Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Professor Akin Abayomi has announced the death of a coronavirus patient in a private hospital in the state. He did not name the private hospital where the death was recorded.
Professor Abayomi, in his verified Twitter handle while giving an update on coronavirus in the state, wrote: “Eight new cases of COVID-19 infections on April 10, 2020. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Lagos State to 166.
“Three of the confirmed cases have been transferred to Ogun State which is their place of residence.
“However, additional seven COVID-19 patients, who have fully recovered, have been discharged after testing negative twice.
“The total number of COVID-19 patients discharged in Lagos State is now 46.
“We are, however, saddened by the death of another patient from COVID-19-related complications in a private hospital in Lagos.
“Please keep obeying social distancing rules to stay safe.”
File photo of VT4/MBT3000 Battle Armour Tanks | Defence Blog
Boko Haram insurgents may be facing the final onslaught from the Nigerian Army as it took delivery of high grade VT4/ MBT3000 battle armoured tanks and artillery vehicles from China.
The VT4/ MBT3000 is a Chinese third generation main battle tank built to specification by China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) for overseas export. They were ordered by the Nigeria’s Federal Government.
According to information reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters, the armoured tanks and vehicles, upgraded variant of the MBT2000 (VT-1) and the latest tank model from the Type 90-II tank family,are equipped with latest technologies and have the ability to wage war from multiple fronts and cloudy or smoky weathers.
The MBT-3000 concept debuted at the 2012 Eurosatory. The tank was subsequently shown at the 2014 Norinco Armor Day and the tenth China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition as the VT-4.
The VT-4 has a 125mm smoothbore cannon capable of firing APFSDS, HESH, HEAT and HE rounds and guided missiles. There is also a remote weapon station on the turret armed with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The fire control system has hunter-killer capabilities, laser rangefinder, panoramic sight, and a third generation thermal imaging system.
The tank appears to have composite and explosive reactive armor. The turret front has wedge shaped armor and the hull sides have armored sideskirts. The tank is equipped with an active protection system designated GL5, defensive grenade launchers, and a laser warning device. The vehicle also has an IFF system, NBC protection, explosion suppression system, fire extinguishing system, and air conditioning.
The Chief of Policy and Plans (CPPLANs), Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun, who received the consignment, said that Nigerians should expect more robust operations against Boko Haram and other forms of insecurity in the country.
“The process of acquiring this has been on for some time but thank God they are coming in now.
“From this, you can see how serious the Federal Government of Nigeria is in making sure that the Nigerian Army is not only equipped ,but contains problem of insecurity we are having across the country.
“This is being tackled with trained personnel and required equipment. What you are seeing here is just a tip of the iceberg. Others are still coming but it is very important that we all see that both the military and the government are really very serious to tackle the security problems across the nation.”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has requested Christians in the Territory to use the occasion of the celebration of Easter to pray fervently for the end of coronavirus pandemic that has so far claimed thousands of lives across the world.
The Minister said that history has shown that when people turn to God in true supplication, in times of distress, the Almighty answers prayers.
According to the Minister, Easter, as one of the holiest celebrations for Christians provided a great opportunity to pray to God to heal the sick and prevent a further spread of the disease across the Territory.
Malam Muhammad Musa Bello encouraged residents to use the Easter celebrations to imbibe the spirit of unity which the FCT symbolizes.
“I urge you to use this season to reflect on the significance of the FCT as the Center of Unity of our country. This is the season to show true neighborliness and reach out to the needy and the less privileged who have been impacted negatively by COVID 19.
“The disease is such that it does not discriminate between the haves and the haves not and is no respecter of age or religious beliefs. We must therefore come together as communities to fight it together.´
The minister advised residents to follow all the health protocols of constant handwashing, use of alcohol based sanitizer, and observing social distancing.
“The best way to beat this disease is not to contract it. This is one time where prevention is most certainly better than cure. You must therefore be disciplined and maintain personal hygiene by observing to the letter, prevention protocols of constant hand washing, use of alcohol based sanitizers and observance of social distancing.”
The Minister also asked residents to observe the stay-at-home directives of the government saying that it was the one way to curtail the spread of the virus and allow for contact tracing by the health authorities.
Two sons of late Dr. Yakubu Aliyu, a medical doctor in Daura, Katsina State who was said to have died of coronavirus infection have alleged that their father did not die of the virus even as they questioned the validity of the reports of “positive status” for Coronavirus on them.
The two children spoke in separate videos where they claimed that their father could not have tested positive and died of COVID-19.
One of the sons, Nuhu Aliyu, accused health officials of the National Centre for Disease and Control (NCDC) of manipulating the sample result of their father’s coronavirus test.
In a short video of himself speaking on the incident, Nuhu described the report that his father contacted and died of coronavirus as fake, calling on the general public to disregard the fake news and misinformation.
He disclosed that though personnel of NCDC in Katsina State stormed their house on Tuesday and took their samples for medical analysis, they were surprised to hear that three of them have also tested positive in the social media.
This is even without the public knowing the actual number of persons whose samples were taken in their family.
“They have already concluded plans to come and pick me, my mother and brother for observation. But we don’t know where they intend to take us to, the kind of food they will give us and also the medication. That is why I am shooting this small video in case anything bad happens to us,” Nuhu said.
In a separate video, Abdulmalik Aliyu, another son said that he also recently received news from his friends that he has COVID-19, even while the NCDC officials are yet to call him and confirmed his status.
He said that though their father just passed away, he did not die as a result of coronavirus.
“Our late father did not die because he was infested with any coronavirus. He never had contact with COVID-19 patients, in the first place. While those he even had contact with have all been traced and none was said to have suffered from coronavirus. So they just capitalized on the fact that he is no more to lie about what killed him,” Abdulmalik added.
Like his brother, he also urged the public to report his video to security agencies, should anything tragic happens to them.
Responding to the allegation of manipulation of results of COVID-19, a spokesperson of NCDC, Chukwuemeka Oguanuo told PRNigeria that the issue of manipulation has been cleared severally by authorities including the DG of Centre during the daily presidential press briefing.
In an SMS, Oguanuo said the COVID-19 testing labs are accredited and provide verified results.
“Some people can be in denial of their status, it’s psychological.
“The State Ministry of Health or the State Government should provide an update on this. They are aware,” he said.
“The freedoms we ask you to willingly forsake today will only last as long as our scientific advisers declare they are necessary. But they are essential – world over – to halt and defeat the spread of this virus.
These were the words of President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement today, April 11, by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu.
In what looks like a possible extension of lockdown beyond Monday, April 13, the President, said: “we must ask you – once more – to observe restrictions on movement where they are in place, and follow the instructions of our scientists and medical advisers: stay home, wash your hands, save lives.”
“For those who suffer most egregiously, the Government has announced multiple measures to assist: 70,000 tonnes of grain is being released from the National Strategic Grain Reserves for distribution to those in most need; distribution of small cash payments are also being made, and will continue to be made by the federal government in the states and local government areas.
“We ask you to listen and follow public announcements via the mass media for instructions as to how to receive this government support – and learn of more public assistance in the coming days.
“All that the Government is asking you to endure is because nowhere in the world today is there any known way of defeating this pandemic. There is no vaccine. And that means there are choices to be made: between continuing as usual, or accepting the restrictions even when they come with unintended consequences.”
Buhari acknowledged that today, because of the lockdown, Nigerians are unable to visit their parents while elders are isolated from the young ones, “and there are those who live day-to-day, eating as they earn, who face real and present suffering,” but thank the citizens for their patience, resolve and strong determination to defeat the coronavirus disease outbreak.
He said that at this darkest hour, it is the duty of s responsible government to offer the citizens full and unvarnished truth, adding: “this is a global pandemic. 210 countries and territories across the globe are affected. We cannot expect others to come to our assistance. No one is coming to defeat this virus for us.
“Instead, the defeat of the virus in our country will be in our hands, alone. We cannot wait for others. We can only depend on ourselves now. And so we must – and we will – end this outbreak ourselves as Nigerians, together”.
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has reversed himself and cancelled the earlier concession his government granted churches to hold Easter Church Services with their full congregations.
A statement today, April 11, by the state commissioner of Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, said that the decision was taken after due consultations with eminent clergy men, well-meaning Nigerians and civil society groups.
“For the avoidance of doubt, churches should stick to the 50 persons per service to maintain social distancing.”
The Nigeria’s Federal Government has disowned a certain advertorial circulating on Social Media tilted ‘Application Opens For 774,000 Employment By FG: See Requirements, Salary And How To Apply’.
In a statement today, April 10, the minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), said that as the Supervising Minister over the National Directorate of Employment in which the Special Public Works Programme of the Federal Government is domiciled, and having conferred with the Director-General, Dr. Nasiru Ladan Mohammed Argungu, “we wish to alert members of the public that the said advertorial or anything of such presently circulating is fake and should be disregarded.
“I have just finished consultation with the Hon. Minister of Finance and we are presently working out how the scope of the program would be expanded and executed with other relevant Ministries and stakeholders across the country.
“The public would be duly informed by this office when all the modalities have been graciously approved by Mr. President.
“We are also informed of instructions by certain persons going round in some States to the effect that names of those to be employed under the program should be compiled. We also urge these people not to embark on an exercise in futility as the guidelines for such recruitment and those to be involved have not been released by the agency.
“Finally, we assure all that this well-intentioned program of the Federal Government would be carefully planned and executed in such a way as to meet its target of empowering the largely unskilled labour in rural areas.”
Nigerian medical doctors, under the canopy of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have raised alarm on the danger of rapid spread of coronavirus to communities following the relaxing of the lockdown order by some state governors.
They warned that such measure will only heighten the transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as there are evidences of community transmission in the country.
The Association particularly noted with serious concern the comment by the Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade, that social distancing is not needed while wearing a face mask.
Some states governors have recently ordered the relaxation of the lockdown orders and approved mass observance of Jumat prayers and Easter Sunday services.
In a statement today, April 10, the President of the NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile, said: “the attention of the Nigerian Medical Association has been drawn to some isolated statements negating the established measure of preventing COVID-19 – social distancing; and orders by some state governors authorising the mass observance of Jumat prayers and Easter Sunday services.
“Of particular concern are: the declaration by the Cross River State Governor that social distancing is not needed while wearing a face mask; a moratorium on the lockdown to allow mass gathering in mosques and churches starting from Friday to Sunday in Rivers state; and the lifting of the ban on Friday prayers by Katsina and Kogi States government.
“We are aware that similar orders have also been given in Ondo, Ebonyi and Imo states which have approved mass attendance of Easter services.
“While appreciating the prime place of religion in our national lives and especially the value Christians place on Easter, we place on record that there is now the evidence of community transmission of COVID-19.
“As such, relaxing any guideline that promotes mass gatherings in any part of our nation now can only heighten and not flatten the curve of transmission dynamics.
“We therefore pray all authorities concerned to rescind their decision in the interest of safety of lives and implore the Nigerian Police force and other security agencies ensure that such gatherings do not take place.”
A veteran journalist called me on April 4 to confirm if indeed the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) issued a statement advising government against approving the Fifth Generation Mobile Technology (5G), claiming it is dangerous and linked to the outbreak of Covid-19.
The NUJ also reportedly rejected the invitation of Chinese doctors in order to avoid: “… a situation where Nigerians will be used as a Guinea pig for any experiment” I told him it was an incredible and absurd story but that I will make enquiries.
I immediately called the NUJ National Secretary, Mr. Leman Shuaib Usman who confirmed the union issued the statement. I asked whether the NUJ had investigated its claims about 5G being dangerous to human beings, or made enquiries from the National Communication Commission (NCC) about it. The answer was negative.
I then asked the basis on which the NUJ is officially rejecting the 5G which will have tremendous effects on journalism practice. There was none based on knowledge, investigation or research. Next, I asked the basis on which the NUJ made a link between the alleged installation of 5G masts in China and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic; was it based on investigation, published research or verifiable information? It was none of these.
Then I enquired why the NUJ was rejecting the invitation of Chinese doctors to help us fight Covid-19. Mr. Leman told me it was based on the observation that while Wuhan was the epicenter of Covid-19, it did not devastate Chinese cities like Shangai and Beijing, which confirmed the hypothesis that it was a controlled Chinese virus.
I told him that the logic of the NUJ leadership is that the Chinese should be condemned for being able to contain the virus, stopping it devastating more Chinese cities and decimating its population. I appealed that he reviewed the entire issue and if the NUJ had erred, it should have the courage to recall the statement.
The co-signatory was the NUJ National President, Mr. Christopher Isiguzo who I called next. I made my observations and told him that he and Mr. Leman owe Nigerian journalists the duty of withdrawing the embarrassing statement which from my discussions with them is based on rumours, conspiracy theories and false news. He listened and promised to call me the next day.
He did not, but sent me a statement by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) rejecting the invitation of the Chinese doctors as if that in itself justifies the NUJ leadership’s violation of the ethics of journalism.
Every rookie journalist is taught that while comments or opinions are free, facts are sacred; that a journalist must report only facts and if in doubt, spike the report or the portion he cannot confirm.
The NUJ President followed this up on Wednesday by sending me a video of the self-serving rantings of a transactional pastor whose commercialization of God’s words according to Forbes statistics, has earned him a hefty $30-$50 million profit. The pastor who could not even define what theory is, could be heard in his usual sophistry, claiming that Covid-19 is a scam; the figment of human imagination and that what is killing people is the 5G technology not any virus. It is tragic the depths people can go in order to deceive and profit off peoples’ lives.
The NMA appears ill-informed about the Chinese doctors whom it assumes are being employed by the Nigerian government. Based on this misinformation, it argues there are unemployed Nigerian doctors, and implied that the money government is going to pay the Chinese doctors can be better utilized providing necessary medical equipment and facilities .
However, the verifiable information is that these doctors are being brought in by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) as part of its corporate social responsibility. They are to spend one month in the country, and to share experiences with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and not to practice medicine in Nigeria.
The fact is, given the titanic battle China waged against Covid-19, Chinese doctors are some of the most experienced in fighting the virus, and a drowning man is not interested whether his rescuer is Nigerian, Chinese, Yemeni or Dutch.
The NMA went low when it wrote that: “The spike in cases and the death toll from COVID-19 in Italy coincided with the arrival of the Chinese in the guise of offering assistance.” This cynical and unsubstantiated claim gives the impression that Chinese doctors are going around the world spreading the virus and deliberately infecting non-Chinese. In this, the NMA without any empirical evidence or facts, is accusing its Chinese counterparts of betraying the physicians global ethical code (The Hippocratic Oath) which is basically, to respect and save human lives.
The rejection of 5G or the false claim that it is the source of the Coronavirus is like people rejecting telephone on the basis that it is the cause of small pox.
The 5G network is basically an improvement on the high-speed mobile internet (4G) which was an improvement on the voice and mobile data (3) itself an advancement on the Digital Voice (2G) and the Analogue Voice (1G) In rolling out 5G which some countries like South Korea, Britain, United States, Switzerland, Finland and Germany have done, the approving authorities put into consideration basic issues like health, security, labour, commercial and social implications.
The 5G will not be decided by rancorous debates, rumours or fake news. It is the logic of science, the pull of technology, demands of knowledge and commerce and the inevitability of an idea whose time has come. It should be clear to all that 5G is global and not a Chinese invention.
Bodies like the NUJ and NMA need to start thinking and discussing the likely implications of 5G on their members. Otherwise, it would be like the introduction of the internet when the media was dragged by the ears into the new world. Many media organisations which could not adapt, died while all parts including reportorial, sub-editing, photography and production underwent fundamental transformation.
Many of the purveyors of fake news on Covid-19 and 5G are pathetic victims of imperialist propaganda; mere repeater stations of foreign half-truths and falsehood. Africans and the underdeveloped world should focus on what benefits their people and how they can also contribute to human development and not be cheerleaders at the turf battles for global leadership. They should not become disciples of Donald Trump, the archangel of vicious agitation, propaganda and fake news.
I am convinced that this is a world without end, but if creation were to be destroyed as in Biblical times, it will not be by water, fire or virus; it will be fake news the next time.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Gida Mustapha has described himself as a village boy without sliver spoon in his mouth.
The SGF, who is a lawyer by profession , said he was not born as ‘Ajebota’ (privileged child), saying: “I was born a rural Nigerian. I grew up in rural Nigeria, I went to school in rural Nigeria and I still live in rural Nigeria.
“Yola is my home, I’m just on a journey here in Abuja. At the end of my work or whatever I am doing here, I will return home which is rural Nigeria and I am going to live with the facilities in rural Nigeria.”
Boss Mustapha, who was today, April 10, reacting to news attributed to him saying he never knew that Nigeria’s medical sector was this bad, said that he he didn’t say such a thing because he really knew it better those in big cities.
“My statement was totally taken out of context because that was not the reflection of what I said. But having to serve in this committee gave me a further insight into what is happening.
”Most of the things you see around as specialists, hospitals or clinics, you just see the buildings, you don’t know what is inside.
“But being in this committee has given me opportunity of walking into these facilities, looking at what they have in relation to what they ought to have, my conclusion on that is that they don’t have what they ought to have.”
Boss Mustapha, who is the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the control of the COVID -19 pandemic, said: “I must clarify that I am aware and has indeed been a champion for the reform and transformation of the health care system.
“However, this PTF assignment has afforded me the opportunity to dig deeper, interrogate and x-ray the system better. …So for anyone to think that I didn’t know the level of deplorable state of our healthcare systems, is a complete misrepresentation.
“For the benefit of those who do not know me well, I come from rural Nigeria. I was born in a college almost 64 years ago that didn’t even have a hospital, it had small missionary dispensary probably with one midwife, no birth certificate was offered.
” So I don’t even have birth certificate, I have declaration of age.
“A lot of you sitting here are privileged to have been born in a better and more equipped medical facilities. So from birth I know the state of our medical, healthcare, I am not a foreigner.
“The truth of the matter is that this is not the time to be distracted with unnecessary controversies.”
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The World Will Not Be Destroyed By Fire Or Virus, But Fake News, By Owei Lakemfa_
The NUJ also reportedly rejected the invitation of Chinese doctors in order to avoid: “… a situation where Nigerians will be used as a Guinea pig for any experiment” I told him it was an incredible and absurd story but that I will make enquiries.
I immediately called the NUJ National Secretary, Mr. Leman Shuaib Usman who confirmed the union issued the statement. I asked whether the NUJ had investigated its claims about 5G being dangerous to human beings, or made enquiries from the National Communication Commission (NCC) about it. The answer was negative.
I then asked the basis on which the NUJ is officially rejecting the 5G which will have tremendous effects on journalism practice. There was none based on knowledge, investigation or research. Next, I asked the basis on which the NUJ made a link between the alleged installation of 5G masts in China and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic; was it based on investigation, published research or verifiable information? It was none of these.
Then I enquired why the NUJ was rejecting the invitation of Chinese doctors to help us fight Covid-19. Mr. Leman told me it was based on the observation that while Wuhan was the epicenter of Covid-19, it did not devastate Chinese cities like Shangai and Beijing, which confirmed the hypothesis that it was a controlled Chinese virus.
I told him that the logic of the NUJ leadership is that the Chinese should be condemned for being able to contain the virus, stopping it devastating more Chinese cities and decimating its population. I appealed that he reviewed the entire issue and if the NUJ had erred, it should have the courage to recall the statement.
The co-signatory was the NUJ National President, Mr. Christopher Isiguzo who I called next. I made my observations and told him that he and Mr. Leman owe Nigerian journalists the duty of withdrawing the embarrassing statement which from my discussions with them is based on rumours, conspiracy theories and false news. He listened and promised to call me the next day.
He did not, but sent me a statement by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) rejecting the invitation of the Chinese doctors as if that in itself justifies the NUJ leadership’s violation of the ethics of journalism.
Every rookie journalist is taught that while comments or opinions are free, facts are sacred; that a journalist must report only facts and if in doubt, spike the report or the portion he cannot confirm.
The NUJ President followed this up on Wednesday by sending me a video of the self-serving rantings of a transactional pastor whose commercialization of God’s words according to Forbes statistics, has earned him a hefty $30-$50 million profit. The pastor who could not even define what theory is, could be heard in his usual sophistry, claiming that Covid-19 is a scam; the figment of human imagination and that what is killing people is the 5G technology not any virus. It is tragic the depths people can go in order to deceive and profit off peoples’ lives.
The NMA appears ill-informed about the Chinese doctors whom it assumes are being employed by the Nigerian government. Based on this misinformation, it argues there are unemployed Nigerian doctors, and implied that the money government is going to pay the Chinese doctors can be better utilized providing necessary medical equipment and facilities .
However, the verifiable information is that these doctors are being brought in by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) as part of its corporate social responsibility. They are to spend one month in the country, and to share experiences with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and not to practice medicine in Nigeria.
The fact is, given the titanic battle China waged against Covid-19, Chinese doctors are some of the most experienced in fighting the virus, and a drowning man is not interested whether his rescuer is Nigerian, Chinese, Yemeni or Dutch.
The NMA went low when it wrote that: “The spike in cases and the death toll from COVID-19 in Italy coincided with the arrival of the Chinese in the guise of offering assistance.” This cynical and unsubstantiated claim gives the impression that Chinese doctors are going around the world spreading the virus and deliberately infecting non-Chinese. In this, the NMA without any empirical evidence or facts, is accusing its Chinese counterparts of betraying the physicians global ethical code (The Hippocratic Oath) which is basically, to respect and save human lives.
The rejection of 5G or the false claim that it is the source of the Coronavirus is like people rejecting telephone on the basis that it is the cause of small pox.
The 5G network is basically an improvement on the high-speed mobile internet (4G) which was an improvement on the voice and mobile data (3) itself an advancement on the Digital Voice (2G) and the Analogue Voice (1G) In rolling out 5G which some countries like South Korea, Britain, United States, Switzerland, Finland and Germany have done, the approving authorities put into consideration basic issues like health, security, labour, commercial and social implications.
The 5G will not be decided by rancorous debates, rumours or fake news. It is the logic of science, the pull of technology, demands of knowledge and commerce and the inevitability of an idea whose time has come. It should be clear to all that 5G is global and not a Chinese invention.
Bodies like the NUJ and NMA need to start thinking and discussing the likely implications of 5G on their members. Otherwise, it would be like the introduction of the internet when the media was dragged by the ears into the new world. Many media organisations which could not adapt, died while all parts including reportorial, sub-editing, photography and production underwent fundamental transformation.
Many of the purveyors of fake news on Covid-19 and 5G are pathetic victims of imperialist propaganda; mere repeater stations of foreign half-truths and falsehood. Africans and the underdeveloped world should focus on what benefits their people and how they can also contribute to human development and not be cheerleaders at the turf battles for global leadership. They should not become disciples of Donald Trump, the archangel of vicious agitation, propaganda and fake news.
I am convinced that this is a world without end, but if creation were to be destroyed as in Biblical times, it will not be by water, fire or virus; it will be fake news the next time.