Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, a former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Sen. Abdulfatai Buhari (APC-Oyo North) have wished Governor Seyi Makinde a speedy recovery.

Makinde on Monday announced that he tested positive to coronavirus.

In separate statements, the trio prayed thay Makinde would overcome the situation.

Dare expressed confidence that the governor would resume his official duties in no time.

“Your Excellency. I am sorry to hear about your test result on coronavirus. I pray God will heal you and will see you through the period of isolation.

“Thank you for the courage to be open about it and surely you will bounce back fully ready to continue to govern Oyo State.”

Dare noted that he was certain that the governor would overcome the condition having gone into self-isolation.

Alao-Akala called on residents to pray fervently for an end to the global pandemic.

“I am saddened to receive the news of Gov. Makinde testing positive for coronavirus, Jehovah Ropheka : The Lord our Healer will heal you (Exodus 15:26).

“I pray to Almighty God to heal you and protect your family as you go through self- isolation and proper treatment.”

The former governor said COVID-19 could be managed in the absence of a confirmed cure, stressing that the disease was not a death sentence.

He appealed to Nigerians to obey guidelines, maintain hygiene standards and take other precautionary measures.

Buhari, in his reaction, said he was confident that Makinde would pull through.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with His excellency, Gov. Makinde, and his family during this period. Almighty Allah will grant him quick recovery.” he added.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1585658655/covid-alao-akala-dare-buhari-react-makinde

Popular cleric and seer, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele of the Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church with headquarters in Oke-afa, Lagos has dismmised Sunday’s address by President Mohammadu Buhari as falling far below expectations from the Nigerian masses.

The cleric who had predicted the emergence of Covid 19 pandemic March, 2019 in his yearly book of prophecies, 2019/2020 edition, said that what the masses or common Nigerians had long waited for from their President, is :”something concrete as a palliative and great soothing balm, not some vague promises that leaves no hope for the Proles.”

Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday on the speech by the President, he said: “millions of Nigerians are suffering, all that the President is saying is about school feeding for children who have since been barred from school. He was also talking about Npower and conditional cash transfer, and I ask, how many poor Nigerians have been registered in such scheme. The President doesn’t seem to be in touch with the realities of the Nigerians masses and it is so disappointing.

” More disappointing is the fact that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) are not speaking the truth to power.”

The cleric also dropped a bombshell saying every so called big men who have stolen the wealth of the nation will be hit with the virus.

He also warned that over 25,000 Nigerians will be hit with the Covid pandemic should government relent in its efforts to curb the deadly disease.

Primate Ayodele who also announced that he has prepared 10,000 annointed bottles of water and oil which he assured will cure and prevent Covid 19, declared that he will be giving the spiritual cure and prevention to Nigerians and anyone free of charge!.

The prophet said: “Mark my words! This pandemic called Covid 19 will soon pass away as the Lord has revealed to us. We had said it that it will come as reports in the dailies and online from March , 2019 have shown.

“Covid 19 will hit those who have emptied the nation’s treasury for their personal and greedy comfort. We are seeing some signs already. The government’s effort in tackling the virus has been highly commendable but they should not discourage prayers because medicine has failed us, world leaders have also failed us. This time we must turn to God. 20,000 to 25,000 Nigerians may be hit if care is not taken to urgently curb it.

“Gathering of the people of God to pray shouldn’t be discouraged but number of such should be reduced. “.

Primate Ayodele’s bombshell is coming on the heels of the astounding fulfilment of his prophecies for 2020 which recent developments across the world have revealed.

At least 40 predictions of the cleric as listed in his annual book of prophecies of the 2019-2020, have been fulfilled. The developments included among others, the Ukrainian Plane crash, gas explosions in Ebonyi, Kaduna and Lagos, Boko Haram Killing soldiers and attack on Christians, Iran – Us War, UBA sack of 4000 staff, Increase in energy tariff, Fire outbreak at the mortuary, The death of chairman, lkosi isheri LCDA – Engr Abdufatai Oyesanya

and NURTW losing their Vice chairman and the fight and crisis within the factions.

Others are his warning to pray against death in Aso Villa, as revealed in the case of Assistant Director to the State House, Abuja, Laetitia Naankang Dagan, Lassa fever killing 14 on Ondo and kano, the Amotekun crisis, removal of Governor Emeka in Imo State governor by supreme court and the current Global Economic Crises.

Primate Ayodele’s prophecies also include death of Former Kenya President, Nigerian musician and the footballer who is the Remo star player, Nassarawa FC player and Rangers striker.

The cleric had also predicted the disgraceful dethronement of the Emir of Kano, Sanusi O. Sanusi and an Eze in Igboland, death of Kayode Dosumu, a Nollywood star.

He equally predicted the Abule Ado explosion in Lagos, recurrence of Ebola in some African countries and Nigeria, the crises in Buckingham palace and strange occurrences that a engulfed the place, another recession in Nigeria as well as the confussion in CBN.

It was the same Ayodele who predicted the Bank recapitalisation, inability of some states to pay 30,000 minimum wage, Oil Price Crash, Donald Trump Impeachment Survival, Oshiomole’s travails in APC, Keystone building collapsing

and the bank having another CEO.

The prophet said Obaseki and Akeredolu will face challenges for second term in Edo and Ondo.

The reaffirmation of PDP governor in Bayelsa was predicted by him as well as others which included the Asian pandemic disease and mentioning China specifically, Aviation sector losing money, High increase in Transport fare, South Sudan Prime minister escaping assassination, President Buhari having health issues, Some Nigerian Governors having problem with their health, PDP’s victory in Zamfara State, a new queen/king in UK and the Cameroonian president that slumped. He has said that there may be a new Pope in 2021.

During one of his services in his church at the Lagos headquarters last year, which was covered by the Reporter, Primate Ayodele had urged members of the church to pray against a certain pandemic which would bring the world to her knees. He ordered two months fasting and prayers for his church members and told newsmen to urge the world to pray.

Some of the members who spoke with newsmen have testified that they could not have Covid 19 because of the prayers and because they have the water and oil by the cleric.

However, the members have reacted to some reports on the social media which claimed that he made some unfulfilled predictions. They said the cleric had never said that PDP will win the last Presidential poll, that he has won the party to choose former Senate President Bukola Saraki instead of Atiku Abubakar.

Several reports by the Reporter confirm the members’ denial.

Primate Ayodele who also counseled some world leaders, particularly, Cote D’ivoire. He dropped three names; Amadou Gon coulibaly, Gbagbo and Guillaume soro as possible future leaders of the country.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1585651541/covid-president-speech-falls-far-below-expectations

The police in Anambra State have arrested a 49-year-old man, Ikechukwu Atansi, for allegedly killing his wife, Uchechi.

It was gathered that after he killed his wife, Ikechukwu locked himself up in a room with her corpse for three days.

The incident happened in Ezimezi, Amawbia, in the Awka South Local Government Area of the state.

A resident told PUNCH Metro, “The man stayed inside the room with the corpse for three days until her body started decomposing and an offensive odour started oozing out from the room. That was when neighbours knew what had happened.”

The source said he suspected that the suspect was into money ritual.

“I suspect that he killed his wife for money rituals. My thinking is that he stayed with the corpse waiting for it to start yielding money, but he was disappointed,” the source stated.

In his defence, Ikechukwu confirmed that his wife was murdered, but he denied having a hand in the killing.

He said, “I went into a mysterious slumber during the period; I could not understand what was happening around me. Three times, I tried to regain consciousness but failed, because I fell down in the process and went into a deep sleep.

“That was why the matter could not be reported to the police. It was on the third day that I somewhat regained consciousness and I raised the alarm and neighbours came and invited the police.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, said the police suspected that the victim was murdered.

He said, “Around 8.30am, a distress call was received by the Central Police Station, Awka, that an unusual odour was perceived by neighbours from the room of one Ikechukwu Atansi at Chimas House, Ezimezi, Amawbia in the Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, and that flies were all over the premises.

“Following the report, a police patrol team led by the DPO, Central Police Station, Awka, Chucks Nwoke, rushed to the scene, opened the door and discovered the decomposing body of a woman, who was later identified as Mrs Uchechi Atansi, 31, of Enugwu-Agidi lying lifeless in the room.

“After a careful analysis of the scene by police detectives, marks of violence were observed on the body of the victim and blood spilled all over the room.

“Photographs of the victim as well as the scene were taken and the corpse was removed and deposited in the Amaku General Hospital mortuary for autopsy after it was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.

“Surprisingly, however, the deceased’s husband, one Mr Ikechukwu Atansi, 49, of Umudum village in Isuanochia was right inside the room with the deceased when the door was opened and could not give a satisfactory account of what actually transpired.

“Instead, the husband claimed that he was injected with a substance by unknown persons, who according to him, must have killed his wife.

“The husband was subsequently arrested and he is assisting the police with useful information to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.”

The PPRO added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, John Abang, had ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for discreet investigation.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1585591600/man-allegedly-kills-wife-locks-self-with

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has questioned the legality of the lockdown ordered by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

The PUNCH reports that Buhari had on Sunday ordered the lockdown of Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

But Soyinka in a statement on Monday wondered if the president has the power to order such lockdown.


The Nobel laureate called on constitutional lawyers and lawmakers to clarify the legality or illegality of the lockdown.

He also warned against “constitutional piracy” in the fight against coronavirus in the country.

The statement, titled ‘Between COVID and Constitutional Encroachment’, read in part, “Constitutional lawyers and our elected representatives should kindly step into this and educate us, mere lay minds. The worst development I can conceive of us is to have a situation where rational measures for the containment of the Coronavirus pandemic are rejected on account of their questionable genesis.

“This is a time for Unity of Purpose, not nitpicking dissensions. So, before this becomes a habit, a question: does President Buhari have the powers to close down state borders? We want clear answers. We are not in a war emergency.

“Appropriately focussed on measures for the saving lives, and committed to making sacrifices for the preservation of our communities, we should nonetheless remain alert to any encroachment on constitutionally demarcated powers. We need to exercise collective vigilance, and not compromise the future by submitting to interventions that are not backed by law and constitution.

“Who actually instigates these orders anyway? From where do they really emerge? What happens when the orders conflict with state measures, the product of a systematic containment strategy – `including even trial-and-error and hiccups – undertaken without let or leave of the Centre. So far, the anti-COVID-19 measures have proceeded along the rails of decentralised thinking, multilateral collaboration and technical exchanges between states.

“The Centre is obviously part of the entire process, and one expects this to be the norm, even without the epidemic’s frontal assault on the Presidency itself. Indeed, the Centre is expected to drive the overall effort, but in collaboration, with extraordinary budgeting and refurbishing of facilities.

“The universal imperative and urgency of this affliction should not become an opportunistic launch pad for a sneak RE-CENTRALISATION, no matter how seemingly insignificant its appearance. I urge governors and legislators to be especially watchful. No epidemic is ever cured with constitutional piracy. It only lays down new political viruses for the future.”

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1585591080/covid-lockdown-are-not-war-emergency-says

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and a human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, on Monday faulted the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s (retd.) lockdown order in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states.
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But the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in a statement in Abuja, said Buhari did not commit any illegality.

Buhari, had in a broadcast on Sunday ordered complete lockdown of the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states as part of measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, which rose to 111 on Sunday.

But Soyinka, in a statement on Monday titled, ‘Between COVID-19 and constitutional encroachment’ signed from his Autonomous Residence of Ijegba, Ogun State, where he’s on ‘self-quarantine’, said the country was not in a war emergency.

He said, “Constitutional lawyers and our elected representatives should kindly step into this and educate us, mere lay minds. The worst development I can conceive is to have a situation where rational measures for the containment of the corona pandemic are rejected on account of their questionable genesis. This is a time for unity of purpose, not nitpicking dissensions.

“So, before this becomes a habit, a question: ‘does President Buhari have the powers to close down state borders?’ We want clear answers. We are not in a war emergency. Appropriately focused on measures for the saving lives and committed to making sacrifices for the preservation of our communities, we should nonetheless remain alert to any encroachment on constitutionally demarcated powers. We need to exercise collective vigilance, and not compromise the future by submitting to interventions that are not backed by law and constitution.”

Buhari just woke up from siesta, says Soyinka

The Nobel laureate wondered how a President, who had clearly been on AWOL (absent from where one should be), suddenly woke up after a long siesta to start issuing orders.

The elder statesman asked, “Who actually instigates these orders anyway? From where do they really emerge? What happens when the orders conflict with state measures, the product of a systematic containment strategy — including even trial-and-error and hiccups — undertaken without let or leave of the centre.”

According to the essayist, so far, the anti-COVID-19 measures have proceeded along the rails of decentralised thinking, multilateral collaboration and technical exchanges between states.

He added, “The centre is obviously part of the entire process, and one expects this to be the norm, even without the epidemic’s frontal assault on the Presidency itself. Indeed, the centre is expected to drive the overall effort, but in collaboration, with extraordinary budgeting and refurbishing of facilities.

“The universal imperative and urgency of this affliction should not become an opportunistic launch pad for a sneak re-centralisation, no matter how seemingly insignificant its appearance.”

Malami defends Buhari

But Malami berated the President’s critics, particularly a human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa.

Adegboruwa had said the President had no right to make such a proclamation without recourse to the National Assembly.

The AGF, in a statement on Monday, said the President did not commit any illegality.

He said, “It is important to inform the discerning members of the public that the President did not make a declaration of a state of emergency under Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which would have required the concurrence of both House of the National Assembly.

“Even at that Section 305(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) permits a proclamation of a state of emergency to run for a period of 10 days without the approval of the National Assembly when the parliament is not in session as in the present situation wherein the National Assembly has shut down.

“The learned silk also goofed when he questioned the President’s powers to restrict movement and claiming that such powers can only be exercised by the state governors and the respective state assemblies.

“It is clear from the President’s broadcast that what His Excellency sought to address is a public emergency occasioned by a dangerous and infectious coronavirus disease. The restriction of movement came on the heels of advice received by the President from the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC, the two focal agencies in the fight against COVID-19.”

Malami, who is also the Minister of Justice, said the correct position remains that the President acted rightfully under the powers conferred on him by the Quarantine Act 1990 CAP 384 LFN which has the title: “An Act to provide for and regulate the imposition of quarantine and to make other provisions for preventing the introduction into and spread in Nigeria, and the transmission from Nigeria, of dangerous infectious diseases”.

The minister said it is not in doubt that COVID-19 is an infectious disease of a contagious nature which the President as rightly declared under Section 2 of the Quarantine Act to be a dangerous infectious disease.

He stated, “Section 3 of the Act enables the President to declare any part of Nigeria as an infected area. Section 4 of the Act further empowers the President to make regulations to prevent the introduction, spread and transmission of any dangerous infectious disease.

“Section 6 of the Act requires the President and State Governors to provide sanitary stations, buildings and equipment. Thus, in recognition of the critical roles being played by the state Governors in these trying times, the Federal Government has been working with the states in line with the dictates of Section 6 of the Act.”

Presidential order not enforceable, lacks legal backing -Falana

On his part, Falana said the no-movement order in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states was not enforceable.

The human rights activist said the order had no legal backing and therefore unconstitutional.

He argued that the President lacked the powers to restrict movements in any part of the country without the consent of the National Assembly.

Falana said, “No doubt, the President is empowered to adopt any measures deemed fit to combat the dangerous disease but such measures have to be spelt out in a regulation made pursuant to section 305 of the Constitution or under the Quarantine Act.

“Otherwise the presidential order on restriction of movement in the affected areas cannot be enforced by the police.

“Even though civil rule was restored in the country 21 years ago, the psyche of the political class has not been demilitarised. Hence, decisions taken by rulers are required to be obeyed ‘with immediate effect’ without any legal backing.”

Falana said there where precedent cases which explained why the order could not be enforced.

He stated, “But in Okafor v Governor of Lagos State (2016) LPELR-41066 (CA) the Court of Appeal called on all authorities to appreciate the need to govern the country under the rule of law.”

“Thus, the directive of the governor of Lagos State restricting the movement of citizens and residents during the State’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise was struck down because of its unconstitutionality.

“It was the unanimous view of their Lordships that the arrest of Appellant for flouting the order or directive of the Governor was completely illegal. According to Georgewill , J.C.A. “

He faulted lawyers saying that the law should be completely relegated to the background in combating the coronavirus pandemic.

He said, “It reminds me of the dissenting judgment of Lord Atkins in the case of Liversidge v Anderson 1944 UKHL 1. While accusing his learned brethren of being “more executive minded than the executive”, his Lordship said inter alia:

“In England, amidst the clash of arms, the laws are not silent. They may be changed, but they speak the same language in war as in peace. It has always been one of the pillars of freedom, one of the principles of liberty for which on recent authority we are now fighting, that the judges are no respecters of persons, and stand between the subject and any attempted encroachments on his liberty by the executive, alert to see that any coercive action is justified in law.”

Falana called on the Federal Government to shelve the idea of sending the military to the streets to enforce the no-movement order.

He said, “While the nation’s armed forces should be commended for making their medical facilities available to members of the public in the fight against the highly dangerous virus, the plan to dispatch armed soldiers to the streets to enforce the COVID-19 guidelines should be shelved because it is illegal.

‘For the upteenth time, I am compelled to draw the attention of the military authorities to the case of Yussuf v Obasanjo (2005) 18 NWLR (Pt ) where Salami JCA (as he then was) held that ‘it is up to the police to protect our nascent democracy and not the military, otherwise the democracy might be wittingly or unwittingly militarized.

“This is not what the citizenry bargained for in wrestling power from the military in 1999. Conscious steps should be taken to civilianise the polity and thereby ensure the survival of and sustenance of democracy.”

The Lagos lawyer said, rather, the federal government should deploy more soldiers in confronting the Boko Haram terrorist group instead of unleashing them on the innocent citizens seeking their livelihood.

Lawyer approaches court to stop Buhari’s sit- at- home’ order

In a related development, a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, says he is approaching a Federal High Court to stop the President from restricting the movements of Nigerians living in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja.

This is despite the partial closure of courts by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad.

Effiong, who is a Lagos resident, said in a statement on Monday that the President had no right to do so without recourse to the National Assembly.

The Lagos-based lawyer further stated that it was wrong of Buhari to have restricted movement without the backing of any law.

He added, “After a deep reflection on President Buhari’s decision to lockdown all movements in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja by Presidential fiat for 14 days, I have resolved to challenge this unconstitutional action in court.

“No responsible, democratic and civilised country will throw its constitution and laws into the dustbin in an effort to tackle a pandemic like Covid-19 the way President Buhari has done. Freedom of movement is a fundamental right guaranteed by Section 41 of the constitution.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1585638242/lockdown-soyinka-san-agf-fight-over-legality

Five Italian Serie-A weekend matches including Sunday’s clash between Juventus and Inter Milan have been postponed due to the novel Coronavirus, the Italian football league said Saturday.

Other matches called off were AC Milan v Genoa, Parma v SPAL, Sassuolo v Brescia and Udinese v Fiorentina, the league said in a statement on Saturday.

The matches had been scheduled to be played behind closed doors.

Italy is the country hardest hit by the virus outbreak in Europe, with 650 cases and 17 deaths, mostly in cities in the north.

The PUNCH reports that three footballers tested positive for the novel virus recently including an Italian-Nigerian footballer, King Udoh.

Also, an Italian businessman was confirmed to have tested positive to the novel virus in Lagos on Friday, making it the first index case of Coronavirus in Nigeria and in West Africa.

The patient later attempts to escape the Lagos isolation centre.

(AFP)

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582986081/breaking-italian-serie-matches-postponed-over-coronavirus

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has advised the President, Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to stop all flights from countries facing coronavirus outbreak.

Atiku, who was the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last election said Nigeria should fight the disease the same way it was able to tackle the outbreak of Ebola in 2014.

He said in a Facebook post that since Buhari had been able to shut land borders to protect the economy, it would not be too difficult to stop flights from countries facing the coronavirus scourge.

The former Vice-President added, “Nigeria needs firm and decisive actions to prevent an escalation of the scourge. Recently, we closed our borders as an act against economic sabotage. Perhaps now is the time to temporarily halt flights to and from any nation with a prevalence of this scourge. It is more important to secure human lives than to secure an economy. We also need to invest in early detection facilities at our airports.

“But above all, Nigeria must not panic, whether at government or individual levels. We have defeated Ebola before, and we can defeat this present predicament.”

The PDP chieftain said this was not the time to cast aspersions on anyone or begin to trade blame.

He said the focus should be on finding solutions.

Atiku added, “We must call upon our experience with the Wild Ebola Virus, of which we were the first nation in the world to defeat that scourge in 2014. How did Nigeria do it? We achieved it by showing unprecedented unity.

“The Federal Government of the day worked closely with the Lagos and Rivers State governments. There was complete unity, solidarity, and oneness of purpose, which created the atmosphere that defeated that deadly infestation.

“I strongly counsel that any tendency to blame and point fighters must be temporary, if not permanently, suspended. If fingers must be pointed, it must be to solutions.”

He said the crisis is an opportunity to show that we are first and foremost Nigerians and that we have no other country but our dear fatherland, which we must work together to keep healthy and secure.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582902767/coronavirus-stop-all-flights-from-affected-countries

[img]https://www.nairapark.com/%3Cdiv%20class=[/img]

There are now more new cases of the coronavirus reported each day outside China than inside the hardest-hit country, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.

“Yesterday, the number of new cases reported outside China exceeded the number of new cases in China for the first time,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told diplomats in Geneva, according to a written version of his speech.

The UN health agency put the number of new cases in China at 411 on Tuesday and those registered outside the country stood at 427.


Governments worldwide are scrambling to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus after a surge of infections in Italy, Iran and South Korea.

Tedros said the “sudden increase of cases” in those countries was “deeply concerning”, adding that a WHO team would travel to Iran this weekend to evaluate the situation.

While new case numbers and deaths are dwindling at the disease epicentre in China, the country remains by far the hardest hit.

Tedros said that as of Wednesday morning, 78,190 cases of COVID-19 had been registered in China, including 2,718 deaths.

That compares with 2,790 cases and 44 deaths reported across 37 other countries.

But WHO has said the epidemic in China peaked and on February 2 and has been declining since.

Bruce Aylward, who headed a WHO-backed expert mission to China, hailed the drastic quarantine and containment measures taken by Beijing, saying the country had “changed the course” of the outbreak.

But he told reporters in Geneva that other nations were “simply not ready”.

In Wednesday’s speech, Tedros acknowledged that the hike in cases outside China had prompted a push for a pandemic to be declared.

“We should not be too eager to declare a pandemic,” he said, stressing that such a declaration could “signal that we can no longer contain the virus, which is not true.”

“We are in a fight that can be won if we do the right things.”

But he insisted that WHO would not hesitate to declare a pandemic “if it is an accurate description of the situation.”

“I am not downplaying the seriousness of the situation, or the potential for this to become a pandemic, because it has that potential,” he said.

“All countries, whether they have cases or not, must prepare for a potential pandemic.”

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582728621/coronavirus-cases-emerging-faster-outside-china-who

The Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, on Tuesday, announced the disbandment of the Zonal Intervention Squad, Obada-Oko, Ogun State.

The disbandment followed the death of a player of Remo Stars Football Club, Tiyamiyu Kazeem, allegedly caused by operatives of ZIS SARS, Obada-Oko, Abeokuta.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Criminal Investigations Department Force Headquarters, Peter Ogunyonwo, made the announcement on behalf of the IGP when he accompanied the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on a condolence visit to the parents of the deceased in Sagamu.

Ogunyonwo added that the ZIS office would be handed over to the Ogun State Police Command.

Kazeem was killed by a hit-and-run vehicle after he was allegedly thrown out of a moving operational vehicle of SARS on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway on Saturday.

Kazeem was until his death, the vice-captain of the Remo Stars Football Club.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582643928/breaking-remo-player-death-disbands-zonal-sars

A Saudi criminal court on Tuesday sentenced one citizen to death and seven others to jail on charges of treason and spying for the kingdom’s arch-nemesis Iran, state television reported.

The Saudi sentenced to death was accused of “betraying his country and offering intelligence to Iran”, Al-Ekhbariya television said on Twitter.

Seven others were sentenced to a total jail term of 58 years for having “associated and cooperated with people working in the embassy of Iran”, it added.

The broadcaster did not identify the people nor explain with which Iranian embassy they were accused of cooperating.

Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia snapped diplomatic relations with Shiite-dominated Iran following 2016 attacks by demonstrators on its missions in Iran after the kingdom executed revered Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

Saudi Arabia, home of the birthplace of Islam, has been at odds with Iran since the Islamic revolution of 1979 ushered in a Shiite theocracy and set the two countries on a collision course.

Tensions have risen in recent months after a series of attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf and Saudi oil installations, incidents that roiled global energy markets last year.

Both Washington and Riyadh have accused Iran of being behind those attacks, a charge denied by Tehran.

AFP

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582643430/saudi-court-sentences-eight-for-spying-for

A lawyer, Nelson Okedinachi, has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, to sack the Speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly and 19 others who dumped their political parties for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also sought an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately conduct fresh elections in the constituencies of the affected lawmakers. In a Suit No: FHC/OW/CS/20/2020, Mr. Okedinachi, asked the court to determine whether, upon proper interpretation of Section 109(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the defected lawmakers were not liable to vacate their seats having defected from their original political parties to the APC.

In his reliefs, the lawyer sought an order of the court to declare the lawmakers’ seats vacant pursuant to 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of of Nigeria.

He also prayed the court to direct the affected lawmakers to return to the Imo state treasury all salaries, allowances and benefits paid to them as members of the House of Assembly.

The affected lawmakers are Chiji Collins who first dumped APGA for the PDP to enable him clinch the position of the speaker zoned to Okigwe and again defected to the APC after the January 14 Supreme Court judgment that sacked Emeka Ihedioha, Chigozie Nwaneri, Amarachi Chyna Iwuanyanwu, Innocent Egwim, Dominic Ezerioha, Chidiebere Ogbunikpa,Obinna Okwara, Paul Emeziem, Ekene Nnodimele, Johnson Duru and Michael Onyemaechi Njoku. Others are Uju Onwudiwe, Herculus Okoro, Uche Ogbuagu, Kanayo Onyemaechi, Kennedy Ibeh(Obowo),Eddy Obinna, Samuel Otuibe and Pascal Okolie.

The lawmakers defected from the Action Alliance (AA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582543631/defection-lawyer-asks-court-sack-imo-speaker

A self-acclaimed cleric, Marvelous Agu, 23, was on Friday remanded by an Ebonyi State Magistrates’ Court for alleged involvement in rape.

It was alleged that the suspect had canal knowledge of a 21-year-old woman in an uncompleted building while pretending to be prophesying to her.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the accused allegedly committed the offence on Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state.

Agu was arraigned before the magistrates’ court on one count of unlawful sexual intercourse.

The police prosecutor, Mathias Eze, told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.

The charge read, “That you, Marvelous Agu, sometime in July, 2019, at No. 5 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Abakaliki, within the Abakaliki Magisterial District, did, while pretending to prophesy, unlawfully had canal knowledge of a 21-year-old girl, thereby committing an offence.”

The defence counsel, E.O. Ekuma, applied for the bail of the defendant.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Nnenna Onuoha, said the matter was beyond the jurisdiction of the court and declined the bail application.

Onuoha directed that the accused be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, while the case file should be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

She adjourned the case till March 6, 2020, for report of compliance.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582532030/cleric-rapes-girl-during-prophecy-session-ebonyi

For a long time, Olakunle Oladunni Churchill, real estate investor and CEO, Big Churchill Haven Limited, has been minding his business and doing his things without any noise or unnecessary attention. But the story changed immediately his relationship with star actress, Tonto Dikeh, became public knowledge. Indeed, all eyes were on him the moment the duo agreed to take their love story to the next level. The wedding gained media attention, particularly because he is a nephew to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, many began to see him differently, when his estranged wife accused him of infidelity. The fight raged as there were several attacks as well as counter attacks, while the River State-born controversial actress has called him many unprintable names. However, if anyone thinks the former sweethearts have moved on with their individual lives, then such person must have missed the point as the ‘war’ between the two just gets messier.

Spotlight learnt the city businessman has recently dragged his estranged wife to court over an explosive interview she granted sometimes in 2019. Churchill, who referenced the three-part YouTube series titled ‘The Evidence’ shared in 2019, said his ex-wife accused him of being into cyber fraud popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo and that she allegedly caught him clad in a red cloth, surrounded by red candles with a computer laptop placed on his lap. The handsome dude also sought for legal redress against Tonto, the mother of his only child, over claim of his father (Churchill) being a gardener as she dispelled speculation of him being related to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In the lawsuit notice which has Churchill as the first claimant and Big Church Foundation as the second claimant, the dude stated that the allegations are baseless and sponsored to tarnish and damage his image and political ambition as he once hinted Tonto about his intention to run for the House of Representatives in his constituency.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582373354/lovebirds-olakunle-churchill-tonto-dikeh-beef-gets

During the week, a video surfaced online in which veteran actor, Pete Edochie, criticised young men who kneel down to propose marriage to women.
In the video, Edochie insisted that such men were idiots and foolish. He said, “Any young man who gets down on his knees to propose to a girl is not just an idiot, he is a bloody fool. The reason I am saying this is simple– we try to copy white people. The white man kneels down to propose to a girl. You know what it means? The girl takes over the family. That is why whenever a man disagrees with his wife overseas, he would be kicked out and his wife would take over the house. If you call that civilization; it is alright. Kneel down before your wife and I would sympathise with you when she takes over the home.”

Edochie’s opinion has triggered a flood of comments on social media, with several of his fans disagreeing with his view. Media personality, Daddy Freeze wrote, “I totally disagree.”

Queen Suz wrote on Instagram, “I respect your opinion, sir. My husband knelt down and begged me to marry him. I still love and respect him. My sons will also do the same to their women.”

@Spinblastglobal added, “Your opinion, sir. Some boys would (even) lie down when they see their soul mates.”

@Abiola_aa wrote, “It’s crazy how the white man’s culture becomes a taboo only when it hurts your fragile ego but you shamelessly enjoy the luxury the white man sells to you. I am not exactly a fan of ‘kneeling’– the whole concept of ‘proposal’ is ‘somehow’ to me, but your sentiments are also ‘somehow’. Kneeling down makes the woman take over one’s house? Really? Kneeling down to propose to a woman makes her the head of the house? Toxic masculinity has never been more apparent.”

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582364811/kneeling-propose-fans-disagree-with-pete-edochie

Nollywood actor and production manager, Frank Dallas, is dead.

He reportedly died in his hotel room in Umuahia, the Abia State on Wednesday, where he was attending a summit.Following his sudden demise, the National President of AGN, Mr Emeja Rollas, has declared three days of morning and prayed in honour of the late actor.

In a statement signed by the Guild”s PRO, Monalisa Chinda-Coker, the president has cancelled all official activities of the guild at all levels for three days.

The statement reads in part: ‘With a heart full of sorrow, we announce the sudden death of the immediate past National PRO of GNU, Frank Dallas Ebulukwu. ‘

“The National President of AGN, Ejezie Emeka Rollas has declared 3 days of national mourning and prayers across all State Chapters including FCT Abuja.’

” In view of this, all official activities of the Guild at all levels are hereby cancelled for three days.”

State Chapter Chairmen are instructed to open condolence register in his honour from Monday, 24/02/2020.

Monthly meeting for February is dedicated to mourning and prayers. We shall be guided accordingly while we await further directives and burial arrangements from the family.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.

Popularly known as “Adedibu” or “Killer” in movie circles, Dallas who hails from Ohafia in Abia State was the former public relations officer of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Lagos chapter.

Monalisa Chinda-Coker defeated him to emerge AGN national PRO in an election held late last year.

Notable actor and producer, Charles Inojie has described Dallas as “an effervescent spirit”.

According to him, “Nollywood has lost a crowd in one man…”

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582293658/nollywood-actor-frank-dallas-dies-hotel-room

A medical doctor, Cherechi Okonko, has been admitted to the emergency unit of the Federal Medical Center, Owerri, Imo State, over the injuries inflicted on him by his wife.
The wife, a nurse, allegedly removed the husband’s upper teeth, the tip of his tongue and a part of his lower gum.

Our correspondent learnt that the couple were living in the World Bank area of the state capital.

The victim, a gynaecologist with FMC, Owerri, was rushed to hospital where doctors battled to save his life.

He was said to be in a coma and later regained consciousness.

A worker at the FMC, Owerri, who does not want his name in print said, “An FMC Owerri doctor was assaulted by his wife last night after a quarrel.

He said, “The woman cut off his nose, upper teeth, the tip of his tongue and part of his lower gums. She then called the guy’s mother to come and carry her son’s corpse.

“Luckily for the doctor, he was rushed to the hospital last night and he was stabilised. Although he is conscious, he cannot talk since he’s on tracheotomy.”

The Public Relations Officer in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, told our correspondent that the matter had not been reported to the police.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582270083/wife-cuts-husband-tongue-nose-imo

The 2019 governorship candidate of the Action Alliance in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has urged the immediate past governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha, to withdraw his application at the Supreme Court seeking for the review of the January 14 apex court verdict which declared Hope Uzodinma as the governor of the state.

Nwosu said for the sake of the state, Ihedioha should join hands with the governor to move the state forward.

The former AA governorship candidate said the interest of the state should override personal and selfish interests.

He said, “On December 20, 2019, the Supreme Court gave a judgment disqualifying me as a candidate for the March 9, 2019 governorship election, I made it clear that I had accepted that judgment as final, and declared my readiness to lend my support to any of my brothers who would be favoured by the final judgement of the Supreme Court pertaining to the governorship election petition.

“My team of lawyers actually advised me that the judgment was erroneous, especially on the basis of being statute-barred, having been filed many days after the 14 days window allowed for pre-election matters to be instituted. Apart from the need to quell the tension in the state, I also have a lot of respect for the Nigerian judiciary and didn’t want anything that would embarrass the revered high temple of justice. Supreme Court decisions are and should remain terminus ad quem.

“It is on this note therefore, that I remind my dear brother, Emeka Ihedioha, and all members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, to reconsider their decision to seek an endless litigation and media war against our dear state and join hands with Governor Hope Uzodimma, to move our dear state forward.”

Meanwhile, the Kabiru Marafa-led faction of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State has urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the application filed by the party before it for the review of the May 24, 2019 judgment which nullified the party’s victories in the 2019 general elections held in the state.

The group, through their lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), argued that there was no law or constitutional provisions that allowed the Supreme Court to review its judgment.

The application for judgment review was filed before the apex court by the APC and its 1st National Vice-Chairman of the APC (North-West Zone), Inuwa Abdulkadir.

A former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, leads a faction of members of the party whose victories in the 2019 general elections were nullified by the apex court’s judgment.

The APC, through its lawyer, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), had on November 27, 2019, filed an application before the apex court praying for a review of the judgment and an order for fresh elections to allow the party to field candidates.

But Marafa, a former senator, and members of his group, filed their defence on February 14, 2019, in opposition to the application for the review of the judgment.

Ozekhome, who argued that the court lacked jurisdiction and their was no legal backing for such review stated, “We submit most respectfully that there is no constitutional or statutory provision for the review of the judgments of the Supreme Court by the same apex court.”

A five-man panel led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, on Tuesday fixed March 2 for the hearing of the application.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582192598/nwosu-asks-ihedioha-withdraw-supreme-court-case

[img]'https://cdn.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/14182805/Ihedioha.fw_-30x16.png'[/img]

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said the state has placed 63 persons under surveillance following the confirmation of an index case being isolated at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Ara
Abayomi made this disclosure at a press briefing on Wednesday, calling on the public not to panic.

Meanwhile, the National Centre for Disease Control on Wednesday confirmed that 103 people had been killed by Lassa fever in the country since the beginning of this year.

Abayomi said, “We have identified 63 of the persons he (Lassa fever patient) may have been in contact with him since he arrived in Lagos from Ebonyi State.

“His destination was the Lagos Law School where he was quickly attended to at the clinic but was not getting well after being treated for malaria.

“He was then referred to the Nigeria Air Force clinic, Onikan, where he was managed further and was referred to LUTH when there was no improvement.”

“The test was confirmed as positive on February 17 and was immediately transferred to the isolation containment facility in LUTH.”

The commissioner added, “They (63 people) are been monitored; If they develop any symptoms of Lassa fever, we will pick them up early and isolate them so that we can break the circle of transmission.”

The NCDC said Lassa fever had spread to 26 states.

The centre said the number of new confirmed cases increased from 109 cases last week to 115 this week in Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Kano, Kogi, Kaduna, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Enugu, Abia, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Sokoto and Katsina states.

It added that the number of deaths this year represented 17.6 per cent case fatality rate lower than the one recorded for the same period in 2019.

The NCDC said, “In total for 2020, 26 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 101 local government areas. Out of the 73 per cent of all confirmed, Edo State has 35 per cent, Ondo State, 32 per cent and Ebonyi State has six per cent of the cases.

“The number of suspected cases has significantly increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2019. Two new health care workers were affected in Bauchi and Katsina states in week 07.”

The centre said it was following up on the progress of 2,319 people with 157 cases undergoing treatment at various treatment centres across the country.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582186402/lassa-fever-lagos-places-under-surveillance

The mansion of a suspected kidnap kingpin, Okechukwu Uche, in Owaelu, Uratta, in the Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, has been demolished.
Uche, who is awaiting trial at the Owerri Correctional Centre, was alleged to have masterminded the kidnap of the wife of the traditional ruler of the community, Ugoeze Okoro.

The 81-year-old woman died in her captors’ den after her family had allegedly paid an initial ransom of N4m.

The deceased was the mother-in-law of Ikenna Elezieanya, member representing Owerri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

Angered by the death of the octogenarian, members of the community were said to have mobilised and demolished Uche’s house in Owaelu.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the police had no hand in the demolition.

Ikeokwu explained that the command had rounded up some suspects who confessed that Uche, who was in prison for another crime he allegedly committed, was their ring leader.

He said two police rifles which were snatched in 2019 were recovered from the suspects.

The PPRO said, “They confessed that the person in prison custody is their ring leader.

“Part of the ransom the suspects received from the victim’s family has been recovered by the police. We will go to court to ask for Okechukwu Uche to be produced for re-arraignment.”

The Public Relations Officer of the state correctional centre, James Madugba, said the police knew what to do if they wanted Uche for arraignment in the new case.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582185426/mob-demolishes-mansion-imo-kidnap-kingpin

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has faulted a report by a newspaper of his purported selection to serve on a monitoring team for the forthcoming Supreme Court review of the case between Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress and Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The apex court on January 14, 2020, nullified the election of Ihedioha as the governor of the state and declared Uzodinma as the winner of the governorship election.

Ihedioha subsequently filed an appeal, urging the Supreme Court to set aside the judgment. The hearing of the appeal has been fixed for March 2, 2020.

The elder statesman, who said the online link of the newspaper’s report (not The Punch) was sent to him for perusal, noted in a statement on Tuesday night that he knew nothing of the development and was not involved in any aspect of the legal tussle.

He said, “That report claims that I have been engaged to serve on a monitoring team regarding a forthcoming Supreme Court review of that case. I know nothing of this development and I am not involved in any aspect of the tussle. I know nothing of this Third Force Democracy whatever.

“I have no intention of participating in any judicial monitoring activity and demand to be kept out of any such false attributions. Hopefully, some day in the distant future, it will be possible for the nation to regain the respect of the world in its democratic claims. That time, alas, is not immediately apparent.”

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582106055/uzodinma-ihedioha-not-part-supreme-court-review

A pastor, Anthony Esezobor, has accused officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority of threatening his life after his Mercedes Benz SUV was impounded by the agency nine months ago.

According to the cleric, the SUV was impounded by men of the Zone 30 command over what was described as “wilful obstruction of oncoming traffic.”

He said the incident happened on May 15, 2019, while he drove in the Surulere area of the state.


Esezobor told PUNCH Metro that efforts to retrieve his SUV were futile, adding that the patrol leader of Zone 30, one Mr Williams, allegedly imposed a fine of N300,000 on him.

The pastor said, “I know my SUV was unlawfully impounded, so I had no choice but to tell my lawyer to file a suit at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos. We have appeared in court several times and LASTMA authorities refused to come to court.

“On November 1, 2019, they called for a meeting asking for settlement out of court and after the meeting, the Director of Legal Department of LASTMA, Mr Kehinde Akerele, promised to do a report to the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olajide Oduyoye, to release my car. But till date, my car is still unlawfully held at their office in the Alaka area of Surulere. Also, the charge against me was changed to ‘wrongful overtaking.’

“My lawyer has written to the LASTMA GM, the state Commissioner for Transportation and no action has been taken. Instead, Oduyoye and his team have been insisting on me signing an undertaking to withdraw the matter from court before my car would be released.”

Esezobor alleged that his life had been under threat, saying LASTMA officials broke into his car to get his office address.

He said, “On January 13, 29 and 30, 2020, two LASTMA officers came to look for me on three separate occasions. One of the officers who had my picture on his phone was showing the picture to people around asking if they knew me. My car was registered with my office address, so the LASTMA guys broke into my car that is still with them and got my office address from the car’s particulars.

“It is logical to conclude that these LASTMA men have a mission and have been sent to trail me to make an attempt on my life.”

When contacted, the LASTMA GM, Oduyoye, refuted Esezobor’s claim that traffic officials were after his life, adding that the pastor went back on an agreement with the agency to withdraw the case from court for the vehicle to be released.

He said, “I was not the GM when the incident happened; I heard about it through the legal director, Mr Akerele. I was told that the complainant was asking for the release of his vehicle even though he had gone to court and we told him the release of the vehicle was subject to him retracting the case from court. We had started processing the release of his vehicle when it was realised that he had not retracted the court case, so we had to stall on it.

“When I met him and his lawyer, he argued that he was wrongly apprehended and that the release of his vehicle should not be on the premise of him retracting the case in court, but I told him that the legal director feared that he could still attempt to make a claim against the organisation if we released the vehicle without him retracting the case.

“I advised that instead of expending cost on the case, why not take the vehicle. But he declined and said he wanted N25m compensation from the agency. So, we decided that if he wanted to make a claim, then we would allow the legal process to take its course.

“He has a case to answer for the vehicle to have been impounded. I wanted a peaceful resolution of the matter, but dragging it to this point was more of his own doing and saying we are trying to intimidate or threaten his life, is just an attempt to sensationalise the case. He has my number and he has refused to tell me about his observations.”

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582017708/lastma-after-life-over-impounded-vehicle-says

The Osun State Police Command on Monday said a woman, Amudatu Sani, had been arrested with human parts in Ikire.

The Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, confirmed the arrest. Speaking through the command’s spokesperson, Folasade Odoro, the commissioner said the suspect was arrested with dry human parts which she concealed in a sack.

He warned that the command would ensure a thorough investigation and ensure whoever found culpable face the full wrath of the law.

Kokumo said, “Following tip-off, one Amudatu Sani, was arrested by policemen in Ikire in possession of dry human left hand concealed in a sack.

“The command warns dealers in human parts to desist or face the full wrath of the law.”

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582016135/police-arrest-woman-possession-human-parts

The world was caught in scourging trance when a ravaging virus tagged coronavirus crept in, in Wuhan, China and it is spreading fast to the other parts of the world. It is hot off the press that health experts have tagged the virus aptly named Covid, a brand new to medical science, no one knows how easily or quickly it is transmitted but the fact available says there is no vaccine yet to contain it; that sure sounds strange as the bottom of the sea.

It is said to be one of the five families of viruses that are known to cause respiratory illness including the coronavirus, the parainfluenza virus, and the adenoviruses. The dramatic rise in the death count in China signals that the virus isn’t yet under control despite aggressive steps by authorities there to limit travel for millions of people who live in the cities at the centre of the outbreak. According to Reuters, North Korea has suspended tourism because of the outbreak. Health officials in China said the virus originated in large seafood market in Wuhan, a city in central China, that also sells wild animals as meat.

The faces of inhabitants of Wuhan and environs lit with apprehension as Chinese authorities have deployed military doctors and locked down more cites to curb the spread of the virus. At the moment, reports emerging from China’s hospitals say that they are struggling to cope with the growing number of affected people.


The updates around the world also confirmed that the virus is now in 29 countries including Egypt. It is therefore important that all hands must be on deck in Africa to contain the epidemic of coronavirus.

So far, that there are 71,450 confirmed cases, while 1,776 people have died and 11,336 critically ill.

In the US, 15 cases have been confirmed. Europe’s first cases were identified in France while Australia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Nepal reported infections. France’s health ministry confirmed three cases of the coronavirus on January 12, 2019, the first reported infections in Europe, but the country now has 12 confirmed infected cases.

The virus is still a mystery, first discovered in Wuhan in December 2019. The virus has been touted to be more than SARS, the pandemic that can kill serially. Unconfirmed reports claim the virus emerged from seafood and wildlife market in Wuhan, spreading from infected animals to humans. It is said it has an incubation period of about two weeks before infected people start to show symptoms, which resembles a cold or flu.

Why we must be at alert? When we recall some deadly diseases like Infleunza, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, tuberculosis, Ebola, HIV/AIDS, coronavirus sends a chill down our spines. For instance, we can all remember with bitterness how HIV/AIDS crawled into society like a thief in the night in the mid-20th Century. The disease was said to have made the jump from chimpanzees to humans. This virus hijacks and breaks down the immune system resulting in condition called Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is so sad millions of people have died across the globe as a result of this deadly disease. Years and even decades after some outbreaks of the aforementioned viruses, the answers are still not forthcoming.

Where are all these diseases coming from? Scientists are energetically huddling together to unravel so many unanswered questions but how long it will take depends on the hands of the clock.

We therefore appeal to scientists to continue to poke the pieces of tinder wood into the hotspot; you never know which efforts will proffer solution.

How does it spread? According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, coronavirus is akin to cold and flu and it spreads through coughing, sneezing or by leaving germs on a surface that is touched by infected people who touch their faeces. There are clear examples of person-to-person spread.

What precautions must we take? The CDC has warned that if you are travelling, you should follow the suggested propositions below: Avoid non-essential travel to Wuhan, China; avoid contact with sick people; avoid animals either alive or dead, animal markets and products that come from animal such as uncooked meat; wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds: use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser if soap and water are not available. Before fear starts wrapping people like blanket, the news media should be alert to its duty to sensitise people to this new virus.

What symptoms must we watch out for? The symptoms have been highlighted by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to be: Cough symptom, pale in comparison to the common flu virus, unusual spike in cases of pneumonia-ling inflammation, accompanied by cough and phlegm, fever, cough and shortness of breath.

How are countries taking precautions? Countries in the Asia Pacific and elsewhere are not only cocking a critical ear at the latest development, some of them have initiated body temperature checks at airports, railway stations and along highways in hopes of catching those at risk of carrying a new virus.

No cases had been reported in Nigeria as of January 2020 but for this virus that has killed hundreds of people in dozens of countries, heightened precautions must be taken by the Federal Government. We must start to sensitise people to the need to take safety measures. I am not sure if we have started screening travellers from China for fever and cough, and I am also not sure health officers have been sent to our various international airports to monitor proceedings. If none has been done, the time to start these measures was yesterday.

My people say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1582026455/containing-the-surge-coronavirus

Some gunmen have attacked Bakali village in Fatika district of the Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Read Also:
NLC calls for new approach to anti-terrorism war

The men, who struck on Tuesday, killed no fewer than 21 people.

A resident, Sani Bakali, who lost 13 family members in the attack, said the men operated for over two hours.

He said, “Eleven of my relatives were killed in a house. They comprise three women and eight children of my younger brothers. All of them were locked in the house and burnt to death.

“The bandits killed two of my uncles in another building, while four corpses burnt beyond recognition were discovered along the bush path. Twenty-one persons were killed in all by the bandits while nine persons are missing.”

He also said the bandits went round the village, shooting indiscriminately, during which two Islamic preachers, his neighbour and one of his friends were killed.

“We just ended funeral prayers for the 21 victims of the attack. The bandits came in a large number invaded the village on motorcycles around 4pm yesterday (Tuesday) wielding AK-47 rifles and shooting everybody.

“We initially buried 20 corpses before we discovered one more corpse inside the bush and we buried him too.


“People have fled the village and apart from the people killed, there are nine people we have yet to see after the incident. We don’t know whether they have been killed or not.”

The Kaduna State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhamnad Jalige, confirmed the attack.

He was, however, silenced on the casualty figure.

Jalige said, “There was an attack in Giwa, Bakali village to be precise, and we have sent a team of police officers and men there to ascertain the situation of things.”

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1581580128/bandits-kill-family-members-eight-others-fresh

The house of former President Olusegun Obasanjo situated at the Ita-Eko area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, has been gutted by fire.

The fire reportedly broke out in the house around 10pm on Wednesday.

Some eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the fire was caused by a power surge.

It was gathered that residents of the area and sympathisers trooped out to assist the domestic workers in the house to put out the fire.

The state Director of Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH.

He spoke with The PUNCH on the telephone.

Adefala said the fire did not damage the main building.

“Yes, there was a fire and it had been put out.”

“Our officials have put out the fire .”

The affected house was used by Obasanjo when he was President before he moved to the penthouse within the Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1581579527/obasanjo-house-gutted-fire

The Kano State Hisbah Board says it arrested 28 suspected beggars in January in Kano metropolis for violating the law banning street begging in the state.

The is contained in a statement by the Public Relations’ Officer of the Board, Malam Lawan Ibrahim, on Wednesday in Kano.
According to him, the suspects comprise of 13 male, seven female and eight children.

“The beggars were arrested during raids carried out in different parts of the city. The arrests were carried out along State Road and Tarauni,” he said.

Ibrahim said that the suspects were screened, counselled and thereafter released since they were all first-time offenders.

He said street begging has reduced in the state since the board began its operation against the act.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1581519952/kano-hisbah-arrests-beggars-for-violating-law

It was a black Wednesday in Bakali Village of Fatika District in Kaduna State as about 16 members of the same family were burnt to death by bandits on Tuesday night.

Alhaji Sani Bakali, a community leader in the village, told journalists on phone on Wednesday, that the over 100 bandits raided the village, throwing the entire natives into pandemonium.


The bandits, according to reports, stormed Bakali Village in Fatika District, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State on motorbikes wielding dangerous weapons.

According to another source, “they invaded our village on Tuesday around 4 pm and burnt down many bags of maize, cars, buses and motorcycles. They looked so dangerous.”


https://www.nairapark.com/news/1581518471/over-100-bandits-raid-kaduna-village-burn


“It was so tragic when the bandits gathered 16 members of a family in a one-room, locked them up and burnt them.

There was no official police reaction on the carnage, as at the time of filing this report.

The police in Kaduna told journalists in a phone conversation that they would confirm the incident “very soon. “

The patron of Imo Concerned Citizens Forum, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly boy, on Wednesday led members of the group in a protest in Owerri, the Imo State capital.



Charly boy, who spoke during the march, said the judgment of the Supreme Court which sacked Emeka Ihedioha and replaced him with Hope Uzodinma on January 14 was a miscarriage of justice.

He said that the group was protesting the Supreme Court’s judgment and urging it to restore the mandate of Ihedioha.


The activist said that his father, Justice Chukwudife Oputa, who headed the Supreme Court at a point told him and all Nigerians that the apex court can make mistakes.

Oputa, who spoke in a mix of Igbo, pidgin and English languages said that as a ten-year-old boy, his late father told him to fight injustice.

He said, “Na we be government. Those in government houses are not the government but because the way we dey behave, we have made ourselves servants while those in government houses who are now supposed to be our servants are now the government but our mumu don do.

“What we are here to say is very simple. We have come to ask the Supreme Court to reverse its judgment and return justice to Imo State. What was done a few weeks ago by the Supreme Court was a miscarriage of justice.

“As a little boy, a ten-year-old boy, my father told me to fight injustice anywhere. Whether in the South, North, East or West injustice is not good. My father, who was once in charge of the Supreme Court once said that the Supreme Court can make mistakes. We admit that the Supreme Court has made a mistake. They should correct themselves. “

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1581517970/father-said-supreme-court-can-make-mistake

There was confusion in Agboala Ishiala Umudi community in Nkwerre Council of Imo state with news that a 12-year-old primary six schoolboy had committed suicide following the death of his mother.

The deceased, who was identified as Kasarachi Odunkwe, had reportedly taken his own life by hanging himself with rope on an Indian bamboo tree.

According to village sources, the deceased and two of his siblings had been living with an aunt in Agboala Ishisi Umudi village after the death of their mother.

It was learnt that the boy, still grieving over the death of his mother, had complained of being tired of living and was said to have talked about going to heaven to be with her.

On Wednesday, Kasarachi had reportedly led his two siblings and two other kids to a nearby stream to fetch water.

On arrival at the stream, Kasarachi was said to have assisted the other children to fill their cans while he used a long stick to check the depth of the stream.

One of the sources who identified himself as Abara Obinna said: “Having not been satisfied with the depth of the water, the deceased was said to have taken a rope and tied it up to a bamboo tree. But his first and second attempts to kill himself failed while the other kids were begging him to stop.

“It was on the third attempt on a stronger Indian bamboo tree that the rope strangled him to death.

“His action had surprised the other kids who ran back to the village to report the incident to the family and villagers elders.”

When the elders quickly thronged the scene, they called in the police who assisted in bringing down the corpse and deposited it at the local morgue.

Four batteries had reportedly been found on the boy which some villagers say might have been intended to be drunk as poison.

https://www.nairapark.com/news/1581430862/year-old-imo-boy-commits-suicide-after