The new coronavirus is upending our lives, but simple actions can slow its spread, help our neighbours, foster a sense of togetherness and rejuvenate our immune systems
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The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has asked the Nigerian Government to stop the harassment and intimidation of SaharaReporters Publisher, Omoyele Sowore.
The group said Sowore was kept in detention amidst a rash of court orders — none of which guaranteed his freedom in recent past.
It said there were concerns in the human rights circle that in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Sowore’s life may be at risk.
Recall that Sowore had raised the alarm over plans by the authorities to rearrest him to a military barracks where he alleged he would be tortured and infected with COVID-19.
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Sowore said he had written through his lawyers to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to inform him of plots by the Nigerian Army to detain him for revealing “classified information on SaharaReporters”.
SaharaReporters had reported that Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, tested positive for Coronavirus.
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Buhari’s Chief Of Staff, Abba Kyari, Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Confirms SaharaReporters Story
HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, said the organisation was worried about the fate of Sowore in the light of growing lockdown occasioned by COVID-19 spread.
Suraju said the group was also touched by the recent outcry from Sowore over alleged plans to endanger his life.
Suraju said, “The Federal Government can better guarantee protection for Sowore and other citizens by issuing a stern and clear warning to officials of government to refrain from any form of political or unwarranted arrest of citizens under the current situation.
“At this period of COVID-19 pandemic, this is a difficult moment for Nigerians who are free. For those in detention, their ordeal will multiply.
“They fall into the category of those that would have been vulnerable if in detention. We are worried about precautions taken by the government to protect Sowore and other citizens from repressive actions of government officials.”
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Fourteen new cases of Coronavirus have been recorded in Nigeria.
This brings the total cases in the country to 111.
In an update by the Nigerian Center for Disease Control on Sunday night, nine cases were confirmed in Lagos with five in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Fourteen new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria; nine in Lagos and five in FCT.
“As at 09:30pm, March 29, there are 111 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria with one death.”
Fourteen new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria; 9 in Lagos and 5 in FCT
As at 09:30 pm 29th March there are 111 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria with 1 death. pic.twitter.com/qowI0bEPAg
— NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 29, 2020
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Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, who tested positive for Coronavirus, has said that he will be moving to Lagos for “additional care and observation”.
Recall that SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that Kyari was seriously ill and tested positive for the virus after returning from a trip to Germany and Egypt.
SaharaReporters had also reported that the Presidency was making plans to move Kyari to Lagos for intensive care.
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Kyari in a statement on Sunday said, “I am writing to let you know that on medical advice I will transfer to Lagos later today for additional tests and observation.
“This is a precautionary measure: I feel well, but last week I tested positive for Coronavirus, the pandemic that is sweeping the world. I have followed all protocols government has announced to self-isolate and quarantine.
“I have made my own care arrangements to avoid further burdening the public health system, which faces so many pressures.
“Like many others that will also test positive, I have not experienced high fever or other symptoms associated with this virus and have been working from home. I hope to be back at my desk very soon.
“Like the whole world, we are dealing with a new disease. Our experts are learning more all the time about Coronavirus, what it does and how we can combat it.
“This is a disease that recognises no difference between North and South, men or women, rich or poor. We are all in this together.”
Nigeria so far has 97 confirmed cases of the virus and one recorded death.
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President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday during a nationwide broadcast ordered the restriction of movement in Lagos, Ogun and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, following the outbreak and continued spread of Coronavirus in the country.
The restriction is expected to last for two weeks in the first instance to enable the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and other stakeholders rally all available resources to control the spread of the disease.
Buhari urged citizens in these areas to stay in their homes in order to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
He equally advised that inter-state travels should be postponed.
According to the President, the containment period will be used to identify, trace and isolate all individuals that had come in contact with confirmed cases, including ensuring the treatment of confirmed cases while restricting further spread to other states.
He said, “Based on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC, I am directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and FCT for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11pm on Monday, March 30, 2020.
“This restriction will also apply to Ogun State due to its close proximity to Lagos and the high traffic between the two states.”
Nigeria currently has 97 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and one recorded death.
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Two Nigerian soldiers have tested positive for Coronavirus in Monguno, Borno State, SaharaReporters can confirm.
The duo, who returned to camp after they were issued administrative passes, have been quarantined at Sector 3 Mission Headquarters for observation since Saturday March 28, 2020.
It is unclear if the Nigerian Center for Disease Control had tallied the newly recorded cases to the number of confirmed cases in the country which currently stands at 97 with one recorded death.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has banned the movement of persons in and out of Lagos, Ogun and Federal Capital Territory as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.
He made the declaration on Sunday evening during a nationwide broadcast.
According to the President, the decision was taken because Lagos and the FCT had recorded the most cases of the pandemic in the country due to the international airports in both cities, which had allowed travellers from high risk countries for the virus to come into the country.
Buhari said Ogun State was included in the restriction because of its close proximity to Lagos and the fact that it bordered many other states in the South-West.
The President asked Nigerians to put aside their personal comfort to help combat the pandemic, adding that citizens should stay at home to reduce the risk of the virus spreading further.
Buhari said that security agencies would be drafted in to help government’s effort at tackling Coronavirus.
Nigeria currently has 97 confirmed cases of the virus and one recorded death.
More to come…
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The Nigerian Government has evacuated staff of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control stranded in the Republic of Congo.
In a statement, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Republic of Congo, Deborah Iliya, commended the government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for deploying an aircraft to airlift the stranded personnel back to Nigeria.
According to Iliya, the NCDC staff had travelled to Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, to undergo a special capacity building course by the World Health Organisation in order to expand their knowledge of Coronavirus management.
The statement reads, “The medical team had been stranded following the closure of air and land borders by the host country ostensibly for similar situation.
“In the same vein, the ambassador, on behalf of the Government of Nigeria, has commended the government and good people of the Republic of Congo for the singular act of solidarity and standing on good relations by the temporal opening of her airport to facilitate the departure of the team on March 26, 2020.
“This act has in no small measure further strengthened the bilateral harmony that exists between the two countries.
“This trying moment calls for unity, support for each other and forging a common front against Coronavirus and all that stands against peace.”
At the moment, Africa has 4,480 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and 135 deaths, with 97 infections and one death coming from Nigeria.
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A former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has called on both the federal and state governments to roll out palliatives to mitigate the effect of the Coronavirus lockdown in most parts of the country.
Sani said the country may witness a situation where citizens would be dying of hunger and starvation after exhausting what they had stockpiled at home.
He added that the situation may lead to an uprising and total breakdown of law and order in an attempt for survival.
Sani said, “When the stock of food and water in the homes of people are exhausted, there will be nothing else left to fear and no law and directives left to obey.”
WHEN the stock of food and water in the homes of the people are exhausted,there will be nothing else left to fear and no law or directives left to be obeyed.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) March 29, 2020
The former lawmaker slammed the Kaduna State Government for not putting in place measures to alleviate the hardship people were going through as a result of lockdown.
The senator called for urgent measures to cushion the effect of the restriction on movement for the masses.
Nigeria currently has 97 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and one recorded death.
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According to John F. Kennedy, “The war against hunger is truly mankind’s war of liberation.” It is no longer news that Coronavirus (Covid-19) is quite alarming and far spreading while food prices have risen dramatically around the country in recent days, fuelling widespread concern and social unrest in communities confronted with devastating price increases when buying provisions and food stuff. Exactly what accounts for this wild upswing in market prices and what do these trends hold for those already living in precarious conditions?
Hunger and malnutrition are self-perpetuating issues that affect a person’s mental ability, health, work and productivity. They constitute the world’s greatest public health risk, more pressing than corona virus (Covid-19).
There will be restrictions of movement due to the outbreak of Covid-19 (Corona Virus) and yet the government have no plan for its citizen during the sit at home period while other countries made provisions for their citizen so as not to lose their lives to hunger because hunger kills faster than a virus. At least 70 per cent of Nigerians are living on stipend even when they go out to hustle to put food on their tables, what will be their fate staying at home for a longer period without having an alternative? How do they survive? If they eventually survive the virus, will they survive the hunger?
The Nigerian government should put a proper measure in place so our case won’t end up like that of Italy, Spain and America respectively or even worse. Nigerians cherish their lives and am very sure the whole of the cities will be empty like a grave yard if the government can roll out an economic stimulus package to its citizen or better still give out relief funds to every individuals.
Influential individuals and organizations are not left out, I personally go against the act of tokenism portrayed by our banking sectors as i see it as policy or practice of making only a symbolic effort. 80% Nigerians are bank users and as well have a BVN (Bank Verification Number), relief funds can be disbursed to Nigerians via their BVN numbers irrespective of where they are. Billions of naira have been paid to the government account by individuals, organizations as well as the banking sectors to support during this pandemic while its citizens are languishing. I hope mosquitoes don’t swallow all the billions as we will be left with no choice as usual to believe it was swallowed by mosquitoes.
The government should put in place an alternatives for its citizen not just to tell us to sit at home and die of hunger as majority of Nigerians lives on hand to mouth on daily basis.
Education and awareness are the first steps to understanding and solving any issue and hunger is no different, while malnutrition is the single largest contributor to disease.
You pray for the hungry, then you feed them. This is how prayer works. – Pope Francis.
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