Obiano Storms Head Bridge Onitsha, Calls For Strict Enforcement Of Boundary Closure

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May 12, 2020

The federal government says the homegrown school feeding programme will commence on May 14.

The programme seeks to provide food for beneficiaries of the school feeding programme while they stay at home.

While imposing a lockdown on Lagos, Ogun and Abuja on March 29, President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, to liaise with state governments and develop strategies for the continuation of the school feeding programme.

ABN TV learnt that in a statement on Monday, the ministry said the programme will commence in Abuja followed by Lagos and Ogun before it is implemented in the other states of the federation.

It said the target beneficiaries as children in primary 1 to 3 in public schools participating in the programme.

“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development will commence the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme on Thursday, May 14, 2020, in Abuja and subsequently in Lagos and Ogun states before the other states of the federation,” the statement read.

“The Ministry in consultation and collaboration with state governments identified the distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) to the households of the children on the programme as a feasible method of achieving this directive after exploring several options.

“This is a globally accepted means of supporting children to continue to have access to nutrient-rich foods despite disruptions to the traditional channels of school feeding.

“The Ministry has requested states to carry out mapping exercises in order to trace the households of the children using all available data sources including the School-Based Management Boards, community focal persons, cooks on the programme and most importantly existing school registers in the LGAs where the schools are domiciled, which is the primary source of data of beneficiaries used by the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme.”

The ministry said each household will receive uncooked food items that have been assessed and approved by nutrition experts as adequate for the children.

It further disclosed that 6,000 schools will serve as distribution centres for clusters of communities “except in some states with unique security and safety issues where other structures will be used.”

“The Ministry is receiving Technical Support from the World Food Programme (WFP).

“Following on the technical partnership with the WFP, a joint document on “Safe Distributions during COVID” has been developed and will be shared with the State Governments before implementation,” it read.

“Each household will receive a Take-Home Ration valued at N4,200 and made up of 5 kg Bag of Rice, 5 kg Bag of Beans, 500 ml Vegetable Oil, 750 ml Palm Oil, 500 mg Salt, 15 pcs of eggs, 140gm Tomato Paste.

“These rations have been reviewed by nutrition experts to ascertain the nutritional value and benefit to the children.

“As an extra layer of monitoring the Ministry has requested other agencies of government including the DSS, EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau and a host of NGOs and CSOs to help monitor.

“The Ministry’s hotlines will be made available to the public to provide accurate information and for grievance redress.”

The ministry urged Nigerians to support the poor and less privileged, adding that the federal government’s resources are insufficient to cater for all.

IG Orders Probe Of E-Money, Withdraws Police Escorts

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May 12, 2020

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the probe of the Chairman, Five Star Group, Emeka Okonkwo aka E-Money, over his flamboyant lifestyle and flagrant abuse of police escorts.

Okonkwo, who is the brother to the musician, Kingsley Okonkwo aka K-Cee, was said to have drawn the ire of the police boss for using police escorts like domestic servants.

An order, it was learnt, was immediately issued to the Lagos State Police Command to withdraw the six policemen attached to E-Money.

A top police officer said, “We received a signal from the Force headquarters on Monday that the police detail of music executive, E-Money, be immediately withdrawn and an investigation into the man be launched.

“The IG was surprised that policemen were attached to him in the first place and were being used as domestic servants, carrying umbrellas, opening doors, and doing menial jobs for him.

“The policemen were discovered to be attached to B Operations at the command headquarters and not MOPOL which is the usual practice.

“So, we have withdrawn his policemen and we are inviting him for questioning. The police escorts will also be interrogated.”

E-Money, who also claims to be a clearing and forwarding agent, is known for his flamboyant lifestyle.

He boasts of two Rolls Royce, two Mercedes Benz G Wagons and other Sports Utility Vehicles worth billions of naira.

The socialite is often seen on social media shaking hands with Very Important Persons including governors, senators, monarchs, ministers, and other top government officials.

When contacted on the telephone, an associate of E-Money, Chidozie Dike, said he was not aware of the development and he believed it was not true.

“I am not aware and I don’t think this is true,” Dike said.

The probe into E-Money comes less than a year after that of an Instagram celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha aka Mompha, who was also known to show off his ostentatious lifestyle on social media.

Sources told The PUNCH that more social media celebs are also on the radar of the police and other law enforcement agencies.

The Lagos State Police Command spokesman, Bala Elkana, said he would find out when he was contacted for comment while the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, had yet to respond to a text message as of press time.

65 Almajiri Children Among 72 COVID-19 Patients In Kaduna

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May 12, 2020

The government of Kaduna says two police officers and 65 almajiri children are among the 72 active cases receiving treatment for COVID-19 in the state.

ABN TV reports that in a statement on Monday, Muyiwa Adekeye, special adviser on media to Nasir El-Rufai, the governor, said seven of the cases have a history of travels outside the state.

Adekeye said since the state recorded its index case in March, eight patients have been discharged while one has died.

According to him, the state has so far recorded a total of 81 cases of which there are 65 Almajiri Children

“As it continues its effort to prevent community transmission, the State Standing Committee on Covid-19 appeals to citizens to report any person who they know has sneaked into the state,” he said.

“Such persons are violating the state’s Quarantine Orders as well as the nationwide prohibition of interstate travel by the Federal Government.

“Beyond illegal conduct, such persons are risking the health and lives of Kaduna State residents, by recklessly spreading the virus across state lines.

“Citizens who suspect that they have been exposed to Covid-19, should act responsibly, avoid infecting others, contact health officials and isolate themselves until the authorities come to see them.

“Such persons are urged to readily volunteer all relevant information on their health, travel history and contacts.”

Adekeye added that it is the responsibility of everyone to protect themselves from COVID-19.

Catholic Church Offers All Its 425 Hospitals In Nigeria As COVID-19 Isolation Centres

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May 12, 2020

The Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has offered all its 425 health facilities across the country as isolation centres for COVID-19.

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), who disclosed this at the presidential task force briefing on Monday said state governments can now take advantage of the facilities.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had said no state in the country has enough bed spaces for COVID-19 patients.

But Mustapha said the recent donations would add as support for the state governments.

“As part of efforts to support the states in the establishment of the isolation and treatment centres, I wish to remind our governors that the Catholic Bishops Conference has volunteered all the 425 hospitals and clinics nationwide for adaptation and use as isolation centres,” he said.

“Governors are encouraged to please approach Catholic Bishops in their states to access these facilities.

“As a further cost-effective measure, I also wish to remind subnational authorities that the Nigeria Institute of Architects has pledged the pro bono services of their members to modify, design and supervise all COVID-19 related projects nationwide. Again, we urge that this offer be taken up speedily.”

The SGF also said The THISDAY Dome treatment and isolation facility in Abuja would be inaugurated on Tuesday.

Nduka Obaigbena, the publisher of THISDAY newspaper, had donated the facility to support the fight against COVID-19.

“It will add a total of 270 beds to our isolation capacity in Abuja. This is a private sector-driven initiative and we commend the efforts of this Thisday, NNPC, Sahara Energy Group, CCECC and all the partners involved in this enterprise,” Mustapha said.

Nnamdi Kanu, Uwazuruike In Fresh War As IPOB Leader Accuses Him Of Deceit

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May 12, 2020

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The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has rekindled the cold war between him and the leader of the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) Ralph Uwazuruike, as he claimed the former Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) is usurping the struggles of his group to realise a Biafra nation.

Kanu in a radio Biafra broadcast on Monday particularly took a swipe on Uwazuruike for allegedly taking the matters of the Igbo to the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) in The Hague, Netherlands.

His actions he claimed belittle the struggles made by several Igbo groups to recognized bodies such as the United Nations Organisation (UNO).

The IPOB leader who alleged Uwazuruike paid two thousand dollars to smuggle a letter to UNPO to get the attention of the union towards Igbo’s plight in Nigeria maintained that his action does not worth it.

He maintained that IPOB had already gotten the attention of well-known groups such as the UN and AU, wondering why Uwazuruike should belittle the efforts put into the struggle by other Igbo pressure groups.

According to Kanu “all, because he wants to be relevant because he knows we are getting Biafra soon, he now ran to UNPO that has the same status with our World Igbo Congress.”

He continued “UNPO has nothing to do with Biafra, Uwazuruike has destroyed Biafra name, a man who built his house with Biafra money, he said he has taken Biafra to UNPO, is UNPO part of UN, the group has nothing to do with Biafra.

“Biafra can not be built on lies, you are warned, you have Nigeria blood in you, stop deceiving the people and yourself, we would get Biafra without you, very soon I will be in United States to address the Umuada, they will welcome me, we shall see the true support.” Kanu boasted.

60-Year-Old Nigerian Nurse Dies Of COVID-19 In UK

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May 12, 2020

An ‘exceptional’ mother-of-four nurse who devoted her life to terminally-ill children has become the latest healthcare worker to be killed by COVID-19 in Britain, the Daily Mail of UK reported.

60-Year-Old Nigerian Nurse Dies Of COVID-19 In UK

Eyitolami Olaolorun had been a nurse for 40 years, most recently working at Wellington Hospital, a private centre in St John’s Wood, caring for young patients who were critically or terminally ill.

Ms Olaolorun, 60, also worked for the NHS at various hospitals and raised her four children by herself, having arrived in the UK from Nigeria almost 20 years ago after splitting with her husband.

she saw him. She would spend Christmas with us and then spend it with her patients too, and always remembered birthdays.

“She raised all four of us by herself. We’re all graduates, we’re all doing well. That’s all because of her, she sacrificed everything for us.”

On Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson relaxed the Government’s ‘stay home, protect the NHS, save lives’ slogan to instead tell people to ‘stay alert, control the virus, save lives’.

After the death of her mother, Mrs Iloba said: “Stay home. When it hits home, you realise how dangerous the situation is. You realise, yes, the NHS are heroes but let’s not put their lives at risk as well.

“Let’s not be selfish in our expectations of the NHS by going out, irrespective of what Mr Johnson has said, let’s not go out and think we’re immune to anything – we’re not.

“By going out you’re putting doctors’ and nurses’ lives at risk and they have families … families who care for them, families who love them and families who want them to survive this pandemic. You just need to stay home.”

Ms Olaolorun started showing symptoms of COVID-19 in late March and was taken to hospital before being put onto a ventilator on April 6.

“I called her and she was crying,” Mrs Iloba said.

“I realised something was wrong and got my sister who is a doctor to call the hospital… they explained she would be put on a ventilator and sedated.

“She must have been told already but she was trying not to tell us so that we wouldn’t be worried.

“We called her back in a four-way call on WhatsApp – She said ‘I’ll see you guys later they’re just wheeling me off’ we said ‘alright I’ll see you soon’ and that was the last thing we said to her.”

Ms Olaolorun was put on a ventilator before being moved from Ealing Hospital to Charing Cross Hospital, where she died ten days later.

Ms Olaolorun’s children have made a GoFundMe page and foundation in their mother’s name to help young people in Nigeria to access higher education.

Nigeria Records 242 New Cases Of COVID-19, Total Now 4,641

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May 12, 2020

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on Monday, announced that the country has recorded 242 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections in Nigeria to 4,641.

Also Read: COVID-19: Gregory University Donates 10,000 PPEs To FG

The NCDC disclosed this on its verified Twitter handle and website on Monday night.

242 new cases of #COVID19;

88-Lagos
64-Kano
49-Katsina
13-Kaduna
9-Ogun
6-Gombe
4-Adamawa
3-FCT
1-Ondo
1-Oyo
1–Rivers
1-Zamfara
1-Borno
1-Bauchi

4641 cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria
Discharged: 902
Deaths: 150 pic.twitter.com/2eK1cRJeH0

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) May 11, 2020

We’ll Release Orji Kalu At Completion of Administrative Procedures – Kuje Prisons

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May 11, 2020

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The Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS, (Kuje Prisons) on Monday assured that the Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu will be released at the completion of administrative procedures.

Speaking with journalists, the Public Relations Officer of the Service, DCC Austin Njoku dismissed speculations that it was holding unto Senator Orji Uzor Kalu due to certain vested interests.

He noted that the NCoS was yet to receive the certified true copy of the judgement of the apex court authorising the said release from its custody.

Also Read: Hon. Benjamin Kalu Congratulates Sen. Kalu On Reversal Of His Conviction

He said: “How can we refuse to release him? What is our business with the judgement of the court? We have no business in keeping anybody at will.

“We were not at the Supreme Court. Our own is when they bring the papers for us to release him. The judgement was just on Friday. If papers are transmitted and his name is mentioned as someone to be released, we will release him.

Also Read: Ogah Congratulates Sen. Kalu On Supreme Court Victory

“We do not keep people against the law. The law does not permit us to do that. We have no business in keeping him. If they bring the papers to us, we will authenticate the papers to ascertain that it is from a reliable source and we will release him.”

How Ikpeazu’s Proactiveness Saved Abia From COVID-19 Invasion — Ijiriji

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May 11, 2020