₦airaland Forum

RE: INSANITY MUST HAVE LIMIT!
ATTEMPT TO SMEAR THE IMAGE OF OUR HIGHLY REVERED MONARCH, HIS ROYAL MAJESTY, OBA EWUARE II

(STATEMENT BY A CONCERNED BENIN PATRIOT, EFOSA OSADEBAMWEN, ESQ)

I write with extreme pain and anger, at the furious and desperate attempt by some unscrupulous characters to denigrate, embarrass, malign and ridicule the highly revered stool of the ancient Benin Kingdom and by extension, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II.

I am pained because I am a Benin patriot; proud of the enviable and indomitable ancestry of the Edos and Benin Kingdom.

I am incensed because any attempt to denigrate our Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin, is akin to rubbishing our entire heritage as a people. We must never let this happen.

We must defend our heritage and our people from enemies within, who are bent on ridiculing us before the outside world by articulating FALSE narratives about our Oba and the palace of the great Benin kingdom.

Of recent, the merchants of falsehood have been spreading their wares of discord and disharmony in form of recorded videos and messages, to the effect that one of the Oba’s wives....

Read more:
https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/05/desperate-attempt-to-rubbish-benin-heritage-exposed/

On Thursday at the Presidential Task Force Briefing on COVID-19, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, announced that some Nigerians returning from the United Kingdom to Nigeria are expected to land in the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State on Friday, May 8.
The Minister said the returnees will be taken to Abuja, the nation’s capital for isolation upon arrival noting that the hotel rate is better compared to Lagos.
“We are hoping to have another flight coming in from the UK. This batch will be going to Abuja. They will be landing in Lagos first and they will be ferried to Abuja.''
“The reason is that we have been very mindful of the cost to the passengers coming home and we want to minimize the burden on them noting that a lot of them have stayed outside the country than they needed to or wanted to and are probably out of pocket.''
“We have tried to bargain as much as possible with the various hotels. Abuja offers us a better economy in terms of hotel rates,” Onyeama said.
He added that arrangements will be made for those meant to be in Lagos to return back to Lagos.
The Minister appreciated the passengers who were recently evacuated from Dubai to Lagos and commended them for cooperating and conducting themselves in an admirable manner.
“It’s a learning curve for all of us. So we are very happy that we have been able to get the first batch of Nigerians successfully back home.
“We will like to congratulate those passengers and thank them because really, they comported themselves admirably and went to the hotels they are meant to go to for isolation.
“The conditions are difficult. 14 days in confinement is not easy,” he said.
Onyeama had earlier in a Tweet on Wednesday night confirmed that 256 Nigerians were evacuated from the United Arab Emirates. They arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, via Emirates Airlines.

Read more stories: thestreetjournal.org

Residents of different parts of Abia State have been fear gripped following the interception of a group of Almajiris loaded in cattle trucks on their Way to Abia on Tuesday.
The Almajiris hidden in cattle trucks at Enugu-Abia border, along the Enugu – Aba highway were intercepted by the state Homeland Security agents led by the Commissioner for Homeland Security, Prince Dan Okoli.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Abia Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu, explained that overnight, several trucks conveying food items with several almajiris hiding in them were turned back at the same border until the interception on Tuesday.
“The Government has directed that more homeland security agents be deployed to one of the borders with Akwa Ibom State as well following the interception of another truck conveying almajiris alongside goods heading for Akwa Ibom State.”
Abia State Government had earlier on Monday alerted citizens that it received intelligence report on the planned movement of a group of almajiris into the state within the next 24 hours.
A respondent from Abia State who spoke on the incidence said, “Possibly withdraw some compromising police officers and replace them with any other local security here because our policemen are too corrupt.”
Meanwhile, the commissioner said that the State government has directed that traditional rulers and TC Chairmen of inter-state boundary communities will be held responsible and sanctioned for any of such unauthorized entry into the state.
He stressed that the government has warned that all necessary lawful measures must be taken to stop the entry of not only the almajiris but also other unlawful migrants.
He added that the measures will remain till the Federal Government-backed inter-state border closure regulation put in place to control the spread of COVID-19 from one state to another is lifted.

Read other stories: thestreetjournal.org

Benue State has confirmed a fresh case of COVID-19 infection, more than a month after confirming its index case.

The Governor, Samuel Ortom confirmed this on Tuesday in Makurdi while briefing journalists. Follow the link below to read more about it.

https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/05/benue-state-confirms-fresh-case-of-coronavirus-discloses-identity-again/

One Olalekan Hameed was today sentenced to death by hanging by an Ikeja High Court in Lagos State.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Mojisola Dada in the State’s Judiciary’s first virtual court session and everyone participated remotely from different locations via the Zoom app

Hameed was arraigned on March 6, 2019, on a two-count charge of murder and stealing for the December 1, 2018 murder of Mrs Jolasun Okunsanya, 76, the mother of his employer, Adetayo.

The defendant had gone to the house to steal, however, when the deceased stumbled upon...

Read full story: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/05/driver-sentenced-to-death-for-killing-his-boss-mom/

A 32 year old man Afeez Olalere has been arrested by the Operatives Of The Lagos State Police Command for Using his brother for yahoo plus.

He made the shocking confession saying “ my mother took me to an herbalist who told me if i want to be successful in the yahoo business i will have to sacrifice a life and that person must be a sibling to me.

The things he would need prepare a concoction with are his thumbs, his hair, fingers and a passport photograph.

So we went back home and thought about it, then my mother suggest we use my younger brother since he is just 21 year old.

She also brought the poison which we gave him to eat, he died within 20minutes after consuming the food.

I was the one who cut out the body parts needed.

We then wrapped his dead body and headed to mortuary.

Nemesis caught up with them during a stop and search operation along Itamaga Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Read more: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/05/rituals-my-mother-and-i-killed-my-brother-yahoo-boy/

The Pioneer Minister of State for Environment, Dr Ime Okopido is dead.

The Ex Minister, who was an elder brother to the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Ini Okopido, , passed on early this week in Uyo.

Late(Dr) Ime Okopido was a revered indigene of Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

He served as Minister during the first democratic government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The body of the deceased who breathed his last early in the week, has since been deposited in the mortuary, pending when his body will be committed to mother Earth.

Burial announcement of the deceased shall be done by the family in due course.

A family member who confirmed this incidence to our reporter said, the immediate family and the Community will miss a timeless leader and selfless statesman...

Read more: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/05/breaking-ex-minister-of-environment-ime-okopido-is-dead/

The Asian giant hornet, also known as the murder hornet has arrived the United States of America for the first time.

The hornets account for about 50 deaths yearly in Japan.

After news of the “murder hornets” been spotted in the U.S. for the first time, it generated panic.

The murder hornets are the world's largest hornets and a sting can kill humans if stung multiple times, says experts at the Washington State University.

"They're like something out of a monster cartoon with this huge yellow-orange face," Susan Cobey, a bee breeder at the Washington State University's department of entomology, said recently.

How the giant hornets native to Asia got into Washington state is still not known. Some people believe they can be transported in international cargo.

"Hornets are most destructive in the late summer and early fall, when they are on the hunt for sources of protein to raise next year's queens," Truscott said on the WSU's Insider.

"They attack honey bee hives, killing adult bees and devouring bee larvae and pupae, while aggressively defending the occupied colony," he added. "Their stings are big and painful, with a potent neurotoxin. Multiple stings can kill humans, even if they are not allergic."

Washington state agricultural officials have asked beekeepers and residents to report any sightings of the giant hornets but advised them not to get too close.

The sting can penetrate a regular beekeeper's suit, and state scientists had to order special reinforced suits.

"Don't try to take them out yourself if you see them," said entomologist Chris Looney of the state Department of Agriculture. "If you get into them, run away, then call us! It is really important for us to know of every sighting, if we're going to have any hope of eradication."

State officials are asking people in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan, Jefferson and Clallam counties to be very vigilant.

Conspiracy theorists think the hornets are a ploy to force people to stay indoors amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

read more: thestreetjournal.org

A fact-finding report by Dr. Maryam Nasir MBBS MSC; Zainab Mahmoud MD DTMH; Khadija Rufai MD MHA, has linked the strange deaths recorded in Kano State to COVID-19.

The report which was published on April 27, 2020, said at least 183 deaths were recorded in Kano State between April 18 to April 25, 2020. It said that most of the deaths were from febrile and respiratory illnesses.

But since COVID-19 laboratory tests were not conducted, Maryam Nasir and her colleagues said they could not authoritatively say the novel virus was the causative factor in the Kano deaths.

Nevertheless, the report noted that most of the deaths were elderly who had underlying comorbidities. There were also reports that close family members of a deceased person also died in a similar pattern to the deceased.

But out of 51 deaths studied in the report, 40 had no travel history.

Also of note is the fact that an elderly man whose death followed the COVID-19 pattern attended a wedding ceremony 1 week prior to his development of fever, diarrhea, and shortness of breath. The said man passed on 1 week after exhibiting the symptoms.

The Fact-Finding report reads in part, “We initiated a research project to investigate the clinical presentation of COVID-19 in Kano state. However, prior to collecting our data, several media outlets, as well as reports on social media, purported an increased death rate in Kano metropolis

“We utilized a similar method, verbal autopsy, used by the World Health
Organization (WHO) during the Ebola outbreak.

“The first data set was...

Read more: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/05/fact-finding-maryam-nasir-others-link-strange-kano-deaths-to-covid-19/

Popular Ibadan/Lagos businesswoman and one of our long-standing clients, Ms. Ronke aka Funktional, has died.

The mother-of-two, who ran a chain of boutiques, alleged slumped inside her car on Friday night in Ibadan, Oyo State.

It was gathered she was found with her head resting on the steering wheel and was subsequently rushed to the hospital where she was confirmed dead. May her soul continue to rest in perfect peace.

Read other stories: www.thestreetjournal.org

On Tuesday, a lady named Ada, who was pregnant for a Nigerian elite passed away due to abortion complications.

She got pregnant for her alleged man-friend and wanted to keep the child but realized the child was a sickler during her first trimester.

She therefore went for an abortion but the doctor didn’t evacuate...

Read more:
https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/04/lady-who-was-pregnant-for-a-nigerian-elite-dies-from-abortion-complications/

Two trucks attempting to sneak passengers from Kano into Kaduna, have been intercepted at the Kaduna-Kano border.

In a statement on Thursday, Samuel Aruwan, commissioner of internal security and home affairs in Kaduna, said: “We got information that these lorries had come in from the Kaduna-Kano border and had progressed up to Gwargwaji in Zaria LGA.

We then proceeded to nab them further along within the same local government.

The passengers were cleverly concealed behind...
Read more: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/05/kano-men-hiding-in-trucks-to-sneak-into-kaduna-nabbed/

An Infectious Disease act Bill, was quietly transmitted to members of the House of Representatives for consideration on April 28, 2020.

One would think the bill is somewhat innocuous and maybe praiseworthy and necessary. However, a closer examination of this bill reveals that it potentially creates a lot more problems than it purports to solve.

Read also
Cosmetic Surgeon, Anu Says LUTH Killed Beauty Queen and not Her
Nigerian man Spits Blood Intro Policewoman’s eye
Lockdown: 60 Youths Arrested for Holding Surprise Party
Kano Records Two Coronavirus Deaths
The Infectious Diseases Act is supposed to create a legal framework for the federal government to manage the special circumstances surrounding infectious disease outbreaks like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which had claimed Atleast 44 lives across Nigeria.

The bill which is sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, House Speaker is supposed to provide an updated legislative basis for the government’s anti-pandemic efforts, replacing the National Quarantine Act of 2004, which many have identified as the cause of least some of the FG’s initial flat-footed response to COVID-19.

In reality, it potentially opens the door to a new set of legal and constitutional conflicts.

Also, it is almost entirely – word for word – plagiarised from the Singapore Infectious Diseases Act 1977.

The bill is clearly not one about helping to save Nigerian lives from disease outbreaks but helping the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Minister of Health become disproportionately and unjustifiably powerful.

Throughout the 44-page document, the term “Director General” appears 134 times 10 more times than the word “disease.”

At first the repeated emphasis on granting powers to the person of the NCDC DG appear justified by Sections 7 and 12, which give the DG the power to require that corpses of those who die of suspicious symptoms without confirmation must be properly autopsied, and that infected corpses must be disposed of in such a way as not to endanger public safety. Such clauses would – at least on paper – provide a resolution to scenarios such as that currently happening in Kano State, where for religious reasons, corpses of people who died of symptoms similar to COVID-19 victims are being hurriedly buried without autopsies and under unsafe circumstances.

As with any other piece of legislation in Nigeria of course, whether it will be interpreted as superior to the Sharia penal code system of 12 Northern states and enforced accordingly, is anyone’s guess.

The real problems with this bill start becoming clear from Section 15, which states in part,

“The Minister may, for the purpose of preventing the spread or possible outbreak of an infectious disease, by notification in the Gazette declare any premises to be an isolation area…A person who leaves or attempts to leave or is suspected of having left an isolation area in contravention of an order under subsection (3) may be arrested without warrant by any police officer, or by any Health Officer authorised in writing in that behalf by the Director General.”

The problematic phrase “without warrant,” which gives law enforcement a free hand to arrest and detain without any proof of guilt whatsoever and effectively removes Nigerian citizen’s constitutionally guaranteed right to assumed innocence and fair hearing, appears 14 different times in this bill.
In the instance above, law enforcement officials are empowered to detain Nigerians on the mere suspicion of having been in a certain place, without the need for a single shred of evidence to back up their claims. In other words, Nigeria’s famously disciplined, well-behaved and incorruptible police and paramilitary forces will be legally empowered to stop anyone anywhere, suspect them of having been in an isolation area, and detain them.
“A Health Officer or a police officer may take any action that is necessary to give effect to an order under subsection 3.” What does “action that is necessary” mean exactly? Does it mean indiscriminate stop-and-search actions? Does it mean shooting people “accidentally” as the lower ranks of the police are in the habit of doing? What are the real world Nigerian implications of giving sweeping, ambiguously-worded powers to poorly trained, power-drunk law enforcement officials with military grade firearms?

Section 20 ends the right to free association through the DG it empowers to prevent any kind of meeting whatsoever as long as he determines in his subjective judgment that it somehow “increases the spread of an infectious disease.”

In practice, what this means is that the day a non-scientist or politically-motivated individual becomes DG, an unelected bureaucrat will then have the power to crack down on anything from political opposition meetings to anti-government protests whether there is a disease outbreak or not.

The only condition is that the DG must find the gathering to be dangerous in his opinion. Since when was a right that appears on Page 1 of the 1999 constitution subject to the personal whims of an unelected public office holder?

One of the most controversial provisions of the now-iced Social Media Bill has found its way into a bill about managing infectious diseases.

In that bill, an unelected bureaucrat was given the sole power to hear legal appeals that must be submitted within a specific time period. Complainants were not entitled to hearing in a court, and the bureaucrat’s decision was final. What is that abominable clause doing in a bill that is supposed to help Nigerians survive infectious disease outbreaks? What is this really about?

According to Section 24, police officers now have the power to “apprehend and take” anyone in any public location who is “suffering from an infectious disease.” which ranges from a sore throat, common cold, the list goes on.

Does this clause mean that anyone who coughs in the general vicinity of a police officer stands to be arrested on suspicion of “having an infectious disease?”

Why do police officers who are not trained medical personnel get to make the judgment about who has an “infectious disease” or not?

Point (e) under Section 55 lays out the framework for what is blatantly an assault on journalists and whistleblowers. The clause requires any person to provide any book, document, correspondence or information requested by the DG and it also gives the DG unrestricted power to enter and search any premises without the need for small matters like court orders. In other words, if the DG, his boss or any of his colleagues in office suspect that a journalist or whistleblower is about to go public with embarrassing information, there is now a legal basis for state-sanctioned thuggery to ensure that they are silenced.

Section 58 contains possibly the worst clause in the entire document.



Here, it is expressly stated that any police officer is empowered to arrest anyone without a warrant as long as “he has reason to believe…” In other words, the burden of proof is now on Nigerian citizens. We will all become guilty until proven innocent, which is yet another direct contravention of the 1999 constitution.

The final coup-de-grace appears in...

Read more and view bill:
https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/04/the-infectious-disease-act-bill-is-dangerous-threatens-nigerias-democracy/

A 28-year-old man, Godday Robinson, has been arrested by Ogun State police for alleged rape, stealing, and attempted murder of a 17-year-old girl in Agbara, Lagos State.

The suspect was arrested following a report that a young lady was lying unconscious in a ten feet deep pit in a nearby bush.

Upon the report by a good samaritan, the Agbara Area Commander detailed his men to the scene where the young lady was rescued and taken to the hospital.

Upon regaining consciousness, the victim explained that while she was coming from work, the suspect, who had been making advances at her, accosted her, capitalized on the isolated nature of the area and dragged her into the bush where he forcefully raped her.

The suspect was also said to have dispossessed the young lady of her phone valued at N85,000. Not done, he allegedly strangled her until she passed out momentarily.


Thinking that she was dead, he dragged her further into the bush and dumped her inside the pit, but after some time, she came back to life and started ...
Read more: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/04/man-rapes-and-attempts-to-kill-an-underage-girl-who-refused-his-advances/

An Infectious Disease act Bill, was quietly transmitted to members of the House of Representatives for consideration on April 28, 2020.
One would think the bill is somewhat innocuous and maybe praiseworthy and necessary. However, a closer examination of this bill reveals that it potentially creates a lot more problems than it purports to solve.
The Infectious Diseases Act is supposed to create a legal framework for the federal government to manage the special circumstances surrounding infectious disease outbreaks like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which had claimed Atleast 44 lives across Nigeria.
The bill which is sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, House Speaker is supposed to provide an updated legislative basis for the government’s anti-pandemic efforts, replacing the National Quarantine Act of 2004, which many have identified as the cause of least some of the FG’s initial flat-footed response to COVID-19.
In reality, it potentially opens the door to a new set of legal and constitutional conflicts.
Also, it is almost entirely – word for word – plagiarised from the Singapore Infectious Diseases Act 1977.
The bill is clearly not one about helping to save Nigerian lives from disease outbreaks but helping the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Minister of Health become disproportionately and unjustifiably powerful.
Throughout the 44-page document, the term “Director General” appears 134 times 10 more times than the word “disease.”
At first the repeated emphasis on granting powers to the person of the NCDC DG appear justified by Sections 7 and 12, which give the DG the power to require that corpses of those who die of suspicious symptoms without confirmation must be properly autopsied, and that infected corpses must be disposed of in such a way as not to endanger public safety. Such clauses would – at least on paper – provide a resolution to scenarios such as that currently happening in Kano State, where for religious reasons, corpses of people who died of symptoms similar to COVID-19 victims are being hurriedly buried without autopsies and under unsafe circumstances.
As with any other piece of legislation in Nigeria of course, whether it will be interpreted as superior to the Sharia penal code system of 12 Northern states and enforced accordingly, is anyone’s guess.
The real problems with this bill start becoming clear from Section 15, which states in part,

Read full story and view bill : https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/04/the-infectious-disease-act-bill-is-dangerous-threatens-nigerias-democracy/

The Nigerian president has expressed deep concern over a high number of unexplained deaths in the northern state of Kano, amid fears they could be caused by Covid-19.

President Muhammadu Buhari said a lockdown would be imposed in Kano for an additional two weeks, and that he was sending a government team to investigate.

Nigeria’s Health Minister Dr Osagie Ehanire says the situation is being “monitored closely”.
But following preliminary investigations the state authorities have dismissed a connection with coronavirus.

Hundreds of people are rumoured to have died in the community but no official death records are kept.
Grave diggers initially raised concerns that they were burying a higher than usual number of bodies.
Ali, a grave digger at the Abattoir Graveyard, told the BBC: “We have never seen this, since the major cholera outbreak that our parents tell us about. That was about 60 years ago.”
This week, the state governor issued a statement saying the “mysterious deaths” were unrelated to coronavirus.
But after ordering a “thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the deaths”, announced that their preliminary findings “indicated that the deaths are not connected to the Covid-19 pandemic“.
The state government said “reports from the state ministry of health has shown that most of the deaths were caused by complications arising from hypertension, diabetes, meningitis and acute malaria”.
“Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is earnestly waiting for the final report from the state ministry of health so as to take the necessary action.”
The commercial and industrial centre of the north, Kano has become the epicentre of coronavirus in northern Nigeria. Its highly dense population is still in lockdown in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.
Don’t tests show the cause of death?
State officials started testing for Covid-19 two weeks ago and one lab has had to close due to contamination. Samples are being sent to the capital, Abuja, which authorities say is causing a delay in announcing how many positive cases have been detected in the state.
Dr Sani Aliyu, who is the national co-ordinator for the presidential task force on Covid-19, says a team of five medical experts were deployed to Kano to facilitate in reopening the testing centre this week after it was fumigated.
Officials also plan to open a second lab, at Bayero University, for testing for Covid-19 from next week.
How many people have died?
It is unclear how many people have died, as the deaths causing concern are happening in the community. Deaths in many parts of Nigeria are not registered, and so for those who died outside of hospital, no records are kept.
This makes it difficult to understand how many people have died in recent weeks.
Sabitu Shaibu, the deputy head of the state task force on Covid-19, is hoping to release preliminary findings of the investigation by next week but believes that most of the rumoured 640 deaths are from natural causes and says the figure is below the average death rate for Kano.
Hospital records which provide the only death register available are thought to provide lower numbers than the real picture across the state.
Those on the investigating taskforce say they will conduct “verbal autopsies” with family members to help establish why people are dying.
If not coronavirus, what else could be going on?
Private hospitals which provide for a significant part of health provision in the region have been closed due to coronavirus fears. This could mean a lack of support for those with existing conditions who may have died as a result.
Dr Nagoma Sadiq who works at the Aminu Kano Hospital,...

Readd more: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/04/grave-digger-speaks-up-on-deaths-in-kano/

A team of LUTH doctors, anaesthetists and nurses have just delivered a Covid-19 woman of a bouncing baby girl this afternoon.

Both the 40-year old mother and the 3.3kg baby are doing fine.

Our gratitude go to the gallant men and women and all warriors making the nation proud in the face of this scourge. We shall overcome.


Read more: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/04/covid-19-patient-gives-birth-to-a-baby-girl/

A case filed by the Governorship Candidate of the Liberation Movement (LM), Vijah Opuamah against the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri and his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewrujakpor, at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has caused tension.
At least 52 lawyers, including six with the ranks of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) have been enlisted to save the jobs of Senator Diri.
The lawyers and SANS hired by Diri, Ewrujakpor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were reportedly ready to begin legal fireworks in a case filed by the Governorship Candidate of the Liberation Movement (LM), Vijah Opuamah.
Opuamah’s case scheduled for pre-hearing on Monday commenced like a joke immediately the Supreme Court declared Diri the winner of the last year’s governorship election following the disqualification of the Governor-elect, Chief David Lyon.
The matter packaged by three junior lawyers, Ebikebuna Aluzu, Pius Danba and Ebi Robert, was dismissed initially by most PDP leaders as dead on arrival, until careful scrutiny of the processes filed by the lawyers suggested otherwise.
Opuama is seeking the disqualification of Ewrujakpor and the cancellation of the November 16, 2019 governorship election.
He wants the court to order a fresh election in Bayelsa alleging that the poll conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Opuama, in the petition alleged that Ewrujakpor, the 4th respondent, submitted an affidavit to INEC, the 1st respondent, that contained false information.
The nucleus of his petition contained in a statement of facts he deposed at the tribunal said: “The 4th Respondent was not qualified to contest the election in that he submitted an affidavit containing false information to the 1st Respondent.
“The 4th Respondent’s degree certificate dated 3rd February 1998 purportedly issued by Rivers State University of Science and Technology and the 4th Respondent’s certificate of exemption from National Youth Service Corps purportedly issued on 2nd February 1998 are inconsistent with one another and contradictory to one another and both forged”.
It was gathered that all the respondents, INEC, PDP, Ewrujakpor and Diri, forwarded their replies on the petition to the tribunal.
It was further learnt that a couple of Bayelsa leaders especially chieftains of the PDP were mounting pressure on Opuama to withdraw the matter.
They were said to have made various offers including cash and juicy appointments to Opuama to withdraw the matter but the candidate remained adamant.
Opuama confirmed receiving many telephone calls from various persons, who wanted him to abandon the case.
He said: “That was not the reason why we filed. I did not spend ten years of my life researching on leadership and studying political leadership just to negotiate paltry some of money.
“If the party was established for such then it is against the values enshrined in its ideology and constitution. I refused to take citizenship in Australia because that automatically disqualifies me to run for Governor or president of my country. After making such sacrifices, I should come negotiate for how much?
“And what do I do, negotiate for a few millions and tarnish image I have spend 25 years to build and make? I believe in one thing. A good name. There are only two options here. A good fight and establish a good name, and becoming the next governor of Bayelsa State.
“However, if they call anyone again to negotiate, I can only give them audience if they offer 115 million dollars. At least, that will build a strong Liberation Movement. We will get offices in all states. Get offices in all Bayelsa wards.

Read more: www.thestreetjournal.org

The Ondo State Government has reported three new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the state to seven.

The state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, announced this in a series of tweets on Sunday.

The governor disclosed that one of the new cases was a suspect arraigned in a court in Akure, the state capital on Friday last week.

The suspect was among the four men arraigned at a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure over the killing of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of the National Leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

Governor Akeredolu noted that the state;s Commissioner of Police had been duly informed about the status of the infected suspect, adding that they have begun line tracing of police officers and others in the facility where the suspect was detained.

According to the governor, the suspect has been isolated from others in ...

Read more on www.thestreetjournal.org

Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, The Sarkin Kano, has confirmed that the mass deaths reported in Kano State were not from COVID-19 as some have alleged.

In a statement on Sunday the Sarkin noted that he was informed by the State’s Ministry of Health that the ‘mysterious’ deaths earlier reported in Kano State were not as a result of COVID-19 outbreak.

He prayed for the reposed, asking Allah that their souls may be forgiven.

The Sarkin also spoke about the COVID-19 pandemic, urging Kano residents to adhere to all the directives by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and other health agencies that are authorities on the subject matter...

Read more: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/04/breaking-kano-deaths-are-not-related-to-covid-19-emir-of-kano-reveals/

Following the adverse effect of the Coronavirus pandemic on Nigerians, a group of Nigerian lawyers have filed a class action suit against China.
The lawyers who are demanding $200bn as damages for the “loss of lives, economic strangulation, trauma, hardship, social disorientation, mental torture and disruption of normal daily existence of people in Nigeria", said they have concluded pleadings for the class action against the Chinese government.
The lead counsel, Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN) who is a former Director-General of the Nigeria Institute of Legal Studies (NIALS) and a current member of the Commonwealth Arbitral Tribunal London, representing Nigeria and Africa, disclosed they've planned a two phase line of action.

Read more: www.thestreetjournal.org

MALAM ABBA KYARI: A GREAT PUBLIC SERVANT
BY MAMMAN DAURA
Corona virus is a law, yet lawless unto itself. As of yesterday it has claimed 183,424 lives worldwide and 28 Nigerians.
One of those lives lost was Malam Abba Kyari’s, Chief of Staff to the President. Malam Abba succumbed to complications after contracting and recovering from Corona Virus a week today.
Malam Abba Kyari was a man blessed with mountainous gifts and uncommon attributes of intelligence, diligence, hard work, loyalty to friends and worthy causes. One could exhaust superlatives to do him full justice.
I first set eyes on Malam Abba about 47 years ago. I was at my desk at the New Nigerian newspapers office scribbling something or other when the gate messenger brought a chit of paper with a name “Abba Kyari Chima” wanting to see the Editor.
When he came in he looked winsome and slightly diffident. After pleasantries I wanted to know his reason for coming to New Nigerian. He said he read and liked an Editorial in the paper a few days earlier headed: “Solution looking for a Problem” and he resolved to work with us.
After swift enquiry, I was told there were no vacancies in the Newsroom nor in Sub-Editing. But a lowly position existed as proof reader as someone had just left. I was about to apologise to him that what was available was beneath his station. Malam Abba quickly said: “I will take it.”
After formalities he was enrolled as a staff of New Nigerian.
By “taking it” he was taking a sizeable cut from his previous teaching job’s pay as the salary scales in the New Nigerian where Malam Abba and I worked were historic in their frugality. You couldn’t get fat on the wages of the New Nigerian in the mid-70s.
Anyway, within weeks Malam Abba had moved to the Newsroom and was an articulate member at the daily editorial conferences. Moreover he and I became firm friends ever since. If I recall correctly we both left the services of New Nigerian within a short time of each other.
After New Nigerian, Malam Abba worked at NDDC and Zamfara Textiles – a state-sponsored investment company and a private manufacturing outfit – valuable experience in later life – and soon grew out of those jobs.
Constantly striving to improve himself he went to Warwick University in England -where General Gowon also attended after leaving Nigeria as Head of State – and acquired an Honours Degree in Sociology and thence to the world-famous Cambridge University where he graduated in Law before returning to Nigeria.
When a group of sponsors including Malam Ahmed Joda, Mr. Philip Asiodu and Malam Isma’ila Isa Funtua floated a new newspaper, The Democrat, Malam Abba was nominated and unanimously accepted as its Editor. His previous experience in the New Nigerian and his quality education enabled him to run the newspaper with aplomb.
Malam Abba served as Company Secretary with the burgeoning African International Bank. But as I said Malam Abba grew out of every job he held hitherto.
And when Mr. Hakeem Bello-Osagie assembled a team of investors and managers to help revive the collapsing UBA, Malam Abba was persuaded to join the group and after weeks of diligence the group acquired UBA and Malam Abba joined the Bank as a Senior Executive. Needless to relate, he eventually became the Bank’s Chief Executive and on retirement was persuaded to remain as non-executive Vice-Chairman.
These times coincided with the country’s return to democracy and Malam Abba was among those enthusiastically espousing the cause of General Obasanjo. On his selection as PDP candidate, a group of women and youths in the PDP lobbied Obasanjo to pick Malam Abba as his Vice Presidential running mate. After heated debates, Obasanjo eventually picked Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
In the 2003 elections, Malam Abba was in opposite camps with President Obasanjo. General Muhammadu Buhari had declared his intention the previous year to contest the presidency and Malam Abba joined his team and worked wholeheartedly in all the campaigns through the drudgery and injustices of the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections without losing hope or sight of the ultimate goal.
Perseverance paid off and in 2015 General Buhari under the banner of APC (an amalgam of CPC, ACN, ANPP and break away factions of the PDP and many other smaller parties) won the Presidential elections. To his great surprise, the President appointed Malam Abba as the Chief of Staff.
Fortified by the rigours of a Cambridge education and varied experience in Banking, industry, investment and journalism, Malam Abba set himself the task of defining the role, functions and status of the Chief of Staff. He started by consulting previous incumbents of the position he could reach as a way of educating himself of the challenges ahead of him.
All future Chiefs of Staff will henceforth be judged by the benchmark of Malam Abba Kyari. Next, he assembled a team of very competent staff who worked incredibly long hours, 7 days a week to analyse, itemize, disaggregate knotty problems and advise the President. Malam Abba was an exacting taskmaster and his staff were relieved if he travelled outside the country. But to a man they valued, respected some even liked him.
Malam Abba was at odds with many senior members of the government on economic policies. Many Nigerian elites tend to lean towards the Bretton Woods one-size-fits-all solutions long discredited and demonstrably failed in so many so-called Third World countries. Malam Abba tended to look inward for solutions and was not an ideologue.
He was heavily influenced by two Nobel Laureates, the great West Indian Economist, Professor Arthur Lewis and the eminent Indian Professor Amartya Sen, the latter Malam Abba frequently called to exchange views.
Despite holding firm views, his advice to the President was dispassionate, even-handed and did not hide unpleasant facts, in the best traditions of public service. In point of intellect, he stood above all Ministers and Special Advisers in this government. But personally he was modest, ever willing to learn, ever willing to help others.
Malam Abba leaves a widow, the esteemable Hajiya Hauwa and four children, Aisha (Amma), Nuruddeen, Ibrahim and Zainab. The children have all been well educated and are able to pursue their own careers.
Few people knew that over ten years ago, he turned his house in Maiduguri (since he no longer resided there) into accommodation for IDPs. At some stage there were 75 people whom Malam Abba was feeding, clothing and looking after; in addition to their children’s education. Later, the numbers got larger. Malam Abba never said a word to anybody about this. Amma and her siblings are not the only orphans Malam Abba left!
He lived a fairly simple life and habitually wore a red cap, white clothing and black shoes. He had to be forced by his friends to change the cap and he wore the shoes to the ground before buying a new pair!
According to hospital reports, his body fought hard in face of deteriorating complications, but his time had come. We remember him with sadness in our hearts and tears in our eyes…..

Read More: www.thestreetjournal.org

Following the alarming spread of the novel coronavirus in Kano State, many lives have been lost owing to the virus.

These deaths recorded include some prominent figures as follows:

1. Prof AU Dikko

2. Prof Ibrahim Ayagi

3. Adamu Iliyasu Dal former chairman Civil service commission

4. Nasiru Maikano Bichi

5. Dr. Musa Umar Gwarzo

6. Malam Musa Ahmad Tijjani - a former editor of.leadership Sunday

7. Dahiru Rabiu - a former Grand khadi, Kano state

More details... www.thestreetjournal.org

On Saturday, April 25, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that there is no evidence that people who test positive for the new coronavirus and recover are immune to the virus.

As such, the issuance of “immune passports” may promote the continued spread of the pandemic.

“There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from #COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection,” #WHO said in a statement.

“As of 24 April 2020, no study has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 confers immunity to subsequent infection by this virus in humans.”

Some governments, wanting a gradual return to work and the resumption of economic activity, have put forward the idea of issuing documents attesting to the immunity of people on the basis of serological tests revealing the presence of antibodies in the blood.

But the effectiveness of an immunisation thanks to antibodies has still not been established and the available scientific data do not justify the granting of an “immune passport” or a “certificate of absence of risk”, warns the WHO.

At this point in the pandemic, there is not enough evidence about the effectiveness of antibody-mediated immunity to guarantee the accuracy of an “immunity passport” or “risk-free certificate.”

“People who assume that they are immune to a second infection because they have received a positive test result may ignore public health advice,” the WHO said.

“The use of such certificates may therefore increase the risks of continued transmission.”

WHO also believes that the serological tests currently used “need additional validation to determine their accuracy and reliability”.

In particular, the tests need to make it possible to distinguish the immune response to the novel coronavirus from the antibodies produced during an infection by another of the six known human coronaviruses, four of which are widespread, causing mild colds.

The other two are responsible for MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

“People infected any of these viruses are capable of producing antibodies which interact with antibodies produced in response to infection caused by SARS-CoV-2”, said WHO.

Reacting to the controversy over the number of deaths recorded in the state from COVID-19, the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, said only one death has actually been recorded since the disease hit the state.

Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, he said, “that information is not correct because we undertook some survey and investigation (about the initial report of 70 deaths). We found out that it was only 13 deaths in that place and we will soon get a complete report but I assure you that that information is not correct,” the governor said.

He added that “looking at previous reviews, there is nothing to show that there is an unusual frequency of deaths”.

According to him, there has been a rise in the spread of fake news but the government has started making efforts to arrest peddlers.

“You know that there is a lot of fake news going around and we have already started arresting all those who are peddling such rumours.

“The death recorded from coronavirus is only one and the NCDC is aware of that,” the governor stressed.

His comments come hours after the newly established testing centre for COVID-19 in the State suspended its operation.

The Director of the Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Isah Abubakar who confirmed this to Channels Television said the centre had run out of test kits.

Abubakar added that the centre would remain closed until new test kits are supplied from Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Beyond the issue of lack of sufficient testing kits, the governor, while addressing the matter, disclosed that there might have also been cases of infections among the staff at the centre.

He, however, gave the assurance that the Federal Government is handling the matter.

“The laboratory has been closed down for today and we understand that there is an infection within the laboratory. Probably some of the technicians have tested positive but I think the Federal Government is urgently taking care of it.

“Also, there is the issue of scarcity of reagents and scarcity of the bottles that convey the samples. That too has been discussed with the DG who has assured us that they are taking action,” Ganduje said.

On the issue of the one-week total lockdown in the state which took effect from April 16, and is expected to expire by tomorrow, April 23, the governor explained that because of the increase in the number of cases, there has to be an extension of the lockdown.

He, however, said April 23, would be declared a free day to allow residents to prepare for the Ramadan.

“The lockdown was initially for one week, which is expiring tomorrow but we’ve declared that (from 6:00 am) tomorrow (to 12 midnight) will be a free day so that people will make preparations for the fasting period. By midnight, the lockdown will continue for another seven days”.

Read more stories: www.thestreetjournal.org

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has placed a curse on any official diverting palliative materials.
The administration also warned the officials handling the distribution of the palliative items to the vulnerable groups across its six area councils or risk severe sanctions.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, placed the curse and issued the warning during the inspection of palliative items for Kwali Area Council on Wednesday in Abuja.
Aliyu implored those in charge of the palliatives not to divert the items designed for the rural poor and urged relevant stakeholders to be transparent in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The minister explained that the palliative programme was community based.
“Irrespective of tribe or religion, everyone that is representing his or her own group here must know that you are the eyes of your group.
“If you compromise, posterity will judge you. You must stand for your people and make sure that they are served.
“I beg you in the name of God, if you eat this food, you are indirectly inviting Coronavirus to your homes.
“It is not food for campaign and not for you to do charity for your family members.
“If you want to do charity, go to the market and buy your own materials for charity.
“These palliatives are from the Federal Capital Territory Administration as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to be distributed to the poor to cushion the effect of sit-at-home
“It is a community based programme, we want the community to own it but you can support us by obeying the rules, better still by sitting at home.
“We want the real data of beneficiaries by marking the houses because we don’t want to work on estimated figures. Do it the same way we conduct our census,” Aliyu said.
Receiving the items on behalf of the council, the Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Mr Danladi Chiya, thanked the minister for her diligence in the discharge of her duties and pledged to disburse the items equitably.

Read more stories on 'The Street Journal'

On Tuesday, China announced that it will give another $30 million to the World Health Organization to help in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic, days after Washington said it would freeze funding WHO.
The US, which is the WHO’s biggest contributor, accused the organisation last week of “mismanaging” the COVID-19 crisis, drawing ire from Beijing as both countries spar over the deadly virus.
Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the new donation would be in addition to a previous $20 million committed, and would help “strengthen developing countries’ health systems”.
He added that China’s contribution to the UN agency “reflects the support and trust of the Chinese government and people for the WHO”.
In announcing the funding freeze last week, US President Donald Trump accused the WHO of covering up the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak in China before it spread.
He has also charged the WHO with being “very China-centric” despite Washington’s heavy funding.
According to Trump, US taxpayers provided between $400 million and $500 million per year to the WHO, while “in contrast, China contributes roughly $40 million a year and even less”.
Trump also claimed the outbreak could have been contained with “very little death” had the WHO assessed the situation in China accurately.
The deadly virus, which has claimed more than 181,000 lives worldwide, first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, which was locked down in late January to curb the spread.
It continued its global march, however, with cases reported in 193 countries and territories to date, ravaging economies around the globe.
Beijing has urged the US to support WHO-led international action against the pandemic after it halted funding, while observers warned that the US freeze would have consequences for the WHO’s other disease control programmes around the world.
China has denied Western suggestions that it covered up the extent of the virus outbreak, rejecting claims it has an overly cosy relationship with the WHO as well.
But local authorities did silence doctors who tried to raise the alarm about the virus in Wuhan in December.
An investigation determined that police “inappropriately” punished one of the whistleblowers, Li Wenliang, an eye doctor who later died of the COVID-19 disease.
The WHO, under the leadership of Ethiopian Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has been accused by Washington of uncritically accepting China’s early assertions that the virus was not spread between humans, and of wrongly praising Beijing’s “transparency” over the magnitude of the crisis.
The pandemic, combined with the threat of a halt in US funding, marks the biggest challenge to date in Tedros’ near three-year tenure.
“Supporting the WHO at this critical time in the global fight against the epidemic is defending the ideals and principles of multilateralism and upholding the status and authority of the United Nations,” Geng said.
The US is the country worst-hit by the coronavirus, with a death toll of around 46,000.
Numbers in China have dwindled as it begins to cautiously lift virus control measures, although fears remain over a potential resurgence and imported infections from abroad.

The Defence Headquarters says the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD), has destroyed compounds housing Boko Haram Terrorists’ (BHTs’) leaders at Bulawa on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Enenche said the air strikes were executed on April 21 based on credible human intelligence as well as Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions that led to the identification of the target compounds within the settlement.

He explained that the fighter jets dispatched by the Air Task Force to take out the compounds scored accurate hits in the target area leading to the destruction of some of the structures.

According to him, some of the terrorists occupying the compounds were neutralised in the attack.

“Boko Haram fighters, who attempted to reposition to engage the attacking aircraft, were mopped-up in follow-on attacks by the jets.

“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.

The Chief Judge of Delta, Justice Marshal Umukoro, on Wednesday released 73 inmates at the Ogwashi-Uku and Agbor Correctional Centres in Delta.
Umukoro, who spoke with newsmen shortly after the exercise, stated that the gesture was part of an interim measure to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

He disclosed that the categories of inmates qualified for pardon included inmates who are 60 years and above.

The chief judge also stated that inmates with health issues likely to terminate in death and inmates with minor offenses were considered for the pardon.

According to him, inmates who have less than 3 years term left to serve having served a substantial term were also considered.
The Street Journal reports that a breakdown of the beneficiaries showed that
45 male inmates and 1 female inmate were released at the Correctional centre in Agbor, while 27 male inmates where set free at the Correctional centre in Ogwashi – Uku.

The Controller of Corrections, Delta State command, Mr Friday Esezobor, who spoke on behalf of the Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, urged the released inmates to be of good behaviour.

He advised them not to return to crime and criminality, but rather channel their time and energy into a productive ventures.
Esezobor expressed the NCS’s appreciation to the state government for the kind gesture.

Read more stories on The Street Journal