The office of the Accountant-General of Nigeria, which is the country’s treasury house today went up in flames in Abuja.
The report of this has been met with incredulity as many believe the fire was not an accident and set up to hide theft of COVID-19 relief funds meant to be disbursed to the citizens.
Nigerian musician, Burna Boy, in a series of videos on his Instagram live, mocked Nigerians saying we deserve the kind of leaders we have. He also went further to blast those who called for Funke Akindele’s arrest, saying the same energy they used to tag NCDC they should also use it to make demands from the government.
Funke Akindele was on Sunday arrested for flouting the lockdown and social distancing order by throwing a house party for her husband. The actress later released a video apologizing to Nigerians for not being a good example. She was however arrested and charged to court where she, alongside her husband, were fined N200,000 and given 14 days of Community Service.
There was a fire outbreak on Wednesday at the Treasury House, which is the headquarters of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The cause of the fire, which started about 10 am, is yet to be known.
It was gathered that as soon as the incident started, men of the Federal Fire Service were alerted to assist in putting out the fire.
They were later joined by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Police Force and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari addresses the nation on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Abuja, Nigeria March 29, 2020. Nigeria Presidency/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS- THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
Ten days after the lockdown of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun State, the Federal Government on Tuesday declined to confirm whether the restrictions will end after 14 days.
President Muhammadu Buhari slammed the lockdown as part of the measures to halt the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. The shutdown commenced on March 30.
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, said in Lagos that his panel would review the situation and give the President the advice that will enable him take the decision on whether to terminate the restriction or extend it.
Many Nigerians are already breaching the sit-at-home order. Many vehicles are now back on the streets of Abuja and Lagos barely one week into the two-week period.
Mustapha said: “In his (Buhari) address to the nation, he did say 14 days in the first instance. So, it is open. It is based on what has happened within these 14 days. Have the objectives been met, have they satisfied the objectives, has it gone in the direction we wanted it to go?
“If that has been achieved, he will look at all the information available to him as the President of Nigeria and i can assure you that he will take a decision that is in the best interest of the people of Nigeria.”
He added: “It is only Buhari who can say that the lockdown will be extended or not. “Basically, this is part of the consultation; we are looking at the objectives that were set when the lockdown and quarantine declaration was signed by the President and subsequently by states (governors).
“Before the end of the week, we will do an evaluation and see how the objectives that were set are being met.
“We will have the responsibility of reporting back to Mr. President who did say the declaration was on the advice of minister of health and experts that informed his decision in signing the Quarantine Declaration 2020.
“At the end of our evaluation, our advice and recommendation will be presented to Mr. President and at that point, he and he alone can take that decision whether the lockdown would either be extended or it will stop at the expiration of 14 days.”
Mustapha led members of the PTF on a tour of COVID-19 facilities in Lagos State.
Governor Babajide-Sanwo-Olu, Health Commissioner Prof Akin Abayomi and others led the PTF team to inspect the isolation centres at Mobolaji Johnson Arena (Onikan Stadium), Lagos Island and Gbagada.
The SGF at the end of the inspection commended “the government of Lagos State for magnificently controlling the pandemic and for putting in place isolation centers, ICU facilities as well as establishing a wide network of contact tracing”.
He added: “The Commissioner for Health in Lagos State has also been serving as the chair of the Committee of experts set up by the Federal Government to evaluate and accredit private medical facilities and other centres for the management of COVID-19 cases.”
Other facilities visited by the PTF team are: the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba and Gbagada General Hospital, Isolation Centre.
“So far, I think Lagos State is doing a great job. From what I’ve seen here, they’re putting up a first-class and a world-class facility that will help us in the management of those that are affected with COVID-19, the PTF chair said.
On the PTF team were Ministers Lai Muhammed (Information & Culture), Osagie Ehanire (Health), and Rauf Aregbesola (Interior Minister), among others.
The Katsina State Government last night announced the death of one Dr. Aminu Yakubu, a Daura-based private medical practitioner who recently returned from Lagos and died three days after in the state.
Governor Aminu Masari, while announcing the death of the first COVID-19 vitim in the state, said the result from the laboratory tests showed that he was COVID -19 positive which contributed to his death.
According to the Governor, Dr Yakubu who is a native of Kogi State, was also said to be suffering from Hypertitis and threats of hypertension.
The Governor further announced the commencement of contact tracing of all those the dead medical practitioner must have come into contact with from Lagos to Katsina between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, adding that full medical personnel have been deployed in Daura for the exercise.
He said ”his samples were taken to NCDC for dignosis where it was confirmed to be COVID-19 positive”.
“Our medical response team are in Daura right now for contact tracing of all that came into contact with him, we hope by this night and tomorrow morning to take complete samples of those he had contact with to the NCDC”.
A doctor named Aliyu Yakubu, who works in Kastina State, has died of Coronavirus.
ConcourseNews learnt that the doctor died of the virus in Daura, hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, said the doctor was 60-year-old and died at the Nigeria Air Force Reference Hospital in Daura three days ago.
The governor said the deceased owned a private hospital in Daura and had visited Kogi where he hailed from and later travelled to Lagos.
Speaking further, Masari said, the deceased’s samples were taken to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control for diagnosis before his death, and that he was confirmed positive for Coronavirus.
He said, “We have received a bad news of COVID-19. The deceased’s samples showed COVID-19 positive.
“Before his death, he was also diagnosed with hepatitis and hypertension three years ago.”
Masari said the state medical response team was in Daura taking samples of all those, who had contact with the doctor before his death.
A yet-to-be identified man reportedly slumped and died at the popular Igbudu Market in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State on Tuesday.
It was learnt that the man had gone to the market to buy foodstuffs when he slumped and died.
It was gathered that the incident occurred around 9am.
A source at the scene said, “The man was at the market to purchase foodstuffs and after buying tomatoes and pepper, he wanted to buy fresh fish. Somebody directed him to where fresh fish was being sold.
“On his way to where he would get the fresh fish, he slumped and died.
“The man might have died as a result of hunger. He was moving like someone, who had not eaten for days.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, confirmed the incident.
“It is true, but we don’t know what happened; we are not doctors. The man just slumped and died,” the PPRO stated.
To win the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Nigerians must move away from religion and the “Holy Ghost syndrome” and embrace divine knowledge, the founder of the One Love Family, Sat Guru Maharaj Ji, has said.
Speaking during a press conference in Lagos over the weekend, Mr Maharaj Ji said the way forward is for Nigerians to realise they need to start using the creator’s name.
“We have found out that the word God is an abracadabra, a metaphorised way to mislead us from enjoying the bounties of the creator. Our people must go away from Holy spirit syndrome, holy Michael, holy fire, they are not working. They should get away from religion completely.
“If someone needs a job, you don’t need a tribe or religion. It is something they cannot stop, I will establish it. Coronavirus is dead, the moment you and I are holding each other, we are one Nigeria.”
Mr Maharaj Ji said only those who possess divine knowledge would “see who is coronavirus” because they would be in the spiritual realm.
“Look at it, with what has happened, Holy Ghost fire has run away oo…Praise the Lord, rababaraba, na lie oo. They have closed areas in Saudi Arabia, Mecca, Medina, no road. So, where is the power that Moses used to break the water into two? Where is the power that David used to kill Goliath? There is nothing impossible for the creator and it has been put down in simple language, divine knowledge. My people are perishing because they lack divine knowledge.”
Prosecute Buhari’s chief of staff
As of April 6, Nigeria’s coronavirus cases stood at 238, with 35 discharged and five dead.
Last month, the chief of staff to the president, Abba Kyari, tested positive for COVID-19 and was later transferred from Abuja to Lagos for further tests.
At his press conference, Mr Maharaj Ji accused the president’s chief of staff of deceiving Nigerians and called for his prosecution.
“You left for abroad and you even went to as far as they say China and these problems are on and measures have already been taken. He is supposed to submit himself for quarantine, 14 days to clear himself. He didn’t do that and he was fingered, who is he? What is his aim? Which school of thought does he belong to?
“In so many countries we have found that the people in government are neocolonialists because their orientation is very low. Their history about pre and post-independent Africa is still low that they believe they can carry Nigerian money and keep in Dubai, London, I and my family can enjoy and die and go to heaven.
“If a secretary to government or attorney general is subject to the rule of the law, we read in the papers he is coming to Lagos to quarantine, there is nothing wrong in that but everybody must follow the law. He knows who and who he has talked to, the families, and they need to be isolated.”
He described the lockdown in most parts of the country as a “panic measure” and called on the government to manufacture the machines for testing the virus locally.
“We don’t know what is happening to the Chinese, to the Europeans, we don’t know what they are saying. The way they brought the Bible and Quran, they didn’t tell us that the omnipresent God will just oversee our dead ….here and there.
“We should devise our own machines, we cannot compare their weather with ours. They eat all sort of things, cockroach, scorpion, and all, but we don’t. Just like the way they did with Ebola, we opposed them, I opposed them because spiritually I saw the game they were playing and they were surprised. So, panic measures should not be the way.
“How can the 60 years on the throne of Oba Sikiru Ademola be postponed? Nothing could have happened, we are not against ourselves, Ifa is there, Ogun, Osanyin is there, we don’t hate, it is only the church that is causing trouble now, they say you have sinned and repent. How can we postpone a festival in Ife? For what? Because somebody is dying in China or coronavirus.
“I’m not against it but it should not have been panicky. Now that workers are at home, the government should not delay in making sure they list all the companies and the staff, if they are unable to them pay them full salary, they should pay them half.”
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said there are plans to begin COVID-19 clinical trials in the state.
Abayomi, speaking during a press briefing in Ikeja, the State capital on Monday, noted that it would be in partnership with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and other institutions.
“There are a lot of research going on around the world, so it is possible that at some time in the near future, we will have what we may describe as a definitive cure for COVID-19.
“Indeed we are setting up our own clinical trials in Lagos in collaboration with other institutions and the NCDC and hopefully by this time next week, we should have started some clinical trials on our patients and on our staff in Lagos State,” he said.
As at Monday night, there were 120 confirmed cases reported in Lagos state.
It remains the highest in Nigeria, with the FCT second with 48.
Of the total of 238 cases in the country, 35 patients have been discharged, while five are dead.
The Federal Government has declared Friday, April 10 and Monday, 13, as public holidays to mark the 2020 Easter Celebration.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, through a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mrs Georgina Ehuriah, on Monday, in Abuja.
Aregbesola urged Christians in the country to emulate the outstanding characteristics of Jesus Christ amongst which were tolerance, love, peace and compassion.
He further charged Christians to use the occasion of this year’s Easter celebration to pray for Nigeria and the entire world at this time of the global emergency of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister appealed to all Nigerians to continue to support the efforts of government towards fighting the Coronavirus disease.
He reminded Nigerians of the need to adhere strictly to the measures put in place by relevant authorities towards preventing the spread of the virus in the country.
Aregbesola wished Christians a peaceful Easter celebration.
He assured that the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration would continue to cushion the effects of the pandemic on the lives of Nigerians, ” especially with the palliative measures already put in place.”
World Health Organization (WHO) Director, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus has been accused of covering death toll in China.
This has led to a call for Tedros to resign after theories came up about the false death toll in China.
China reported 81,000 cases with 3300 deaths compared to the US’ death toll now over 10,000 and the US believes China covered up their death toll and in the process helped spread the disease.
Tedros, in February, had said there was no need for countries to impose travel restrictions when China reported 17,238 infections and 361 deaths.
But as death toll continues to rise, US politician, Republican Sen. Martha McSally has called for Tedros’s removal for allegedly aiding China cover up a lie with some estimates suggesting their death toll could be as high as 40,000.
“Dr Tedros deceived the world. At one point, he even praised China’s ‘transparency during its coronavirus response efforts.
“Despite a mountain of evidence showing the regime concealed the severity of the outbreak. This deception cost lives.
“I don’t trust Communists, Chinese government’s ‘cover-up of this virus that originated from Wuhan has caused unnecessary deaths around America and around the world. I think Dr Tedros needs to step down,” She told Fox News on Monday.
Recall that the doctor, Dr Li Wenliang, who first alerted the rest of the world to the escalating crisis of Covid-19 within Hubei province, was sanctioned by medical authorities and police before his death.
Covid-19 has spread to 204 countries and territories since the first case was recorded in Wuhan, China, in December.
About a total of 1,00,800 people have been infected with the virus. However,210,200 of that number representing 21% have recovered from the disease.
The Lagos State government and the Nigeria police have come under attack over the arraignment of Funke Akindele and her husband, JJC Skillz in court on Monday.
The actress was arrested on Sunday for flouting the Lagos State social distancing order implemented to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
She and her husband, JJC Skillz, hosted a party that had over 20 people at their home in Amen Estate, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
The Chief Magistrate, Yewande Aje-Afunwa, fined them N100,000 and sentenced them to serve 14-day community service, among other sanctions.
However, the couple on arrival at the court, were swarmed with journalists and security operatives violating social distancing order.
Some Nigerian celebrities took to their social media pages calling the attention of governor of Lagos state, Jide Sanwo-olu to what they described as an irony of execution of social distancing order.
According to them, those spotted in the video should also be prosecuted for violating the social distancing policy and ban on public gathering of more than 20 people.
Nollywood Actress Opeyemi Aiyeola on her Instagram page wrote, “Ok the Bello’s were persecuted for breaking the law. Correct they should be persecuted but ejor making a show at this extremely delicate and sensitive time of a pandemic is what I don’t understand.
“Are these people not more than 20?
Where’s the practice of social distancing? Whose breaking the law now? Shouldn’t everyone in the video or the gatherer of the gathering be persecuted as well?
“Everyone in this video should be rounded up and put in isolation. Government risking people’s lives, just to show they are working.
“Which way Nigeria? Naija and show off mentality. The guilty judging the guilty!
“Sanwo-Olu please Sir look into this!”
Also, Actress Beverly Naya wrote, “Imagine being prosecuted for breaking a law only to be surrounded by a swarm of people breaking the exact same law.
“Weird times! Break the law to enforce it? Smh!”
Actress Iyabo Ojo, calling the attention of the Lagos government to the situation at the court on Monday asked that those present be quarantined.
“What happened was wrong no doubt, however, we’re all humans and no one is perfect, So on her behalf and hubby I apologise once again.
“It’s going to be ok dear, stay strong Funke Akindele this shall pass.
“Moreover, I will like to bring to your notice sir, that everyone most especially the media personnel who went to court today on this issue should all be quarantined because there was no social distancing in display. Thank you Sanwo-Olu.”
