Nigeria’s indigenous construction company, Rodnab Constructions Limited, has denied social media reports alleging fraud in the N16.2billion contract awarded to it for the building of the permanent headquarters of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
The Company Secretary and Legal Adviser, Adamu Musa in a statement, yesterday, said “Our attention has been drawn to a report in the social media alleging that the N16.2billion contract awarded to Rodnab Construction Limited, for the permanent headquarters of the NDDC, was done illegally, without authorization.
“The so-called report, allegedly sourced from the office of the Auditor General is a complete cocktail of lies, innuendos and a figment of the imagination of the authors.
“For the records, all contracts awarded to Rodnab Construction Limited in NDDC and other places were duly awarded, they were duly tendered for, won and approved by the NDDC Governing Board and further approved by the Federal Executive Council, having met all the necessary conditions.
“We are definitely not in the business to flout rules, cut corners or defraud the system. We take government rules and financial regulations very seriously. It is therefore, mischievous to insinuate that contracts duly approved by all approving organs of government are illegal.
“As a law-abiding indigenous contracting firm, we are equipped with the best hands as financial experts and Internal auditors applying best professional practices, we have never received any query as claimed by the writers from the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation or anyone.’’

Sokoto—Ahead of Eid-el-Fitr celebration, the Sultan of Sokoto-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, has directed Muslims in Nigeria to pray at home with their families on Sallah day, as the eid prayer congregation remained suspended, due to the rampaging and highly contagious coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
Secretary–General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, said, in a statement, yesterday, that the directive was a mandate to the JNI Fatwa Committee, under the leadership of Sheikh Sheriff Ibrahim Saleh Alhusainy, which came up with FATWA regarding the Year 2020 Eid-el-Fitr prayers.
He said the committee after due consultations, as well as considerations of the current state of COVID-19 pandemic and the serious threat it posed to life, decided that the Eid-el-Fitr congregation in the outskirts of towns and cities should be temporarily suspended.
Also, “the said ‘Eid-el-Fitr prayer be observed at home with family members or alone in case there isn’t anyone with him or her, at home.’
Other decisions taken were that “the ‘Eid-el-Fitr Prayers is two (2) RAKA’AT. Seven (7) TAKBIRAT to be pronounced in the first RAKA’AT, including the opening TAKBIR. Then SURATUL FATIHA is read and any other SURAH, preferably SURATUL A’ALA. While in the second RAKAH, five (5) TAKBIRAT be pronounced. Then SURATUL FATIHA is read and any other SURAH, preferably SURATUL GHASHIYAH.
“In the case of praying at home, as it may be, the KHUTBAH (sermon) is suspended. All above mentioned are based on the Hadith of Anas Bn Malik in Sahih al-Bukhari and Maliki School of law decisions, in MUKHTASAR, as explained by Al-Kharshi and Al-Munah al-Jalil.”
“However, in states where Governments have reached concrete decisions to observe the ‘Eid-el-Fitr prayer, based on their medical experts advice, strict measures of distancing, face masks and sanitizers be taken to protect worshipers. In this case neighborhood mosques can be utilized if it becomes necessary.
“Ulama should fear Allah, the Most High and be matured enough in guarding their utterances and actions for the overall interest of the DEEN and the Ummah.”

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has warned his players that “personal agendas” will not be tolerated as he seeks a change of culture at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer has overseen a huge turnover in his squad since taking charge in 2018.
Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez were high-profile departures to Inter Milan, while Chris Smalling, Matteo Darmian, Antonio Valencia, Ander Herrera, Ashley Young and Marcos Rojo also left in a mix of permanent and loan deals during that period.
Solskjaer is much happier with the current makeup of his squad having recruited a number of young talents in Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Daniel James and Bruno Fernandes.
But the Norwegian said he would have no qualms about getting rid of another negative influence, even if it meant unbalancing his squad.
“Personality is so important. We’re a team in a team environment,” Solskjaer said in an interview with fanzine United We Stand.
“You want players to have a bit of ego and edge but they have to be able to adapt. The players started with negative thinking, whereas now it’s positive thinking.
“There were other things I didn’t like last year, some personal agendas which couldn’t be sorted out until the summer.

“There will always be players who want to play more in football, but if a team is to be successful then players have to be available at different times.
“I feel in this group we don’t have one bad apple.”
Solskjaer enjoyed a dream return to the club he graced as a player when United reeled off a long unbeaten run and knocked Paris Saint-Germain out of the Champions League in 2019.
But Solskjaer said he learned more about who he could trust and count on when United stuttered badly at the end of his first season.
“When you win, everything is easy. It’s when you hit difficult times that you can see who you want and who has the right mentality,” he said.
“We didn’t see that until after Paris, when we went into a bad run.
“That’s when I saw who I could build a long-term, successful squad around. You need some egos in football, but it has to be team first.”

The Cross River State Government on Thursday disclosed that it has suspended Dr Offiong Okoho, whose alleged unprofessional practices led to the death of Prince Otu-Otu Duke, a patient who was under his care.
Duke, who was the Special Adviser to Gov. Ben Ayade on Waste Management, died on April 3, 2020, after undergoing surgery for hernia at the Covenant Clinic and Maternity run and owned by Dr Okoho.
Cross River Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu, told newsmen on Thursday in Calabar that Dr Okoho has been suspended while his private clinic, Covenant Clinic and Maternity was also closed down.
Dr Edu said that the state Ministry of Health was aware of the complaints about Dr Okoho from some patients he had handled in the past.
Vanguard learned that the family of the late Prince Duke, who brought up the matter, have insisted in their petition that Dr Okoho’s mismanagement of their brother’s health condition led to his untimely death
Mr Orok Duke brother to the deceased had earlier sent a petition to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Uche Anozia about the illicit practice and the “illegal clinic run by Okoho.
In his petition, Duke stated that “Dr Offiong had operated upon my brother and mismanaged his medical condition in his illegal clinic.
“By the time that my brother, who had fallen into a coma was evacuated and taken to Asi Ukpo Medical Centre for proper medical treatment, he died on 3rd April, 2020.”
The Commissioner for Health said that investigation into the various allegations against the physician by members of the public was ongoing.

She also explained that the suspension was to give way for transparency in the process, adding that a committee has been set up to reach out to persons or relatives of people who have been victims to testify.
“When you see that the hospital is being shut down is a clear indication that government is doing something. The facility was shut down by the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with Nigerian Medical Association, NMA .
“The first step was to shut down the facility, and investigation is ongoing. And of course, we also have medical sanctions that would definitely come to play when we get the report from the investigation committee.
“At the same time, Dr Okoho has also been suspended from working at the General Hospital until investigations are over.
“Remember, we can’t just act on what we hear, we must investigate so that we don’t just punish somebody wrongly. We have reached out to some persons who he has treated as well.
“Those testimonies would form the background of what we would do”, the Commissioner said.
When contacted, Dr Okoho told Vanguard that as a medical professional, he took an oath to save lives and not otherwise.
He said the deceased, who had a history of diabetes, was brought in for surgery at his clinic on March 25, 2020 and that the procedure was successfully carried out.
He explained that seven days after, the deceased patient developed partial stroke, which he then referred him to a specialist for appropriate treatment, but the patient, however, refused to go for the referral.
Ikoho said: “It was after the situation deteriorated that he was placed on oxygen and finally moved to Asi Ukpo Medical Centre, where he died”, he said.
On his suspension from the services of the Cross River Government, Dr Okoho said there was nothing he could do other than awaits the outcome of investigation by the Ministry of Health.
Responding to the possible cause of death, Dr Okoho said: “The patient could have died as a result of Aspiration Pneumonitis because the nurse at Asi Ukpo said he vomited before he died.

Controversy has surrounded the death of a pregnant woman (name withheld) in Ibiade, the headquarters of Ogun Waterside local government area of Ogun State, as youths of the community alleged that policemen delayed the pregnant woman for hours while she was being taken to hospital for delivery.
But police denied the allegation, saying that they only stopped the woman to ascertain that she was not being kidnapped.
The youths alleged that the policemen at checkpoint reportedly delayed a motorcycle carrying the pregnant woman to the hospital for hour because the motorcyclist refused to give them money.
It was further learnt that the police officers allegedly hit the pregnant woman on the head with torchlight when she was being taken to a hospital where she was supposed to deliver her baby.
The death of the pregnant woman led to protest by youths of the community who threatened to burn down police station in the community, but it took the intervention of the traditional ruler of the community, Alarege of Ibiade, Oba Kola Rahimi and some other eminent personalities in the community before the youths were calmed.
An eye witness, who spoke under the condition of anonymity disclosed that the Police officer numbering about three reportedly stopped the motorcycle taking the woman to the hospital for delivery.
The source added that despite the pains the woman was going through, the police officers allegedly delayed them for refusing to pay.
Also speaking, a Human Rights activist, Festus Ogun said the pregnant woman who was already in pain before getting to the checkpoint was allegedly delayed for several hours by the policemen.

Ogun added that it was learnt that the woman was harassed by the police and she was unable to make it to the hospital before she gave up the ghost.
He said, “the true situation is that earlier this morning before dawn, the woman was in labour and she was already bleeding profusely and been taken to the hospital.
“On the way to the hospital, the motorcycle carrying her was stopped by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, she was delayed for hours and it was that delay that led to the death of the woman.
“The matter is that the woman was in serious labour and the policemen were saying because of the lockdown or whatever reason they deliberately delayed the woman and led to the unfortunate death of the woman.
“The woman died with the baby in her , so thereafter the corpse of the woman was taken to the king’s palace, I think she died in between the checkpoint and the hospital.
“In fact, there were threats that the police station will be burnt down. It took the interventions of the traditional ruler of the community, the Alarege of Ibiade and eminent personalities to bring the situation down
Ogun maintained that justice must prevailed and the officers involved must be punished.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi denied the allegation that the police was responsible for the death of the pregnant woman.
He explained that the pregnant woman was only delayed for few minutes so as to be sure she was not kidnapped.
According to him, the fact is that the person carried a pregnant woman on a motorcycle, during midnight, policemen who were enforcing curfew, stopped them and asked them where they were going and they said that the woman was in labor and they are taking her to a hospital.
He further said, “the officers asked them why that time and they said that the woman is bleeding, so the officers asked them to go to the hospital, about 10 or 15 minutes later, the woman died during labor, maybe she had lost a lot of blood before they decide on taking her to the hospital, she hasn’t even given birth before she died, so those people came back and said that the policemen that stopped them at the checkpoint delayed them from getting to the hospital earlier, saying that they killed her. How is that possible?
“The DPO called me this morning to inform me about the situation.
“They were stopped truly to know where they were going, and I don’t think they’ve gone beyond their power, what if they were kidnapping the woman for ritual?
“Don’t we have the right to stop them? We saw someone in the night carrying a pregnant woman, where are you taking her to? it is the duty of a policeman to question the person, and they explained and the policemen let them go.
“The delay for questioning wasn’t up to five minutes according to the DPO , he called me in the morning. Are policemen not human beings? That they would now see a pregnant woman and deliberately delay her for what?”

KANO – Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has on Tuesday told residents in the state to come forward for test against the highly contagious Coronavirus disease.
Ganduje made the call while inaugurating one of the Zonal Sample Collection Centres in Rano, Rano Emirate in Kano state.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, the Governor said the zonal centres would be on board before going down to local government areas, to help suppress the pressure on the existing collection centres that are mostly in the metropolitan of kano.
According to the statement, “This administration is determined to see that this global pandemic of COVID-19 is fought from all angles. What we need if your support and cooperation.
“It was now very clear to all that, COVID-19 pandemic was real and that people must stand up and help the state in the fight against it. Our advice is for everybody to come forward and be tested.
“Those that tested positive will be taken to the Isolation Centre. And they would be taken care of adequately. While those tested negative will be allowed to go to their families and continue observing the protocols of the response,” the Governor said.
The Emir of Rano, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa, who graced the occasion, assured the governor of the total support and cooperation of his Emirate in fighting the pandemic.
At Waziri Gidado Hospital, Bachirawa, the governor also commissioned a Collection Centre facility donated to the state government by eHealth Africa, as part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility to fight COVID-19 pandemic.
After thanking the organisation for the gesture, Governor Ganduje warned that “As we are fighting an enemy that we don’t see and has no respect for one’s religion or tribe or colour of skin or social status we have to join hands together and face the fight against this global enemy.
He assured that it is absolutely necessary for the state to duplicate such facility across all the 44 local governments in the state, adding that, ” People should also come to understand that those tested positive with the disease would be taken to Isolation Centre.
“I want you to understand that staying at Isolation Centre is a simple procedure. You will be fed there and after sometimes you will be discharged to go back to your family. Simple. There is nothing extraordinary. The procedure is very simple.”
A representative from eHealth Africa, Mr. Ataf Fawaz, who is a Deputy Director, said “We are determined to give our helping hand in this fight against COVID-19. We all understand the need to put all hands on deck.”
He appreciated the effort of the state government since from day one to date, emphasising that, “This is a fight for all of us. We also urge people to always observe the protocols as enunciated by health professionals. It is very important.”
The representative from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Abubakar Jafiya, commended that, “Your Excellency you are doing very well in this fight against COVID-19 pandemic Sir. There is no doubt about this. And we must commend you for this effort.”
“Kano state is doing wonderfully well. This lab is encouraging and it shows also how serious the state is, which makes other people be encouraged and render their assistance to the state,” Dr. Jafiya said.
Meanwhile, the centre is said to be one of the 9 collection centres in the state, apart from the ones to be extended to all the Emirates in the state.

ABUJA – The Federal Government has said it will only re-open the nation’s economy fully when it is able to strike a delicate balance between safety and economic considerations.
This was as it explained the whereabouts of a 15-member Chinese Medical Team after initially engaging in several backs and forth on the issue.
It also lamented the growing number of casualties with regards to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying many of those who died recently, apart from having some underlying illnesses, had embarked on some form of self-medication or home care.
These were disclosed Tuesday in Abuja during the daily briefing of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on Covid-19.
The federal government also announced that it has met the relevant committees of the National Assembly in its bid to deepen its collaboration with the legislature and strengthen its National Response to the pandemic.
It added that about five drugs, including hydroxychloroquine, are currently being analysed by research institutes in the country to determine their efficacy in the treatment of Covid-19.
Reopening the Economy
Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha said the decision of government to extend the eased lockdown for another two weeks is to effectively contain the virus before fully reopening the economy fully.
Mustapha added that he has taken delivery of the Madagascar Covid-19 Syrup, stating that he would engage the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire in that regard.
He said; “Yesterday, the PTF comprehensively conveyed Mr. President’s directive on extending the eased lockdown for another two weeks in the bid to further contain and control the spread of the disease.
“This well-considered decision was taken out of an abundance of caution, current experiences from different countries and expert advice. I must add also that we were persuaded by the history of global pandemics because it is replete with evidence of exponential rise in pandemic upon early lifting of restrictions, for which the 1918 – 1920 influenza remains the most recent example in human history.
“Nigeria, judging from these historical perspectives, must in our present approach, delicately balance between safety and economic considerations before we reopen the economy, fully. Again, I wish to repeat that the decision is not punitive, we share your pains and also share your concerns. However, our future remains in our hands and compliance is one of the keys to opening that future.
“I must also emphasise that the two additional weeks should be utilized by businesses, offices, professional bodies, places of worship, educational institutions, etc awaiting reopening to plan and adopt new strategies under a COVID-19 era in line with the guidelines. Above all, behavioral change is a must for every citizen because COVID 19 has changed the world completely.

Engagement with NASS
“As part of our engagement strategy, the PTF met with the Joint Health Committees of the National Assembly, today, to seek further collaboration and support for the battle. We robustly presented the Health Sector Response to the pandemic. As expected, the interactive session was very useful and the PTF COVID-19 received a re-assurance of the support from the legislature”.

We’re not paying for Madagascar Syrup
“We have repeatedly said here that we did not ask for it. It was given to us by the government of Madagascar to African countries as its contribution to wanting to find a solution to Covid-19 pandemic. And I have repeatedly said that our consignment and that of West Africa were dropped in Guinea-Bissau. We were making arrangements to go and airlift, but as God would have it, the President of Guinea-Bissau decided to visit our President last Saturday. So, when he was coming, he came with our consignment of five cartons and those five cartons were delivered to me yesterday in the evening, sealed.
“I am going to engage the Minister of Health who has responsibility of validation through his institutions that are chartered by law to do that and the President was upfront with that even when he took the delivery from the President of Guinea-Bissau. He said it quiet clearly that what we were going to do with the consignment will be guided by science. After the processes of validation, we will now know where to go.
“In terms of the question of whether it comes with a cost, well it was handed to me without an invoice. So, I assume it doesn’t come with any cost. That is my assumption. For that, I think the Madagascar issue and the Chinese issue should be laid to rest because these two issues are not central to the problem that we have at hand now. So, we should try as much as possible to minimise the judicious use of our time to deal with important issues. I believe you (the media) will support us in this cause, that these two issues should be laid to rest”, he stated.

Rising fatalities
Mustapha advised those who are infected to seek help rather than going underground.
“For those who are struggling with the disease, help is available. Do not go underground. It is important to talk about it and to seek help. Every effort spares humanity the agony of the spread of the virus”, he stated.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire added that many recent cases of fatalities were as a result of the preference of some patients for home care, rather than accessing official treatment.
He said; “It is of great importance that we, members of the health sector and citizens, endeavor to use this period to dedicate their effort to strive for the best, but also prepare for the worst. As we learn more about coronavirus every day, we must be ready to adjust our strategy, based on knowledge and evidence.
“1, 644 patients have been treated and discharged from care, but we have sadly recorded 191 deaths in 26 states and the FCT. Even though this figure seems low compared to other countries, a disturbing picture emerging from statistics is that not only are most fatalities observed to be linked with preexisting diseases, many are educated, well-to-do people, who chose home-based care, where they develop sudden complication and have to be rushed to hospital. Experience is showing that breathing complications in COVID-19 patients can arise with little or no notice. This is an added reason why all persons should seek medical attention when they test positive.

Research on drugs
“We do not support self-medication. There are medicines that should not be in your hands except they are prescribed by your doctor. There is a study being down on the efficacy of some drugs by about five centres in our country. Hydroxychloroquine is one of them. When the result is out, I will let you know. But do not take medications on your own because you can do considerable harm to yourself”, he added.
He advised Nigerians to always check for the NAFDAC numbers of hand sanitizers they are buying as well as verifying that the ingredients used in making such sanitizers are displayed on the body, with one of them being at least 60 percent alcohol.
No reward for states with low or higher cases
Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control NCDC, Dr Chikwe Iheakwazu dismissed speculations that the federal government has a financial reward for states with high number of Covid-19 cases.
He said; “None of them. Whether you report more or less, there is no direct relationship between the number of cases and how much support you get. So, I do not see the benefit of either reporting more or reporting less. In our situation report today which we have made public following your request, the number of tests that every state in Nigeria has carried out so far, I think the data speaks for itself”.

C’ttee on post-COVID-19 initiatives
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed announced that his ministry has set up a Committee on Post-Covid-19-Initiatives for the Creative Industry.
“If you recollect, I announced the establishment of the committee two weeks ago, when I met with members of the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria BON.
“The Committee comprises 22 members drawn from the various sectors of the Creative Industry. The number of members increased from the 14 that was initially announced to 22, as we brought in more sectoral representatives.
“The Committee is to:- assess the expected impact of the pandemic on the industry in general; advise the Government on how to mitigate job and revenue losses in the sector as well as to create succour for the industry small businesses; Suggest the type of taxation and financing that is best for the industry at this time to encourage growth and advise the Government on any other measure or measures that can be undertaken to support the industry.
“The establishment of the committee was necessitated by the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Creative Industry, which is very key to the nation’s economy and also a major plank of the economic diversification policy of this Administration”, he stated.

Decontamination of Airports, Planes
Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar also spoke on how far the ministry has decontaminated some places in the country, including airports and planes.
“So far, there is a team in the Northwest right now even working at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Over the weekend, they decontaminated and disinfected the Nigerian Defence Academy NDA and some other places, the courthouses around there. Again, tomorrow, the teams in South-South and Southeast will commence the decontamination and disinfection starting particularly in Edo and Anambra. Equally, next week, we will have the team that will start in the Northeast, Adamawa, Gombe and places like that. Then, the same next week, our team will continue in Lagos where we have been doing a lot of decontamination and disinfection because of the situation on ground right from the beginning.
“As for the aviation industry, I told you earlier that this is an industry that is different. You have to tread carefully because of its safety kind of structure. One of the issues really have to do with the kind of chemicals being used for decontamination and disinfection. The industry wants to see in relation to how it will affect their equipment, the aircraft. This is very important. We will be visiting with the officials of the aviation industry to do that”, he stated.

Free data for e-Learning
Minister of State, Education, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba said most of the electronic learning resources of the ministry can be accessed by students using free data.
He said; “I have answered this question before, where I explained that almost all our online services have been granted data-free status by all the major networks as part of the collaboration they have already rolled out with us. So, if you go to any of our e-Learning platforms, most of them are already accessible using free data. They have also gone ahead, I am sure, to generally reduce data offers as part of what they are offering. But that is available for everybody. However, for the specific education websites, they have already granted free data”.

No immediate access for Nigerians in France
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said Nigerians who are in France and seeking to come into the country through Cotonou in Benin Republic would not be granted immediate access.
He said; “For Nigerian citizens in France who were enquiring whether they could safely board an Air France plane destined for Cotonou with the assumption that they can then cross into Nigeria, the thing is that we have a protocol in place. We can only take people according to the number of facilities that we have available, where they would be quarantined for two weeks and when we have adequate staffing to monitor them for that period of two weeks. That is really the precondition for an approval for anybody to come into the country from outside.
“I have reported here in the past that we have taken in almost 100 Nigerians who have come in through the land borders from Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. So, the possibility is there, but first, we have to be sure that we have the requisite capacity to take in those people. So, the simple answer to them in this particular case is, if it is the case that they have already bought tickets and have boarded the flight or are about to board the flight, when they get to Cotonou if it is a fait accompli, we will, as in the past liaise with our Charge de Affaires in Cotonou and with the two states, depending on the borders that they choose to go through and to see what capacity they might be in and see how we can process them from Cotonou. But there is certainly no guarantee that they will have immediate access to the country until such a time that they can be absorbed. We also do not know the number of those who might have boarded that flight.
“On the 13, 000 students in Malaysia under threats of deportation presumably for overstaying their visas, because I do not know what the reason will be for such deportation. But we have not in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gotten such information. Ordinarily, if such a thing were to happen or to be considered, our Embassy there would have informed us and we would have engaged with the Malaysian government in respect of that. But the global practice at the moment is that every country knows that the air space have been closed all around the world and that there are people in those countries who for no fault of their own might be forced to overstay the duration of their visas. So, it is not the practice at the moment for governments to unilaterally embark on issues of deportation. That is certainly not how such matter would be dealt with if indeed that is the case with Malaysia”, he added.

Chinese Team still in Nigeria
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola disclosed that the 15-member Chinese medical team came into Nigeria on the bill of CCECC and that they are still in the country.
He said; “Indeed, 15 Chinese nationals came into Nigeria on April 8, 2020 and from everything we have heard and said, they are here on the bill of CCECC, a Chinese company working in Nigeria, doing some work for us in several places and in conjunction with some Nigerian companies agree to support us in the effort to respond to the Pandemic. At Idu in Abuja, they participated in retrofitting and equipping the isolation there. They equally worked on the Dome project that was handled by the NNPC Consortium in conjunction with Thisday. So, those were the locations in which they came to work. They helped in retrofitting the two facilities and installing critical, essential and sensitive medical equipment. They came in, 15 of them, on April 8. They came on a 30-day Visa issued in Beijing. They are still here. I do not need to tell you why they are still here. They are still here not because they have not completed their job but because there is a restriction on travels in Nigeria occasioned by the protocol of Covid-19”.

Senate on Mental Health Bill
Senate’s Committee Vice Chairman on Health, Sadiq Umar said the lawmakers were working on a Mental Health Bill to assist the country handle such medical cases.
“I can tell you authoritatively that this Senate is aware of how antiquated our mental health laws are. So, as of today, Sen. Yahaya Oloriegbe has sponsored a new robust Mental Health Bill that has passed the first and second reading and has been referred to the committee for the final preparation to pass. Unfortunately, with Covid-19, we cannot have public hearing but I can assure you that he is the Chair of the Committee too. So, as soon as we can have public hearing, this bill will be passed expeditiously.
“Mental Health is equally as important to us in the Senate that another Senator, Shettima also brought another bill on Mental Health. It has passed the first reading and is about to go for the second reading. So, be rest assured that mental health concern will be robustly taken care of by this National Assembly”, he added.

Sixty fun-seekers were arrested Wednesday, at a party held at 84 Parks and Graden, in Abule-Egba area of Lagos for violating the lockdown and social distancing orders.
The arrest was effected by the Lagos State Task Force on COVID-19, comprising operatives of the Task Force of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA) Lagos State Safety Commission and the Rapid Response Squad, RRS .
According to the team leader/ Director Enforcement and Monitoring LASEPA
Mr. Kayode Bello, the Taskforce stormed the birthday party following a tip off from concerned citizens of the state.
The facility was immediately sealed.
The GM LASEPA, Dolapo Fasawe, said, “ it is no longer business as usual in the State, this pandemic has united us all and encourages citizen participation in terms of information sharing.
“We responded at exactly 3:10 pm after receiving the information and surprisingly met the youth who were shabbily dressed for a birthday party. It shouldn’t be difficult for us to obey simple instruction and adhere strictly to safety precautions, so as to timely flatten the curve, so normalcy can return back to the world.
“The facility has been sealed off while the youths were taken away by the police for further investigation and profiling. “This is to appeal to parents and guardians to seriously warn their wards and stay away from unlawful gathering. All hands are on deck to ensure that there is no hiding place for flagrant violators. The war can only be won through the collective efforts of all. We all have a part to play as stakeholders”.
The GM, further disclosed that another night club was sealed in Victoria Graden City, Monday.
She said, ” We also got information about the night club which was using a pharmacy to cover up from concerned citizens.

BENIN CITY – NOT less than 25 personnel of State Security Services (SSS) Sunday evening invaded the residence of the former Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki, Taiwo Akerele and arrested his Personal Assistant Jaspa Olowojoba after using him to search Akerele’s house located off 1st Ugbor Road in Benin city while the whereabouts of Akerele is unknown.
Akerele resigned his position on Friday night and was replaced by Ethan Uzamere as the new Chief of staff.
The SSS detectives arrived his residence at about 5 pm in an 18 seater bus and three vehicles of Operation Wabaizigan.
It was gathered that a security detail to the governor had called Olowojoba to come and remove Akerele’s personal belongings from his former office but Olowojoba was said to have said he would come and do that on Monday but the security detail was said to have prevailed on him to come and the security men were said to have allowed him to remove all his belongings and then followed him home when he removed the last consignments of his belongings.

As at the time of filing this report, Akerela and Olowojoba’s lines were switched off while the whereabouts of Akerele who was said to have received visitors in his house earlier in the day remain unknown.
A source close to the former Chief of Staff told Vanguard yesterday that “They called his PA severally that he should come and collect Akerele’s personal belongings so that the new Chief of Staff could resume but Olowojoba said he would come for them on Monday but he insisted and when he went they allowed him to remove all his belongings and when they were going with the last consignment, SSS went with him to Akerele’s house, they ransacked his house and then went away with his PA but Akerele’s whereabouts is unknown”

ABUJA — AS the second phase of the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja for 14 days expires Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday met with the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and the Director General of the Nigerian Center for Disease Control, NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Recall that President Buhari had ordered for a complete lockdown of Lagos, Abuja and the FCT said to be the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic for 14 days starting from March 29 and even extended the lockdown for another 14 days from April 13, 2020.
The President is expected to address Nigerians today whether to relax the lockdown or extend it for the third time in view of the report that the dreaded Coronavirus transmission was spreading in communities despite the measures put in place to contain it.
Personal Assistant to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmed, through his verified twitter handle @BashirAhmaad tweeted: “FLASH: President @MBuhari receives briefing on Nigeria’s #COVID19 situation, from Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire and Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu this evening at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.”
Ehanire, who appeared on Channels Television Sunday night when asked when the lockdown will be relaxed or lifted said: “The president will make that announcement in his own time, we have given him the facts, he will consider the facts and make his own announcement using his wisdom.”
Asked if it made sense to relax the lockdown now that Nigeria’s cases are over one thousand, the minister said: “well, what happens is that in every country we balance the medical and health-related benefits from the economic-related benefits because you have an economy you don’t want to kill and you also have a health sector you don’t want to destroy.
“So it is a very delicate balance which you need to do and all countries do that. It is not only in our country, even in the United States you have that debate all the time, do we open the economy now or do we not open the economy now.
The decision has to be tailored according to the needs of our country, every country weighs his own benefits and decides what is best for her.
“In our case, we have presented the facts to His Excellency, Mr. President, we thought of the pros and cons and then gave him the options and then leave him to use his wisdom to make the choice.”
Recall also that President Buhari at his last broadcast to the nation said the extension became necessary having considered the briefings and Report from the Presidential Task Force and the various options offered.
He said the approach to the virus remains in two steps – “First, to protect the lives of our fellow Nigerians and residents living here and second, to preserve the livelihoods of workers and business owners.
“With this in mind and having carefully considered the briefings and Report from the Presidential Task Force and the various options offered, it has become necessary to extend the current restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States as well as the FCT for another 14 days effective from 11:59 pm on Monday, 13th of April, 2020.
“I am therefore once again asking you all to work with Government in this fight.”
The governors of 36 states of the federation had through the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) asked that the lockdown be scaled down to partial mode with relaxed restriction.
In a letter dated April 24, 2020, and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, the NGF requested for, subject to the president’s approval, internal free movement in all the states, but with restrictions on large gatherings.
The other things the governors want to be incorporated into President Buhari’s impending pronouncement on the lockdown are: “Inter-state lockdown, excluding movement of essential supplies- food, beverages, medical and pharmaceutical, petroleum supplies and agricultural products; internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies; overnight curfews; lockdown of flights; and compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public.”

In line with the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused a total lockdown and stoppage of all football activities in the country and the world at large, the Board of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has mandated the federation to prioritise its programs, activities and competitions in which it will partake.
In a communique issued after its executive committee meeting held via video conference on Friday, the president, Amaju Pinnick and secretary-general, Dr Mohammed Sanusi of the football federation have been “mandated to cut down expenses from all areas possible and enforce belt-tightening measures in the running of the Federation, to ensure the Federation operates only within the framework of guaranteed revenue.”

In the same vein, the communique also stated that the federation has “mandated the President to meet with the Federation’s Official Optimum Partner, AITEO especially to discuss matters involving the AITEO Cup 2020 competition and payment of coaches’ salaries.
The NFF will create windows for the various stages of the AITEO Cup competition to run its full course in order for Nigeria to register her representatives for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup competition.
Similarly, the NFF/Zenith Bank Future Eagles Championship, which state competitions have already been concluded (with some zones having also completed their competitions) will run its full course immediately after the COVID-19 and resumption of football activities.

She has come out to speak on allegation currently trailing her and a top actor, Ibrahim Chatta. It came as a big shock to the dashing role interpreter when some bloggers picked up their pen to romantically link her with Ibrahim Chatta. Some of the bloggers, in their headlines, said: “Ibrahim Chatta’s Ex-wife Olayinka Solomon Buys New SUV”.

According to her, “I have been in Nollywood since 2005 and I don’t think I have at any time gone beyond my boundaries. Ibrahim Chatta is a dynamic actor and a senior colleague I respect so much. I am not his wife or his former wife.
He is a colleague and we are all professionals at what we do. I have not at any time walked down the aisle with him and any reporter who is so sure of that should kindly show me our marriage certificate, the photos and the videos taken at the wedding ceremony. Nigerians just like to link things together.

I am single but not searching, I have a man in my life. His identity is confidential to me. I can’t wait to be with the love of my life and start a new life together as a couple. Sure, very soon you are going to know about him, probably during our wedding.
Ibrahim Chatta is married with kids and I am sure he is enjoying his marriage. So, the rumour mongers should get in touch with the Lagos State government so as to get a new job as highway cleaners.”
The rumour started making rounds when her friends and well-wishers took to their various social media pages, particularly on Instagram to send their congratulatory messages to her over her newly acquired brand new SUV (Benz GIK 350) on 20th of April.

Sudanese model, Nyakim, enters Guinness book of records for having the darkest skin tone on Earth. AirPods Clout

Nigeria Minister of Power, Alhaji Saleh Mamman has dismissed the speculations that the federal government will pay two-month electricity for Nigerians as part of palliatives to citizens to cushion the effect of the lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Mr. Mammam revealed this to BBC Hausa in an interview published on its twitter handle @bbchausa and monitored by our correspondent.
According to him ” this matter has not been concluded yet, we are only looking at the possibility of doing so, the fact is, you see this power supply the first thing we do when the government declared this lockdown because of COVID-19 is to ensure there is stable power supply for people to be more comfortable staying at home.
The Minister said “you see there are first those generating this power, then those transmitting it as well as those distributing the power to various household, those generating this power are hundred business private business people that own all of their equipment and it is strictly business.
Mr. Mamman further explained that ” if you talk about paying electricity bill for citizens, the first question you ask is who are those that fall under the category of beneficiaries, you know we have over eighty million people who don’t have access to electricity in Nigeria and we have over two hundred millions Nigerians so if you decided to pay bill for one hundred and twenty million people, the question is who are you paying for, those privileged people in Maitama Victoria Island and other highbrow areas or those with companies and doing businesses and making profits while you abandoned the less privilege who don’t even have access to the electricity.
He said “you see this free electricity bill will be paid with taxpayers money and you want to serve the interest of the privileged Nigerians, then the less privilege and the vulnerable what are going to do for them? He queried.
The minister also affirmed that it will be a very difficult task for government to pay the two-month electricity bill for citizens, stressing that putting the bill together will amount to over a hundred billion naira.
He said “every month what we pay as electricity bill, I mean what the distribution company are paying with the little support from government is a little above fifty billion naira monthly.
Mr Staleh Mamman said he has explained to members of the National assembly that initiated the idea of free electricity for Nigerians citizens and if they insisted, they should come up with ideas to go about the action.

The National Judicial Council, NJC, on Friday, recommended the appointment of 70 Judicial Officers, even as it sacked two Judges over age falsification and judicial misconduct.
The legal body, in a statement signed by its Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, said it recommended the compulsory retirement of the Acting President of the Customary Court of Appeal in Imo State, Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi, after it was discovered that he falsified his date of birth from 1950 to 1958.
“Findings showed that he was supposed to have retired in November, 2015 when he clocked the mandatory retirement age of Sixty-five (65) years.
“Council decided to recommend his compulsory retirement to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and to also deduct the salaries he had earned from November, 2015 to date from his retirement benefit”.
Likewise, the NJC which is headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, also compulsorily retired Justice Aliyu Musa Liman of Bauchi State High Court of Justice after he was found guilty of judicial misconduct.
According to the statement, “Hon. Justice Aliyu Musa Liman was recommended to the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed for compulsory retirement pursuant to the findings by the Council for his failure to deliver judgement in suit No BA/100/2010, between Abubakar Isa and Sheik Tahir Usman Bauchi within the three months period stipulated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Council viewed His Lordship’s failure to deliver judgement for nearly four years as misconduct, contrary to Section 292 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended and Rules 1.3 and 3.7 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

In the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the NJC, suspended both Judges from office, pending the approval recommendations it made to their respective governors for their compulsory retirement.
Meanwhile, the Council said the 70 judicial officers it recommended for appointment would serve as President Court of Appeal, Grand Kadis, President Customary Court of Appeal, Judges of High Court of States and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as Kadis of States Sharia Courts of Appeal.
The body which reached the decision after a two-day virtual meeting it held on Wednesday and Thursday, further disclosed that it has constituted a 10-man Committee to come up with urgent practical strategic measures to be put in place in order to ensure that Courts continue to function, despite the lockdown and Covid-19 challenges.
It gave names of members of the Committee that would be chaired by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court, as the current Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Justice M. B. Dongban-Mensem, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice J. T. Tsoho, President of the Industrial Court, Justice B. B. Kanyip and the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello.
Others are: Justice Kashim Zannah, Justice O. A. Ojo, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro, SAN, Mr. A. B. Mahmoud, SAN, and Mr. D. D. Dodo, SAN.
It said the Committee which was handed 14 days to submit its report, was mandated to, “come up with Guidelines or template for implementation; To explore possible areas of collaboration between the Judiciary and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, stakeholders in the Justice Administration and Development Partners in Justice Administration Sector; and Any other measures that the Committee may deem fit in realising these objectives.”
The NJC said it also considered and dismissed petitions that were written against some judges, even as it recommended some lawyers for disciplinary action.
It said: “Petitions against the following Judicial Officers; Hon. Justice O. A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Hon. Justices Muhammed A. Sambo and Sa’ad Ibrahim Zadawa of the High Court of Justice, Bauchi State were dismissed for either lacking in merit or being subjudice.
“Council also decided to report Messrs Apeiyi Becon Clement, Ifeanyi Egwasi, Nwafor Orizu, Godwin Nkemjika Chukwukwere, Akopde Haggai Ukuku, Chief Emefo Etudo, Osamudiamen Obarogie and B. S. Onuegbu to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for various acts unbecoming of a Legal Practitioner ranging from unruly behaviour, walking out of Court in the cause of proceedings to submission of false documents to Court.
“The Council also formally launched its twitter handle @njcNIG and will launch its other platforms at a later date”.

Dozens of prisoners at a jail in Argentina’ s capital Buenos Aires rioted on Friday demanding urgent health measures after confirmation of a coronavirus case inside the facility .
Police surrounded the prison , which holds around 2, 200 inmates, as explosions were heard , AFP reporters at the scene said .
A group of prisoners managed to climb onto a roof , burn mattresses and throw objects at security guards trying to quell the uprising.
Authorities have yet to comment on the riot or whether there are any injuries .
Inmates could be heard shouting demands for a judge to hear their case and for better protection against the pandemic , just a few days after a warden at the Villa Devoto prison was confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus .
“ COVID - 19 in Devoto , genocidal judges, ” read a banner hung from the prison roof . “ We refuse to die in prison, ” read another .
The inmates are demanding , among other things, that releases that were pending before the pandemic be processed .
Several other riots broke out in prisons last week, including in Florencio Varela in Buenos Aires province where one inmate died and 20 were injured .
Argentina has been in lockdown since March 20 and has recorded more than 3, 400 coronavirus cases and 167 deaths.
AFP

The Dutch football federation (KNVB) called an end to the 2019-20 season on Friday, as the Eredivisie became the first top European league called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.
No Dutch team will be declared champions of the league after Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were left level on points at the top of the table with nine games still to play.
“Unfortunately, given the measures (banning large-scale gatherings) taken by the government, it became impossible to finish the 2019-2020 season,” the KNVB said in a statement.
“Public health always comes first. This is not just a football problem given what the coronavirus is doing to society. Nonetheless, the professional football committee is aware that the decisions today are going to cause great disappointment for some,” it added.
The Dutch league leaders Ajax, above AZ on goal difference, will qualify automatically for next season’s Champions League group stage, according to the KNVB, which will await a definitive verdict from UEFA on May 25.
AZ will likely enter the competition’s qualifying rounds, with Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Willem II set to compete in the Europa League based on the final standings.
The KNVB announced its intention to scrap the season on Tuesday following the Dutch government’s decision to extend a ban on mass gatherings until September 1.
Matches behind closed doors were said not to be an option as they are considered events which require a permit and police presence.
The final decision was made following a meeting with the clubs on Friday. Next season will begin with the same 18 teams that started the aborted Eredivisie campaign.
“There will be no relegation, nor promotion,” said the KNVB, which is expected to face legal action from SC Cambuur and De Graafschap — the top two clubs in the second division.
The Belgian Pro League is expected to take a similar decision to that of their neighbours next week, with Club Brugge to be awarded the title.
Football in Europe ground to a standstill in mid-March following the spread of the virus across the continent. However, Germany is preparing to resume the Bundesliga on May 9 behind closed doors, if the government gives the green light.
Players in France could begin to return to training starting May 11, if lockdown restrictions are eased, while La Liga is also planning for clubs to resume training early next month.
No potential restart dates have yet been announced for leagues in Italy or England.
[AFP]

Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has announced a human rights activist and Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in the state, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, as the Director-General (DG) of the newly established Amotekun Corps.
He also named as the Director-General (DG) of Bureau of Social Services (BOSS), a trainer and management Consultant, Richard Tinubu.
BOSS was established by the State government to leverage premium human resources and technological innovation in driving effective monitoring and evaluation of social service delivery to ensure public value and fiscal discipline.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Ismail Omipidan, who announced these in a statement on Friday, said both appointments took effect immediately adding that the appointments were in line with the commitment of Governor Oyetola to the security and welfare of the people of the State.
Shittu, 55, an activist, is expected to deploy the experience he garnered over the decades to bear in the discharge of his new responsibility with absolute loyalty and dedication.
Tinubu, also 55, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from University of Lagos and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (International Business) from Lagos State University.
As the new DG of BOSS, Tinubu is expected to bring his several years of experience as a management consultant to bear in the discharge of his new assignment

Wales attacker Gareth Bale said on Wednesday that he had donated £500,000 ($615,000) to the hospital where he was born to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Real Madrid’s Bale, 30, who has won four Champions League titles since joining the Spanish giants in 2013, made the announcement in a Twitter post by the Cardiff and Vale Health Board.
“I just wanted to make this video to thank everybody in the NHS for their hard work and sacrifice during this COVID-19 crisis,” he said
“The University Hospital of Wales holds a special place in my heart, it’s where I was born and it’s provided great support to my friends, my family and the wider community.
“Me and my family we’d like to show our support. Keep up the good work, you’re doing an amazing job and thank you very much,” he added.
As of Wednesday 624 people had died from the illness in Wales with more than 8,000 cases recorded.
Spain’s La Liga has been suspended since March 12 due to the outbreak but football authorities in the country have agreed on a return to protocol for professional players.
League president Javier Tebas last week said play could restart as early as next month, although a fortnight extension of the nationwide lockdown until May 9 announced on Saturday appears to have scuppered those plans.

The 36 State Governors have recommended a national lockdown over the next 2 weeks to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus.
The unanimous decision was reached at the 6th teleconference meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Wednesday.
The Governors said the inter-state lockdown has become necessary following consistent rise of those infected and the number of fatalities recorded.
The Federal Government had on March 30, ordered lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun States which is still enforce till Monday, April 27.
Chairman of the Forum, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State in a statement issued after the meeting said the Governors also resolved to set up Covid-19 committees at the regional level to be headed by the Commissioners of Health.
The regional committees will continue to interface with the State Task Force Committees on Covid-19.
The Governors also expressed concern over the rising spread of the virus among health workers. They resolved to work with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC to ensure that healthcare workers are adequately provided Personal Protective Equipment, PPE.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, has said the number of Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Africa had risen to over 24,000 in the past 24 hours.
The UN’s health agency gave the update on its official twitter account, @WHOAFRO on Wednesday.
“More than 24,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported on the African continent – with over 6,250 recoveries and 1,100 deaths,’’ it said.
The WHO African Region COVID-19 dashboard showed that in sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa suffers the most severe outbreak, while Cameroon and Ghana have more than 2,000 confirmed cases.
The figures on the dashboard showed that South Africa, Algeria and Cameroon had continued to top the list of countries with the highest reported cases.
It showed that South Africa has 3,465 cases and 58 deaths followed by Algeria with 2,811 cases and 392 deaths, while Cameroon has 1,163 confirmed cases with 43 deaths.
According to the dashboard, South Sudan, Sao Tome and Principe, Mauritania and The Gambia are countries with lowest confirmed cases in the region.
It showed that South Sudan and Sao Tome and Principe had the lowest confirmed cases, with each having four cases with zero death.
Mauritania, the dashboard showed, was the second country with lowest confirmed cases with seven reported cases and one death.
The Gambia, the third country with lowest cases, had recorded 10 confirmed cases with one death.
Also, the dashboard showed that Nigeria is number 9 among the countries with highest cases with 541 confirmed cases and 19 deaths.
Giving an update, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said 117 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the last 24 hours, bringing to 782 the number of confirmed cases in country.
WHO, however, appealed to people to stay safe and limit the spread on COVID19.
“Remember to wash your hands as soon as you arrive home and house building; make sure family members and guests wash their hands as soon as they enter your home,’’ it said.

Nigeria recorded crude oil and gas export sale of $434.85 million in January, 2020, an increase of 94.30 per cent pitched against the December 2019 figures. This is according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report, released Wednesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
In the statement by the Corporations Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, the month’s crude oil export sales contributed $336.65million, that is 77.42% of the dollar transactions for the period, compared to the $136.36million sales in the previous month.
It added that export gas sales in January amounted to $98.20million, even as it noted that 2019 to January 2020 crude oil and gas transactions valued at $5.18billion was exported.
The January 2020 edition of the monthly report of the Corporation is the 54th edition of the series.
The statement said vandalism of NNPC pipelines across the country recorded a phenomenal spike of 50% increase in January. It sayd during the period,
60 pipeline points were vandalised, compared to the 40 incidents recorded in December last year.
Atlas Cove-Mosimi and Mosimi-Ibadan axis pipelines accounted for 50% and 17% of the breaks respectively, while all other routes accounted for the remaining 33 per cent, according to the report.
It however explained that NNPC, in collaboration with the local communities and other stakeholders ate working in harmony to curtail the menace of vandalism.
The report stated that to ensure steady supply and effective distribution of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly known as petrol across the Country, 1.20 billion litres of the white product, translating to 38.68mn liters per day, were supplied for the month, stressing that the Corporation has continued to diligently monitor the daily stock of fuel to achieve smooth distribution of petroleum products and zero fuel queue across the country.
In the Gas Sector, out of the 253.09 billion cubic feet, BCF of gas supplied in January 2020, a total of 151.16 BCF of gas was commercialised, consisting of 36.20 BCF and 114.96 BCF for the domestic and export market, respectively.
This translates to 1,167.80 million standard cubic Feet (mmscfd) of gas supply to the domestic market, with 3,708.23 mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market during the month.
It stated that 59.89% of the average daily gas produced was commercialised, while the balance of 40.11% was re-injected, used as Upstream fuel gas or flared. Gas flare rate was 7.90% for the month under review, that is 643.59 mmscfd , compared with average gas-flare rate of 8.46% which was 671.40 mmscfd, for the period January 2019 to January 2020.
Out of the 1,167.80 mmscfd of gas supplied to the domestic market in January 2020, about 639.70 mmscfd of gas, representing 54.78% was supplied to gas-fired power plants, while the balance of 528.10mmscfd or 45.22% was supplied to other industries.
The report said 640 mmscfd of gas delivered to gas fired-power plants in January 2020 generated an average power of about 2,683 MW, compared with December 2019 where an average of 596 mmscfd was supplied to generate 2,498 MW.
The report explained that for January 2019 to January 2020, an average of 1,203.93 mmscfd of gas was supplied to the domestic market, comprising an average of 693.73 mmscfd or 57.62% as gas supply to the power plants and 510.20mmscfd or 42.38% as gas supply to industries.

President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU Professor Biodun Ogunyemi has directed its members not to submit their Bank Verification Number, BVN to Vice Chancellors before they are paid their February and March salaries being withheld on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige at a briefing on Tuesday, said President Buhari has directed the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to immediately pay the lecturers the withheld salaries.
ASUU, started an indefinite nationwide strike on March 23, 2020, following its rejection of the implementation of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System , IPPIS.
Before the strike, the government had threatened not to pay salaries of the lecturers who refused to be enrolled on the IPPIS platform.
On Tuesday, Ngige announced that President Buhari, on campationate grounds following the ravaging impact of COVID-19 on families has approved the payment of the February and March withheld salaries to ASUU members, but with one condition which is that each lecturer will produce his or her BVN.
Shockingly, the cheering news from government, does not seem so to ASUU, as the President Professor Ogunyemi, speaking with ait.live directed lecturers not to submit BVN, as it is viewed as a ploy to lure them into the IPPIS platform.
ASUU has been presenting an alternative to IPPIS, which is the University Transparency and Accountability System, UTAS at every opportunity with government
However, the Federal Government has consistently insisted that the lecturers should enrol in IPPIS and when UTAS is fully ready, they will be migrated, just as the movement from PENCOM to the Nigerian Universities Pension company,T NUPENCOM was achieved
Source: ait news

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