Commuters resort to trekking as fares hit the roof (Vanguard)
Commuters in Lagos State are lamenting the hike in fares which have gone up by 200 per cent across the state since the introduction of curfew by the Federal Government.
An investigation by Vanguard revealed that most commuters now trek several kilometres to their places of work and residences since the lockdown and curfew introduced by the Federal Government. The increase in fares could go as high as 300 per cent in the evenings.
Most of the commuters blame the incessant increase in fare on greed by the transporters who take advantage of the curfew to inflict more hardship on the citizens. But the transport operators are arguing that there is no way the fare could be the same as the social distancing in place across the state.
The fare increase which cuts across all parts of the state started from the lockdown and got worse with the introduction of the curfew a few weeks ago. For instance, a journey from Mile Two to Oshodi which used to cost N150 is now about N400 and could get higher as people try to avoid being caught up by the curfew. Read more
3 Nigerian Dubai returnees test positive to COVID-19 in Lagos (Guardian)
Three of the Nigerian Dubai returnees observing the 14 days mandatory isolation in Lagos have tested positive for COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, made this known on Sunday in Lagos.
Abayomi, through his Twitter account, said that those affected had been admitted to the state’s COVID-19 care centre for appropriate treatment protocols.
The commissioner said that the state government and its Ministry of Health would continue to adhere strictly to the quarantine protocols. Read more
COVID-19: Lagos begins chloroquine clinical trial this week (Punch)
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, has said the state will this week commence the clinical trial treatment of COVID-19 using chloroquine as approved by NAFDAC.
The state, which is the epicentre of the virus in the country, had previously disclosed plans to carry out the chloroquine clinical trial.
Omotoso, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH on Saturday, said, “We are ready for the chloroquine clinical trial because we have just secured all the approvals. The documentation has also been completed. Those that will be used for the trials are ready too. By next week we should be ready for the trial. Read more
Bode George calls for unity against COVID-19 (Guardian)
A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has called for the unity of all Nigerians against COVID-19 pandemic.
George, in a statement on Sunday in Lagos, said it was through unity of purpose and collective efforts of all citizens that the virus could be defeated.
He said that using the pandemic to play unnecessary partisan politics or stoke sectarian animosity would not do the nation any good at this trying period. Read more
COVID-19: Policeman on the run after testing positive (Nation)
Police authorities and officials of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are looking for a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) who tested positive for COVID-19 but fled when a team came to evacuate him on Friday afternoon, The Nation has learnt.
It was gathered the CSP (names withheld) attached to 21 Police Mobile Force (PMF) Nyanya, Abuja, was billed to be evacuated from his residence at Garki Barracks around 2pm on Friday. Read more
I didn’t speak on Biafra and Niger Delta – Jonathan (Vanguard)
Angered by the statement credited to him, former President Goodluck Jonathan, Saturday disowned the purported report saying he did not make any speech for or against Biafra.
Disclosing this in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan opined, “Our attention has been drawn to a fake story with the title, ‘Why Niger Deltans don’t want to be part of Biafra’ currently circulating online and purported to have been taken from a speech allegedly presented by former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan at an unnamed event in Texas, the United States. Read more
Nigeria impounds UK flight running commercial trips despite travel ban (Guardian)
Nigerian government on Sunday announced that it has impounded a flight owned by a UK company being used to run commercial trips despite an existing travel ban.
“Flair Aviation, a UK company, was given approval for humanitarian operations but regrettably we caught them conducting commercial flights,” Nigeria’s aviation minister Hadi Sirika tweeted.
“The craft is impounded, (the) crew are being interrogated.” Read more
Police confirm killing of Unijos lecturer, arrest one suspect (Tribune)
The Police Command in Plateau has confirmed the killing of Dr Nandi Drenkat, a lecturer with the University of Jos, by gunmen.
Mr Edward Egbuka, the Commissioner in-charge of the command confirmed the incident at a news briefing on Sunday in Jos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that gunmen stormed the residence of the deceased in the early hours of Saturday, shot him and kidnapped his six-year-old daughter.
According to Egbuka, the police immediately mobilised to the scene and engaged the criminals in a gun duel and arrested one of them.
He also confirmed that the kidnapped daughter of the deceased was also rescued from the abductors. Read more
Somali governor killed in Al-Shabaab suicide blast (Guardian)
A Somali governor and three bodyguards were killed in a suicide attack claimed by the Al-Shabaab jihadist group in the regional capital of Galkayo on Sunday, a security official said.
The attacker rammed a scooter taxi into a car carrying Ahmed Muse Nur, the governor of the north-central Mudug province, and his security detail before detonating an explosive device, official Muse Ahmed told AFP.
A witness named Bile Mohamed described the attack in a phone call with AFP, saying: “Everyone in the vehicle including the governor and his driver died, there was smoke and fire all everywhere.”
Muse Ahmed confirmed the toll of four and added: “There are other casualties but the details are still being investigated.” Read more
Afghanistan: Rival leaders Ghani and Abdullah in power-sharing deal (BBC)
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah have signed a power-sharing deal, ending months of political uncertainty.
Mr Ghani will stay on as president while both men will choose an equal number of ministers.
Dr Abdullah will lead peace talks with the Taliban, should they get under way.
It is hoped the deal in the capital Kabul will help to maintain the balance of power that existed before last year’s disputed presidential election. Read more
Fire, explosion in Los Angeles injures 11 firefighters (CBC)
An explosion Saturday at a hash oil manufacturer in downtown Los Angeles injured 11 firefighters who had gone inside the building after an initial report of a fire and then had to run for their lives when a ball of flames shot out the building and scorched a fire truck across the street.
Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said “one significant explosion” shook the neighbourhood around 6:30 p.m. PT. Firefighters inside had to run through a wall of flames he estimated as nine metres high and wide, and those on the roof scrambled down a ladder that was engulfed in fire. Read more
LNG price war could send natural gas into negative territory (RT)
Natural gas producers could soon be about to fight out a battle for market share in which prices could fall to negative levels until some of them decide to curb output.
Oil prices have staged an impressive recovery thanks to demand starting to bounce back as well as ongoing production cuts both by OPEC+ and IOCs in the US and elsewhere.
However, the industry is far from being out of the woods.
Whereas many oil punters now feel that negative prices are unlikely to happen again any time soon due to the developing tailwinds, CFTC recently fired a warning to brokers, exchanges, and clearinghouses that it actually remains a distinct possibility. Read more
China’s ambassador to Israel found dead in his official residence (NYPost)
China’s ambassador to Israel was found dead Sunday morning in his home north of Tel Aviv — just three months into the job, officials said.
The 58-year-old ambassador, Du Wei, was discovered unconscious inside his official residence in Herzliya, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
No cause of death was provided, but the case was not being treated as suspicious, according to CNN.
“As part of the regular procedure, police units are at the scene,” a police spokesman told Reuters. Read more
Israel swears in unity government after long political crisis (BBC)
Israel has sworn in a unity government after the longest political crisis in the country’s history, and amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Under a power-sharing deal agreed in April, right-wing PM Benjamin Netanyahu will serve for another 18 months.
His centrist rival Benny Gantz will serve as deputy PM, before taking over.
The two politicians have agreed to press ahead with a controversial plan to annex part of the occupied West Bank area as early as 1 July.
Palestinian leaders reject the legitimacy of the move. Read more
I’m dying, ex-Super Eagles star Eboigbe sends SOS to NFF, Dare (Nation)
Former Super Eagles strongman, Sunday Eboigbe is dying. The no-nonsense player famously known for his central-defensive partnership with Bright Omokaro at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) said he needs help to survive a 12-year battle with stroke.
The New Nigeria Bank (NNB) regular played for the national team of Nigeria from 1983 to 1990 appearing 58 times and helped himself to two AFCON silver in 1984 and 1988. So effective was the defensive pair that Eagles conceded only three on field goals throughout ‘88 AFCON.
Speaking from his base in Benin-Edo state, the 55-year old made a passionate Save-My-Soul appeal to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Sport Minster Sunday Dare and the Players Union. Read more
Arsenal taking Alexandre Lacazette report ‘seriously’ (BBC)
Arsenal are taking a report striker Alexandre Lacazette inhaled nitrous oxide from a balloon “seriously”.
An article in the Daily Star showed the France striker pictured with a balloon in his mouth and he is said to have sent a video to friends.
An Arsenal spokesperson added that it was “a private matter” that would be “handled internally”.
Lacazette has previously been warned about a similar offence of inhaling the substance, also known as laughing gas. Read more
South Korean football club populates empty stands with inanimate ‘sex dolls’ (RT)
The absence of supporters in stadiums looks like it will be commonplace as football emerges from the coronavirus crisis, but one South Korean team has found a novel way of filling their thousands of empty seats – sex dolls.
Football is slowly emerging from its COVID-19 hibernation and the German Bundesliga resumed on Saturday with a full schedule of socially distant football. But even with the return of the beautiful game, some fans couldn’t ignore the fact that holding games in cavernous, empty stadia feels a little, well, wrong.
However, FC Seoul came up with an unorthodox solution to this problem ahead of Sunday’s fixture with Gwangju FC, as they filled their stadium with eerily-lifelike mannequins – which many have suggested on social media are in fact life-size sex dolls – some of whom were reportedly holding placards promoting a local adult shop. Read more
Supermarket or petrol station more dangerous than football, says Bruce (Guardian)
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce believes going to the supermarket or petrol station could pose a greater a risk of coronavirus than a return to football given the strict measures put in place to protect players.
However, Bruce warned his squad could “fall down like a pack of cards” with injuries if they are not given enough preparation time to get back up to speed before matches restart.
The UK government gave the go ahead for sport behind closed doors from June 1 this week.
Newcastle last played on March 7 and Bruce believes his players will not be fit to return until the end of June.
“You have to remember that they have had eight weeks off and that is probably the longest break some of these players have had in their careers,” he told the Sunday Telegraph. Read more
EPL: Players won’t be fit until June – Newcastle boss (Punch)
Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has warned that players would not be ready for competitive action until the end of June as the English Premier League looks to restart its season.
The league has been suspended since mid-March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But its plans to resume next month received a boost when the UK government last week said it was “opening the door” for the sport to return.
Another meeting is planned for Monday to discuss safety measures needed for “Project Restart” to happen and Bruce said players need at least six weeks to get back in shape. Read more
COVID-19: Inter confirm all playing and coaching staff returned negative tests (Vanguard)
Inter have confirmed all medical tests carried out on its playing, coaching and management staff returned negative results.
Serie A clubs are allowed to resume group training from Monday, having been permitted to return to team bases for individual sessions on May 4.
Every team in Italy’s top flight is conducting testing as Serie A works towards a resumption of the 2019-20 season, which has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
An Inter statement read: “FC Internazionale Milano announces that all of the results from Friday’s medical tests on the club’s players, coaching staff, management staff and the remainder of the team group have returned as negative.” Read more