COVID 19: ‘Worshipers attacked police on enforcement duty, seized phones’ (DailyTrust)
Policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Command, on enforcement of the state government directive limiting gathering of people to 20 were yesterday attacked by suspected members of the Victorious Army International Church, Acme Road, Ogba. Those who also received the wrath of the worshipers included journalists attached to the enforcement team, led by the RRS Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu. The Lagos State police spokesman, Bala Elkana, said when the policemen arrived at the gate of the church at about 9am, some of the members who saw one of the enforcement officers recording the church’s activities attacked them and seized two mobile phones. Read more
Fear grips residents as kingpin terrorises Lagos community of thugs (Guardian)
There are strong indications that the suspected mastermind and leader of the gang terrorising Satellite town and environs in Lagos State have resurfaced few days after he fled their criminal den following a sustained operation by the police in the area.
The alleged mastermind said to lay claim to the leadership of Oguntade community in Satellite town reportedly returned few days after a team of policemen stormed his notorious enclave but failed to arrest him and his cohorts. As at press time, the police had not intervened while victims are living in constant fear. Read more
Lagos seals 32 pharmacies, stores for illegal operations, others (DailyTrust)
Thirty-two pharmacies and patent medicine stores have been shut by the Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food for offences bordering on illegal operation and operating beyond scope of practice. The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said this yesterday after reviewing the report of the first enforcement exercise carried out by the ministry’s Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit for year 2020. Abayomi noted that the sealing was in accordance with the provisions of Section C34 of the Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Miscellaneous Provision Act of 1999. Read more
Police raid churches in Lagos, Ogun (Guardian)
The commander, Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS), DCP Olatunji Disu, yesterday morning forced the management of Victorious Army International Church to comply with the Lagos State government’s directive limiting gathering to 50 persons to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state.
The enforcement, which was based on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, was led by DCP Disu. The team got to the Acme Road branch of the church at about 9:00a.m. only to be locked out by the church. Read more
COVID-19 cases hit 31, Lagos, Kwara declare workers’ holiday (Punch)
The coronavirus cases in the country increased from 22 on Saturday to 31 on Sunday.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, in its twitter handle on Sunday, said the cases included 22 in Lagos State, four in the Federal Capital Territory, one in Oyo State and one in Ekiti State.
The centre said the two in Ogun State, including the Italian index case, had tested negative and had been discharged.
At 11:32pm on Sunday, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, tweeted that one of his sons had tested positive for the disease. Read more
Atiku Abubakar’s son tests positive for coronavirus (Tribune)
One of the sons of former vice president Atiku Abubakar has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Atiku who revealed this via his verified Twitter account on Sunday night his son has been transferred to the Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment.
The tweet reads: “My son has tested positive to coronavirus. @NCDCGov has been duly informed, and he has been moved to Gwagwalada Specialist Teaching Hospital in Abuja for treatment and management. Read more
Man arrested for killing wife’s lover in Ogun (Guardian)
A 35-year-old man, Habeeb Kasali, has been arrested by operatives of the Ogun State police command for killing a 32-year-old Bamidele Johnson. Kasali did this on the suspicion that the deceased was sleeping with his wife.
The suspect was arrested following an information received by the police at Igbesa divisional headquarters from a relation of the deceased. According to the relation, fight ensued between the suspect and the deceased at Totowu area when the suspect confronted the deceased for having an affair with his wife despite several warnings from him. Read more
COVID-19: Osinbajo cancels Monday’s commissioning of traffic radio (Tribune)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called off the commissioning of National Traffic Radio earlier scheduled for Monday.
The radio is located at the national headquarters of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Wuse Zone 3 in Abuja.
Even though the office of the Vice President gave no reason for the sudden cancellation of the commissioning he was scheduled to perform, it may not be unconnected with the need to stay away from crowds due to the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
It was not clear to Nigerian Tribune at the time of this report whether other public events involving Osinbajo or President Muhammadu Buhari will suffer the same fate. Read more
COVID-19: IGP orders AIGs, commissioners to enforce social restriction orders (Tribune)
Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) global health threat and the subsequent social restriction orders imposed by governments, at all levels, to enable its containment, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, on Sunday, ordered all Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police nationwide to ensure that all legitimate orders given in pursuant to the containment efforts were strictly enforced within their areas of jurisdiction.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen, in Abuja, by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, DCP Frank Mba. Read more
Council launches first lab equipment calibration centre in West Africa (DailyTrust)
The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) has launched a National Laboratory Equipment Calibration Centre, the first of its kind in the West African sub-region. The South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) also presented an accreditation certificate to the National External Quality Assessment Laboratory, based at Saye-Zaria and owned by the council. Speaking during the ceremony at the weekend in Abuja, Registrar of the council, Dr. Tosan Erhabor, said the United States Centre for Disease Control (US CDC) and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) partnered with the council on the National External Quality Assessment Laboratory saying the laudable partnership led to the (SANAS) certificate of accreditation presented to the council. Read more
Harvey Weinstein tests positive for coronavirus (PageSix)
Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for the coronavirus in prison — and most likely contracted the disease at Rikers Island, an official briefed on the matter told The Post on Sunday.
Weinstein, 68, is being held in isolation at the Wende Correctional Facility near Buffalo, where he tested positive on Saturday, the official said.
The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision wouldn’t confirm or deny Weinstein’s condition, citing federal health-care privacy law, but said that two inmates at Wende had the coronavirus. Read more
Coronavirus: At least 23 killed in Colombia prison unrest (BBC)
At least 23 people have died in one of Bogotá’s largest jails after what the authorities are calling a mass breakout attempt amid rising tensions over coronavirus.
Colombia’s Justice Minister Margarita Cabello said 83 inmates were injured during a riot at La Modelo prison.
Inmates at prisons across the country held protests on Sunday against overcrowding and poor health services during the coronavirus outbreak.
The justice ministry is investigating. Read more
Placido Domingo tests positive for coronavirus (Guardian)
Spanish opera star Placido Domingo said Sunday he had tested positive for the new coronavirus, adding he and his family were “in good health”.
“I feel it is my moral duty to announce to you that I have tested positive for COVID-19, the coronavirus,” the 79-year-old wrote on his Facebook page.
“My family and I are all in self isolation for as long as it is deemed medically necessary. Currently we are all in good health but I experienced fever and cough symptoms therefore deciding to get tested and the result came back positive.” Read more
Coronavirus: Germany tightens curbs and bans meetings of more than two (BBC)
Germany has expanded curbs on social interactions to try to contain the coronavirus outbreak, banning public gatherings of more than two people.
In a televised address, Chancellor Angela Merkel said “our own behaviour” was the “most effective way” of slowing the rate of infection.
The measures included closing hair, beauty and massage studios. Other non-essential shops had already been shut.
Shortly afterwards, Mrs Merkel’s office said she would quarantine herself. Read more
Spain loses 394 to pandemic in 24 hours (Punch)
Spain plans to extend its state of emergency for another 15 days, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced, as the number of Covid-19 deaths soars in the country.
Sanchez, who addressed citizens in a televised briefing on Sunday, after meeting with health and security officials, said he expected the Parliament to approve his request to lengthen the order, which has been in place for over a week.
The country’s health ministry said on Sunday that another 394 had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities to 1,720. Read more
Staten Island couple still holds wedding amid coronavirus warnings (NYPost)
Here comes the bride — coronavirus be damned.
A Staten Island couple threw caution — and a slew of dire government warnings — to the wind Sunday by getting married in front of nearly two dozen people, several of them elderly, at a local Catholic church.
Irene Sanzone and John Fuchs’ afternoon nuptials at Our Lady of Pity Church in the Bulls Head section of the borough raised the wrath of the Archdiocese of New York, which oversees Staten Island’s parishes. Read more
Coronavirus: New York warns of major medical shortages in 10 days (BBC)
The coronavirus outbreak in New York will get worse, with damage accelerated by shortages of key medical supplies, the city’s mayor has said.
“We’re about 10 days away from seeing widespread shortages,” Bill de Blasio said on Sunday. “If we don’t get more ventilators people will die.”
New York state has become the epicentre of the outbreak in the US and accounts for almost half of the country’s cases.
There are now 31,057 confirmed cases nationwide, with 390 deaths. Read more
Teenager, 18, becomes UK’s youngest coronavirus victim (Metro)
Thirty-seven people – aged between 18 and 102 – have died after testing positive for coronavirus in England bringing the total there to 257, NHS England said. All those who died were in vulnerable groups including with underlying conditions, the NHS said. They included five deaths at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, four at St. Georges University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and four at Croydon Health NHS Trust. Across the UK the death toll currently stands at 281 and nearly 6,000 people have tested positive for the disease. Earlier today, Wales recorded a further seven new deaths, with the previous figure standing at 240. Scotland later reported an additional three deaths. It comes as 5,683 people tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK. Confirmed case numbers rose by 665 in a day. Read more
Dare, Amokachi celebrate 1980 victorious Green Eagles (DailyTrust)
The Minister of sports, Sunday Dare and former international Daniel Amokachi have poured encomiums on the victorious 1980 Green Eagles. Exactly 40 years ago on March 22nd,1980, the Green Eagles led by Christian Chukwu defeated Algeria 3-0 in Lagos to win Nigeria’s first ever AFCON trophy on home soil. Going down memory lane, Dare said “We salute the gallantry of the victorious 1980 Nations Cup-winning Green Eagles for bringing glory and honour to our fatherland. “Their feat opened a new chapter in the history of Nigerian football and inspired generations of younger players to excel on the field of play. Read more
Tokyo 2020: IOC sets deadline for decision on Games amid coronavirus (BBC)
The International Olympic Committee is considering a postponement of Tokyo 2020, and has given itself a deadline of four weeks to make a decision.
The IOC’s executive board met on Sunday amid mounting pressure from athletes and national Olympic committees for the Games to be delayed because of the coronavirus crisis.
“In light of the worldwide deteriorating situation… the executive board has today initiated the next step in the IOC’s scenario-planning,” it said in a statement.
“These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games. Read more
Nwosu: AFCON 1980 triumph was like winning World Cup (DailyTrust)
Nigeria’s triumph at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations was like winning the FIFA World Cup, ex-international Henry Nwosu said while recalling the historic feat. At the age of 16, Nwosu was the youngest player in the then Green Eagles squad which conquered the continent to win the Afcon title at the National Stadium in Lagos. Segun Odegbami’s first-half brace and Mudashiru Lawal’s effort in the second-half powered Nigeria to a 3-0 victory past Algeria as they grabbed their first AFCON trophy 40 years ago. Nwosu was an unused substitute in the final but the 56-year-old legend recalled the atmosphere at the National Stadium on that day. Read more
Nigerian player dies on way home after coronavirus break (Punch)
Enugu Rangers striker, Ifeanyi George, died in an auto crash on Benin-Agbor Expressway on Sunday.
The club confirmed this on its Twitter page but didn’t give details.
“We lost Ifeanyi George this morning,” the club tweeted.
It was learnt that the 26-year-old striker’s car rammed into a truck on his way to Lagos.
“He was on his way home to spend the break we declared in Lagos. We will issue an official statement soon,” an official of Rangers told The PUNCH.
The Flying Antelope management had approved a ten-day break following the suspension of the Nigeria Professional Football League due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Read more
Callum Skinner calls for Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic postponement (BBC)
The decision to postpone this summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics “needs to be made now”, says British Olympic champion Callum Skinner.
The cyclist – who fronts competitor-led movement Global Athlete – says both should be rescheduled “until the Covid-19 global pandemic is under control”.
He warned boycotts could ensue, with the health of athletes at risk.
“People think Olympians are superheroes but they are normal people and fall ill like everybody else,” he said. Read more
Rudy Gobert’s coronavirus plight: Can’t smell anything (NYPost)
Rudy Gobert gave fans a peek into dealing with the coronavirus, which apparently in his case includes not being able to smell anything.
The Jazz forward, who was the first NBA player to test positive for COVID-19, on Sunday tweeted some of the effects he’s felt while self-quarantining.
“Just to give you guys an update, loss of smell and taste is definitely one of the symptoms, haven’t been able to smell anything for the last 4 days,” Gobert wrote. “Anyone experiencing the same thing?” Read more
Brazil football clubs offer stadiums to fight coronavirus (Punch)
Brazil’s top football clubs are handing over their stadiums to allow health authorities to turn them into field hospitals and clinics to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
With football in the country suspended until further notice, more than half the clubs in Brazil’s Serie A have given up their stadiums as authorities in densely populated Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro seek to expand hospital capacity to deal with the crisis.
Current South American champions Flamengo are giving control of their famous Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro to health authorities, said club president Rodolfo Landim. Read more