Residents allegedly kill, dump bodies of three robbery suspects in Lagos canal (Vanguard)
Aggrieved residents allegedly killed three suspected members of a robbery gang who invaded Igando community, a Lagos suburb, Tuesday.
The suspects according to residents were members of the ‘One Million Boys’ terror gang, who had earlier written a letter on their unprecedented visit, warning residents to keep cash for them or have their wrists chopped off.
When Vanguard arrived at the community by 12 noon Tuesday, the corpses were found floating on a canal by the link bridge between Igando/Abaranje.
Residents told Vanguard that since the lockdown, terror gangs had threatened to attack communities in Igando, thereby forcing them to form vigilante group. Read more
COVID-19: Lagos Govt inaugurates Landmark Isolation Centre (Nation)
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, inaugurated a 70-bed COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment Center located within the premises of Landmark Exhibition Centre in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 70-bed Eti-Osa Isolation Centre was constructed by the Young President Organisation (YPO), Lagos State Chapter.
The centre has a ten-bed intensive care isolation unit, four ventilators, monitors, respirators, mobile x-ray, ultrasound and oxygen equipment.
Sanwo-Olu, at the unveiling, said the facility would provide additional capacity to support the already existing isolation facilities in the state. Read more
COVID-19: Polish, eight other patients recover in Lagos (Punch)
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said nine patients have been discharged from the state’s isolation centre.
He made this known via his Twitter handle on Wednesday.
According to him, a polish is one of those that recovered.
He tweeted, “The cheering news is that 9 more fully recovered #COVID19Lagos patients; 5 females and 4 males including a foreign national; of Poland have been discharged after testing negative to further #COVID19 screening.
“The total number of #COVID-19 discharged cases in Lagos now stands at 107.”
The commissioner also confirmed that five cases have been transferred to Ogun State. Read more
Moments after recovery, El-Rufai resumes duty (DailyTrust)
Shortly after he announced that he has been cleared free of COVID-19, Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufa kicked off the daily meeting of the State Standing Committee on COVID-19 which during his isolation was chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe.
El-Rufai according to his Twitter handle stated that he will also be heading off to a meeting with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum after the State Standing Committee meeting on COVID-19.
The Governor had tweeted earlier Wednesday afternoon that after nearly four weeks of observing a strict medical regime, he has now received the all-clear from the disease after two consecutive negative test results. Read more
If you have the pen, we have the koboko, Gov. Umahi threatens journalists (DailyTrust)
The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, on Wednesday claimed that the state has the koboko (cane) to flog any member of the correspondents’ Chapel wing of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi state that publishes negative story against the state.
The governor’s declaration came after he placed a life ban on two members of the Chapel, Mr. Chijoke Agwu of the Daily Sun and Mr. Peter Okutu of the Vanguard Newspapers.
The ban forbids the duo from entering the government house and covering state functions. Read more
North Nigeria packs up child beggars over virus fears (Guardian)
Hundreds of boys have their names and temperatures checked as they wait to board buses in a northern Nigeria’s city to transport them back to their villages.
The children are pupils of controversial Islamic schools who would usually be found begging in the streets of Kano for small change.
Now, they are the first batch in a programme that seeks to curb the spread of coronavirus by clearing some 250,000 children from the city’s streets and squalid seminaries.
“For now we have a total of 1,595 children which we are going to evacuate,” Muhammad Sanusi Kiru, Kano’s education commissioner, told AFP as the first buses readied to leave Tuesday. Read more
Two policemen killed at Atiku’s factory in Adamawa (Punch)
Two police officers have been killed in Adamawa State.
The officers, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Gbenga, and an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Yohanna, were said to have been killed while at RicoGado, an animal feeds factory, belonging to Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.
They were said to have been killed by a gunman when they went to inspect a place for posting security operatives at RicoGado.
A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he believed the officers were set up and killed. Read more
Lebanese advertises Nigerian woman for sale on Facebook (Punch)
Nigerians have expressed anger at a Lebanese, identified as Wael Jerro, after he advertised a woman for sale on the social media.
Jerro, who resides in Beirut, Lebanon, put up the passport of the victim, Busari Peace, on a Facebook group, ‘Buy and Sell in Lebanon.’
The user wrote in Arabic, “Domestic worker from Nigeria for sale with new legal documents. She’s 30 years old, she’s very active and very clean. Price: $1,000.”
The passport, which she acquired in May 2018, indicated that she hails from Ibadan, Oyo State. Read more
Lebanese questioned man for Facebook post advertising sale of Nigerian (Guardian)
Lebanese authorities have questioned Wael Jerro for his Facebook post advertising sale of a Nigerian lady.
Jerro in a Facebook post tagged a Facebook marketplace – Buy & Sell In Lebanon (Original) الأصلي – with a Nigerian international passport belonging to one Peace Ufuoma, born on May 19, 1988.
The passport was issued in Ibadan May 23, 2018, and will expire on May 22, 2023.
“Domestic worker from Nigeria for sale with new legal documents. She’s 30 years old, she’s very active and very clean. Price: $1,000,” Jerro wrote on Facebook.
The information was translated into English from Arabic by Renee Abisaad, who first shared the news on her Instagram page. Read more
Dagrin: An unforgettable indigenous rap star (Guardian)
Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun but better known as Dagrin, he was an award-winning Nigerian rapper from Ogun, Nigeria.
The late rapper attended Meiran community primary school, Roseille Nursery and Primary School, Meiran Community high school and Egbado College.
His style of rapping incorporated Yoruba, English and Pidgin English for which he gained prominence before his tragic death on 22 April 2010. The accident that claimed his life happened in the early hours of April 14, 2010. His car collided with a stationary trailer (heavy-duty vehicle) in front of Alakara Police Station, off Agege Motor Road, Mushin, Lagos. His car, Nissan Maxima, was a 2008 model and carried the number plate, DAGRIN 03. He was 22 years old when he died in a car accident. His father’s speech at the candlelight ceremony was the rap he did to the song he was featured in by YQ, titled: ‘Efimile’
He left a legacy that continues to make him a celebrated person. In 2010 he was nominated for the Nigerian Entertainment Awards for Best Album (C.E.O.), Hottest Single “Pon Pon Pon”, Best Rap Act and Best Collaboration with vocals. His album C.E.O. (Chief executive Omota English: Chief Executive Gangster) won the Hip hop World Award 2010 for Best Rap Album. From it came the singles “Pon Pon Pon”, and “Kondo”. Dagrin worked with other Nigerian artists such as Y.Q, 9ice, M.I, Iceberg Slim, Omobaba, Terry G, Code, MISTAR DOLLAR, TMD entertainment, Omowumi, Chuddy K, Bigiano, and Konga. He associated with music producers like Sossick, Dr Frabz, Sheyman, Frenzy and 02. Read more
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards ‘successfully launch military satellite’ (BBC)
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has successfully launched a military satellite into orbit for the first time.
The satellite, named Nur (“Light”), reached an orbit of 425km (264 miles) after being carried by a three-stage Qased launcher, a statement said.
Iran has attempted several launches in the past year that have failed.
If the success of Wednesday’s launch is verified, it seems likely to add to the tensions between Iran and the US. Read more
Trump tells Navy to ‘destroy Iranian gunboats’ if they harass US ships (EveningStandard)
Donald Trump has instructed the US Navy to shoot down and destroy Iranian gunboats “if they harass our ships at sea”.
A U.S. Navy video last week showed small Iranian fast boats coming close to American warships as they operated in the northern Persian Gulf near Kuwait, with U.S. Army Apache helicopters.
On Sunday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard acknowledged it had a tense encounter with U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf, but alleged without offering evidence that American forces sparked the incident. Read more
Coronavirus: First US deaths weeks earlier than thought (BBC)
An autopsy in California has revealed that the first US coronavirus-related death came weeks earlier than previously thought.
The first previously known death in the US was in Seattle on 26 February and the first in California on 4 March.
New information from a Santa Clara county coroner changes that timeline.
Autopsies on two people who died on 6 February and 17 February show they died with Covid-19. Read more
Coronavirus: Dogs being trained to find passengers with COVID-19 at UK airports (SkyNews)
The Medical Detection Dogs charity says it hopes the dogs will be able to let medics know if a person needs to be tested or not.
Why you can trust Sky News
Dogs are being trained to detect coronavirus in passengers arriving at UK airports.
Canines at the Medical Detection Dogs charity have previously been used to find cancer, Parkinson’s disease and malaria and will receive similar training in order to help during the pandemic.
The organisation’s founder believes the animals could detect COVID-19 in asymptomatic travellers arriving in the UL when lockdown measures are relaxed.
Most international flights are grounded at the moment
The charity is working in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Durham University. Read more
Coronavirus: Germany’s states make face masks compulsory (BBC)
Some states will require face masks while shopping, but others will not
All of Germany’s states have announced plans to make face masks compulsory to combat the spread of coronavirus.
Bremen became the final federal region to back the measures, with its senate set to confirm the decision on Friday.
Mask use will be compulsory on public transport throughout Germany, and nearly all states will also make face coverings mandatory when shopping. Read more
The underpaid foreign doctors battling France’s Covid-19 crisis (France24)
Non-European doctors have become indispensable for France as the country’s healthcare system struggles to deal with the coronavirus crisis. But with foreign university degrees, they are not seen as equals to their French counterparts, and are often both paid and respected less. Nesrine Mahfoudhi works in a Covid-19 unit in a French hospital. Like all of her coworkers, she has had to cope with the unprecedented spike in patients due to the coronavirus. But one thing sets her apart: she earned her medical degree outside the EU, meaning she does not have the same professional status as European doctors.
“We work more than our French co-workers, out of necessity. We’re paid less than them. My head of service trusts me. He’s considered me as a real doctor since I started working here. So I don’t see why the French government doesn’t consider us as doctors as well,” she says. Read more
Why Demi Moore, Bruce Willis are quarantining together (PageSix)
Scout Willis has revealed what led Demi Moore and Bruce Willis to quarantine together in Idaho with their children while Willis’ wife, Emma Heming, has remained in Los Angeles.
“My stepmom was going to come up here, too, with my little sisters,” Scout, 28, explained during a recent episode of the “Dopey” podcast. “[But] my younger sister, who is now actually 7 years old … had never gotten a talk about not f–king with hypodermic needles that she found [at a park], so she actually tried to poke her shoe with it and poked her foot.”
“So my stepmom had to be in L.A. waiting to, like, get the results for taking her to the doctor,” Scout noted, “so my dad came up here early and then travel got crazy so my stepmom stayed in L.A. with my little sisters.” Read more
COVID-19: Abd’Allah backs Plateau United for NPFL title (Nation)
COACH of Wikki Tourists Usman Abd’Allah said there should not be any qualm should Plateau United be awarded the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title if the 2019/2020 season is inconclusive due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Plateau United were on top of the table when the NPFL matches were suspended after MatchDay 25 and Abd’Allah said the organisers of the league (League Management Company) can apply the ‘doctrine of necessity ‘ to determine the season’s champions.
“Coronavirus has made so many things difficult and not only football,” Abd’Allah, a graduate of football coaching and management from Le CREPS de Montpellier in France, told NationSport. Read more
Eliud Kipchoge: The humble home life in rural Kenya behind remarkable athletic success (BBC)
In the lush green gardens of Eliud Kipchoge’s training retreat in the Kenyan highlands, the greatest distance runner of all time is describing the dusty beginnings to his sparkling career.
Growing up, running for Kipchoge was functional. Schoolchildren in Kenya often run long distances without thinking anything about it, and he would run to school and back every day, also repeating the journey at lunch.
“You don’t know you are running because it is a must,” says Kipchoge.
But in 2002 at the age of 18 his life was changed forever when his now-coach Patrick Sang offered him a training plan to channel his obvious talent. The only problem? He didn’t have a pen. Read more
Klopp says Liverpool are not finished article (Guardian)
Jurgen Klopp believes there is still room for improvement from Liverpool despite their incredible Premier League campaign, which is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Reds were 25 points clear of second-placed Manchester City and on the verge of their first top-flight title since 1990 when football was halted last month.
But Klopp said Liverpool, who won the Champions League last year and have only lost one Premier League match all season, could get even better. Read more
‘Merge tennis’ governing bodies,’ says Roger Federer (BBC)
Roger Federer says “now is the time” for the men’s and women’s governing bodies to merge while tennis is in limbo because of the coronavirus.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion floated the idea in a series of Twitter posts.
He said merger of the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) “probably should have happened”. Read more
Barcelona look for stadium sponsor to fight coronavirus (Vanguard)
La Liga champions Barcelona are searching for a stadium sponsor for the first time to raise funds in the fight against the novel coronavirus, the club said in a statement on Tuesday.
Barcelona said the club’s foundation would manage the bid for the naming rights of the 99,000 capacity Camp Nou stadium for the 2020/21 stadium.
“The income generated will create a fund that will be divided in the following way: a part will be destined for a project on COVID-19 driven by the sponsors… and the rest will be shared out amongst other projects that are being developed in parallel,” the statement said. Read more
Joshua only boxer that can beat Fury, says Haye (Guardian)
If anyone can beat Tyson Fury it’s Anthony Joshua, according to David Haye, reports ringnews24.com.
Joshua retained his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight championships with a revenge win over Andy Ruiz Jr in December, while Fury claimed the WBC title with a dominant seventh-round stoppage of old rival Deontay Wilder in February.
Last week Joshua said that a fight with Fury was necessary to determine the true number one heavyweight on the planet. Read more
Tokyo 2020 organising committee member contracts coronavirus (Nation)
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee said on Wednesday a member of the organisation has tested positive for the new Coronavirus.
A man in his 30s who works at the committee’s headquarters had tested positive on Tuesday and had been placed in quarantine at his home, it added.
“The organising committee has identified those who have had close contact with the patient and entered them in home isolation from today, while the floor where the individual worked will be closed off and disinfected,” the committee said in a statement. Read more