Court sentences armed robbery gang leader to death (Guardian)
Justice Adenike Coker of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja yesterday sentenced an armed robbery gang leader, Muritala Salami, to death. The judge convicted and sentenced Salami to death after he was found guilty of the two counts charge brought against him by the Lagos State government.
The state government had arraigned Salami on two-count charge of conspiracy and robbery. He was said to have led a four-man armed gang and robbed one Mr. Okocha Anthony Afiam of two phones and two wristwatches.
His offence is contrary to section 299 of Criminal Law and Armed Robbery contrary to section 297 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. The other members of the robbery gang escaped at the time of arrest. Read more
Lagos suspends Easter edition of Eko City Farmers’ Market (Nation)
The Lagos State Government has suspended the Easter edition of its Eko-City Farmers’ Market earlier slated for Sunday, 29th March at the Tafawa Balewa Square due to the Coronavirus.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal explained that the suspension was part of the measures the government adopted to halt the spread of the deadly disease in the state.
Lawal stated that the suspension would be reviewed as the spread of the COVID-19 is controlled and halted, adding that the health and welfare of everybody associated with the organisation of the Eko-City Farmers’ Market remain top priority. Read more
School closure: LASG threatens to sanction erring management (Vanguard)
Following the directive by the state government towards the closing of all schools, both public and private, in a bid to prevent pupils and staff from getting more vulnerable to the Coronavirus pandemic, Lagos State Government has called on school administrators to comply strictly with the directive, saying anyone found culpable will be sanctioned.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, gave out the warning, in an interview on Thursday, adding that the Office of Education Quality Assurance will monitor the compliance level of schools within the state.
Adefisayo noted that “the state government’s decision is emotional, rational and logical as it is in the interest of the students, your safety is of paramount to the government.” Read more
Government urges calm as Lagos readies for lockdown over coronavirus (Guardian)
Lagos is presently under emergency. The coronavirus pandemic is hitting hard, disrupting the fabric of social interactions and engagements. Schools, churches mosques are closing and public functions being shelved indefinitely. As more cases are confirmed, there will be additional measures to curtail the spread of the virus
While Lagos residents are adjusting to these new realities, the state has also moved into the rainy season with an anticipated 240 to 270 days of rain. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, who announced this last week, had urged residents of Lagos to prepare for likely consequences of 240-270 days rain with the 2020 rainfall predicted to begin in March 19 and end November 22. Read more
Lagos traces 1,300 as cases hit 12, FG shuts varsities, others (Punch)
The Lagos State Government on Thursday confirmed four new coronavirus cases, bringing to 12, the total number of cases in the country.
The state Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this at a press conference in Ikeja, also said the Italian, who was the first person in the country to be diagnosed with the disease, had tested negative.
Abayomi stated this just as more states took steps to prevent the spread of the disease. The Federal Capital Territory and states such as Ogun, Benue, Anambra, Enugu and Niger on Thursday ordered the closure of their schools. Read more
Yaba LCDA renames Reagan Memorial School after Tinubu (Guardian)
The Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Kayode Adejare Omiyale, has named the remodeled Reagan Memorial Baptist Nursery and Primary School after the Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The chairman said the building being commissioned was a child of circumstance following the initiative of former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who returned the schools to their original owners.
“Reagan Memorial Baptist Nursery and Primary School belongs to the Baptist mission. It was one of the schools that were returned to the missionaries. Read more
FG shuts three airports over coronavirus (Nation)
The Federal Government of Nigeria has shut down three international airports in the country as part of its strategic measures to curb the spread of coronavirus across the country.
In a statement signed by the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Musa Nuhu, he said, the three airports would be closed till further notice effective Saturday, March 21.
The three airports shut are; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; and the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa. Read more
COVID 19: Father Mbaka releases prophecy amidst pandemic (Vanguard)
The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, on Wednesday, declared that the deadly Coronavirus will die just the way Ebola vanished when it entered Nigeria years back.
Mbaka urged Nigerians not to be afraid or panic of the deadly Coronavirus because it would soon be a thing of the past.
He gave the charge at a program at the Enugu Adoration ground during a special prayer for the elimination of the disease. Read more
No make-up exam for UTME latecomers, says Oloyede (Punch)
The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has said there will be no rescheduling of examination for any Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination’s candidates who came late for the examination.
He also said JAMB had delisted and blacklisted six Computer-Based Test centres in the ongoing 2020 UTME for various technical hitches.
Oloyede, who disclosed this in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Abuja, added that the affected candidates in the delisted centres had been redistributed to other centres. Read more
Nirbhaya case: Four Indian men executed for 2012 Delhi bus rape and murder (BBC)
Four Indian men convicted of the gang rape and murder of a student in Delhi in 2012 have been hanged.
Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh were sentenced to death by a trial court in 2013.
The four were hanged in the capital’s high-security Tihar prison in the first executions in India since 2015.
The victim died from her injuries days after being raped by six men on a moving bus. The incident caused outrage and led to new anti-rape laws in India. Read more
Drinking alcohol can weaken your immune system and leave you more vulnerable to viruses (Metro)
In uncertain times like these, it can be tempting to reach for a bottle. We’re all anxious, we’re all stuck inside, parties are pretty much cancelled – maybe it’s time to work your way through your entire drinks cabinet while horror scrolling the timeline for the latest news. Unsurprisingly, this isn’t a great idea. Not only is using alcohol as an anxiety antidote really bad for your mental health, experts also say that too much booze can weaken your immune system. Read more
Coronavirus: Italy’s death toll overtakes China’s (BBC)
Coronavirus has killed more people in Italy than in any other country, after deaths there rose by 427 in a day.
The number of deaths now stands at 3,405, which is more than in China where the virus originated last year.
There have been 3,245 reported deaths in China, but there have been questions over the reliability of its data.
A lockdown imposed on 12 March in Italy has been extended beyond the original 25 March end date. Nearly all Italians have been told to stay at home. Read more
China’s first coronavirus vaccine approved for clinical trials (NYPost)
China has greenlit the start of clinical trials on a coronavirus vaccine — developed by researchers led by a biowarfare expert from ground zero of the pandemic.
The National Medical Products Administration on Tuesday approved the tests for the country’s first COVID-19 vaccine, which was created by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Wuhan.
“We are a community of shared future for mankind, and vaccine is one of the most powerful scientific and technological weapons to end the novel coronavirus epidemic,” said Chen Wei, a top military biowarfare expert leading the team. Read more
Donald Trump tells millennials they’ll kill their grandparents if they keep partying (Metro)
President Donald Trump has warned millennials they’re putting their grandparents’ health at risk by partying during the coronavirus outbreak. Thousands of college students defied government warnings by descending on Miami for Spring Break this week. The government had warned people to limit social gatherings to no more than ten people but scores of millennials were seen populating South Beach, with President Trump himself joining in criticism of their behavior on Thursday. ‘I hope they listen to what we have been saying over the last period of time,’ said Trump. ‘We don’t want them gathering, and we see them gathering on beaches. Read more
California under ‘stay-at-home’ order amid coronavirus outbreak (NYPost)
California Gov. Gavin NewsomAP
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The state of California is under essential lockdown.
Gov. Gavin Newson on Thursday issued a “stay-at-home” order for the Golden State’s 39.5 million residents in an effort to curb the coronavirus outbreak.
“This is a moment we need to make tough decisions, Newsom said. “We need to recognize reality.” Read more
Coronavirus: EasyJet staff may no longer be given food on shifts (BBC)
Budget airline EasyJet has asked pilots and cabin crew to agree to sweeping changes in their terms and conditions, as part of its response to coronavirus.
Among the proposed changes are a freeze on planned pay rises and a requirement to take three months of unpaid leave.
The airline would also no longer provide food for crew during their shifts, only water.
Unions told members they had failed to reach agreement with the airline and were working on counter-proposals. Read more
Cannes Film Festival postponed (Metro)
The Cannes Film Festival has been postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic. So there goes us checking out he most stylish red carpet ever in May. The lauded film festival held in the French Riviera was due to take place from 12-23 May, but it’s looking likely to be pushed back to a date in either June or July according to organisers.
First No Time To Die. Then Glastonbury. Now Cannes. We’re really not sure how many more delays we can handle! (Eh, who are we kidding – we’re locked inside due to social distancing anyway.) Read more
Coronavirus: Manchester United will continue to pay matchday staff (BBC)
Manchester United will continue to pay all casual matchday staff even if the remainder of their season is cancelled or played behind closed doors.
The Football Association has announced that all elite football is suspended until 30 April because of coronavirus, but United say their staff’s earnings will be unaffected.
Old Trafford will host four Premier League matches if the season resumes.
It is understood the payments total £1m and cover more than 3,000 staff. Read more
COVID-19: German Machine donate 2.5m euros (Nation)
The German national team have kick-started a fundraising initiative for the coronavirus epidemic by donating 2.5 million euros to social causes.
Germany were among the favourites for this summer’s European Championship, which has been postponed until 2021 as the pandemic continues to wipe out sporting fixtures.
Speaking on Instagram, Germany captain Manuel Neuer said: “We have to look at each other in such times.” Read more
Two Lakers players test positive for coronavirus (NYPost)
Two players from the Lakers reportedly tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on Thursday, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The team released a statement confirming the report, but did not name the players who tested positive. The Lakers have asked all players and members of the staff to follow local health guidelines to self-quarantine at home.
“We learned today that two Lakers players have tested positive,” the team said in the statement. “Both players are currently asymptomatic, in quarantine and under the care of the team’s physician.” Read more
Tyson Fury’s trilogy clash with Deontay Wilder in serious jeopardy (Metro)
Tyson Fury is unlikely to fight Deontay Wilder in their trilogy bout this July, Frank Warren has confirmed. The WBC champion was due to take on his rival in their third and deciding fight after Wilder invoked his right for an immediate rematch. Fury beat Wilder in a jaw-dropping performance in Las Vegas last month and talks were underway to finalise the details of the third showdown, which was expected to be staged in the US. But the coronavirus pandemic has forced sport to be suspended across the world and the British Boxing Board of control confirmed this week all fights in the UK were cancelled until April. Read more
Coronavirus in Italy: Alessandro Favalli describes ‘fever, headache, eyes burning’ (BBC)
On 6 March, Alessandro Favalli’s life changed when he tested positive for coronavirus.
The Reggio Audace defender would become the second Italian-based footballer to be confirmed as having the illness, after King Udoh of Pianese, another third-tier club.
Italy, after China, has the second-highest number of cases of coronavirus in the world and second-most deaths related to the infectious disease. Read more
Shane Warne’s gin company begins producing hand sanitiser instead in ‘wartime’ fight against coronavirus (Metro)
Australian cricket legend Shane Warne has announced that his SevenZeroEight gin company will begin making hand sanitiser for hospitals due to shortages in overseas supply chains amid the coronavirus crisis. The devastating pandemic has left pharmacy shelves empty in Australia and Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on companies to make a ‘wartime shift’ to help produce essential medical supplies instead. Two of Warne’s fellow SevenZeroEight founders are ‘prominent surgical specialists’ in Western Australia and it was decided that shifting to producing ’70 per cent alcohol hand sanitiser’ for the indefinite future would be the best way to join the fight against COVID-19. Read more
Lobi Stars squeeze past FC Ifeanyiubah in Makurdi (Vanguard)
Lobi Stars returned to winning ways after beating FC Ifeanyiubah 1-0 at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi on Wednesday.
Samad Kadiri’s goal just five minutes into the game proved decisive ultimately. Since beating Kwara United in Ilorin on Matchday 22, Lobi have had little to cheer by way of results on the pitch.
They threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Kano Pillars in Makurdi on Matchday 23 before losing 0-2 to Heartland in Okigwe on Matchday 24. Read more