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      April 7, 2020 Press Statement PDP Tasks Buhari Over Liberation of Nigerian Territory By Chad...Charges Buhari Presidency To Learn From Deby The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to speak out on reports that Chadian President Idris Deby personally led his troops to route out insurgents and freed Nigerian territories and soldiers held captive by terrorists in northern part of Borno state. The party’s call is predicated on the fact that this development is already triggering questions among Nigerians regarding the commitment and capacity of Mr. President, as Commander-in-Chief, to lead the fight against insurgency in our country. The PDP is worried that the silence of President Buhari who, as Commander-in-Chief, had promised to lead from the front, is ominous and has opened our security apparatchik to a plethora of innuendos, claims and counter-claims in the public space. Our party is worried that Mr. President has cho...

      Sixteen new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria: 10 in Lagos, 2 in the FCT, 2 in Oyo, 1 in Delta and 1 in Katsina As at 09:30 pm 7th April there are 254 confirmed cases of  # COVID19  reported in Nigeria. Fourty-four have been discharged with six deaths As at 09:30 pm 7th April, there are 254 confirmed cases 44 discharged 6 deaths For more info- covid19.ncdc.gov.ng Lagos- 130 FCT- 50 Osun- 20 Oyo- 11 Edo- 11 Bauchi- 6 Akwa Ibom- 5 Kaduna- 5 Ogun- 4 Enugu- 2 Ekiti- 2 Rivers-2 Benue- 1 Ondo- 1 Kwara- 2 Delta- 1 Katsina-1

     Corps Members in Nasarawa State today donated more than one thousand face masks as their contribution to combat the spread of corona virus in the State. The Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe who is also the Chairman, Nasarawa State Task Force on COVID-19 received the donation on behalf of the State Government. He said the donation will go a long way in combating the pandemic which has already claimed several lives  in many countries around the globe. Dr Akabe thanked the Corps Members for their foresight and assured them of judicious utilisation of the facemasks. He further called on them to support one another with love irrespective of religious and tribal affiliations. Akabe also disclosed that Corps Volunteers would soon be trained to man the COVID-19 Isolation Centers in the State.More photos below.

     A Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court on Tuesday remanded two pilots of Carveton Helicopters, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari in prison custody, for allegedly intentionally disobeying the Executive Order issued by the Rivers State Governor aimed at checking the spread of coronavirus in the state. The Court presided over by Chief Magistrate D.D . Ihua-Maduenyi remanded the two pilots at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre till May 19, 2020 when their trial will commence. Chief Magistrate Ihua-Maduenyi ruled that COVID-19 tests be carried out on the two pilots ascertain their status. The Pilots who were arrested by the Rivers State Police Command were arraigned by the State Police Command via charge number:PMC/532C/2020. Prosecution Counsel and Officer-in-charge, Legal of the Rivers State Police Command, Superintendent of Police, Gladys Amadi told the court that the acts of the two pilots were capable of putting the entire State in danger of contracting cor...

The Katsina State Government on Tuesday announced the death of one Dr. Aminu Yakubu, a Daura based private medical practitioner who recently returned from Lagos and died three days after in the state. The State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, while announcing the death of the first COVID-19 victim in the state, said the result from the laboratory tests showed that he was COVID -19 positive which contributed to his death Accor ding to the Governor, Dr Yakubu who is a native of Kogi State was also said to be suffering from Hypertitis and threats of hypertension. The Governor further announced the commencement of contact tracing of all those the dead medical practitioner must have come into contact with from Lagos to katsina between Tuesday and Wednesday morning. He added that full medical personnel have been deployed in Daura for the exercise. He said ”his samples were taken to NCDC for diagnosis where it was confirmed to be COVID-19 positive”. ” Our medical response team are in Daura...

     PRESS STATEMENT The outbreak of the deadly Corona Virus (Covid-19) necessitated various and continuous actions by Government at different levels to prevent/stop the spread of the virus in Nigeria. 1. Rice 46,000 metric tons (158 trailers) 2. Vegetable oil (251) 36,495kegs (30 trucks) 3. Palm oil 3,428 kegs (1 truck) 4. Tomatoes paste 136,705 cartons (54 trucks) 5. Spaghetti/Noodles 2,951ctns & 1,253pkts (2trucks) 6. Wrappers (Ankara) 828 bales (ltruck) 7. Lace fabric 2,300 Rolls (1 truck) Reacting to pains associated with the effects of the lockdown in some parts of the Country, some Nigerians have taken to the social media to call on Nigeria Customs Service to share seized rice and other edible items to members of the public. While some of these calls appear well intended, others had attempted to create the impression that Customs Officers have the liberty to use seized items as they deem fit. Some even mischievously impugned that the items may have already be...

     Following the confirmation of two cases of COVID-19 in Offa, the government is compelled to effect a total shutdown of the ancient town to contain community transmission and save people’s lives. This shutdown will become effective at 6pm local time on Wednesday April 8th. This directive is pursuant to the Kwara State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulation 2020. The shutdown means total restriction on every vehicular movement into or from Offa. The exceptions to this directive are those contained in the recent address of Mr President which granted access to vehicles transporting foodstuffs, poultry and pharmaceutical products. Any other movement, private or commercial is hereby banned for the next 14 days or until such a time the government is satisfied that our people are no longer at risk of mass infections arising from the two cases that have been traced to the town. Any violators are liable to punishments outlined in the Kwara State Infectiou...

      The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has graduated another batch of Helicopter Backdoor Gunners (HBDG) comprising 12 Nigerian Army (NA) and 18 NAF personnel to enhance synergy between the Services and other security agencies in the fight against insurgency. The graduation of HBDG Course 6/2020, which took place today, 6 April 2020, at the Commando Village of the Regiment Training Centre (RTC), NAF Base Kaduna, would facilitate effective air-ground integration that would improve the freedom of action of surface forces at all echelons during combat operations. In the course of the 5-week intensive training, the students received tutorials on tactics, techniques and procedures for providing insertion and reinforcement capabilities as well as Close Air Support to ground troops during battle. It would be recalled that 10 Nigeria Police Force personnel were trained in the last HBDG Course 5/2019. Speaking during the graduation ceremony, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Ma...

     Today Tuesday 7/4/2020 Sir Emeka Offor Foundation donated one truck of Consumable and Non Consumable Medical Equipment/Supplies to the Nigeria Police Medical Services as part of it's social responsibility to support the Police at this period of National Emergencies.The Consignment includes some personal and p rotective equipment needed in the fight against the spread of COVID -19 which has become a global pandemic. Responding on behalf of the Inspector-general of Police *IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu,NPM,mni during a brief Ceremony at the foundation's Office in Oraifite,the Commissioner of Police CP John B. Abang,fdc* thanked the foundation for remembering the police and also extended the appreciation of the Inspector-general of Police. The CP further assured the Coordinator Sir Emeka Offor foundation Hon.Sir Tony Obi that the consignment will be delivered accordingly and be utilized judiciously for the purpose it was meant for. Meanwhile,the Consignment also cont...

     On the 3/4/2020 at about 9:45pm,following a tip off,police operatives attached to Abagana Division arrested two suspects in connection with snatching of a LEXUS 330 JEEP with Reg no:ACA 348 HM from one Uzoigwe Nkemjika 'm' of plot No 2/9 Ike Ekweremadu Avenue Enugu on the 31/3/2020 along Abagana-Eziowelle road .The Suspects are, (i) Thank God Akwo 'm' aged 30years of Ogidi and , (ii) Onwe Hillary 'm' aged 32 years of Ebonyi State. However,further investigation led to the arrest of two other members of same gang in Imo State as follows, (iii)Tirimisiyu Tijani 'm' aged 27years from Ibaban in Oyo State and, (Iiv) Suleiman Raheem 'm' aged 30years from Kwara State, both resides at Okoro meje ,Orlu in Imo State respectively. Meanwhile,the stolen jeep was recovered inside a panel beating workshop at Amaifeke, Orlu in Imo State where it was dismantled and going through total overhaul. Also recovered is the operational vehicle (a white Mitsub...

      The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has cautioned members of the public against emerging online fraudulent tactics, being explored by internet fraudsters in the wake of the donations arising from the dreaded COVID- 19 pandemic. . . The Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, who disclosed the development on Monday, April 6, 2020, stated that the caution has become necessary, in view of the increasing number of complaints received by the Commission from innocent Nigerians falling prey to the antics of internet fraudsters, who are taking advantage of the pandemic to defraud unsuspecting targets. . . In the last couple of days, home-bond internet users have complained of receiving several e-mails, sms, Whatsapp messages offering free services such as "Do-It-Yourself" Covid-19 tests; subscription to either Netflix, hulu, DSTV, Government Intervention/Grant of N30, 000) and other tricky offers. . . Some of the fraudulent schemes are coming in the ...

     In a bid to ensure seamless co-ordination as well as collection of the various financial donations made regarding the eradication of COVID-19 and also, in line with the current administrations resolve to entrench efficiency, transparency and accountability in public finance management system; the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), has announced names of five commercial banks, where such  financial support could be paid into. This was contained in a public notice signed by the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, FCNA, in Abuja. According to the Accountant General of the Federation, the designated collection account name is: FGN COVID-19 ERADICATION SUPPORT ACCOUNT. The banks and their respective account numbers are as follows: 1. Zenith Bank Account Number - 1017231692 2. Access Bank Account Number - 1385400542 3. GTBank Account Number - 0574639933 4. First Bank of Nigeria Account Number - 2035403735 5. Unite...

      As it commences the second round of distribution in the first phase of the Lagos State Emergency Food Response packages to 20 Local Governments Authorities (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), the State Government says the focus will be on those living with disabilities, the vulnerable in the informal sector and the elderly who had earlier received text messages from the Lagos State   Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA). The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, who disclosed this today while reviewing the activities of the Committee on the COVID-19 Emergency Food Response, explained that the State Government has reformed the strategy and approach of the distribution in order to reach the targeted people, adding that the reform was necessitated by the lessons learnt during the first half of the COVID-19 Emergency Food Response. Lawal noted that over 100,000 households were reached during the first half of the ex...

       The Lagos State Government has announced that the Easter edition of the emergency neighbourhood food markets comes up next Thursday. The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, who disclosed this today, noted that the neighbourhood food markets will be open in 27 of the selected public schools within 14 Local Government Areas of the State. He explained that that the neighbourhood food markets were set up to provide Lagosians access to food supplies during the restriction period, in order to prevent panic buying as a result of the State Governor’s directives closing all markets and stores trading in non-essential commodities. Lawal reiterated that the markets are makeshift markets within the neighbourhood for families that do not have the capacity to buy foodstuff in bulk during the current lockdown in the State. The Commissioner explained that the markets would enable shoppers to buy products and other everyday needs such as beverag...

     The Ogun State Government has rolled out a mobile application for members of the public to self-assess themselves on individual basis for the dreaded Coronavirus. The State Government had in March launched a real time concurrently updated mobile application for health workers which has been deployed to all government and private health facilities across its 20 local government areas to aid information s haring. In a release signed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, the new application, christened, "Ogun COVID-19 Assessment" is not for diagnostic purpose but it is meant to determine the risk of resident's exposure to the disease. Coker noted that the application is downloadable on Google play store and can also be assessed on  https://covid19.ogunhip.com/  and https://covid19.ogunstate.gov.ng/ She said that responses are monitored on a dashboard at the Ministry of Health which will flag high risk individuals as red who are promptly fo...

      The drug, Ivermectin, is used to treat head lice and is available all over the world. Researchers at Monash University found that a single dose of Ivermectin stops the SARS-CoV-2 virus growing in cell culture. But the research is in its early stages and Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug, has not yet been tested on persons infected with COVID-19. According to Brit ish tabloid Daily Mail, the next step is for scientists to determine the correct human dosage, to make sure the level used in vitro is safe for humans. The scientists warned that it could take at least a month before human trials start. ‘We found that even a single dose could essentially remove all viral RNA (effectively removed all genetic material of the virus) by 48 hours and that even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it,’ Daily Mail quotes Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute’s Dr Kylie Wagstaff as saying last Friday. He added: “In times when we’re having a global pandemi...