COVID-19 : 34 new cases in Oyo State, 9 patients discharged

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State revealed that while 9 patients who have tested negative for the coronavirus disease have been discharged, 34 new cases have been confirmed. He made this known on his twitter handle on Saturday night.

Makinde said the development had brought the number of discharged cases in the state to 58.

The state, however, recorded 34 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total number in the state to 233.

According to the latest figures released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Saturday night, the 34 cases in Oyo were among the new 265 recorded in 13 states.

Makinde had clarified that 27 out of the new confirmed cases were from iSON Xperiences, a company located in Dugbe area of Ibadan.

The governor urged residents with any symptom of COVID-19 such as cough, fever, tiredness, body ache and shortness of breath to call the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) numbers.

The EOC numbers are 08095394000, 08095863000, 08078288999 and 08078288800.

May D opens up about how he was used by PSquare

In the wake of Cynthia Morgan's tell all about how she lost everything to Jude Okoye's record label as a result of a contract that she signed, May D has also spilled the beans on what he passed through in the hands of the Okoyes.

In series of tweets he shared, the singer slammed those who accused him of being ungrateful. He also claimed that he never got paid for all he did for the music group. May D also revealed that he never had a bank account while with Square Records which was owned by Psquare. He also revealed that he was made to share a room with their driver and cook even though their twin duplex was empty.

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COVID-19 : Lagos enlists 600 patients for chloroquine clinical trials

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, on Saturday disclosed that the state had enlisted 600 patients for the planned chloroquine clinical trials. The state discharged 45 more patients on Saturday.

Omotoso said an independent board, which would be inaugurated, would monitor the process and give necessary advice to the state government on the progress of the trial. Omotoso said,

“In summary, we will be looking at about 600 patients. The trial will go on till we recruit the required number. There will be an independent Data and Safety Board. The board can advise that study be discontinued if the statistical evidence of the usefulness of a drug is overwhelming and in which case it becomes unethical to withhold it from other groups.”

Also, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the state was better able to handle COVID-19 given the experience it had with Ebola six years ago.

“That was also epic in Lagos and it gave Lagos some understanding about how serious infectious disease could be managed. We have an Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba and even after the Ebola case, we had some international grants and over the last two to three years, we have built what we call a biosecurity lab level four, which can match any of its kind in the world,” he said.

"Soldiers have killed over 1000 Boko Haram terrorists since April" - Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai has revealed that troops have killed 1,015 Boko Haram insurgents since April 4 till date.

The COAS disclosed this while hosting troops of Operation Lafiya Dole at an Eid-El-Fitr luncheon at Military Control and Command Centre in Maiduguri.

Buratai who revealed that artillery airstrike and blockage operations conducted by troops at the Tumbuktu Triangles around Sambisa has been greatly successful, further disclosed that some notable encounters since the commencement of the operation include that of Buni Gari, Gaidam, Minok, Dapchi, Baga, Dikwa, Awulari, Ajiri, Pulka, Ngoshe, Alafa and different parts of Sambisa Forest as well as Gajiganna.

He also said that a total of 84 high ranking members of Boko Haram logistics and informants were arrested within the period.

"Manager of demolished hotel among new COVID-19 patients" - Rivers State

The Rivers state government has announced that the manager of a hotel which was demolished by Governor Nyesom Wike for violating the lockdown order he issued, has tested positive for Coronavirus. .

In an announcement made on Sunday May 24, the Rivers government said the Manager of Prodest Hotel, Bariledum Azoroh is among the 27 new cases of coronavirus recorded in the State.

The state's commissioner for information, Paul Nsirim also recalled how some COVID-19 Taskforce members who went to enforce the Executive Order at same hotel, were allegedly ''brutalized and dehumanised leading to the death of one of them.''

The statement reads ;

"Rivers State has recorded 27 new positive coronavirus cases. The Manager of Prodest Hotel, Eleme is among the new positive cases. This latest development validates the State Government's proactive approach towards the fight against COVID-19. Recall that Prodest Hotel was demolished two weeks ago because the owners violated Executive Order 7 which banned the operation of hotels.

The COVID-19 Taskforce members from the Local Government who went to enforce the Executive Order were brutalized and dehumanised leading to the death of one of them."

Man sets pregnant sister ablaze for slapping mother

The Lagos State Police Command has  apprehended a young man who allegedly set his pregnant elder sister ablaze. The young man simply identified as Chima reportedly set his 20-year-old elder sister, Victoria ablaze at their residence around CAC Bus Stop in Okokomaiko, Ojo, on May 14.

It was reported that on the day of the tragic incident, Chima and a two months pregnant Victoria were in the kitchen of the restaurant which is the family business when trouble started. 

We gathered an argument ensued between Victoria and her mother, who chastised her about a bad habit of leaving their home to cohabit with men. In the heat of the quarrel, Victoria allegedly slapped her mother.

All hell was let loose as Chima who was infuriated by the action grabbed a keg filled with petrol and hit Victoria with it. The gallon spilled most of its contents on Victoria and a fire started shortly afterwards. 

She suffered severe burns as a result of the fire and was rushed immediately to a nearby hospital on Kemberi road, Okokomaiko. However, the doctors on duty rejected her and she was referred to the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando where she was confirmed dead by the doctors.

Her brother, Chima was said to have attempted escaping from the scene after he discovered the havoc he brought upon his family. He was held down by youths in the community who later handed him over to the police.

We also gathered that their mother sustained burn injuries on her legs as she tried to put out the fire on Victoria.

Confirming the incident, spokesperson of the state police command, Bala Elkana, said Chima has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Yaba for further investigation.

FG threatens to dismiss workers leaking official documents

The Federal Government of Nigeria has threatened to dismiss who are caught leaking official documents on social media. It said recent “unfortunate unauthorised disclosure of official documents on social media” was embarrassing and therefore unacceptable.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, issued the threat in a circular marked HCSF/109/S.1/120 with the title, ‘Unauthorised circulation of official documents/information on social media.’

Yemi-Esan issued the threat barely a week after a query she issued the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Mohammed Bello Umar, for allegedly buying what she described as “uncompleted carcass” building for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the sum of N7bn became a public knowledge.

The HCSF had claimed that Umar superintended over the transaction for the purchase when he was still the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

She also accused the permanent secretary of giving out seven deep drilling rigs for borehole procured at N1.3bn to some unnamed individuals under “fraudulent arrangements.”

Umar’s six-page response to the query dated May 14, 2020, in which he denied all the allegations levelled against him and described them as mere concoction based on malice also found its way into the media.

The text of the April 28 nationwide broadcast of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on measures being taken to curtail the spread of COVID-19 was also leaked on social media platforms some hours ahead of the 8pm broadcast time.

Yemi-Esan, in the May 22 circular, however, described leaking of official documents as “an act of serious misconduct” which attracts dismissal as contained in the Public Service Rules. The circular read,

“The attention of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation has been drawn to the recent unfortunate unauthorised disclosure of official documents on the social media.

In some cases, official documents that have been minuted on are also leaked. This irresponsible and reckless action is an act of serious misconduct with a penalty of dismissal from service as provided for in Public Service Rules Nos. 030401 and 030402.

The ugly development is embarrassing to government and therefore not acceptable. Any public officer caught engaging in this act of serious misconduct will be severely dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Rules."

"We've issued identity numbers to 41 million Nigerians" - NIMC

As at this morning, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) says that it has enrolled and issued 41 million Nigerians with National Identity Number.

In an interview with journalists, the Director-General of the NIMC, Aliyu Aziz said that enrolment is currently on for Nigerians in the Diaspora in 15 other countries.

According to him, the NIN has been approved by the Federal Government as the only valid means of identification for government services by law and is a requirement for the application for a new and renewal of an expired Nigerian passport, among others.

Highlighting challenges slowing down the rate of enrolment, he said inadequate electricity, Information Technology infrastructure, inadequate enrolment centres and devices and insufficient sensitisation and awareness of the public, among others, still persisted.

According to him, the challenges are being addressed in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders, government and with the help of the media.

“As of today, we have reached record 41 million by sheer determination and hard work. I owe all of this to the great staff of the NIMC who pushed themselves beyond their limits to see this happen.

Diaspora enrolment was greatly received by the Nigerians in other countries and it has been going well since the launch. Enrolment is happening in over 15 countries across the world, with more countries to come on board in the near future.”

He said the plans to implement the strategic road map for accelerating digital identity in the country in June 2020 had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, the project will either begin in September or December this year.

Aziz said the $433m it secured from the World Bank, Agence Francaise de Development and the European Union would be used for the expansion of enrolment centres to 4,000.

“The funding covers digital ID enrolment, issuance and usage; strengthening of the enabling law, security, privacy, data protection and cybersecurity mechanisms; as well as strengthening the IT and other backend infrastructure,” the NIMC boss stated.

He added, “There is still a need for funding on the card aspect of the programme as well as on the other regulatory functions of the commission. We are consulting with the Federal Government on these aspects.”

Aziz explained that the commission was working on strategies to scale up card production and issuance in partnership with the private sector. However, he said NIN was sufficient to prove or assert the identity of Nigerians anytime, anywhere.

China targets July launch for Mars mission

CASC, the company in charge of China's launch has revealed that China is targeting a July launch for its ambitious plans for a Mars mission which will include landing a remote-controlled robot on the surface of the red planet.

Beijing has invested billions of dollars in its space programme in an effort to catch up with its rival the United States and affirm its status as a major world power.

The Mars mission is among a number of new space projects China is pursuing, including putting Chinese astronauts on the moon and having a space station by 2022.

Beijing had been planning the Mars mission for some time this year, but China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has confirmed it could come as early as July.

“This big project is progressing as planned and we are targeting a launch in July,” CASC said in a statement issued on Sunday. CASC is the main contractor for China’s space programme.

Called “Tianwen”, the Chinese mission will put a probe into orbit around Mars and land the robotic rover to explore and analyse the surface.

It will take several months to cover the roughly 55 million kilometres (31 million miles) distance between Earth and Mars, which is ever-changing due to their planetary orbits.

China has already carried out a similar mission to the Moon, and in January 2019 landed a small rover on the dark side of the lunar surface, becoming the first nation to do so.

The US, which has already sent four exploratory vehicles to Mars, intends to launch a fifth this summer. It should arrive around February 2021.

The United Arab Emirates plans to launch the first Arab probe to the Red Planet on July 15 from Japan.

World airlines and airports council seek united safety measures for restart of air travels

Yesterday, World airlines and airports’ council sought a globally acceptable and harmonised safety and security measures ahead of the restart of air travel in many parts of the world.

The meeting was bordered on some of the selective safety measures such as the compulsory 14-day quarantine for arriving passengers in some countries including Nigeria, and physical distancing onboard. Such measures have been described as unsustainable and injurious to the already beseiged aviation business.

The Airports Council International (ACI) World, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), specifically called on governments to ensure that any new measures introduced for airports and airlines in the wake of COVID-19 are supported by scientific evidence and are consistent across the world.

Just like most other sectors, the aviation sector has been brought to a halt. Its effective restart and recovery depends on collaboration among the key participants in the global aviation ecosystem.

ACI and IATA jointly issued a paper laying out a pathway for restarting the aviation industry, titled: “Safely Restarting Aviation – ACI and IATA Joint Approach.” Airlines and airports have cooperated to build a roadmap for resuming operations, which reassures the travelling public that health and safety remain the overall priorities.

The joint approach proposes a layered approach of measures across the entire passenger journey to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 at airports and onboard aircraft, and to prevent aviation becoming a meaningful source of international re-infection.
Such measures should be globally consistent and subject to continued review, improvement, and removal when no longer required, to ensure an even recovery.

ACI and IATA are both central members of the COVID-19 Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), being led by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). CART enables the collaboration – among governments and between governments and industry – that is vital to ensuring the harmonisation and consistency of measures that are essential to restoring air connectivity and passenger confidence in air travel.

ACI World Director General, Angela Gittens, said airports and airlines had come together with ICAO and the wider aviation industry to address the biggest challenge ever faced by commercial aviation in restarting a global industry while continuing to halt the spread of COVID-19.

“There is currently no single measure that could mitigate all the risks of restarting air travel but we believe a globally-consistent, outcome-based approach represents the most effective way of balancing risk mitigation with the need to unlock economies and to enable travel,” Gittens said.

IATA’s Director-General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, added that safety was always their top priority and that includes public health.

“Restoring air connectivity is vital to restarting the global economy and reconnecting people. Our layered approach to measures recommended by airports and airlines safeguard public health, while offering a practical approach for a gradual restart of operations.

It is important to remember that the risk of transmission on board is very low. And we are determined that aviation will not be a significant source of re-infection. We are working continuously with governments to ensure that any measures put in place are done so consistently and with scientific backing. That is key to restoring public confidence so the benefits of safely re-starting aviation can be realised,” de Juniac said.