Street Wahala is a popular ABN TV vox pop program of interviews, quizzes, and human interest features.
Watch the latest edition about the deadly virus (COVID19)
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The Osun State has released one index case and 109 foreign returnees who came into the State from United Kingdom and Cote d’Ivoire, respectively after tested negative of COVID-19.
The governor, Adegboyega Oyetola disclosed this during a press briefing on Sunday at the State secretariat, Governors Office, Abere, Osogbo.
Oyetola said, “One of the early cases in Osun has been discharged after testing negative twice to the Virus, in line with the prescribed protocol of the NCDC.
“The 109 whose results came back negative have been released to join their families. Among them are: 11 to Oyo State, two are going to Lagos State, One to Ogun State, three each to Edo and Abia states, four to Delta State and one to Imo State while 85 will remain here in Osun.
They have been advised to observe all the prescribed safety and preventive measures and to call our helplines if they start to feel unwell.
The emergency line remains 293.
Five more coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in Lagos State have recovered from the virus.
The state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, revealed this in a series of tweets via his verified handle on Sunday.
He explained that the recovered patients comprise a 10-year-old girl, as well as two males and females respectively.
This comes barely 24 hours after one person was discharged from the government’s Infectious Disease Hospital in the Yaba area of the state.
In the tweets, Governor Sanwo-Olu confirmed that the new set of patients discharged on Sunday tested negative twice to COVID-19.
He added that they were thereafter released from the facility to reunite with their families.
According to the governor, this brings the total number of patients who have fully recovered and have been discharged from the facility at Yaba to 29.
He stressed that despite the indications that the state appeared to be winning the battle against coronavirus, it was imperative that the government and residents remain steadfast to curtail the spread of the disease.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, therefore, appealed to the people of the state to continue to observe social distancing, as well as stay in their houses as part of efforts to tackle the outbreak.
He also thanked the frontline health workers, as well as members of the Lagos State Health Family and the Emergency Operation Centre for all their effort.
Read the governor’s tweets below:
Dear Lagosians, yesterday I announced the discharge of one more patient from our Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba.
Today, I am happy to inform you that five more patients comprising two males and three females including a 10 year old girl have tested negative twice to #COVID19
— Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) April 5, 2020
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal Government and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to “provide spending details of public funds and private sector donations to provide socio-economic benefits to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people, including details of beneficiaries of any cash payments, cash transfers, food distribution and other benefits during the lockdown in Abuja; Lagos and Ogun states because of COVID-19.”
SERAP also asked the Federal Government and CBN to: “disclose information on the details of the implementation of the school feeding programme during the lockdown and closure of schools in several states where the programme is being implemented, including the number of children that have so far benefited from the programme and the names of the communities, since the lockdown and closure of schools, as well as the number of cooks, engaged.”
In two Freedom of Information (FoI) requests sent to Ms Sadia Umar-Farouk, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, and Mr Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, SERAP said: “We are seriously concerned that millions of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people have not benefited from the announced palliatives, donations, reported cash payments, cash transfers and other benefits.”
SERAP said: “Providing socio-economic benefits to the country’s poorest especially at this time of COVID-19 crisis is a matter of human rights, not charity. It is also implicit in Nigerians’ right to freely use their natural wealth and resources, which ought to be spent for the public good. Ensuring that relief funds and donations are used to provide much-needed benefits to beneficiaries is critical to keeping people alive, and addressing vulnerabilities and inequalities in the country.”
In the FoI requests dated 4 April 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Providing the information would help to address the concerns by many Nigerians regarding allegations of corruption and politicization in the distribution of benefits, improve public trust, and enhance the integrity of the entire processes and modes of distribution of reliefs/benefits to these Nigerians.”
The FoI requests read, in part: “Rather than making physical cash payments to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people, we urge you to begin electronic cash transfers to all beneficiaries through individuals’ Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), already available through the banks. This would be cost-effective at this time of crisis, provide immediate and significant benefits, as well as give individuals and families the freedom to spend the money on goods and services that best meet their particular needs.”
“If we have not heard from you within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of the FoI requests, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act to compel you to comply with our requests.”
“Nigerian authorities are locking down states without adequately making provisions for the access of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people to basic necessities of life like food, healthcare, and other basic needs during the duration of the lockdown, and to address the corrosive impacts of COVID-19 on these Nigerians.”
“Rather than sending relief materials to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people, which may be diverted and in any case, may not be what certain individuals and families may need, we urge you to focus more on urgently making electronic cash transfers to these Nigerians to determine by themselves how they wish to spend the money to meet their peculiar individuals’ and families’ needs.”
“Providing direct, regular, and unconditional electronic cash transfers to the country’s poorest and the most vulnerable people, including workers and pensioners that have not been paid for months is the best to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country, and to save millions of Nigerians’ lives. The power to spend cash helps preserve a person’s basic human dignity.”
“We urge you to refer to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prompt, thorough and transparent investigations of allegations of corruption in the distribution of relief funds and donations for COVID-19 and the politicization of the process for the distribution funds, as well as to urge the anti-corruption bodies to effectively prosecute any credible cases of corruption.”
“We are concerned that some 80 million of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people would be negatively affected by the lockdown and stay-at-home order without effective, transparent and direct socio-economic intervention funds, food, standard health care services, clean water, and other reliefs by the authorities.”
“We request you to provide us with copies of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) and the social national registers and the lists of beneficiaries under these registers that have so far benefited from any palliatives, donations, cash payments/transfers and other benefits during the lockdown.”
“According to our information, following the announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari of lockdown in Lagos and Ogun states and Abuja to reduce the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Federal Government reportedly started disbursing N20,000 Conditional Cash Transfer to each of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people at the Kwali Area Council of Abuja.”
“According to reports, over 11 million of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people have been identified in 35 states to benefit from the Federal Government cash transfers and other palliatives and reliefs.”
“We urge you to publish weekly spending details on COVID-19 relief funds and donations and the list of all beneficiaries.”
SERAP also urged the Federal Government and the CBN to provide:
Details of the number and list of all beneficiaries, including people living with disabilities (PWDs), who have so far benefited from the relief funds, donations in the forms of palliatives, cash payments, cash transfers and other benefits in Abuja, and Lagos and Ogun states and other states, because of COVID-19 pandemic, as well as details of what the authorities are doing to make these benefits available to the country’s poorest an equitable basis;
Details on modes of distribution of funds, donations, including the total amounts of food items, cash payments, cash transfers and other benefits that have so far been made;
Details of the total amounts from the proposed N500 billion COVID-19 intervention fund that would be spent to provide direct electronic cash transfers and other direct benefits to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people, as well as the number of such people planned to be reached in the next 6 months;
Details of the total amounts of donations from the private sector being coordinated by the Central Bank of Nigeria that have so far been received by the authorities and the list of donors that have not yet redeemed their pledges;
Number of trucks deployed to convey food and other relief materials to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people, and the total number of states that have so far benefited from such materials;
Details of any plan to provide social and economic benefits to the over 80 million of the country’s poorest and the most vulnerable people, beyond the 11 million targeted by the Federal Government across 35 states, as well as details of what the CBN is doing to use the donations to provide direct socio-economic benefits to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people on an equitable basis, and with geographical spread
ARSONISTS have torched more 5G phone masts following ‘fake news’ that the technology is linked to coronavirus.
As reported exclusively on Sun Online, conspiracy theorists have been setting blazes and targeting engineers over claims 5G ‘radiation’ caused COVID-19 to spread.
The theory originated last month after a video filmed at a US health conference claimed Africa was not as affected by the disease because it is “not a 5G region”.
Vandals then set masts in Birmingham, Liverpool, and Merseyside on fire.
Now a spokesperson from Vodafone says there have been four further incidents at their sites, as well as a site shared with 02.
And Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced he plans to hold virtual meetings with several tech firms next week.
A spokesperson from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport said: “We have received several reports of criminal damage to phone masts and abuse of telecoms engineers apparently inspired by crackpot conspiracy theories circulating online.
“Those responsible for criminal acts will face the full force of the law.
“We must also see social media companies acting responsibly and taking much swifter action to stop nonsense from spreading on their platforms, which encourages such acts.”
Earlier this week, senior minister Michael Gove has slammed the conspiracy theory as “dangerous nonsense” at a press conference this week.
Mr Gove claimed it was vitally important people were “knocking down this rubbish“, and warned spreading it put lives at risk.
He said: “The stories that have gone about that they spread the disease that’s just nonsense, dangerous nonsense as well.”
His fury was echoed by National Medical Director of NHS England Stephen Powis.
He said: “[It’s] complete and utter rubbish and the worst kind of fake news.
“The reality is that mobile phone networks are absolutely critical to all of us particularly at a time we are asking everybody to stay home.
“I am absolutely disgusted that people would be taking action against the very infrastructure we need to respond to this health emergency.
“It is absolute and utter rubbish and I cannot condemn it in stronger terms than that.”
It comes after conspiracy nuts were reportedly setting phone masts alight and targeting engineers over a bizarre claim 5G “radiation” caused the deadly coronavirus spread.
The theory originated last month after a video filmed at a US health conference claimed Africa was not as affected by the disease because it is “not a 5G region”.
It was quickly debunked after the World Health Organisation confirmed there were thousands of COVID-19 cases in Africa.
The government has also confirmed there is “no evidence to suggest that 5G has anything to do with COVID-19″.
Celebs have been slammed for sharing the conspiracy theory, including Jason Gardiner and Callum Best, who posted similar claims that 5G can impact the immune system.
Boxer Amir Khan also released a series of bizarre videos where he blames the coronavirus on the building of “5G towers”.
In the clips, Khan admits to “watching a lot of videos and stuff” and says that the new tech could “make things bad”.
Just days ago Khan offered the NHS the use of his four-story wedding venue to help treat patients during the pandemic.
Nigeria’s former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has advised Nigeria and other African countries to quickly pressure the G7 and G20 for debt-relief in order to deal with the economic and health issues arising from the novel Coronavirus pandemic.
The Harvard-educated economist who played a huge role in getting Nigeria an $18 billion debt-relief as minister of finance, stated a debt relief will aid in getting resources to tackle the spread of Coronavirus.
Okonjo-Iweala averred that the money owed by some African countries can be channeled towards dealing with Coronavirus.
She told BBC;
“You know we have several sources, you’ve got the African Development Bank, which has just floated a social bond for $3 billion that will be available to the countries on the continent,” she said.
“You have the World Bank that has set aside $14 billion of which they’ve already committed $2 billion to 25 countries — and 11 of them are Africans. Many of our countries need to move, to take advantage of this, and they are willing to commit $150 billion dollars over the next 15 months.
“The IMF has put forward $50 billion as an emergency fund, and already 80 countries have applied for this, many of them African.
“It also has a $1 billion grant fund; catastrophe containment and relief trust, which they can approach. Let me mention my own organisation, GAVI, where I am chair of the board. We have made immediately available $200 million to $300 million grant.
“Once these monies become available, if the countries get debt relief, that means that the monies they would have been paying to service the debt that they’ve taken from other countries; bilateral debts or from institutions, this monies can now be used to procure food and supplied and support the livelihood of people in the rural and urban area.
“Government can use these resources as part of an intervention fund to help people directly, and I think this is what they should be looking to do. But we need to move quickly, the debt relief we haven’t got it yet.
“There needs to be a great deal of pressure on the G7, G20 to come forward with this measure and then countries need to start availing themselves of the already available resources, and then pressure for the debt relief.”
A 36-year-old man has died of coronavirus at a private facility in Lagos State, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi announced on Sunday.
This makes it the second death in Lagos state.
The 55-year-old man who died on Friday, April 2 at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, was the first coronavirus-related death recorded in Lagos.
The health commissioner, who also confirmed that Lagos had recorded six new COVID-19 cases, said another coronavirus patient had been evacuated from the state.
He tweeted, “We lost a COVID-19 patient – a 36-year-old Nigerian male who died in a private facility on the 4th of April, 2020. (The) total number of #COVID-19 patients who have died are now two.
“A case was evacuated bringing total evacuated to two.
“Six new cases of #COVID-19 confirmed, bringing total confirmed cases to 115. A #COVID-19 patient was discharged on the 4th of April, 2020. The number of #COVID-19 patients, who have fully recovered and discharged is now 24.”
Abayomi’s confirmation came a few hours after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Sunday announced that the country had recorded one more death and two discharges.
Twenty-seven of the cases had recovered and discharged while five deaths had been recorded.
The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has said the reports around the social media which link 5G network to coronavirus are untrue and baseless.
ATCON said this in a statement signed by its President, Olusola Teniola and made available to journalists.
ATCON said, “We wish to draw the attention of Nigerians to the unfounded claims and misinformation that is trending on all social media like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and a host of others, which suggest that Fifth Generation (5G) technology is a causative factor of coronavirus pandemic also known as COVID-19.”
The statement further said “ATCON wishes to inform telecom consumers, other stakeholders and the entire Nigerians, without any equivocation, that the purported claims that 5G is responsible for COVID-19 is baseless and it should be discountenanced by Nigerians as what it is (false information).
“The claims have not been substantiated, by any conclusive empirical evidence, by either the World Health Organisation or other health research institutions.
“There has been no issuance of 5G licence to any of our members to build and deploy 5G network in Nigeria by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). However, what has happened recently was just a trial of the 5G network by one of our members which was well supervised by the telecoms regulator.
“Currently, Nigeria’s networks are currently made up of 2G, 3G, and 4G and in 2014, the World Health Organisation had stated clearly that there is not yet any conclusive scientific evidence to the effect that there are adverse health effects caused by telecommunications infrastructures to human with respect to exposure to the non-ionising radiation-emitting by telecoms base stations.
“ATCON, as the umbrella association of all telecommunication companies in Nigeria, would like to state unequivocally that it would not be part of the deployment of any technology in the country, that would put the health of any Nigerian at risk, as we believe the health of end-users of any technological advancement comes as a priority in the deployment-consideration of such technology by our members to provide services to Nigerians.”
As research continues in tackling the coronavirus holding nations by the jugular, the Abia State University Uturu (ABSU) has reportedly developed a Geographical Tracking Device and live COVID-19 risk map for the state and country at large.
In a release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Onyebuchi Ememanka this is in addition to the hand sanitizers and face masks the institution had earlier produced which he said meets WHO standard.
“Still basking in the euphoria of the production of ABSU Hand Sanitizers and Nose Masks that meet World Health Organization and International Standards, the Centre for Epidemiology and Climate Research, Abia State University led by the Head of Department, Geography and Planning, Dr. Felix Ike, has developed a Geographical Tracking Device and Live COVID-19 Risk Map for Abia State and Nigeria.
“These are products of capacity building and quality leadership of the Governor and Visitor to the University, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Ph.D., whom the University had earlier branded a Scholar-in-Governance and who had challenged the University to make Industry of her Research Activities,” he said.
According to him, the University has concluded research on Geographical tracking and mapping of COVID-19 in Nigeria, Production of Live Risk Map for COVID-19 in Nigeria, Production of Live COVID-19 Risk Map for Abia State and Development of COVID-19 Early Warning System (EWS) for Aba and Umuahia, Abia State.
He added that these will assist in monitoring the movement of the Disease in Abia State and Nigeria, as well as, assist planners in checking any impending threat by the Disease in the State and Nigeria.
“The Centre has also developed COVID-19 Hotspots Map at all Borders/Entry points in Abia State, using the Delta-T Automatic Weather Station situated in Abia State University, which was imported from Cambridge, United Kingdom, one of its kind in West Africa, as well as, the Geographic Information System / Remote Sensing Laboratory.
“Additionally, this scientific breakthrough will assist in tracking real-time surveillance of emerging Public Health threats by COVID-19 in Abia State and Nigeria.
“It also offers near-real-time Geo located updates from these sources to better understand the progression of the Pandemic.
“This is yet another monumental achievement of the inspirational and excellence-driven Administration of the Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor E. Uche Ikonne” he concluded.
Some unknown gunmen in the late hours of Saturday invaded the country home of the Special Adviser to the Governor of Nasarawa State on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development Mr. John Waje Mamman, in Dari, Konkona Local Government Area of the state and abducted him.
A source who confirmed the abduction to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said it took place at about 9 p.m. on Saturday when Mamman alongside his associates in the community were said to be relaxing in his compound as a result of unfriendly weather.
According to him, the kidnappers surrounded his house and started shooting sporadically which made Mamman and his friends scampered for safety.
The source, however, said luck ran out against one of the suspected kidnappers as he was napped by some members of the community before Maman was whisked away.
As of Sunday, the SA was still being held hostage by his abductors in an unknown location.
Our correspondent reports that the abductors were yet to contact the family nor have they made a ransom demand.
Efforts to speak with the authority of the state Police command as at the time of filing this report proved abortive.
