Ayooluwa Ephraim

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. “I just received my COVID-19 confirmation test result. It is POSITIVE. I am asymptomatic and will continue to self-isolate,” Makinde tweeted on Monday evening. “ I have designated Prof Temitope Alonge, former Chief Medical Director of the University College, Ibadan, as the Head of COVID-19 Task Force while I recover fully. Please continue to comply with all the directives from the COVID-19 Task Force. Stay home, stay safe,” he added. Source-The guardian

Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai has tested positive for coronavirus. “Earlier this week, I submitted a sample for the Covid-19 test,” El-Rufai said in a video posted on Twitter on Saturday. “The result came in this evening, and I regret to say that it is positive.” The governor said he is already in self-isolation as required by the case management guidelines of the NCDC for someone that is not showing symptoms.e said his deputy Dr Hadiza Balarabe will continue to handle the control of  the spread of Coronavirus  in the state. “I wish to appeal to the people of Kaduna State to continue to closely observe the preventive measures already announced,” El-Rufai said. El-Rufai is the second Nigerian governor to test positive for COVID-19. Governor  Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State  on 24th of March tested positive for coronavirus after his contact with Mohammed Atiku Abubakar, son of the former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, who is also tested positiv...

At least 100 residential buildings, school, churches were reportedly destroyed by an explosion Akure, the Ondo State capital, Saturday morning. The cause of the blast as at press time cannot be verified but the incident caused huge damage and number of casualties cannot be confirmed. The Ondo State governor,  Rotimi Akeredolu , in a tweet said he had been briefed and would visit the scene of the incidents. “I’ve been briefed by security agencies in the state concerning the loud blast that was heard in Akure. I will be at the scene to assess on the advise of heads of our security agencies. I ask that all citizens remain calm as we ascertain details of the incidence.” Source-Vanguard

Etiki State governor Kayode Fayemi on Friday announced he tested negative for coronavirus. “I just received my test result from NCDC and it is negative. Thanks to all for your concern,” Fayemi tweeted. “This, however, calls for continued vigilance on the part of everyone. Covid-19 is real and we cannot afford to be complacent,” he added. Source-The guardian

Following spread of coronavirus in Nigeria, Ogun State Government has placed an immediate ban on all high-density gatherings that would bring together 50 or more people in the same place. The government added that those affected by the ban include social clubs, halls, cinemas, night clubs, restaurants, cafes, and sports arenas in the state. In a statement on Wednesday by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, it stressed that the decision was taken to ramp up its efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in the state. According to the government, the measure announced on Wednesday will be in effect for the next 30 days in the first instance, before possible review. “This restriction has to be enforced without prejudice to people’s fundamental rights to association and movement because the safety of our people and their welfare are priorities that cannot be toyed with. The Government will continue to engage all the stakeholders, including our religious l...

The two weeks warning strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities will still continue despite government’s new proposals to the lecturers. ASUU began the strike on March 9, 2020 after a disagreement with the Federal Government over Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System and other issues relating to university funding. The leadership of ASUU and that of Federal Government delegation met at the Ministry of Labour and Employment for about eight hours on Tuesday, after which ASUU president, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, said that no pronouncement would be made until after presenting the new government proposals to members of the union.       Source-Punch

Gabon, a forest-covered haven for gorillas and chimpanzees, will stop allowing tourists to see its great apes fearing that humans could give the novel coronavirus to the animals, the country’s forest agency said on Monday. The Central African nation has one only confirmed COVID-19 case so far, but fears linger after an Ebola epidemic in 1995 wiped out more than 90 per cent of the gorillas in the verdant north. “We have decided to close tourist activities for viewing the great apes in our parks to avoid any risk of transmissions between humans and the animals,” said Christian Tchemambela of the country’s National Agency for National Parks (ANPN). “The respiratory viruses that affect humans are easily transmitted to great apes because the two species are so closely related,” he told AFP. Gabon has taken drastic measures to counter the spread of the virus, closing schools, bars and nightclubs since Friday, a day after the country confirmed its first case — a 27-year-old man who...

West Africa’s Benin on Monday announced its first confirmed coronavirus case as the continent scrambles to stop the spread of the global pandemic. Health minister Benjamin Hounkpatin said a man coming from neighbouring Burkina Faso had tested positive, having recently visited Belgium. The announcement comes as numerous nations in sub-Saharan Africa have begun imposing entry restrictions or closing schools and banning public gatherings.

Kaduna State Government has appointed Muhammadu Sanusi II into the board of the Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA). His appointment was announced on Tuesday evening, about 24 hours after he was removed as Emir of Kano. A statement from Sir Kashim Ibrahim House said that “the appointment is part of the reconstitution of the board of KADIPA, which is statutorily chaired by the Deputy Governor, and has as internal members other senior officials of the Kaduna State Government.” The statement which was signed by Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser on Media and Communication on Tuesday, said that “Kaduna State hopes to benefit from the profile, experience, intellect and networks of His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi, who before becoming Emir, had built a solid reputation in global financial circles. “Malam Nasir El-Rufai said that Kaduna State is honoured to be able to call on the services of a man of such calibre to drive its development,’’ the statement added. ...

Sanni Onogu (The Nation) The controversial Social Media Bill suffered a major setback on Monday in the Senate. Major stakeholders, especially civil society and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Amnesty International (AI), at a well-attended public hearing, opposed the Bill and asked the Senate to drop  it in the interest of freedom of information. The proposed law, titled:  “A Bill for an Act to make provisions for the protection from internet falsehood and manipulations and for related matters, 2019,”   was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, representing Niger East. According to the sponsor, the Bill, among others, seeks to prevent the transmission of false statements in Nigeria. It also proposes that any one guilty should be liable to a fine of N300,000 or three years imprisonment, or both (for individuals); a fine not exceeding N10 million for (corporate organisations) and same punishment  for fake o...

T Image copyright GETTY IMAGES Image caption Muhammadu Sanusi II is a former governor of Nigeria's central bank The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, one of Nigeria's most influential Muslim traditional leaders, has been removed from his throne. He was deposed for showing "insubordination'' to the authorities in the northern state of Kano. Mr Sanusi, an ex-central bank chief, has had frosty relations with Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje since 2017. His supporters believe he was sacked for opposing Mr Ganduje's re-election last year. Traditional leaders in Nigeria hold few constitutional powers but are able to exert significant influence as they are seen as custodians of both religion and tradition.    Mr Sanusi was seen as a reformist and had been critical of some government policies - a stance that frequently put him at loggerheads with ruling politicians, reports the BBC's Nigeria reporter Ishaq Khalid. The emir has ...