Residents of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, have expressed concerns after the whereabouts of former governor of the state, Ali Modu Sheriff, became a subject of debate.
SaharaReporters gathered that Sheriff had refused to make himself available for COVID-19 test despite meeting two prominent citizens of the state, who died of the virus recently.
A member of the state prevention and response team said the former governor was one of the contacts being traced and linked up with late former governor, Mohammed Goni, and Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Elkanemi, who both died of the virus.
Both Goni and Elkanemi had had last week attended the funeral of Sheriff’s late father, Galadima Modu Sheriff, in Maiduguri where social distancing rules were broken by attendees.
Also, during the three days of mourning, they were said to have had meetings with Sheriff at his father’s residence and his private residence in GRA Maiduguri.
But a source close to the former governor said he had fled to Abuja to avoid health officials especially from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the state’s COVID-19 prevention and team from taking his sample for test.
“We are surprised that someone like him would be afraid to get tested. They called him several times to make himself available for testing but he refused. He deceived them and ran away to Abuja with few of his aides.
“This is someone who had different meetings with the late Goni,” the source said.
There is apprehension among residents of Ogere, Ilisan, Iperu – Remo and the surrounding communities in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State following the hacking to death of six persons in separate attacks in Ogere between Wednesday and Saturday by yet – to -be identified person suspected to be a drug addict.
The mystery suspect, who stalks his victims with cutlass and hacking them down in a surprise attack, allegedly killed two private guards working at an animal care based firm in Ogere Remo.
He was said to have also hacked another elderly Togolese on Thursday and another boy in Ogere on Friday night.
He allegedly attacked three others said to be passers – by with cutlass on Saturday, hacking them to death at Iperu – Remo, the home town of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State. The development forced residents of the two communities and the Police to launch a manhunt for him but he had remained elusive as of time of filing the report.
The Nation gathered residents of Ogere, Iperu – Remo and Ilisan have since been calling their loved ones within the local government, warning them to stay indoors and be more vigilant over a rampaging killer wielding machete and knife, looking for his next victim.
A resident of Ogere, who does not want his name in print, said people were suspecting a cultist and drug addict, who once lived in the community as responsible for the killings.
The resident revealed further that the mystery suspect started showing signs of one having drugs and psychiatric issues after joining a cult group while in a higher institution in the state, claiming he was a patient at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta at a time but fled the facility and returned to Ogere community to become a hell for the indigenes and residents.
The Ogun State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, when contacted, said he was aware of someone attacked with cutlass and that the victim had been taken to the Teaching Hospital of the Babcock University, Ilisan. He, however, said he had no information yet if anybody was hacked to death.
The Emir of Rano in Kano State, Alhaji Tafida Abubakar Ila, is dead.
The emir died Saturday in a hospital in Kano at the age of 74.
Turakin Rano and House of Representatives member representing Rano, Kibiya and Bunkure, Alhaji Kabir Alhassan Rururm, confirmed the death of the emir.
Hon. Rururm said the late emir would be buried Saturday evening in the emirate.
The late emir is survived by 17 children and two wives.
The first-class emir, who is 75 years old, passed away some minutes to 5 pm.
Rano is one of the emirates created by Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, at the height of his rift with Muhammadu Sanusi, whom he deposed as the emir of Kano.
His cause of death is yet to be known as the time of filing this report.
Landlord referred to as ‘Eddie’ offered women free rent in exchange for sex amid the coronavirus pandemic
He shared an advertisement on Craigslist for ‘submissive females’
He reportedly asked to try to ‘arrangement’ first at a Days Inn hotel in Long Island when a producer responded to the advertisement
When questioned about the ad, Eddie said he wasn’t taking advantage of financially strapped women
Millions of Americans are out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic
More than 30 million have lost their jobs and new unemployment benefits reached 3.8million last week
Reports of housing staff sexual harassing tenants has surfaced as tenants struggle to pay rent
AG William Barr directed US attorneys across the United States to tackle cases involving corrupt landlords asking for sex in place of rent
A Long Island landlord was caught offering free rent in exchange for sexual favors from tenants after he shared an advertisement for ‘submissive females.’
The landlord, identified as ‘Eddie’, made the unsavory post on Craigslist in a post titled ‘Room Share for Submissive Female,’ Inside Edition reports.
‘During these hard times Covid-19 has thrown many in a tail spin,’ he wrote.
‘If you are a submissive female and wanting to barter session/playtime once per week in lieu of rent we should talk,’ he added.
Inside Edition reports man identified as ‘Eddie’ (pictured) offered women free rent in exchange for sexual favors during the pandemic
Eddie specified that he was looking for women between the ages of 20 and 50-years-old.
The landlord’s reported attempt to take advantage of potential tenants comes as millions of Americans are struggling to pay rent due the coronavirus pandemic.
In April, a third of tenants across the country were unable to pay their landlords and the number is expected to go up with May’s check due today.
An untold number of those who have been laid off or furloughed are still waiting to receive federal stimulus checks or unemployment benefits from overtaxed state labor departments with antiquated systems.
When Inside Edition producer Alycia Powers responded to the ad, Eddie reportedly told her he wanted try out the ‘arrangement’ first and suggested they meet at a local Days Inn in Long Island.
‘He says to wear my hair down, no jewelry and minimal makeup,’ said Powers.
‘And then meet him in the room, undress and put on a pair of stilettos he got me.’
Inside Edition producer Alycia Powers (pictured) was told by Eddie to met him at a local Days Inn to try out the ‘arrangement’
Powers, along with a crew of producers hidden around the hotel parking lot, arrived to learn that Eddie had already checked in and asked her to meet him at his room.
Powers convinced Eddie to instead meet her in the parking lot first, where he was met by a camera crew and probing questions about his reported ad.
Eddie told producers he wasn’t trying to take advantage of women amid the pandemic.
‘No. She had the choice, you know… to take up on the offer,’ he said.
‘So you were willing to give her a place to stay for free in exchange for sex?’ an Inside Edition reporter asked.
‘No, I never said sex,’ Eddie said, before driving away.
Eddie (left), pictured with Powers (right), said he wasn’t taking advantage of women amid the pandemic and ‘she had the choice’
Eddie (pictured) later apologized to Powers and said he was a ‘decent guy’
He later called Powers to apologize and insist that he’s a ‘decent guy.’
This latest report comes amid others that have exposed landlords for exchanging sex for financial compensation during the pandemic.
Millions of Americans have struggled to stay afloat as the outbreak shuttered businesses, halted jobs and dealt difficult blows to the economy.
More than 30 million residents have lost their jobs during the pandemic and 3.8 new unemployment benefits claims were filed last week.
In the United States, 1,097,415 have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 63,849 died.
Another said her landlord suggested she com over and spoon him as compensation for rent.
Khara Jabola-Carolus, executive director of Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, said they’ve received an overwhelming number of calls.
‘We’ve received more cases at our office in the last two days than we have in the last two years,’ said Jabola-Carolus.
Sheryl Ring, the legal director at Open Communities, added that such practices are illegal.
‘We have seen an uptick in sexual harassment,’ said Ring.
‘Since this started, they [landlords] have been taking advantage of the financial hardships many of their tenants have in order to coerce their tenants into a sex-for-rent agreement — which is absolutely illegal.’
Last week, AG William Barr directed US attorneys across the United States to tackle cases involving corrupt landlords asking for sex in place of rent.
‘Such behavior is despicable and it is illegal,’ said Barr in a memo. ‘
And the Department of Justice has not hesitated to intervene when clear misconduct occurs. This behavior is not tolerated in normal times, and certainly will not be tolerated now.’
US attorney Christina Nolan (center) will oversee the coordinated effort to stop housing staff from pushing sex-for-rent agreements
US attorney Christina Nolan was chosen to oversee and coordinate these efforts.
‘It is always despicable to exploit vulnerabilities by sexually harassing those in need of housing,’ she said in a press release.
‘Doing so during a global pandemic, when so many are struggling just to make ends meet, is particularly abhorrent.’
Former Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof Usman Yusuf has accused Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of spreading coronavirus across the North.
In this interview, the professor of haematology-oncology and bone marrow trans-plantation, warned that Nigeria’s end has started in Kano if urgent steps are not taken.
You have written two articles about Kano in respect of COVID-19, what necessitated the write ups?
People are dying in Kano, it is no more news that COVID-19 is killing people in that ancient city.
But the governor is downplaying it, or is he trying to cover it up?
The governor is lying, that is what we are saying. People are dying, in just a space of two days, three professors have died and other eminent citizens of Kano.
Again, why is the governor downplaying such a monumental tragedy?
I don’ know, but journalists are supposed to ask, to find out from him. My own part was to tell the world the tragedy happening in Kano. We are in trouble in Nigeria because if Kano goes down, the whole of Nigeria goes with it, as well as Africa. Kano is already going down, hundreds are dying every day; hundreds are dying every day and there is no solution.
But the governor stood his ground to say nothing like that was going on, and at the same time requesting for N15 billion from the Federal Government, what was he up to?
I don’t know. He is the only one that can answer that question. I have done my own work, which is to let the world know that Kano was going down; that COVID-19 is killing people in their hundreds in that state.
It was reported on Tuesday, that about 70 per cent of doctors in Kano have fled their duty posts, how true is this?
If you have a child who is a medical doctor, and he or she doesn’t have protection equipment, will you allow him or her to go to work? At Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, we lost two doctors to Lassa fever. The doctors are dying, nurses are dying. It is like sending a soldier to Sambisa forest without a gun, will he go? No soldier will ever attempt going into Sambisa forest without a gun to fight insurgents, he will run away.
Kano is in deep problem; you people should go and find out. Nigeria is in trouble; Kano is in trouble, if care is not taken, Kano will kill all of us. Nigeria and Nigerians need to wake up to the reality that Kano will bring the whole of Africa down.
People are dying, the cemeteries are filling up; in every household there is somebody that is sick right now. Four persons, three professors in the university and my friend, who is a former vicar died yesterday (Monday). Hospitals are shutting down, and the only teaching hospital, there is no capacity, not even hand gloves. They are just telling the president lies.
You said Nigeria needs to wake up and rise to the challenge, what is the country supposed to do in this direction?
I had warned that Kano was going to be the epicenter of the pandemic in Africa, and recently I also said that Kano is now the killing field of COVID-19 in Africa.
These recommendations I made are: firstly, there should be an immediate and forceful federal presence in Kano. Secondly, the Presidential Task Force should relocate to Kano and make it its new theatre of operation reporting to the President. Thirdly, people should immediately be provided with food supplies to enable humane but strict enforcement of total lockdown, which remains the only way of breaking the spread of the virus. Again, the president should address the nation on these deaths with specific plans on what the FGN will do. NCDC lab in Kano should immediately be opened with increased testing capacity. Healthcare workers should immediately be provided with PPE. Hospitals need drugs, consumables, ICU spaces, and ventilators. All deaths and infections from COVID-19 should be properly recorded. Swabs should be taken for the COVID-19 test from all corpses to enable proper mapping of the spread of the virus and the protection of contacts. Recruit an Army of contact tracers from local nurses and community health extension workers (CHEWS) to help in tracing contacts. Engage traditional, religious, and community leaders. Lastly, mount an aggressive public education campaign.
I see the president speech last night picked some of these recommendations, like, locking the state down, but you cannot lockdown a city without giving food to the people. Over 90 per cent of our people come out every day to look for food; you can’t lock them without food.
What are your fears for the future of the country?
I have said it, Nigeria is in trouble and the whole world needs to hear. I’m worried; very worried. Nigeria as a nation needs to wake up to the ever-present danger of the cascading domino effect of COVID-19 infection in Kano spreading to the Northwest zone, the Northwest zone infects the rest of the North, the North infects the whole nation, Nigeria infects the West African sub region, which then infects the rest of Africa, thereby destabilising the whole continent.
Like you mentioned the four prominent citizens of the state, who died within a week, do you see it as a coincidence or what?
No. It is COVID-19. It is killing people in hundreds. It is ravaging the city, just as it did in Wuhan, China; in New York, Italy.
But the NCDC said there has not been any postmortem test to determine the cause of the deaths?
Do you know how many years I have been a medical doctor? I have been a doctor for 38 years. I have practiced in Nigeria, America, England; I’m a professor of Medicine, so nobody will deceive me, maybe, they can deceive other people, but not me. So they should carry their Wayo go somewhere else, but not where I am. We are in trouble, pray for Kano and pray for Nigeria.
Don’t you think that the deportation of the Almajiri to other states portends another danger?
As a result of his negligence, Gov. Ganduje is also exporting COVID-19 to the neighboring states of Katsina and Jigawa by repatriating hundreds of Almajiris who are most likely infected by COVID-19 to their states of origin. This was a very thoughtless and dangerous action.
Oh yes. The Kano governor is planting corona virus all across the Northwest and the Northeast. Already, the ones he deported to Kastina, Kaduna, Gombe are all positive.
I have friends, who went to the school with me, some of them are practicing in Umuahia, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, etc, and don’t think that because you are in Port Harcourt that you are safe. There are people from Kano who go to buy goods in Onitsha and if they drop it there, we are in trouble.
The governor must bear full responsibility before man and God Almighty for the chaos that is costing the lives of so many souls which is simply a reflection of his poor leadership, incompetence, and lack of compassion for his people.
I’m very much worried, virus will come and maybe kill millions in Nigeria, from Kano to Onitsha, to Lagos, and other places, but what worries me most is the socio-economic consequences that will follow after this. People are dying, people are hungry, people have no money, but they hear government talking about billions, billions of money, there will be unrest.
The recommendations you put down, did they get to the presidency?
They will see it; they will do what they want to do, but I have a responsibility, and you too have a responsibility , then God Almighty will ask you on the Day of Judgment, ‘what did you do when I sent this plague to your people?’ You are now doing it, you are talking to me, getting information and educating people, and then you have done your part. Me, I’m a doctor, I have the knowledge, which I’m trying to disseminate, so, I have done my part. Every human, from the security man to your driver, God will ask you, ‘what did you do?’
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ondo State on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Hon. Olumbe Akinkugbe is set to roll out another set of palliative to the people of his local government in Ondo West local government area.
Akinkugbe who doubles as the head of the State Information Technology Agency is partnering with Foodclique.
Foodclique is a food support organisation which provides meals for children, physically challenged, unemployed and other victims of hunger.
The new set of palliatives which provide 30 meal in one box is targeted to provide food for 300 household across the local government.
The SITA head who dropped this hint on his twitter page @OlumbeAkinkugbe said:”Not all heroes wear capes( those who know me know my love for Batman) . But I finally had the opportunity to meet with @bolajokofadipe and was completely blown away . The dedication, passion and zeal of @foodclique to zero hunger is exemplary.”
Gotel Communications, a media outfit owned by Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has sacked 46 of its staff.
Gotel Communications, located in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, is a television and radio broadcast conglomerate.
The affected staff received their sack letters on Friday (today).
Some expatriate workers had earlier accused the company of breaching the terms of their contracts and failing to pay them several months of salaries and entitlements.
They had threatened a law suit against the company for breaching their contract terms
The sack letters were signed by the General Manager, Mohammed El-Yakub.
A copy of the sack letter said, “The management has decided to discontinue your services with immediate effect.
“Consequently, please be informed that your entitlements including stipend lieu of the notice will be computed and posted into your account with immediate effect.”
In a piece entitled: “Enemies of the state”, Adesina said the individual who leaked the memo had been traced and is now “paying for his evil action”.
“President Muhammadu Buhari was to broadcast to the country by 8 p.m, to give an update on the battle against COVID-19, and what becomes of the lockdown that had lasted four weeks, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun States. Kano was also a point of heavy interest, with the strange deaths ravaging the state. Was it COVID-19 or not?” Adesina wrote.
“As the country waited for the President with great expectations, a purported copy of the broadcast began to circulate on social media from about 4 p.m. Whodunnit?
“I took a look at the circulating document, and within one minute, I knew that it was a rogue copy. What immediately gave it away was the paragraphing. It was completely different from the one I had been part of producing, and which had been recorded for broadcast by the President.
“If the person that leaked the unedited draft of the broadcast had access to more sensitive national documents, he would do the same thing. If he cottons on information that could sell Nigeria to the enemy, he would gladly do it. Thou art in the midst of foes, watch and pray.
“Igbo people speak of the proverbial lizard that ruined his own mother’s funeral. That was what the hidden hostile hand did. But he forgot that in these days of technology, almost everything leaves a trail. Before the end of that evening, computer evidences had narrowed down the suspect, and he was already answering for his evil action.”
