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The International Press Center, Lagos, has launched a media advisory for journalists reporting the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria.

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Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, said journalists disseminating information to help combat the pandemic were being exposed to health and security risks, which must be addressed through diverse means. Noting that journalists covering a pandemic for the first time needed as much professional support as possible, Arogundade said the advisory became necessary as the COVID-19 infection was spreading to more states and all journalists, whether on the field or not, should benefit from relevant knowledge. He said, "It is against this background that the advisory is divided into three parts – safety, ethics and professionalism and social responsibility. "The advisory derives from and complements existing national, regional and media standards for crisis reporting.” The IPC Director said the release of the advisory would be followed by capacity trainings for journalists in partnership with other media and communication professional bodies in the next couple of days. He added, "The trainings would enable journalists to share information and ask questions based on their experience on the field and in turn receive more professional support. "Journalists should maintain and observe the minimum prescription for social distancing and body contact as recommended by the relevant health authorities. "Journalists should ensure all equipment, camera, microphone cover, midget, etc, are thoroughly disinfected and decontaminated at the end of every assignment. “Persons responsible for handling the equipment should be made fully aware in advance and trained on how to safely clean the equipment.”

PRESI-DENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on coordination of the management of COVID-19 donations by some Nigerians.
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The National Assembly leadership also tabled before the President the need for a two-month free electricity for the citizenry observing the lockdown ordered by President Buhari. Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting held behind closed doors, the Senate President said the meeting dwelt much on the efforts by the government to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and equitable distribution of the palliatives. He said: “The leadership of the National Assembly has been holding series of meetings with Ministers and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and this afternoon we had an engagement with the President to discuss with him what we have resolved as leaders of the National Assembly and our opinion on various issues regarding the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria as well as going forward. “For example, the various donations that we are receiving should go into a single account and should have a fund management committee that would be in charge of releases. Accountability and transparency require that we have that separation. “It is also an opportunity for us to commend Nigerians and corporate bodies that have given us donations but we believe there should be more coordination as far as the management of the funds is concerned. I believe the Presidential Task Force is doing a very good job, they have been very proactive and they deserve our commendation.” Senator Lawan also called for a review of the way the social investment programme of government was being implemented to reach more Nigerians, especially the category of people the programme was meant for. He said: “We also believe that it is time to reform the manner we implement the social investment programme. This is a very important programme that is meant to help the poor and vulnerable Nigerians and we believe that having implemented it for four years or more, we should review to evaluate the efficiency with which we have been implementing the programme. “I believe that we also need to legislate on how to fight poverty in Nigeria because this is one issue that has been there for quite some time and, therefore, there is need for us to have a very clear and well spelt out processes and procedures on how to tackle poverty. “There should be very little or no room for discretion so that we have a programme that will be very transparent and should go deep down to those who really deserve to have the support and should be such an equitable and fair programme as far the geographical spread across the country is concerned.” He said that the National Assembly was on standby to reconvene and thrash the issue of the N500 billion stimulus package on cushioning the effects of COVID-19 proposed by government when presented to it. Also speaking, speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said they discussed the issue of providing free electricity for Nigerians as result of the lockdown on COVID-19, so as to make them more comfortable as they stay at home. He said: “You know I am very passionate about electricity for our people. Interestingly, I brought it up today (yesterday) and we discussed that with the President and hopefully in a matter of days he will meet with the stakeholders on electricity. I impressed on him my position, the DISCOs have their issues, no question about it but at this point in time we need to put that aside and think of the Nigerian people.” “The President listened very attentively and I think hopefully whatever the issues are we will be able to resolve them at least for these two months and then long-term, how electricity will not be an issue but what is imperative right now, is when you ask people to remain at home, you must make that home a little bit comfortable for them.”

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun on Tuesday said the current relaxation of the lockdown in the state from 7am to 2pm would be suspended on Friday.

The governor also said the state would soon commence strict enforcement of wearing of face masks in the public, saying it would help flatten the spread of coronavirus. The governor in the statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, urged the residents of the state to consider the extension announced by the President on Monday a necessary sacrifice to defeat an invisible and deadly enemy.

He said, “Therefore, the current window of relaxation of the lockdown in the state from 7am to 2pm, which follows the same pattern of last week, will still be available for this Wednesday (15th April) and Friday (17th April, 2020) only.

“This is to allow the residents prepare for the extension of the lockdown and restock on food and other essential items. However, Ogun State borders remain closed. “It should be emphasised that people should only go out if they need to and are required at all times when outside their homes to wear a face mask, including locally made face masks, even as they observe other social distancing measures. “The state will soon commence strict enforcement of wearing of face mask in the public as it has been shown to help flatten the spread of the virus.”

lilachiever:
I have someone on queue already, but the lockdown won't allow us deal.
We deal if you can make it to Ikorodu.

lilachiever:
I have someone on queue already, but the lockdown won't allow us deal.
We deal if you can make it to Ikorodu.

Bishop Who Defied Social Distancing Dies After Contracting Covid-19, Church Says

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A Virginia bishop who defied warnings about the danger of religious gatherings during the pandemic and vowed to keep preaching “unless I’m in jail or the hospital” died over the weekend after contracting Covid-19, his church said.

The bishop, Gerald O. Glenn, 66, the founder and pastor of New Deliverance Evangelistic Church in Chesterfield, Va., died on Saturday night, according to Bryan Nevers, a church elder.

Mr. Nevers announced the death of Bishop Glenn during an Easter sermon, which was posted on the Facebook page of the Richmond-area Pentecostal congregation. He said that Bishop Glenn had transitioned from labor to reward.

“The first thing I asked God is, ‘Why?’ ” Mr. Nevers said. “The bishop has touched our lives in so many ways.”

Mother Marcietia Glenn, 65, the bishop’s wife, also tested positive for the virus, Mar-Gerie Crawley, their daughter, said in an April 4 post on the church’s Facebook page. Ms. Crawley said at the time that her father was on a ventilator at the hospital.

“It becomes very real to you,” Ms. Crawley said on Facebook. “I just beg people to understand the severity and the seriousness of this, because people are saying it’s not just about us, it’s about everyone around us.”

The first lady of Kaduna State, Hadiza El-Rufai has chastised her son, Bello, for allegedly, in his tweets, threatened to rape the mother of a twitter user.
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Mrs El-Rufai, who was earlier attacked for taking side with her son on Sunday, apologised saying that having gone through her son’s tweets chronologically, she had had a conversation with him. She said she would never condone sexual abuse in any shape or form. Daily Trust reports that what started as a political debate when Bello El-Rufai described US President Donald Trump as incompetent over his handling of COVID-19 pandemic later degenerated into personal attacks that included ethnic slurs between Bello and some tweeter handlers. Consigliere had alleged that Trump was more competent than President Muhammadu Buhari and Bello’s father, the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai. Bello fired back at Consigliere thus; “Tell your mother I’m passing her to my friends tonight. No Igbo sounds please! Tueh”.
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Mrs El-Rufai, who was tagged in some of the tweets, stated that; “All you people talking about @B_ELRUFAI, Don’t @ me. Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind. All is fair in love and war. My belief: Respect everyone, but take no … from anyone. I didn’t see any threats of rape. I would never condone that.”
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The First Lady later tweeted; “When I posted the tweet below, I assumed it was just the usual Twitter gbas-gbos. Having read the tweets chronologically, I have had conversations with Bello. Never ever should sexual abuse be employed as ammunition in public/ private exchanges, no matter the provocation. “I can see how my tweet may have come across, and I apologise to those who were offended by it. I say once again, that I’d never condone sexual abuse in any shape or form.”