Presidency explains how returned $311m Abacha loot‘ll be spent

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The Presidency yesterday explained that the returned $311million, which was part of the money allegedly stolen by the late former Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha, has been allocated for infrastructure development in the country. It also said that part of the returned loot in 2019 was being used for grain grants and free school feeding programmes, adding that without the   returned Abacha funds, the fight against COVID-19 would be even tougher. The Presidency specifically said the recently returned funds had already been allocated for vital and decades-overdue infrastructure development,…

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Coronavirus: Patients hit the streets in Gombe, protest ‘hunger in isolation’

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At the Federal Teaching Hospital in Gombe yesterday some COVID-19 patients staged a protest, destroying some equipment in their ward. The patients, who were under quarantine, were said to have complained of ill-treatment. A security source said that after 30 minutes, some officials in the hospital pacified them, promising that there would be improvement in their welfare. It was gathered that while the protest at the hospital was ongoing, some COVID-19 patients at Kwadon Isolation Centre in Yamaltu Deba local government area of Gombe, took to the streets, also lamenting…

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COVID-19: Nigeria records 148 new cases, total infections now 2950

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148 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been recorded by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday in the country, bringing the total number of infections in Nigeria to 2950. The NCDC also said that six new patients had been confirmed dead to the virus in the country, bringing the total number of deaths to 98. The agency on its confirmed twitter handle on Tuesday night said that the 148 new cases were recorded from 16 states. “43-Lagos, 32-Kano, 14-Zamfara, 10-FCT, 9-Katsina, 7-Taraba, 6 each in Borno and Ogun, 5-Oyo,…

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Covid-19: Goat And Paw Paw Test Positive In Tanzania

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John Magufuli, Tanzania’s President has dismissed the coronavirus test kits after they had returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw. During an event in Chato in the north west of Tanzania, Magufuli said the kits had “technical errors”. The president said he had instructed Tanzanian security forces to check the quality of the kits. They had randomly obtained several non-human samples, including from a pawpaw, a goat and a sheep, but had assigned them human names and ages. These samples were then submitted to Tanzania’s…

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COVID-19: Oyakhilome berates Christian leaders for supporting church closure

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Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, President of the LoveWorld Incorporated, aka Christ Embassy, has berated some church leaders for agreeing to shut down their churches without asking government for time to pray and consult with their congregation. He said such leaders were not true Christians and it was the reason the country did not “see the hand of God.” Oyakhilome also questioned why COVID-19 patients were shut out from churches, saying the House of God should be a place of healing. The cleric, who spoke to his members, said the government would…

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It’s a ruse! Access Bank denies plan to sack staff, close branches

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  The viral campaign on social media that Access Bank Plc is set to sack 75 per cent of its workforce and as well close over 300 branches, has been denied by the Bank. The bank denied this in a statement signed by Mr Sunday Ekwochi, its Company Secretary, posted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) website. It said the closure of a bank branch was an action that required the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). According to the bank, it has not applied for nor obtained…

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Gbajabiamila defends NCDC Bill, bars Reps with COVID-19 contact

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Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has asked members to stay away from chamber if they have had close contact with COVID-19 patients or suspected cases. Gbajabiamila issued the warning at the close of plenary on Tuesday. He pleaded with the lawmakers not sure of their health status to go into self-isolation for 14 days. He said, “Honourable colleagues, I have a special announcement. Please, it is an appeal to the leadership and all members, including myself, deputy speaker, leaders, whips, all members. If there’s anybody that has…

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NBS report says 82.9 million Nigerians live in poverty

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40.1 per cent of the country’s population live in poverty, the National Bureau of Statistics has revealed . The NBS, in the executive summary of the 2019 poverty and inequality report released on Monday, said over 82.9 million Nigerians lived below its poverty line of N137,430 per year. The bureau said between September 2018 and October 2019, it conducted the latest round of the Nigerian Living Standards Survey after 10 years. The NLSS is the official survey that is the basis for measuring poverty and living standards. The NBS said,…

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PTF to Nigerians: Prepare for fresh total lockdown if COVID-19 cases rise

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The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, on Monday, decried the nationwide non-compliance with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19’s guidelines for gradual reopening of the economy. Ihekweazu who stated this during the task force press briefing in Abuja,  warned that President Muhammadu Buhari, could restore the lockdown if the guidelines were not observed and there was a surge in coronavirus cases. The President had, on March 30,  imposed a two-week lockdown on the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states, but at the…

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CBN moves to stop mass sacking in banks

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The Central Bank of Nigeria |(CBN) as said that no bank worker, whether permanent or temporary, will be sacked due to the economic slump occasioned by the current coronavirus pandemic. The CBN and the Bankers ‘ Committee revealed this after their meeting. This came amid earlier warning by the Federal Government to employers against sacking workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee’s decision followed a “Special Meeting,” held on Saturday, which was taken to “help minimise and mitigate the negative impact of the COVID19 pandemic on families and livelihoods.”…

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