Lagos converts more hotels, public places to isolation centres (Nation)
The Lagos State Government may convert more hotels and public places to isolation centres in the face of increasing cases of coronavirus in the state, according to indications on Friday.
Although the state currently has isolation centres at Yaba, Onikan, Gbagada and Eti-Osa and a seized property handed over to it on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the facilities are proving inadequate to cope with the rate of infection in the state and the projection that as many as 120,000 cases may be recorded in the state by July, just two months away.
It currently has 2,278 cases of the total 5,445 cases in the country.
The development is already putting the state government under more pressure to declare a fresh lockdown. Read more
Lagos mob sets vehicle ablaze for crushing okada rider (Punch)
A mob of protesters has reportedly set a commercial vehicle on fire for killing an Okada rider in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
The incident, it was gathered, happened on Saturday night around the Lagos State Polytechnic Campus in Ikorodu.
The 14-seater passenger bus was said to have developed a mechanical fault while trying to navigate the Oke-Gbegun hill in the area when it rammed into the motorcyclist.
The PUNCH learnt that the remains of the yet-to-be-identified motorcyclist have been taken away by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps. Read more
Abule Ado explosion: Lawmaker urges LASG to end power outage in affected communities (Guardian)
A lawmaker representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mrs. Mojisolaoluwa Alli-Macaulay has appealed to the State Government to restore electricity supply to communities affected over two months ago by the Abule Ado gas-pipeline explosion.
The explosion which took place on Sunday, March 15, brought down high tension electricity line that connect power to various communities leading to total blackout in Soba Abule-Ado, Amuwo-Odofin and Ije Ododo, in Iba Local Council Development Area of Lagos State. Read more
COVID-19: Unilag produces Ambuvalent ventilator (Nation)
In a bid to further tackle the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a team of researchers in the University of Lagos (Unilag) has produced an Ambuvalent ventilator.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project, known as Unilag /LASRIC Ambuvalent, was sponsored by the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).
The team carried out a ‘demonstration of concept’ of the project to the institution’s management on Friday. Read more
Four COVID-19 patients develop hypertension over self-medication (Guardian)
Four of the 210 coronavirus patients in Bauchi State have developed hypertension as a result of self-medication, authorities have said.
Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA), Dr. Rilwanu Muhammed, who is also the Chairman on contacts tracing, told The Guardian that the patients, who engaged in rigorous steaming of two to three hours, have had their blood pressure increased beyond normal. Read more
COVID-19: Madagascar drug to get quick lab analysis, says NAFDAC (Punch)
Following the arrival of the Madagascar herbal cure for COVID-19 in Nigeria on Saturday, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has promised to fast-track the laboratory examination of the drug, named Covid Organics.
The agency, which regulates and controls the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, packaged water, chemicals and detergents, noted that the product would be subjected to the normal procedure but that the process would be fast-tracked. Read more
E-money: Investigate poverty too – Daddy Showkey cries out (Vanguard)
Daddy Showkey is one Nigerian artiste who hardly joins issues with people, especially on social media, but whenever he has something to say, he comes all out and speaks his mind, without fear.
Just recently, the ‘Showkey’ crooner uploaded a video on his official Instagram page in which he sounded a note of warning to security officials who are always eager to investigate the source of people’s wealth, he told them to “also investigate poverty.”
“Investigation! Investigation!! Investigate!!! When a man doesn’t have, they won’t investigate him. When he has, they suddenly investigate him! Please, let them investigate poverty too!” Read more
Aviation stakeholders, workers reject relocation directive (DailyTrust) Minister of State Aviation, Hadi Sirika. Stakeholders including union leaders and experts in the aviation industry yesterday rejected the directive by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, asking all aviation agencies to relocate to Abuja within the next 45 days. Sirika had in a letter dated May 4, 2020 FMA/PMD/7061/T/4 signed by the Director, Human Resource Management, Alhaji Mohammad Shehu, argued that the relocation order was premised on the current global economic situation and the need to reduce cost of governance. Read more
Sierra Leone appoints Nigerian as head of COVID-19 task force (Nation)
Sierra Leone has appointed Nigeria’s Dr. Laoluwa Adejayan as head of its Covid-19 task force after adjudging him the best foreign medical practitioner in the country.
Consequently, his salary has been raised to $20,000 per month, a 100 per cent increase.
Adejayan is a graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
He worked briefly in Bayelsa State after his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme before transferring his service to the West African country under the Technical Aids Corps scheme, in 2012.
President Julius Maada Bio confirmed Adejayan’s appointment in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari. Read more
Steve Linick: Democrats probe Trump’s firing of inspector general (BBC)
US Democrats have launched an investigation into President Donald Trump’s firing of the state department’s internal watchdog.
Inspector General Steve Linick was investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for suspected abuse of office, reports say.
But he was sacked late on Friday after Mr Trump said he no longer commanded his full confidence.
The move prompted angry criticism from senior Democrats in Congress. Read more
Obama slams U.S. government’s virus response in online graduation speech (CBC)
Former U.S. president Barack Obama on Saturday criticized U.S. leaders overseeing the nation’s response to the coronavirus, telling college graduates in an online commencement address that the pandemic shows many officials “aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”
Obama spoke on Show Me Your Walk, HBCU Edition, a two-hour event for students graduating from historically black colleges and universities broadcast on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. His remarks were unexpectedly political, given the venue, and touched on current events beyond the virus and its social and economic impacts. Read more
Polish archbishop refers child sex abuse case to Vatican (BBC)
The head of Poland’s Roman Catholic Church has said he is asking the Vatican to investigate the cover-up of child sexual abuse by priests.
Archbishop Wojciech Polak called on the Church hierarchy to “launch proceedings” following the release of a documentary on the subject on Saturday.
The film tells the story of two brothers who seek to confront a priest who allegedly abused them as children.
The Vatican is expected to assign an investigator to the case. Read more
US threatens ICC with ‘consequences’ if it acts on war crimes complaint against Israel (RT)
Arguing that Palestine doesn’t “qualify as a sovereign state” and that the International Criminal Court lacks jurisdiction over Israel, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has threatened “consequences” for any “illegitimate” probes.
Following his trip to Israel this week, Pompeo issued a brief statement, denouncing the ongoing efforts by the ICC to investigate allegations of war crimes against Palestinians, including the use of live ammunition against protesters, the demolition and shelling of civilian homes and infrastructure, and forcible relocations as part of Israel’s settlement projects in the occupied territories. Read more
Coronavirus: Italy takes ‘calculated risk’ in easing restrictions – PM (BBC)
Italy is taking a “calculated risk” as it moves to further ease its coronavirus lockdown measures, PM Giuseppe Conte has admitted.
He said “the contagion curve” could rise again, but the country could not afford to wait for a vaccine.
Mr Conte announced that travel to and from Italy, and between the country’s regions would be allowed from 3 June. Read more
Keshi won’t demand for bribe, says Erico (Guardian)
Former Super Eagles Assistant Coach, Joseph Erico, has expressed trust and confidence in the late Stephen Keshi’s reign as the coach of Nigeria’s senior national team. He was reacting to a recent statement by former International, Chinedu Obasi that there was a demand for bribe, which he refused to give.
Obasi had alleged in a media report (not The Guardian) that his refusal to pay bribe demanded by some officials denied him a place in the team to Brazil 2014 World Cup, which the Sports and Youth Development Minister, Sunday Dare, has pledged to look into it.
Speaking to The Guardian during the week, Erico said he was not sure such a thing happened under Keshi, but stated that he wouldn’t whether such happens in the country’s football. Read more
Victor Moses: I fell in love with Milan first day (Nation)
It’s an honour to link up once again with an important figure in my career. He is my mentor and friend,’ Inter Milan new signing, Nigerian player Victor Moses described manager Antonio Conte, when pressed about his relationship with the Italian who handled Chelsea and won the league title in 2017. Moses was in the Conte team that year and it was the Chelsea gaffer that redefined his attacking position to wingback position while playing that glorious season.
Following a short stint with Turkish side Fernerbahce, Moses announced his reunion with Conte on a loan transfer that landed him in Milan in January. Read more
Katerina Stefanidi wins women’s garden pole vault challenge (BBC)
Olympic champion Katerina Stefanidi won the women’s edition of the ‘garden pole vault challenge’.
The Greek completed 34 successful jumps compared with 30 by American Katie Nageotte and 21 by Canada’s Alysha Newman.
The bar was set at four metres for the trio, who were competing over two 15-minute stints at their local tracks.
“My arms were so tired at the end, ” said Stefanidi, who won gold at the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio. Read more
NFL star Deandre Baker surrenders to police after being sought on armed robbery charges (RT)
New York Giants cornerback Deandre Baker has voluntarily presented himself to law enforcement after he was wanted for questioning in relation to an alleged armed robbery which took place at a South Miami party on Wednesday.
Baker, along with Quinton Dunbar of the Seattle Seahawks, are facing multiple charges following the late-night incident in which Baker is accused of drawing a weapon and instructing Dunbar and another man to rob valuables from other party attendees. Read more
‘Ighalo wants to be at Man U for rest of career’ (Guardian)
Odion Ighalo wants to spend “the rest of his life” at Manchester United, according to the Nigerian’s personal trainer.
The 30-year-old joined the Red Devils on loan during the January transfer window and scored four times in his first eight appearances for the club before the majority of football across the globe was called to a halt.
As it stands, Ighalo is due to return to parent club Shanghai Shenhua at the end of May, but United will allegedly attempt to extend the agreement if the 2019-20 campaign resumes.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side is also believed to be weighing up a permanent move, meanwhile, and the forward’s personal trainer has said that the Nigerian wants to finish his career at Old Trafford. Read more
Real Madrid Scouts Erling Haaland As Bundesliga Returns (Independent)
Real Madrid scouts are reportedly planning to spy on Borussia Dortmund striker and Erling Haaland this weekend as the Bundesliga marks a return from the coronavirus pandemic.
Dortmund are one of the first sides to return as they welcome Schalke to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday afternoon.
Lucien Favre has named a relatively strong line-up to kick things off, including Erling Haaland and Julian Brandt, while Jadon Sancho is on the bench. Read more