Many flee as man slumps at ATM gallery (Guardian)
The Automated Teller Machine (ATM) gallery of a commercial bank in Onipanu area of Lagos State yesterday was immediately deserted after a man on the queue slumped causing panic as many suspected it was a possible COVID-19 case. A member of staff and a security personnel immediately summoned courage and evacuated the man from the scene while health workers were alerted.
When checks were ran on the man, it indicated he had a high temperature although others blamed alcohol in the hot sun for the incident. Still, others speculated it could have been as a result of suffocation at the crowded ATM following the relaxation of the lockdown by the federal government. Read more
Customers besiege banks in Abuja, Lagos as lockdown eases (DailyTrust)
Banks customers yesterday besieged the banks in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the Federal Government announced partial lifting of lockdown after a month-long sit-at-home order following COVID-19 pandemic worrisome spread in the states and the FCT.
In Abuja, our correspondents observed around the banks’ branches at the suburb and within the city centre that all branches visited had huge customers gatherings at the banks with no regard to social distancing protocols. Read more
Driver sentenced to death in Lagos’ first virtual court sitting (Guardian)
Police arrest guard for allegedly stabbing man to death over facemask
An Ikeja High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a driver, Olalekan Hameed, to death by hanging for the December 1, 2018 murder of Mrs. Jolasun Okunsanya, 76, the mother of his employer, Adetayo. Justice Mojisola Dada delivered the judgment in the Lagos State Judiciary’s maiden virtual court session.
The proceedings were approved by the Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba, in line with the Lagos State Judiciary Remote Hearing of Cases COVID-19 Pandemic Period Practice Direction. The court session for the charge marked ID/9006C/2019, held online via a mobile app, Zoom. It began at 11:00a.m. and ended before 2:00p.m. Read more
60 Lagos-bound men intercepted in truck conveying cows (Punch)
Some security personnel, on Monday, intercepted about 60 men hiding in a truck that was conveying cows to Lagos State at the Berger end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
It was gathered that the travellers, who reportedly came from Zamfara and neighbouring states, were heading for the Agege area of Lagos.
PUNCH Metro learnt that some of the men jumped down from the truck and fled on sighting the personnel of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit), the Rapid Respond Squad, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Vehicle Inspection Officers and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps at the boundary between both states. Read more
Police to arrest persons without face masks in Lagos (Guardian)
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has warned that the command would begin clampdown on persons found on the streets without facemasks. Odumosu, who addressed newsmen after a prolonged meeting with Area Commanders and principal officers of the command at the headquarters hinted that the curfew would be enforced everywhere in Lagos to the latter.
According to him, “this time, police will not arrest you for vehicle particulars, but for refusing to put on a facemask and not keeping social distancing. Okada activities have also been suspended. Since we started the lockdown, we have not had any case of police brutality in Lagos, because we are using persuasive enforcement, and we will continue with that.
“We just had a security meeting where we just analysed the presidential directive, and the state government regulations in line with the directive, and we are the leading agency in enforcing this directive. Read more
COVID-19: Restrictions take toll on Muslims during Ramadan (DailyTrust)
The coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll on Nigerian Muslims as they observe the holy month of Ramadan. Daily Trust reports that millions of Muslims across Nigeria are adopting difficult but necessary measures as the total or partial lockdown and its counter effect on their incomes make this year’s Ramadan different from previous years. When Ramadan began on April 24, Nigerians mostly in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states were in their fourth week of the lockdown imposed by the federal government to contain the spread of the coronavirus while other states were observing some forms of restrictions. Despite relaxing the lockdown in the three mentioned places, the Quarantine Act maintains a ban on public gathering, including religious events of more than 20 persons. Read more
Ogun doctors begin strike (Nation)
Association of Resident Doctors, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Ogun State, has begun a three-day warning strike.
The industrial action started on Monday after a 21-day ultimatum and another seven-day ultimatum notifying the government of the need for appropriate remuneration for doctors in OOUTH, lapsed.
The President of the association, Dr. Mutiu Popoola, made this known in a letter to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun titled; “Protect and Appreciate Doctors who Put up Their Lives on Line During this Pandemic COVID-19.” Read more
COVID-19: We’ll lock down again if cases rise – FG (DailyTrust)
The Federal Government says if there is an explosion of cases of coronavirus infections, it will be left with no choice but to ask all Nigerians to go back to their homes. Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said this in Abuja yesterday at a briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. He said initial reports on compliance with the guidelines on the implementation of the phased and gradual easing of the lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, which took effect yesterday were not too pleasing across the country He expressed concern that corporate organisations, especially banks, flouted the NCDC’s guideline for infection prevention and control. Read more
Boy, 5, steals mother’s car and plans to drive hundreds of miles (Metro)
A five-year-old boy was caught driving his mother’s car and later said he took it to go buy a Lamborghini. The boy was pulled over by the Utah Highway Patrol in Ogden. Officers initially thought he was an impaired driver and were shocked to discover it was a young boy. Even more shocking was the youngster’s intended destination – California, which is at least 800 miles away, although the boy did not specify whRamadan he was headed to. ‘Turns out it was this young man, age 5, somehow made his way up onto the freeway in his parents’ car,’ Utah Highway Patrol said in a tweet on Monday. Read more
Bored man discovers 120-year-old tunnel under his house while doing DIY in lockdown (Mirror)
A bored man who decided to do some DIY during lockdown discovered a secret 120-year-old tunnel underneath his house.
Jake Brown was doing some work at his newly bought home when he realised that one wall had different textures.
He inspected further and made an opening big enough to get his head through to take another look.
To his shock, Jake discovered there was a huge area underneath his home in Plymouth, Devon, so he opened it up to investigate. Read more
New Zealand PM: No open borders for ‘a long time’ (BBC)
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the country will not have open borders with the rest of the world for “a long time to come”.
Ms Ardern was speaking after attending part of Australia’s cabinet meeting via video link.
The meeting discussed a possible “trans-Tasman bubble”, where people could go between Australia and New Zealand freely, and without quarantine.
But she said visitors from further afield were not possible any time soon.
Both Australia and New Zealand have closed their borders to almost all foreigners as part of their Covid-19 response. Read more
Researchers predict US Covid-19 death rate will nearly double due to easing (France24)
A newly revised coronavirus mortality model predicts nearly 135,000 Americans will die from COVID-19 by early August, almost double previous projections, as social-distancing measures for quelling the pandemic are increasingly relaxed, researchers said on Monday.
The ominous new forecast from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) reflect “rising mobility in most U.S. states” with an easing of business closures and stay-at-home orders expected in 31 states by May 11, the institute said.
“We expect that the epidemic in many states will now extend through the summer,” the IHME director, Dr. Christopher Murray, said in a statement. Read more
Diners in Italy separated by plexiglass as restaurants prepare to reopen (Metro)
Italy has revealed what restaurants could look like after lockdown, with photos showing plexiglass dividers being placed in between and across tables. Authorities in the country began lifting some social distancing measures this week, with Italians now allowed to visit members of their family within their region and exercise outside. Bars and restaurants are then expected to let customers sit at tables again in June. Photos from Rome and Milan have now revealed how eateries are preparing by setting up clear screens between their guests, so that they can eat without risk of further infection from coronavirus. Read more
Colson Whitehead: Black author makes Pulitzer Prize history (BBC)
Author Colson Whitehead has won his second Pulitzer Prize for fiction
US author Colson Whitehead has become only the fourth writer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction twice.
The African-American author was honoured for The Nickel Boys, which chronicles the abuse of black boys at a juvenile reform school in Florida.
Whitehead, a 50-year-old New Yorker, won the 2017 prize in the same category for his book Underground Railroad. Read more
8 years after, Nigeria yet to immortalise Rashidi Yekini (DailyTrust)
Historic Moment: Late Rashidi Yekini celebrating Nigeria’s first ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria at the 1994 World Cup Eight years after his demise, Nigeria is yet to immortalise the legendary Rashidi Yekini who scored the country’s first ever goal at the FIFA senior World Cup. He achieved the feat at the 1994 World Cup in the United State of America when he scored the opening goal in the 3-0 defeat of Bulgaria in Super Eagles debut at the World Cup. Born on October 23, 1963 in Kaduna, Yekini who died on May 4, 2012 under controversial circumstances had 58 caps for Nigeria scoring 37 goals to emerge the country’s all time highest goalscorer. Read more
Thierry Henry explains why it was ‘easier’ to play for Arsenal than Barcelona (Metro)
Thierry Henry claims he found it ‘easier’ playing for Arsenal than Barcelona as he was given more freedom to move around the pitch alongside Dennis Bergkamp and Kanu under Arsene Wenger. The 42-year-old is widely regarded as the greatest player ever to pull on an Arsenal shirt, racking up 228 goals in 376 appearances across two spells in north London and winning two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and two Community Shields. Henry ended his first eight-year spell in the summer of 2007 to join Barcelona and the Frenchman had to quickly adapt his game to suit the styles of, firstly, Frank Rijkaard and then Pep Guardiola. Read more
Tyson Fury explains why Deontay Wilder is tougher than Anthony Joshua (Mirror)
Tyson Fury maintains that Deontay Wilder was a tougher opponent than Anthony Joshua would be.
The Gypsy King stopped the Bronze Bomber when the two faced off for a second time in Las Vegas back in February.
Fury forced Wilder’s corner to throw in the towel in the seventh round.
It was redemption for the 31-year-old with many seeing his draw against the American in December 2018 as a fight he deserved to win. Read more
Alexandre Lacazette responds to Atletico Madrid transfer speculation (Metro)
Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has denied claims he’s spoken to Antoine Griezmann and Atletico Madrid ace Koke about a move to the Wanda Metropolitano. Reports in Spain over the weekend claimed Lacazette has been in contact with compatriot Griezmann to discuss life in the Spanish capital.
Griezmann spent five years with Diego Simeone’s side before joining Barcelona and the Frenchman tried to convince Lacazette to join the club in 2017, before the La Liga giants were hit with a transfer ban. Read more
Why Nigeria needs to celebrate her athletes – Kwanta (DailyTrust)
President of Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, Nicholas Kwanta, has said Nigeria needs to celebrate her athletes in order to encourage more people to go into sports. While speaking with Daily Trust at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Monday, Kwanta lamented that many great athletes, who had made the country proud in their active time, have been forgotten. He also said the country was not keeping records of her athletes’ achievements, stressing that many achievements by Nigerian athletes have not been documented over the years. Read more
Evra reveals death threats after Suarez racism row (Guardian)
Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has said he received death threats following a racism row involving then-Liverpool forward Luis Suarez in 2011.
Uruguay striker Suarez was banned for eight matches by the English Football Association after being found guilty of misconduct for insulting comments to Evra, which included a reference to the left-back’s skin colour, at Anfield in October that year.
Liverpool, however, mounted a prolonged and public defence of Suarez’s conduct as the row between the rival clubs escalated. Read more