Suspected vandals lay pipe to steal fuel from NNPC pipeline (Punch)
A pipe constructed by suspected oil vandals to siphon fuel from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation pipeline at Aboru, Lagos State, has been uncovered.
The illegal pipe was discovered on Saturday after residents raised the alarm over leakage from the NNPC pipeline in the area.
A team comprising officials of the NNPC, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and the Lagos State Fire Service, was said to have mobilised to the spot.
The incident happened barely one week after a major leakage from the NNPC on Alhaji Moriamo Street, Satellite Town. Read more
Lockdown: Lagos Impounds 400 Vehicles (Guardian)
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, revealed that over 400 vehicles had been impounded by security agencies for flouting the stay-at-home order, aimed at curbing the spread of Coronavirus.
The governor, who revealed this after a security meeting with security agencies in Lagos, thanked the security agencies for helping to ensure order, but implored them to be compassionate in enforcing the lockdown. He said the security agencies have assured him to continue to secure residents’ lives and properties, though they would not entertain breakdown of law and order.
Sanwo-Olu maintained that his administration was committed to citizens’ welfare and that it did not envisage some of the teething problems experienced with the stimulus package programme. Read more
Death of Coronavirus Patient: Lagos begins manhunt for contacts (Vanguard)
The race to trace the contacts of a man who died of coronavirus in Lagos on Friday began yesterday. His coronavirus status was unknown because his friend who took him to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) on Thursday unconscious didn’t disclose it.
The 55-year old victim just returned from Holland.
He earlier performed a coronavirus test at Yaba, according to a statement by LUTH’s Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, which turned positive.
The statement also revealed that the victim was a diabetic hypertensive patient who had a transplant for chronic kidney disease and was on immuno-suppressant drugs. Read more
Nigeria records five new COVID-19 cases, 214 in total (Nation)
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Saturday night, reported five new cases of coronavirus in the country, taking the total number of infections to 214.
According to NCDC, “Five new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria: three in Bauchi and two in the FCT, Abuja.
As at 10:10 pm 4th April there are 214 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. Twenty-five have been discharged with two deaths”
A breakdown of cases by states show that Lagos is the epicentre for the COVID-19 in Nigeria. Cases have also been on the rise in FCT, Osun and Oyo states. 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
Akwa-Ibom Lockdown: Police officer loses rank for rights violation (Vanguard)
A police officer identified as Sgt. Edidiong Alexander attached to Safer Highway has lost his rank for violating the rights of one Dr Daniel David Edet working at the University of Uyo teaching Hospital (UUTH) while on duty.
According to a statement signed by Police Public Relations Officer CSP Fredrick Nnudam, made available to newsmen Saturday night, the erring police officer was reduced to a Corporal after being subjected to orderly room trial in line with the police Act and Regulations.
The statement reads, “Sequel to the enforcement of the directive of Akwa Ibom State Government for a total Lockdown of the state occasioned by the incident of COVID- 19, the police command swung into action and deployed all security personnel, including members of other sister security agencies to every part of the state. 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
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
A beautiful thing’: the African migrants getting healthy food to Italians (Guardian)
After years of exploitation, former fruit pickers set up a co-operative near Rome selling vegetables and yoghurt. Now they are working ‘twice as hard’ to get supplies to families under lockdown.
Ismail bends over the vegetables in the middle of the field and shouts to his co-worker – “Lorè you’re doing nothing and your back already hurts?” – as he deftly separates a head of cauliflower from its long leaves and throws it into a waiting box.
His co-workers Lorenzo and Cheikh also get up, lifting boxes packed with produce after their morning’s work. Today the sun is shining here in Italy but there is no time to pause and enjoy it. Salad and spinach picked from other fields must be washed alongside the cabbages and cauliflowers; boxes for delivery have to be readied and loaded into the van.
This is Barikama, a co-operative started in 2011 by a group of young Africans. Many of the founders took part in the Rosarno revolt, an uprising in January 2010 in which hundreds of African fruit pickers whose labour was being exploited in Italy’s citrus groves rose up in support of a workmate seriously injured in a racist attack. The rebellion broke the silence surrounding the conditions of immigrant workers in the Italian countryside. 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
After coronavirus: ‘We can’t go back to business as usual'(Guardian)
Will the coronavirus change the way we spend, shop and invest our money, long after the virus is history? Will we abandon city centre offices, with many more permanently working from home? Or will we return to all our past practices once this grim episode is over?
Guardian Money asked experts in finance, the workplace, property, food and the environment to set out what they think will emerge in the medium term.
Frances O’Grady, general secretary, TUC
‘We can’t go back to business as usual’
Right now the priority has to be fighting Covid-19. But we also have to prepare for the coming recession, and the impact it will have on working families’ jobs and living standards.
One thing is clear: even once we’re through this crisis, we can’t go back to business as usual.
Individualism, nationalism and free market economics couldn’t surmount this crisis. Instead, in an emergency, it was common purpose, collectivism and social partnership that stepped up. 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
South Africa’s ruthlessly efficient fight against coronavirus (BBC)
One week into South Africa’s nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and it is tempting – dangerously tempting – to breathe a sigh of relief.
After all, look at how much has already been achieved. More than 47,000 people have been tested, and 67 mobile testing units have been organised.
There are even drive-through testing centres. Soon the country will be able to test 30,000 people every day. To date, only five deaths from the virus have been confirmed. About 1,400 have tested positive for Covid-19.
‘Formidable leadership’
South Africa seems to have acted faster, more efficiently, and more ruthlessly than many other countries around the world. 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
Tiger King reflects our world back to us – one run by megalomaniacs and amateurs (Guardian)
I was so close to petitioning our government to include an edict in that pandemic stimulus package to force Netflix to please, for once, create some original programming that isn’t on the spectrum between mediocre to appalling. Our broken and bored populace beseeches you to perform your patriotic duty: entertain us without insulting us.
Then, out of nowhere, just when we needed it the most, with most of the American populace newly ordered to stay home, Netflix released Tiger King. What first looked like its latest entry in its the long series of impoverished whites exploitation documentaries instead turned out not to be a mere seven-hour trifle, a way to pass the time between fistfights over toilet paper in the Walgreens aisle. No, it turned out to be great art. And like much of our great art, it reflects our world back to us, reveals our hidden realities and our shameful foibles. We are the Tiger King. The Tiger King is us. Read more
Burnley warn of £50m loss due to suspension of English football (Guardian)
Burnley have underlined the dire financial consequences of the coronavirus crisis on the Premier League by announcing they stand to lose around £50m from the continued suspension of the season.
The club are one of the better-run outfits in England’s top flight and recorded a pre-tax profit for the third consecutive season for the year ending June 2019. Their wage bill of £87m represents 63% of turnover and is among the lowest in the Premier League.
In an unusual move aimed at being “transparent with supporters, staff and stakeholders”, however, Burnley have issued a statement detailing their predicted shortfall from the ongoing suspension of all football activities in England. The Premier League confirmed on Friday that the 2019-20 season “will only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so” and will only be resumed with the full support of the government. Burnley’s estimated losses of £50m, it believes, are half of what other Premier League clubs stand to lose this season. Read more
Premier League pay cut proposal would harm NHS, says PFA (BBC)
The Professional Footballers’ Association says proposals for a 30% pay cut for Premier League players would be “detrimental to our NHS”.
The PFA also called on the league to increase its own £20m charity pledge.
The government has said it is “concerned” by what it called “infighting”.
The league wants players to take a 30% salary cut in order to protect jobs, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But the union says that equates to more than £500m in wage reductions, and a loss in tax contributions of more than £200m to the UK government. 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
Kobe Bryant: NBA great inducted into Naismith Hall of Fame (BBC)
Kobe Bryant will be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The five-time NBA champion died, aged 41, in a helicopter crash in January alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
Los Angeles Lakers great Bryant retired in 2016; he was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008, was Finals MVP twice and earned 18 All-Star selections. Read more
Premier League players tarnished by taking too long to act on pay (Guardian)
Premier League players are waiting to discover when the season may restart.
Footballers have always been an easy target. They are in the public eye and the amount of money they earn is regularly splashed over the newspapers, so it surprises me that swifter action hasn’t been taken to resolve the issue over whether Premier League players should accept pay cuts or wage deferrals because of the coronavirus pandemic.
There could have been more forward thinking from clubs, players and their representatives. While I am sure that players want to help, they haven’t acted quickly enough and a lot of damage has already been done to their reputations. There is a rush to typecast footballers, to assume they’re all greedy, and they should have seen it coming, although hopefully the decision by Premier League clubs to ask for 30% wage drops will win public approval. 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