LASEMA raises alarm over pipeline leakage at Mosan area, Ipaja Lagos (Guardian)
Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), says the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline along the axis at Mosan Bus Stop, Kakatin area, Ipaja, Lagos State, is leaking.
Oke-Osanyintolu made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos on Saturday.
According to him, immediately we received an alert from our office concerning the pipeline leakage at about 9:30 a.m., we contacted NNPC officials.
He said that the agency (LASEMA) and other first respondents intended to remain on high alert until the repairs are carried out by NNPC officials.
Oke-Osanyintolu, however, urged members of the public to exercise extreme caution in and around the area to prevent any form of explosion or ignition from naked flame or other activity. Read more
COVID-19: Lagos Deputy Gov. tests negative (Vanguard)
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has tested negative for Coronavirus. Hamzat stated the result of his status through his twitter handle on Saturday.
He said that the COVID-19 test was not a pleasant experience.
He said that it was important for him to do it because as a leader nothing should distract him from his role at this period.
He thanked all health workers and appealed to the residents of the state to play their role and ended the tweet with the hashtag #StayHomeSaveLives. Read more
Oyo coronavirus cases rise to nine (Punch)
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says Oyo State has nine confirmed cases of coronavirus.
The NCDC said it earlier mistakenly added one of the cases recorded in Oyo State for Osun in its announcement on Friday.
It also said that the total number of cases in Nigeria as of 10.30 pm on Friday is 209 and not 210 that was earlier announced. Read more
Delta woman dies of COVID-19 in UK (Nation)
A Deltan, Mrs Sheba Ogheneovo Kudehinbu, née Eferoghene, has reportedly died of the pandemic Coronavirus in the United Kingdom.
The deceased who is a native of Ughievwen Kingdom in Ughelli South council area of Delta State, was said to have died Friday morning, after battling with the disease for days.
National Coordinator of the Urhobo Renaissance Society (URS), a body of academia and professionals of Urhobo nationality, Prof. Hope Eghagha, disclosed this via a post on the group’s Facebook page late Friday. Read more
Lockdown: FCT Enforcement Team impounds 51 cars, 9 tricycles & 46 motorcycles for violating presidential order (Vanguard)
The Joint Operation Task -Team for the Enforcement of Presidential Lockdown order on Covid-19 in FCT, under the leadership of CP Bala Ciroma, the FCT Commissioner of Police has impounded Fifty-one (51) Cars, Nine (9) Tricycles and Forty-six (46) Motorcycles in FCT for violating the subsisting presidential lockdown directive, aimed at containing the further spread of the Covid-19 pandemic
The cars, tricycles and motorcycles, which were being used by their owners were impounded by enforcement units of the Joint Operation Task Team on duty around Nyanya, Dutse Alhaji, Karu, Jabi, Kado, Life-camp, Mpape, Zuba and other parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
A statement by FCT Police Command quoted the Task Team Chairman, CP Bala Ciroma warning that “Any car, tricycle or motorcycle impounded for violating the subsisting presidential order shall remain in police custody until the 14 days lockdown order is lifted by the Federal Government”. Read more
Osun Government debunks report on missing six Covid-19 patients (Guardian)
Osun Government has denied a report that six patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have escaped from the Ejigbo isolation centre in the state.
Mr Ismail Omipidan, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Gboyega Oyetola, in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday debunked the story, describing it as a mere fabrication.
Omipidan said the report which has been circulating around that six persons escaped from the Isolation centre in Ejigbo did not emanate from government. Read more
No licence issued for deployment of 5G technology – FG (Nation)
The Federal Government has declared that no licence has been issued for the deployment of 5G Technology in the country.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.
Pantami said “the attention of my office has been drawn to the public concern about the health implications of the deployment of Fifth Generation Mobile Networks (5G) in Nigeria. Read more
NCDC apologises for error in COVID-19 results, says total now 209 (Punch)
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says it committed an error in announcing confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.
It said that the total number of cases in Nigeria as of 10:30 pm on Friday was 209 and not the 210 that was earlier reported.
With the correction, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Osun is now 20 while Oyo now has nine, The PUNCH reports.
Lagos State has the highest number of infections with 109 cases, followed by the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja which has 41 cases. Read more
COVID-19: FG seeks NASS approval for N500bn intervention fund (Vanguard)
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, on Saturday met with the leadership of the National Assembly to intimate it on an Executive proposal to establish a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.
Ola Awoniyi, the Special Adviser to the President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in a statement said that the minister held the meeting with the President of the Senate and senior officials of the ministry at the National Assembly Complex in the Federal Capital Territory.
Also in attendance were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege; Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, and some principal officers of both Chambers. Read more
China mourns Covid-19 victims with three-minute silence (BBC)
China has mourned the victims of the coronavirus outbreak by observing a three-minute silence, bringing the nation to a halt.
A day of remembrance was declared in China on Saturday to honour the more than 3,300 people who died of Covid-19.
At 10:00 local time (03:00 GMT), people stood still nationwide for three minutes in tribute to the dead.
Cars, trains and ships then sounded their horns, air raid sirens rang as flags were flown at half-mast. Read more
US says uninsured coronavirus patients will be covered (Guardian)
The tens of millions of Americans who lack health insurance will be covered by the government if they fall sick with the COVID-19 illness, the US health secretary said Friday.
Alex Azar told reporters that the CARES act, a coronavirus stimulus package passed by Congress, included $100 billion for health care providers who “will be forbidden from balance billing the uninsured for the cost of their care.”
Instead, hospitals and health care professionals will be reimbursed at the rates for Medicare, a state insurance program for the elderly. Read more
China donates 1,000 ventilators to help coronavirus-stricken New York (Metro)
The Chinese government has donated 1,000 ventilators to the State of New York to help officials there battle its worsening coronavirus pandemic. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo revealed the gift on Saturday, and said the breathing equipment would be arriving in the city later today. He told a press conference: ‘China has given us…a donation of 1,000 ventilators that is going to come into JFK (international airport) today. That is a big deal – it’s going to make a big difference for us.’ Cuomo said the west coast state of Oregon had also donated 140 ventilators, with New York set to hit its coronavirus ‘apex’ – when it will see the most daily diagnoses and deaths The governor said Saturday that New York could hit its apex within the next seven days, but previously warned that the Empire State could face another four weeks of exponential increases before the pandemic peaks.
Cuomo shared news of the donation after announcing 10,814 new Covid-19 diagnoses overnight, and 630 new deaths across the state. He said 15,505 people are currently in hospital with Covid-19, with 4,126 patients in intensive care. Read more
Coronavirus: Spain ‘close to passing peak’ as deaths fall again (BBC)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says the country is “close to passing the peak of infections” as the number of coronavirus deaths fell for the second day in a row.
Mr Sánchez also extended lockdown measures until 25 April, saying the restrictions were “saving lives”.
The toll of 809 deaths in one day is the lowest in Spain for a week.
Meanwhile, officials are trying to get masks for all citizens as part of plans to eventually ease restrictions. Read more
Michael Gove calls 5G coronavirus conspiracy theories ‘dangerous nonsense’ (Metro)
Conspiracy theories linking 5G masts with the spread of coronavirus have been branded ‘dangerous nonsense’ and ‘the worst kind of fake news’. Fire crews in the West Midlands and Merseyside have been called out to extinguish masts in recent days and Mobile UK, the trade body representing network providers, has said people are ‘abusing our key workers and making threats to damage infrastructure under the pretence of claims about 5G’.
Asked about the rumours at the Downing Street coronavirus briefing, Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove dismissed them as ‘dangerous nonsense’. NHS England’s national medical director Professor Stephen Powis went further, calling them ‘complete and utter rubbish’, adding: ‘It’s the worst kind of fake news. ‘The reality is that the mobile phone networks are absolutely critical to all of us, particularly at a time when we are asking people to stay at home and not see relatives and friends. Read more
‘True friend’ China helps Algeria battle coronavirus (Guardian)
As adversity strikes in the form of the coronavirus pandemic, Algeria has found a helping hand in China, an old friend and the top exporter to Africa’s largest country.
An Air Algerie plane arrived in the capital Algiers from Beijing on March 27 carrying a 13-member Chinese medical team and equipment, including respirators, worth around $450,000.
The supplies were donated by the state-owned China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) on behalf of Beijing to help Algeria battle its COVID-19 outbreak. Read more
Sir Keir Starmer elected as next leader of the Labour Party (Metro)
Sir Keir Starmer has been elected as the next leader of the Labour Party, beating rivals Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy to the top job. The former Brexit spokesperson will replace outgoing Jeremy Corbyn, who led the party for five years, overseeing two general election defeats. Sir Keir said it was the ‘honour and privilege of my life’ to be elected Labour Party leader. His victory came after the planned special conference to unveil the winner had to be shelved because of the coronavirus crisis. In a video statement, he said his mission is to restore trust in Labour as ‘a force for good and a force for change’. He also apologised for anti-Semitism in the party which he said brought ‘grief’ to Jewish communities, and promised to ‘turn over a new leaf’. Read more
Michael Atkinson: Trump fires intelligence chief involved in impeachment (BBC)
US President Donald Trump has fired a senior official who first alerted Congress to a whistleblower complaint that led to his impeachment trial.
Mr Trump said he no longer had confidence in Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the intelligence community.
Democrats said the president was settling scores during a national emergency caused by the coronavirus.
They also accused him of trying to undermine the intelligence community. Read more
Abia Warriors goalkeeper shot in Ibadan (Guardian)
At a time many Nigerians are struggling to survive the lockdown following the outbreak of coronavirus, some hoodlums yesterday shot the goalkeeper of Abia Warriors FC, Charles Tambe, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital. Tambe was said to have gone for his usual morning walkout at about 7 a.m. in Apata area of Ibadan where he stays with his family.
Despite collecting his wristwatch and handset, the goalkeeper was shot on his left hand by the hoodlums.
The Chairman of Abia Warriors, Chief Emeka Inyama told The Guardian in a telephone chat yesterday that Tambe was responding to treatment at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
“I just spoke with him (Tambe) and he is stable. He was shot on his left hand,” Inyama stated. Read more
Justin Langer: Australia coach sees value in behind-closed-doors games (BBC)
Australia coach Justin Langer supports the idea of playing cricket behind closed doors when safe to do so, as it will have “great value” to the public.
Langer’s side beat New Zealand at an empty Sydney Cricket Ground on 13 March before the coronavirus pandemic halted the series and cricket worldwide.
And he would be happy to play in an empty stadium again. Read more
UEFA lifts Saturday afternoon TV blackout for England, Scotland (Guardian)
UEFA has lifted a ban on the live screening of Premier League games kicking off at 3:00 pm in England and Scotland for the rest of the season.
The blackout has long been in place to protect attendances at matches.
The move by European football’s governing body is seen as a step towards restarting some domestic competitions in Britain behind closed doors in order to complete the season, interrupted by the coronavirus crisis.
A UEFA statement read: “UEFA has lifted the ‘blocked hours’ protection granted to the UEFA member associations for England and Scotland for the remainder of the 2019/20 football season, following requests from the relevant national associations as a result of measures taken in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Read more
Dimitar Berbatov disagrees with Rio Ferdinand over Liverpool’s Premier League title fate (Metro)
Dimitar Berbatov has hit out at calls for the Premier League season to be voided amid the coronavirus crisis and claims Liverpool ‘fully deserve’ to win the title after a magnificent start to the campaign. The English top flight has been suspended indefinitely due to the devastating pandemic and the season will only return when it is safe and appropriate, with a restart date ‘under constant review’. Liverpool currently have a 25-point lead over second-placed Manchester City with nine matches remaining and Jurgen Klopp’s side need just two more wins to get their hands on the trophy. Read more
Tokyo Olympics: FIFA could move age limit for men’s football tournament to 24 (BBC)
FIFA could raise the age limit for the men’s football tournament at next summer’s rearranged Olympic Games in Tokyo to 24 from 23.
The sport’s governing body has recommended moving the limit to accommodate players eligible for this year’s Games, which were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Players born on or after 1 January 1997 will be allowed to play.
It is yet to be approved by the FIFA Bureau. Read more
Liverpool put some non-playing staff on furlough (Guardian)
Liverpool on Saturday became the latest Premier League club to put some of their non-playing staff on furlough during the coronavirus shutdown.
The Premier League said on Friday that the 2019/20 season would only return when it was “safe and appropriate to do so”.
Newcastle, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Norwich have also said they would furlough non-playing staff. Read more
Stephen Kenny replaces Mick McCarthy as Republic of Ireland manager (Metro)
Stephen Kenny has replaced Mick McCarthy as Republic of Ireland manager with immediate effect, following UEFA’s announcement that the Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs would again be delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. McCarthy’s contract was due to run until July 31, after the Euro 2020 finals were originally due to finish, with Kenny due to step up from his role with the Under-21s on August 1. The Republic are due to face Slovakia away in the Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs, with the winner to face either Northern Ireland or Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, the fixture has been postponed for a second time due to the pandemic. Read more