COVER
FG Confirms Third COVID-19 Case, Bans Foreign Travels by Officials
By Mathew Dadiya and Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Federal Government has confirmed the third case of Coronavirus (COVI-19) in the country, having been transported by a Lagos-based United Kingdom female returnee.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who confirmed this development at a news conference yesterday in Abuja, said government surveillance efforts uncovered the case, thus bringing the total number of identified cases to three in the country.
Ehanire disclosed the carrier of the third case was a Nigerian female in her 30s, who returned from a short visit to the UK on March 13.
“Fortunately, she decided on returning home to go into 14 days of self-isolation, but subsequently developed symptoms of fever and cough on March 16.
“It was at that point she voluntarily called the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), toll free call line, to report her condition.
“Officials from the Lagos State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) were immediately dispatched to her home to collect samples, which upon testing, came out positive for the coronavirus.
“The lady is currently at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Yaba, Lagos, where she has remained clinically stable and responding to treatment.”
The minister said intensive contact tracing had begun to help identify all persons who the patient had been in contact with since her return.
“We expect the number to be small because of her sensible decision to go into self-isolation from the time of her arrival.
“We commend her for following the recommended guidelines. The FMoH will continue to assess the situation and adjust response accordingly.
“The inaugural meeting of the Presidential Taskforce on Coronavirus will hold later today.
“Please continue to maintain hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, which has been repeatedly advised.”
FG Postpones Edo 2020 Sports Festival
Consequent upon the increase from three to four cases of COVID-19 in the country, the Federal Government, also yesterday ordered the postponement of the National Sports Festival, christened ‘Edo 2020’, scheduled to commence tomorrow in Edo State.
About 11,500 athletes and participants from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were expected to take part in the two weeks sports festival.
Briefing State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Sunday Dare, alongside the Minister of State, Health, Dr. Olorunimbe Mamora, disclosed that the Federal Government was contemplating restrictions on religious and social gathering in the country.
“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, because of the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival, has been in close touch and consultation with the ministers of health.
“We have also been in consultation with the governor and deputy governor of Edo State, the LOC, and the MOC but we have had the ministry of health take the lead. Base on daily review on development, we got assurances that we could go ahead.
“But, we are dealing with a dynamic situation, this morning (Tuesday), we had a meeting with the minister of health with the minister of state, health present, myself, the permanent secretary and the Director General of NCDC.
“Shortly, after the meeting, which lasted for about 45 minutes, we proceeded to the presidency to brief Mr Presiden who took the initiative and gave the directive that the National Sports Festival should be postponed as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19 and a new date would be communicated later.
“Let me also add that for the benefit of the sporting community, the Ministry of Youth and Sports recognises the fact that a lot of resources, a lot of efforts on the part of our athletes has gone into preparing for Edo 2020 – 36 states and the FCT.
“But, we think that staying healthy to be able to compete in not just Edo 2020 but other sports and tournaments, is very important. So, the interest of the health of our sports men and women is paramount at this time.
“Beyond that, we are looking at 11,500 people coming into Edo state for two weeks and we think that is a huge number, we think that we should go by just what the Minister of State for Health has said, we have done an extensive review and we just want to say, we have the interest and the welfare of our sportsmen and women at heart and we know that not too far from now, we will be able to re-enact the festival in Edo.”
Also speaking, Mamora said although the World Health Organization (WHO), had given its guidelines, especially the precautionary measures, each country still has the liberty to take decision in the best interest of that country.
“One of the reasons we need to give attention to in the postponement is the possibility of people carrying the virus even without knowing – what we called A-Symptomatic – that is they carry it but they don’t even know because they are not manifesting symptoms.
“What we need, so far, is that up to 80 to 81 percent of people would either be a symptomatic, that is not showing any symptoms or where they show symptoms, the symptoms may just be mild and moderate and this is a major source of what we call community transmission. So, the principle of social distancing has to be respected”, he added.
Asked whether the ministry was considering a ban on all forms of religious gatherings including schools, he said the immediate consideration was the sports festival.
“What I can say for now is that the immediate issue before us is the national sports festival and our meeting with Mr. President, essentially, was to convey our thoughts in that regards and Mr. President did the right thing by approving the need for the postponement. But social distancing is desirable at this point in time”.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has banned all foreign travels for officials as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Officials said yesterday, the measure will remain place until further notice.
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
As part of efforts to reposition the newspaper for optimum corporate performance, the management of Asset Newspapers Limited, Publishers of DAILY ASSET, has announced the appointment of David Torough as the Editor of the Abuja-based national daily.
A statement by the management said the appointments were part of the company’s new strategy to further penetrate the various states in the country and raise its readership and patronage.
“DAILY ASSET is widely acceptable across the country and to maintain our leadership position, we need to increase management presence, hence the need to create new Bureau offices in some locations outside Abuja and Lagos,” the statement quoted the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Dr Cletus Akwaya to have said.
In a statement yesterday, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the fast-growing daily, Dr. Cletus Akwaya said the appointment was part of the new strategy to properly situate the paper for better productivity.
“DAILY ASSET has a commitment with the Nigerian people. We are determined to weather the storm and give Nigerian readers a Newspaper that satisfies their yearnings and reading pleasure and we can only do that with the right set of professionals,” the statement said.
Akwaya, a former Commissioner of Information from Benue State said the difficult times being faced by Nigerians posed a great challenge to the media as the people deserved credible information with which to make choices.
“We have a bond with the people, to offer credible information at all times in the best tradition of the Nigerian Press and on this scale of objectivity, truth and fairness, we pledge to remain steadfast no matter the challenges,” Akwaya was quoted to have said.
He said the newspaper will maiantin its daily print run and circulation to all states of the federation and urged advertisers to take advantage of the deep penetration of the Daily Asset brand to send their messages.
Torough, the new Editor has had a steady rise in the Newspaper in the last five years.
A graduate of Mass communication of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Torough joined the company in 2022 as Benue State Correspondent. He was spotted for his brilliance and redeployed to Abuja the following year and promoted to Deputy News Editor. He was subswuently named Deputy Editor of the paper, a position he held until the recent appointment.
Torough has attended several journalistic workshops and trainings to properly equip himself for the task ahead.
The statement also said the Management named Eze Okechukwu as Deputy Editor.
Before his elevation as Deputy Editor, Eze has been Deputy Politics Editor and DAILY ASSET Newspaper correspondent covering the Senate, having joined the organization in 2021.
Born on March 10, 1975, Eze holds a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Eze began his journalism career with Daily Star, Enugu and later worked with Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja as sports reporter.
Aside from his journalistic excellence, he has a great deal of passion for sports.
From Ngutor Dekera, Kaduna and Aliyu Askira, Kano
Northern governors and traditional rulers yesterday called for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months, blaming illegal mining for worsening insecurity in many states.
The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna. The meeting, chaired by the Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils.The Forum expressed concern over the escalating violence in parts of the North, including the killings and abductions recently recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.“The Forum extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the governments and good people of the affected states,” the communiqué said, noting that the attacks on schoolchildren and other citizens had become “unacceptable tragedies” that required urgent collective action.It commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s “firm response” to recent abductions and insurgency threats, especially the rescue of some abducted pupils.The governors also saluted security agencies for their sacrifices on the frontlines.“We resolved to renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to insurgents’ enclaves in order to end the criminality,” the Forum stated.A major highlight of the meeting was the North’s renewed push for the establishment of state police, with governors and traditional rulers insisting that decentralised policing had become inevitable.“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué added, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”On illegal mining, the governors said criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.As a corrective measure, they asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to impose a six-month suspension of mining activities in order to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining,” it said.To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.Under the proposed arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute ₦1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.They said the fund would help provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the region.At the end of the meeting, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to unity and collective responsibility.“Only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us,” it declared.The Forum agreed to reconvene on a date to be announced.Meanwhile, Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a grim turn on Monday as bandits launched fresh attacks in Kano State, abducting 25 villagers, even as the Federal Government raced to secure the release of more than 300 Catholic school children kidnapped in Niger State.In the early hours of Monday, armed bandits invaded Unguwar Tsamiya—popularly called Dabawa—in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, whisking away nine men and two women after shooting into the air and assaulting residents. The attackers also rustled two cows.A resident lamented the community’s helplessness: “We cannot do otherwise; most of us cannot leave because we have nowhere to go. This is our place, our land and everything is here.”The assault came less than 24 hours after a similar attack on Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa LGA, a community along the volatile Katsina border.In Niger State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has assured distraught families of St. Mary’s Co-Education School, Kontagora that the more than 300 students and staff abducted on November 21 will return home “soon.” Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the school on Monday, said the abductees are safe, though he offered no specifics on their location or the status of rescue operations.According to Daniel Atori, spokesman for the Catholic bishop overseeing the school, the NSA reassured officials: “The children are where they are and will come back safely.”The St. Mary’s attack is part of a worrying resurgence of mass kidnappings reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction. Security analysts warn that banditry has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” with hundreds of Nigerians abducted in November alone.The Kontagora school abduction occurred the same week 25 girls were kidnapped in Kebbi State—victims who authorities say have since been rescued through “non-kinetic” means. About 50 of the St. Mary’s hostages have also managed to escape.Ribadu’s delegation, which included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the freedom of all abducted citizens.As communities from Kano to Niger continue to bear the brunt of these violent incursions, the escalating spate of kidnappings underscores the urgent national demand for a more decisive and coordinated security response.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face a team of interrogators at its office daily throughout December.
A credible source in the EFCC said on Monday that the daily appearance was part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged 490 million dollars Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request. The source said that Malami, who was summoned for interrogation by the EFCC on Saturday, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next one month.According to the source, one of the conditions for his release on Saturday was that he should report daily to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.The source said Malami would have to appear daily at the anti-graft office due to the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.”He will be reporting for further investigation throughout December.”He will be reporting every day, starting from Dec. 1st to Dec. 31st.He will appear before the team of investigators for the entire month of December.”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him,” the source added.According to the source, a fact sheet on the former minister revealed that Malami had several issues to clarify with the EFCC within the coming weeks.“We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”The commission cited the large volume of documents he must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport.The source said EFCC would not engage in a war of words but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, on Monday in Abuja, however, described the EFCC investigation as a political witch‑hunt.He confirmed he honored an EFCC invitation on Nov. 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical and devoid of substance, insisting they collapse under factual scrutiny.
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