corporate Communications, addressing the issue, Mr. Felix Ale, confirmed that there would be an eclipse that would last only four minutes in the North America axis.
He said the four-minute eclipse would not even be witnessed in Africa.
“It will happen in North America axis. We will not feel it here because it will be at night in Africa. The eclipse will only last for four minutes and it will not affect us at all,” he said.
On his part, NASRDA’s Director of Physical and Life Science Department, Ayantunji Gbenro, described as false, the three days total darkness on earth being peddled on TikTok platform as a result of eclipse.
“It is a false alarm. This is my professional position. What is true is a total solar eclipse that will take place as the moon is ascending node on Monday, April 8, 2024, visible across North America.
“A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between earth and the sun, thereby obscuring the image of the sun for a viewer on earth.
“A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon’s apparent diameter is larger than the Sun’s, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness,“ he explained.
Gbenro, who is also a Fellow Nigeria Institute of Physics added that totality occurs only in a narrow path across earth’s surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide.
The viral Tik Tok video claimed there would be 72 hours of darkness across the globe occasioned by photons that would prevent the light of the sun or the stars from passing through it.
According to the video, there will be no break or periods of light during the days, only darkness and when sunlight will return to earth, it will mark beginning of golden age.
The post claimed that all sun lights will be blocked and solar panels will not generate energy.
It recommended people to stay at home and avoid traveling for safety reasons, stock food, water candles and other essential items.
NAN
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), in collaboration with the Body of Banks’ CEOs, hosted an engagement with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, in Lagos.
The meeting, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ag. ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), reinforced the shared commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system as a critical pillar of national stability and economic growth.
In his remarks, the IGP underscored the strong nexus between financial security and national security, noting that the resilience of banking operations is central to investor confidence and Nigeria’s global credibility. He highlighted the evolving threat environment, emphasizing that beyond traditional risks such as armed attacks, the sector now faces increasingly sophisticated challenges, including cyber-enabled fraud, identity compromise, insider facilitation, and illicit financial flows.
To address these risks, the Nigeria Police Force continues to advance an intelligence-led approach to protecting financial infrastructure. The IGP referenced recent operations that dismantled violent crime networks, disrupted kidnapping syndicates, and recovered illegal arms, thereby strengthening the enabling environment for business continuity. He further noted his recent engagements with the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Abuja and the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX), both aimed at enhancing financial system integrity and investor protection.
In line with the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the Force is enhancing the recruitment, training, and deployment of Supernumerary Police Officers (Spy Police) to meet the specialized security needs of banks and other critical financial institutions.
In conclusion, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the banking sector as a strategic partner in safeguarding the stability, integrity, and international reputation of Nigeria’s financial architecture.
Passengers aboard an Arik Air flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt experienced moments of anxiety on Wednesday morning after the aircraft developed an engine issue mid-air, forcing an emergency diversion to Benin City.
Following established safety procedures, the pilots immediately diverted the flight to the nearest airport as a precaution. The aircraft landed safely at Benin Airport without further complications.
Arik Air said all 80 passengers and crew members onboard disembarked safely, with no injuries recorded. The airline added that arrangements had been made to convey affected passengers to their intended destination in Port Harcourt.
“The safety and wellbeing of passengers is always our priority at Arik Air. We sincerely apologise to the affected Port Harcourt passengers whose journey has been disrupted,” the statement read.
The Senate may release records of how lawmakers voted on the controversial electronic transmission of election results, Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central, has said.
Ningi spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, ahead of the emergency plenary session scheduled for Tuesday, convened amid mounting public criticism over the Senate’s handling of the Electoral Act amendment.
Asked whether Nigerians could be allowed to see which senators supported or opposed real-time electronic transmission of results, Ningi said such disclosure was possible under the Senate’s rules.
“I think it’s possible. It depends on the presiding officer because the law provides that,” he said.
Explaining how the process could be made transparent, the lawmaker added: “You can stand up and say, ‘I, Ningi, I accept e-transmission in real time.’ I sit down. It’s recorded every other senator, and that is the only way we need to move forward.”
Ningi said the controversy surrounding the amendment was partly due to gaps in the official record of what transpired during deliberations.
“One thing that is very important is that the votes and proceedings have not been captured. So tomorrow (today), we need to look at what the votes and proceedings captured are. Is it a transfer?” he said.
He further questioned how the amendment to the electronic transmission clause was handled on the floor of the chamber.
“There was a motion for amendment by Manguno, and then the question was put. Who asked the question? Why was the question raised?” Ningi asked.
According to him, the matter required clearer deliberation before any decision was taken.
