₦airaland Forum

Lagos State Government on Monday discharged five coronavirus patients at Infectious Disease Centre, Yaba Mainland Hospital.

This brings to eight the total number of discharged patients from the centre.

The patients, who had been quarantined at the isolation centre for weeks, looked stable and unruffled.

Although, the discharged patients preferred annonimity, they expressed joy and satisfaction over the treatment they received.

While thanking the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his support and proactiveness, they pleaded that the workers at the Centre should be given life insurance.

While speaking to reporters, one of the patients said: “I came in here on the 15th and after the test showed positive, I was asked to come back the next day. So I was admitted here.

“Initially, there were hitches but it later turned out fine. The health workers did fine, all our challenges were attended to. I’m a living witness together with my other colleagues.”

He gave an impressive hope, saying people should not panic as the virus could be defeated.

“We can beat it. I want to assure others that this is not their resting place. Encourage yourselves, take your medications and in no distant time, you will get out of here.

“I want to appeal to the federal government and Lagos State government that, they should remunerate all those workers who have volunteered to work accordingly, so as to serve as encouragement to others, adding that, “If they are not here as first responders, many would have died.”

Another patient saidL “I was admitted last Sunday. Initially there were challenges, the following day, they brought bed, mask and some equipment.

“Apart from what my colleague said, the workers should be insured. Proper insurance will let people do what they have to do.

He narrated a scenario where the workers could not attend to him because he tested positive, saying “they went back and I slept of. I woke up around 3 a.m. So they deserve life insurance to encourage them to do their job.”

Abdullahi Moukhtar, an In-law to Mamman Daura, is one of three staff of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, that tested positive for Coronavirus, SaharaReporters can confirm.

It was also gathered that the Presidency had been hiding the fact from the public in order to avoid Moukhtar from being stigmatised and persons he had been in contact with in recent days to panic.

Daura is a nephew to Buhari and one of the most influential members of Aso Villa cabal.

Recall that President Buhari's wife, Aisha, had in December 2019 accused Daura of using Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, against the first family.

Also recall that SaharaReporters had on Monday exclusively reported that Kyari was gravely ill and had in fact contracted Coronavirus.

The next day on Tuesday, SaharaReporters also broke the story of three of Kyari's staff testing positive for the deadly virus.

On Saturday, it was discovered that Moukhtar, who was assigned to Kyari by Daura, is one of the three persons infected by Buhari’s Chief Of Staff.

Moukhtar is a Special Assistant to Kyari, who was assigned to him by Daura.

On Friday, top foreign diplomats in Nigeria had warned that Coronavirus cases in the country could rise to over 10,000 in the coming weeks especially because at least 5,000 persons in contact with infected individuals were on the loose in the country.

Western countries are already evacuating their citizens from Nigeria as a result of the continued spread of the virus.

So far, the Nigerian Center for Disease Control has tested less than 200 persons in the country -- far lower than the number of persons with suspected symptoms of the pandemic, according to experts.

At the moment, Nigeria has at least 97 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and one recorded death.

Members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 have just visited the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The members were led by the Chairman, Mr Boss Mustapha. Mustapha is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The members declined to state their mission.

Mustapha merely told reporters, “We are going to brief the media later.”

However, the floor the members visited houses the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Abba Kyari.

The CoS has been reported to have tested positive to coronavirus, though the State House did not speak on the issue.

A source claimed that the visit might be in connection with the testing equipment donated by Chinese billionaire, Jac Ma, to see if could be installed at the Villa.

Aside from the SGF, other members of the PTF on Covid-19 sighted at the Villa were Minister of Health, Prof Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mrs Sadiya Umar-Farouk; and the Minister of State Health, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora.

My thoughts and prayers are with Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari. Allah ya kare mu gabaki daya, kuma ya bashi lafiya. -AA

My emphathy and prayer goes to Alh. Abba Kyari ( Chief of Staff) to Mr President. Our Good Lord will heal you and heal our land. Sen. Dino MELAYE

A media adviser to the former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, in a statement released Monday stated that Atiku’s son who was reported to have tested positive for the new novel coronavirus (COVID-19) did not visit any club in Abuja.

Paul Ibe in the press statement reacting to the circulating report that the former president’s son, Mohammed Atiku Abubakar, visited a club in Abuja noted: “The case neither attended the Friday Jumu’a prayers nor any social gathering until his evacuation to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital on the 20th where he is being treated and managed.”

“We urge members of the public to disregard the perfidious information that the case accessed open location. He was not at Play Lounge nor any other club in Abuja as being mischievously bandied about.

“The case neither attended the Friday Jumu’a prayers nor any social gathering until his evacuation to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital on the 20th where he is being treated and managed."

"Meantime his son has since tested negative while his wife’s result is being awaited. The two persons are currently in self isolation.”

Narrating Mohammed’s itinerary prior to his being confirmed positive for the virus, Ibe reported that;

“The clinical case returned to the country on 17th March via Switzerland from some business engagements in France and Switzerland.

“He attended a private meeting of six (6) persons same day in Lagos, stayed in his private house for the night and took an Aero 5.20pm flight to Abuja on the 18th.

“The case did not travel with his family or any other but travelled alone by Emirates Airline.

“The case wore face mask as a precautionary measure since his arrival in Nigeria.

“The case did not show symptoms of infection and voluntarily placed a call to NCDC on arrival in Abuja late on the 18th to inform them he had returned from COVID-19 prone country and desired to be tested.

“On the 19th, NCDC took his blood sample which result came positive on the 20th. He subsequently went into self isolation to protect his family within his own house.”

The Federal High Court Abuja on Monday, intensified protective measures to guard against the spread of COVID 19.

The court procured additional hand sanitizers at the entrance of the main court building and every court room.

Also multiple health workers were sighted at the entrance of the court complex checking the temperature of lawyers, litigants and the general public.

There is however, no restriction on the number of people inside the courtrooms.

Court nine, where the former Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita is to be arraigned by the EFCC is filled to capacity.

People are standing and sitting shoulder to shoulder not minding the warning for social distancing.

Attempts by the court registrar and some lawyers to decongest the court fell on deaf ears.

Oyo-Ita is in court awaiting her arraignment by the anti-graft agency on 18-counts of money laundering to the tune of N570 million.

The Katsina State government says tests from samples of the suspected case of COVID-19 in the state were returned negative.

The health authorities reported on Wednesday a suspected case of COVID-19 infestation involving a man who returned to Nigeria from Malaysia.

Giving an update at a press briefing on Thursday, the Commissions for Health, Yakubu Nuhu Danja, said that, “on Wednesday, the state Ministry of Health briefed you on a suspected case of COVID-19 and that we were awaiting the result of the tests being carried out.

“I am pleased to inform you that the result is out and it is negative.

“May I use this opportunity to call on all the good people of Katsina State to remain calm and be informed about updates on information on COVID-19.

“They should avoid spreading unverified information especially through the social media, maintain high levels of personal and environmental hygiene such as frequent hand-washing using alcohol-based sanitiser, practise cough etiquette and avoid social gatherings except where necessary.

“The government will continue to do everything possible to safeguard the health of citizens through the provision of effective health-care delivery.”

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has revealed that the House suspended the consideration of the Loan request of $22.7billion by President Muhammadu Buhari because of the agitation by the Southeast.

The Speaker revealed this while speaking with leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) from Southeast and Southwest who paid him a courtesy visit.

The report was listed on the Order paper on two different occasions but was suspended by the House. Last week the Southeast Elite wrote a petition to the House, requesting rejection of the loan as the group claimed that the region has been marginalized.

The Senate already approved the request for the loan.

Bishop Sunday Onouha who spoke on behalf of the group, asked the Speaker to abandon the loan request entirely.

The Speaker in his response said that “You said there is no need for the loan at this time, but that itself is debatable. If government believes that there’s need for the loan, I think we should support that, because they know as they’re the ones that see what is needed and what is not needed.

“What I think for me is more important is the equity of the law and whether or not we’re able to distribute these things fairly considering the very nature of the structure of our country.

“I know there has been a lot of agitation about Southeast not benefiting from the loan. It is one of the reasons we haven’t considered the loan in the House. I’ve discussed with the Finance Minister and the DG Budget.

“It’s a matter that we’re looking at seriously. I’m hoping that there will be some kind of amicable resolution so that everybody will be carried along. Equity suggests that all zones must be carried along.”

The Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos has clarified that no student of Bethlehem Girls College died in the explosion that rocked the Abule-Ado area of FESTAC in Amuwo Odofin local government area of Lagos state on Sunday.

It was earlier reported that many people including a principal, students of a boarding school and family of four lost their lives to the explosion.

But the Church in a statement signed by the Chief Shepherd of the Archdiocese, Most. Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, stated that all students of the school were reported safe.

He said that with the help of the first respondents, all the students were rescued and some that were injured were rushed to the hospitals while others have been released to their parents and gone to their different homes.

“We want to state that all students of the school were reported safe. Those who sustained injuries were promptly attended to in various hospitals within the environs.

“We are getting our Education Department along with the Administrators of other Archdiocesan schools to see how the students of Bethlehem Girls College can be accommodated in other schools so that their education is not disrupted,” the statement reads in part, noting that the incident occurred while the students and staff were at Sunday Mass.

The church, however, confirmed the death of the school’s Administrator, Rev. Sr. (Dr.) Henrietta Alokha, and a female security guard who both paid the supreme price while trying to ensure the safety of the students.

It also confirmed that no priest died during the incident, explaining that the priest who was celebrating the Mass helped in rescuing the students and himself.

Commenting on the properties destroyed, Rev. Alfred said that the Staff quarters, Administrative Building, the cafeteria and hostel buildings were levelled to the ground as a result of the impact of the explosion with no essential building standing except the convent housing the nuns in charge of the school.

The Church thanked all those who responded swiftly, while also commending the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Nigeria Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Red Cross and the various Security Agencies for their prompt response which, it said, ensured that the situation did not get worse.

“We are grateful to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his call to express the sympathy of the government and for setting up a committee to investigate issues surrounding the explosion,” Rev. Alfred said.

Daily Trust reports that the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had launched a N2billion Emergency Relief Fund for victims of the explosion.

He has also set up an inter-governmental and multi-sectoral committee to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the explosions, which he described as unfortunate and monumental.

REVEREND SISTER DIES IN PIPELINE EXPLOSION:

Rev. Sr Henrietta Alokha who until her untimely death today, was the principal of Bethlehem High School, Abule Ado was involved a petrol pipeline explosion this morning in Abule Odo, Amuwo Odofin local government area of Lagos State.

An eye witness reported that: “The roof of our building is off and a nearby school is on fire.”
Reports have it that she was able to rescue all the students until she succumbed to the fire.
Eternal rest grant her, O Lord and let your perpetual light shine upon her. Amen �

Yusuf Bawa, one of the outriders attached to the office of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, ought to be on duty at the time of the accident that led to the death of one of his colleagues.

TheCable had reported how one of the escort riders in the convoy of Nigeria’s number two citizen died in an accident on Friday.

The vice-president was heading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja when the unfortunate incident happened.

He had put off a trip he was making to Lagos so as to honour Ali Gomina, the police inspector who was knocked down while trying to clear the way for the motorcade of the vice-president.

TheCable gathered that Gomina had stepped in for Bawa, who was attending to his sick wife. Sadly, his wife died on Saturday morning.

Osinbajo paid a condolence visit to the family of Gomina, whose youngest child is just two days old.

During the visit to the residence of the deceased officer in Gui, Abuja Municipal area council, Osinbajo assured them that the federal government would support the family in anyway necessary to ensure they are comfortable.

The late Gomina who lost his first wife, Ajara, on September 29, 2016, is survived by his second wife, Asiya, and 12 children.

His second son, Abdullahi, and first daughter, Hafsat, described the deceased as the best father anyone could ask for.

They, however, appealed to the government to offer them scholarship to enable all of them go to school. They also cried out for help to enable them complete a house he had started to enable the family move in.

Speaking to the media after the visit, Laolu Akande, spokesman of the vice-president, said the federal government will do all that is necessary to ensure the family is comfortable.

He said: “The vice-president has come to commiserate and console with the family of late Inspector Ali Gomina that lost his life during official duty. He was killed when a vehicle rammed into him, another vehicle came and hit him and threw him against another oncoming trailer. The vice-president had immediately aborted the trip and said he was going to come today.

“He had asked us to come ahead of him yesterday and inform the family and the village head. He came today personally to express his condolence to late Gomina’s family, wife, children and the entire community. And to say himself and the federal government of Nigeria will continue to support and do everything that is necessary to comfort this family. He is greatly saddened by what has happened. We will support in all necessary ways.”

Asked if the government will look into the scholarship requested by the children, Akande said: “That won’t be a problem at all.”

On the completion of the house the late police escort started, the VP’s media aide said: “Government will do everything that is right and is worthy of diligent and hard working officer like Inspector Ali Gomina.”

Imo State former Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has lambasted Governor Hope Uzodinma, over comments that he sacked workers.

A statement by his spokesman, Aic Akwarandu, Friday night, called the governor a liar.

Uzodinma had asked Head of Service, Camillus Chibuzor Nwagwu, to reinstate workers he said were sacked by the past administration.

He approved the release of their appointment letters and instructed that they are remunerated as at when due.

Reacting, Ihedioha stated that Uzodinma was engaging in propaganda and image-smearing campaign against him.

The statement read: “We have read that Governor Emeka Ihedioha sacked 3,500 civil servants employed by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

“Such claims are plain malicious and mischievous.

“There was never a time Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha fired any civil servant in Imo State. There were measures to regularize their employment through a committee chaired by a former Head of Service.”

“The outcome of that report is simply what has been implemented today by Governor Hope Uzodinma.

“Those at the helm of affairs must do their best not to distort facts, while trying to make political gains”, it added.