UK citizens have been banned from having sex with anyone outside of their own household under new coronavirus lockdown legislation rolled out by the Government.
The UK government on Monday June 1, introduced new measures that ban people from socialising indoors with anyone not already in their household.
The new regulation reads: ‘No person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public or private place indoors, and consists of two or more persons.’
Previously, anyone who goes inside another person’s home would be breaching the lockdown rules but now both persons could be prosecuted under the new amendment to the The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2020 bill, that was tabled before Parliament on Monday.
According to the new rules, only those with ‘reasonable excuses’ will be allowed to meet privately indoors, which does not include meeting up to have sex.
Reasonable excuses include jogging or exercising for elite athletes, movement of vulnerable people and key or essential workers.
Other people that can give reasonable excuses include people that meet in a private space for childcare, separated parents who live in different households seeing their children, people providing emergency assistance and those attending a funeral.
Police forces in the UK have been told to disperse any large groups and use fines and arrests 'where appropriate' as a last resort - but they can only 'direct' someone to go home and have 'no powers' to remove someone by force, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and College of Policing have said in a joint paper.
Their advice to officers also makes clear that the new coronavirus guidelines /laws 'provide no power of entry.' Downing Street has also been clear that police do not have the power to enter gardens to check party numbers.
The new regulations comes after a study by researchers at the universities of Anglia Ruskin and Ulster, showed six in 10 Britons have gone without having sexual activity during lockdown.

https://toriperi.com/sex-with-someone-you-dont-live-with-is-now-illegal-in-uk

A man reportedly slumped and died after observing eid-il-fitr prayer in Unguwar Sharada, Kano State.
According to reports, the man slumped shortly after performing the two Rakat (units) eid prayer in Kano.
He is said to have come from an area called Kofar Dan Agundi to observe the prayer in Sharada.
A source told Vanguard: "We don’t know his name, address, and his place of work among other details.
"What we know is he is from Kofar Dan Agundi but he came to observe the prayer in Sharada. He collapsed after the eid prayer was observed.
"His relation and Hisbah evacuated his corpse. They took him back to Kofar Dan Agundi where his burial rites were conducted."

From
https://toriperi.com/man-slumps-and-dies-after-observing-eid-prayers-in-kano

Days of global harvest of deaths and mass coronavirus infections may be numbered as some vaccine candidates appear to be scaling requisite clinical hurdles, writes Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF
DETERMINED to save lives in a country with rising Coronavirus infections (5,621 confirmed cases and 176 deaths as at yesterday), President Muhammadu Buhari has directed appropriate agencies to embark on validation of an herbal mixture touted as cure for coronavirus. Although the World Health Organisation (WHO) has repeatedly said that it has not approved any drug or vaccine for treating coronavirus, many have hailed COVID-Organics from Madagascar as Africa’s response to the global pandemic that has no cure yet.
Nevertheless, the Madagascar’s herbal mixture has continued to dominate headlines, with Boss Mustapha, chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, disclosing this week that the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have been mandated to carry out clinical analysis of its efficacy before the herbal mixture could be allowed for treating patients in Nigeria.
Since researchers in China released the genetic sequence of the coronavirus four months ago, an all-out global race to develop a safe vaccine against the deadly virus has been underway. With over 4.7 million confirmed infections and 292,000 deaths worldwide, the stakes couldn’t be higher, as public health officials and world leaders say an effective vaccine or treatment against the virus is urgently needed to restart economies and resume normal living. Desperate to save lives, doctors around the globe have tried lots of existing drugs—from malaria medications to anti-influenza pills to Ebola treatments. Yet, such efforts to save patients from the ravages of the disease have yielded no blockbusters, as researchers are still testing hundreds of potential candidates in search of an elusive cure. This has opened the door for hundreds of frontrunners or potential vaccines in many countries, with each at different stages of clinical trials.
WHO tracking 8 vaccines in clinical evaluation
Last week, WHO said it was tracking eight potential vaccines for COVID-19 in clinical evaluation. These candidate vaccines included four from China, one from England, two from the United States and one from the European Union. The list also includes 100 candidate vaccines in preclinical evaluation, which means they are still being tested in test tubes or in animals. The previous version of the list, published on April 20, included 5 candidate vaccines in clinical evaluation and 71 in preclinical evaluation.
Also last week, New York-based pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced that it had begun testing a vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The company said it went from pre-clinical studies in test tubes and animals to injecting humans with a possible vaccine in less than four months. The trials, which are taking place in the United States, are still in phase one testing. These test whether a potential vaccine is safe, has side effects and produces the desired response from the body’s immune system. Vaccines must go through phase 1, 2 and 3 testing before they can be licensed. Each phase involves larger numbers of volunteers.
Pfizer said it is working with German pharmaceutical company BioNTech on the candidate vaccine, dubbed BNT162. The company first tested it in Germany last month on 12 healthy adults. The two companies say they plan to test the candidate vaccine on 360 healthy volunteers in the United States. BNT162 is a messenger RNA vaccine that instructs cells to make a specific piece of protein to match what’s on SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein. The hope is the protein pieces will cause the body to create antibodies that will stop the virus from being able to attach to and invade cells.
In the United Kingdom, scientists at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute said they plan to test a candidate vaccine on more than 6,000 people by the end of May. If it is effective and safe, they could have millions of doses ready in a matter of months. Tests done in six rhesus macaque monkeys seemed to show the candidate vaccine was protective. Now phase one human tests have started. The university is partnering with the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to move forward with manufacturing should the candidate vaccine prove effective. Both have agreed to operate on a not-for-profit basis for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, with only the costs of production and distribution being covered. Oxford University and its spin-out company Vaccitech, which jointly hold the rights to the technology used to develop the candidate vaccine, said they will receive no royalties during the pandemic.
In the United States, the first SARS-CoV-2 trial vaccine has been cleared to go into phase two testing by the Food and Drug Administration. The vaccine candidate by Massachusetts-based Moderna, touted as a potential vaccine that could be used if found safe and effective, is called mRNA-1273. It was first given to volunteers in Seattle on March 16 during the phase one testing. Reports had it that FDA has completed its review of Moderna’s Investigational New Drug application for mRNA-1273, which allows it to now proceed to phase two testing.
The study, which will begin enrolling 600 participants in the coming weeks, is designed to begin assessing whether or not the potential vaccine can induce a person’s immune system to produce antibodies that recognise SARS-CoV-2. With the news, Moderna pulls neck and neck with the current coronavirus vaccine leader, Oxford University’s Jenner Institute. Scientists there had a head start. Having already acquired safety data from human trials of similar vaccines for the related coronavirus that causes MERS, Oxford researchers convinced British regulators to push forward with a large Phase II study involving 6,000 people while the outbreak in the UK is still raging. The vaccine is based on a technology that involves genetically modifying a harmless virus to create a SARS-CoV-2 look-alike that doesn’t cause disease but does trigger an immune response.
Moderna’s vaccine candidate, which was developed in collaboration with scientists at the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease, is made out of messenger RNA; hence the phrase mRNA in the vaccine’s name. This molecule is responsible for carrying the genetic recipes for making different proteins to a cell’s protein production factories. The version inside Moderna’s vaccine carries the instructions for making a little bit of the spike protein that SARS-CoV-2 uses to infect human tissues. The idea is that a vaccine recipient’s cells will produce this partial spike protein, which will train their bodies’ immune systems to recognise the virus and attack it the next time it shows up.
Still a new strategy, this kind of vaccine has never been approved for use or manufactured at scale. But Moderna’s safety trial, which began in March—the first SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to be injected into human volunteers—appears to have gone well enough that the FDA has greenlighted the next phase. It hopes to gain approval as soon as 2021, though Moderna’s not waiting for those results to start ramping up manufacturing. Last week, the company announced a 10-year partnership with Swiss drugmaker Lonza, which it expects to boost its production to tens of millions of doses per month in 2020 and hundreds of millions per month in 2021.
On the same day Moderna administered its first-out-of-the-gate vaccine, a company in China called CanSino Biologics got the green light to begin Phase I tests of two of its vaccine candidates. Like Oxford’s, they consist of a harmless viral vector that’s been genetically tweaked to look just enough like SARS-CoV-2 to trigger an immune response. In April, one of these vaccines entered Phase II, and researchers in Hubei province are now trying to recruit 500 people for the study. Other vaccine efforts are also showing early promise. Last week Monday, 15 healthy volunteers in New York received the first doses of an mRNA-based vaccine similar to Moderna’s, called BNT162.
Produced by Pfizer and a German pharma company called BioNTech, BNT162 is one of four genetic vaccine candidates the two companies are jointly developing to fight SARS-CoV-2. Over the next few weeks, the Phase I trial will enroll 360 people in four different research hospitals to see how safe these different variations are compared to a placebo. Researchers will monitor patients for the next two years, looking for signs of side effects as well as any antibodies their bodies produce against SARS-CoV-2. But since most bad reactions happen right away, the scientists should know in three to four months if the vaccine candidates are safe and have an idea of which one of the four works best.
At the University of Pennsylvania, researchers are also testing the safety of another genetic vaccine, produced by the nearby biotech company Inovio. Codenamed INO-4800, the vaccine is made out of synthetic DNA instead of RNA, though the principle is the same. Packaged into the DNA is a section of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Inovio is testing two doses of INO-4800 in 40 healthy volunteers split between UPenn and the Center for Pharmaceutical Research in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to these vaccine candidates, there are also two others currently in human trials in China. Both are chemically inactivated versions of the virus, one developed by Sinovac and one developed at the Beijing Institute of Biological Products. According to a list assembled by the WHO, there are a further 71 vaccine candidates that could soon follow.
Explaining the three stages of clinical trials
Most scientists believe that having a vaccine, which would teach people’s immune systems to recognize and fend off the virus before an infection can take hold, is what the world really needs right now. With widespread fears that the consequences of a prolonged global economic lockdown can be catastrophic, experts are of the view that everybody wins if an inoculated public could get back to work and resume normal life. However, developing a safe and effective vaccine against a new pathogen typically takes years, if not decades.
Generally, clinical testing comes in three stages. The first phase involves a few dozen healthy volunteers, Phase II expands to several hundred in an outbreak area, and Phase III repeats the experiment with several thousand. Then drug administration officials must review the data and decide if the shot is safe and effective enough to approve. But in the face of the current global pandemic, scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and regulators are sprinting at record-shattering speeds to test hundreds of vaccine candidates. Without clinical trial data, it’s impossible to predict which contenders will emerge from the onslaught of experiments as the most successful.
After scaling preclinical trials, the first test in testing an experimental drug or other treatment in human beings involves evaluating the drug’s safety and toxicity at different dose levels. Phase two testing is done with several hundred volunteers with the aim to see how the volunteers’ immune systems respond to the vaccine and whether it makes them immune to the disease. At this stage, safety and side effects are also studied before any vaccine candidate receives the nod to proceed to phase three testing. Phase three trials involve giving a vaccine to large numbers of people to see whether it works, whether it is safe and whether it has unknown or rare side effects. These can range from thousands to tens of thousands of volunteers.
In other words, when candidate vaccines make it to human clinical trials, they first go through Phase 1 trials primarily to test the vaccine’s safety, determine dosages and identify any potential side effects in a small number of people. Phase 2 trials further explore safety and start to investigate efficacy on larger groups. The final stage, Phase 3 trials, which few vaccines ever make it to, are much larger, involving thousands or tens of thousands of people, to confirm and assess the effectiveness of the vaccine and test whether there are any rare side effects that only show up in large groups.
World leaders pledge $8 billion for vaccine
Recently, in a video meeting hosted by the European Union, world leaders, nonprofits and celebrities responded to calls to fight the pandemic last week. They pledged $8 billion to fund laboratories working to develop and produce a vaccine. The money was for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator or the ACT Accelerator, a collaboration between the WHO and governments, nonprofits, and industry worldwide. It was launched on April 24. They all pledged to work with and support the effort. However, the US was conspicuously missing in the cavalcade of donors, despite being a major contributor to global health initiatives.
“We know that as long as anyone is at risk from this virus, the entire world is at risk – every single person on the planet needs to be protected from this disease,” the collaboration’s mission statement said in part. The three-hour fundraising effort was like an old-fashioned telethon, with a leader from each country taking a few minutes on the video call to pledge money.
Still a long journey ahead
By some estimates, it is likely the world gets a vaccine in the coming months. Some say it could take longer than 18 months. Or scientists may not be able to manufacture a vaccine at all. But if scientists succeed, there will likely be enormous advantages for whoever controls it as the competition to be the first will likely engender a new wave of geopolitics the first country to the finish line will be first to restore its economy.
To this end, United States President Donald Trump is putting everything he’s got into a research effort dubbed Operation Warp Speed, which pulls together pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and the military. So is China, which appears to have a head start at a time the two countries are already engaged in a fight for dominance in every aspect of global affairs. That is why development professionals are saying the stakes could not be higher for finding a vaccine against a virus that has claimed more than a quarter of a million lives and shattered global economies.
Although many world leaders are talking about global collaboration, it is obvious that national interests will dominate, as the government that can immunise its workforce first stands to gain in terms of economic advantage, validation of its technological prowess, and international influence. Both the US and China have played down talk of competition, no vaccine has ever been made on the kinds of schedules being targeted, which counted in months rather than years. President Trump said recently that the US is working with both Britain and Australia on vaccine projects, and wasn’t focused on geopolitics or who got there first. “I really don’t care. If it’s another country, I’ll take my hat off to them. We have to come up with a vaccine,” he said. American authorities said the US expects to be able to start manufacturing the drugs itself, whoever makes the scientific breakthrough.
However, still in the throes of the pandemic, signs of geopolitical rivalry have been obvious as the trust seems to be lacking among allies. The US has signaled that its own efforts are focused on protecting the American people first, which is primarily “to develop a vaccine for the people of the United States.”
But many believe China’s research process is, for now, more advanced, with a total of 508 volunteers joining a second phase trial for a potential vaccine that the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences is developing with a Tianjin-based company, CanSino Biologics. Results from the trial could be known as soon as this month. Also, Russia has at least four vaccine projects underway, including at Novosibirsk Vector. The goal is for Russia to make sure its own population has protection without being dependent on its rivals. Others are in the mix, too, with the UK saying that if a promising Oxford University project is successful, Britons will be at the front to the line. France and Germany are also leading the charge for a more cooperative approach, securing pledges of 7.4 billion euro ($8 billion) at a virtual Group of Twenty fundraiser on May 4; while the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has said it will build manufacturing capacity to make as many seven vaccines available even before they exist, an unprecedented effort to ensure wide and rapid availability

From
https://toriperi.com/hope-as-race-for-coronavirus-vaccine-hots-up

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has said there is traditional medicine capable of curing COVID-19 pandemic.
He spoke in his palace while presenting to the public, a book written on the late Yoruba music genre of Apala, Ayinla Wahidi, popularly called Ayinla Omowura.
The book titled: ‘Ayinla Omowura: Life and Times of an Apala Legend’, was written by syndicated columnist and former special adviser on Media to two former governors, Dr. Festus Adedayo.
While recommending the book for public reading, as one that dwelt on the culture, language and traditional music of the Yoruba, Oba Adeyemi called for a return to what he called “the roots”, to be able to fashion out indigenous solution to problems.
The monarch said that in the past, Yoruba traditional medicine treated all diseases, ranging from smallpox to diabetes and hay fever, adding that traditional herbalists were capable of sending people on message by telepathy.
Read Also: ‘Africa must combine modern, traditional medicine to combat COVID-19’
He wondered whether those powers had left the people.
“There were no illnesses or diseases under the surface of the earth that our forefathers were not capable of healing. I know that those powers are still potent and are present in us today,” Alaafin said.
He cited a native herbalist in Oyo, who passed on not too long ago, saying that he specialised in conjuring out snake poisons from the bodies of the victims.
“The man would call out the poison in the snake and conjure the snake responsible for the sting wherever it was. The snake would be made to swallow its own venom,” the monarch said, stressing that modern medicine did not have that potency.
He, however, said that the traditional medicine practitioners were cautious about displaying their abilities so as not to fall foul of governmental laws and bureaucratic bottlenecks involved in proclaiming cure for ailments in the world today.
Presenting the book to Oba Adeyemi, Dr. Adedayo said he wrote it as a contribution to the huge literature on Yoruba history and culture.
He said that the book was written to send a message to people at various cadres of life on the need to be mindful of their actions and inactions, noting that Omowura would probably have lived longer if he took into consideration his societal position before engaging in a barroom fight that led to his untimely death.

From
https://toriperi.com/there-is-traditional-cure-for-covid-19-says-alaafin

DIRECTOR of Regional Trade and Integration at United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Mr Stephen Karingi has said Africa will lose $65 billion if there is full lockdown of the continent due to COVID-19.
Karingi spoke during the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Economic Forum (WEF) virtual briefing. The director said the African economy would contract as much as three per cent in 2020.
According to him, UNECA’s analysis showed that with total lockdown, the economies would lose 2.5 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) monthly.
“This is about $6.5 billion every month based on the intensity and strictness of the lockdown. If we have a full lockdown … we would lose $65 billion,” he said.
He said reports of the first quarter showed a reduction in exports and lower revenue generation by governments, because of low activities of businesses and the economy.
Karingi noted that Africa’s recover depended on its actions to save lives and businesses. The director said measures by governments should be a smart exit from the lockdown, and to ensure numbers of COVID-19 cases decreased to prevent an economic shutdown.
Executive Chairman of Africa Health Business and President of Africa Healthcare Federation Dr Amit Thakker said there were three phases of Africa post COVID-19 recovery.
Thakker explained that the phases would run from 2021 to 2023, and phase one, repair, would involve containment, vaccines, social distancing measures and hand washing.
He said phase two in 2022 would determine if Africa’s growth would be strong or decline, while phase three would be partnership and leadership to achieve progressive growth.
World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti said easing lockdown in Africa should be gradual, with the most essential parts of the economy being opened up first.
Moeti noted that containment measures should be in place to ensure rates of COVID-19 infection reduces, while upscaling testing, contact tracing and treatment of patients.

From
https://toriperi.com/covid-19-africa-will-lose-65b-to-full-lockdown-says-uneca

Road transport operators have declared they are more deserving of federal government’s stimulus than airline operators.

The operators, under the aegies of The Association of Private Transport Companies of Nigeria (APTCON) said they are more affected by the lockdown orders by Federal and State Governments than airline operators.

Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) last week demanded inclusion in the government’s stimulus packages as well as other palliatives to help the association through the COVID-19 crisis and after.

But spokesman for APTCON, Audu Gaddo, in a statement, explained that road transport operations had also been devastated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said considering its pivotal position in the economy, the government should give road transport operators priority over others.
“Road transport definitely employs more Nigerians than airline operators. Millions of Nigerians work for the road transport business, both directly and indirectly,” Gaddo said.

He added: “It is also the main transport mode since the average Nigerian cannot afford to fly. If the sector suffers, it will affect every Nigerian across the country while most have little or no economic stake in air travel.

“Our requests only cover organised road transporters; companies that operate legitimate road transport services, having a proper business structure and paying taxes. So, government has no challenge identifying beneficiaries and channelling its support to those who contribute to government revenue.”


Gaddo further explained: “We are not opposed to government supporting airline operators, however, we strongly believe that given the unique place of road transport operations in the Nigerian economy at all levels, road transport companies should be first in line for government’s financial support.”

He argued that the government will be insensitive to the plight of the general populace if it considered bailing air operators without first providing much-needed support to road transport companies.

“Airline operators have consistently enjoyed government’s support and palliatives in the past, yet still collapse, while we road transport operators are left to our own devices even though we provide our services under harsh conditions, like bad roads and multiple taxations leading to really high overheads.



“Contrary to the claim that all other forms of transportation no longer pay Value Added Tax (VAT); it should be noted that road transport operators still pay VAT,” Gaddo said, responding to AON’s claim that only domestic airlines still pay VAT despite an executive order from 2018 exempting transport services for use by the general public from paying VAT.

Gaddo called on the Vice President, Minister of Transport, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as key players to work together in implementing the demands of road transport operators.

According to him: “Transportation is one of the non-oil drivers of the Nigerian economy, and road transport contributes the largest share in the transportation sub-sector. It is also the fastest-growing. In the third quarter of 2019, road transport contributed 1.79% to the overall Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria, compared to air transport with 0.15% and water with 0.01%.

“Beyond contributing to the GDP, road transport provides the network essential for nationwide business and tourism, enabling all other sectors one way or the other and pushing growth in remote corners of the country.

“Travel by road also remains the core connector for Nigeria’s thirty-six states and federal capital.

A few times every year, thousands of young Nigerians flock to motor parks on their way to their call up station for national youth service, Nigeria’s biggest attempt at national integration.

It is symbolic that the NYSC scheme would be impossible without road transport operators who ferry most of these youths to all corners of the nation.

“Moreover, in connecting Nigeria and supporting its economy, road transport businesses employ millions of Nigerians both in the formal and informal sectors of the economy. Even without precise figures, it is easy to surmise that the road transport section is one of the biggest employers of labour both directly and indirectly.

“Therefore, in the best interest of the Nigerian economy at all levels, policymakers now need to recognize the value of road transport businesses and lend them the support needed to drive the collective wealth of this nation.”

From
https://toriperi.com/we-deserve-fg-stimulus-than-airline-operators

Polaris Bank Limited released its first audited report at the weekend with a profit before tax of N27.8 billion in its first year of operation.

The result which posits a compelling narrative in the history of Nigeria’s banking industry followed from the turn-around initiatives undertaken by the leadership of the bank led by Managing Director, Adetokunbo Abiru.

According to the bank’s first full year financial result released during the weekend, Polaris Bank Limited posted a gross earnings figure of N150.8 billion and a profit before tax of N27.8 billion within the first full year of operations. The remarkable achievements coming in the first year of operations of the institution is a clear validation of regulatory induced interventions in the nation’s history.

The bank also closed the 2019 financial year with total assets of N1.1 trillion and shareholders’ funds of N83 billion. The result shows that Polaris Bank’s capital adequacy ratio, 14 per cent and liquidity ratio, 81 per cent are well above regulatory requirements demonstrating strong prudential compliance and strong capital buffer, careful liquidity management and resilience.

This result is coming amidst the highly challenging business environment which forced many businesses to cut down on their operating expenses.



The bank’s customer deposits stood at N857.9 billion even as the bank continues to focus on stable, low-cost deposits and well-diversified portfolio devoid of high concentration. Likewise, the loan book stood at N261 billion providing the bank with the desired headroom to accommodate required growth in risk assets to support the nation’s economic growth.

The bank equally recorded a Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA) of 33.0 per cent and 2.4 per cent respectively for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Commenting on the bank’s performance, Managing Director, Polaris Bank Limited, Mr. Adetokunbo Abiru said that: “the emergence of Polaris Bank on September 21, 2018, has heralded a new dawn as it laid the foundation for institutional competitiveness and service innovation in the nation’s challenging banking space.”

Expressing satisfaction with the bank’s new corporate governance regime, the Chief Executive Officer noted that “We shall continue to run an ethically governed Bank, upholding sound risk management practices and proactively taking measures to mitigate the impact of the adverse business environment while the Board and Management continue to guide the Bank towards a path of sustainable growth.

Polaris Bank’s performance has assured a strong positive outlook for earnings, margins, and profitability improvement in its cautious pursuit of loan growth, a sustained strategy for operational efficiency, funding cost optimization, and efficient deposit mix. The headroom for loan creation no doubt presents an opportunity for improved margins.

Going into the year 2020 and despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, The Bank says it is poised to reap the benefits of its investment in both the capacity of its employees to improve service experience as well as in critical infrastructures that will support the digitization of its operations.

Polaris Bank is a future-determining bank committed to the delivery of industry-defining products, services, and digital platforms across all the sectors of the Nigerian economy. The Bank is a member of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), which seeks to engage the private sector and the global financial sector to help create a financial sector that serves people and the planet while delivering positive impact.

From
https://toriperi.com/polaris-bank-marks-first-year-with-n27-8b-profit

About 230 Nigerian returnees are stranded in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) following the failure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get flight clearance for the Lagos-bound Emirates Airlines aircraft.

It was learnt that for three weeks, the ministry has not been able to tidy up the arrangement for the evacuation of the 230 Nigerians.

But most of the evacuees, who allegedly paid about N242,000 per head, could not understand why the ministry allowed them to book Emirates flight without any solid arrangement.

Worried by continued failure to secure flight clearance, the Emirates Airlines on Friday canceled the flight.

Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have however put the blame on the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for not concluding arrangements, including flight clearance, to repatriate the affected Nigerians.

According to investigation conducted by our correspondent, the 230 returnees had been scheduled for flight EK0783 from Dubai (1020) to Lagos by 1500 on April 26, 2020.

The Nigerian Ambassador to UAE, Mallam Mohammed Dansanta Rimi, had since April 5 issued COVID-19 Travel Advisory to Nigerians on the Emirates.

It was also confirmed that Rimi had also opened a line of communication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the list of Nigerians willing to return home.

The initial positive response of the ministry made the Nigerian Embassy in Abu Dhabi to ask the 230 returnees to pay for their tickets.




But as at April 22, there was no commitment from the Federal Government on flight clearance for the Emirates aircraft bringing in the stranded Nigerians.

It was gathered that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could not complete the three-week process.

In a note to the Nigerian Embassy in the UAE on April 22, the Emirates airline desk officer said: “Based on the list provided by you, our office has been doing the call outs. As of now, we have approximately 230 passengers confirmed to travel. There are some more passengers coordinating through Debbie.

In the meantime, I would like to bring to your notice of a very critical issue to ensure we have this flight operated as planned.

“Our office in Lagos has been notified by a member of the Nigerian Presidential Task Force on COVID -19 (Dr. Haggai) that your good office (Nigerian Embassy in UAE) has to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria to ensure that the protocol for quarantine and other required measures are in place prior to the flight.

“We are assuming that you have the necessary approvals and arrangements in place in Lagos for us to carry these passengers.

“Could you please confirm back to us that all arrangements as required by the Nigerian government are in order for the flight EK 783/26APR that is scheduled to depart Dubai at 1020AM. Appreciate if you could confirm this to us by end of 23APR2020. Thank you.”

Based on the concerns of the airline, the Embassy on April 22, 2020 communicated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as follows: “Find attached letter from Emirates confirming if the Ministry is liaising with the appropriate authorities for clearance/approval for the impending flight amid the lock down in Lagos. Awaiting your response, please.”

As at Friday (yesterday) when there was no official flight clearance for the 230 Nigerians, the Emirates Airlines aborted the trip.

It sent a notice to the returnees, saying: “Flight cancelled. The following flight(s) have been cancelled in the light of current health concerns globally. Flight details: EK0783-Dubai International Airport (Origin), Murtala Muhammed Airport, LOS (Destination) on Sunday April 26th. Please contact your travel agent for further assistance with your booking. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

Although some of the stranded Nigerians have tried to reach out to the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, she only replied on Twitter as follows: “Like I said, final decision is with the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyema. The mission will reach you once they get directives from the Minister.”

As at the time of filing this report, the fate of the stranded 230 Nigerians was unknown with many claiming that they had spent their savings to buy tickets.

It was learnt that each of the passengers coughed out about N242,000 for the one-way ticket based on the fares contained in the COVID-19 Travel Advisory Update by the Consular and Immigration Section of the Nigerian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The advisory reads in part: “Sequel to the Mission’s travel advisory notice dated 9th April, 2020, this is to inform members of the Nigeria community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) requiring emergency evacuation during this challenging period of Coronavirus pandemic that Emirates Airlines is making arrangements to operate a special flight to repatriate Nigerians from Dubai to Lagos tentatively on 26th April, 2020, and this will be subject to obtaining necessary clearance from the relevant Nigerian authorities.

“In view of the foregoing, ticket fare is still at AED 2,500 for economy class (one-way) and AED 5,000 (one-way) for business class while passenger (s) with existing Emirates ticket will have to pay the fare difference based on the current value of their tickets.

“It should be reiterated that the airline will operate the flight subject to available number of interested passengers. Enquires can be made directly to the airline call Centre by calling 600 555555. In addition, passengers will be required to undergo COVID-19 test at Dubai International Airport and on arrival in Nigeria.

“While expressing the Embassy’s readiness to respond to further enquiries, please note, information earlier received are compiled and forwarded to the Nigerian Government for appropriate action. As soon as firm arrangement has been made, all concerned persons will be notified accordingly. “


From
https://toriperi.com/evacuation-230-nigerians-stranded-in-dubai

The death toll in the United States has surpassed 50,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

There are now at least 50,031 deaths in the country, the data showed on Friday.

The grim milestone was reached Friday morning, five days after the number of fatalities hit 40,000.

The U.S. has the highest death toll in the world and the most number of cases.

The coronavirus pandemic has now killed more than 190,000 people worldwide.

Over 2.7 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus.

The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations’ outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 869,000 diagnosed cases and at least 50,031 deaths.

From
https://toriperi.com/covid-19-us-death-toll-surpasses-50000

]

Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, has appointed the Chairman of Police Community Relations Committee(PCRC), Comrade Amitolu Shittu, as the Director-General (DG) of the newly established Amotekun Corps.
Also, he announced the Director-General (DG) of the Bureau of Social Services (BOSS), Richard Tinubu, who is a trainer and Management Consultant.

The governor in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ismail Omipidan explained that 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.

He noted that 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.

Oyetola said, “Shittu, 55, an activist committed to truth, the people, and good governance, is expected to bring his wealth of experience 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 the University of Lagos and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (International Business) from Lagos State University.

“After spending a decade working for multi-nationals, he joined Capital Express Insurance as Head, Business Development and Marketing before joining politics.

“As a professional in politics, the Igbajo-born Development Consultant believes in serving mankind, helping people in need and giving succour to those in distress, while empowering the people for self-development, with a view to mobilising them to contribute to good governance at all levels.”

“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. “

From

https://toriperi.com/oyetola-appoints-amitolu-dg-amotekun-corps-tinubu-as-dg-boss

A police constable, Chibuike Ukazu, has been beaten to stupor and stripped naked by youths of Umueze community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo state for allegedly indulging in homosexual acts.


Read in detail
https://toriperi.com/angry-mob-strip-police-officer-naked-for-homosexualism-in-imo

May God save him

The resident president UCH doctor tests positive, COVID-19. may God heal him as he tries his possible best to save humanity.






Read details
https://toriperi.com/breaking-president-of-uch-doctors-tests-positive-for-covid-19

realstars:
105 ? This Is Audio Parakpo, Shakarau. Thn Boko Boss Was Killd 3 times Yet He Is Waiting For The 4th Time To Be Killed

Agency Reporter


Several key Boko Haram Terrorists/ISWAP leaders have been killed in multiple air strikes conducted by the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole at Durbada in Borno, the Defence Headquarters has said.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, added that structures belonging to the terrorists were also destroyed.

Enenche disclosed that the operation, which was executed on April 17, came on the heels of credible human intelligence reports.


He said that the intelligence was confirmed by series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions and indicated that the settlement was one of the locations where some of the terrorists’ hierarchy often hibernate.

According to him, the fighter jets dispatched by the Air Task Force took turns in attacking the location scoring accurate hits within the target area which resulted in the death of some of the terrorists.

“Others, who were seen attempting to flee the area were taken out in follow-on attacks.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in furtherance of the objective of restoring peace and security in the North East, will sustain the offensive against the enemies of our nation,” he said. (NAN)

https://toriperi.com/key-boko-haram-leaders-killed-in-air-strikes-in-borno

Not fewer than 105 Boko Haram insurgents were killed by the Nigerian Army in a hot battle encounter at Buni Gari, Gujba Local Government of Yobe State on Saturday 18/04 night.

Full details @ https://toriperi.com/army-kills-105-boko-haram-insurgents-in-yobe

Can work-at-home policy survive Covid-19?




https://toriperi.com/can-work-at-home-policy-survive-covid-19

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf
With growing fears of possible job losses post COVID-19, experts have allayed such fears, saying most organisations may not announce job cuts arbitrarily.

According to the experts, there is need for employers and the government to hold a roundtable to discuss on the fallout on employment as a result of COVID-19.

In an interview with our correspondent, Dr. Timothy Olawale, the Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), an umbrella body for employers in the organised private sector (OPS), while speaking on the economic implication for the workforce, suggested short, medium to long term measures to mitigate the possible job crisis.

While acknowledging that globally, job cuts, layoffs, wage cuts and employee redundancy have continued to exacerbate as the coronavirus pandemic which continues to disrupt social life, the economy and every other human activity, he however said, “millions of jobs could be saved if OPS and government can adopt short and medium term decisions to ensure minimal job losses and create new job opportunities jobs. Thus, the decisions they take today will determine the health of our societies and economies for years to come.”

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that as many as 25 million people could become unemployed, with a loss of workers’ income of as much as USD 3.4 trillion. However, it is already becoming clear that these numbers may underestimate the magnitude of the impact...

Management, Olawale reiterated, “Can adopt a number of strategies both in the short, medium and long term to address this looming crisis. The management can meet with financial institutions to restructure loans to free up working capital for business operations.”

“There should be engagement with government through Employers Association to develop policies that will business continuity and access to that access to a stimulus package to help pay wages or for investment to protect against downturn inactivity– and tax payment deferrals in the form of rebates for businesses, particularly in sectors most affected by the crisis. In addition, employees who are self-isolating or those diagnosed with the virus should receive payment support from the government, to encourage disclosure and help contain the spread.”

Echoing similar views, Louis Ntanda, a human resource and management expert based in Enugu, said it will be counterproductive for organisations to cut jobs arbitrarily.

“It’s actually a position that ties the hand of the HR in all organisations as the Labour law and their various handbooks does not provide for such. We may be faced with lots of litigations after the lockdown if the various organisations and mostly HR do not handle the current situation well.”

How to minimise job loss- DG NECA

Dr. Timothy Olawale, an Industrial Relations and Strategic Human Resource Management expert, is the Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), an umbrella body for employers in the organised private sector. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, he speaks on the economic implication of COVID-19, especially how it’s going to affect the workforce and proffers useful suggestions. Excerpts:

Can work-at-home policy survive Covid-19?any organisations have adopted work-at-home schedules and judging by the moderate success achieved thus far are considering sustaining the trend post COVID-19. What’s your take on this?

Globally, job cuts, layoffs, wage cuts and employee redundancy have continued to exacerbate as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to disrupt social life, the economy and every other human activity. The areas that have been most negatively impacted are almost all the value chains including manufacturing, sales, and marketing, distribution, wholesale and retail, governance, aviation and tourism amongst others.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that as many as 25 million people could become unemployed, with a loss of workers’ income of as much as USD 3.4 trillion. However, it is already becoming clear that these numbers may underestimate the magnitude of the impact.

Furthermore, Nigeria as a country largely dependent on oil even face dire consequences amidst falling global oil price, which is around $30 per barrel, down from $65 at the start of the year. Credit rating agency Standards & Poor has even warned of a further slide in the oil price to $10 amidst falling demand for crude oil due to coronavirus. This can trigger job cuts, especially in the Nigerian public sector as the federating states depend largely on revenue allocation from the central government.

As part of government’s efforts to cope with the increasing number of confirmed cases of infected as well as some reported deaths, there was a declaration of a lockdown in the major cities, Lagos, Ogun and Abuja, with a spillover effect to other states of the federation.

Thus, in a bit to keep businesses afloat and also obey the directives of government, there was the need for some employees to work from home, aided by technological advancement. In short, the much emphasised Future of Work is here!

However, not all business operations can be done online which has led to huge reduction operations and income while maintaining huge overhead costs. The result is the possibility of massive job cuts and loses.

However, millions of jobs could be saved if OPS and government can adopt short and medium term decisions to ensure minimal job losses and create new job opportunities jobs. Thus, the decisions they take today will determine the health of our societies and economies for years to come.

What suggestions can you give to prospective management on steps to take?

As I mentioned earlier, management can adopt a number of strategies both in the short, medium and long term to address this looming crisis. The management can meet with financial institutions to restructure loans to free up working capital for business operations.

Besides, there should be engagement with government through Employers Association to develop policies that will business continuity and access to that access to a stimulus package to help pay wages or for investment to protect against downturn inactivity– and tax payment deferrals in the form of rebates for businesses, particularly in sectors most affected by the crisis. In addition, employees who are self-isolating or those diagnosed with the virus should receive payment support from the government, to encourage disclosure and help contain the spread.

Another thing is that this time calls for creative thinking by management. In this regard, there should be a drive towards business innovation via the adoption of e-commerce as part of business operations. Tens of jobs will also be created as they partner with operators in the restaurant hospitality, pharmaceutical, essential daily needs sectors as a result of increased demands for these essential needs during and post COVID: 19.

There is need to accelerate revenue through packages, incentives, discounts and/or prepayments. Also of critical importance is the need to manage accounts receivables, collect as much as possible from outstanding customers through strict collection policies and/or incentives and discounts. The management also needs to execute on cost-reduction strategies that allow the business to maintain productivity while matching the demand of product, audience and customers. Reducing operating costs in order to conserve cash is critical to the survival of businesses.

To the extent possible, negotiate the cost of inputs such as supplies, raw materials, labour, etc. and pre-buy materials at a discount when possible. The management also needs to postpone all hiring and when possible reduce staff this may be an opportunity for some staff to work part time as they care for children at home. Overall, there is need to discuss with staff to consider across-the-board temporary salary cuts as an alternative to cutting staff at this difficult time.

@ https://toriperi.com/how-to-stem-job-loss-post-covid-19-by-experts

Bandits kidnap three JAMB candidates, baby in Kaduna

By AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna
Armed bandits terrorising Birnin-Gwari area of Kaduna State, have kidnapped three candidates after writing their 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Kaduna.

The bandits, in the attack which happened on Kaduna -Birnin Gwari road on Saturday, also killed one Ibrahim Idris, the driver of a former House of Representatives member, Adamu Shekarau.

Kaduna State Police Command, while confirming the incident to The Nation on Monday said, a one- and- half- year old was also kidnapped alongside the UTME candidate.

The Command’s PPRO, ASP Muhammad Jalige however said that, the police are on trail of the bandits as an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) has been deployed to the area.

He also gave names of the kidnapped UTME candidates as: Yusuf Sani, Ummi Sani and Umairah Mustapha.

He said: “Yes, there was an attack on Saturday on Birnin-Gwari road. The driver of the vehicle was shot to death and four other people were kidnapped.

“The incident happened around a village called Ungwan Yako.

“Three of the kidnapped victims are candidates who came to Kaduna to write UTME exam. They were on their way back when the incident happened. They are; Yusuf Sani, Ummi Sani and Umairah Mustapha. The fourth person is a little baby, a year and half old.

“The Police around the area engaged the criminals and recovered their motorcycle. We are still on trail of the criminals.

“Also, the Commissioner has directed for more deployment on the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road and one Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) has been deployed to man that area particularly. The APC is just about to leave the police headquarters now to the place.”

[url= https://toriperi.com/forums/topic/bandits-kidnap-three-jamb-candidates-baby-in-kaduna.html]check source HERE[/url]

ALL Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman (Southsouth) Prince Hilliard Eta yesterday said those behind the plot to remove the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole, plan to weaken the ruling party.

He alleged that the motive of the agents of destabilisation was to pave way for their 2023 presidential ambitions.

The APC chieftain said he has unraveled moves by the anti-Oshiomhole elements in the party to distract President Muhammadu Buhari from delivering, thereby weakening the fortunes of the party and moving members to another party where they can pursue their selfish ambition come 2023.

The APC vice chairman told reporters in Abuja where he debunked media reports that his kinsmen in the Southsouth have abandoned Oshiomhole.

Contrary to reports, Eta maintained that members and leaders of the party from the Southsouth geo-political zone are solidly behind the leadership of the national chairman.

He said: “Oshiomhole remain the best for the position. Therefore, he is enjoying the support of the leaders of the zone contrary to reports in the media.”

Eta added: “I was surprised when I read the report that the Southsouth have abandoned Oshiomhole, that is completely untrue and being fueled by those plotting evil against the national chairman. I am the National Vice Chairman of the party in the South South zone, and I know better. The political leader of the zone who is the Deputy Senate President (Ovie Omo-Agege) was not contacted by anyone to know the position of the zone.

“So, I wonder where that Newspaper got their information from. As I speak with you, the zone is implicitly behind the national chairman of our party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. We are fully in support of our chairman and people from outside of our zone will not tell us how we will manage our office that was zone to our region.


“We believe that the Chairman is doing very very well and on account of his performance, the zone stands solidly behind him. We have continuously and persistently said so because nothing has fundamentally changed.”

Eta blamed the current crisis in the party on 2023 presidential ambition of some governors, who are hell bent on removing the national ghairman in order to actualize their selfish ambition and interest at the expense of national interest.

He warned: “We should be mindful of the consequences of our actions because they are distracting our President who is settling down after he won his second term to provide the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

“I happen to know that there is this move by some of these people to weaken the party and get some people out so they can form another political group to challenge the party in 2023. But, that can be done without heating up the polity the way they are doing now.

“Those who love this party must call the troublemakers to order, whatever happens to this party between now and 2023 will affect the democratic fabrics of this country. So, we must be mindful of not just the corporate health of APC but that of the entire Nigerians,”



@
https://toriperi.com/forums/topic/oshiomholes-adversaries-plotting-to-weaken-apc-ahead-2023-says-eta

Still blowing hot and cold

IN Oyo, Governor Seyi Makinde orchestrates a high-octane drama, which name could be “Blowing Hot and Cold” — all to escape doing the right thing.

Yet, right won’t vanish, simply because you buy the illusion you can avoid doing it. You can’t; and no matter how much or how long you fudge, you are condemned to eventually doing the right thing.

With the Supreme Court’s definitive pronouncement that state governors cannot sack elected local government officials, a showdown was imminent on January 28. After the federal attorney-general’s legal advice to the governor, using the apex court’s verdict as ground, the governor found himself in a bind.

The judgment absolutely removed the legal plank of his local governments’ dissolution of 29 May 2019. With the attorney-general’s advice, coupled with a nudge to the Police to do the needful to enforce obedience, the Oyo government was well and truly worsted. It was the triumph of one bully (the police, as part of the federal security architecture); over the other (the governor, that figured he could, with executive whims and caprices, scatter and gather local government, as His Excellency wishes). Not so!

Still, it must be said: good sense prevailed on January 28. The elected chairmen and councillors appeared to have duly resumed their truncated terms. That was far better than frontal confrontation, that could have left everyone bruised.

You were even at a point of commending the Oyo authorities for executive nobility when they emerged with another legal legerdemain — a court injunction to freeze the victorious parties from enjoying the fruits of their victory. Wow, wow, that was the judicial equivalent of a military ambush! Shorn of all its legalistic foam, it’s another stonewalling, hiding behind legal procedures — vexatious, to the elected councillors but hardly a crime, until the court rules one way or another.

But, that trickery has forced Governor Makinde on foxtrot, pushing a charm offensive. The other day, he was reported on a sortie to the Inspector-General of Police. Hear the touring governor: “I came to brief the Inspector-General of Police that this is the situation. We do not want chaos in Oyo State. I am a law-abiding person — hear! hear! — if there is a court judgment, I will obey.”

That was an excellent piece of gubernatorial cant, if ever there was one! After all the empty verbal grandstanding , what was clear was a governor desperately waiting on executive fiat — or put more brazenly, force — to stonewall an extant judgment, while gambling on a future judgment! Crafty, isn’t that?

But only the governor and his co-partisans are taken in. No future judgment can erase the crux: no governor can sack elected chairmen and councillors. So, the cup of compliance will not pass over the errant government. All the governor can do is buy time. But the longer he does that, the longer governance at the grassroots is buried under a thick, dark legitimacy cloud.

Not a few have made a meat of the federal attorney-general throwing the state government into a whirr because of his advisory, which came with the notice to the Police to do the needful. Indeed, the optics of that, in a federal state, is awful.

Still, wouldn’t that be delving into ego, leaving the substance of the matter? If the governor had self-corrected, after doing the wrong thing, would the federal AG have intervened, on a matter as clear as democratic local governments, clearly entrenched in the 1999 Constitution?

And just imagine if the governor had the Police to enforce his clear outlawry, in this case? He probably would have turned up his nose, stamped his foot, and barked: Supreme Court, my foot! Such intransigence arms those dead set against state police.

@
https://toriperi.com/forums/topic/still-blowing-hot-and-cold

A FORMER Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Patrick Seubo Koshoni, is dead.

A statement by Naval spokesman Commodore Suleman Dahun said the former Chief of Naval Staff died after a brief illness.

He was 77.

The statement reads: “The Naval headquarters wishes to announce with a heavy heart the demise of a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Patrick Seubo Koshoni (retd.).

“The senior officer died on January 25, 2020 after a brief illness. Born in Lagos on April 11, 1943, Vice Admiral Koshoni (retd.) joined the Nigerian Navy on the June 11, 1962 after a secondary school education at St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos. That same year, he started the naval cadetship training at the National Defence Training Academy in India and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on July 13, 1964.”

It added: “Admiral Koshoni (retd.) attended many naval, management and leadership courses and headed many naval and military appointments, committees and task forces.


“He served the nation meritoriously as the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command and as Honourable Ministers of Health, Transport and Aviation as well as Labour and Productivity. He was a member of the Supreme Military and Federal Executive Councils from January 1984 to August 1985.

“During his tenure as the Chief of Naval Staff, he led initiatives for the articulation of Nigeria’s foremost maritime strategy; the Nigerian Navy Trident Strategy and helped to institutionalise the Presidential Fleet Review, Manpower Rationalisation for the Service and the Chief of Naval Staff’s Annual Conference, which has continued to serve as a veritable platform for strategic engagement and policy review.

“On retirement from service, the indefatigable Admiral also served as the Chairman National Internal Security Organisation (defunct National Guard).

“He is survived by his wife, Mrs Margaret Aderoju Koshoni, children and several grandchildren.

“Necessary arrangements for his burial are being concluded in liaison with his family and a firm programme will be communicated in due course.”

@
https://toriperi.com/forums/topic/ex-naval-chief-koshoni-dies-at-77