UNILAG boosts fight against COVID-19, donates hand sanitizers to LUTH (Guardian)
As part of its support to the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has donated hand sanitizers to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, represented by the Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Prof. Glory Ajayi, who led other management team of the Faculty, said the gesture by the University is to identify with LUTH and by extension, Lagos State and the nation in support of the fight against the pandemic, and for use by the frontline ‘warriors’ in the hospital healthcare team and other staff members caring for patients.
Receiving the donation, Chief Medical Director, Prof. Chris Bode on behalf of the management of LUTH, commended the team, and said the hospital is committed to tackling the pandemic alongside the federal government. He stated that knowledge is key to unlocking fear, adding that there was fear in the hospital community initially. Read more
Man, 34, defiles neighbour’s one-year-old child in Lagos (Punch)
The police in Lagos have arrested a 34-year-old man, Kehinde Frederick, for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s daughter in the Ikorodu area of the state.
It was learnt that the victim’s mother had left the one-year-old child and her two siblings, aged 11 and 12, at home while she went to a farm on Wednesday.
Frederick reportedly entered their room when the woman was away, and asked the siblings to close their eyes while he inserted his finger into the little girl’s private parts.
City Round gathered that the mother of the child returned home and met her crying. Upon enquiry, the victim’s elder sisters reportedly told her that Fredrick molested their sister. Read more
Lockdown in Lagos, Abuja, others still on, says FG (Guardian)
Contrary to expectations that it might have relaxed the restrictions, the Federal Government yesterday announced that the lockdown of some states, including Lagos and Abuja, as earlier proclaimed by President Muhammadu Buhari, continues.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, who spoke in Abuja yesterday, said government was working on incentives, medical and life insurance for medical workers in the frontline of the fight against the pandemic… Read more
Lockdown suspension by states dangerous – Experts (DailyTrust) Medical experts have decried the relaxation of ban on gatherings and movement restriction to allow Easter celebration by some states in the country and called for an extension of the lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states.
They said reviewing the restriction could be dangerous as the country has not started witnessing a “downward trend” in the spread of the virus. But some residents and business owners in the Federal Capital Territory have expressed concern on the likelihood of extending the current partial lockdown of the city. Read more
Robbers attack policemen at checkpoints, snatch AK-47 rifles (Punch)
A six-man robbery gang has attacked two police checkpoints in Enugu State, snatching Ak-47 rifles from some policemen manning the spots.
The robbers, who were operating in a tricycle otherwise known as ‘keke’, reportedly stabbed three policemen and burnt a patrol vehicle.
City Round gathered that the incident took place along Enugu-Nsukka Road by Ugwuojo Nike on Tuesday, during the enforcement of the partial lockdown in the state to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic. Read more
Gbajabiamila expresses displeasure over inhuman treatment meted out on some Nigerians by Chinese authorities (Vanguard)
The leadership of the House of Representatives has expressed displeasure over the inhuman treatment meted out on some Nigerians by the Chinese authorities in Beijing.
The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila expressed the displeasure at a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian on Friday in Abuja.
Gbajabiamila said that the inhuman treatment on Nigerians in China must be addressed forthwith.
The speaker confronted the Ambassador with the protest video of the incidence where a Nigerian was seen challenging Chinese officials over the maltreatment. Read more
Governors adopt new system to distribute palliatives (Guardian)
Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has resolved to adopt a new data to strengthen the distribution of palliatives and support from various organisations and persons.
NGF disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday by its chairman, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State at the end of the forum’s third COVID-19 teleconference. According to Fayemi, the adoption followed an update from the Chief Transformation Officer, MTN Nigeria, Olubayo Adekanmi, on ongoing work with the NGF Secretariat to estimate the vulnerability profile of all states based on their populations, age risk, international travel profile, population density and state contiguity, epidemiological metrics and spending patterns. Read more
COVID-19: FG may extend lockdown as cases rise to 305 (Punch)
There are strong indications that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), may extend the lockdown order in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory.
This came after the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, spoke at Friday’s edition of the committee’s daily media briefing.
The PTF had earlier in the day met with the President at the Aso Rock Villa.
Buhari had, on March 29, ordered the lockdown for an initial period of 14 days to tackle the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
COVID-19: The story of Nigerians under lockdown in foreign countries (DailyTrust)
When local authorities in Wuhan first announced the coronavirus outbreak in January, Mrs Edo Lilian Chioma, a Nigerian entrepreneur, panicked not just because she is resident in China’s COVID-19 hotspot, but also because she was alone in an environment where there are not too many of her compatriots or foreign nationals. Nigerians in locked down foreign lands share their experiences. “It hasn’t been easy I must confess. The lockdown has a way of draining one psychologically, emotionally, physically and especially at the thought that one may be infected at any little weakness experienced, whether related to the symptoms of flu or not,” Mrs Edo Lilian Chioma recounted in her tales of life in ‘solitary confinement’. Read more
One in 10 health workers catching coronavirus, WHO says (Metro)
One in 10 health workers are catching coronavirus in some countries, according to the World Health Organisation. Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: ‘We are particularly concerned with the large number of infections reported among health workers. ‘In some countries there are reports of up to 10 per cent of health workers being infected. ‘This is an alarming trend. When health workers are at risk, we are all at risk.’ Read more
Rights groups deplore conditions in Kenya COVID quarantine facilities (VOA)
Kenyan authorities faced a backlash this week after extending by two weeks a mandatory quarantine for people held in centers where coronavirus has been detected.
Kenya has quarantined hundreds of arrivals since March to try to curb the spread of COVID-19. As of Friday, the country had recorded 189 cases of the disease and seven deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
Rights groups say the government is treating those held in quarantine like prisoners, but health authorities say the tough measures are needed to prevent the virus from spreading unchecked. Read more
Apple and Google team up to contact trace Covid-19 (BBC)
Apple and Google are jointly developing technology to alert people if they have recently come into contact with others found to be infected with coronavirus.
They hope to initially help third-party contact-tracing apps run efficiently.
But ultimately, they aim to do away with the need to download dedicated apps, to encourage the practice.
The two companies believe their approach – designed to keep users, whose participation would be voluntary, anonymous – addresses privacy concerns. Read more
Family given 80-year-old woman’s body instead of 21-year-old man (Metro)
A hospital in China has apologised after a mix-up in the morgue saw two grieving families given the wrong bodies. The error was discovered when one of the families who thought they had been handed the body of their 21-year-old male relative instead found the corpse of an 80-year-old woman. The old woman’s family had come to claim her body two weeks earlier but were apparently unaware the body they had buried belonged to a young man. Read more
Americans join coronavirus lawsuit to make China Pay (VOA)
In less than a month, more than 5,000 Americans have joined a class-action lawsuit in Florida seeking reparations from the Chinese government for COVID-19 damages. The plaintiffs claim to have suffered huge losses due to Beijing’s negligence in containing the virus. Similar class-action lawsuits also were filed in Nevada and Texas.
“Our lawsuit addresses those who have been physically injured from exposure to the virus … it also addresses the commercial activity China has engaged in around the “wet markets” trade,” Berman Law Group, which filed the Florida suit, told VOA. Read more
Harvey Weinstein charged with new count of sexual assault (Metro)
Harvey Weinstein has been charged with new counts of sexual assault, according to prosecutors in LA.
The disgraced Hollywood producer was found guilty of rape and sexual act charges in New York in February, later sentenced to 23-years behind bars. He was due to be extradited to LA, to face other charges stemming from two incidents in February, 2013 – including one count of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration by force. Read more
Rihanna gives $2m to domestic-abuse victims in quarantine (DailyBeast)
Many celebrities have been criticised for speaking fine words but taking little action to help the less fortunate during the coronavirus pandemic. However, Rihanna is letting her money do the talking.
The pop star has announced that, together with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, she’s making a donation of $2.1 million to the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles to help domestic-abuse victims in the city.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dorsey is donating the same amount, and the total of $4.2 million will be enough to provide at least 90 people with safe and secure housing and financial support for a period of 10 weeks. Read more
LMC will support Martins’ burial, says Dikko (Guardian)
The Chairman Nigeria League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko says the body would offer support to Nasarawa FC for the burial of late defender, Chineme Martins. He will be laid to rest on April 18.
Dikko stated that the LMC was in close contact with Nasarawa FC for the burial arrangements, saying that the club had been discussing with Martins family. He assured that all hands would be on deck in making sure the late footballer is given a successful burial.
“LMC is in communication with Nasarawa United on Martins’ burial arrangement. Any programme that is lined up for the players by his family is well accepted. If they wish to hold a private burial for their son or otherwise, it is welcomed by the LMC. We are not happy on the players death and we will continue to sympathise with Martins’ family at this period of mourning. Read more
NPFL players assured of full salaries despite COVID-19 pandemic (DailyTrust)
Players in the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, can heave a sigh of relief, at least for now as their employers have dispelled speculations on plans to slash their salaries. Following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, almost all football clubs in Europe have since embarked on a pay cut for their players and officials in order to survive the devastating blows of COVID-19. Read more
‘No offer on the table yet’ for Ighalo (Guardian)
Odion Ighalo has revealed that he has yet to receive an offer from Manchester United over a permanent deal.
The striker joined United on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January, with the temporary deal set to expire at the end of June.
Despite having fared rather well so far – he has scored four goals in eight appearances for United – Ighalo is uncertain where he will be playing next season. Read more
Tim Henman: Andy Murray ‘will be pretty frustrated’ as coronavirus delays comeback and calls off Wimbledon (Metro)
Tim Henman says Andy Murray will ‘be pretty frustrated’ that the tennis season has been shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic, as he closed in on his latest injury comeback. Murray was targeting a return to competitive action at the Miami Open, which was scheduled to run from March 25 to April 5 before the Covid-19 crisis took a hold of the world. Both the clay-court season, which traditionally runs from early April until early June, and the British grass-court summer – including Wimbledon – have been wiped out by the virus along with the vast majority of sporting events around the globe. Read more
Coronavirus: ‘English football should not restart until players tested’ (BBC)
The football season in England should only resume once all players have been tested for coronavirus, says the chief executive of the League Managers’ Association (LMA).
But Richard Bevan told BBC Sport “tests must be made available first” to NHS workers and patients.
“Once that’s happened, by all means let’s access it in sport,” he added.
Professional football has been postponed indefinitely because of the pandemic. Read more
Philippe Coutinho’s agent speaks out on Chelsea transfer target’s future (Metro)
Philippe Coutinho’s agent Kia Joorabchian insists his Arsenal allegiances will play no part in determining the Brazil international’s future.
The former Liverpool star joined Barcelona from Liverpool in a staggering £140million deal in January 2018 but he failed to live up to expectations and has found consistency equally hard to come by during his current loan spell at Bayern Munich. Read more
Day ‘unknown’ Mba made Drogba cry like a baby (Guardian)
Every major sporting tournament comes with its defining moment for men and women who shape history for good or bad. Though he had a brief playing stint with the Super Eagles, many African football fans still remember the impact of Sunday Mba, particularly during the 2013 African Cup of Nations held in South Africa. The midfielder contributed so much to the Super Eagles clinching the trophy for the third time in history.
At South Africa 2013, Mba shone, scoring two important goals, a heart breaker against the star-studded Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in the quarterfinal and the match-winner against the Stallions of Burkina Faso in the epic final. Read more