Vigilante flees after shooting hairdresser dead in Lagos (Punch)
A member of the Onyabo Vigilante Group in Ogijo, identified simply as Shina, is on the run after allegedly shooting to death a hairdresser, Aishat Adedimeji, in Odogunyan, Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Aishat’s lover, Rasheed Owamoyo, and his club members had gone to the Ola Guest House on Ita Oloja Street, Odogunyan, on Sunday when she decided to join them.
After enjoying themselves at the guest house, the club members and Aishat were said to have come out to where their vehicles were parked in front of the guest house when Shina reportedly accosted them around 7pm and allegedly shot the hairdresser in the neck. Read more
Girl nabbed for killing father’s friend remanded, OPD pledges free legal services (Guardian)
The Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) has assured the teenager (name withheld) accused of killing her father’s friend while attempting to rape her, of free and quality legal representation throughout the duration of the trial.
The 15-year-old girl and resident of Aboru in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos was yesterday arraigned before the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court presided over by Mrs. Adedayo on a one-count charge of killing one Babatunde Ishola, aged 51 on March 7, 2020, at Nwadolu Street, Aboru, by stabbing him to death with a knife, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 225 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
The presiding magistrate remanded her at the Correctional Home For Girls, Idi-Araba and subsequently adjourned the case to April 27. Read more
COVID-19: Command releases suspects in police stations, units (Punch)
Some suspects being detained in police stations and units under the Lagos State Police Command have been released due to the spread of the coronavirus disease.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had directed that suspects held for minor offences be released from police cells, while the Commissioner of Police in the state, Hakeem Odumosu, on Saturday directed all Divisional Police Officers to release minor offenders in their custody.
During a visit to the Anti-Cultism Unit in the Gbagada area of the state on Tuesday, PUNCH Metro learnt that some minor offenders had been released from custody.
A source told our correspondent that the suspects were released to their family members in order to decongest the cells, while the suspects in high profile cases were still being held.
The source said, “We are not the only unit that released suspects; even the Special Anti-robbery Squad at the command headquarters and other divisions in the state have also released suspects held for minor offences. Read more
Policeman commits suicide after killing ex-lover, husband in Imo (Guardian)
The Imo State Police Command has confirmed the suicide of a Police Inspector, Kenneth Enamika attached to 29 PMF, Awka in Anambra State, after killing his ex-lover, Oluchi Aputanze from Ozoara, Mgbidi in Oru West Local Council of Imo State, for allegedly deceiving him and marrying someone else, Cajethan Aputanze, despite his financial commitments to her.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, the incident, which occurred on Sunday, March 22, has thrown the entire community into mourning. The police inspector left a suicide note and an AK-47 rifle at the scene, indicating that he shot and killed his ex-lover, Oluchi and subsequently killed his rival, Oluchi’s husband (Cajethan) before taking his own life. Read more
Medical association laments poor salary for health workers (DailyTrust)
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said health workers in Kaduna State are currently least paid among the states in the North West geo-political zone of the country. Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, NMA State Chairman Stephen Kachi, said that was responsible for the movement of doctors out of the state. He said the state had over 400 doctors in 2017 but presently the number has reduced to little over 200 in its 33 general and rural hospitals. He said the same doctors are expected to supervise the 255 primary healthcare centres across the state. Read more
NECO postpones common entrance into unity schools indefinitely (Punch)
The National Examinations Council has announced the indefinite postponement of its 2020 National Common Entrance Examination into the 104 Federal Unity schools nationwide due to the spreading coronavirus epidemic in the country.
The council said on Tuesday that the postponement was in line with the various measures being put in place by the federal and state governments to curtail the potential spread of the coronavirus.
The council in a release urged candidates, guardians and relevant stakeholders who were preparing for the examination earlier scheduled for March 28, to wait for a new date. Read more
Coronavirus: Confirmed cases in Nigeria now 44 (Guardian)
Nigeria’s centre for disease control on Tuesday confirmed two new cases of the coronavirus in the country, bringing the total number to 44.
The two cases were located in Abuja and Bauchi State.
“2 new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: 1 in FCT and 1 in Bauchi,” NCDC said.
“The cases have travel history to Germany and the UK.”
“As at 06:25 pm on 24th March, there are 44 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria. 2 have been discharged with 1 death,” it added. Read more
Osinbajo begins social distancing, self-isolation (Vanguard)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has begun self-isolation in accordance with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols, his spokesman disclosed on Tuesday.
Mr Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the Vice President disclosed that Prof. Osinbajo has begun observing social distancing.
“VP Osinbajo yesterday at the office conducted his meetings via video conferencing while observing social distancing. Read more
COVID-19: Ethiopian Airlines delivers Jack Ma’s medical supplies to Nigeria (DailyTrust)
An Ethiopian Airlines Freighter on Tuesday landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos to deliver medical supplies from the Jack Ma Foundation. The flight landed at 3:20pm, hours after the closure of international airports by the Nigerian Government. Daily Trust reports that the government had given exemption to flights on humanitarian aids, medical and relief flights. The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, had listed the various exemptions to include “aircraft in state of emergency; overflights; alternate aerodromes identified in the flight plan (including those being used for extended diversion time operations); technical stop where passengers do not disembark; cargo flights and other safety-related operations. Read more
New York hospitals treating coronavirus patients with vitamin C (NYPost)
Seriously sick coronavirus patients in New York state’s largest hospital system are being given massive doses of vitamin C — based on promising reports that it’s helped people in hard-hit China, The Post has learned.
Dr. Andrew G. Weber, a pulmonologist and critical-care specialist affiliated with two Northwell Health facilities on Long Island, said his intensive-care patients with the coronavirus immediately receive 1,500 milligrams of intravenous vitamin C.
Identical amounts of the powerful antioxidant are then re-administered three or four times a day, he said. Read more
Astronaut’s guide to self isolation contains vital tips for all of us (Metro)
Settling in to a new regime of self-isolation isn’t going to be easy for any of us, but if there’s someone who knows what it’s going to be like it’s Commander Chris Hadfield. The Canadian astronaut spent almost five months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) thousands of miles from human civilisation and any kind of normal life. Astronauts go through extensive training on physical and mental wellbeing during their time in space. They’re confined in a very small space and only have immediate physical contact with a couple of other people. The rest of their interactions take place through phone and video conferencing. Sound familiar? Read more
Coronavirus: Only go to your job if you cannot work from home – Hancock (BBC)
People can go to work if they cannot do their work at home, the UK health secretary has said, amid confusion over the new coronavirus restrictions.
It comes after calls for clarity, including from construction workers, about Monday’s wider shutdown measures.
Matt Hancock also said Tube services should be running “in full”, after being asked about packed trains during Tuesday’s morning commute.
The number of UK deaths rose to 422 on Tuesday, a rise of 87 in one day. Read more
Fashion industry answers the call for masks and personal protective equipment to fight Covid-19 (CNN)
With stores closed, runway shows canceled and global supply chains disrupted, much of the fashion industry has been rendered idle by the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, designers, luxury labels and fashion conglomerates are all stepping up to help overcome shortages of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) in some of the hardest-hit countries.
In the US, where health officials have warned that stockpiles of medical equipment may be insufficient despite manufacturers ramping up production, some medical workers have been forced to reuse masks between patients and even make their own. Read more
Dow sees biggest jump in 80 years as Congress nears $2 trillion stimulus deal (Metro)
The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw its biggest one-day jump in over 80 years as Congress inches closer to finalizing the biggest stimulus deal in the country’s history amid the worsening coronavirus crisis.
Tuesday saw the Dow increase 2,112.98 points, more than 11%, to 20,704.91 which is the biggest single-day increase since 1993. The S&P500 rose 9.4% to 2,447.33 and the Nasdaq Composite lept 8.1% to 7,417.86. Both the Dow and S&P500 were at their lowest point since late 2016 on Monday. Read more
Facebook video calls soar 1000% during Italy’s lockdown (BBC)
Facebook has seen usage across its platforms surge in countries that have brought in virus lockdowns.
Italy – with some of the toughest restrictions – has seen the biggest rise, with group video calls rocketing by more than 1000% in the last month.
The social media giant said total messaging traffic on all its platforms had increased 50% on average across the hardest hit countries.
Facebook owns Instagram along with popular messaging app WhatsApp.
But the company said the higher usage won’t protect it from expected falls in digital advertising across the world. Read more
Divorce rates jumping in corona-quarantined couples (PageSix)
Divorce filings are skyrocketing from quarantine-weary and financially stressed couples, according to top matrimonial attorneys, who are experiencing a 50 per cent rise in inquiries from potential clients.
According to leading Manhattan family-law experts, some couples forced to spend time together while quarantined in cramped apartments or even in palatial pads haven’t fared well during the coronavirus outbreak.
Making matters worse, dramatic sways in the financial markets will further spur a wave of wealthy divorces, because richer spouses may decide they want out while their net worth dips — potentially helping them avoid larger settlements, legal experts say. Read more
Here’s why the coronavirus may be killing more men than women (CNN)
Smoking, drinking, general poor health: Researchers say these are some of the factors that could explain why more men seem to be dying from coronavirus than women.
In countries such as Italy, men represent nearly 60% of people who tested positive for the virus and more than 70% of those who have died, according to the country’s National Health Institute (ISS). Even in countries like South Korea, where the proportion of women who have tested positive for the virus is higher than that of men, about 54% of the reported deaths are among men.Read more
Enyimba rally support for kidnapped Ojo’s family, plead for caution (Guardian)
Enyimba Football Club of Aba has called on Nigerians to pray for the release of their player, Ekundayo Ojo, and Abia Comets’ Benjamin Iluyomade, who was kidnapped on Sunday in Ipele town on the Benin-Akure Expressway, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The players were going on a Covid-19 forced vacation following the suspension of all football matters by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The kidnappers on Monday demanded N20 million ransom for the release of the players, who were former players of the Sunshine Stars FC of Akure.
An Enyimba source told The Guardian yesterday that the club was in touch with the family, adding that it was a sensitive matter that should not be subject to media discourse. Read more
Johanna Konta remains ‘hopeful’ Wimbledon will go ahead amid coronavirus crisis (Metro)
Johanna Konta remains ‘hopeful’ that Wimbledon can go ahead as planned but admitted she won’t look ‘too far ahead’ amid uncertainty on how the coronavirus crisis will effect the tennis world. There will be no tennis until June 8 at the earliest, with Wimbledon scheduled to start 21 days later. As it stands All England Club chiefs are planning for The Championships to run as planned, but it’s far from guaranteed the grass-court Grand Slam will take place. Read more
Fabregas blames former Arsenal teammates for Barcelona transfer (Guardian)
CESC Fabregas felt he had to leave Arsenal and return to Barcelona sooner than planned because most of the players weren’t at ‘his level,’ reports metro.co.uk.
The former Chelsea midfielder felt that only Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri were operating at the same level ‘mentally and technically’ and he grew frustrated by other players who didn’t have the same commitment or quality.
Fabregas, who now plays for Monaco, was club captain when he departed the Emirates in 2011 and admitted he was ‘suffering’ during his final years under Arsene Wenger. Read more
Pep Guardiola: Manchester City manager donates 1m euros to fight coronavirus (BBC)
Between August 2008 and May 2012 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has donated 1m euros (£920,000) to fight the coronavirus outbreak in Spain.
Guardiola, who is at his home in Barcelona, has been working with his lawyers over the past few days to work out the best way of using the money.
It will go to a campaign being promoted by the Medical College of Barcelona and the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation.
Spain is one of the worst affected countries in Europe.
Official figures on Tuesday showed that 2,696 people had died in the country and close to 40,000 are infected. Read more
Adebayor stuck in quarantine in Benin (Punch)
Former Manchester City, Real Madrid and Togo international forward Emmanuel Adebayor is stuck in quarantine in Benin over the coronavirus pandemic, his Paraguayan club Olimpia said on social media.
The 36-year-old “took the decision to return to his country for the duration of the quarantine period declared by the government” of Paraguay, said Olimpia late on Monday.
However, in trying to return home, he was put in quarantine in a hotel in the port of Cotonou, the largest city in Benin, alongside another 84 travelers, Olimpia said. Read more
Reggie Bullock overcame tragedy to become key Knicks veteran (NYPost)
Knicks swingman Reggie Bullock has faced a heap of turbulence since last summer.
First, Bullock learned he needed spinal fusion surgery in July after signing with the Knicks as a free agent. The neck procedure cost him millions on his contract and the season’s first 2 ½ months.
During his rehab in October, his sister, Keiosha Moore, was murdered in Baltimore. It was the second sister he had lost to Baltimore’s rough-and-tumble streets in five years. Read more
NBBF lauds IOC on 2020 Tokyo Olympics postponement (DailyTrust)
President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Musa Kida The president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Engineer Musa Kida has commended the International Olympics Committee’s decision to postpone the Tokyo Summer Olympics for another one year as the world battles to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The president who saluted the IOC for taking such a bold but difficult decision said it was done for the good and safety of the world. “Postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is the right step taken at such a critical time because as the saying goes, nothing is worth human life. We know this decision will come at an additional cost to sponsors, vendors, the government of Japan, participating countries and their athletes, but it is a necessary step.” Read more
Aston Villa goalkeeper Reina says he showed symptoms of coronavirus (Vanguard)
Aston Villa goalkeeper Pepe Reina has said he believes he has been suffering from the new coronavirus.
Reina, who joined Villa on loan from AC Milan in January, was unable to take a test but says doctors considered his symptoms to be consistent with COVID-19.
“They don’t give you a test here unless you’re feeling really ill,” Reina told Spanish radio station Cope on Tuesday.
“I spoke with doctors and the symptoms I had were consistent with this (the virus) but there was no official confirmation. Read more