Coronavirus: Police shut down 15 schools in Lagos (Guardian)
Lagos State Police Command has in the last six days deployed its resources across the state to ensure that the guidelines and directives issued by both the federal and state governments to prevent the spread of Coronavirus are fully obeyed.
The enforcement team shut down 15 schools, 8 clubs, 6 event centres and 8 places of worship for non-compliance.
According to Lagos State police spokesman, Bala Elkana, “With the directives issued by Lagos State Government on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the enforcement would now be extended to all markets and stores, except markets that are selling food items, water, medicine, pharmacies, medical equipment and other related essential life-saving products, with effect from Thursday, March 26, 2020. Read more
LAGESC to officers: Stay at duty posts to help enforce order (Nation)
Officials of the Lagos State Environment Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) have been directed to remain at their duty post to assist in enforcing government’s directive on the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
The directive was issued by the agency’s Corps Marshal, Gbemisola Akinpele, a retired Commissioner of Police (CP) to rest confusion among some officials following the 14-day stay home order given to civil servants from level 12 and below by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to a statement signed by LAGESC’s Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Kehinde Adebayo, CP Akinpelu noted that the corps officials were part of essential duty personnel and have to be on their toes to help the government prevent further spread of the virus. Read more
Mushin records first Covid-19 case (Guardian)
As Lagos state government continues to contain the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19), Mushin Local Government has recorded its first case of the virus.
Mushin Local Government chairman Emmanuel Bamigboye in a statement by his media aide Sanusi Rasaq said a case of the COVID-19 was reported at Takuro Street, in Idi-Araba of the area of Mushin last week.
He said the medical team of the local government led by Dr Wale Akeredolu from Ministry of Health was informed and the patient was transferred to the disease/virus control centre at IDH, Yaba. Read more
Tinubu backs Sanwo-Olu’s measures to curb virus spread (Nation)
All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his stay-at-home order for 70 per cent of the civil servants to prevent the spread of COVD-19 (Coronavirus Disease).
In a chat with reporters after a meeting with the governor at Lagos House, Marina, Tinubu said the leadership of the party, satisfied with the handling of the situation by the governor, assuring that the governor has the full backing of the party.
He added that the governor will get the party’s backing, if there is the need for him to order a total lockdown of the state.
Tinubu said: “I congratulate the government of Lagos State for what has been done so far about regular information on the mysterious disease. Nigeria needs a lot of education in this challenging period. Read more
Buhari tests negative for coronavirus (Vanguard)
President Muhammadu Buhari has Wednesday tested negative for coronavirus. Confirming the news, Presidency through the Special adviser on Media and Publicity to Mr President, Mr Femi Adesina, said that Buhari’s status is a thing of joy.
Yesterday, the chief of staff, to Mr President, Abba Kyari was tested positive for coronavirus, after visiting countries that have high coronavirus cases.
Vice president Yemi Osinbajo has equally tested negative to the virus. Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Political Matters disclosed this. Read more
Osinbajo tests negative for coronavirus (Punch)
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has tested negative to coronavirus, according to the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu.
Taking to his twitter handle, @Babafemi ojudu, on Wednesday, said, “Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo tests negative.”
He did not say when the test was conducted.
Osinbajo’s spokesman, Mr Laolu Akande, confirmed it. Read more
FCTA to unveil 300-bed space Isolation Centre, rolls out guidelines for transporters (Vanguard)
The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA has provided a 5-story building that would serve as an isolation and treatment center for victims of the Coronavirus disease.
The Administration is currently using a 30-bed space isolation and treatment center at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital while it has also announced the conversion of the Zuba General Hospital to an isolation and treatment center.
FCT minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello who disclosed this yesterday during an inspection tour of the facility said the relevant health authorities would, however, conduct their inspections before certifying it for use. Read more
COVID-19: Kaduna bans operation of motorcycle, tricycles (DailyTrust)
The Kaduna State Government has banned the operations of motorcycles and tricycles across the state stressing that the two means of transportation do not satisfy the conditions of social distancing. The Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe who made this known in a state broadcast on Wednesday said commercial buses are for now allowed to operate but warned that they must comply to the new rule of not more than two passengers per row. Dr. Balarabe explained that that decision was taken after senior government officials met to review the level of compliance of the measures taken to contain the spread of COVID 19 and warned that “the government is ready to suspend all forms of pubic transportation if circumstances compel it.” Read more
Covid-19: Bayelsa gov denies contact with Kyari, Muhammed (DailyTrust)
Bayelsa governor, Douye Diri. Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has denied meeting with Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari before he was tested positive to the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic. Diri spoke when he visited the state isolation centre located at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital in Okolobiri, Yenagoa local government area of the state on Wednesday. He disclosed that, as at the time he met with Bauchi state governor, Senator Bala Muhammed, during the National Economic Meeting (NEC), the former FCT minister had not contacted the virus then. Read more
NYC restaurateur and ‘Top Chef’ winner dead of coronavirus (NYPost)
Floyd Cardoz, the man behind acclaimed NYC restaurants Tabla and Bombay Bread Bar, has reportedly died as a result of the coronavirus, according to Indian news site Scroll.in. The Mumbai-born chef was 59.
Cardoz was admitted to a New York hospital last week, according to a recent post on his Instagram account, following his return from a trip to India on March 8. He told his followers that a fever had prompted him to see a doctor. A statement on social media from his hospitality group, The Hunger Inc., confirmed the news of his hospitalization March 17.
The eclectic chef and Season 3 winner of “Top Chef Masters” made his name with the groundbreaking Tabla, opened in 1998, as one of the few Indian fine-dining establishments in the city. In partnerships with Danny Meyer and Union Square Hospitality Group, the restaurant enjoyed an instant buzz after receiving three stars in the New York Times. Read more
The WhatsApp Gold hoax is back – don’t fall for it (Metro)
An old hoax surrounding a supposedly hidden version of WhatsApp has reappeared online. WhatsApp Gold is allegedly a special version of the popular messaging app used by celebrities and rich people with access to hidden features. Any messages you receive urging you to update to WhatsApp Gold should be disregarded immediately. The idea was first circulated back in 2016 by internet scammers and it appears to reappear every few years. Given the world is currently leaning on apps like WhatsApp to get through the coronavirus pandemic, this probably shouldn’t come as a surprise. Read more
IMF, World Bank call for suspension of debt payments by poorest nations (DailyTrust)
The International Monetary Fund and World Bank on Wednesday called for governments to put a hold on debt payments from the world’s poorest nations so they can battle the coronavirus pandemic. “The World Bank Group and the IMF believe it is imperative at this moment to provide a global sense of relief for developing countries as well as a strong signal to financial markets,” the Washington-based development lenders said in a joint statement. Read more
Afghanistan conflict: Militants in deadly attack on Sikh temple in Kabul (BBC)
At least 25 people have been killed in a militant attack on a Sikh temple in the Afghan capital Kabul.
The interior ministry said a gunman had burst into the complex early in the morning, firing on worshippers.
He was killed in an exchange of fire lasting six hours with security forces. Earlier reports said a group of assailants had carried out the attack.
About 150 people were trapped in the complex in the Shorbazar area. The Islamic State group claimed the attack. Read more
Rwandan who breached lockdown killed by crocodile (Vanguard)
A man in Rwanda who breached the ongoing lockdown to reportedly go fishing has been killed and eaten by a crocodile, the mayor of the southern Kamonyi district has told the BBC.
Alice Kayitesi said the Wednesday morning incident happened in the Nyabarongo river.
“He had broken the stay-home rule, he’s among very few people here who are not co-operating with the lockdown to stop the
[corona]
virus,” Ms Kayitesi said.
The authorities in Rwanda imposed a total lockdown on Sunday as cases of Covid-19 continued to rise. Read more
Spain overtakes China virus toll with 3,434 deaths (Guardian)
Spain’s coronavirus death toll overtook that of China on Wednesday, rising to 3,434 after 738 people died over the past 24 hours, the government said.
Across the world, only Italy now has a higher death toll than that of Spain. In China, where the virus emerged late last year, 3,281 people have died.
The spiralling number of deaths came as Spain entered the 11th day of an unprecedented lockdown to try and rein in the COVID-19 epidemic that has now infected 47,610 people, the health ministry said. Read more
Ethiopia freeing 4,000 inmates in coronavirus battle (Vanguard)
More than 4,000 prisoners will be released in Ethiopia as the government continues to take measures to control the spread of coronavirus.
The country’s attorney general said on Wednesday that prisoners convicted of minor offences and women with babies were among those who would be freed.
Foreigners charged with involvement in with smuggling and drug trafficking would also be released and deported to their countries of origin.
Among those to be released is journalist Fekadu Mahtemework. Read more
Thousands sign up to help UK health service (BBC)
Some 250,000 people have signed up in a single day to volunteer with the NHS after a recruitment drive to help the vulnerable amid the coronavirus crisis.
The helpers are needed for delivering food and medicines, driving patients to appointments and phoning the isolated.
The scheme is one of a number aimed at relieving pressure on the NHS.
About 11,000 former medics have also agreed to return to the health service and more than 24,000 final year student nurses and medics will join them. Read more
Olympic postponement alters Oshonaike’s retirement plans (Nation)
Foremost female ping ponger Olufunke Oshonaike has described the postponement of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to the Covid-19 Virus pandemic as a setback to retire from the sport at the end of the quadrennial event.
Oshonaike who will be making history as the first African female athlete to be attend seven Olympic Games in Tokyo , said she was not surprised with the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the games to 2021, adding that safety of athletes must take precedent over competition.
“I am not surprised that the games has been postponed because I was actually expecting it,” Read more
Lagos National Stadium turns car park after closure (Punch)
Vehicle owners have virtually turned the entrance and exit gates of the National Stadium, Lagos to a car park following the shutting down of the sports arena due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
The usual bubbling stadium in Surulere, Lagos, was a shadow of itself after the edifice was shut down on Monday following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports had on Monday directed that the stadium be closed to users to curb the spread of the virus in Lagos and its environs.
The ministry said activities at the stadium would return to normal when the coronavirus situation in the country improved. Read more
Everton’s Keane says players can be ready in a fortnight (Guardian)
Everton and England defender Michael Keane said on Wednesday that players will be able to return to Premier League action after only a “couple of weeks’ proper training”.
The coronavirus pandemic has seen professional football in England suspended until at least April 30.
Premier League clubs are due to meet on April 3 to discuss what the English top-flight does next. Read more
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund stars to take pay cut due to coronavirus (BBC)
Bayern Munich’s players and directors have agreed to take a temporary 20% pay cut.
The German giants said the move was to help the other employees at the club financially during the current coronavirus crisis.
Last week, Borussia Monchengladbach’s players were the first in the country to offer to forgo wages.
Borussia Dortmund players are also in talks to take a wage cut, newspaper Bild reports. Read more
Barcelona reach agreement with £102m rated Inter Milan star (DailyTrust)
Lautaro Martinez, has agreed a deal in principal to join Barcelona, according to Italian newspaper Tuttosport. The newspaper claim the Argentine striker wants to partner Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp. The Spanish champions will now need to negotiate terms with Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan. The Serie A challengers have already rejected Barcelona’s opening offer of £65million plus Arturo Vidal and Nelson Semedo but a follow-up bid is expected soon. Read more
Conor McGregor pleads for ‘full lockdown’ amid global coronavirus crisis (BBC)
Conor McGregor has made a passionate call to the Irish Government and the world to introduce a “full lockdown” amid the coronavirus crisis.
The mixed martial arts star’s Facebook video came before Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced new restrictive measures on Tuesday evening.
McGregor, 31, also addressed the country’s leading police and military figures in his message. Read more
Sancho, Haaland most valuable youngsters in world football – CIES (Vanguard)
A study by CIES has rated the young players in world football, with Jadon Sancho the most highly prized asset of all.
Sancho has shone at Borussia Dortmund since moving to Manchester City as a 16-year-old and is now being targeted by the top European clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester United.
The CIES Football Observatory has calculated that Sancho is worth an estimated £184million, far more than the £120million claimed to be enough to secure his signature. Read more