PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

     15 Chinese doctors have arrived Nigeria to help in the fight against Coronavirus. The doctors arrived the country in an Air Peace flight. Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Zhou Pingjian; Executive Director, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Mr Jacques Liao as well as senior officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health received the doctors who arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by 5:15pm today April 8. This is coming after the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) rejected plans by the Federal Government to invite the Chinese medical team to help Nigeria in her fight against the deadly Coronavirus. NMA President, Dr Francis Faduyile had described the move as a "misplaced priority and a thing of embarrassment to the membership of the Association and other health workers, who are giving their best in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic under deplorable working conditions.".More photos below.

     The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has rewarded an outstanding highway sweeper, Raheemat Oluwabukola Fasasi, after an on-the-job video taken by Ms. Adebisi Awoniyi, a resident of Dolphin Estate, went viral on social media a few days ago. Speaking during the brief presentation along Dolphin/Osbourne Road, her designated operational corridor, the Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, no ted that the recognition was to appreciate Fasasi’s diligent service as attested by Ms. Awoniyi, who claimed to have regularly observed her daily activities. The LAWMA boss said, ‘Raheemat, you are being recognised on behalf of Mr. Governor, who had also seen your video posted by Ms. Awoniyi, doing your work so passionately. There is a reward for whatever we do, especially when you are diligent, doing your work from the heart. You never know who may be watching’. He continued, saying "Your video had gone far and Mr. Gove...

      Considering the grave danger posed by COVID-19 pandemic, the world over, and in particular, Nigeria, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), today 8 April 2020, paid a solidarity visit with the Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF), who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force committee put in place by the Government to combat the spread of the dreaded Corona Virus. The CBCN delegation, which was led by Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, the Archbishop of   Abuja, acknowledged the excellent efforts of the Government in curtailing COVID-19. He then read the message of the President of CBCN in which the CBCN, in solidarity with the people of Nigeria and the Government, granted the Presidential Task Force committee full access to 435 Catholic hospitals and clinics in Nigeria. He further presented the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria’s national Health Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Okechukwu, a veteran public health specialist, should they need his s...

     Twenty-two new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria: 15 in Lagos, 4 in the FCT, 2 in Bauchi, 1 in Edo‬ ‪As at 09:00pm 8th April there are 276 confirmed cases of  # COVID19  reported in Nigeria. Forty -four have been discharged with six deaths As at 09:00 pm 8th April, there are 276 confirmed cases 44 discharged 6 deaths For more info- covid19.ncdc.gov.ng Lagos- 145 FCT- 54 Osun- 20 Oyo- 11 Edo- 12 Bauchi- 8 Akwa Ibom- 5 Kaduna- 5 Ogun- 4 Enugu- 2 Ekiti- 2 Rivers-2 Benue- 1 Ondo- 1 Kwara- 2 Delta- 1 Katsina-1

       8th April, 2020 Press Release COVID-19 - Seventy eight violators arrested, charged to Court and sentenced to 30 days community service plus 14 days in isolation centre.....Over 600 vehicles impounded since the commencement of the lockdown enforcement in Lagos State. On 8/4/2020, Police Officers on enforcement of restriction of movements order arrested 78 suspects for violating the stay at home directives of Government. The suspects were arrested playing football on major streets and having group exercise in large number, thereby neglecting the principles of social distancing. 2. The suspects were arraigned in Chief Magistrate Court Yaba on one count charge of violating the social distancing directives of Lagos State Government contrary to Regulation 8(1)( a) &(b) and 17(1)(i) of Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency prevention) Regulation 2020. It is an offence punishable under Section 58 Public Health Law Cap P16 Laws of Lagos State, 2015. 3. S...

     It is worth emphasising for the umpteenth time that each of the pack of seven food items is meant for a household of the elderly, the poor and the vulnerable and not for any street, group, or Community Development Association to unbundle and start sharing the items in bits and pieces. This will defeat the purpose of the palliative. Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR. Governor, Ogun State.

    TROOPS OF OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE NEUTRALIZE BOKO HARAM/ISWAP ELEMENTS AT WURGE AXIS OF BORNO STATE     1. In continuation of the ongoing robust/aggressive operations in the North East Theatre of Operation, the gallant troops of 3 Battalion/Quick Response Force Army Super Camp 11 Gamboru in Borno State on targeted patrol had another fierce encounter with some Boko Haram/ISWAP marauders in a convoy of seven gun trucks and many motorcycles who attempted to infiltrate   the Battalions’ location at about 1800 hours on the 7th of April 2020. 2. Consequently, the criminals were over powered after which they fled. They were aggressively pursued to Wurge axis by the gallant troops/the Quick Response Force. 3. The fierce exchange of fire led to the death of two terrorists and some of them escaped with gunshot wounds. Additionally, Three (3) Gun Trucks, Two (2) Anti Aircraft Guns, Two (2) AK 47 Rifles, One (1) HK 21 Rifle and One Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube ...

      The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has emphasised the need for an all-inclusive relief package for Nigerians by government, arising from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. Gbajabiamila said one of the most effective means of alleviating the financial burden of the stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of the virus is for the government to give a 100 per cent waiver on the electricity consumed by every household in the country. The Speaker said this in Abuja on Wednesday during a meeting between the leadership of the National Assembly and the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of State on Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emiefiele, the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari and others, for an update on the COVID-19 interventions. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasis...

     The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto Zonal Office on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 arraigned Zaharaddeen Ibrahim, Micheal Alabi and Ngozi Agbonjari before Justice Muhammed Muhammed of the Sokoto State High Court on a four-count charge bordering on forgery and conspiracy to steal the sum of N1,205,000.00 (One Million, Two Hundred and Five Thousand Naira). . Being staff of one of the branches of Union Bank Plc in Sokoto State, they allegedly conspired among themselves to issue Automated Teller Machine, ATM cards to an impostor in the name of bonafide customers of the bank which was used to withdraw the said money for their personal use. . The money was stolen from the accounts meant for the Home Grown School Feeding Program, HGSFP initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria for primary school pupils spread across the 23 local government areas of the state..

     The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Gombe Zonal Office, on April 6, 2020, secured the conviction of one Prince Musa, who impersonated Senator Bulus Amos, representing Gombe South Senatorial District and used his name to defraud several prominent persons by soliciting for various sums of money. . He was arraigned before Justice J.A. Awak of the Gombe State High Court on a four-count charge bordering on cheating follo wing his arrest in Jos, Plateau State. . The Senator had petitioned the EFCC alleging that an impostor was using his name to swindle innocent citizens, including a professor who was swindled of N250,000. . Investigation revealed that his mode of operation included using different phone numbers to hide his true identity. He also opened several bank accounts including, Anna Lokoja, 3022948354, First Bank; Eunice Patrick, 0022651193, Access/Diamond Bank; Daniel Bankole, 6021917949, Keystone Bank, and Ofobuike George, 6170371615, Fideli...

      ‪The Government of Ekiti State has commenced the distribution of food and other palliatives to the most vulnerable in Ado Local Government Area (LGA) in order to cushion the effect of the stay-at-home order.   # COVID19 ‬. As a responsible and responsive government, we are conscious of the hardship the shutdown must have brought on Ekiti people.‬ ‪To cushion this effect, we have commenced the distribution of palliative food supplies to the most vulnerable citizens.‬ ‪The relief materials, which are in the form of food packs, are being distributed to only identified vulnerable households, most of whom are extracted from the social register of Ekiti State vulnerable people’s Support Progra mme.‬ ‪This social register is domiciled with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning that covers the sixteen (16) Local Government Areas of Ekiti State. The relief materials are being distributed in batches across the 16 LGAs of Ekiti State. ...

     The Lagos State Ministry of Education has debunked a social media report alleging that a decision has purportedly been reached regarding the admission of under-aged pupils into Junior Secondary Schools in Lagos State. A statement issued on Tuesday by the Office of the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo refuted the claim, noting that no decision has been made and that the issue, which  is still under review in the Ministry of Education, has been a matter of great concern to the present administration. In her words, “This is to affirm that the Ministry of Education has indeed received concerns from various stakeholders regarding this subject. As a consequence, meetings were held with various stakeholders with correspondence and minutes exchanged”. Adefisayo disclosed further that subsequent meetings were also scheduled with various categories of stakeholders such as Executives of Private Schools Associations and Parent Bodies, O...

      BREAKING NEWS The office of the Accountant General of the Federation Headquarters, Abuja is burning right now.A source claimed the office was burning for one hour straight before the fire service arrived.More details later.