25032020

The role of 

traditional rulers - 

Sanusi the genius: 

A case study (1) 

23 

No Senator 

has tested 

positive 

50 soldiers killed in 

Boko Haram ambush 

Electricity workers 

13 

3 

—SENATE threaten shut down in 24 hrs 

CBN projects reversal in GDP growth, retains policy rates 

20 

32 

VOL. 27: NO. 64033 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 

CORONAVIRUS: 

Widespread fear as Kyari, 

Bauchi gov test positive 

•Cases now 44 as NCDC confirms new cases in Lagos, Ogun, Bauchi, Abuja 

•Presidential Task Force inspects Aso Rock; Jack Ma’s test kits arrive 

•Why Aisha Buhari shut office for 2 wks; PDP urges Buhari to speak on Villa status 

•LASG urges all participants of AMVCA to go on self –isolation 

EMPTY AIRPORT... 

5 

•Mallam Abba Kyari 

•Gov Bala Mohammed 

Mr & Mrs 

Departure Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos without the usual crowd of travelers after closure 

to international flights as part of measures to curtail the spread of Coronavirus, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele. 

No inmate 

escaped from 

Warri prison 

—NCS 33 

Reps pass 

bill for coys to 

get 50% PAYE 

refund 19 

FG okays 

process for 

appointment 

of 10 

PerrmSecs 

Kano, Benue 

13 

sends workers 

home for 2 weeks 

as Plateau shuts 

markets, clubs 

FALANA 22 ROTIMI FASAN 25

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 — 3


vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 —5 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

POCKET CARTOON 

@vanguardnews 08052867058 

Widespread fear as Kyari, Bauchi 

gov test positive 

By Chioma Obinna, 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, Dirisu 

Yakubu & Charly 

Agwam 

ABUJA — 

Influential 

Chief of Staff to 

President Mohammed 

Buhari, Mallam Abba 

Kyari, has reportedly 

tested positive to the 

rampaging Coronavirus 

that is currently wreaking 

havoc in the country, 

forcing some state 

governors to either put 

their states on lock down 

or threaten to do so. 

While countries of the 

world have stepped up 

efforts to contain the 

ravaging virus, fear and 

uncertainty have gripped 

Bauchi State residents 

after it was confirmed that 

Governor Bala 

Mohammed tested 

positive to corona virus. 

Earlier, yesterday, 

Senior Special Assistant 

on Media to the governor, 

Muhktar Gidado in a 

statement, confirmed that 

the governor tested 

positive to the virus after 

his blood sample was 

taken to Abuja and tested 

by the Nigerian Centre 

for Disease Control, 

NCDC. This came as 

anxiety heightened at the 

country’s seat of power, 

Aso Villa, over reports of 

the corona virus infection. 

Meanwhile, the number 

of Coronavirus cases in 

Nigeria yesterday, rose 

from 40 to 44, following 

four new confirmed cases 

in Lagos, Ogun , Bauchi 

States and Abuja, 

respectively. 

Confirming this on its 

twitter handle - 

@NCDCgov, yesterday, 

the Nigerian Centre for 

Disease Control, NCDC, 

explained that one of the 

cases was a returning 

traveller while the second 

case was a contact of a 

previously confirmed 

case. 

The other two cases have 

travel history to Germany 

and the United Kingdom, 

UK, respectively. 

Giving further details on 

the number of cases, 

NCDC explained that at 

06:25p.m., on March 24, 

2020, there are 44 

confirmed cases of 

#COVID19 in Nigeria; 

two have been discharged 

with one death recorded. 

According to NCDC 

breakdown by states in 

real-time, Lagos- 29, 

Federal Capital Territory 

Abuja, FCT- 8, Ogun- 3, 

Ekiti- 1, Oyo- 1, Edo- 1 

and Bauchi 1, bringing 

the total of cases to 44. 

This came as the Lagos 

State Commissioner for 

Health, Prof Akin 

Abayomi urged all 

participants and 

attendees at the just 

concluded African Magic 

viewers’ Choice Award, 

AMVCA, held on March 

15, 2020, at Eko Hotels, 

Lagos to go on selfisolation. 

Recall that last week, 

the First Lady, Aisha 

Buhari had shut down her 

office for two weeks over 

alleged refusal of one of 

her aides who returned 

from the United Kingdom, 

UK, to heed her advice to 

stay away on selfisolation 

for 14 days before 

coming to work. 

3 Abba Kyari 

staff test positive 

The news that President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

Chief of Staff, Mallam 

Abba Kyari tested positive 

to the COVID-19 

allegedly led the National 

Centre for Disease 

Control NCDC, to carry 

out tests on the President 

on Monday and the result 

released, yesterday, was 

negative. 

The mask-wearing 

members of the 

Presidential Task Force 

for the Control of the 

Coronavirus were led by 

its chairman and 

Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation, SGF, Boss 

Mustapha on inspection 

of the nation’s seat of 

power. 

Their presence caused 

anxiety among State 

House Staff, especially as 

the Chief of Staff was 

reported to have held 

meetings in the Villa since 

his return. 

The 12-man task force 

declined to speak to 

newsmen as they filed out 

of the State House. 

When pressed by State 

House correspondents to 

talk, the SGF simply said 

“you’d be briefed later.” 

On departure, staff at 

the Villa were heard 

speaking in hushed tones 

and expressing fears 

about the consequences 

of the alleged positive test 

for Kyari given the nature 

of his interaction with 

politicians, other senior 

government officials and 

staff. 

Since returning from 

Germany, Kyari who was 

said to have been 

asymptomatic, had been 

attending meetings 

including last week’s 

Federal Executive 

Council, FEC and 

inauguration of the 

Presidential Task Force 

for the Control of 

Coronavirus, both of 

COVID-19: Should FG lockdown the country? (1) 

which were presided over 

by President Buhari. 

Kyari who was on a trip 

to Germany on March 7, 

this year, to meet with 

officials of Siemens in 

Munich on Nigerian 

electricity expansion 

programme, returned to 

the country on March 14. 

He was sighted after 

Jum’aat prayers last 

Friday, but was not seen 

at the Presidential Villa, 

Abuja, on Monday. His 

official vehicle was also 

not sighted at its officially 

allocated position at the 

car park in the Admin 

Wing of the State House, 

yesterday. 

Members of the 

Presidential task force 

include Minister of 

Health, Prof Osagie 

Ehanire; Minister of 

Interior, Ogbeni Rauf 

Aregbesola; Minister of 

Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika; 

Minister of Humanitarian 

Affairs, Disaster 

Management and Social 

Services, Sadiya Umar- 

Farouk; Minister of 

Education, Mr Adamu 

Adamu; Minister of 

Environment, Mr 

Mohammed Mahmoud; 

Director-General, 

Department of State 

Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi; 

Director-General, Nigeria 

Centre for Disease Control; 

Continues on Page 35 

By Bose Adelaja, 

Olayinka Latona 

& Samuel Ameh 

This is really a 

sensitive issue 

though it is the right 

thing to do to stop the 

virus from spreading. Yet, 

we must not overlook the 

financial stand of the 

masses. Many Nigerians 

must go out each day to 

be able to feed. The 

masses must be provided 

for with basic needs 

before this lockdown can 

be carried out. 

- B a b a t u n d e 

Olamilekan 

Actor 

I 

don’t think total 

lockdown of the 

country will be okay 

as it will lead to 

serious hunger and 

other health 

challenges. If the 

Federal Government 

declares total 

lockdown, many 

Nigerians will be 

impoverished the 

more thus making life 

harder for the common 

man. 

-Adedipe Folarin 

Entrepreneurial 

This total lockdown 

should have been done 

the moment COVID-19 got 

to Africa as a preventive 

measure. Nigeria is at risk 

now because the virus is 

already in the country; that is 

just the FG looking for 

solutions to the deed that had 

been done. However, to 

avoid exposing Nigerians to 

more harm, the total 

shutdown is advisable while 

we look for means to curtail it 

internally. 

-Tanimola Femi 

Corps Member 

The FG should adopt 

total lockdown of the 

country by closing the 

borders completely. The virus 

is being well controlled in 

China because they closed 

their borders to everyone; 

they stopped people from 

entering their country with or 

without the virus. It’s just for 

a while. The virus is fast 

spreading in Nigeria and 

opening our borders will 

make it worse. 

-Ralph Siyan-Peters 

Law student 

It’s a good idea if 

t h e 

FG adopts total 

lockdown of the country 

as a measure to prevent 

the spread of Covid-19 

in Nigeria. While 

trying to enforce the 

law, FG should provide 

amenities for citizens 

such as electricity, 

finance and other basic 

human needs, so as to 

make the citizens 

comfortable during the 

lockdown. 

-Idebi Faith 

Analyst 

Embarking on a 

t o t a l 

l o c k d o w n 

promises to be the best 

solution in order to 

reduce the spread of 

this deadly virus. 

However, the adoption 

should not be sudden, 

as Nigerians need to be 

informed at least two - 

three days before such 

pronouncement, in order 

to avoid issues such as 

hunger, insecurity and 

so on. 

-Seyi Ajamu 

Photojournalist

6 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 

16-year-old 

appointed 

king in 

Ondo 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—A 16-year-old 

Prince, Oloyede Adeyeoba, 

has been approved by the Ondo 

State government as the Arujale 

of Okeluse in Ose Local 

Government Area of the state. 

The ratification of the 

appointment of the Senior 

Secondary 3 Student was done 

alongside two others by the state 

executive council presided over 

by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu 

in Akure, the state capital. 

Briefing newsmen in Akure 

after the meeting, Commissioner 

for Local Government and 

Chieftaincy Affairs, Lola 

Fagbemi, said Oloyede 

Adeyeoba’s appointment 

followed an election conducted 

by king-makers in the 

community. 

Fagbemi said the ratification 

was arrived at after hours of 

deliberations by the council. 

Meanwhile, a family source 

from the community of the 16- 

year-old new king said the 

young king is the only son of the 

late monarch and that if the 

installation should be delayed till 

he is of age, manipulation could 

set in. 

According to him “the tradition 

of the community entails that if a 

king is dead, his younger brother 

would act as a regent while the 

heir to the throne will be sent on 

exile for 90 days to undergo 

traditional rites. 

He, however, noted that the 

leaders of the community took 

precautions to avoid crisis and 

made the first daughter of the 

late king the regent, the first time 

such would happen in the 

history of the town, while the heir 

would go into seclusion. 

“ When an Okeluse Oba joins 

his ancestors, his immediate 

younger brother becomes the 

regent, who acts until the Oba 

'elect' returns from seclusion. 

“But our late monarch had a 

son. The family thought it would 

be dangerous to have one of the 

brothers of the late Oba as a 

regent because he may not want 

to relinquish power in the future. 

“The regent is Princess 

Aderonke Adeyeoba, the late 

king’s first daughter. So far, the 

transition has been very peaceful 

and smooth. 

“In Okeluse, the obaship title 

is from father to son. It is the 

oba’s family, who exclusively 

handles the installation of a new 

oba in Okeluse. 

The source noted: “The young 

son will go back to school and 

by the grace of God to the 

university so that the institution 

will not tie him down." 

The two other appointments 

made by the state government 

include that of Prince Ebenezer 

Adewunmi Ogunmolasuyi as 

the Olupenmen of Upenmen in 

Owo Local Government Area of 

Ondo State and Prince 

Olorunsola Akinyelure as 

Odogbo of Ode Omi in Irele 

council area. 

6 to die by hanging for murder in Ekiti 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

ADO-EKITI—An Ado-Ekiti 

High Court in Ekiti State, 

yesterday, sentenced six persons 

to death for murder and attempted 

murder. 

The convicts are Oniyelu Olu 

(63), Folorunso Oluwatoba (65), 

Peter Ajayi (73), Tijani Arowolo (80) 

who died during the pendency of 

the suit in court, Dolamu Olaide 

(29), John Ojo (77) and Lateef 

Arowolo (45). 

Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, who 

pronounced the death penalty by 

hanging on the accused persons, 

said the prosecution had 

successfully established a prima 

facie case of conspiracy, attempted 

murder and murder against them. 

According to the charges against 

the condemned persons, their 

offence was contrary to Sections 516 

of the Criminal Code Law, CAP 

C16, Section 320 of the Criminal 

Code Law CAP C16 and Section 

316 of the Criminal Code Law, all 

Laws of Ekiti State, 2012. 

The prosecutor informed the court 

that the offence was committed on 

or about 7th day of February 2017 

at Ilupeju Ekiti when they 

conspired to murder one Sola 

Adeniyi (27). 

According to the charge sheet, 

they also attempted to murder 

another okada man, Ojo Olaoluwa 

(22), who gave evidence that the 

2nd accused person (Folorunso 

Oluwatoba) stopped him on that 

fateful day when he was about to 

mount his bike. 

Olaoluwa told the court that he 

noticed blood drops from 

Oluwatoba’s bag, he asked him to 

open the bag because of police 

checkpoint ahead. 

According to the bike rider, the 

convict answered that it was grass 

cutter and he could not open the 

bag. 

Olaoluwa said when it was 

perceived that the content might be 

incriminating, Oluwatoba took to 

his heels only for him to receive a 

gunshot from the back. 

To prove his case, the prosecutor, 

Oluwakemi Daniel, called five 

witnesses. 

Exhibits tendered include 

confessional statements made to 

the police by the accused persons, 

photographs of the severed body 

of the deceased, medical report 

from Ekiti State University 

Teaching Hospital, dane gun, 

locally made single barrel gun 

and one cartridge. 

On conspiracy and attempted 

murder, all the accused persons 

bagged five years imprisonment 

each except the 2nd accused 

person who was sentenced to 10 

years. 

Military recovers 22 rifles from warring communities in 

Agatu 

By Peter Duru 

TWENTY two assorted rifles 

and live ammunition used 

by suspected bandits in the 

warring communities of 

Odogoke and Odejo in Agatu, 

Local Government Area of 

Benue State were yesterday, 

recovered by troops of 

Operation Whirl Stroke in 

conjunction with Nigerian Air 

Force, NAF, Special Forces as 

well as 72 battalion troops. 

According to a statement 

made available to newsmen in 

Makurdi by Acting Director, 

Defence Media Operations, 

Brigadier-General Bernard 

Onyeuku, the recovery was 

made after a cordon and 

search operation was carried 

out by the troops following 

deadly clashes by the 

communities on Monday. 

Part of the statement read: 

“During the operation, the 

bandits fled from the area 

abandoning their weapons. 

“Items recovered from the 

two settlements include one 

double-barrel gun, 19 locallymade 

rifles, one pistol, four 

rounds of 7.62x54mm 

ammunition and three 

cartridges for pump-action 

rifle among other 

accoutrements. 

“Normalcy has returned to 

the communities and general 

security in the area remains 

calm. Troops have dominated 

the general area with fighting 

patrols to ensure peace and 

stability in the area. 

“The Defence Headquarters 

hereby encourages the public 

in the general area to come 

up with credible information 

to enable the troops to be 

proactive.” 

NDLEA impounds 6 vehicles carrying cannabis worth N25m 

THE Edo Command of 

National Drug Law 

Enforcement Agency, 

NDLEA, yesterday, 

impounded six vehicles 

containing about 1,687kg of 

substances suspected to be 

Cannabis Sativa. 

Addressing newsmen in 

Benin, the Commander of the 

agency in Edo State, Mr Buba 

Wakawa, put the value of the 

substances at about N25 

million. 

He said that sustained 

monitoring by the agency’s 

operatives led to the busting 

of the syndicate trafficking 

the hard drugs. 

He said: “This is the first 

time that six vehicles will be 

impounded in a single swift 

action by the command. 

“Preliminary investigation 

revealed that the cartel 

targeted the emergency 

Some of the recovered rifles. 

created by the coronavirus 

pandemic for massive 

shipment of drugs but the 

command swiftly nipped 

their nefarious plan in the 

bud.” 

Wakawa put the value of the 

impounded vehicles to about 

N10 million, bringing the 

total losses suffered by the 

drug peddlers to N35 million. 

He said: “The operation, 

which was carried out by the 

Auchi Area Command of the 

agency, based on intelligence 

gathering, took place at 

Agenebode in Etsako East 

Local Government Area of the 

state. 

“It is one of the most 

successful operations 

executed by the state 

command since January. All 

six vehicles had a full 

shipment of cannabis set for 

distribution to other states of 

the federation.” 

He said Edo State was 

notorious for the cultivation of 

cannabis, adding: 

“Therefore, as drug control 

managers, we have adopted 

primary and secondary 

strategies to check this 

criminal act. 

“We do this by tracking and 

destroying cannabis farms as 

well as intercepting harvested 

and processed cannabis before 

it gets to the final consumers.” 

Citing Section 32, sub-section 

(c) of the NDLEA Act, Wakawa 

said: “All instrumentality of 

conveyance, including aircraft, 

vehicles or vessels, which are 

used to facilitate the 

transportation, sale, receipt, 

possession or concealment of 

substances shall be forfeited. 

“The six vehicles seized 

from the interstate cannabis 

smuggling cartel, include a 

Toyota Sienna bus with 

number plate: AA 826 MKR 

Katsina. 

“It contained 40 bags of 

cannabis, weighing 440 kg, 

while another Toyota Sienna 

bus with number plate, MAN 

614 AA Kaduna, had 41 bags 

of the substance, among 

others.” 

Wakawa disclosed, 

however, that the drivers of 

the impounded vehicles 

escaped arrest, noting: 

“Meanwhile, intensive 

efforts by the command are 

underway to apprehend 

members of the cartel and 

bring them to book.” 

Wakawa appealed to 

Governor Godwin Obaseki of 

the state to assist the 

command with utility 

vehicles to boost the 

agency’s operations in the 

state.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 —7 

Attempted rape: Girl, 15, remanded for 

allegedly killing father’s friend 

•As OPD assures free legal services 

By Onozure Dania 

LAGOS—A 15-year-old girl 

was, yesterday, remanded 

at the Correctional Home for 

Girls, at Idi Araba, by a Lagos 

Magistrate's Court sitting at 

Ebute Metta, over the alleged 

murder of her father’s friend. 

The teenager, who resides at 

Aboru in Alimosho Local 

Government Area of Lagos, 

was alleged to have killed the 

father’s friend, one Babatunde 

Ishola, while he was 

attempting to rape her. 

She is facing a one-count 

charge of murder preferred 

against her by the Lagos State 

government. 

The prosecutor alleged that 

the girl killed one Babatunde 

Ishola, aged 51, by stabbing 

him to death with a knife. 

The incident took place on 

March 7, 2020 at Nwadolu 

Street, Aboru, Lagos. 

According to the charge, the 

offence committed is 

punishable under Section 225 

of the Criminal Law of Lagos 

State, Nigeria, 2015. 

However, she pleaded not 

guilty to the charge against 

her. 

Consequently, the 

magistrate, Mrs Adeola 

Adedayo, remanded her at 

Correctional Home for Girls, 

Idi Araba and adjourned the 

case to April 27, 2020, for 

mention. 

OPD assures free 

legal services 

Meanwhile, Lagos State 

Office of the Public Defender, 

OPD, who represented the girl 

in court, has assured the 

teenager (name withheld) of 

free and quality legal 

representation throughout the 

duration of the trial. 

Speaking on the plight of the 

teenager and other inmates of 

Correctional Centres in the 

state, Director, Lagos State 

Office of the Public Defender, 

OPD, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, 

said the office would not only 

provide the suspect with free 

legal services but also give her 

and other people being 

represented in courts on 

various cases, qualitative legal 

representation, in terms of 

experience, knowledge and 

understanding of criminal laws 

of the land. 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Most of us are guilty of this! 

Victims of attack by gunmen in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State 

last weekend receiving treatment at IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna. 

Police arrest 34 suspected cultists in A’Ibom 

By Harris Emanuel 

THIRTY four suspected cultists 

have been arrested by police 

operatives in Akwa Ibom State 

weeks after Governor Udom 

Emmanuel signed the law 

banning about 62 cult groups in 

the state. 

Commissioner of Police, Edgal 

Imohimi, reiterated that in the 

coming days, additional bites 

would be given to the law against 

cultism, and in that regard, he 

enjoined the Area Commanders, 

DPOs and tactical teams to 

intensify the fight while the State 

Intelligence Bureau, SIB, 

personnel are to infiltrate these 

groups to identify the members 

and sponsors for possible arrest 

and prosecution. 

He called for unalloyed 

cooperation and support of the 

people of the state in this fight 

against cultism. 

Meanwhile, the Police 

Commissioner has cautioned 

against unnecessary arrest and 

detention following the scourge 

of coronavirus in the country even 

as officers are advised to release 

all suspects on bailable offences. 

Imohimi, who gave the 

directive, said it was in line with 

the guidelines and directives 

issued by the Federal and Akwa 

Ibom State Governments to 

contain the spread of COVID-19. 

Police Public Relations Officer, 

CSPFredrick N-Nudam, in a 

statement in Uyo said: ‘’The 

Commissioner of Police, Akwa 

Ibom State, CP Imohimi Edgal, 

has directed all officers to observe 

personal safety measures, while 

Area Commanders, DPOs and 

Tactical Commanders are to avoid 

unnecessary arrest and detention 

of suspects." 

Burglars loot shops, steal millions 

of naira in Katsina market 

By Shehu Danjuma 

THE Katsina central market 

was Monday night 

invaded by suspected 

burglars, who reportedly 

broke into 25 shops and made 

away with millions of naira 

belonging to traders. 

The Katsina Central Market 

Chairman of Traders 

Association, Alhaji Abbas 

Labaran, confirmed the 

incident, saying the victims 

are currently undertaking 

stock of what they lost. 

He said: “We are suspecting 

negligence of duty on the part 

of the security company 

handling the protection of the 

market. The security company 

will compensate our members 

because it was part of our 

agreement with them. 

“If they fail to compensate our 

members, we shall surely drag 

them to court for breach of 

contract,” he said. 

Alhaji Abubakar Yusuf, 

Special Adviser to Governor 

Masari on Market 

Development, who also 

confirmed the incident, 

yesterday, said: “We have 

reported the matter to the 

police for action. 

“We have over 30 security 

men attached to the market 

and we are surprised that the 

theft happened.” 

Don't count your eggs before they 

are hatched! 

.... To avoid stories that touch


UPDATE ON CORONAVIRUS 

Reps to Education, Health 

Ministries, NCDC: Use vacated 

FGC hostels as isolation centres 

SANITISING STATE 

HOUSE: A staff of 

Julius Berger 

sanitising the Media 

Briefing Room at the 

State House, Abuja 

yesterday. Photo by 

Abayomi Adeshida. 

COVID-19: No Senator has tested positive 

— SENATE •Says no Senator refused screening at the airport 

By Henry Umoru 

A BUJA—THE 

Senate said, 

yesterday that no senator 

in the 9th Senate has 

tested positive to the 

COVID-19 pandemic as 

being speculated in some 

sections of the media. 

Fielding questions from 

journalists yesterday in 

Abuja, Chairman, Senate 

Committee on Health, 

Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe 

(APC Kwara Central) said 

that it was untrue and 

unfounded that some 

senators defiled screening 

at the Airport on arrival 

from foreign countries. 

NBA commends CJN for suspending court sittings 

By Innocent Anaba 

THE Nigerian Bar 

Association, NBA, 

has commended the Chief 

Justice of Nigeria, Justice 

Tanko Muhammad, for his 

circular of March 23, 2020, 

directing “all Heads of 

Courts,” to with effect from 

March 24, 2020, suspend 

court sittings for an initial 

period of two weeks at the 

first instance, except in 

Oloriegbe said that both 

the Nigerian Centre for 

Disease Control, NCDC 

and security operatives at 

the airports have confirmed 

that no lawmaker refused 

to be subjected to COVID- 

19 test. 

It will be recalled that 

there was widespread 

information in some 

sections of the media that 

about 10 Senators, who 

recently came back from 

countries affected by the 

coronavirus had refused to 

be tested. 

Oloriegbe who described 

the report as fake and 

misleading, said that there 

was no letter addressed to 

Senate President Ahmad 

matters that are urgent, 

essential or time bound 

according to extant laws. 

NBA President, Paul 

Usoro, SAN, in a 

statement, yesterday, 

said: “In our initial release 

on the COVID-19 

pandemic on March 22, 

2020, we had indicated 

that the NBA “will be 

immediately consulting 

with the CJN, Justice 

Muhammad, and the 

Lawan by the Chief of Staff 

to President Muhammadu 

Buhar, Abba Kyari that 

some lawmakers had 

refused to get tested at the 

airport. 

According to him, the 

purported letter was the 

handiwork of mischief 

makers, adding that 

contrary to reports that 

some senators who 

returned from abroad had 

handshakes with their 

colleagues. 

Oloriegbe said, “Since a 

week ago, there was no 

form of handshaking in the 

Senate. You should not 

follow fake news on the 

social media, we saw the 

letter, it is fake. 

various Heads of courts, 

notably at the federal 

level, on how best to 

address the COVID-19 

pandemic vis-à-vis our 

courts and their users. We 

followed up on that 

commitment and we are 

pleased that our efforts, 

as earlier stated, has 

yielded the desired 

results. 

“I must also commend 

our various branches and 

Presidency reduces number of journalists 

covering Villa activities 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—THE 

Presidency, 

yesterday, reduced the 

number of journalists 

covering activities at the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

The action according to a 

circular by the Deputy 

Director of Information 

Attah Esa, on behalf of the 

Special Adviser to the 

President on Media and 

Publicity, Chief Femi 

Adesina, was to help 

maintain social distancing. 

The circular read,” In 

view of the current 

restriction in the Federal 

Capital Territory, FCT, 

against gathering of not 

more than 50 persons at the 

same time at any venue, as 

well as to be able to 

maintain social distancing 

following the spread of 

Covid-19 pandemic, it has 

become imperative to 

drastically review down the 

presence of the over 100 

State 

House 

Correspondents, who 

usually rendezvous in the 

Press Briefing Room in the 

Presidential Villa during 

this period since all other 

departments have scaled 

down the presence of their 

staff. 

“Accordingly, only the 

under 

listed 

correspondents are to enter 

the Villa for media coverage 

of any event beginning 

from March 25, 2020, until 

further notice as the Covid- 

19 incidence will dictate. 

“Chairman, SH Press 

Corps – for coordination, 

NTA crew, Channels TV 

crew, TVC crew, FRCN 

reporter, VON reporter, 

NAN reporter, the Sun 

reporter, Thisday 

photographer, Leadership 

photographer, Daily Trust 

photographer, Guardian 

photographer, Vanguard 

photographer. 

“During this interim 

arrangement, we advise 

those who are not 

represented in the above 

list to liaise with those listed 

for necessary information/ 

news as well as the 

Information Officers in the 

President’s Media Office.'' 

“No senator has refused 

any test, and since last 

week, there was no 

handshaking in Senate. 

The criteria for testing is 

that if you have symptoms 

or have contact, you will be 

tested, that is why the 

Senate want the Federal 

Government to expand the 

testing criteria but as at 

yesterday, the NCDC has 

acquired more new testing 

kits. 

“The critical issued to us 

is about Nigerians, not 

about senators alone. I can 

tell you that no senator has 

tested positive to 

coronavirus and none has 

also refused to be tested as 

being speculated.” 

sections that have canceled 

planned meetings 

and programmes as a preemptive 

measure to 

prevent contracting or 

spreading COVID-19 

diseases amongst our 

members and guests. 

“We must be extra 

cautious in these moments 

of global distress and 

therefore, advise all our 

members to be safe and 

follow all the advisories of 

the Federal and State 

Governments, the World 

Health Organisation, 

WHO and the Nigeria 

Center for Disease Control 

on the measures to institute 

in order to forestall 

contracting or spreading 

the virus. As we pointed out 

in our release on the 

COVID-19 pandemic, 

these dark days will pass 

and we will survive the 

pandemic. We must not 

panic nor lose hope. 

“Meanwhile, we 

recognise that the stayhome 

orders that have 

literally been forced on all 

of us by the circumstances 

of COVID-19 may make it 

difficult if not impossible for 

some of our members who 

wished or planned to 

physically visit Bank 

branches and manually 

pay their Bar Practicing 

Fees. The remedy is to 

make the payments online.'' 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA—HOUSE of 

Representatives has 

directed the Federal 

Ministry of Education to 

immediately use the now 

vacated hostels of the 

Federal Government 

colleges across the country 

as emergency care centres 

and isolation units by the 

Federal Ministry of Health 

and the National Centre for 

Disease Control, NCDC. 

This however, is in the 

event tthat there were 

overwhelming number of 

number of people requiring 

treatment from the COVID- 

19 disease. 

It also asked president 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

exercise his authority 

under the Customs, Excise 

Tariffs, Etc. (Consolidation) 

Act to remove import or 

excise duty on essential 

medical equipment as 

determined by the Minister 

NNPC orders staff to work 

from home 

the COVID-19, the Management 

of NNPC, has directed 

all office-based staff 

By Michael Eboh 

below management cadre 

THE 

Nigerian across all its formations to 

National Petroleum work remotely from home 

Corporation, NNPC, with effect from today.” 

yesterday, directed all its The directive, which was 

office-based staff, below conveyed to the NNPC 

management cadre to with workforce via a message by 

effect from yesterday, begin the Group Managing 

working from home, as Director, Mallam Mele 

parts of measures to contain Kyari, directed all NNPC 

the spread of the Strategic Business Units to 

Coronavirus, COVID-19, activate their business 

pandemic currently continuity plans 

ravaging the globe. immediately to ensure 

In a statement in Abuja, minimal disruption to 

Group General Manager, operations while protecting 

Group Public Affairs staff from exposure to the 

Division, Dr. Kennie COVID-19. 

Obateru, said the directive “The NNPC leadership, 

affects staff of all its business since the COVID-19 

units, noting also that the outbreak has been 

units had been ordered to providing daily 

immediately activate their enlightenment to staff on 

business continuity plans. how to keep themselves 

He said, “In compliance and their families safe 

with the Federal from infection.'' 

Government’s directive on 

Coronavirus-positive staff didn’t 

visit office after trip — FIRS 

A Federal 

BUJA—THE 

Inland 

Revenue Service, FIRS, 

has said that its staff who 

tested-positive for 

coronavirus did not report 

for work after his foreign trip 

before going into selfisolation. 

D i r e c t o r , 

Communications and 

Liaison Department, Dr. 

Abdullahi Ahmad, said in 

a statement, yesterday, that 

the affected staff did not 

have any contact with any 

other staff before his 

voluntary self-isolation. 

He said, “We can confirm 

that a member of staff of 

the service - in a voluntary 

waive of patient 

confidentiality accorded all 

patients by care-givers 

of Health to be necessary 

for the management of the 

diseases in the country. 

The House also 

mandated the Federal 

Ministry of Health and the 

NCDC to immediately 

develop contingency plans 

for the establishment of 

emergency care facilities at 

the colleges. 

The contingency plans, 

the House said, should 

include cost estimates for 

the provision of equipment, 

material, medicines and 

other such requirements as 

may become necessary. 

The parliament further 

directed the Health 

Ministry to work with the 

Association of General and 

Private Medical 

Practitioners of Nigeria, 

AGPMPN and other 

similar bodies to develop 

plans for the deployment of 

a corps of doctors and 

medical professionals to the 

emergency care centres as 

the need arises. 

By Emma Ujah globally - on March 23, 

2020, at noon took to the 

micro-blogging platform, 

twitter, to announce his 

COVID-19 status, which 

was thereafter, picked up 

and reported by the media. 

“The member of staff 

suspected that he may 

have picked up COVID-19 

while sharing a flight with 

the child of a prominent, 

politically-exposed person 

whose COVID-19 status 

has also been widely 

reported by the media 

“Management hereby, 

wishes to inform the public 

that the member of staff was 

in voluntary self-isolation 

after alighting from the 

aforesaid flight and did not 

therefore visit any FIRS 

facilities or have further 

contact with any of his 

colleagues.''


OPS writes Buhari, demands tax holiday, 

7 other palliatives for private sector 

•Warns of looming closures, job losses 

By Victor Young 

ORGANISED Private 

Sector, OPS, has 

written to President 

Muhammadu Bahuri over 

the corona virus, 

COVID19, pandemic, 

demanding for a tax 

holiday for the private 

sector among other seven 

palliative measures to 

rescue the sector from the 

consequences of COVID 

pandemic. 

In a letter dated March 

24, 2020, by the Director- 

General of Nigeria 

Employers’ Consultative 

Association, NECA, Dr 

Timothy Olawale, it 

warned that “the 

implications of the 

pandemic on businesses 

could lead to the closure of 

companies, massive job 

loss and loss of revenue to 

government through 

payment of taxes, increase 

in social vices and 

increased insecurity, 

among others, leading to 

further economic crisis.” 

The letter read, “We call 

on your Excellency to take 

more specific steps in 

providing palliatives and 

support to organised 

businesses. The specific 

support, would among 

others, include: 

* A temporary scheme for 

paying compensation to 

companies in the risk of 

laying off in order to retain 

jobs. This is to aid the 

continued existence of 

companies and prevent 

layoffs within private 

companies facing financial 

pressures as a result of 

Coronavirus. Under the 

scheme, which could last 

....As NASS shuts down for two weeks 

By Henry Umoru 

A management BUJA—THE 

of 

the National Assembly 

has shut down the 

complex, asking all the 

staff, legislative aides to 

the law makers to remain 

in their various homes 

following the outbreak of 

the deadly Coronavirus( 

COVIC- 19) that is at the 

moment, ravaging the 

world. 

In a statement 

yesterday in Abuja, the 

Clerk to the National 

Assembly, Muhammed 

Omolori, said the 

management has also 

mandated all the banks, 

restuarants and other 

business outfits within 

the National Assembly 

I’m in high spirits, yet to manifest symptom — ATIKU’S SON 

A 

B 

U J A — 

CONTRARY to 

perception that people 

who test positive for 

Coronavirus, COVID-19, 

are sickly and on the 

verge of dying, 

Mohammed, the son of 

former Vice President, 

Atiku Abubakar, 

yesterday, said he has not 

manifested any apparent 

feature of the disease four 

days after commencing 

treatment. 

It will be recalled that 

Mohammed was 

declared a clinical case 

for COVID-19 after his 

blood sample which 

was taken by the 

Nigerian Centre for 

Disease Control, 

NCDC, returned 

positive, prompting his 

father to announce his 

condition on Monday. 

However, the ex-VP’s 

son who checked into 

Gwagwalada Specialist 

Hospital Abuja for 

treatment on March 20, 

said in a brief chat with a 

team of journalists: “I 

didn’t feel poorly and 

for the next three months. 

The government will cover 

60 percent of the salaries of 

employees paid on a 

monthly basis, who would 

otherwise have been fired, 

with companies paying the 

remaining amount. 

*Support from 

government to negotiate 

and reschedule bank loans, 

to aid in boosting 

businesses and also afford 

adequate time for payment, 

especially loans taken by 

companies within the past 

three months. 

*Suspension of payments 

of taxes and levies: The 

coronavirus pandemic has 

affected businesses circles 

and activities. The real 

sector is facing the risk of 

total shut down, as there 

are no imports and exports, 

sales are down and 

production at almost zero 

levels. At the same time 

workers are expected to be 

paid and other 

commitments honoured by 

the businesses. 

*Tax-free cash flow boost 

for employers: A stimulus 

package to help pay wages 

or for investment to protect 

against downturn 

inactivity. The payment 

should be open to 

businesses with a turnover 

of less than N50 million. 

*Government should 

allow for tax payment 

deferrals more flexible for 

a period of six months, upon 

request, with a discount on 

interest rates. 

*Special focus should be 

Complex to close down 

complety during the 

period of two weeks. 

According to him, “The 

leadership of both Houses 

of the National Assembly, 

in consultation with the 

management of the 

National Assembly, has 

noted with concern, the 

rising incidence of 

COVID-19 and therefore, 

the need to put in place, 

effective measures to 

curtail the possible 

incidence and spread of 

the disease ‘in the 

National Assembly. 

Earlier today, both 

Houses adjourned 

plenary till April 7, 2020. 

“ In furtherance of the 

above objectives, the 

following measures are 

being put ‘in place: all 

…adds; I didn’t shake hands with Bauchi gov aboard Aero flight 

By Luminous 

Jannamike 

didn’t have any 

COVID-19 symptom. 

“Till today, I still don’t 

have any symptom. I only 

called NCDC because I 

came back from virusprone 

countries,” 

Mohammed added. 

On his reported contact 

with Governor Bala 

Mohammed of Bauchi 

State aboard an 

Aerocontractor flight from 

Lagos to Abuja last 

week, he said: “I did 

not shake hands with 

the governor. He sat on 

the other side of the 

aisle during the flight.” 

He thanked Nigerians 

for their prayers and 

support to his family 

since he was admitted 

into an isolation centre. 

NUPENG threatens mass withdrawal 

of members over COVID-19 


NIGERIA Union of 

Petroleum and 

Natural Gas Workers, 

NUPENG, yesterday, 

expressed serious 

concern over the risk 

exposures of members in 

the informal sector of 

petroleum industry 

because of their daily 

contact with all manners 

of people in the course of 

their work. 

In a statement by its 

President and General 

Secretary, Prince 

Williams Akporeha and 

Afolabi Olawale, 

respectively, they 

threatened to withdraw 

members from the informal 

sector from their duty posts 

in the next 72 hours if the 

risk exposure worsened. 

Specifically, NUPENG 

said members at high 

risk include the 

Petroleum Tanker 

Drivers, PTD, Petrol 

Station Workers, PSW, 

Petroleum Depots Workers, 

PDW, Independent 

Marketers Employees, 

IME, Oil and Gas 

Suppliers, OGS, Surface 

Tankers Kerosene 

Peddlers, SUKATEP, 

Liquefied Petroleum Gas 

Retailers, LPGAR, etc. 

They said, “In view of the 

given to sectors that are 

worst hit: Aviation, 

hospitality, manufacturing, 

retails, tourism, food and 

beverage, etc. The 

government could 

collaborate with NECA as 

the representative body of 

organised business to 

implement stimulus 

packages that are sectorspecific. 

*To encourage disclosure 

and contain the spread of 

the virus, the government 

should institute payment 

support for employees both 

in the Public and Private 

sector who are self-isolating 

and for those diagnosed 

with the virus, the payment 

will be made for the 

duration of illness. This will 

encourage those that have 

contacted the disease to 

voluntarily report.” 

staff, including 

legislative aides, other 

than those enumerated 

in paragraph 2(b) are 

directed to remain at 

home with effect from 

March 25, 2020, for an 

initial period of two 

weeks, subject to 

review.” 

In the memo, the Clerk 

to the National Assembly 

has however, exempted 

Clerks of Senate and 

House 

of 

Representatives from the 

stay at home order, 

saying that they must be 

at duty posts during the 

period as well as all 

directors/heads of 

departments; Identified 

essential staff covering 

medical, security and 

utility services.” 

Mohammed Atiku. 

growing cases of the 

deadly COVID 19, 

pandemic and the stay at 

home orders given by the 

federal and state 

governments, the 

leadership of NUPENG, is 

seriously concerned with 

the health and safety of our 

very vulnerable members 

who are rendering critical 

services to the nation on a 

daily basis in these critical 

times. These sets of 

workers include the 

petroleum tanker drivers, 

Petrol stations workers, 

petroleum products depots 

workers and others who in 

the course of serving the 

nation become highly 

vulnerable to the virus.'' 

“NUPENG wishes to 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 — 9 

SOCIAL MEDIA 

KICKBACK 

Coronavirus has turned to a unifying 

factor around the globe; in fact, it might 

end up being the first word of some 

babies. 

While we are at it, the social media 

cannot keep calm particularly as high 

profile cases were discovered in the last 

48 hours. 

Here are some of the reactions on 

trends around coronavirus, COVID-19 

discussions.


Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 —11


FG approves process for appointment 

of Perm Secs 

•Okays deployment of three others 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

ABUJA — PRESI- 

DENT Muhammadu 

Buhari has approved 

the appointment 

of new Permanent Secretaries 

to fill the slot of 

Kwara, Kebbi, Abia, Anambra, 

Cross River, Ka- 

Senator Rose Oko dies at 63 

•As Senate President mourns 

By Henry Umoru, 

Ike Uchechukwu 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews 

UNVEILING: Chief (Mrs) Onikepo Akande, CON (5th left); her husband, Chief Adebayo Akande, MFR (3rd 

right); Senator Abiola Ajimobi, former Governor of Oyo State (2nd right) and members of the family, during the 

unveiling of Chief Onikepo Akande's portrait as one of the Modern Warriors of Ibadanland at Ibadan House, Oke 

Aremo, Ibadan. 

A 

BUJA — CHAIR- 

MAN, Senate Committee 

on Trade and Investment, 

Senator Rose Oko 

(PDP Cross North) is dead. 

Senator Oko, who died 

last night at a United Kingdom 

medical facility was 

aged 63. 

The late Senator who was 

one of the female lawmakers 

at the Senate, was elected 

into office as the first 

female Senator from her 

senatorial district in June 

2015 in the 8th Senate and 

was re-elected in 2019. 

Senator Oko’s death 

came after the Vice Chairman, 

Senate Committee on 

Foreign Affairs, Senator 

Ignatius Longjan (APC, 

Plateau South) died on 

February 10, 2020 at a 

Turkish hospital in Abuja. 

Also recall that prior to 

the death of Longjan, the 

Chairman, Senate Committee 

on Employment, 

Labour and Productivity, 

Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu 

( APC, Imo South) 

died December 18, 2019. 

A close aide of late Senator 

Rose Oko, who confirmed 

the death, however, 

expressed shock and 

sadness. 

Meanwhile, Senate 

President Ahmad Lawan, 

has received with shock the 

news of the death of Senator 

Oko. In a statement by 

his Special Adviser, Ola 

Awoniyi, Lawan who commiserated 

with the deceased 

Senator’s family 

and the loved ones, also 

condoled with the people 

and government of Cross 

duna, Kano, Oyo, Rivers, 

Sokoto, Adamawa, 

Yobe, Gombe and Jigawa 

states, who will retire in 

2020, as well as fill existing 

vacancies in Zamfara 

and Kogi states. 

In a memo dated 

March 23, 2020, by 

River State over the loss. 

Similarly, Governor Ben 

Ayade of Cross River State, 

yesterday described as 

shocking and sad the untimely 

death of Senator 

Oko. Ayade in a statement 

by Mr Christian Ita, his 

Special Adviser on Media 

and Publicity, described 

Senator Oko’s demise as a 

huge and irreparable loss 

to the state. 

Lawan who noted that 

Senator Oko’s death was 

a great loss to the Senate 

and also Nigerian women 

in politics, said that the late 

Senator will be greatly 

missed by her colleagues 

in the 9th Assembly. 

He prayed that the Almighty 

God will comfort 

her family and grant them 

the fortitude to bear the loss. 

On his part, Chairman, 

Senate Committee on Cooperation 

and Integration 

in Africa/ NEPAD, Senator 

Chimaroke Nnamani has 

described the death of Senator 

Oko as sad and devastating. 

Senator Nnamani noted 

that the Senate and Nigerian 

political class have lost 

one its best and fertile female 

minds in politics. 

According to him, 

through her works and actions, 

Senator Oko displayed 

strong character 

and truly endeared herself 

positively to all who came 

across her. 

Similarly, Governor Ayade 

said: “Death has struck 

so grimly at the heart of 

Cross River State. Rose 

Oko was not only a senator 

representing Cross River 

Northern senatorial district 

but was also a good 

Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, 

Director of Communication, 

office of the Head 

of the Civil Service of the 

Federation, President 

Buhari also gave approval 

for the commencement 

of the process for the selection 

of eligible Directors 

to fill the vacancies. 

By this development, 

officers in the main 

stream of the federal civil 

service, who attained the 

Late Rose Oko 

ambassador of the state in 

the senate. “Rose was no 

ordinary daughter of this 

state. She was a dogged 

fighter for anything that 

could bring honour and 

dignity to our state. She 

was an Amazon for justice 

and fair play. She was a 

development partner. She 

loved Cross River. 

“Right from her days as 

a lecturer, Commissioner, 

House of Reps member and 

finally Senator, Rose’s single 

creed was the development 

and stability of Cross 

River State. We have lost a 

rare gem. Rose is irreplaceable,” 

Ayade lamented. 

ABUJA — THE Federal 

Government 

has alerted Nigerians to the 

existence of an Androidbased 

malicious and fraudulent 

Coronavirus Ransomware 

Application, 

which claims to provide 

updates on the virus and 

infections near the user. 

In a statement in Abuja, 

yesterday, the Minister of 

Information and Culture, 

substantive rank of Director, 

on Salary Grade level 

17 on or before January 

1, 2018, who had 

updated their records on 

the Integrated Payroll 

and Personnel Information 

System, IPPIS, Verification 

Portal and hail 

from the aforementioned 

states and are not retiring 

from the service earlier 

than, or on December 31, 

2021, are eligible to participate. 

The memo enjoined 

ministries/offices are to 

“forward the list of all eligible 

directors on SGL 17 

in their ministry/office; 

their confidential and personal 

files; 20 copies of 

their curriculum vitae; 

brief on each of the directors 

in the attached format, 

to be produced in 

Microsoft word and submitted 

in both hard 20 

copies and soft copies to 

the office of the Head of 

the Civil Service of the 

Federation. 

In a related development, 

the President has 

also approved the deployment 

of three Permanent 

Secretaries. In a 

memo by the Head of the 

Civil Service of the Federation, 

Dr. Folasade 

Yemi-Esan, Jalal Arabi 

will leave the State House 

for the newly created 

Ministry of Humanitarian 

Affairs, Disaster Management 

and Social Development, 

while Tijjani 

Umar will replace him at 

the State House. 

Sabiu Zakari, hitherto 

Permanent Secretary, 

Ministry of Transportation 

is now in charge of the 

Ministry of Defence. 

FG alerts Nigerians to existence of 

Coronavirus ransomware 

Reps shutdown House for 

2 weeks, pass Economic 

Stimulus bill to save jobs 

By Tordue Salem 

ABUJA — THE 

House of Representatives 

on Tuesday, 

passed for concurrence 

by the Senate, an Emergency 

Economic Stimulus 

Bill, 2020. 

The Bill was introduced 

by the Speaker, Mr Femi 

Gbajabiamila and fasttracked 

to Third Reading, 

to provide a stimulus 

for the Nigerian economy 

and roll back the 

depleting effect of the corona 

virus. 

The bill entitled, The 

Emergency Economic 

Stimulus Bill, 2020, aims 

at providing temporary 

tax exemptions to companies 

and to protect jobs in 

the civil service and the 

public sector. 

It also aims at protecting 

the employment status 

of Nigerians, who 

might otherwise become 

unemployed as a consequence 

of management 

decision to retrench personnel 

in response to the 

prevailing economic realities. 

Because of the importance 

the House attached 

to the Bill, the lawmakers 

suspended their rules 

to allow the draft law to 

be introduced for first 

reading, debated under 

second reading and 

passed through third 

reading after the consid- 

NECO postpones 2020 

National Common Entrance 

examination 

By Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA — NA- 

TIONAL Examinations 

Council, NECO, 

has postponed the 2020 

National Common Entrance 

Examination, 

NCEE. 

The examination for 

admission into federal 

unity colleges, was earlier 

scheduled to hold 

on March 28, 2020. 

The examination body 

in a statement by Azeez 

Sani, its Head, Information 

and Public Relations 

Division explained that 

the decision is in “deference 

to the various 

measures being put in 

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, 

said the Ransomware 

blocks access to users’ personal 

data and accounts 

and threatens deletion, 

unless users pay $100 in 

Bitcoin within 48 hours. 

He said the Ransomware 

App, detected on 

the website www.coronavirusapp.site, 

prompts users 

to download an Android 

App purportedly for coronavirus 

map tracking and 

heat map visuals. 

Alhaji Mohammed said 

the development confirms 

warnings against cyber 

criminals seeking to exploit 

the growing spread of 

the virus for nefarious 

gains. He called on the 

general public not to 

download the Ransomware 

App and to seek updates 

on the pandemic only from 

the appropriate authorities. 

eration of the report at the 

committee of whole. Cosponsors 

of the Bill, are 

the Deputy Speaker Mr 

Ahmed Wade and the 

eight other principal officers 

of the House. 

The bill also provides for 

a moratorium on mortgage 

obligations for individuals 

at a time of widespread 

economic uncertainty. 

Also, the bill seeks to 

eliminate additional fiscal 

bottleneck on the importation 

of medical equipment, 

medicines, personal 

protection equipment 

and other such medical 

necessities as may be required 

for the treatment 

and management of Covid-19 

disease in Nigeria. 

It will equally carter for 

the general financial 

well-being of Nigerians 

pending the eradication 

of the pandemic and a 

return to economic stability. 

The Bill, will provide a 

new regime of corporate 

tax rebates to encourage 

companies in the country 

to maintain their payroll 

status for the immediate 

term. With its passage 

through third reading, 

the Bill is expected to be 

transmitted to the Senate 

for concurrence after 

which it would be forwarded 

to President Muhammadu 

Buhari for assent. 

place by the Federal and 

State Governments to 

curtail the potential 

spread of Coronavirus 

(COV1D-19).” 

It said that while a 

new date would be announced 

in due course, 

registration for the examination 

continues. 

The statement read, 

“NECO wishes to inform 

all candidates, 

guardians and relevant 

stakeholders of the indefinite 

postponement of 

the 2020 NCEE into Federal 

Unity Colleges earlier 

scheduled to hold 

on March 28, 2020. 

“This decision is in 

deference to the various 

measures being put in 

place by the Federal and 

State Governments to 

curtail the potential 

spread of Coronavirus 

(COV1D-19). 

“The management of 

NECO regrets any inconveniences 

the postponement 

might have 

caused our esteemed 

candidates and other 

stakeholders. 

“A new date for the 

examination will be communicated 

to candidates 

and other stakeholders 

in due course. Meanwhile, 

registration for 

the examination continues.”


:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

Few civil servants on duty at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, following Federal Government's directive for 

junior staff to work from home. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

Kano sends workers home for 2 wks as 

Plateau shuts markets, clubs 

• Niger govt, lawmakers disagree over ‘curfew’ 

By Wole Mosadomi, 

Bashir Bello & 

Therese Nanlong 

KANO—THE Kano 

State government, 

yesterday declared a two 

week work- free for the state 

civil servants as part of measures 

to contain the spread 

of corona virus, COVID 19 

in the state and safeguard 

the lives of the citizens. 

The State Executive 

Council, SEC, arising from 

its meeting directed the civil 

servants to stay away from 

their offices from today. 

Commissioner of Information, 

Muhammad Garba 

who stated this in a statement, 

said, "the council approved 

the measures to ensure 

prevention and contain 

the spread of the virus 

through contacts at government 

offices across the 

state. While the state is yet 

to record a single case of 

the deadly disease, as part 

of measures to curtail the 

spread of the virus, the 

council has from Wednesday, 

banned the inflow of 

large capacity buses into 

the state. 

"This is in consideration 

of the risk involved in the 

mode of operations of the 

buses that involve stuffing 

of passengers and the unorderly 

sitting arrangement 

in the buses. The state 

government is working tirelessly 

to ensure the virus 

does not find its way to the 

state and if it does, the government 

is prepared to control 

and manage it. 

"The residents are urged 

to ensure adherence to 

health instructions released 

by the Federal and the 

state’s Ministry of Health 

on how to prevent the disease 

as well as ensure personal 

hygiene." 

Niger govt, 

lawmakers 

disagree 

Meanwhile, Niger State 

government and the state 

House of Assembly, yesterday 

disagreed over the curfew 

imposed on the state 

Governor Abubakar Bello 

In a unanimous decision 

at plenary, members of the 

House of Assembly, said 

rather than serve as a preventive 

measure against 

the COVID 19, it would 

worsen the economic situation 

in the state and further 

impoverish the people. 

They asked the state governor 

to replace the word 

"Curfew" with "Restriction" 

and also change the restriction 

order from 8pm-8am, 

to 5pm to 8am. 

The state government 

however insisted that there 

was no going back on the 

timing of the Curfew contending 

that the order was 

not aimed at hurting anybody 

but to save life. 

The House described the 

word 'curfew' as too despotic 

which the members said 

can better be used during 

crises. 

At plenary yesterday, 

member representing 

Bosso constituency, Malik 

Madaki Bosso had moved 

a motion on urgent public 

importance on the dusk to 

down curfew imposed by 

the governor, Abubakar 

Sani Bello. 

He argued that the dusk 

to dawn lockdown will 

worsen the situation rather 

than serve as a preventive 

measure. 

"With the worsening poverty, 

hunger and suffering, 

stopping people from hustling 

for their daily survival 

is more suicidal than anything 

anyone can imagine 

and so, I call on the government 

to reconsider its 

position on the curfew," he 

submitted. 

In a swift reaction, Commissioner 

for Health, Dr. 

Makun Sidi, among others, 

said "our primary aim is to 

break the time of transmission 

which is the contact period 

between people to people 

and the most suitable 

time to break this chain is 

from 8am-8pm.” 

Plateau govt 

shuts markets, 

clubs 

Meantime, Governor, Simon 

Lalong of Plateau 

State, yesterday ordered the 

closure of all markets in the 

state from today, saying 

"Only traders selling food 

items, pharmaceuticals and 

cooking gas are to remain 

open.” 

The governor also said all 

street trading, hawking, 

begging were prohibited, 

the weekly Sunday markets 

at Ahmadu Bello Way, 

Bukuru and environs are 

also banned, Lalong equally 

noted that social joints, 

nightclubs, drinking joints 

were banned, while restaurants 

are advised to prepare 

take away for their customers 

to avoid crowd. 

The Governor, in a State 

broadcast announced that 

to ensure total compliance, 

he would lead a Task Force 

on enforcement stressing, 

"Government has set up a 

Task Force on Enforcement 

and Monitoring, which will 

be personally chaired by me 

to coordinate, evaluate and 

review developments on 

the disease in the State. The 

Task Force will also give 

updates to citizens from 

time to time." 

"My dear citizens of Plateau 

State, it has become 

necessary to address you 

on the global health challenge 

that we are facing today 

which is the Corona Virus 

pandemic otherwise 

known as COVID-19. 

It is no longer news that 

this disease is a threat not 

only to human existence, 

but also to the global economy. 

For these reasons, all 

hands must be on deck to 

fight it and ensure that people 

are protected from its 

deadly impact. 

Among others, he said 

"Our administration has 

remained proactive in responding 

to the pandemic 

and also liaising closely 

with the Federal Government 

and relevant stakeholders 

to tackle the disease. 

You will recall that when 

we received information 

about some Chinese nationals 

who arrived Wase 

Local Government Area after 

the outbreak of the disease 

in their country, I immediately 

directed the 

Commissioner of Health to 

deploy experts to investigate. 

"Fortunately, the results 

came out negative after 

their period of quarantine 

and observation, leaving 

the State with no case of 

Corona Virus disease to this 

day. We have continued 

our surveillance to ensure 

that any suspected case is 

identified and addressed 

appropriately." 

Speaking more on what 

is being done to contain the 

disease, he added, "In addition, 

we also activated our 

Public Health Emergency 

Operation Centre to enhance 

our monitoring capacity 

and ability to receive 

up-to-date information 

from all the 17 Local Government 

Areas. 

With more cases recorded 

in Nigeria and based on 

advice of experts, I directed 

the closure of all schools 

from pre-primary to tertiary 

level in the State from 

Saturday 21st March 2020. 

Benue govt orders workers 

home, shuts down public 

institutions, others 

By Peter Duru 

M AKURDI—BE 

NUE State Government 

yesterday ordered 

civil servants from 

grade levels 1-12 to work 

from home for two weeks 

while levels 13 and above 

were directed to take 

charge and offer skeletal 

services. 

The government also 

embargoed all forms of 

social gatherings and directed 

the shutdown of all 

public institutions in the 

state except hospitals. 

This was part of the resolutions 

reached at the 

end of an emergency expanded 

State Executive 

Council meeting held 

yesterday in Makurdi. 

Reeling out the outcome 

of the meeting, Secretary 

to the State Government, 

SSG, Prof. Tony Ijohor, 

said the state government 

further advised the State 

Independent Electoral 

Commission, BESIEC, 

to postpone for two weeks 

the local government elections 

scheduled for next 

Saturday. 

Electricity workers threaten to 

shut down within 24 hrs if…, 


A BUJA—WORKERS 

in the nation's power 

sector, under the aegis of 

National Union of Electricity 

Employees, yesterday 

threatened to shut down 

the power sector in the 

next 24 hour if the Ministry 

of Power and other 

employers in the sector 

failed to provide adequate 

precautionary 

measures to protect staff. 

In a letter to the Power 

Minister, General Secretary 

of NUEE, Joe 

Ajaero, said the Minister 

would be held responsible 

for the transmission 

of COVID-19 to 

any staff in Transmission 

Company of Nigeria, 

TCN, especially its headquarters 

for his failure to 

comply with the Federal 

Government’s directive 

on people that travelled 

to countries with high 

cases of infection to selfisolate 

The letter read in part 

“Our attention has been 

drawn to the return of 

the Minister of Power – 

Mr. Sule Mamah from his 

trip to Germany and 

Egypt while on the entourage 

of the Chief of 

Staff to the President. 

The Minister despite the 

President’s directive to 

self-isolate; reported at 

the office in the midst of 

agitation and complains 

The government also 

stated plan to create more 

isolation centres in the 

North East and Benue 

south senatorial zones of 

the state to cater for any 

emergency that might 

arise from those areas. 

The state exco which 

was presided over by its 

chairman, Governor Samuel 

Ortom also resolved to 

carry out awareness campaign 

in motor parks and 

other public places on the 

need to observe social distance. 

According to the SSG, 

"As from tomorrow there 

will be restrction of people 

coming to the People's 

House (Govermrnt 

House) for the next two 

weeks. 

“The state government 

has also scaled up the 

COVID-19 committee 

which will now be headed 

by the deputy governor, 

Benson Abounu, and 

an initial sum of N50 million 

which is subject to 

review has been released 

to the committee,” he 

said. 

from the staff at TCN 

Head Quarters, Abuja. If 

not for the intervention 

of the Union, there 

would have been pandemonium 

at the office, on 

Monday, March 23, 

2020. 

“In view of recent developments, 

the National 

Union of Electricity 

Employees, NUEE, 

wishes to state unequivocally 

that the Minister 

of Power - Sule Mamman 

will be held responsible 

for the transmission of 

COVID-19 to any staff in 

TCN especially its Headquarters 

for his failure to 

comply with the Federal 

Government’s directive 

on people that travelled 

to Countries with high 

cases of infection to self 

isolate. 

“Besides, NUEE wishes 

to warn employers in 

the Power Sector especially 

those whose staff 

constantly have an interface 

with Customers/ 

Public, that should they 

fail to, within twenty-four 

(24) hours take adequate 

precautionary measures 

to protect staff, we will 

be forced to pull out our 

members and will not be 

held responsible for any 

consequence arising 

there from. Employers of 

Labour in the Power Sector 

are hereby urged to 

take necessary measures 

to ensure the safety of 

staff in the Power Sector.”



By Chidi Nkwopara, 

Peter Okutu, Chinonso 

Alozie, Chinedu Adonu 

& Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

ENUGU—AS 

the 

coronavirus pandemic 

continues to ravage parts of the 

globe, the Spiritual Director of 

Adoration Ministry Enugu 

Nigeria, Reverend Fr Ejike Mbaka, 

has enjoined Nigerians to embrace 

prayer, fasting and charity rather 

than fear the pandemic. 

Mbaka stated this while 

suspending his weekday open 

ministrations, urging the people to 

curtail their growing apprehension 

over the development so that fear 

of the virus does not surpass the 

virus itself. 

He stressed that “God loves us 

and will answer our prayers and 

grant healing and deliverance to 

the whole world over Covid-19 

pandemic”. 

A statement from Mbaka’s 

Media Spokesman, Maximus 

Ugwuoke, titled ‘Message To All 

Adorers’ indicated that the 

postponement is in adherence to 

global efforts and official measures 

by the Catholic Church towards 

containing the COVID-19 

pandemic. 

It read: “The Spiritual Director 

of Adoration Ministry Enugu 

Nigeria, Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka, has 

postponed the weekly Wednesday 

Adoration Prayer Programmes, 

a.k.a “E no Dey Again” as well as 

Friday All Night Adoration 

Programme of the Ministry to two 

weeks from today, 24th March 2020 

pending further directives. 

“However, the usual 10am 

Sunday Mass of the ministry 

would continue to hold at the 

Ministry Ground. 

“These measures are in 

adherence to the Enugu Diocesan 

regulations and in joining the 

whole world to manage the spread 

of COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Fr Mbaka enjoins all to 

continue to keep believing in the 

healing and miraculous power of 

God that He has continued to 

demonstrate among us and 

increase our faith in the healing 

blood of Jesus." 

The statement further noted 

that Mbaka also assured of his 

continued spiritual intervention 

over COVID-19 global threat and 

urged the general public to do a 

lot of charity, while fasting and 

praying ceaselessly for God’s 

mercy, stressing that “Worshippers 

are urged to stay safe at home and 

continue to pray for God’s 

intervention in the pandemic.” 

Meanwhile, the Catholic 

Diocese of Enugu had earlier on 

March 22, 2020, issued a 10-point 

COVID-19 official pastoral 

guidelines banning exchange of 

sign of peace (handshake or 

hugging) during the Holy Mass as 

well as reception of Holy 

Communion by mouth, among 

others. 

The statement which was signed 

by Bishop Callistus Onaga also 

advised all priests and people 

residing outside Enugu State not 

to return for Easter celebration 

and afterwards “until the deadly 

virus clears” 

It also advised that all funerals, 

weddings and other social 

functions should be put on hold, 

adding that where such cannot be 

suspended, it should be restricted 

to only close family members. 

“Parish priests and chaplains are 

to increase the number of Masses 

to reduce the strength of 

attendance for each Mass. 

“To ensure social distancing, 

only three or four persons should 

be in a pew, depending on its 

length; no Sunday Mass should 

CORONA VIRUS: Fear not, God'll heal the world, Mbaka 

declares, as he suspends weekday Adoration programmes 

•Anambra doctors suspend four weeks old strike; Courts grounded in Imo 

•Umahi bans use of stadium for sporting activities; Imo closes night clubs, night restaurants 

last more than 45 minutes,” the 

statement said, among others. 

Anambra doctors suspend four 

weeks old strike 

In a related development, 

medical doctors in Anambra State 

yesterday suspended their fourweek 

old industrial strike following 

the rising cases of coronavirus in 

Nigeria. 

Operating under the aegis of 

Conference of Civil Service 

Doctors in Anambra State, the 

doctors had embarked on the 

industrial action over alleged 

neglect by the state government. 

However, addressing newsmen 

in Onitsha, the Chairman, Dr. 

Livinus Chukwuma said: “The 

suspension of the strike was in line 

with the Hippocratic oath we swore 

to uphold the health of the 

citizens. 

“We see this decision to suspend 

the strike as a sacrifice worthy of 

making in view of the seriousness 

of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Considering the current trend 

in the world, the Covid-19 and its 

presence in Nigeria, the Civil 

Service Doctors in Anambra State 

feel that it is a mark of dishonour 

to the people of the state to 

remain on strike while they are 

facing the looming danger. 

“This is a sacrifice expected of 

us and must be made.We call on 

our members to return to work, 

while we enjoin the government 

to take advantage of the period to 

fine tune their actions towards 

finding a lasting solution to the 

crises. 

“All doctors are to be at their 

places of work on Wednesday, 

March 25, 2020 at a time not later 

than 8am.” 

Umahi bans use of Stadium for 

sporting activities 

Also yesterday, Ebonyi State 

government’s proactive measures 

to curtail and contain the spread 

of the global pandemic, directed all 

motor and leisure parks operating 

in Ebonyi State to immediately 

deploy the use of hand sanitisers 

and human forehead thermometer 

to check the temperature of all 

their passengers and customers in 

the state. 

In a statement, Chief Igwe 

Emmanuel, the Special Adviser to 

Governor David Umahi on Parks 

Development stated that any park 

that refuses to adhere to the 

directive of the government will be 

sealed up without any delay. 

“The directive shall be enforced 

in both motor and leisure parks 

beginning from March 24, 2020. 

Any park that fails to adhere 

strictly to this directive shall be 

sealed up and equally face some 

stringent penalties. 

“Let’s be vigilant and together, we can 

contain this hydra-headed monster 

called Corona virus disease. Prevention 

they say is better than cure. 

The state government also banned 

the use of Pa Ngele Oruta Township 

Stadium for sporting activities. 

The State Commissioner for 

Sports and Youth Development, 

Hon Charles Emeka Akpu-Enika 

made this known in a statement 

issued in Abakaliki as part of the 

government’s proactive measures 

to prevent coronavirus epidemic 

and boost checks and monitoring 

in Ebonyi State.' 

ON COVID-19: Some members of House of Reps complying with Social Distancing Order and other 

measure against coronavirus at National Assembly Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan. 

Courts grounded in Imo 

Activities in Imo State courts 

were yesterday, grounded, 

following the directive of the 

Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ijeoma 

Agugua, on precautions to be 

taken against the spread of the 

dreaded coronavirus. 

When Vanguard visited the State 

High Court Complex in New 

Owerri, only the Judicial 

Commission of Inquiry on 

Contracts, was actively sitting, 

while lawyers were seen taking 

news dates for pending matters 

before the courts. 

Some of the lawyers, who spoke 

to Vanguard on the development, 

linked the lockdown to the 

directives of the State Chief Judge, 

Justice Ijeoma Agugua, and 

communicated to the public, via a 

press statement dated March 22, 

2020, and signed by the Chief 

Registrar, Mr. C. E. Okereke. 

Part of the statement read: “In 

view of the Covid 19 Pandemic, 

and in order to safeguard the 

health of court personnel and 

users, the sittings at the High and 

Magistrate Courts of Imo State will 

be conducted as follows: 

“Members of the general public 

will not be allowed entry into the 

court premises, save those who 

have come to file urgent matters/ 

applications 

“Hearing on criminal matters 

where the defendant is produced 

from the custody of the 

Correctional Centers is suspended 

except in exceptional 

circumstances. Only applications 

for remand or bail and over night 

cases shall be entertained and 

heard by the Court.” 

On civil matters, the Chief Judge 

directed that the Court shall give 

priority to Ex-parte and urgent 

applications, matters for adoption 

of written addresses and matters 

for delivery of judgments and/or 

rulings. 

The Chief Judge also directed 

that: “In all cases, criminal and 

civil, only the parties and their 

counsel shall be allowed into the 

courtroom, subject to a maximum 

number of 10 persons, including 

Court officials, at each time in the 

courtroom. Witnesses shall remain 

outside the courtroom until 

specifically called to give evidence. 

Ebonyi to begin testing on 

COVID-19 for South East, South 

South, North Central on 1st April 

Governor David Umahi of 

Ebonyi State, yesterday stated 

when the test kits for the COVID- 

19 arrive the State on 1st April, 

2020, it will serve patients from 

South East, South South and 

North Central geopolitical zone of 

the country. 

Governor Umahi stated this 

while briefing the press on the 

measures taken by the present 

administration to fight the scourge 

of Lassa Fever and COVID-19 in 

the state. 

Umahi who advised religious 

institutions and all centres for 

essential services to provide nose 

masks, running water, use of 

sanitizers among others directed 

the recall of all retirees on Health 

at state and local government 

areas to help in the fight against 

the scourge. 

According to him, we have 

purchased a number of equipment 

like temperature guage, 

ventilators and isolation cubicles. 

“Our virology laboratory 

equipment for lassa fever will be 

deployed for blood sample testing 

of suspected Covid-19 patients 

with symptoms before 1st April, 

2020 when we shall have the test 

kits. When ours comes up by 1st 

April, 2020 , it shal serve South 

East, South South and even North 

Central. 

“From 25th of March 2020 to 

14th of April 2020, all civil servants 

from grade level 01 to 10 must stayoff 

work but must be vigilant as 

they could be called to perform 

essential services any moment. 

Those on health and other 

essential services are hereby 

excluded. 

“From 26th of March 2020, all 

entry and exit points in Ebonyi 

State shall be manned by our 

medical and security personnel. 

All vehicles and passengers shall 

be checked and passengers 

examined.'' 

Imo closes night clubs, night 

restaurants 

Meantime, the Imo State 

government yesterday ordered the 

closure of all night clubs and late 

night restaurants in the state. 

Governor Hope Uzodinma, gave 

this order, in Owerri, as part of the 

preventive measures against the 

spread of COVID-19 virus though 

Imo has not recorded any case of 

the virus. 

He also directed that civil 

servants above 45 years of age 

should stop coming to work, 

reason, being that they are among 

the vulnerable group. 

Foundation advises religious 

organisations, politicians to obey 

govt, WHO’s directives 

The Akin Fadeyi Foundation, 

conveners of the Corruption, Not 

in My country Project, has called 

on all religious, political and 

traditional Institutions to adhere 

to government and the World 

Health Organization’s (WHO) 

directive on the restriction of all 

religious and political gatherings. 

In a statement yesterday, the 

organisation’s founder and 

Executive Director, Akin Fadeyi, 

said: ‘’The rate of infections and 

tragic mortalities around the globe 

has underscored such compelling 

need for all of us to yield to 

government’s directive. 

‘’Irrespective of our country’s 

level of coordination, surveillance 

and critical preparedness, as 

citizens, we still have a huge role 

to play within our communities to 

ensure the prevention or reduction 

of human-to-human transmission. 

This will not only protect us, it will 

also reduce the pressure on our 

nation’s health workers who are 

staking everything on the frontline 

to keep us alive.” 

Fadeyi said COVID-19 death toll 

has been on the rise across the 

world, necessitating travel bans 

and border closures, stressing that 

for the first time since after the 

second world war, the whole world 

is facing an anomalous challenge 

containing the deadly bug.


CORONAVIRUS BATTLE 

World on lockdown as business activities 

collapse at record pace 

—Global infection hits 411,448; 18,299 deaths, 107,200 recoveries 

—US may become next epicentre — WHO 

—Indian’s 1.3bn population on lockdown 

By Henry Ojelu with 

agency report 

BUSINESS activity has 

collapsed from Australia 

and Japan to Western 

Europe at a record pace, as 

measures to contain the 

coronavirus hammer the 

world economy, with data 

for the United States later 

on Tuesday expected to be 

just as dire. 

“The coronavirus outbreak 

represents a major 

external shock to the macro 

outlook, akin to a large-scale 

natural disaster,” analysts 

at BlackRock Investment 

Institute said in a note. 

Activity in the 19 countries 

that use the euro has 

crumbled as nations lock 

down to curb the spread of 

the disease, shuttering 

shops, restaurants and offices. 

IHS Markit’s flash composite 

Purchasing Managers’ 

Index (PMI) for the 

eurozone, seen as a good 

gauge of economic health, 

plummeted to a record low 

of 31.4 in March. 

That was by far the biggest 

one-month fall since 

the survey began in mid- 

1998 and below all forecasts 

in a Reuters News Agency 

poll which gave a median 

prediction of 38.8. 

In France, services activity 

fell to a record low and 

manufacturing saw its 

steepest drop since the global 

financial crisis more than 

10 years ago. 

“Taken together, these 

declines suggest GDP is 

collapsing at an annual rate 

approaching double digits,” 

IHS Markit economist Eliot 

Kerr said. 

A PMI for the services 

sector in Germany, Europe’s 

largest economy, showed a 

record contraction in activity, 

while sister surveys 

showed the United 

Kingdom’s economy 

shrinking at a record pace. 

IHS Markit said the 

March figures suggested 

the eurozone economy was 

shrinking at a quarterly rate 

of about 2 percent, and the 

escalation of measures to 

contain the virus could 

steepen the downturn. 

US manufacturing and 

services PMI surveys are 

also expected to come in at 

multi-year lows. 

After an initial outbreak in 

China brought the world’s 

second-largest economy to 

a virtual halt last month, an 

ever-growing number of 

countries and territories 

have reported a spike in infections 

and deaths. 

Entire regions have been 

placed on lockdown and in 

some places soldiers are 

patrolling the streets to 

keep consumers and workers 

indoors, halting services 

and production and breaking 

global supply chains. 

Mirroring the emptying 

of supermarket shelves 

around the world, indebted 

corporates have rushed 

into money markets to 

hoard dollars, with a global 

shortage of dollar funding 

threatening to cripple 

firms from airlines to retailers. 

PMI surveys from Japan 

showed the services sector 

shrinking at its fastest pace 

on record this month and 

factory activity contracting 

at its quickest in a decade. 

This was consistent with 

a 4 percent contraction in 

2020, Capital Economics 

senior economist Marcel 

Theliant said. The likely 

postponement of the Tokyo 

Olympic Games is expected 

to deal a heavy blow 

to the world’s third-largest 

economy. 

US may become new 

epicenter — WHO 

The United States has the 

potential to become the new 

epicentre of the coronavirus 

pandemic because of a 

“very large acceleration” in 

infections there, the World 

Health Organization 

warned. 

The highly contagious 

respiratory virus has infected 

more than 42,000 

people in the United States, 

prompting more governors 

to join states ordering 

Americans to stay at home. 

Over the past 24 hours, 

85 percent of new cases 

worldwide were from Europe 

and the United States, 

WHO spokeswoman Margaret 

Harris told reporters. 

Of those, 40 percent were 

from the United States. 

Asked whether the US 

could become the new 

epicentre, she said: “We are 

now seeing a very large 

acceleration in cases in the 

US. So it does have that 

potential… [The] outbreak 

is increasing in intensity.” 

India’s 1.3bn 

population enters 

total lockdown 

India is to impose a nationwide 

lockdown in an 

attempt to slow the spread 

A French rescue team wearing protective suits carry a patient on a stretcher 

from Mulhouse hospital before being loaded into a helicopter. 

of the coronavirus, Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi 

has announced. 

The restrictions will apply 

from midnight local time 

(18:30 GMT) and will be 

enforced for 21 days. “There 

will be a total ban on venturing 

out of your homes,” Mr 

Modi said in a televised address. 

India - which has a population 

of 1.3bn - joins a growing 

list of countries that have 

imposed similar measures. 

Nearly 400,000 people have 

tested positive for the virus 

worldwide, and around 

17,000 have died. 

The new measures follow 

a sharp increase in cases in 

recent days. There have been 

519 confirmed cases in India 

and 10 reported deaths. 

“The entire country will be 

in lockdown, total 

lockdown,” Mr Modi said on 

Tuesday. 

He added: “To save India, 

to save its every citizen, you, 

your family... every street, 

every neighbourhood is being 

put under lockdown.” 

Mr Modi warned that if 

India does not “handle these 

21 days well, then our country... 

will go backwards by 21 

years.” 

“This is a curfew,” he said. 

“We will have to pay the economic 

cost of this but [it] is 

the responsibility of everyone.” 

New York infection 

rate worse than 

feared—Governor 

New York Governor Andrew 

Cuomo has pleaded 

for medical supplies, warning 

that Covid-19’s peak in 

the state will be worse than 

anticipated. 

“The apex is higher than 

we thought and the apex 

is sooner than we thought,” 

Mr Cuomo told reporters on 

Tuesday. 

He said the federal government 

was not sending 

enough equipment to combat 

the crisis, noting the 

state needs 30,000 ventilators. 

New York now has over 

25,000 confirmed virus 

cases and at least 210 

deaths. 

Mr Cuomo’s warning 

comes as President Donald 

Trump suggested having 

the US back in business by 

early next month. 

“We need federal help 

and we need the federal 

help now,” Mr Cuomo said. 

“New York is the canary 

in the coal mine, New York 

is happening first, what is 

happening to New York 

will happen to California 

and Illinois, it is just a matter 

of time.” 

The governor blasted the 

400 ventilators sent to New 

York from the US Federal 

Emergency Management 

Agency (Fema). 

“Four hundred ventilators? 

I need 30,000 ventilators. 

You want a pat on the 

back for sending 400 ventilators?... 

You’re missing the 

magnitude of the problem.” 

New York currently has 

7,000 ventilators, Mr 

Cuomo said. 

The state is also looking 

into creating more 

healthcare space, possibly 

by turning dormitories and 

hotels into makeshift hospitals. 

Italy death toll hits 

6,820 

The death toll from an 

outbreak of coronavirus in 

Italy has grown by 743 to 

6,820, the head of the Civil 

Protection Agency said, reversing 

a two-day decline. 

On Monday 602 people 

died. That followed 650 

deaths on Sunday and 793 

on Saturday - the highest 

daily figure since the contagion 

came to light on February 

21. 

The total number of confirmed 

cases in Italy rose to 

69,176 from a previous 

63,927, an increase of 8.2 

percent, in line with 

Monday’s growth rate. 

US confirms 50,000 

cases, 600 deaths 

Six-hundred people have 

died from the new 

coronavirus in the United 

States, while the number of 

confirmed cases now 

stands at 49,768, a tracker 

maintained by Johns 

Hopkins University. 

The US has the thirdhighest 

number of confirmed 

cases globally, behind 

China and Italy. The 

death rate based on reported 

cases is now 1.2 percent 

- but the actual number 

believed to be infected 

is far higher, which would 

bring the rate down. 

Chaos, calm as 

Jordanians queue 

for bread 

Jordan’s government has 

started delivering basic 

goods, medicines and fuel 

to its population of 10 million, 

after announcing an 

indefinite curfew to deal 

with the coronavirus. 

On social media, Jordanians 

have shared videos 

of buses being mobbed in 

some neighbourhoods 

while in others; locals have 

queued in a safe, orderly 

fashion. 

“Its trial and error at a very 

critical time,” says Amman 

resident Lubna Wardeh, as 

she waited for a bus with 

supplies to arrive on her 

street so she can buy bread 

and water. 

“Those people who went 

crazy put our quarantine 

back at zero,” she said. A 

government minister 

praised “citizen’s discipline” 

for spacing themselves 

as they queued. 

The curfew – one of the 

strictest in the world - was 

introduced on Saturday because 

people were ignoring 

requests to stay home. Now, 

anyone caught outside 

could be jailed for a year. 

Ryanair grounds 

flights 

Ryanair said it does not 

expect to operate flights in 

April or May and has offered 

its aircraft to European 

governments for rescue or 

the essential movement of 

medicines and personal protective 

equipment. 

“The experience in China 

suggests a three-month period 

for the spread of the 

virus to be contained and 

reduced. We do not expect 

to operate flights during the 

months of April and May at 

this time, but this will clearly 

depend on government advice,” 

the budget airline 

said in a statement posted 

on Twitter. 

Wuhan to ease 

lockdown 

The lockdown in Wuhan, 

the Chinese city where the 

global coronavirus outbreak 

began, will be partially lifted 

on 8 April, officials say. 

Travel restrictions in the 

rest of Hubei province, 

where Wuhan is located, will 

be lifted from midnight on 

Tuesday - for residents who 

are healthy. 

A single new case of the 

virus was reported in 

Wuhan on Tuesday following 

almost a week of no reported 

new cases. 

Countries around the 

world have gone into 

lockdown or imposed severe 

curbs. The UK is getting to 

grips with sweeping new 

measures to tackle the 

spread of coronavirus, including 

a ban on public 

gatherings of more than two 

people and the immediate 

closure of shops selling 

non-essential goods.

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 

INAUGURATION: From left— Board Chairman, Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, 

RSPHCHB, Dr.Green Kinikanwo; State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kaniye Ebeku; Executive Chairman, 

Obio/Akpor LGA, Prince Solomon Eke, Legal and Corporate Affairs Director, International Breweries Plc, Otunba 

Michael Daramola and Paramount Ruler/Nyenwe Eli, Oginigba Kingdom, Rivers State, Eze GB Odum, during 

the inauguration of the N44m Oginigba Health Centre built and equipped by IB Plc in Rivers State. 

Ekiti to diversify economy through agric 

sector 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

A DO-EKITI— 

GOVERNOR 

Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti 

State, yesterday, restated 

his administration’s resolve 

to use the agricultural 

sector as a platform for the 

diversification of the state’s 

economy. 

Governor Fayemi also 

expressed the need for the 

state to convert its 

knowledge capacity to 

agricultural technology 

and achieve higher 

productivity and yield as 

well as reduction in postharvest 

losses which the 

state has suffered for years. 

The governor said this 

during the signing a 

Memorandum of 

Understanding (MoU) 

between the state 

government and a Dutch 

Agric investment Group, 

Villam Agric Ltd in Ado- 

Ekiti. 

The group is committing 

World Oral Health Day: MWAN urges good oral 

hygiene 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE 

Medical Women 

Association of Nigeria, 

MWAN, Edo branch has 

advised the general 

public to adopt good oral 

hygiene habits and have 

regular dental checkups 

to help protect the 

mouth and body. 

President of the group, 

Dr Adesuwa Urhoghide- 

Edigin gave the advice 

during a sensitization 

program held in Benin 

City to mark World Oral 

Health Day. 

She said the mouth is a 

mirror to the body which 

reflects the general health 

and well-being of a person. 

"A healthy mouth and a 

healthy body go hand in 

hand.Maintaining a 

healthy mouth is crucial to 

keeping it functioning 

correctly and for 

maintaining overall health 

and quality of life. 

"This is why MWAN Edo 

... as Feyemi signs N3.5bn MoU with Dutch firm 

N3.5 billion into the project. 

Governor Fayemi 

explained that Ekiti used to 

be the Cocoa capital of 

Nigeria and hoped that 

with the various 

interventions from both local 

and international 

agricultural concerns, the 

state would soon bounce 

back to its original position 

in the sector. 

His words: “For us, it’s 

time to convert our 

knowledge capacity to agric 

technology, higher 

productivity and yield and 

reduction in post-harvest 

losses that we have suffered 

for years. And this is the 

time to do it as Nigeria 

confronts the challenges of 

the implications of Covid-19 

on our oil where the price 

of our oil is going down. 

“And when that price is 

going down, yes, you are 

the owners of Shell but you 

are also the agric capital of 

the world, so you have an 

alternative, when oil goes 

down, your agriculture fix 

today is out to sensitize 25 

schools,teaching them oral 

health hygiene to 

commemorate world oral 

health day which holds on 

March 20th every year. 

"Good oral and dental 

hygiene can help prevent 

bad breath, tooth decay 

and gum disease. 

"It can help you keep your 

teeth as you get older. 

"An unhealthy mouth, 

especially if you have gum 

disease, may increase your risk 

of serious health problems such 

as heart attack, stroke, poorly 

controlled diabetes and preterm 

labor. 

"Since Corona virus is also an 

issue now in the country, we are 

also teaching prevention of Corona 

Virus spread too," she said. 

COAG launches book for young adults with 

sickle-cell 

By Olawale 

Gabriel 

LAGOS—THE fight 

against sickle cell 

anaemia received a boost as 

the Cells of a Generation, 

COAG Initiative, is set to 

unveil an educative comic 

book for children and young 

adults living with the Sickle 

Cell Disorder. 

Sickle Cell Disorder is one 

of the most common genetic 

diseases worldwide and its 

highest prevalence occurs 

in Sub-Saharan Africa, 

especially Nigeria. 

The Sickle Cell Disorder 

Foundation (SCDF), said 

approximately 250 million 

in because that is almost 

on a permanent basis. So 

we have that to learn from 

you, and that is why 

entering into this 

partnership is a 

demonstration of where 

we want to be and the 

leadership that we want 

to offer in the sector. 

“And you would be the 7th 

institution that we are doing 

this with, one of your competitors 

is already here, Promasidor in 

the dairy sector, they are 

helping us with the resuscitation 

of our moribund dairy farm and 

we expect that by the time the 

current processes are completed 

about 12 to 18 months, they 

promised that they would be 

delivering 10,000litres of milk per 

day in Ekiti which can then go 

into the market. 

“We also have some of our 

own local players, Dangote is 

about establishing a rice milling 

farm here, Stallion group is also 

setting up a rice mill and other 

set of groups up north focusing 

on cassava for starch production, 

people worldwide carry 

the gene responsible for 

SCD and over 300,000 

babies with this 

haemoglobin disorder are 

born each year. 

The Founder of COAG, 

Sharon Browne-Peter, 

explained that the Didi Project 

is the opening project to a much 

bigger conversation on the issue 

of the Sickle Cell Disorder. 

"These comics would open 

the conversation for greater 

systematic issues that people 

with disabilities face every day 

in Nigeria, which ultimately 

would improve the knowledge 

of the issues surrounding SCD 

and the conditions of living of 

those with the disorder." 

The project is an educational 

comic book that portrays the life 

we have FMS, Promise point, and 

we have the family company as 

well who are also focusing on that." 

Earlier, the Managing Director 

of Villam Agric Ltd, Rene Haveman 

stressed the importance of 

providing food to the people 

especially during crisis like the one 

the world is facing now. He added 

that large storage facility that is 

available in the state should not 

be left idle again but should be 

made to benefit both the investor 

and the state. 

Haveman urged farmers in the 

state to increase their production 

during this planting season as he 

plans to ensure market conformity 

prices as his organization plans to 

buy directly from farmers at 

attractive prices. 

Also speaking, the 

Commissioner for Agriculture and 

Rural Development, Mr. Folorunso 

Olabode commended Villam Agric 

Ltd for its efforts at partnering with 

the state to help reposition 

agriculture by planning to inject 

N3.5billion into the sector. 

of a 13-year-old Didi. "Didi is our 

comic character. Through her 

stories, readers get first-hand look 

into her life while dealing with the 

condition". 

COAG noted that it will be 

strategically collaborating with 

other organisations for special 

interventions at schools and 

clinics throughout the year and 

that these interventions will 

have informative activities 

tailored to SCD patients, 

caregivers, parents and carriers 

for the teeming benefit of Didi 

and friends. 

Browne-Peter explained 

that these interventions seek 

to prepare every child and 

young adult living with 

sickle cell anaemia for 

healthy, long and fulfilling 

lives. 

Spain to guarantee up to 80% of SME bank loans 

to ease virus impact 

THE Spanish government approved on Tuesday a bur 

den-sharing scheme for banks as part of state-backed 

credit lines to help companies limit the impact of the coronavirus 

outbreak and released an initial tranche of 20 billion euros 

($21.6 billion). 

The measures are part of a total of 100 billion euros in statebacked 

credit lines approved last week, embedded in a wider, 

unprecedented 200 billion euros package. 

“The government hopes that these measures will help companies 

to better weather the negative effects triggered by this 

health emergency,” government spokeswoman Maria Jesus 

Montero said. 

As part of the scheme, the state will guarantee around 80% 

of unpaid loans by small and medium-sized companies and 

self-employed workers. 

Halliburton to ‘significantly’ cut 2020 

capex below $1.2bn budget 

OILFIELD services firm Halliburton is accelerating its 

cost-cutting and will significantly reduce spending this 

year below its original $1.2 billion budget, its finance chief 

said on Tuesday. 

The Houston, Texas-based company did not disclose a new 

spending target, but is testing scenarios including a 60-65 

percent reduction in some areas of the oilfield services sector, 

Chief Financial Officer Lance Loeffler told investors on a webcast. 

He pointed to a reduction to $800 million done during 

the last downturn that began in late 2014 as a potential target. 

Crude oil prices have more than halved since the start of the 

year as the spread of coronavirus slashes demand, and after 

Russia and Saudi Arabia launched an unanticipated price 

war. On Tuesday, U.S. crude futures CLc1 were trading at 

$23.72 a barrel. 

Investors eye cracks in $4.4trn US ETF 

market as sell-off rages 

WILD swings in asset prices have thrown a spotlight on 

liquidity in corners of the $4.4 trillion market for U.S. 

exchange-traded funds, which have played a key role for 

investors in Wall Street’s coronavirus-fueled sell-off. 

So far, ETFs - baskets of securities that are traded like stocks 

- have mostly functioned as intended, allowing investors to 

trade or hedge against further declines even during market 

gyrations. 

But trading in certain bond ETFs has begun to reflect evaporating 

liquidity in recent weeks. Because some bonds trade 

less frequently than the ETFs that hold them, the ETFs have 

at times traded at a markedly different price than the value of 

their underlying assets. 

On one hand, the price reflected in the ETF often helps 

investors gauge the real-time value of underlying assets that 

trade infrequently or have halted trading, analysts said. 

Ford joins GE, 3M in speeding up ventilator, 

respirator production 

CARMAKER Ford Motor Co yesterday jumped into the 

emergency push by major U.S. manufacturers to produce 

thousands of ventilators and respirators needed to help 

combat the spread of the coronavirus under a partnership 

code-named “Project Apollo.” 

By joining forces with General Electric’s healthcare unit and 

3M Co, Ford is taking heed of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 

call for U.S. automakers to work across sectors in producing 

equipment needed for the pandemic. 

The rapid outbreak, which has killed more than 16,500 people 

globally, has strained healthcare systems around the world 

and led to a shortage of ventilators needed to treat patients 

suffering from the flu-like illness, which can lead to breathing 

difficulties and pneumonia in severe cases. 

Banks struggle to ride to the rescue in Europe’s 

cash crunch battle 

CORRADO Sforza Fogliani is on the frontlines of Euro 

pean efforts to keep the region’s economy alive amid 

the coronavirus pandemic. 

His small cooperative bank, Banca di Piacenza, in Italy’s 

virus-ravaged north, has been flooded with applications from 

customers seeking loan extensions, debt relief and renewal of 

credit lines. 

Buried in paperwork and with Rome and banking lobbies 

still at odds over who should be on the hook for defaults when 

a six-month debt holiday ends, Banca di Piacenza’s loan officers 

have only been able to process a fraction of the 1,000 applications 

they have received. 

Some strories from Reuters.



IT is hardly surprising that the 

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, under 

Governor Godwin Emefiele, has once 

again taken a significant step which 

should guide the actions of the 

Muhammadu Buhari administration to 

look inwards for much of the solutions 

to our economic problems. 

At the bank’s forum in Abuja on 

Wednesday last week, Emefiele 

announced that hand sanitisers and 

other anti-viral protective inputs which 

can be adequately sourced from within 

the country to combat epidemic 

outbreaks like COVID-19 would be 

banned from access to foreign 

exchange for their imports. 

That was Emefiele’s reaction after a 

leading manufacturer, Mrs. Stella 

Okolie of Emzor Pharmaceuticals, had 

disclosed that her company and many 

other Nigerian manufacturers could 

comfortably supply the nation’s needs 

in these products, but lamented that due 

to government neglect Nigerians spend 

Looking inward for our survival 

valuable foreign exchange to import 

them. 

According to Okolie: “Local 

industries must not be neglected. We 

should find out who is doing what and 

who can do what and patronise them. 

We should look inwards. We have what 

it takes to build this nation”. 

It is unfortunate that though this need 

to look inwards was staring us in the 

face when Buhari assumed office in 

2015, our near-total dependence on 

foreign imports continued in spite of 

the recession. 

Though it placed high priority on 

economic restoration the 

administration failed to mobilise the 

populace to shun undue importation 

and patronise locally-produced 

commodities. It is not surprising that 

the much-vaunted effort at diversifying 

the economy has yielded little fruit. 

Apart from the Nigerian Air Force 

and the Army which opted to buy some 

of their spare parts and kits from local 

manufacturers, most top government 

officials and their spouses continued 

to flaunt expensive foreign items of 

personal fashion in defiance of the 

parlous state of the economy. 

It was the CBN that boldly 

continued the revitalisation of the 

agricultural sector which began under 

the previous administration of Dr. 

Goodluck Jonathan by rolling out 

the Anchor Borrower’s 

Programme for food production, 

especially rice. The CBN also drew 

up a list of 42 items which it 

prohibited from its foreign 

exchange allocation. This and the 

bank’s stabilisation of the foreign 

exchange helped us to limp out 

of the recession. 

We call on the Buhari administration 

to take a leaf from this symbolic gesture 

and declare a full-scale inward looking 

policy which will bind all Nigerians, 

Ministries, Departments and Agencies, 

MDAs, of government and government 

officials to buy and use made-in- 

Nigeria goods, with the President 

leading from the front. 

We should also patronise Nigerian 

professionals, schools, hospitals and 

car-makers. Wherever we find 

inadequacies we will be forced to fix 

them. With bleak fortunes facing 

worldwide crude oil sales, Nigeria can 

save herself by consuming what it 

produces and importing only what it 

does not yet make. 

OPINION 

Coronavirus as springboard for rebirth 

By SUNNY IKHIOYA 

THE average Nigerian has certain 

personality traits that are known all 

over the world. One of these is long-suffering. 

Nigerians can endure under any condition; 

they can go through thick and thin to achieve 

their desired goal. Their patience is elastic 

and that is why we are where we are today. 

The average Nigerian is also very 

intelligent; it is no surprise that surveys 

carried out by reputable international 

bodies have rated Nigerians as the most 

qualified/professional on the immigrants 

index in the US and the world. Fareed 

Zakaria of the CNN confirmed this in one 

of his programmes. If we are intelligent, 

rugged and patient, what then is holding 

Nigeria from becoming one of the best 

nations in the world? This is food for thought 

for all our leaders; a country with this quality 

of human beings, coupled with the resources 

available in the land, has no reason to be 

susceptible to every slight shock coming 

from other parts of the world. 

Nigerians are also united when faced with 

a common challenge. In sports, everyone is 

a Nigerian, including the Asari Dokubos, 

Nnamdi Kanus and the Shekaus of this 

world. After the games, we all withdraw to 

our respective shells of religion, ethnicity 

and the like. We were also united in the fight 

against the Ebola disease; the fight was a 

matter of life and death and Nigerians 

confronted it with full determination and 

succeeded. 

If we succeeded with Ebola, we will also 

be victorious against the corona virus that is 

causing havoc all over the world today. But 

the challenge of the corona virus is different 

from Ebola, in the sense that it is making 

people to withdraw into their respective 

shells. The wind of nationalism is blowing 

across the world and countries are 

protecting their territories, shutting borders 

and issuing travel bans to unwanted visitors. 

The world as a global village is now under 

threat and if that happens, only those with 

the capacity for self-sustenance can survive. 

The challenge of the corona virus, as it is 

presently, is not only restricted to the health 

situation but also, poses serious danger to 

the economies of nations. This can cause 

nations to go under, especially nations that 

are very dependent on foreign imports. Such 

nations will find it difficult to cope if the 

challenges of the corona virus continues in 

this manner. 

As we all know, Nigeria is in that category, 

despite the sweet report that our authorities 

are presenting to us. If that is not the case, 

why have the prices of petrol and other 

products derived from crude oil remained 

high? We are producing crude oil and the 

price of crude keeps falling at the 

international market; it has fallen above 

the 50 per cent level at the international 

market, yet we are reducing price at 13 per 

cent. To whose benefit is this? Whose 

responsibility is this? 

Is this not the right time to totally 

deregulate the oil sector? Instead of tackling 

challenges head on, in line with our natural 

and cultural attributes, our leaders always 

prefer the easy way out. We always have 

excuses to give, are never prepared, and at 

the slightest global crisis, we are left 

scampering. Why must we depend on the 

Lagos ports alone for imports? Is that good 

for our economy? Whose responsibility is it 

to get this sorted out? 

Our federal roads are in deplorable state 

- forget what Babatunde Fashola is sayingyou 

need to drive through the federal roads 

to experience it. If you do not have good 

road network to bring agric products to the 

towns and cities, how can you resolve the 

challenge of food sufficiency? We want to 

promote indigenous production and our 

legislators are rejecting home-produced 

vehicles; how do we grow in that sector? 

The challenge is not in looking elsewhere, 

the solution lies with the face in the mirror. 

The coronavirus challenge is a new one that 

will test all of our faculties, both the leaders 

and the led. It is time to have hospitals of 

international standards; our leaders do not 

need to go on medical tourism and that will 

save us scarce foreign exchange. We must 

prepare and be ready; other countries are 

already doing that; we must not be left 

If we are intelligent, 

rugged and patient, what 

then is holding us from 

becoming one of the best 

nations in the world? 

behind. 

We should not look at the health sector 

alone but particularly, we must look at our 

economy; we will surely survive the 

coronavirus; but how do we contain the 

economic effects? According to Neel 

Kashkari, President, Federal Reserve Bank 

of Minneapolis, USA: "Everyone is heading 

into recession; financial markets do not 

know how to price risk and investment, we 

do not know until science puts us through". 

That is the picture of the other side of the 

coronavirus, that of uncertainty; you cannot 

predict it and so cannot reach a definite 

conclusion, but we must be ready, no matter 

what happens. According to Neel, it is better 

to be over prepared than not meet the 

demands. 

Government has the onerous task of 

protecting both itself and the people. Neel 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

says "governments must intervene on the side 

of the people". It is better for the economy if 

the workers are retained in their businesses; 

it is better to keep people employed. So the 

panicky reaction to the international crude 

oil price fall should not be a basis for the 

government to take rash decisions. They 

must focus on keeping the economy stable, 

encourage businesses to continue in 

operation through support interventions, 

interest free grants and waivers. 

Companies must not be allowed to go 

under because, from projections, the 

situation will only be for a while; so no panic 

decision should be taken. It is ironic that 

China is now opening their economy, while 

the US and Europe are closing down. Which 

way is the best for Nigeria? That is the 

challenge of the people running our 

economy. It is time to test the Nigerian 

ruggedness, but our leaders must be sincere 

with their intentions. First, all plans for 

foreign loans must be shelved for now as we 

continue to look inwards. We have the best 

medical personnel; let us fund our 

indigenous technology/researches 

according to our needs; let us take the 

challenge of necessity being the mother of 

invention. 

Government must use this period to cut 

cost of running government, at all levels and 

use the accrued monies to fund indigenous 

researches, build roads and other 

infrastructure. The bloated National 

Assembly expenses must also come down. 

From now, it must be Nigeria first; all 

foreign official tours must be cancelled and 

scarce foreign exchange will be used 

basically for essentials. It is time for 

sacrifice making and I know that the 

Nigerian people can cope, but will the 

government lead by example? 

Ikhioya, a social commentator, wrote via 

www.southsouthecho.com

COVID-19: Reps pass bill for coys 

to get 50% PAYE refund 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

RAND 

$124.85 $3.60 

$2,261.00 $4.00 

11.29 $ 0.25 

$ 27.36 0.33 

$23.63 0.27 

306 306. 5 307 

424.008 424.5969 425.1858 

390.276 390.8181 391.3601 

368.8903 369.4026 369.915 

3.2476 3.2521 3.2567 

0.4838 0.4938 0.5038 

411.3695 411.9409 412.5122 

50.987 51.0583 51.1295 

95.8339 95.967 96.1001 

81.3613 81.4943 81.6272 

20.4799 20.5084 20.5368 

CBN Exchange rate as at 24/03/2020 

Yinka Kolawole with Agency 

Report 

The House of Representa 

tives has passed a Bill requiring 

the federal government 

to refund companies 50 

percent of the income tax paid 

on employee salaries. 

The ‘Emergency Economic 

Stimulus Bill’ introduced and 

passed during yesterday’s 

plenary session, was sponsored 

by all the principal officers. 

The Bill, however, has to be 

passed by the Senate and 

backed by a Presidential assent 

to become law. 

According to a copy of the 

Bill obtained by TheCable, it 

seeks to protect employees 

and cushion the economic implication 

of the Coronavirus 

(COVID-19) pandemic for 

companies registered under 

the Companies and Allied 

Matters Act (CAMA) 2004. 

The Bill states that eligible 

companies would be those that 

do not retrench their staff from 

March 1 till December 31, 

2020. 

It added that such employers 

shall during the period be 

“entitled to 50 percent income 

tax rebate on the total of the 

actual amount due or paid as 

Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax 

under the personal income tax 

act cap C8 LFN 2004 (as 

amended)”. 

It also seeks to suspend import 

duties on medical equipment 

and drugs required for 

the treatment and management 

of the COVID-19, for a 

period of three months, starting 

from the end of March. 

The Bill also provides for deferment 

of all mortgage payments 

for a period of 180 

days effective from March 1, 

2020. The deferment is applicable 

to residential mortgages 

obtained by individual 

contributors to the national 

housing fund 

Speaker of the House, Femi 

Gbajabiamila, said the Bill 

is temporary and is meant 

to expire in December, 

2020. 

“We can review the Bill 


before the expiration date if, in 

the next few months, there is 

no need for it and we were able 

to beat the virus,” he added. 

From left, Managing Director, Feminik Logistics, Elvis Ahior; CEO Bi- Courtney Aviation, 

Dr. Bolanle Olawale; Group Managing Director, Feminik Logistics, Adetoro Fowoshere; 

Cargo Operations Manager, Bi- Courtney Aviation,Ayodeji Akinremi, and Head of Operations, 

Feminik Air, Opade Stephen 

COVID-19: SEC extends deadline for 2019, 

Q1 2020 reports’ filings 

•Suspends registration of market operators, CMC meeting 

By Michael Eboh 

The Securities and Exchange 

Commission, SEC, yesterday, 

said it has extended the deadline 

for companies to file their 2019 full 

year and first quarter 2020 financial 

reports as part of its response to the 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

pandemic currently pressuring 

Nigerian economy. 

SEC, in a statement, also 

disclosed that it has commenced 

the electronic filing 

and processing of capital 

market applications, while 

fresh applications for the 

registration of capital market 

operators had been suspended. 

It said, “the SEC released 

a number of market-focused 

adjustments to be adopted 

in the interim in response 

to the effects of COVID-19, 

which includes filing and 

processing of applications 

electronically, extension of 

deadline on 2019 annual 

reports and first quarter 

2020 reports, postponement 

of the first quarter Capital 

Market Committee meeting 

earlier scheduled for 

April 23, 2020. 

“Also, returns shall be filed 

electronically, while the 

Commission has approved 

a 60-day extension, in the 

first instance for public companies 

and capital market operators to 

file their 2019 annual reports and 

Q1 2020 reports.” 

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Stock 

Exchange (NSE) has granted all 

Dealing Member Firms (DMFs) 

an additional 60 day grace period 

for the submission of their Audited 

Financial Statement for the 

year ended 31 December 2019, 

which is due for submission to the 

Exchange on Monday, 30 March 

2020. 

By the directive, DMFs are 

now required to submit their respective 

reports on Friday. May 

29, 2020. 

The Exchange in a circular to 

Dealing Member Firms (DMFs) 

issued Tuesday said: “The Exchange 

has approved a temporary suspension 

of the provisions of Rule 7.4: Submission 

of Financial and Non-Financial 

Reports to the Exchange, Rulebook of 

The Exchange, 2015 (Dealing Members’ 

Rules) as amended, which states 

that: “Every Dealing Member shall 

submit to The Exchange its audited 

financial statements, within 90 calendar 

days of the end of the fiscal year, 

and its quarterly returns within 30 calendar 

days of the end of the quarter; 

and any other periodic report within 

the period stipulated by The Exchange.” 

The Exchange has also stated that 

dealing members can trade remotely 

during this period of COVID-19. 

Experts say 

TV will remain 

ad leader till 

2023 

•Record 11.9% 

drop in spend 

By Princewill Ekwujuru 

Experts in the marketing com 

munications industry have 

said that television will still remain 

the advertisement leader 

till 2023 despite recording 20 

percent drop in its expenditure 

among the top 20 product categories 

in 2018. 

The figure dropped to 

N29.5billion from N33.5 billion 

in 2017. 

Technology, Information, Communications 

Director at 

ZoomComms, Abraham Idonije, 

in a chat with Vanguard, said, 

“While TV is expected to stand 

as the ad leader till 2023, in 

terms of net additions to revenue, 

its counterpart, internet 

ad, would add $60.7 million in 

absolute terms in 2023 against 

TV’s $60.2 million.” 

Tosin Olanrewaju, Co- 

Founder, MaxCom Media adds: 

“Amid an ever greater supply of 

media, businesses that are fancentric 

will find themselves with 

audiences that are more engaged, 

more loyal, and spend 

more per capita. To thrive in the 

experience-driven marketplace 

characterized by this 

year’s outlook, companies 

need to attract and harness the 

economic, social, and emotional 

power of fans. “ 

He said: “Major digital tipping-points 

are occurring or in 

prospect across all segments 

Internet advertising now generates 

more revenue than TV 

advertising globally. 

In 2016 an important tipping 

point was reached in the global 

advertising industry, with 

revenue from Internet advertising 

exceeding that generated 

by TV advertising for the 

first time. However, at a global 

level we forecast TV ad revenues 

will also continue to rise, 

at a more modest rate till 2023. 

According to 2018 

Mediafacts, an annual advertising 

expenditure book published 

by mediaReachOMD, 

said GSM Service providers 

remained the highest advertisers 

in 2018 like in 2017, with 

N5.6billion, which is 21.1percent 

drop from N7.1billion in 

2017. 

The second highest spender 

in 2018 was Cable TVs with 

N1.6 billion which dropped by 

40.7percent 

from 

N2.7billion in 2017. 

The third highest advertiser 

was Banks and Financial institutions 

with N1.5billion in 

2018, which is 7.14percent increase 

compared to N1.4billion 

in 2017. 

Fidelity Bank profit rises 21% as PBT hits N30.4bn 

... Proposes 20k dividend per share 

By Peter Egwuatu 

FIDELITY Bank Plc has 

recorded impressive full 

year result, sustaining the 

sterling financial performance 

that has been witnessed 

in recent years. The 

Bank’s full year 2019 results 

released on the Nigerian 

Stock Exchange (NSE), 

showed strong growth 

across key income and balance-sheet 

lines. 

Specifically, Profit Before Tax, 

PBT rose by 21.0 percent to 

N30.4 billion compared with 

N25.1 billion recorded in the 

previous year. Similarly net profits 

surged by 24 percent to 

N28.4billion in 2019 from N22.9 

billion from 2018. Gross Earnings 

grew by 14.0 percent to 

N215.5billion from N189.0 billion 

in 2018. 

Buoyed by the performance, 

the Bank plans to pay a dividend 

of 20kobo translating to 

N5.8billion compared to the 

dividend of 11 kobo paid in 

2018. 

In other indices, Net Interest 

Income increased by 13.2 percent 

to N83.1 billion in 2018. Net 

Operating Income rose by 15.6 

percent to N112.3billion from 

N97.2billion whilst total assets 

grew by 22.9 percent to N2.114 

trillion in the period under review 

from N1,719 trillion in 2018.

20—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 

From left: Head Anti-Corruption Unit, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences 

Commission, Barr Ifeanyi Obialor, Acting, Executive Commissioner Operations, Securities 

and Exchange Commission, Mr Isyaku Tilde and Acting Director General SEC, Ms Mary 

Uduk during the inauguration ceremony of anti-corruption, Transparency Unit and Monitoring 

Unit of SEC in Abuja 

COVID-19: CBN projects reversal in GDP 

growth, retains policy rates 

By Emma Ujah, Abuja 

Bureau Chief & Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

THE Central Bank of Nige 

ria, CBN, has said that 

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, 

GDP, is set for a growth reversal 

due to the impact of the 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Nigeria recorded GDP 

growth of 2.27 percent for 2019 

and 2.55 percent fourth quarter, 

2019. 

Briefing the media on the outcome 

of the meeting of its Monetary 

Policy Committee (MPC) 

yesterday, CBN Governor said 

that “projections indicated that 

real GDP in the Q1’20 would 

slow because of the tepid global 

demand resulting from the 

recent outbreak of COVID-19, 

depressed global demand and oil 

price war which has resulted in 

supply glut and decline in crude 

oil prices. 

“The outlook for the first half of 

the year may thus dampen overall 

growth prospect for 2020. 

“To mitigate this trend, the bank 

took decisive action to safeguard 

the banking system and the 

economy from emerging 

headwinds. 

“The key policies include: provision 

of extended moratorium on 

loans by an additional one year, 

beginning from March 2020. This 

is to ease pressure on loan repayment.” 

He added, “MPC underscored 

the coronavirus pandemic as a 

public health crisis, which will 

continue to undermine any monetary 

and fiscal stimulus unless 

appropriate measures are taken 

to test, isolate, curtail the spread 

and treat infected persons, while 

ensuring that migration across 

country is prohibited. 

“The MPC, therefore, called on 

the federal government to take 

the necessary steps to safeguard 

the population through close 

monitoring and emergencyready 

measures to identify and 

care for infected persons, including 

composing restriction of 

movement to curtail the spread 

of the pandemic.” 

Meanwhile, Emefiele said that 

its policy on Loan-to-Deposit 

Ratio had engendered massive 

credit to the private sector. 

He stated: “Sectoral distribution 

of credit between end of May 

2019 and February 2020 was as 

follows: manufacturing sector 

N533bn; general rating and consumer 

loans N380.7bn; general 

commerce N229.8bn; agriculture, 

forestry and fishing N163,4bn; 

information and Communications 

N163.69bn;finance and Insurance, 

N132bn; construction 

N112.25bn; and transportation 

and storage 45.42bn among others.” 

Other MPC decisions 

The MPC, Emefiele said, in a 

unanimous decision, voted to hold 

the MPR at 13. 5% along all other 

policy parameters constant 

According to Emefiele, “The 

Committee in its wisdom noted 

that tightening will result in reigning 

in the rising trend in inflation 

and that it will support reserve and 

creation. 

“However, to reduce money supply 

and limit deposit money banks 

credit creation capacity, first resulting 

in increasing the cost of credit 

with adverse impact on output 

growth. 

“Tightening will also result in 

reduction in aggregate demand as 

it fall in disposable income will 

result in output compression, 

whereas, at this time policy emphasis 

should be on stimulating a 

aggregate supply and demand 

both already weakened by 

COVID-19. 

“On loosening, the committee 

felt it would stimulate the economy 

in the short term, it would exacerbate 

the inflationary condition, resulting 

on worsening pressure on 

reserves and the exchange rate.” 

The Governor said that based on 

the balance of those arguments, 

and taking cognizance of the recent 

actions of the CBN in response 

to the COVID 19, resolved 

to allow time for the measures to 

permeate the economy and allow 

the pandemic to wear out before 

deciding further policy measures 

to further boost the aggregate demand 

and supply in the recovery 

phase of the economy. 

N437.20/$, fair value naira exchange rate — Cardinalstone 

By Nkiruka Nnorom & 

Elizabeth Adegbesan 

CARDINAL Stone Secu 

rities Limited Research 

has said that N437.20/$ 

would be the fair value foreign 

exchange (FX) rate of 

the naira as it better captures 

the realities of sustained 

double-digit inflation 

and twin deficits across fiscal 

and current accounts. 

It stated that the recent 

narrowing of FX spreads 

across the currency markets 

could imply the Central bank 

of Nigeria (CBN) growing 

acceptance of the need to reprice 

the currency to reflect 

the state of fundamental 

variables in challenging periods. 

The firm disclosed this in 

Firm launches secured 

Peer-to-Peer lending platform 

By Kingsley Adegboye 

TO address the difficult and 

cumbersome process of financial 

empowerment, 

Sycamore.ng is poised to advance 

the credit culture in Nigeria, 

by providing secured 

loans to individuals, micro, small 

and medium scale enterprises 

through the creation of a Peerto-Peer 

Lending Platform. 

According to a statement from 

the firm, “Sycamore believes it 

has a solution to bring about financial 

freedom to its customers 

by connecting individuals or 

businesses looking for a good 

opportunity to diversify their 

income with responsible borrowers. 

“As a subscriber to the platform, 

you have the ability to either 

identify and select loan contracts 

yourself or simply opt to have 

your portfolio managed autonomously. 

Our platform provides 

a compelling combination of liquidity, 

low volatility and attractive 

returns”. 

Chief Executive Officer Sycamore, 

Mr Tunde Akin-Moses, 

in the statement said “It’s no 

secret that access to finance is 

one of the main issues affecting 

the rapid growth of individuals 

and businesses in Africa. Our 

mission is for individuals to 

achieve more through organized 

lending and borrowing”. 

In addition, the Chief Marketing 

Officer of the company, Miss 

Onyinyechukwuka Okonji said 

“Sycamore’s growth so far has 

been based on great customer 

experiences and the effectiveness 

of Word of Mouth Marketing. 

Improved marketing efforts 

are being made to attract new 

lenders and credible borrowers”. 

Chief Operations Officer, of 

the company, Mr. Mayowa 

Adeosun, stated that “a marketplace 

exists with the Sycamore 

P2P lending with investments 

designed for individuals seeking 

long-term capital preservation 

and growth. This fund offers 

competitive returns compared 

to the average online 

lenders”. 

its latest Economic Update 

Report titled:”Racing 

against time”, saying that 

continued moderation in oil 

prices will also offset gains 

from the recent devaluation 

of the naira by the apex 

bank. 

The 

report 

stated:”Measures to boost liquidity 

and economic activities 

may cascade to some 

pressures on the naira, 

which has been well sold in 

the last two months (CBN intervention: 

February - $2.1 

billion; March - $1.8 billion). 

These pressures, and 

continued moderation in oil 

prices, are likely to offset 

gains from the mild naira 

devaluation implemented by 

the CBN. 

“In addition, even though 

the forex rates across the Investors 

and Exporters (I&E) 

and Bureau De Change 

(BDC) markets are now 

priced closer to the long-run 

real effective exchange rate 

of N382 per dollar, we believe 

our fair value estimate 

of N437.20 per dollar better 

captures the realities of sustained 

double-digit inflation 

and twin deficits across fiscal 

and current accounts. 

“That said, the recent narrowing 

of foreign exchange 

spreads across the 

currency markets could imply 

CBN’s growing acceptance 

of the need to re-price 

the currency to reflect the 

state of fundamental variables 

in challenging periods.” 

OIL PRICE WATCH 

Bonny Light rises by $0.14 

THE price of crude oil at 

the international market 

saw a marginal rise as 

Nigeria’s premium grade, 

Bonny Light, rose to $23.50 

per barrel (about $0.14 differential), 

against $22.46 

The Company’s Board Chairman, 

Mr. Bade Aluko, who is 

also the Chairman of GNI Plc, 

also attested to the importance 

of Sycamore’s vision, by emphasizing 

Sycamore’s use of robust 

alternative data to make accurate 

financial decisions, which 

yield the most value for both 

lenders and borrowers. 

Established in 2018 as a 

brainchild of three Lagos Business 

School graduates - Tunde 

A k i n - M o s e s , 

Onyinyechukwuka Okonji and 

Mayowa Adeosun, Sycamore 

has successfully facilitated 

transactions in the 9 figure 

range since inception. Sycamore 

has framed its business 

holistically around Sustainable 

Development Goals (SDGs) 

one, eight and ten (1, 8 and 10). 

Stock market 

rebounds, up 

0.9% as investors 

reap N21bn 

By Peter Egwuatu 

N OTWITHSTANDING 

the ongoing 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) effect 

on the economy, the stock 

market on Tuesday rebounded 

with the Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE, All Share Index, 

ASI, up 0.2 percent to 

close at 21,741.16 points. 

Consequently, Year-to-Date, 

YtD, return eased to -19.0 percent 

with investors gaining 

N21billion. Market 

capitalisation appreciated to 

N11.329 trillion from N11.308 

trillion it closed on Monday. 

Meanwhile, investor sentiment 

as measured by market 

breadth improved as 18 stocks 

advanced relative to 10 

decliners. 

Analysts at Afrinvest Research 

said: “We are not optimistic 

of a positive trend in the 

market as the COVID-19 continues 

to spread in the country.” 

per barrel recorded on 

Monday. 

Similarly, other international 

grades, Brent and 

WTI recorded marginal 

growth, trading at $29.84 

and $23.84 against Monday 

trade of $28.33 and $22.46.



Tribunalisation of democracy in Nigeria (2) 

The first part of this piece was published 

yesterday 

By Femi Falana SAN 

THE Supreme Court went ahead to hijack 

the case and ruled even when it has no 

jurisdiction whatsoever. Thereafter, the Chief 

Justice ensured that the Constitution was 

amended to confer jurisdiction on the Supreme 

Court in respect of appeals relating to 

governorship election petitions. Thus, while 

presidential and legislative election petitions 

are determined by two sets of judges 

governorship election petitions are determined 

by three sets of judges. But since the Supreme 

Court is unduly congested with governorship 

pre-election and election petitions, members 

of the legal profession are united in demanding 

for a return to the status quo. 

Even though a timeline has been fixed for 

the determination of election matters, the 

time table of regular courts is disrupted as 

cases are adjourned sine die in a number of 

high courts and national industrial courts 

on the grounds that a number of judges have 

embarked on national assignment. The 

appellate courts are so congested that the 

annual vacation of judges is cancelled while 

appeals in other cases are put off for a year or 

two. Contrary to the provisions of the Rules of 

the appellate courts, appeals arising from 

criminal cases which take precedence over 

other matters are made to await the final 

determination of election matters. 

Since every citizen is entitled to equal rights 

and opportunities before the law the undue 

advantage conferred on election petitioners 

by the management of Nigerian courts is 

discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional. 

Therefore, it is time that the Constitution was 

amended to allow election petition tribunals 

to be constituted by retired judges so that the 

courts can carry out their duties without any 

disruption. After all, majority of arbitration 

panels set up for the resolution of commercial 

disputes are constituted by retired judges. 

Judicial review of internal affairs of 

political parties 

Internal democracy or intra-party 

democracy is the level and method of 

involving party members in the decision 

making and deliberation within the party 

structure. Until recently, Nigerian courts 

rejected the invitation to dabble into the 

internal affairs of political parties, including 

choosing candidates to be sponsored by 

political parties to contest elections. The 

principle of non-interference was laid down in 

the case of Onuoha v. Okafor (1983) 2 SCNLR 

244 when the 

Supreme Court 

(Per Obaseki 

JSC) stated 

that:”There are 

no judicial 

criteria or 

yardstick to 

determine 

w h i c h 

candidate a 

political party 

FEMI FALAN 

ALANA, 

A, SAN 

ought to choose 

and the 

judiciary is therefore unable to exercise any 

judicial power in the matter. It is a matter over 

which it has no jurisdiction. The question of 

the candidate a political party will sponsor is 

more in the nature of a political question which 

the courts are not qualified to deliberate upon 

and answer.” 

In the case of Musa v. PRP (1981) 2 NCLR 

763, Adefarasin, C.J (as he then was) stated the 

law with lucidity when he said that: “The court 

would not interfere in a case like this one where 

members of a voluntary association have come 

to a decision within the provisions of their 

Constitution even if the decision is 

unreasonable. Circumstances have not arisen 

by which the court ought to intervene. I am, 

therefore, not inclined to quash a resolution of 

the PRP that PRP Governors should no longer 

attend institutionalized meeting of Governors. 

To my mind, that resolution does not amount 

to a violation of the fundamental rights 

provided for under Sections 32,36,37 and 38 

of the Constitution. But so far as the party is 

concerned it is to have the right to discipline 

its members.” 

But since the political parties were run 

arbitrarily as candidates were imposed on 

political parties by cabals of party chieftains 

the Electoral Act was amended to empower 

aggrieved members of political parties to 

challenge the violation of the Electoral Act. 

However, the involvement of the courts in the 

internal affairs of the ongoing intraparty crisis 

of the APC has exposed the judiciary to ridicule. 

Contradictory orders have been obtained from 

the various factions from the Federal Capital 

Territory high court, Federal High Court, 

Kano Judicial Division, High Court, Sokoto. 

A fresh order of the Federal Capital Territory 

High Court has also contradicted the order of 

the Court of Appeal on the leadership crisis in 

the party. Members of the public are 

wondering why high courts have continued to 

hear matters in respect of a matter that is 

pending before the Court of Appeal. The 

phenomenon of conflicting court orders calls 

for an urgent review on the part of the Nigerian 

Bar Association and the National Judidial 

Council. 

It is pertinent to point out that conflicting 

orders are not limited to the High Courts as 

some of the judgments of the appellate courts 

have have put INEC officials in total confusion. 

On 16th March 2016, INEC Chairman, Prof. 

Mahmood Yakubu confirmed the dilemma 

of INEC when he said that; “The Court of 

Appeal, in one 

judicial division, 

By virtue of 

section 150 of the 

Electoral Act the 

power to 

prosecute electoral 

offenders is vested 

in the INEC 

ordered INEC to 

conduct fresh 

election ‘in which 

only the duly 

qualified 

candidates shall 

participate’. In 

another division, 

the Court of 

Appeal, under 

s i m i l a r 

circumstances, nullified the election, 

disqualified the candidate and allowed the 

political party to submit the name of another 

candidate for the re-run election. Yet in another 

division, the Court of Appeal nullified the 

election and ordered INEC to conduct fresh 

election but is silent about the status of the 

disqualified candidate, thereby giving room 

for endless commentary and new rounds of 

litigation on the eligibility of the disqualified 

candidate to participate in re-run elections.” 

By virtue of section 34 of the Electoral Act 

an aggrieved party is entitled to file a suit at 

either the Federal High Court or State High 

Court. But a pre-election matter filed outside 

the state where the dispute or cause of action 

arose is liable to be struck out for want of 

territorial jurisdiction. The practice of 

rushing to the Federal High Court or the High 

Court of the Federal Capital Territory to 

challenge results of primaries conducted in 

any of the state of the federation is illegal. In 

Dalhatu V. Turaki (2003) 42 WRN 45; (2003) 

LPELR-917(SC), the Supreme Court held as 

follows: 

“Events that led to the action had to do with 

the Governorship of Jigawa State. It is, of 

course, not debatable that Jigawa State is 

totally distinct and different from the Federal 

Capital Territory, Abuja. It seems to me that if 

any action was to be properly commenced, 

that action should have been initiated in the 

Court in Jigawa State. In this respect, I think it 

must be remembered that by our Constitution, 

each State of the Federation is independent of 

the other and the jurisdiction of each State is 

limited to matters arising in its territory…” 

See also Mailantarki V. Tongo (2018) 6 NWLR 

(Pt. 1614) 69; (2017) LPELR-42467 (SC). 

Official endorsement of electoral 

offences 

Although 1,616 civil cases were filed by 

aggrieved petitioners who took part in the 2019 

general election the authorities have refused 

to file a single criminal case in any court 

against any of the over 2000 suspects arrested 

by the police and other security agencies for 

alleged involvement in electoral offences. 

Having been treated like sacred cows the 

electoral offenders are going to disrupt the 

2023 general election. In such atmosphere of 

impunity the possibility of conducting credible 

elections in the country is rather remote. By 

virtue of section 150 of the Electoral Act the 

power to prosecute electoral offenders is vested 

in the INEC. 

To be concluded

The role of traditional rulers - Sanusi 

the genius: A case study (1) 

itance or lineage 

has 

been appointed 

to a 

chieftaincy 

position by 

those entitled 

to do so under 

customary 

law and 

whose appointment 

has been approved 

by the 

approving 

Traditional 

rulers in each 

pre-colonial 

society obtained 

their 

mandate from 

the society’s 

customs and 

native laws 

authorities. 

From these definitions, and in 

practical terms, the pre-independent 

traditional ruler stands 

as the repository of all the executive, 

legislative and judicial 

powers of his domain. In some 

areas, particularly amongst the 

Yorubas, a traditional ruler is regarded 

as a replica of God (mutatis 

mutandi), by virtue of 

which all their words become 

law, the infraction of which oftentimes 

attract corporeal and 

sometimes, capital punishments. 

The courts have, over the 

years, equally recognised the 

status of traditional rulers. In 

Adanji v. Hunwo (1908) 1 NLR 

74, the Court pronounced as follows: 

“I say without hesitation 

that it is a position of honour, of 

primacy among a particular section 

of the native community.” 

More often than not, traditional 

rulership is guided by the principle 

of legitimacy, stemming 

from the customs and tradition 

of the people: from the appointment 

of the traditional ruler by 

the recognised and acceptable 

appointing authority to his charismatic 

influence which is derived 

from a wide acceptance of 

his personality and leadership 

qualities. 

Role of traditional rulers before 

Nigeria was created in 

1884. A pin-point determination 

WHO are traditional rulers? 

The concept of traditional 

rulership in Nigeria predates the 

nation’s colonial era, forming 

one of the very cores of governance 

and administration. Traditional 

institutions, perhaps being 

the oldest institution in Nigeria, 

is deeply rooted in the culture, 

history and traditions of various 

ethnic and cultural backgrounds. 

In ordinary parlance, a traditional 

ruler is the custodian of 

the traditions, history and customs 

of an ethnic group of individuals, 

and who is appointed by 

such individuals to rule, govern 

and administer justice in line 

with the laid down customs and 

traditions of the people. A traditional 

ruler has also been defined 

as a person who by virtue 

of his ancestral position occupies 

the throne or stool of an area and 

who has been appointed to it in 

accordance with the customs and 

traditions of the area and whose 

throne has been in existence before 

the advent of the British in 

Nigeria. 

According to Erediauwa, the 

39th Oba of Benin, a traditional 

ruler means the traditional head 

of an ethnic community whose 

stool is conferred the highest traditional 

authority on the incumbent 

since the time before the beginning 

of British rule. On the 

other hand, he is defined as a 

person who, by reason of inherof 

the exact origin of traditional 

institutions in Nigeria remains 

an elusive quest. However, there 

is some certainty that most of the 

nation-states scattered along the 

then territory now named Nigeria 

had traditional institutions that 

played significant roles to their 

growth, influence, development 

and dominance, and all-together 

culminating into the culture-rich, 

diverse entity now known as Nigeria. 

The pre-colonial era featured a 

well-structured system of traditional 

rulership that was basically 

centralised. At that period, access 

to rulership stool was hereditary 

while in some parts, traditional 

structures of rulership 

were more dispersed, or were 

acephalous. By and large, traditional 

rulers occupied important 

positions among the peoples of 

pre-colonial Nigeria. As noted 

earlier, their positions were legitimised 

by the traditions, history 

and culture of their respective 

peoples who held them in high 

esteem and reverence (Amusa, 

2010). In similar perspective, traditional 

rulers cater for the economic, 

social and political aspirations 

of their people, and today 

they have become part of individual 

cultural heritage. 

They occupy communal political 

leadership positions sanctified 

by cultural, moral and values 

and enjoying the legitimacy 

of particular community to direct 

their affairs. Traditional institutions 

constitute a body of polity 

and administration that are respected 

by the people of such 

community through their respect 

for culture heritage and the historical 

antecedent of the land. 

The political institution of the 

pre-colonial societies included 

the paramount chiefs, the council 

of elders, age grade and religious 

organisation. The Igbos at 

the pre-colonial period did not 

have a single political authority: 

even though they were a contingent. 

Since the Igbos shunned the 

idea of having a single leader at 

that time, they operated a lineage 

system as a basis for political organisation 

in such a way that a 

man could only lead member of 

his lineage. There were, thus, 

many influential and powerful 

men, with their influence limited 

to hamlet, clan and village; at 

that time they operated a lineage 

system as a basis for political organisation. 

In every village, hamlet or clan, 

there was always a village head 

who emerged by virtue of age and 

who in collaboration with other 

elders settled disputes in that 

particular village. If the disputes 

involved another village, the 

elders, led by the oldest from 

both villages, came together and 

resolved the disputes, especially 

those bordering on elopement 

and land common at that time. 

Beyond the socio-economiccum- 

political weight of the traditional 

rulers, they equally 

played a major role in matters of 

conflict resolution, dispute management 

and security. In pre-colonial 

Nigeria, the societies had 

series of mechanisms of controlling 

and managing conflicts, varying 

from one community to another. 

The traditional rulers in 

each pre-colonial society obtained 

their mandate from the 

crimes, deviants 

and conflicts. 

Members of the society, collectively 

and individually, play 

roles in the society’s law enforcement 

efforts. They also generally 

accept the society’s methods 

and procedures for security 

maintenance and conflict management. 

One of the main reasons 

for the wide acceptance of 

the traditional methods and procedures 

is that the people tend 

to know their traditional rulers 

very well. They have the reasonable 

knowledge of each traditional 

title-holder’s morals, values 

and ethics. 

Traditional rulers under the 

British Colonial Masters 1884 - 

1954: The advent of colonial rule 

in Nigeria occasioned a major 

paradigm shift in traditional rulership 

as it was then known. Colonialism 

restructured the erstwhile 

well-organised traditional 

ruling system and incorporated 

an indigenous system to serve 

the interest of the colonial state 

and the metropolitan authority. 

In the colonial era, the British 

system of colonial administration 

employed the system of indirect 

rule, generally in Northern and 

Western Nigeria. Indirect rule 

was a British system of ruling her 

colonies with the use of local 

chiefs or other approved intermediaries 

and traditional laws 

and customs with British officials 

merely supervising the administration. 

It has also been defined 

to mean the taking over of existing 

power structures, harmonising 

them and eliminating flagrant 

abuses of human rights, 

otherwise leaving many elements 

intact. It utilised the existing 

traditional system of administration 

and recognised the 

status of traditional rulers who 

served as the priests of indirect 

rule. 

Colonialism ushered in a 

transformation in the role of traditional 

rulers. This change was 

necessitated by the desire to realize 

the objective of colonialism, 

which was to exploit the natural 

resources of Nigeria to meet the 

industrial needs of the capitalist 

metropoles. Traditional rulers 

were used to serve these objectives. 

The underlying logic of 

ruling through these traditional 

rulers was primarily cost and as 

well as the logistical difficulties 

of directly governing and administering 

so vast an area with so 

few officials. After the conquest 

of Bida and Ilorin, George Goldie 

declared: "If the welfare of the 

Native races is to be considered, 

if dangerous revolts are to be 

obviated, the general policy of 

ruling on African principles 

through Native rulers must be 

followed for the pre.sent’ 

The most important role for traditional 

rulers in the early colonial 

days was in the area of local 

administration within the sphere 

of the new administrative structure 

established by the colonials 

– the indirect rule. With the governor 

general at the head of the 

administration. the chain of command 

continued through the 

lieutenant governors in the Provinces, 

the district officers in the 

Divisions, and the Native Authorities 

in the Native Administration. 

To be concluded 

society’s customs 

and native laws. As 

a result, they based 

their security maintenance, 

crime prevention 

and general 

law enforcement on 

each society’s historical 

circumstances 

and desires; and 

in response, most 

members of each 

society wilfully partake 

in programmes 

and activities to prevent 

and control 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020—23 

NEWS HOTLINES 01-8773962, 08052867058 


COVID-19: Lagos should be 

on lockdown, says Tinubu 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

L AGOS—NATIONAL 

Leader of the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, 

yesterday, suggested a total 

lockdown in Lagos State 

given the increasing 

Coronavirus pandemic. 

He, however, commended 

Governor Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu for taking preventive 

measures to stop the spread 

of COVID-19 in the state. 

He said this after a closeddoor 

meeting with Governor 

Sanwo-Olu at the State 

House in Marina. 

Tinubu said: “First, I 

congratulate the Government 

of Lagos State for what has 

been done so far and the 

regular information that the 

Government is sharing with 

the public. This is the essence 

of leadership. Nigerians 

need a lot of education in this 

challenging period. 

“I congratulate the 

Governor (Sanwo-Olu), for 

the fact that he asked the 

By Godfrey Bivbere 

L AGOS—EXECUTIVE 

Secretary of the Nigerian 

Shippers' Council, NSC, 

Hassan Bello, yesterday, noted 

that the nation’s ports cannot 

be shut down because of its 

strategic place in the nation’s 

economy. 

Bello, in a chat 

workers to stay at home to 

discontinue the chain of 

transmission. We must 

respect this order and obey 

the government. We endorse 

the position of the Governor. 

Let people stay at home in 

period and pray in their 

houses. 

“I can’t pre-empt what the 

Governor would be doing 

next. But, whatever decision 

he takes, he has our support. 

We have reviewed the 

previous measures with him 

and he has also reviewed it 

with his team. We have 

confidence in the team; 

whatever they say, we will 

comply.” 

“The activities in the market 

must reflect the new culture; 

we all must obey the 

Government. Having to 

restrict hugging and family 

excitement doesn’t mean we 

don’t love one another. We 

do, but we have to prevent 

the spread of a mysterious 

disease that is our common 

enemy,” Tinubu said. 

COVID-19: Why ports can’t be shut 

— Shippers’ Council 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

LAGOS—FOUNDER and 

Entrepreneur-in- 

Residence, the Ausso 

Leadership Academy, ALA, 

Austin Okere, has charged 

entrepreneurs and business 

professionals to ensure that 

their business visions are 

driven and sustained by the “3 

Powers of success” (3Ws). 

He made this known while 

speaking with the delegates of 

the Global Shapers 

Community, Lagos Hub, an 

initiative of the World 

Economic Forum, at a Meet the 

Leader, MLT, Session hosted 

at the ALA Entrepreneurs’ 

Hub in Lagos. 

He listed the 3Ws as Way 

power (aptitude), Will power 

(attitude) and Wait power 

(patience), saying that they are 

the secrets that would keep 

every entrepreneur going. 

He said: “These principles 

with Vanguard , said: Ports 

all over the world do not shut 

down at times like this because 

they are needed for supplies 

for the survival of the country.” 

He noted that like the 

airports, the Federal 

Government only restricted 

passenger flights but that 

cargo flights are still allowed 

in and out of the country. 

Entrepreneurs tasked to adopt 3Ws 

that I have called the 3Ws 

have been my guiding mantra 

through my over 25 years of 

running one of Africa’s largest 

technology companies, CWG 

Plc. These three powers 

include the Way power, which 

is the competence you possess 

to run your business. As a 

business leader, you must 

constantly learn, unlearn and 

re-learn. This is how you will 

glean the critical knowledge 

you need to run the enterprise. 

“Many people typically start 

a business, create solutions 

then go about looking for the 

problems and when people 

don’t find buyers, they become 

disappointed. 

"You ought to find out 

peoples’ problems and pain 

points first and then proceed 

to create solutions that 

ameliorate the pain. Following 

from there, you go and acquire 

the appropriate competencies 

to solve these problems.”

24 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

AQUARIUS; Early part of the day may bring you 

good opportunity along your business/business 

lines. Work and your health must be taken very 

seriously 

PISCES; Like yesterday the Moon will operate 

from your Star sign again to the betterment of your 

cause. Think of both your immediate and far future 

now. 

ARIES You can still count on the supports of your 

tried and trusted friends. But it’s imperative you 

keep secrets as much as you can positively do. 

TAURUS; The more receptive and willing you are 

to give and take co-operation the better for you today. 

It’s wrong of you to neglect your friends in 

need now. 

GEMINI; You’ll have the needed opportunity to 

consolidate on progress you have recorded yesterday 

along your career/business lines. Try to work 

harder. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“Remember, all of the things to be thankful 

for that many of us take for granted.” - 

Take Heart Quotes- 

Being grateful for the things you have received, 

tangible or intangible, makes you 

feel more positive emotions, improves your 

health, help you to deal with adversity and 

build strong relationships. -Ella Randle- 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

Dine with a 

stranger but 

save your 

love for 

your family. 

~ Ethiopian 

proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

CANCER; Element of luck will work favourably 

for you. Therefore you’re advised to expand the 

scope of your tentacle for better results. It’s another 

fairly favourable day for lovers who are more enterprising 

today. 

LEO; Joining forces with other people is not a sin 

but it’s important everybody knows the clear term of 

the venture , be it of short or longer duration. Be 

very practical. 

VIRGO; Many of you’ll travel either physically or 

within your mind; whichever one you’re involved 

with the out come will be favourable. Be more receptive, 

especially if your priority is commercial 

success. Take your new ideas more seriously today 

LIBRA; Similar to yesterday but, today more 

emphasis’ll be on money. Thus those of you who are 

more financially ambitious’ll have better and rewarding 

day than others. However that is not to say 

you should neglect your health. 

SCORPIO; Positive things are happening from 

(and around) you. The more enterprising you are 

the better for you today. And some of you will be 

mixing business & pleasure without harm. Lovers 

can have their way moderately. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” 

“HOT” 

By A.O.OLAIDE 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

ASTROLOGICAL our date e and place of COUNSELLING 

birth th to the Astr 

tr 

Send your dat 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF AQUARIUS 

Aquarius is ruled by freedom loving Uranus-the 

planet of unpredictability, eccentricity and genius. 

Aquarius is friendly, loving, hopeful and very altruistic 

in nature. That is why they are nice persons 

who truly care for others, especially the less fortunate 

ones. They are loyal friend willing to belong to 

powerful social clubs or reasonable community. 

The quality of Aquarius is fixed. That means it is 

important for them to watch the way they change 

their minds on important issues; Uranus factor makes 

all Aquarius natives freedom loving and whoever 

tries to impose any idea on you will be resented. 

The element of Aquarius is the air. That makes you 

an intelligent person with fair share of sense of 

humour. Aquarius is the star sign that rules considerable 

social influence, and the natives of this star 

have better chances to have at least some influential 

friends. Then, Aquarians are truly good friends and 

bad enemies; it is not in the best interest of anybody 

to frustrate an Aquarian.. 

Aquarius being a scientific sign. Aquarians can be 

inventive. Any Aquarian who falls to take his sudden 

flashes of ideas seriously is doom (to fail eventually) 

because, Uranus the ruler of Aquarius, usually 

bring success to Aquarians unexpectedly through 

ideas that come suddenly, and unexpected luck 

usually accompany their sudden inspiration and/or 

ideas. 

The most dangerous weak points of Aquarian are 

the tendencies to procrastinate things and willingness 

to take opponents or enemies for granted I 

mean you must not believe that some body you might 

have had heated argument with will not try to undermine 

your progress after what will look like intervention 

of peace makers. 

VIRGINIA 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

HOME & ABROAD 

By Lawrence Akapa

COVID-19 and Nigerians 

FOR the first time in recorded 

history countries not 

formally at war have shut their 

borders against their neighbours. 

Even traditional allies in the 

global set-up could not sustain the 

pretence that things were normal 

and life could go on as usual. So it 

was that the United States after 

choosing to keep its doors open to 

visitors from the United Kingdom 

and Ireland after initially closing 

it to other countries in Europe 

stepped back to shut their skies on 

flight from these two countries. 

The cause of this global anxiety is 

Covid-19, the virus that first broke 

out in December 2019 in Wuhan 

in the Chinese province of Hubei. 

Viewed initially as a problem for 

the Chinese to resolve, Covid-19 

has now ensured a lockdown of 

the world. The possibility, real 

threat of global annihilation that 

was long foretold, is no longer an 

issue of mere speculation. Except 

that the present danger is more of 

a biological warfare than the 

nuclear war the world long feared. 

There is no known cure for this 

virus that is believed to have its 

origins in the animal world but 

which might have found its way 

among human beings due to 

uncontrolled human tinkering 

with the world of our so-called 

lower brethren. 

For months after East Asia 

reeled under the clouds of Covid- 

19 and millions of Chinese 

citizens were locked down in their 

cities, the rest of the world looked 

on. But by early February this 

year, it was clear that Covid-19 

was no longer a Chinese affair as 

the virus started finding its way 

to other countries in other 

regions of the world. Even then, 

Africa appeared detached as the 

statistics for Covid-19 or corona 

virus as it is otherwise known 

remained starkly low in the 

continent. At this time, countries 

in Europe were beginning to take 

precaution, shutting their 

borders to and restricting flights 

from regions most affected by the 

virus. This was when countries 

in Africa, including Nigeria, 

ought to have started moving. 

But rather than take active steps 

to prevent the spread of the virus 

to their parts of the world, people 

were busy peddling rumours of 

African immunity to Covid-19. 

It was, perhaps, under this 

illusion that Nigerian leaders 

lived doing little. 

As the threat of the virus reaching 

Nigeria loomed larger and 

ordinary Nigerians got anxious, 

Revisiting Nigeria’s social contract 

By TITI SANNI 

NIGERIA at independence was a vibrant 

promising entity which was on a clear 

path to economic prosperity. The air of 

optimism on what the future held could not be 

mistaken with each of the geographical regions 

having carved out their niche in mainstay 

agricultural production. The enthusiasm that 

greeted the independence was a validation of 

the commitment of Nigerians to take their 

destiny in their own hands and join forces to 

nurture a new country on the path to delivering 

on the dividends of independence. 

Fast-forward 21st century, Nigeria records 

45 per cent of its population living in 

extreme poverty, according to recent 

Bretton Woods report. It is easy for anyone 

with a modicum of decency to become 

frustrated with the current situation. The 

country is drowned in the conundrum of 

failing political and economic institutions 

such that may come to a point of 

disintegration or preference for the 

breakdown of law and order in an effort to 

reset as happened in other jurisdictions. 

Quite naturally, the new century evolves 

progressively with new levels of expectations. 

There is much more to demand from political 

leadership, same way there is a lot to ask from 

citizens. Nonetheless, the social contract 

pendulum swings more toward the latter. Most 

societies evolved from largely monarchical and 

autocratic system where the ruler was supreme 

to a modern system where rulership is replaced 

with leadership and everyone is deemed subject 

to the rule of law. 

While the system allows for some immunity 

to shield from distractions on civil matters, 

modern day leaders get convicted when short 

on moral and criminal grounds. However, as 

the rest of the world evolves in this social 

balancing, Nigeria appears to draw back. 

In the Nigeria of 2020, despite evident 

mismanagement which keeps the country poor, 

it remains a mirage to question leadership 

over their time in power. In other climes, 

first step to reset for prosperity was to bring 

past leaders to justice on how they have 

handled resources during their time. Ghana, 

South Korea, Egypt, South Africa, the United 

States are few among countries which have 

tried and sometimes handed down 

convictions and jail terms for bad leadership. 

Except as a decoy for military take-over, 

Nigerian political leaders have remained 

reverently above the law. With a rigged judicial 

system and lack of will to revamp, anything 

can be explained away. Ours is the country 

with fine human resources, we have proved, 

till date, incapable of fostering a system of 

free and fair elections, a situation which 

makes it impossible to match the true will of 

the people with the quality of leadership. 

We are woefully blinded by religion and 

ethnicity to our detriment. Any group of 

people which places meritocracy below these 

paltry and biased considerations set the 

recipe for a rigged system. Such people are 

quick to resign to predestination and 

clannish prejudices. Denmark, Sweden, 

Norway, The Netherlands and Switzerland 

are five of top 10 countries said to be the best 

places to live in, yet these are five of top 10 

whose adults describe themselves as atheist. 

Nigeria with all her overt religiosity and 

spirituality ranks significantly high as a 

poverty zone of the world. In any system that 

does not operate on merit, there exists vested 

interests who profit from prejudices and will 

do everything to perpetuate themselves. In 

Nigeria, these interests see government 

apparels as their only sources of accumulating 

wealth and status. They create a rigid 

leadership unwilling to commit to the 

strengthening of the rule of law and 

accountability. 

These socio-political cabals live solely in the 

moment. Instead of saving and catering for 

the future, they borrow from it. They are 

threatened by the freedom of speech and the 

development of the human index. They lay 

siege both within and outside government and 

hurl vile attacks against anyone who dares to 

speak against the status quo. The sparse voices 

of education and reasoning are very quickly 

drowned by the forces of political hooligans. 

The inverse relationship between our fine 

human resources and the quality of our 

leadership is more worrisome considering the 

Abuja simply went to sleep while 

sluggish steps that were limited to 

our airports were taken to arrest 

the spread of the virus. But even 

then, the attitude from Abuja was 

one of doubt and tentativeness. It 

didn’t look like they believed in the 

existence of the virus. Not until an 

Italian business man visiting the 

country suddenly took ill and was 

diagnosed with the virus did 

Nigerians know that the virus has 

slipped into our country. That was 

Nigeria’s index case. 

Rather than act fast, Abuja was 

still full of assurances that Nigeria 

was up to the task of containing 

the spread of the virus. Government 

and its supporters took their lack 

What other selfish 

motives accounted for 

Abuja’s delay in 

protecting Nigerians 

from the ravages of 

corona virus at a much 

earlier and less 

prohibitive stage? 

of initiative for invincibility, 

allowing what could have been 

restricted to the airports to 

gradually spread across several 

states of the country. From Lagos 

to Ogun, Ekiti to Oyo and Abuja, 

Covid-19 is gradually spreading, 

with the number of people down 

with the virus officially put at 30 

as at March 22. Lagos had the 

largest number of 22 people. There 

is every reason to believe that the 

national figure is much higher. 

Between the first and the third 

week in March, Nigerians were 

anxious to hear from their leaders. 

They craved words of assurance 


Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

from Muhammadu Buhari as 

they could see leaders in other 

parts of the world doing. But 

there were none and rather than 

take necessary steps to restrict 

flight from affected regions of the 

world into the country, President 

Buhari and his team remained 

mutely unconcerned until last 

week when restriction was placed 

on flights from 13 countries. It 

was then left for governors in the 

different states, particularly 

Lagos under Babajide Sanwo-Olu 

whose state was beginning to look 

like the ground zero of the virus 

in Nigeria to act fast. 

For a state that was just 

emerging from the avoidable mess 

of an explosion that destroyed 

many houses and left many dead 

in Abule Ado, Lagos rose 

admirably to the challenge, 

followed by Ogun State, another 

state on the frontline of states 

exposed to the killer virus. 

Governor Dapo Abiodun has been 

as active as his counterpart in 

Lagos, while the likes of Seyi 

Makinde whose state harbours one 

corona virus patient continues to 

act confused as he urges Oyo State 

citizens to be careful while he is 

anything but careful in his ways, 

organising campaign rallies with 

heavy human presence or hosting 

hip-hop singer, Davido who was on 

a musical tour of Ibadan, the state 

capital. All of this while a 

nationwide Federal Government 

ban on gatherings was in place! 

Yes, Abuja finally woke up from 

its deathly slumber last week when 

it ordered the closure of schools at 

all levels nationwide and sent 

young Nigerians of the National 

Youth Service Corps on orientation 

straight to their places of primary 

assignment. The government 

fact that few times, individuals with 

appreciable personal accomplishments who 

are political outsiders have brought 

themselves forward for election or attempted 

to cause a new political movement. Sadly, they 

have been dwarfed by damning voter apathy 

or the buying power of political moneybags. 

Current elections never really reinforces the 

hope for a new beginning. 

There is gross disconnect between our 

leadership and the citizens. People would rather 

provide for own amenities than supervise the 

process that delivers good governance and 

prosperity. They are oblivious of the need to 

ensure that the right people get elected just the 

same way we hire managers for our businesses 

because they impact similarly. 

It is pathetic for Nigerians 

to agonise in abject poverty 

yet incapable of thinking 

above our complacency and 

vexing to the point of 

staking everything 

As a solution, we need to review our contract. 

Nigerians must be prepared to look at their 

adversary in the eye and reset destiny. 

Providence rarely occurs. We cannot languish 

in human index and wait unto divinity. It is apt 

to draw from the examples of prosperous 

countries that take political leadership very 

seriously and Hong Kong offers a suitable 

current reference. 

Over the past several months, a critical 

section, mostly youth among the people of 

Hong Kong, have taken to the streets in 

protest against their government on 

principles bordering on social welfare and 

repulsion of influences from China. Hong 

Kong is a country with GDP per capita of 

$48,451.00 in 2018 (pre-protest) at the 

same time that Nigeria’s was only 

$2,033.00. By all standards, Hong Kong had 

far much higher living standard than 

Nigeria. Yet the people did not waver in 

taking their leadership to task at the risk of 

aggression. In contrast, it is pathetic for 

Nigerians to agonise in abject poverty yet 

incapable of thinking above our 

complacency and vexing to the point of staking 

increased the number of countries 

from which flights are restricted. 

By the end of that week all airports 

in the country had been put under 

lock. But all of this only happened 

after the president’s unnamed 

daughter had returned to the 

country from Britain. Now, was the 

delay in shutting the airports 

connected to the need to have the 

president’s daughter back in the 

country first? What other selfish 

motives accounted for Abuja’s 

delay in protecting Nigerians from 

the ravages of coronavirus at a 

much earlier and less prohibitive 

stage? Perhaps hoping to make a 

virtue of corruption, Aisha, the wife 

of the president, announced to 

Nigerians that her daughter was 

on self-isolation after her return 

home. How many Nigerian lives 

did the tardiness in acting fast 

cost? 

Now Abuja is stirring into action, 

it’s the turn of our religious 

brethren to endanger the safety of 

Nigerians. Many of them, 

Christians and Moslems alike, 

have been vending salvation like 

toast bread and blatantly 

disregarded government directives 

banning gatherings of any kind. 

How does one begin to make sense 

of this open display of contempt 

for the state for private gain? 

While this may seem an 

appropriate opportunity for many 

of them to add to their already 

overflowing barn, they should at 

the very least adhere to one of the 

basic tenets of their preachment: 

respect for authority. Are these 

clerics now so full of themselves 

that they equate themselves with 

the state? Why is it more difficult 

for them to obey rules meant for 

the common good than it is for 

them to fish in troubled waters? 

everything. Mediocrity persists because 

informed people refused to form themselves 

into a critical mass and have no desire to 

stimulate change. Instead they prefer to either 

flee the country legally, thereby draining the 

brains needed to put things right or sneak out, 

thereby regurgitate the second class mentality 

which had passed with slavery. 

Nonetheless, by sheer providence, Nigeria 

has witnessed flashes of progressive leadership 

that needs to be consolidated upon. We need to 

be deliberate to consistently raise the bar of 

leadership both at national and subnational 

levels. At the risk of stirring discord in 

opinions, there are few states in Nigeria whose 

current leaderships are perceived as 

progressive and are, therefore, attracting the 

right type of economic gravity. The states are 

favourably disposed to open budget. They have 

improved collaboration with the private sector 

and lead homegrown initiatives to improve 

the living standard of their people. Evidently, 

they gradually become investment destinations 

and economic hubs in their respective regions. 

These governors, in their foresight, have also 

been strictest advocates of child education, 

setting aside substantial part of their budget 

on education. They seek to automate processes 

to avoid undue influences. To foster healthier 

competition among states, the Nigerian 

Bureau of Statistics should project more data 

on the performance of subnational economies, 

some of which are geographically larger than 

countries. 

By its simple definition, social contract provides 

that a people’s moral and political obligations are 

dependent upon contract or agreement among 

themselves to form the society they live in. Put 

differently, it states implicit obligations between a 

people and their leadership. We, as a people, must 

therefore take our civic duties seriously at the only 

solution to our autocratic leadership. Starting with 

the need to sanitise our electoral system, the elite 

must form into a critical mass and rally in strength 

to advance ideas of equality. We must improve 

in civic advocacy and the quality of our political 

engagements. We must see the duty of 

participating in elections much the same way we 

hire managers for our personal resources for which 

accountability is key. 

•Sanni is a Lagos-based Non-Interest 

Banker.


COVID-19: Microsoft aids work from home with free remote working solution 

By Prince Osuagwu 

With COVID-19 continuing to impact 

people and countries around the world, 

teams everywhere are exploring remote work 

options. Microsoft has announced that it will 

avail its hub for teamwork in Office 

365,Microsoft Teams, for free to the public to 

enable remote working. 

In a statement announcing the free service, 

Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for 

Microsoft 365 said, “At Microsoft, our top 

concern is the wellbeing of our employees and 

supporting our customers in dealing with 

business impact during these challenging 

times. By making Teams available to as many 

people as possible, we hope that we can 

support public health and safety by making 

remote work even easier.” 

Teams (Part of Office 365) is a chat-based 

collaboration tool that provides global, 

remote, and dispersed teams with the ability 

to work together and share information via a 

common space. With Microsoft Teams, users 

can utilize features like document 

collaboration, one-on-one chat, team chat, 

and more. 

Users can find out how to sign up for 

Microsoft Teams via Microsoft 365 blog post 

with further tips on usage of the product available 

on this blog ,including tips on working from 

home with Microsoft Teams. 

“Microsoft Teams is a part of Office 365. If 

your organization is licensed for Office 365, you 

already have it. If you are not licensed for Teams, 

you will be logged into the product and 

automatically receive a free license of Teams 

that is valid through January 2021. This includes 

video meetings for up to 250 participants and 

Live Events for up to 10,000, recording and 

screen sharing, along with chat and 

collaboration”, says Jared. 

The free Teams version will give users 

unlimited chat, built-in group and one-onone 

audio or video calling, 10 GB of team file 

storage, and 2 GB of personal file storage per 

user. Users will also get real-time 

collaboration with the Office apps for web, 

including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 

OneNote. 

In addition to the above, Microsoft has also 

worked on several scenarios for different 

sectors on ways to utilize Microsoft Teams 

for free, even for organizations that don’t have 

Office 365. Please see the links below for your 

consideration. 

Prince Osuagwu, Hi-Tech Editor 

THE present Ministry of Communications 

and Digital Economy, appears to be overreaching 

itself on matters of telecom regulation. 

Its officials also appear to be biting off more 

than they can chew, negating relevant laws that 

clearly define the relationship between the ministry 

and the Nigerian communications commission, 

NCC. 

The NCC is the independent regulatory authority 

for the telecommunications industry, established 

by Decree 75 of 1992 and reestablished 

by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. It is 

responsible for the preparation and implementation 

of programmes and plans that promote 

and ensure the development of the communications 

industry as well as the implementation of 

the Government’s general policies on communications 

sector of the economy. 

*Pantami 

*Danbatta 

Prescriptions of communications Act 

Although, the ministry plays a supervisory role 

on the commission, neither the NCA Act of 

2003 nor the federal government’s gazetted 

Public Service Rules, prescribes that the commission 

should cede its independence to the 

ministry. 

The Act only permits the minister to formulate 

and review the general policy for the Nigerian 

communications sector, even on this he 

had to ask the NCC to do so on his behalf by 

organising a public consultative process . Even 

in amendments of the policy, the Minister and 

the Council shall take into consideration the 

findings of the consultative process . 

The minister is also expected to from time to 

time notify the Commission and or express his 

views on the general policy direction of the 

Federal Government in respect of the communications 

sector, even though the Commission 

is not bound to accept them. 

The Civil Service Rule also toes the line of 

the Act. In clear terms, the rule in chapter 16, 

section 2(b) and (c) says: “A Board shall not be 

involved directly in the day-to-day management 

of a Parastatal. A Minister exercises 

control of Parastatals at policy level through 

the Board of the Parastatal only”. 

But this appears not to be the type of relationship 

the current minister of Communications 

and digital economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami 

and his counterpart in the NCC, Prof 

Umar Danbatta are reportedly having. 

Many industry stakeholders have described 

their relationship as almost a master-servant 

relationship which ruins the independence of 

the commission and erodes the gains made by 

the sector. 

The minister is alleged to be breathing down 

the neck of the EVC and frustrating him from 

taking credit of his achievements since becoming 

the CEO of the commission in 2015. 

He is being alleged to have compromised 

the independence of the commission by completely 

changing the structure and the reporting 

line of the management of the Universal 

Services Provision Fund (USPF), a body set up 

by the NCC to provide strategic funding to 

take telecom services to rural and underserved 

parts of the country. 

The USPF is domiciled in the NCC building 

and takes directives and inputs from the various 

departments of the NCC in managing the 

affairs of the Fund. However, Pantami, has been 

accused of re-designating the USPF Secretary 

as Executive Secretary who now has executive 

powers and reports to him directly. This runs 

Why poor relationship between Pantami, 

Danbatta may ruin telecom sector 

*As breach of protocol at NCC’s new complex launch sends wrong 

signals to investors 

afoul to the Act establishing the Fund which 

designates the Head as Secretary. 

Show of shame 

Meanwhile the effects of such sour relationship 

has started putting the country into shame 

and generally put the opportunity of increased 

foreign direct investment in danger. 

The most recent, is the show of shame at the 

launch of NCC’s new complex in Abuja,last 

week. The minister was alleged to have 

breached protocol twice to interfere in the 

speech of the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman 

at the event. 

An eye witness, Mr Greg Ofor, said: “The 

Minister of communications and digital economy 

displayed the most shocking, unruly attitude 

and disrespect for the office of the Executive 

Vice Chairman of the NCC today at the 

launch of the digital economy complex. The 

way and manner the minister was hushing Danbatta 

while he was delivering his speech was 

bad enough. It was a total embarrassment. 

“At a point, the minister took the microphone 

off the EVC’s mouth. As if that was not enough, 

he made the event a show of shame and lack 

of respect for the office of the President of Nigeria. 

The Minister broke protocol three times 

whilst the President, Commander in Chief was 

seated, to stop the Executive Vice Chairman 

from reading his speech. He timed him the third 

time to a point where Professor Umar Danbatta 

was to mention the achievements of the 

Commission - the ECC project, Pantami stopped 

him” he added. 

High point of sour relationships in the sector 

was when the NITDA DG in his own address, 

claimed that NITDA mid-wifed the establishment 

of Emergency Communication Centres 

across the country. 

Pantami reacts 

However, the spokesperson to the Minister, 

Mrs Uwa Suleiman has long dismissed the account 

as misleading, explaining that “the President, 

attended the event on the invitation of the 

Minister, and it was paramount that his timing 

be strictly adhered to, as earlier agreed at the 

preparatory meeting in the Presidential Villa, that 

all speakers at the event will adhere to the time 

allocated to them and, limit their presentations 

to the responsibility(ies) assigned to them. The 

Minister regulated the speeches of both speakers; 

the EVC of the NCC and the Director General 

of NITDA”. 

However, an industry practitioner, Mr Gerald 

Ndukuba said: “I will find it difficult to believe 

that the minister is envious of the achievements 

of the EVC, especially ,as it regards the complex, 

because the NCC Annex, Ombura isn’t a new 

project. The project was already standing tall and 

in use long before Pantami became the minister. 

He only renamed it and cannot take the glory of 

what Danbatta has turned the complex into since 

becoming EVC. I am only worried that this show 

of shame will not encourage foreign direct investors 

to come here and invest”. 

Danbatta’s presentation 

Part of Danbatta’s address at the event also 

alluded to that fact. He said: “As part of its desire 

to further develop the communications sector, 

the NCC set up the Digital Bridge Institute in 

2005 and the NCC-DBI hostel and recreational 

facilities as part of initiatives to provide favourable 

atmosphere for students. The Facility was 

confirmed and ratified by the Federal Executive 

Council at its 45th meeting held on November 

22, 2006. The NCC-DBI hostel and recreational 

facilities were abandoned before completion and 

were redesigned and modified by the NCC Management 

in 2018 from a hostel to an office complex; 

and was later renamed the Communications 

and Digital Economy Complex in line with 

current realities and policy direction. The Facility 

provides office accommodation to the Honourable 

Minister, Communications & Digital 

Economy and four full departments of the NCC. 

“The Communications and Digital Economy 

Complex sits on eight hectares of land 

at Mbora district of Abuja with two level 

basement floors and five floors from ground 

level. It has many facilities such as this 650- 

seater auditorium, offices, 300mutli-level 

car park spaces and an additional 200 within 

the premises. In the same vein, this beautiful 

facility has a crèche for nursing mothers, 

industrial kitchen, a gymnasium and 

other sporting facilities for squash, table 

tennis, swimming pool and sewage treatment 

plant. There are also six lifts, a central 

air conditioning system, fire alarm and detection 

system, fire fighting system, data and 

access control system, external street lights 

and CCTV control room and also five 

800KVA generators and three dedicated 

transformers connected to Power Holding 

Company of Nigeria (PHCN). This world 

class complex is the product of Mr. President’s 

effort in creating an enabling environment 

for the ICT sector in recognition 

of its value as an enabler for other sectors of 

the economy. 

“The NCC has also facilitated the establishment 

of the Emergency Communications 

Centres across the Country. The establishment 

of the ECCs is in line with the Commission’s 

mandate under section 107 of 

NCA 2003,to promote and enhance public 

safety through the use of a particular number 

designed as the universal safety and 

emergency assistance number for telephone 

services generally; and encourage and facilitate 

the prompt deployment throughout 

Nigeria of seamless, ubiquitous and reliable 

end-to-end infrastructure for emergency 

communication needs. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

L-R: Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga 

Adebayo; Head, ALTON Secretariat, Mr. Gbolahan Awonuga; Senior Manager, Spectranet, Mr. 

Umesh Budhrani and Head, Corporate and Regulatory Services, Smile Communications, Mr. Gbolahan 

Thomas, at an emergency meeting on how to cushion the effects of Coronavirus on telecoms operations, 

organised by ALTON in Lagos, recently 

COVID-19: Telcos list conditions for 

hitch-free telecoms services 

By Prince Osuagwu 

In anticipation of a possible 

economic lockdown in Nigeria, 

in response to the rampaging 

Coronavirus pandemic, Covid-19, 

telecom operators through their 

umbrella body, Association of 

Licensed Telecoms Operators of 

Nigeria (ALTON), has held an 

emergency meeting and listed 

conditions that would help them 

provide hitch-free service throughout 

the period the pandemic will last. 

Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga 

Adebayo who gave a rundown of the 

conditions, said Nigerian 

government may likely declare 

partial or complete lockdown of its 

economy, like other economies of the 

world. 

He said in anticipation of a 

possible lockdown ALTON has made 

recommendations to the telecoms 

regulator, the Nigerian 

Communications Commission 

(NCC) and the federal and state 

governments on how best to ensure 

hitch-free telecoms services 

throughout the period of the 

Coronavirus outbreak. 

The meeting which was attended 

by the Head, Corporate and 

Regulatory Services, Smile 

Communications, Mr. Thomas 

Gbolahan, among top executives of 

other telcos, made suggestions and 

recommendations, which formed 

part of the communique that was 

released after the meeting. 

In the communique, members 

agreed that all telcos must increase 

their network capacities to enable 

them provide quality service 

throughout the period of 

Coronavirus. 

It was recommended that the 

industry regulator, the NCC, should 

facilitate the process of getting 

approval for Right of Passage (RoP) 

for all telecoms operators, from the 

federal and state governments, to 

allow for easy movement, should 

there be a partial or total lockdown 

of the economy as a result of 

Coronavirus. 

Members also recommended that 

NCC should facilitate the process of 

Right of Passage (RoP) for logistics 

companies that are involved in 

supplies of goods and services to 

telecoms operators. 

According to the communique, 

telcos must also support government 

through their Corporate Social 

Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, to 

provide safety materials that will 

protect the public against 

Coronavirus effect. 

They also suggested the need to 

sensitize the public about safety tips 

on Coronavirus in different 

languages, through the Interactive 

Jumia excites customers with price 

slash offer, holds Tech Week 

By Juliet Umeh 

As part of its measures to cushion 

the effect of coronavirus on its 

customers, e-commerce platform, 

Jumia Nigeria has offered a price 

slash to its products as it holds Tech 

Week campaign this week. 

Tech Week is seven days window 

for shoppers on Jumia platform to 

save money by getting value for less 

on global gadget brands of their 

choice. 

It said this year’s campaign with 

the theme ‘Upgrade Your Life’ will 

run in parallel with its Stay Safe 

campaign also aimed at providing 

consumers access to hygiene 

products especially now that most 

Nigerians might be experiencing 

restrictions in movement as a result 

of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The company CEO, Massimiliano 

Spalazzi, said there are over six 

million home essential products and 

groceries that Nigerians can choose 

from. 

He said: “Similarly, Tech Week 

gives customers the opportunity to 

buy tech-related items at the most 

affordable prices. 

“To take advantage of this 

opportunity, customers are expected 

to download the Jumia App from the 

android or iOS stores and follow the 

its social media handles for purchase 

of tech products such as phones, 

computing televisions, games and 

consoles, cameras and other 

accessories. 

Speaking on the campaign, 

Spalazzi said the Tech Week offer is 

an immense upgrade of the mobile 

week which offers customers 

discounts on mobile phones. 

He explained that during the 

week, customers can get deals on 

over 10,000 gadget products in 

partnership with global brands like 

Samsung, Intel, HP, Microsoft, 

Nexus and Scanfrost. 

Spalazzi said: “The Tech Week 

offer is in response to our customers 

who yearn for such opportunities 

beyond just mobile phones. This 

campaign caters for everyone with 

gadget needs; gamers who need the 

latest video game, a student who 

needs a laptop, phone enthusiast, 

homemaker into appliances, or a 

sports lover who wants that large 

screen TV can get deals during the 

Tech Week. To access the deals, all 

you need to do is download the 

Jumia App, register and get down 

to shopping,” he added. 

Voice Response (IVR) and other 

channels. 

ALTON recommended that 

government should establish a front 

desk at all Emergency 

Communication Centres (ECC), to 

provide information about 

Coronavirus. 

Members equally urged NCC to 

seek support from law enforcement 

agents to protect telecoms facilities 

throughout the period of 

Coronavirus outbreak. NCC should 

also consider stepping down 

Number Portability during the 

period of the Coronavirus outbreak 

in order to reduce pressure on 

networks, when subscribers tend to 

migrate from one network to 

another. 

Members suggested that NCC 

should call on government agencies 

to put a stop to all government 

orders, directing the closure of 

telecoms sites, to enable the proper 

management of telecoms sites 

throughout the period of outbreak. 

According to the communique, it 

was agreed that NCC and the state 

government should reduce the 

frequency of physical meetings all 

through the period of the 

Coronavirus outbreak and deploy 

alternative meeting platforms, in 

order to reduce the risk of contacting 

the Coronavirus during travels for 

meetings. 

In the area of network sharing, the 

communique stated that members 

agreed that telecoms operators 

should collaborate to share 

resources among themselves in 

times of difficulties throughout the 

period that the Coronavirus will 

last. 


Telecommunication network, 

MTN Nigeria recently, took 

its ‘Turn it up’ campaign to the 

maiden edition of the ‘I Believe 

Summit 2020’ in Jos. 

The summit is an annual forum 

where young and enterprising 

minds engage in enlightened 

debates on issues hampering 

national development with a 

view to providing possible 

solutions. 

Manager, Go-to-Market, MTN 

Nigeria, Olugbenga Hammed, 

said “Amazing opportunities 

abound in the country for us to 

take advantage. We understand 

the importance of having these 

conversations to inspire 


Fiam wifi debuts to provide 

affordable data for users 


A 

new telecommunication 

company, Fiam Wifi has 

launched services in Nigeria to 

provide affordable and reliable 

internet connectivity to people 

especially on high-density, lowincome 

and rural communities. 

It launched operation in a 

suburb of Lagos, Ajegunle, after 

a three month pilot. 

CEO of the company, Mr. Akin 

Marinho, said, the network 

installs Wifi hotspots and has 

started with 25 hotspots in 

Ajegule with plans to install 

another 100 over the next six 

months. 

He also disclosed that after its 

launch in Ajegunle, Ajeromi- 

Ifelodun Local Government Area 

of Lagos State, the team has put 

together a roadmap for its rollout 

plans in phases. 

According to him, “Amuwo 

Odofin, Alimosho, and Apapa 

will be covered during the first 

phase. Surulere, Oshodi, and 

Isolo are billed for the second 

phase. Shomolu, Mushin, 

Kosofe, Ikeja, and Agege are 

scheduled for the third phase and 

Ifako Ijaye, Lagos Island, 

Badagry, Ikorodu, and Ojo will 

be added in the fourth phase of 

its 18 month rollout plan. 

Marinho explained that the 

network will be strategically 

built to hold concurrent users of 

about 10 percent of the 

population of designated 


As part of its plan to cushion 

the effects of the dreaded 

coronavirus on its teeming 

customers, e-commerce 

platform, Konga, has announced 

a N10 million intervention 

package. 

It made this announcement 

recently while stating that the 

fund, which will be disbursed to 

Konga customers through 

vouchers, will go towards 

offsetting some of the purchases 

made by customers during this 

period. 

In addition, Konga also 

announced free delivery for 

purchases made by customers. 

Konga said: “We know that 

many of our customers are 

experiencing uncertainties 

resulting from this global 

outbreak. To help during this 

challenging time, we are offering 

MTN takes “Turn it Up” message to Jos 

Nigerians. That is why we are 

part of this summit. We will 

continue to encourage Nigerians 

to look within and seek better 

ways to provide solutions to the 

country’s challenges and turn it 

up for themselves.” 

The ‘I Believe Summit’ is 

powered by Project Tour 

Nigeria, a non-governmental 

vehicle for national 

reconciliation meant to showcase 

the wealth of Nigeria’s social, 

economic, cultural and 

traditional heritage as well as the 

enormous tourism investment 

potential in the country. The 

Summit will hold in all states of 

the federation before proceeding 

for a finale in Abuja. 

communities. 

He said: “The Company has 

partnered with Dolphin Telecom 

and Vodacom who provide 

broadband speed band with. Part 

of the company’s communitydriven 

policy, customer 

engagement and maintenance 

teams will be sourced from 

residents of the communities it 

serves, thereby creating 

employment opportunities for 

many. 

“In addition the company has 

partnered with the local 

government to provide wifi 

hotspots in every primary school 

in Ajegunle. 

Revealing the company’s plans 

to compete in the tough and 

highly competitive market of 

internet providers, Marinho 

disclosed that Fiam WiFi’s 

pricing is its unique selling 

point adding that the pricing is 

targeted at making low-income 

earners have access to fast and 

reliable internet services at an 

affordable rate. 

“The data pricing is simple, 

clear and transparent and starts 

at N400 for 1GB. The data prices 

come with one simple condition 

of no validity or expiration 

period, unlike some other 

internet service providers where 

subscribers may get 100MB for 

a day or specific validity period. 

Fiam WiFi does not restrict usage 

by validity, “users need not 

worry about data expiration 

when not in use, “he said. 

COVID-19: Konga sets up N10m 

fund, free delivery for customers 

N10m in vouchers to support 

their purchases this season. 

“Deliveries are now Super-Safe 

& Free. We have equipped our 

last-mile delivery agents and 

partners with gloves and facemasks. 

All our warehouses and 

delivery partners have been 

trained on the best practices on 

hygiene and social distancing. 

On top of that, all deliveries to 

you are now free and super-fast. 

“Among the structures and 

resources put in place by the 

management of Konga to support 

customers include: Setting up of 

COVID-19 response desk to 

handle enquiries and requests; 

the launch of multiple 

partnerships to assure lowest 

prices for customers on products 

across categories. 

“This is the time to maintain 

social distance. If you prefer not 

to go out to shop, you can safely 

find everything you need on 

Konga.com. We have sped up the 

‘contactless’ operations in order 

to reduce the use of cash. You can 

handle all your payment needs 

(airtime, internet, utilities) via 

our KongaPay Platform. 

“Konga had not only instituted 

strict health checks for its staff 

including all customer-facing 

personnel such as delivery men, 

store staff and others; it had also 

gone beyond this to set up an 

internal feedback mechanism 

where all employees and 

management were regularly 

updated on latest developments 

on the coronavirus scourge, what 

to do when ill and preventive tips 

to keep them protected.” 

The company also added that 

high-alert was activated for all 

staff that regularly came into 

contact with external customers 

and the public as they 

underwent special sessions and 

checks, solely as a preventive 

measure.




:Vanguard News 

:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

SENSITIZATION: 

Chairman, Saudi 

Branch B, Oshodi Odi- 

Olowo, National Union 

of Road Transport 

Workers, NURTW, Mr. 

Alaba Omolaye (2nd 

left), Secretary, NURTW, 

Saudi Branch B, Oshodi 

Odi-Olowo, Mr. Afeez 

Badmos (right) and 

others, during the 

sensitization exercise of 

passengers at Motor 

Parks by the order of the 

Lagos 

State 

Government because of 

COVID-19 in Lagos. 

Covid-19: Wike leads enforcement of ban 

on public gatherings 

• Edo govt restricts gatherings, limits markets to only essential commodities 

• Youth group hails FG, Bayelsa, Imo, Kano on response 

• Activist warns against lockdown of Nigeria's economy 

By Egufe Yafugborhi, 

Ozioruva Aliu, 

Samuel Oyadongha, 

Festus Ahon, Chioma 

Onuegbu & Onozure 

Dania 

PORT HARCOURT—In 

sheer determination to 

stem the spread of growing 

Coronavirus (COVID-19), 

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom 

Wike has committed 

himself to head a 12-Man Task 

Force constituted by the state 

Government to enforce the 

ban on public gatherings in 

the state. 

A statement by the state government, 

on Tuesday, noted 

that the committee to be inaugurated 

today, (Wednesday) 

at the Government 

House, Port Harcourt has the 

Commissioner for Information 

and Communication, 

Paulinus Nsirim as Secretary. 

Other members include: the 

Commissioner of Police, Garrison 

Commander, 6 Division 

of the Nigerian Army, Air 

Force Commander, Naval 

Commander, and State Commandant, 

State Director, Department 

of State Services. 

The Nigeria Security and 

Civil Defence Corps, Secretary 

to the State Government, 

Rivers Attorney-General and 

Commissioner for Justice, 

Chief of Staff, Government 

House and Commissioner for 

Health are also members of 

the committee. 

Wike had warned of sanctions 

against violators of the 

various restrictions being put 

in place by his administration 

against Covid-19, urging residents 

to cooperate. 

Edo restricts gatherings, 

limits markets 

to only essential 

commodities 

In Edo State, government 

on Tuesday, stepped up its response 

to COVID-19 pandemic, 

as Governor Godwin 

Obaseki reduced the number 

of people allowed in any public 

gathering in the state from 

50 to 20 persons. 

Besides, the state government, 

also ordered the closure 

of markets, with only sellers 

of food items, medicines and 

other vital commodities allowed 

to operate. 

Obaseki, made the decisions 

public when he inaugurated 

the Edo State COVID- 

19 Response Committee at 

Government House, Benin 

City, the Edo State Capital. 

He said: “We are reducing 

the number of persons allowed 

to gather in public places 

from 50 to 20 persons. Also, 

only markets where essential 

commodities like foodstuffs 

are sold should remain open 

for now. 

“The state government is 

working with the Irrua Specialist 

Teaching Hospital 

(ISTH) for mass production 

of hand sanitizers in drums 

that would be distributed to 

Local Government Areas 

(LGAs), palaces, markets and 

other government agencies 

for use in public places.” 

Obaseki, also directed 

transport unions to intensify 

sensitisation among members 

on the need to implement 

the social distancing policy by 

reducing the number of passengers 

on their vehicles. 

The governor, however, 

tasked security agencies in the 

state on the enforcement of the 

new measures.” 

Youth hails FG, 

Bayelsa, Imo, Kano 

on response 

A group, World Assembly of 

Youth, WAY, has commended 

the proactive measures taken 

by the Federal and some state 

governments to contain the 

spread of coronavirus in Nigeria. 

A statement signed by Preye 

Ketebu-Brown, Coordinator, 

WAY-Africa Response Against 

COVID-19, noted that Kano, 

Imo and Bayelsa were among 

none index states leading impressively. 

Ketebu-Brown, who is also 

the Vice President (Africa) 

WAY, said the appointment of 

Prof. Maurice Iwu to lead the 

COVID-19 taskforce in Imo, 

is equally strategic in view of 

his vast experience in pharmacognosy. 

The statement read: “The 

decision of Governor Douye 

Diri of Bayelsa to personally 

Chair the Bayelsa State Special 

Taskforce on COVID-19 

and his directive for all council 

areas in the state to do the 

same is most impressive. 

“The step is recommended 

to other states and countries 

across Africa. 

“Africa needs political will 

to win this. Bayelsa State has 

taken the boldest step so far 

in the country by a state government 

against COVID-19. 

“WAY calls on all and sundry 

to take extreme caution 

in social meetings, greetings 

and interactions. Youths are 

advised to be vigilant for correct 

and current information. 

“Avoid spreading fake news 

and comply with Nigeria 

Centre for Disease Control 

(NCDC) and W.H.O updates/ 

guidelines/alerts to stay safe 

from contacting the virus." 

WAY observed that it was 

worrisome that Nigeria with 

a population of almost 200 

million only has five reference 

laboratories for the COVID 

19. 

It therefore, called on every 

state to as part of emergency 

proactive measures to set up 

laboratories with capacities 

for COVID-19 tests and containment 

as well as a COV- 

ID-19 treatment centre. 

Improve on bud 

getary provision for 

health sector, 

Ewariezi tells Govt 

Frontline candidate for office 

of the President of the Isoko 

National Youth Assembly, 

INYA, Mr. Ede Ewariezi, has 

called on government at all 

levels to step up effort to contain 

the pandemic coronavirus. 

Ewariezi, who made the 

appeal during a meeting with 

critical stakeholders and 

youth leaders in Oleh, the Isoko 

South Local Government 

Area, Delta State, said; "The 

failure of government over the 

years have revealed the weakness 

of the country in the area 

of medical infrastructure," 

urging government to improve 

on its budgetary provisions 

for the health sector. 

He said; “We have seen how 

empty Nigeria is in terms of 

health infrastructure in the 

face of the pressure from Covid 

19. Apart from the failure 

of our health infrastructure, 

the outbreak has also shown 

how weak our educational 

system is. 

"The Ghanaian President 

called for the collaboration 

between the Ghanaian Ministry 

of Education and Ministry 

of Telecommunication to 

have an arrangement for Distance 

Learning while we have 

none of such options. We need 

to overhaul our entire infrastructure 

as soon as this episode 

passes.” 

Ewarieze however, urged 

the State Government to redouble 

her efforts to guide 

against the outbreak of the 

virus in Delta, adding that "the 

State is a strategic corridor for 

the movement of people 

across the land, air and sea of 

the country". 

He called on the Interim 

Management Committee of 

the Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC to step 

forward and complement the 

efforts of the Governments of 

the Niger Delta in containing 

the spread of the virus. 

NCS sensitises staff, 

inmates in A-Ibom 

on precautionary 

measures 

The Nigeria Correctional 

Service, Akwa Ibom has sensitised 

its staff and inmates of 

correctional centres in the 

state on the precautionary 

measures to prevent and curtail 

the spread of Coronavirus 

pandemic. 

The Controller of Akwa 

Ibom state command, Mr 

Alex Oditah, who spoke at the 

Ikot Abasi and Eket Correctional 

Centres yesterday, 

stressed that the staff and inmates 

must comply with the 

measures in order to stay safe. 

Oditah added that his visit 

to all the correctional centres 

was imperative to ensure that 

they comply with the directives 

of the, Controller General 

of Operations, Alhaji 

Ja'Afara Ahmed to make water, 

soap, hand sanitisers, and 

Thermometers available in 

all the correctional centres as 

part of measures to check the 

spread in the correctional 

Centres. 

He noted that he had visited 

other correctional service 

centres including Ikot Ekpene, 

Uyo to to ensure that 

they comply to the directives. 

, "We have come here to sensitise 

both the inmates and 

staff on the need to be cautious 

of the pandemic virus 

ravaging the world today and 

the need for them to keep the 

environment clean at all times. 

"And we are using thermometer 

and infra-red to detect the 

temperature of whoever come 

to the correctional Centres as 

part of measure to prevent the 

spread of Coronavirus", he 

said. 

Oditah noted that henceforth 

anybody who refuses to 

use hand sensitisers or check 

his temperature would not be 

allow access into any of their 

facilities in the state, adding 

that the visits to inmates and 

staff are now regularised in 

all the correctional Centres. 

The deputy Controller of 

Corrections, Eket, Mr George 

Njoku said that he had already 

complied with the precautionary 

measures, saying, 

"The Controller had directed 

me to put necessary measures 

in place to ensure the protection 

of our staff and inmates 

against the Coronavirus" 

Onitiri warns against lockdown 

of Nigeria's economy 

Lagos-based socio-political 

activist, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri 

has warned that Nigeria 

cannot afford lockdown of its 

economy now as it would 

have a disastrous effect which 

will compound insecurity and 

unemployment calamities. 

He said, “Many Nigerians 

don't have solid and permanent 

jobs that can sustain them 

during any lockdown. If some 

people don't go out in a day, 

there won't be food on the table 

for their families.” 

In a statement released in 

Lagos on Tuesday, in apparent 

reaction to a call for total 

lockdown of Nigeria's economy, 

on Monday in Abuja by 

the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, 

Onitiri said, "Nigeria is presently 

the world's poverty capital 

and any lock down on our 

economy will have a disastrous 

and devastating effect 

which will compound our insecurity 

and unemployment 

calamities. 

"Many advanced nations 

are locked down by this deadly 

Coronavirus. Europe is 

locked down, China is, America 

has been and Asia is locking 

down. The huge economic 

implications of these lock 

down is enormous for these 

nations. 

"Back home, we are yet to 

imagine the huge economic 

implications on our fragile 

and deteriorating economy 

which lacks any social welfare 

for the young, middleaged, 

unemployed and old 

people of the country. 

"The handling of this worldwide 

calamity is below international 

standard and unethical. 

It shows we are ill-prepared 

for this emergency 

which is dangerous for the 

nation. 

"Our approach to detection, 

prevention and treatment of 

the disease is lackadaisical. 

The information to the nation 

is in bits and pieces and usually 

not correct. 

"Big nations commit huge 

sums for the cure and treatment 

of their citizens and also 

for research purposes. Our 

budget for the coronavirus is 

a peanut that is not even 

enough for a state. 

"That the national committee 

set up for Covid 19 in Nigeria 

is headed by a lawyer, 

who is not a medical doctor 

for the job is not good enough. 

It only shows how serious we 

are as a nation," he added. 

Oditah noted that 

henceforth anybody who 

refuses to use hand sensitisers 

or check his temperature 

would not be allow access into 

any of their facilities in the 

state, adding that the visits to 

inmates and staff are now 

regularised in all the 

correctional Centres. 

The deputy Controller of 

Corrections, Eket, Mr George 

Njoku said that he had already 

complied with the 

precautionary measures, 

saying, "The Controller had 

directed me to put necessary 

measures in place to ensure 

the protection of our staff and 

inmates against the 

Coronavirus" 

Onitiri warns 

against lockdown 

of Nigeria's 

economy 

Lagos-based socio-political 

activist, Chief Adesunbo 

Onitiri has warned that 

Nigeria cannot afford 

lockdown of its economy now 

as it would have a disastrous 

effect which will compound 

insecurity and unemployment 

calamities. 

He said, “Many Nigerians 

don't have solid and 

permanent jobs that can 

sustain them during any 

lockdown. If some people 

don't go out in a day, there 

won't be food on the table for 

their families.” 

In a statement released in 

Lagos on Tuesday, in apparent 

reaction to a call for total 

lockdown of Nigeria's 

economy, on Monday in 

Abuja by the First Lady, 

Aisha Buhari, Onitiri said, 

"Nigeria is presently the 

world's poverty capital and 

any lock down on our 

economy will have a 

disastrous and devastating 

effect which will compound 

our insecurity and 

unemployment calamities. 

"Many advanced nations 

are locked down by this 

deadly Coronavirus. Europe 

is locked down, China is, 

America has been and Asia 

is locking down. The huge 

economic implications of 

these lock down is enormous 

for these nations. 

"Back home, we are yet to 

imagine the huge economic 

implications on our fragile 

and deteriorating economy 

which lacks any social 

welfare for the young, 

middle-aged, unemployed 

and old people of the 

country." 

Onitiri, wondered why a 

lawyer was selected to head 

the Presidential Task Force 

on Covid-19, describing it 

“rather unfortunate” that 

Nigerians were unlucky to 

have leaders that don't care 

much for their welfare and 

security.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020—31 

PEER TO PEER LAUNCH: From left, Mr. Tunde Akin-Moses, Chief Executive Officer; 

Miss Onyinyechukwuka Okonji, Chief Marketing Officer and Mr. Mayowa Adeosun, Chief 

Operating Officer, all of Sycamore, during the launch of Peer to Peer lending platform for 

individuals, businesses in Lagos. 

Contracts: Okorocha, 7 coys fail 

to appear before judicial commission 

•I didn't know contract values of projects —Ex-SUBEB chair 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

O WERRI—SENATOR 

Rochas Okorocha and 

seven contractors, who were 

billed to appear before the 

Judicial Commission of 

Inquiry on Contracts, failed 

to appear at the resumed 

hearing, yesterday. 

However, they were not 

represented by their lawyers, 

despite being subpoenaed 

through substituted means. 

Addressing the absence of 

the witnesses, Justice 

Benjamin Iheka reasoned 

that “although they may have 

failed to appear as a result of 

the directives on the 

prevention of the spread of 

coronavirus, they must realise 

that this Judicial Commission 

of Inquiry is limited by time.” 

Before adjourning their 

matters to March 30, 2020, 

Justice Iheka, who was not 

happy that lawyers also failed 

to represent their clients, 

however, said the 

commission would continue 

taking evidence from 

witnesses, despite the 

directives on COVID-19. 

I didn't know 

contract values 

of projects 

—Ex-SUBEB 

chair 

Meanwhile, more startling 

disclosures were made at the 

last sitting of the commission, 

as former Chairman of the 

State Universal Basic 

Education Board, 

IMSUBEB, Mrs. Uche 

Ejiogu, said she did not 

know the contract values of 

projects supposedly executed 

by the establishment. 

Ejiogu, who spoke from the 

witness box, vide JUD/ 

CICA/152M/2020, also told 

the judicial commission that 

she did not know anything 

about the twin-storey primary 

school project. 

Her words: “I was 

IMSUBEB Chairman when 

the twin-storey primary school 

project was initiated but I do 

not know anything about its 

execution. I was not 

consulted. I do not know how 

many buildings were 

involved. I do not know the 

contractors that handled the 

project. I do not also know the 

contract value of each of the 

projects, throughout my stay 

as Chairman.” 

According to the former 

IMSUBEB boss, she did not 

know if the contract was 

executed and never also 

knew of any payment in 

respect of the project, “except 

for the 91 school buildings, 

but I do not know the nature 

of the structure.” 

Ejiogu affirmed that she 

brought a documented action 

plan for the project from 

Abuja and handed it over to 

the governor, Rochas 

Okorocha who decided how 

he wanted it. 

Her words: “The next I 

heard about the project was 

when the Commissioner of 

Finance, Chike Okafor, 

coming to my office, asking 

that I should release N5.2 

billion. I did not listen to Chike 

Okafor but went to the 

governor to give me a written 

approval for the demand. The 

governor shouted at me to go 

and release the money. 

“The governor told me that 

there was a task force in 

Government House he 

constituted, which was 

handling the projects. I felt 

that Chike Okafor might be a 

member of the task force. I 

returned to my office and met 

Chike Okafor waiting for me. 

He told me to release the 

money unless I wanted to 

loose my job.” 

On releasing 

funds to White 

Label 

On how she got involved 

in releasing funds to White 

Label International Company 

Limited, Ejiogu said: “Chike 

Okafor gave me a company's 

name called White Label, 

which he said I should raise 

N2.7 billion in that name for 

payment and I called on the 

Director of Accounts to 

comply.” 

Answering a question, 

Mrs. Ejiogu said she was 

aware that White Label 

collected about N3.6 billion, 

adding that the N3.7 billion 

on paper from the Director of 

Accounts notwithstanding. 

After recounting the 

procedures precedent before 

contracts could be validly 

awarded, Ejiogu, however, 

added that she did not know 

if they were strictly observed 

in the instant case. 

“Since I handed over the 

action plan document to the 

governor, IMSUBEB was no 

longer involved in the project. 

The contract sum for each of 

the 91 projects was N40 

million and we paid 75 

percent, being N30 million. 

Another money realised from 

White Label was withholding 

tax of five percent, Value 

Added Tax of five percent on 

the contract value,” Ejiogu 

said. 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo lauds NGF for assisting 

victims of Lagos pipeline explosion 

By Ikechukwu 

Odu 

NSUKKA—THE apex 

Igbo socio-cultural 

organisation, Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo Worldwide, yesterday, 

commended Nigeria 

Governors Forum, NGF, 

for donating N200 million 

to victims of the recent 

pipeline explosion in Lagos 

State in which many 

lives were lost and a lot of 

houses destroyed. 

A release by National 

Publicity Secretary of the 

organisation, Prince Uche 

Achi-Okpaga, said 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo was 

highly touched by the 

kind gesture and magnanimity 

of the governors, 

which shows their commitment 

to the welfare of the 

people. 

The release stated that the 

action of the governors was 

an exemplary show of benevolence 

by statesmen 

committed to the unity and 

progress of the country and 

urged other Nigerians to 

emulate them. 

It also appreciated their 

pledge to offer more assistance 

to the victims in the 

future, the dwindling revenue 

of states notwithstanding. 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo further 

thanked Governor 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of 

Lagos State for launching 

a N2 billion relief fund to 

give succour to the hapless 

victims of the explosion. 

The organisation further 

said the prompt response 

by Governor Sanwo-Olu 

marks him out as a kind and 

caring leader, who feels the 

pains of his subjects. 

Meanwhile, Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo Worldwide, in conjunction 

with its Lagos 

Chapter, is setting up a relief 

fund for the victims, 

which its President-General, 

Chief John Nwodo 

and a representative from 

the office of the Accountant-General 

of Lagos State 

will be part signatories to 

the account. 

The release called on individuals 

and groups to 

contribute handsomely to 

the project to alleviate the 

untold anguish the victims 

of the unfortunate mishap 

are going through. 

Court sacks Enugu monarch 

after 17 years on throne 

•Says he forged secondary 

school certificate 

By Chinedu 

Adonu 

ENUGU— AN Enugu 

State High Court has 

sacked the traditional 

ruler of Umuogbugbuagu 

Autonomous Community 

in Ugwuoba, Oji River 

council area of the state, 

Chief Anayo Anochili, for 

alleged certificate forgery. 

The court presided by 

Justice A. Nwobodo said 

Anochili was not qualified 

in the first place to contest 

for the Igweship stool of 

the community because he 

presented a questionable 

secondary school certificate. 

Chief Nathan Nwanze 

Nwangwu, who also contested 

for the throne, had 

dragged the embattled 

monarch to court and 

prayed the court to declare 

him the rightful person to 

occupy the position on the 

ground that his rivalry was 

not qualified for the position. 

Nwangwu had argued 

that at the time the 

Igweship election was 

held in 2003, he was the 

only qualified candidate 

who indicated interest and 

that his presentation to the 

government for recognition 

was truncated by 

Anochili. 

However, Anochili had 

contended before the court 

that he polled the majority 

of lawful votes cast during 

the election and was thereafter 

presented with a letter 

of recognition bythe 

Enugu State Government. 

In his decision, Justice 

Nwobodo said he found 

merits in the argument of 

....Mrs Anna Nwaokobia too 

Mrs. Anna Nwaokobia, 

104 years, is dead. 

A statement on behalf of 

the family by Mr. Clement 

Nwaokobia and Bishop 

Mike Nwaokobia said the 

burial riteswill begin on 

Thursday, April 16 , 2020 

with service of songs/social 

wake at her residence, 

the plaintiff, Chief 

Nwangwu, that Anochili 

was not qualified in the 

first place to stand for the 

election. 

According to him, the 

defendant “has since tendered 

his school certificate 

before this court as Exhibit 

16. The said certificate is 

dated June 2004 and bears 

the name of Anochili 

Anayo C. born on February 

1, 1979. Meanwhile, Exhibit 

2 filled by the 2nd 

defendant shows that he 

was born on September 1, 

1965. 

“Can it be said that the 

candidate for the Igwe 

stool in Exhibit 2 and the 

owner of the school certificate 

Exhibit 16 is the same 

person? My answer is in 

the negative. 

“Now, even if for the purpose 

of argument, that 

they are the same person, 

the question is: was the 

2nd defendant qualified to 

contest the office of the 

Igwe of Umuogbugbuagu 

Autonomous Community 

as at the time he filled the 

form on October 30, 2003? 

My answer is emphatic 

no.” 

He, therefore, gave an 

order restraining Anochili 

or his agents from parading 

themselves as the monarch 

of the community. 

“The 2nd defendant is 

hereby restrained by the 

order of this court from parading 

himself or being 

paraded by any other person 

as His Royal Highness, 

Igwe Cyril Anayo Anochili 

or performing any duties 

customarily reserved for 

the Igwe of 

Umuogbugbuagu Autonomous 

Community." 

Omoruyi James 

For burial 

Okuma Doghor 

Mrs Omoruyi James (nee 

Osagiede),108 years, is 

dead. 

Burial comes up March 

27 and 28, 2020 at her 

home town in Ekehen, Edo 

State. 

She is survived by Mrs 

Elizabeth Akugue (daughter), 

Mrs Alice Onaiwu 

(sister), and other relations, 

among whom is Mrs 

Ann Ivie Umokoro (nee 

Akugue) (grand daughter). 

The families of Prince 

Dudu of Oboro in Warri 

South LGA and Ikpeson 

Doghor of Ajigbe-Igun in 

Ethiope West LGA have 

annouced the death of 

Sister Okuma Elizabeth 

Doghor, age 90 years. 

Burial comes up Saturday, 

March 28, 2020 at 

Ajaoguoyibo in Okpe Local 

Government Area, 

Delta State by 10 pm. 

Umuodogwu Ogboli quarters, 

Ibusa to be followed 

by funeral service the next 

day at her residence at 

10:00am and thereafter 

interment at some venue 

while thanksgiving service 

will held on Sunday, 

April 19. 2020.


Helen Oritsejafor honoured by 

United Nations Global Awards 

THE United Nations 

Global Awards (UNGA), 

has recognised and 

honoured Rev Helen 

Oritsejafor with the 

prestigious Honorary Global 

Leadership Award for her 

lifetime commitment to 

creating and ensuring a 

strong and impactful 

international influence of 

service throughout the world. 

The event, which took 

place in Atlanta Georgia, 

USA, on March 17, saw Mrs. 

Oritsejafor being recognised 

globally for her indisputable 

years of touching lives. 

Mama Oritsejafor, is known 

for her philanthropic 

activities as well as her vast 

experience in business for 

many years. She is currently 

the MD/CEO, overseeing the 

following conglomerates: 

Eagle Heights International 

Schools, Eagle Flight 

Microfinance Bank, Eagle 

Bureau de Change Limited, 


ANTI-TERRORISM WAR: A file photo of Nigerian soldiers on a mission to rout Boko Haram insurgents. 

50 soldiers killed by Boko Haram in Yobe 

....Buhari expresses grief over killing 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi & 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

NO fewer than 50 

Nigerian soldiers were 

killed Monday in a deadly 

ambush by suspected Boko 

Haram gunmen near Goneri, 

a village in Yobe State. 

Meanwhile, a military 

source denied that the 

soldiers were killed in an 

ambush, saying that an 

explosion of one of the 

military trucks carrying bombs 

and other artillery weapons of 

the fighting troops meant for 

consolidation and protection 

of cleared strongholds 

captured from the terrorists, 

exploded unexpectedly, 

killing more than 47 Nigerian 

troops inside the forest. 

It said 15 soldiers, who 

sustained various degree of 

injuries as a result of the 

explosion, had been 

evacuated to Maiduguri for 

medical intervention. 

Another source, however, 

confirmed that the attack, 

noting that it wiped out an 

artillery unit of the army. 

A security source said the 

troops were on a special 

operation called Operation 

Ayiso Tamonuma, when they 

were attacked. 

Confirming the 

development, yesterday, 

Cordinator, Defence Media 

Operations, Major General 

John Enenche said: “As you 

know, we are in a fluid conflict 

situation and our gallant 

troops are out there at the 

frontlines. Between March 21 

and 23, 2020, troops of 

Operation Lafiya Dole, were 

on clearance and fighting 

patrol operation to Gorgi in 

Borno State which was 

successfully done. 

“However, during 

consolidation they were 

ambushed by elements of 

Boko Haram Terrorists, BHT. 

Sadly, we suffered some 

casualties in the unfortunate 

attack. 

“However, the Air 

Component of Operation 

Lafiya Dole scrambled 

African Broadcasting 

Network TV Station, Eagle 

Wings Secured Insurance 

Brokerage Limited, Eagle 

Nest Guest House, amongst 

others. 

She exudes the passion to 

indeed make the world a 

better place through her 

projects envisioned to 

eradicate poverty, 

unemployment, as well as 

provide education for the less 

privileged, for a better future 

and generation. 

These are projected 

through her annual 

scholarship scheme for 

thousands of children from 

the primary to tertiary levels; 

the annual Poverty 

Alleviation Scheme,where 

thousands of people win free 

cars, mini-buses, tricycles, 

grinding machines, sewing 

machines, etc. And also, free 

business and vocational skills 

training for hundreds of men, 

women and youths. 

immediately and provided 

close Air Support to the 

ground troops. 

“While the Intelligence 

Surveillance and 

Reconnaissance, ISR, 

platform as well as the fighter 

jets engaged the Boko Haram 

terrorists, immobilising and 

killing some of the terrorists 

and immobilising a gun truck. 

“Some others, who 

attempted to withdraw, were 

also mopped up by the jets in 

follow-on attacks. The 

Defence Headquarters 

commiserate with the families 

of our fallen gallant heroes 

who paid the supreme price 

in the course of defending our 

fatherland. 

“We assure Nigerians that 

the armed forces and other 

security agencies in 

furtherance of the objective 

of restoring peace and 

security in the North East 

and other parts of the country 

will continue to sustain the 

offensive against the enemies 

of our nation.” 

Meanwhile, Muhammadu 

Buhari has expressed 

“profound grief and sorrow” 

over loss of soldiers who were 

ambushed by terrorists in 

Gorgi Village, Borno State. 

The President in a 

statement by his Senior 

Special Assistant on Media 

and Publicity, Mallam Garba 

Shehu last night said, 

“Sacrifices of our gallant 

patriots cannot be quantified, 

and their sacrifices cannot go 

in vain,” while commiserating 

with their families and those 

that sustained injuries. 

According to statement, 

“The death of every soldier 

causes deep pains because he 

knows what it means to be a 

soldier, and fully understands 

the extreme risks associated 

with the profession.” 

President Buhari said 

“despite the tragedies and 

incidents, we cannot allow 

anarchists and mass 

murderers to hold the country 

hostage.” 

He appealed to the military 

“not to allow the incident to 

affect their morale,” assuring 

that his administration will 

continue to motivate and 

equip them adequately in 

order to cope with the 

complex challenges of 

unconventional warfare. 

The statement said that 

the Nigerian Army has 

dispatched a team to assess 

the situation and report back 

to the government. 

He added that air strikes 

and land bombardments by 

Air and Land components of 

Operation Lafiya Dole on 

Buk, a Boko Haram and 

ISWAP Command Center 

inside Sambisa Forest 

between March 21 and 23, 

2020, has led to the killing of 

over 200 terrorists and some 

of their commanders, with 

many of their logistics 

equipment and arms 

destroyed. 

COVID-19: IPAC urges political 

parties to close secretariats 

....Seeks welfare packages for workers 

observing stay at home order 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA—THE 

Inter 

Party Advisory Council 

of Nigeria, IPAC, has urged the 

18 registered political parties to 

close their secretariats for two 

weeks as part of measures to 

control the spread of 

Coronavirus. 

IPAC in a statement by its 

National Chairman, Dr 

Leonard Nzenwa, appealed to 

the government at all levels to 

provide stay-at-home packages 

for Nigerians who are forced to 

stay away from their workplaces 

and camps including civil 

servants and youth corpers for 

the period they are directed to 

be at home. 

The group also urged the 

Federal Government to 

provide free face masks and 

sanitizers to Nigerians in this 

trying period. 

It advised government to focus 

on the Nigerian Correctional 

Centres to ensure that the virus 

does not find its way into the 

prisons due to their deplorable 

facilities that will further 

endanger the lives of the 

inmates. 

IPAC said: “We commend the 

African Action Congress, AAC, 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC and African Democratic 

Congress, ADC, for shutting 

their secretariats in support of 

the efforts to stop the COVID-19 

spread and urges other parties to 

do likewise. 

“IPAC also applaud the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC, 

for suspending regular 

activities and bye-elections in 

response to fear of the 

coronavirus scourge. The 

council however, urges the 

commission to intensify 

preparations for the conduct of 

Edo and Ondo States 

governorship elections. 

“The elections will be a litmus 

test for the Commission’s 

preparedness for the 2023 

general election. The people of 

Edo and Ondo States desire and 

deserve free, fair, credible, 

transparent and acceptable 

elections to choose their leaders. 

“IPAC calls on all senators and 

House of Representatives 

members and all public office 

holders to immediately proceed 

to designated hospitals for 

Coronavirus screening as they 

have been traveling abroad as 

part of their oversight function, 

international engagements 

and have been interacting with 

their colleagues who recently 

returned from overseas trips. 

“It is inconceivable that some 

national legislators refused to 

be screened at airports when 

they returned. IPAC condemns 

in strong terms this arrogant 

posturing in the midst of 

Coronavirus pandemic. 

“The council urges 

government at all levels to provide 

stay-at-home packages for 

Nigerians who are forced to stay 

away from their workplaces and 

camps including civil servants and 

youth corpers for the period they 

are directed to be at home. 

“The Federal Government 

should equally provide free face 

COVID 19: PSC suspends discuss on Police 

promotions, recruitment; puts off staff 

verification 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi 

ABUJA—THE 

Police 

Service Commission, 

PSC, has postponed till further 

notice its 8th Plenary Meeting 

scheduled for yesterday and 

today. 

The commission has also put 

off indefinitely, its staff verification 

exercise scheduled to commence 

on March 30, 2020. 

The suspension of the two 

official activities of the commission 

is in accordance with the 

containment/safety measures of 

the Federal Government in the 

wake of the Coronavirus 

pandemic. 

The meeting is the highest 

decision making body of the 

commission and the scheduled 

8th plenary would have 

considered recommendations 

from the different standing 

committees of the commission on 

Police Promotion, Discipline, 

Recruitment and other related 

matters. 

The staff verification is an inhouse 

staff audit and review in 

line with the extant rules of the 

public service. 

A statement by Ikechukwu 

Ani, spokesman of the 

commission said, “The 

commission notes that it will 

abide by all the necessary Federal 

Government measures to contain 

this ravaging pandemic and 

advised that staff must ensure 

they restrict themselves to the 

barest minimum contacts and 

also adhere to stipulated 

professional behaviour. 

“The commission has put in 

place, work-place safety measures 

in line with the strategies 

adapted by the Office of the Head 

of the Civil Service of the 

Federation in consonance with 

World Health Organidation, 

WHO’s prescriptions. 

“All non-essential staff from 

level 12 and below have been 

directed to work from home until 

further notice.'' 

Honda, ENYO partner to 

reward customers for Easter 

HONDA 

Automobile 

Western Africa (HAWA) 

manufacturer of the all-new 

Honda HR-V SUV, in partnership 

with Enyo Retail & Supply 

Limited, a downstream oil and gas 

company has unveiled its Easter 

promo tagged: ‘’March into 

Easter with the Real Deal Promo’’ 

scheduled to run from March 16 

to April 16. It was designed to 

reward its loyal customers 

The auto company said under 

the promo, individuals that 

purchased the all-new Honda 

HR-V SUV will be entitled to a 

two years free car services 

voucher plus free N50, 000 Enyo 

Velox card 

Speaking at a press conference, 

Lead Sales and Marketing, 

Honda Automobile Western 

Africa, HAWA, Remi Adams 

described the Honda HR-V 

SUV as a must-have for every 

Nigerian. 

He said the car was designed 

and assembled in Nigeria, 

making it most suitable for 

Nigerian roads and the 

peculiarities associated with the 

West African terrain, whilst also 

retaining its status as a luxury 

car. 

He added: ‘’Under the real deal 

promo, individuals get to 

purchase the Honda HR-V for a 

massively discounted price of 

10.9m only. In addition to this, 

when you buy under the promo, 

you are entitled to two years free 

car services at any Honda service 

centre nationwide and 

importantly, you get a free 50k 

Enyo Velox card.'' 

In his word, Managing Director, 

Enyo Retail & Supply, Mr. 

Abayomi Awobokun expressed 

his excitement for the 

partnership, saying that Enyo’s 

commitment is to makes life of 

her teeming customers and the 

average Nigerians while 

appreciating the team from 

Honda for the initiative behind 

the Honda HR-V SUV.



SEND FORTH PARTY: Mr. Francis Kperegbeyi (3rd left), his wife, Patricia (4th left) flanked by daughters, 

Bemigho and Oti, and some members of Ogidigben Grammar School Old Boys Association during a send 

forth party organised by friends on his retirement from Chevron Nigeria Limited at Warri, Delta State. 

PDP'll win Bayelsa Senatorial 

bye-elections — Diri 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—BAYELSA 

State Governor, Senator 

Douye Diri, has expressed 

optimism that the Peoples 

Democratic Party (PDP) 

would win the suspended 

Bayelsa Central and West 

senatorial bye-elections 

whenever they are conducted. 

Diri stated this Monday 

night while addressing 

PDP faithful shortly after the 

conduct of the party's state 

congress at the Chief Diepreye 

Alamieyeseigha Memorial 

Banquet Hall in 

Yenagoa. 

The governor said the 

peaceful conduct of the PDP 

ward, local government 

and state congresses underscored 

the party's maturity 

and dominance in the state. 

He said the successful 

congresses have reposi- 

Herdsmen attack: Uwheru would've been history 

without Okowa's intervention — Muoboghare 

tioned the party to continually 

enjoy the support of 

the people and win elections 

in the state. 

His words: "We can only 

make them to succeed 

when we give them our full 

support like we did to the 

outgoing chairman and 

other members of that executive. 

"They were committed, 

united and faithful to our 

party. So, I believe you will 

follow the example and 

footsteps that they have laid 

for you. 

"Let me also seize this opportunity 

to express our 

gratitude and appreciation 

to the former President of 

Nigeria, Dr Goodluck 

Jonathan, and my boss and 

leader, former Governor 

Henry Seriake Dickson, for 

their support for this congress. 

"Let me assure us that 

with these two leaders by 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—DELTA State 

Commissioner for 

Higher Education, Prof 

Patrick Muboghare, Monday, 

said without the timely 

intervention of the state 

Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, 

Uwheru Community would 

have been wiped out by 

suspected Fulani herdsmen. 

Muoboghare, stated this 

when the Secretary to the 

State Government, SSG, 

Mr. Chiedu Ebie, paid a 

condolence visit to the people 

on behalf of the State 

Government and Governor 

Okowa. 

He said the Uwheru 

Community would have 

gone the way of Odi in 

Bayelsa State, reiterating 

that the intervention of the 

governor saved the situation. 

He thanked the State 

Government and the governor 

for identifying with 

the people of the community 

in their moments of 

grief. 

Muoboghare lamented 

that nine out of the 10 persons 

killed by the herdsmen 

died in the bush, while one 

my side, the PDP will continue 

to win elections in 

our state. With what we 

have achieved today, even 

though the Bayelsa Central 

and West Senatorial 

bye-elections have been 

postponed, our party will 

win those seats squarely 

whenever INEC conducts 

the bye-elections." 

In his acceptance 

speech, the newly elected 

State PDP Chairman, 

Mr Solomon Agwanana, 

expressed appreciation to 

the delegates, Governor 

Diri and other leaders for 

giving him and his team 

the opportunity to serve 

the party. 

Mr. Agwanana, who 

hails from Ekeremor Local 

Government Area, 

pledged that the new executive 

would consolidate 

and improve on the gains 

already achieved by the 

party. 

He solicited the support 

of all stakeholders, and 

stressed the need for deliberate 

efforts to reconcile 

and re-integrate aggrieved 

members within 

and outside the party. 

Declaring the results of 

the elective congress, 

which was monitored by 

officials of the Independent 

National Electoral Commission 

(INEC), the leader of 

PDP National Delegation, 

Senator James Manager, 

also commended the peaceful 

conduct of the delegates. 

According to Senator 

Manager, out of a total of 

1,237 accredited delegates, 

Mr Agwanana polled 

1,231. 

Other officers of the 39- 

member executive committee 

include the immediate 

past Commissioner for Water 

Resources, Nengi Talbot 

Tubonah as Deputy 

Chairman, Gesiye Isowo 

(Secretary) and Dame 

Christie Ebbeli as State PDP 

Women Leader. 

died at the hospital. He 

noted that the eleventh person, 

Kenneth Okerohwo, 

survived the attack and was 

recuperating in the hospital. 

He said the community 

decided to institute scholarship 

endowment fund for 

the training of the children 

of deceased victims totalling 

26 from Primary to tertiary 

level and thanked the 

State Government for keying 

into it by donating N10 

million towards it. 

Similarly, Chief Jabin 

Oyibokure who spoke on 

behalf of the king, appealed 

to the government to ensure 

the restoration of total 

peace to the kingdom. 

No inmate escaped from Warri Prisons 

— Prisons spokesman 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

WARRI—DELTA State 

Command of Nigerian 

Prisons, has said no inmate 

escaped from the 

Warri prisons, Okere road 

when a portion of the fence 

gave way on Monday 

night. 

Public Relations Officer of 

the command, Mgbakor 

Uche who spoke to Vanguard 

on phone, also confirmed 

that the heavy 

downpour blew off the roof 

of a building housing the 

inmates. 

She said officials of the 

prisons in conjunction 

with sister security agencies 

quickly mobilized to 

move the affected inmates 

to alternative 

place 

Some residents around 

Okere road where the 

prisons is, told Vanguard 

that after the 

heavy wind blew off the 

roof the inmates were 

heard shouting to be released, 

saying flood had 

taken over their cells 

Amnesty: We've not been 

trained since disarmament 

— ex-militants cry out 

By Chancel Bomadi 

BOMADI—Ex-militants 

under the umbrella of Niger 

Delta Defence Cops, 

NDDC, has issued a serious 

warning to the leadership 

of the Presidential 

Amnesty Programme, 

PAP, to without delay, effect 

their training or else 

they would return to the 

creeks. 

In a statement issued 

earlier in the week, by 

self-styled general Para 

Ekiye and made available 

to newsmen, the group 

urged the amnesty office 

to attend to salient issues 

of training beneficiaries, 

payment of house rents 

and monthly stipends. 

NDDC noted that all 

beneficiaries of the programme 

captured under 

Phase 3 were denied of 

the UN Code, which enables 

them training outside 

the country. 

"We have just concluded 

a meeting attended by 

over 300 ex-militants under 

Phase 3 in an undisclosed 

location in the Niger 

Delta mangroves and 

have taken a position. 

"We call on the amnesty 

office to attend to these issues. 

There are so many 

uncaptured ex-militant 

leaders in the 3rd Phase, 

and the captured ones are 

also denied the UN Code 

to school abroad since after 

disarmament. 

"But politicians easily 

procure this UN Code 

from the amnesty office 

and are sending their relatives 

and friends to 

schools abroad under the 

amnesty programme. 

Enough of this politics! 

"Our house allowances 

are not paid and we 

spend our monthly stipends 

to pay rents. We 

are tired and we give the 

amnesty office two weeks 

to correct these anomalies 

or else we have no other 

option than to return to 

the creeks, the statement 

read. 

OML30: We inherited huge 

debts, but paying verified local 

contractors — Heritage 

ASABA—THE man 

agement of Heritage 

Energy Operational Services 

Limited (HEOSL) 

has clarified that it has 

been paying its local contractors 

whose jobs had 

been verified, while some 

others were being investigated. 

In a press statement on 

Monday, the firm said the 

claim by Ijaw Youth Council 

IYC, of Heritage's incompetence 

and not paying 

local contractors does 

not reflect the true situation. 

The President of Ijaw 

Youth Council, Barrister 

Eric Omare, had called 

for the revocation of 

OML30 licence over alleged 

Heritage's incompetence 

and indebtedness 

to local contractors. 

'' When it took over operations 

of OML 30, in 2017, 

the firm inherited many invoices 

and ongoing contracts. 

The company noticed 

that while some of the 

invoices could be verified, 

there were some that could 

not. Despite this, the company 

went ahead and commenced 

with the payment 

of verified invoices while 

investigating others". 

“The volume of the debts 

necessitated the development 

in conjunction with 

contractors of payment 

plans for instalment payments. 

Since then, the company 

has been steadily reducing 

the debts according 

to the agreed payment 

plans" 

'' Heritage Energy Operational 

Services Limited, 

manages the OML30 asset 

for the Joint Venture Partners, 

the Nigeria Petroleum 

Development Corporation 

(NPDC) and Shoreline 

Natural Resources Limited 

(SNRL), and has greatly 

increased production output 

from OML 30''. 

“The company has also 

been able to reduce to a 

large extent the level of 

oil theft along the Trans 

Forcados Pipeline thereby 

saving revenue for the 

Federal Government. 

Paid over N2.3 billion in 

taxes to government between 

2017 and 2019". 

"The company signed a 

Global Memorandum of 

Understanding (GMoU) 

with host communities in 

October 2018 to guide 

how the company and 

the community can work 

together to create understanding 

and cooperation 

towards consolidating 

a mutually beneficial 

relationship, and as part 

of our commitment to our 

host communities, the 

company has been providing 

scholarships 

worth over N181 million 

per annum to students 

from its host communities".


:Vanguard News 

COVID-19: Akeredolu 

shuts markets, cancels 

official engagements 

•Police to enforce ban in Ondo, Oyo 

•Akure monarch suspends palace 

activities; Osun workers on 2 weeks leave 

:@vanguardnews 

:@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

By Dayo Johnson, 

Adeola Badru, Shina 

Abubakar & James 

Ogunnaike 

AKURE — 

GOVERNOR Rotimi 

Akeredolu of Ondo State, 

yesterday, ordered the 

closure of all markets, 

malls, and shops across the 

state. 

He also directed “the 

immediate cancellation of 

all official engagements, 

courtesy calls and other 

engagements already 

approved and scheduled 

before this time, and shall 

suffice for 14 days in the 

first instance.” 

This came as the Deji of 

Akure land, Oba 

Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi 

ordered the indefinite 

suspension of palace 

activities as a preventive 

measure to stem the 

pandemic. 

Similarly, the Oyo and 

Ondo Police Commands 

said they would enforce the 

ban on religious 

gatherings, weddings, 

burial and gatherings 

beyond 30 persons in the 

respective states. 

Also, the Ogun State 

government, yesterday, 

said it has commenced 

electronic visual learning 

on its television station, 

OGTV, for primary school 

pupils and secondary 

school students. 

Akeredolu cancels 

official engagements 

Akeredolu, in a 

statement by his Senior 

Special Assistant on 

Media and Publicity, Ojo 

Oyewamide said that the 

directive is for 7 days in the 

first instance. 

The statement reads: 

“Only the sale of life-saving 

and sustaining items like 

food, water and medicals 

shall be allowed. 

”And in furtherance of 

his resolve to deepen efforts 

under the present 

circumstances, Governor 

Akeredolu has equally 

directed the immediate 

cancellation of all official 

engagements. 

”This directive includes 

courtesy calls and other 

engagements already 

approved and scheduled 

before this time and shall 

suffice for 14 days in the 

first instance. 

Police to enforce ban in 

Ondo, Oyo 

Meanwhile, the Ondo 

Police Command in a 

statement by the 

Command’s spokesperson, 

Tee Leo Ikoro said: “Those 

who intend to drink should 

buy their drinks to their 

respective houses to avoid 

contact with others. 

”The Ondo State 

Commissioner of Police, 

Undie Adie will not hesitate 

to implement forceful 

action against any obstinate 

person who intends to 

contest with the 

government over this 

directive; and has, 

therefore, warned all 

operators of beer parlous, 

and other social gathering 

businesses to close shop 

until a solution to the 

pandemic is sorted out. This 

warning becomes 

imperative to save the lives 

of the good people of Ondo 

State.” 

On his part, the Oyo 

Commissioner of Police, 

Mr. Shina Olukolu, in a 

statement by the 

command’s Public 

Relations Officer, CSP 

Olugbenga Fadeyi, 

appealed to residents of the 

state to obey the directives 

on the closure of certain 

economic, religious, social 

and educational institutions 

without waiting for 

unnecessary use of force or 

promptings from any 

security agencies. 

Akure monarch 

suspends palace activities 

Also, the Deji of Akure 

land, who ordered the 

indefinite suspension of 

palace activities as a 

preventive measure, said it 

would be temporary. 

A statement by his Chief 

Press Secretary, Michael 

Adeyeye, said: “The palace 

wishes to announce a 

temporary suspension of all 

cases before it till further 

notice. This is to avoid 

overcrowding and a large 

gathering of people in the 

Palace.” 

Osun grants civil 

servants two weeks leave 

As part of measures to 

contain the spread of the 

disease, the Osun State 

government has told its 

junior and middle-level 

civil servants to proceed on 

two weeks’ leave. 

In a statement by the 

Secretary to the State 

Government, Mr. Wole 

Oyebamiji, Governor 

Adegboyega Oyetola 

granted the leave for the 

workers. 

The statement reads: “All 

officers from Grade Level 1 

- 12 in all services of the 

State should proceed on 

two weeks leave beginning 

from Tuesday, 24th March 

2020. 

“All officers on essential 

services in Health and 

Medical facilities, 

Environmental Sanitation, 

Fire Services, Water 

Corporation, and all other 

essential services, are to be 

reporting for duty as usual.” 

LOCK DOWN: Federal High Court, Ikeja Division, under lock and key as Chief Justice of 

Nigeria, CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, ordered all courts in the country to be shut down 

due to the Coronavirus. Photo: Bunmi Azeez 

State of the nation: Nigeria may 

implode if...,YCE warns 

By Ola Ajayi 

IBADAN—THE Yoruba 

Council of Elders, YCE, 

yesterday, took exception 

to the leadership style of 

the Federal government 

saying unless a proactive 

step is taken to change the 

trend, the country can 

implode. 

Speaking through its 

Secretary-General, Dr. 

Kunle Olajide, the Yoruba 

apex organization said 

the implosion would not 

come from the South but 

the Northern part of the 

country. 

In a chat 

with Vanguard, the YCE 

I BADAN—THE 

Deputy National 

Chairman (South) of the 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, and 

former Governor of Oyo 

State, Senator Abiola 

Ajimobi, yesterday, set 

up the reconciliation 

team to reconcile 

aggrieved members of 

the APC in Oyo State. 

The committee, to be 

headed by former Oyo 

governor, Otunba 

Adebayo Alao–Akala, 

has 16 other members 

with Mr. Gbade Lana as 

Secretary. 

Ajimobi, who is also a 

member of the National 

Working Committee, 

NWC, of the APC said 

setting up of the 

reconciliation team was 

to ensure genuine 

reconciliation and the 

repositioning of the party 

in Oyo State. 

Speaking on the crisis 

scribe expressed concern 

about Yoruba people 

serving at the Federal 

Government level. 

Olajide said: “In 

Nigeria, the majority of 

those who rule us are 

about the worst ruling the 

best. Our leadership 

recruitment process foists 

on us incompetent and 

unenlightened people. 

We have the case of the 

worst ruling the best.” 

He alluded to the 

deposition and 

banishment of the former 

Emir of Kano, Sanusi 

Lamidi Sanusi, describing 

it as barbaric. 

He said: “We have 

professors and quality 

Ajimobi sets up Oyo APC 

reconciliation c’ttee 

in the party and the 

recourse 

to 

reconciliation, Ajimobi 

said: "I acknowledged 

that we all contributed to 

the success of the party 

in the past, particularly 

in 2011 and 2015 

elections respectively, 

conversely, if we have a 

setback in 2019, I believe 

it is honourable to accept 

that we all contributed 

directly or indirectly 

accordingly. 

“As humans, we are not 

infallible; I accept my 

mistakes to which I 

tender my unreserved 

apology. 

"In the same spirit, 

others who might have 

similarly made mistakes, 

I accept their apologies. 

“Let us seize this 

moment for the overall 

benefit of our party and 

our people. Let selfless 

and meaningful service 

to humanity be our 

watchword.” 

people in Kano but see 

what happened to the 

traditional ruler of that 

caliber.” 

On alleged imbalance 

in the pronouncements of 

the Federal Government 

on some salient issues 

such as the creation of 

the Amotekun, Olajide 

said: “I sympathise with 

our sons and daughters 

who are part of this 

Federal Government. The 

Federal Government is 

embarrassing them. The 

Federal Government is 

embarrassing Yoruba in 

the South West because of 

their discordant actions 

on their pronouncements; 

the gross visible injustice 

and incompetence in their 

pronouncements.” 

Restating YCE's earlier 

position on restructuring 

and true federalism, he 

frowned at the country’s 

security architecture 

alleging that the majority 

of the security chiefs are 

from one section of the 

country which appears 

not to bother the Federal 

Government. 

His words: “Look at our 

security architecture; the 

majority of them are from 

one part of the country and 

the leadership of this 

country seems to have no 

qualms about that. We 

have to move to true 

federalism, otherwise this 

country, God forbid, will 

implode. The implosion 

will come from the North 

where we have a large 

number of poor people. 

“That’s what the former 

Emir of Kano was telling 

them and they removed 

him. He was telling the 

truth to power. If nothing 

is done to reverse the 

trend; to let benefits of 

democracy be for the 

masses and generality of 

Nigerians, we might have 

an implosion on our 

hands and it will come 

from where we have the 

largest number of poor 

people.” 

On the reluctance of the 

Federal Government to 

approve arms for the 

newly created security 

outfit, Olajide said: “We 

complained to the Federal 

Government about the 

herders carrying AK 47 

but it didn’t say anything. 

"The same Federal 

Government now says a 

legally set up outfit to 

protect the people should 

not carry arms. I think we 

are gradually moving 

towards the beginning of 

the end. There is an axiom 

that you can fool some 

people for some time; you 

cannot continue to fool all 

the people all the time. 

This can’t continue for too 

long." 

OAL partners Indian law firm 

LAGOS—THE Olisa 

Agbakoba Legal, 

yesterday, announced a 

partnership deal with 

Capstone Legal, a 

leading dispute 

resolution and corporate 

advisory law firm in 

India. 

Speaking during a 

media briefing, Senior 

Partner of Olisa 

Agbakoba Legal, OAL, 

Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, 

SAN, said with the 

partnership, both firms is 

expected to attract and 

provide legal services to 

new clients in their 

respective jurisdictions 

and beyond. 

He said: “The synergy 

between the two leading 

law firms is a very 

significant development 

in the context of growing 

Indo-Nigerian trade and 

bilateral relations which 

is now topping $10 

billion annually.”

Continues from Page 5 

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu; 

and World Health 

Organisation Country 

Representative. 

Kyari in 

self-isolation 

A top government official 

who spoke on the condition 

of anonymity said that the 

Chief of Staff was in selfisolation, 

where he was 

being monitored by medical 

personnel because he was 

not showing severe 

symptoms of the disease. 

Asked if he was not 

expected to be moved to 

Abuja University Teaching 

Hospital, Gwagwalada, 

where cases of COVID-19 

are being treated, the 

source said it was not 

compulsory that everyone 

who tests positive must be 

taken to the hospital. 

He said that if the patient 

was not showing severe 

symptoms of COVID-19, he 

can merely be given bed 

rest, noting that most of the 

victims of the disease 

naturally recover. 

He also pointed out that 

over 80 per cent of victims 

recover without any 

intervention. 

According to him, “He 

may test positive and not 

show severe symptoms and 

so be in self-isolation. The 

symptoms in over 80 per 

cent cases are mild as they 

manifest modestly. Most 

people will recover without 

intervention. Fatality is 

common in old people. 

“They only have to be 

monitored to find that the 

situation is not 

deteriorating. He can be on 

bed rest and given drugs 

related to the symptoms 

he’s showing. If the 

symptom is fever, he can be 

given paracetamol. 

“He will be given water 

to help him hydrate. His 

blood sample will be taken 

to know that he’s not 

showing any sign of 

deterioration. The treatment 

given to them is just to 

support the immune 

system.” 

He further said that most 

of the victims of the disease 

who die were those who 

Naira depreciates to N400/$ 

in parallel market 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

THE naira, yesterday depreciated by N12 to 

N400 per dollar in the parallel market. 

According to naijabdcs.com, the live exchange rate 

platform of the Association of Bureaux De Change 

Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), the parallel market 

exchange rate rose to N400 per dollar from N388 per 

dollar on Monday, indicating N12 depreciation of the 

naira. 

However, the naira yesterday appreciated by 22 kobo 

in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange 

rate for the window dropped to N380.53 per dollar 

yesterday from N380.75 per dollar on Monday, translating 

to 22 kobo appreciation of the naira. 

The volume of dollars (turnover) traded in the window 

yesterday dropped by nine percent to $56.54 million 

from $61.54 million on Monday. 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Widespread fear as Kyari, Bauchi 

gov test positive 

showed respiratory 

symptoms like pneumonia, 

adding that it was the 

reason why ventilators are 

needed. 

It was reliably gathered 

that some notable 

presidential aides, who 

had contacts with the Chief 

of Staff had gone into selfisolation. 

One of them, when 

contacted by Vanguard to 

confirm their status in a text 

message said: “Sorry, I 

can’t talk right now.” 

The source at the State 

House said that staff would 

not be subjected to tests 

until there are symptoms of 

the virus, adding “while it 

is ideal for everyone to be 

tested, test cannot be 

carried out on every 

suspected case until it is 

showing symptoms of the 

disease.” 

He explained that there 

are limited number of test 

kits, and that it is only 

reasonable to reserve such 

a limited number of kits for 

those who will be in dire 

need of them. 

According to him, “Tests 

are done if only people are 

showing symptoms. If they 

are not showing symptoms, 

they will only be told to 

self-isolate. They will not be 

tested until they are 

showing symptoms. 

“It’s on account of limited 

kits that this is done. 

Ideally, everybody should 

be tested because there are 

some people that are not 

showing the symptoms and 

are positive. We have 

people from highburdened 

countries but 

there are no kits. It is not 

prudent to use the kits for 

those that are not showing 

the signs.” 

Fear grips Bauchi 

residents 

Governor Mohammed, 

through his spokesman, 

Muhktar Gidado, has urged 

everyone who recently had 

contact with him, and anyone 

with symptoms of the 

infection to go for test in order 

to avoid the risk of spreading 

the disease. Gidado said 

Governor Mohammed is 

currently in isolation. 

He said: “This is to inform 

the general public that the 

result of the six initial tests 

carried out by NCDC on 

Governor Mohammed, his 

family and aides that 

accompanied him to Lagos is 

out. Of the six initial tests 

carried out, one sample was 

confirmed positive of COVID 

-19. 

“The positive result 

happened to be that of 

Governor Mohammed. 

“At this point, it should be 

noted that the Governor is in 

self-isolation as his doctors 

and officials from NCDC 

have taken full charge of his 

quarantine. His Excellency, 

solicits for prayers from all 

and requests that all those who 

had contact with him or any 

one known to have the same 

medical condition to go for 

test immediately in order to 

avert further spread of the 

COVID -19 epidemic.” 

Meanwhile, a student, 

Munir Abubakar, who spoke 

with Vanguard said he now 

sees a reason to get hand 

sanitizer in order not to 

contract the deadly virus. 

“I am really scared. The 

same virus that we thought 

was foreign is now in our state. 

Who knows how many people 

have been infected already? I 

pray the governor comes out 

of this alive and stronger than 

before. Nevertheless, I will be 

visiting a pharmacy to get my 

own hand sanitizer,” he said. 

Another resident, a trader at 

Yelwa Market, Amina Saheed 

said, she was scared. “I heard 

in the news that our governor 

tested positive to corona virus. 

It really breaks my heart. 

Look around, no one is happy. 

We pray to God to save him. I 

know that by staying here 

(market), I am putting my life 

and that of my family in 

danger, but what can I do? If I 

remain at home, we will all 

die of hunger.” 

Jack Ma’s 

ventilators, test 

kits arrive 

A presidency source, 

yesterday, said that test kits 

and ventilators sent to 

Nigeria by Chinese 

billionaire, Jack Ma, would 

arrive the country 

yesterday, raising hopes of 

possibilities of conducting 

more tests that may be 

considered necessary. 

In the same vein, patients 

showing respiratory 

symptoms can also have 

access to ventilators which 

can help their breathing 

system. 

It was gathered that the 

Ethiopian Airline 

conveying the items was 

yesterday waiting for 

clearance to fly into the 

country in view of the 

closure of the country’s 

international airports. 

He assured that both the 

ventilators and the test kits 

would arrive the country 

yesterday. 

Why Aisha 

Buhari shut office 

for 2-weeks 

It will be recalled that last 

week, the First Lady, Aisha 

Buhari shut down her office 

following the refusal of one 

of her top aides who was 

said to have returned 

recently from the United 

Kingdom to stay away from 

office and go on a 14 day 

self isolation. The First 

Lady, explained that her 

action was a precautionary 

measure against the 

spread of COVID-19 in the 

office. 

It was gathered that one 

of the First Lady’s aides 

had traveled to London but 

on her arrival, the First 

Lady advised that she 

should stay away for 14 

days but the staff was said 

to have defied the advice. 

Mrs Buhari was said to 

have been infuriated by the 

action of the staff because 

of the health implications it 

could pose to other staff and 

the Presidency. 

AMVCA 

attendees 

advised to selfisolate 

Lagos 

State 

Commissioner for Health, 

Akin Abayomi, yesterday, 

said all participants at the 

African Magic Viewers’ 

Choice Awards, AMVCA, 

which recently held in 

Lagos should embark on 

self-isolation due to the 

high risk of coronavirus 

infection. 

Abayomi said via his 

Twitter handle that all 

participants may have been 

exposed to coronavirus 

infection as one of the 

participants tested positive. 

He said: “I hereby notify 

you that all participants at 

the African Magic viewers’ 

Choice Award held on 

March 14, at EkoHotels 

may have come in contact 

with one of the confirmed 

cases in Lagos and are most 

likely to have been exposed 

to #COVID19 Infection.” 

Abayomi advised all 

attendees to observe strict 

self- isolation and call the 

toll free line; 08000corona 

if they notice any of the 

Covid-19 

symptoms. 


related 

Speak up on state 

of Villa, PDP tells 

Buhari 

The Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, has called on 

President Buhari to douse 

what it called “widespread 

public anxieties” by 

immediately addressing the 

nation on the status of the 

Presidential villa, in relation 

to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The party said its demand 

is predicated on “public 

apprehensions of health 

safety issues in the Villa 

following reports that 

President Buhari’s Chief of 

Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, 

had tested positive to the 

deadly corona virus disease.” 

In a statement iby party’s 

spokesman, Kola 

Ologbondiyan, the PDP 

maintained that though 

President Buhari “was 

reported to have tested 

negative to the virus, it is yet 

imperative that he douses 

public tension by addressing 

a distressed nation on the 

status of the Villa, especially 

given that other officials, like 

Abba Kyari, had traveled to 

high-risk countries in the 

course of their duties. 

“The party notes that an 

address on the situation in the 

Presidential villa will further 

douse public concerns about 

the status of certain key 

officials, who have not been 

visible in the last few days. 

“The party stressed that 

Nigerians, no matter how 

highly placed, should strictly 

adhere to directives by 

relevant agencies of 

government on health safety 

measures, particularly as 

they relate to isolation of 

persons returning from 

foreign trips. 

“The PDP urged the 

Nigeria Centre for Disease 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

From left, Minister of Humanitarian Services, Disaster Management and 

Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk; Secretary to the Government of 

the Federation, Boss Musthapha and Information Minister, Alhaji Lai 

Mohammed, after a meeting of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 at 

the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

Control, NCDC, and other 

relevant agencies to adopt 

stringent measures to 

isolate and monitor 

persons coming into the 

country as well as track and 

equally isolate those who 

had made contact with 

infected persons. 

“In this regard, the 

NCDC should move into 

the Presidential villa and 

immediately track and 

isolate all those who had 

made contact with 

President Buhari’s Chief of 

Staff, so as to check further 

spread of COVID-19 in our 

country. 

“The party called on 

Nigerians to remain 

vigilant and observe all 

health safety directives, 

including social distances, 

self-isolation, personal 

hygiene and prompt report 

for medical assistance in 

the case of any symptoms. 

“The PDP expressed 

optimism that with a 

concerted effort by all 

Nigerians, our nation will 

overcome the COVID-19 

pandemic.” 

VP Osinbajo conducts 

meetings via video 

conferencing 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, 

yesterday, conducted his 

meetings via video 

conferencing, while observing 

social distancing. 

He also continued his work 

from the home office, as he is 

in self-isolation in accordance 

with NCDC protocols. 

Enugu gov lauded for successful 

PDP LG congresses 

GOVERNOR Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi of 

Enugu State has been 

commended for the 

successful People 

Democracy Party, PDP 

local government Congress 

in Igboeze South Local 

Government area and other 

Local government in 

Enugu State. 

Special adviser to the 

Governor Rt Hon Sir 

Erochukwu Ugwueze 

made the commendation 

while speaking with 

newsmen after assessing 

the situation and the 

successful exercise. 

Describing the PDP ward 

Congress held in Igboeze 

South Local Government 

on Saturday, as excellent, 

he noted that Ugwuanyi 

gave a level playing 

ground to all party 

members in the Congress, 

He congratulated 

Princess Mrs. Chinwe 

Ogbonna who emerged 

Chairman PDP Igboeze 

South and others in the 

entire council arras of the 

state. 

In her acceptance 

speech, Hon Chinwe 

Ogbonna thanked party 

stakeholders for their 

confidence in PDP local 

government executives 

and promised on behalf of 

other elected officials that 

they will serve the party 

diligently in the years 

ahead.




COVID-19: Sanwo-Olu orders lockdown, excludes 

food,drug shops 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni, Shina 

Abubakar & 

Onozure Dania 

LAGOS—AS part of 

efforts to curb the 

increasing spread of 

Coronavirus and what 

seems to be a partial 

lockdown, Governor 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of 

Lagos State, yesterday, 

ordered the closure of all 

banks, offices, markets and 

courts in the state with effect 

from Thursday. 

Similarly, the Osun State 

Government has ordered 

the indefinite shutdown of 

markets transacted on a 

weekly basis. 

Sanwo-Olu, the Incident 

Commander, who gave the 

directive in a live broadcast 

after a meeting of the state 

security council at the state 

House, Marina, Lagos 

Island, insisted that the 

order was not a lockdown. 

While he noted that the 

new directive will be for 

seven days in the first 

instance, also reduced the 

number of social gatherings 

from 50 to 25 persons. 

Sanwo-Olu said: “Since 

my last address to you on 

Sunday, March 22, 2020, 

we have seen an increase 

in the total number of 

confirmed cases nationwide 

with Lagos leading the 

pack with the most number 

of newly confirmed cases. 

“Here in Lagos, we have 

seen a significant jump in 

our numbers from 19 as at 

the last time I addressed you 

on Sunday, to 28 as at 

today’s briefing. This 

shows that our numbers are 

increasing as predicted, but 

we are also proactively and 

promptly tracking, isolating 

and managing the 

suspected cases; as well as 

the confirmed ones at the 

Infectious Diseases 

Hospital in Yaba. 

“I am pleased to note that 

all our confirmed cases, bar 

the ones that have since 

been discharged, are doing 

well and are all in stable 

condition. 

“We are identifying other 

isolation centers across our 

five divisional zones of 

Ikeja; Badagry; Ikorodu; 

Lagos Island and Epe to 

ensure that we have a 

seamless and coordinated 

approach towards the quick 

identification and isolation 

of suspected cases without 

overwhelming the 

mainland infectious 

diseases hospital in Yaba. 

“Today, I have some 

further new directives and 

guidelines to share with 

you, as follows: The 

organized private sector is, 

hereby, encouraged to 

follow the steps of the public 

sector and allow as many 

workers as possible to work 

from home. Banks and 

•Public gatherings reduced to 25 persons 

•Osun shuts weekly markets 

•As lawyers vow to monitor illegal police arrests 

COVID-19 UPDATE: From left: Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, 

CP. Hakeem Odumosu; Commissioner of Police, Lagos State; Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos 

State, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner of Health; Commodore Ibrahim Shettima, Commander 

of Navy Beecraff, Apapa, Lagos and Air Commodore Razak Olanrewaju, Base Commander Nigeria 

Air force, Ikeja, during the Press briefing to shutdown of some markets and to updates on 

Coronavirus, at Logos House, Marina, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez 

other financial institutions 

are encouraged to prioritize 

online channels for their 

services to the public; with 

only essential and key 

senior staff being in the 

office during these times. 

“The Chief Judge of 

Lagos State has been 

directed to ensure that all 

Magistrate and High 

Courts in Lagos State close 

immediately to the public 

and suspend all court 

sittings; and much as is 

possible, essential services 

should be transacted 

electronically. 

“All public parks, 

including those in private 

and residential estates, 

swimming pools, gyms, 

beauty salons, and all such 

public places are expected 

to shut down at this time, 

until further notice. 

“All open markets and 

stores are directed to close, 

except for sellers of food and 

medicines, medical 

equipment and other 

essential life-saving 

products. For those that fall 

into the aforementioned 

categories, it is imperative 

that they observe necessary 

precautionary measures of 

social distancing. 

“I urge that all travel to 

and from Lagos, whether by 

air or by road, be avoided 

at this time. The Federal 

Government has already 

advised residents of Lagos 

and Abuja to stay put where 

they are, and I would like 

to reiterate this in the 

strongest terms possible. As 

much as possible, let us all 

refrain from inter-state 

traveling of any kind until 

the worst of the crisis is 

behind us. 

“Let us refrain from 

gatherings or 

congregations of any kind 

at all at this time; and where 

we must absolutely gather, 

the number of persons in the 

gathering must not exceed 

25 persons. 

“Now is not the time to 

be meeting friends, 

planning play dates, 

planning weddings or 

planning any other social 

event. Stay home and stay 

away from gatherings as 

much as you can help it! 

“Anyone caught flouting 

any of the directives and the 

previously issued directives 

will be dealt with to the 

fullest extent of the law. 

“As I mentioned, law 

enforcement agencies and 

other relevant Lagos State 

protection agencies have 

been imbued with the 

power to deal with 

recalcitrant offenders. We 

will not relent in ensuring 

strict compliance with our 

directives. 

“Now, let me conclude by 

saying this. Lagos State has 

always shown incredible 

strength and resilience in 

the face of so many 

challenges. I am assured 

that we will win this battle, 

with your support and 

confidence and most 

importantly by the special 

grace of the Almighty God.” 

Osun shuts weekly 

markets 

Similarly, the Osun State 

Government has ordered 

the indefinite shutdown of 

markets transacted on a 

weekly basis. 

In a statement by the 

Chief Press Secretary to 

Osun State Governor, 

Adegboyega Oyetola, 

Ismail Omipidan, stated 

that government delegation 

met with market women in 

the state and enlighten them 

on the deadly coronavirus. 

It added that the state 

Commissioner for Health, 

Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, who led 

the government delegation 

on the sensitization visit to 

the market women, 

disclosed that the shutdown 

was necessary due to the fact 

that Osun has boundaries 

with some states that have 

cases of the COVID-19 

He added that people from 

O Congress 

SOGBO—THE 

of 

University Academics, 

CONUA, yesterday, 

described the strike action 

embarked upon by the 

Academic Staff Union of 

Universities, ASUU, in 

the face of the corona virus 

pandemic as insensitive. 

The union noted that the 

decision of its counterpart 

to proceed on the 

industrial action, when it 

should be collaborating 

with stakeholders to find 

a solution to the pandemic 

disease in the country, 

was a betrayal of national 

trust. 

In a statement by 

CONUA’s National 

coordinator and Publicity 

Secretary, Dr. Niyi 

Sumonu and Dr. Ernest 

Nwoke stated that ASUU 

embarked on strike when 

the Nigeria Medical 

Association, NMA, that 

was on strike before the 

pandemic suspended it 

with a view to responding 

to the deadly coronavirus 

and dissociate itself from 

the strike action. 

The union directed its 

neighboring states patronise 

the weekly markets, which 

makes Osun vulnerable to 

the disease. 

He added that only the 

daily market, which attracts 

relatively low patronage as 

against the weekly markets 

would be allowed to go on 

for now, but with strict 

precautionary measures in 

place. 

He also warned people 

against loitering at markets, 

urging them to leave 

immediately after 

performing their 

transactions. 

The state Iyaloja General, 

Alhaja Awawu 

Asindemade, hailed 

Governor Oyetola for the 

proactive measures taken in 

ensuring the safety of the 

citizens. 

Asindemade said the 

association of market 

women will always comply 

with the directive and 

regulations of the state 

government for the benefit 

of all, assuring that the 

sensitisation would be 

passed on to all market 

women in Osun. 

Lawyers vow to monitor 

illegal police arrests 

Meanwhile, the Nigerian 

Bar Association, NBA, 

Ikorodu Branch, yesterday, 

disclosed that it is financing 

the operations of lawyers 

monitoring indiscriminate 

police arrests during the 14- 

day court restriction in Lagos 

State. 

NBA Ikorodu Chairman, 

Bayo Akinlade, said lawyers 

volunteering for the Police 

Duty Solicitors Scheme, 

PDSS, will receive financial 

and technical support. 

Akinlade said: “We had to 

come up with a strategy to 

protect the rights of citizens 

who are arrested during this 

period especially when the 

courts are not working at full 

capacity and may shut 

down.” 

COVID-19: CONUA berates ASUU over 

strike 

By Shina Abubakar members across 

universities in the country 

to remain steadfast in 

supporting government 

and other stakeholders in 

curtailing the menace. 

The statement reads: 

“The Congress of 

University Academics, 

CONUA, acknowledges 

that this is the time when 

Nigerian academics 

should be working on 

overdrive to find solutions 

to the problems of Covid- 

19 or at least reduce its 

virulence. CONUA, 

therefore, regards it as 

utterly insensitive, 

irresponsible and a 

betrayal of the national 

trust for any academic 

union to go on strike at 

this time, especially when 

another union (NMA), 

that had been on strike 

called off the strike in 

order to respond to the 

dreadful coronavirus 

disease. ASUU’s strike 

will aggravate the 

country’s problems and 

deepen national anxiety. 

Consequently, CONUA 

strongly dissociates itself 

from the decision of the 

ASUU to embark on a 

nationwide strike in these 

national and global trying 

times. 

“CONUA hereby directs 

all its members across 

universities in Nigeria to 

remain steadfast in 

supporting all efforts of 

governments, institutions, 

non-governmental 

organisations, and 

individuals to combat the 

menace of COVID-19. 

Members of the public 

should be educated and 

encouraged to adhere 

strictly to the viral disease 

preventive health care 

instructions such as 

regular washing of hands, 

use of hand sanitizers and 

maintenance of social 

distance. 

“CONUA wishes to 

restate for the umpteenth 

time that we are not 

members of ASUU. 

Hence, ASUU’s claim of 

speaking for all members 

of academics in Nigerian 

Universities is totally 

incorrect. CONUA, 

therefore, dissociates 

itself from activities of 

ASUU, particularly the 

current declaration of a 

nationwide strike in this 

critical period of national 

and global emergency.”

COVID-19: Tokyo 2020 Olympics officially 

postponed 

•Now Tokyo 2021 

The International Olympic 

Committee has finally bowed 

to pressure and made the call to 

not push ahead with the Olympic 

Games this year. 

Huge numbers of sporting events 

have been canceled or postponed 

due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

And now the granddaddy of global 

sporting events, the Olympic 

Games, originally set for this 

summer in Tokyo, will join them. 

The office of Japanese Prime 

Minister Shinzo Abe tweeted on 

Tuesday that following 

conversations with the 

International Olympic 

Committee, the Tokyo Olympics 

will now take place in 2021. 

“After his telephone talks with 

IOC President Bach, PM Abe 

spoke to the press and explained 

that the two have agreed that the 

Tokyo Olympic Games would not 

be cancelled, and the games will 

be held by the summer of 2021,” 

said the tweet. 

In a statement on Tuesday, the 

IOC said the Games will be 

rescheduled to a date beyond 

2020, but no later than summer 

2021, to safeguard the health of 

athletes and everyone involved in 

the Olympics. The sporting event 

will continue to be called Olympic 

and Paralympic Games Tokyo 

2020. 

“The leaders agreed that the 

Olympic Games in Tokyo could 

stand as a beacon of hope to the 

world during these troubled times 

and that the Olympic flame could 

become the light at the end of the 

tunnel in which the world finds 

itself at present,” the committee 

said in a statement. “Therefore, it 

was agreed that the Olympic flame 

will stay in Japan.” 

While the Olympics have been 

canceled in the past, because of 

World War I and World War II, they 

have never been postponed to a 

different year. 

The official announcement 

followed a report on Monday that 

IOC member Dick Pound had told 

USA Today that the games would 

be postponed. 

“On the basis of the information 

the IOC has, postponement has 

been decided,” Pound told USA 

Today. “The parameters going 

forward have not been determined, 

but the Games are not going to 

start on July 24, that much I know.” 

Details had yet to be worked out, 

the newspaper reported. 

When asked if Pound was 

speaking officially for the IOC, the 

organization replied only that “It 

is the right of every IOC member 

to interpret the decision of the IOC 

EB which was announced 

yesterday.” That announcement 

In an bid to curtail the spread of 

the Coronavirus in the country, 

the Federal Ministry of Youth and 

Sports Development under the 

has said that the committee would 

study different scenarios regarding 

the future of the 2020 Games. It 

went on to say that the group would 

finalize discussions within four 

weeks, and that cancellation was 

“not on the agenda.” 

Also on Monday, Reuters 

reported that Japan Olympic 

Committee President Yasuhiro 

Yamashita said he was considering 

postponement, reflecting the most 

recent comments from Japanese 

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. US 

President Donald Trump tweeted 

that he will back whatever decision 

Abe makes: “We will be guided by 

the wishes of Prime Minister Abe 

of Japan.” 

COVID-19: FG Orders closure of 

National Stadia 

•Dare 

•Bach, IOC 

president 

Numerous teams had already 

said that they wouldn’t compete if 

the 2020 Olympics took place as 

planned. Late Monday, the US 

Olympic and Paralympic 

Committee called on the IOC to 

postpone the Tokyo Games, citing 

the results of a survey sent to 4,000 

Olympic and Paralympic 

hopefuls. 

“We regret that there is no 

outcome that can solve all the 

concerns we face,” USOPC chair 

Susanne Lyons and USOPC CEO 

Sarah Hirshland said in a joint 

statement. Even if global health 

conditions were to change by late 

summer, the group said that “the 

enormous disruptions to the 

training environment, doping 

controls and qualification process 

can’t be overcome in a satisfactory 

manner. To that end, it’s more clear 

than ever that the path toward 

postponement is the most 

promising.” 

On Sunday, the Canadian 

Olympic Committee and 

Canadian Paralympic Committee 

announced that their teams 

wouldn’t head to Tokyo and urged 

that competition be postponed for 

one year. The Australian Olympic 

Committee’s executive board also 

unanimously agreed not to send a 

team and encouraged athletes to 

instead prepare for a summer 

2021 event. 


Manchester United want to 

sign Odion Ighalo on a 

permanent basis. The Nigerian 

striker is currently on loan from 

Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua 

until May. 

However, the Red Devils want to 

extend his short term loan deal 

until June and then offer a fee to 

sign the striker permanently. 

United boss Ole Gunnar 

Solskjaer is ready to spend £15 

million to sign Ighalo 

permanently. 

The 30-year-old striker hit the 

ground running at Old Trafford, 

scoring four goals in just three 

starts since his January move. 

The transfer could be a coup for 

United, who look to bolster their 

attacking options over the 

summer. 

Odion Ighalo was signed as a 

short term option for United due 

to a lack of options in attack. 

However, it appears that the 

FG directives on Covid-19 alters NFF investigative panel’s work plan 

The directives of the Federal 

Government on the raging 

coronavirus outbreak has altered 

the work plan of the investigative 

panel set up by the Nigeria 

Football Federation (NFF) on the 

death of Nasarawa United FC 

player, Chineme Martins. 

The panel was expected to 

submit its final report on Thursday, 

26th March, 2020 to the Hon. 

Minister for Youth and Sports 

leadership of the Minister, Mr. 

Sunday Dare, has directed the 

temporary shutdown of all 

activities at four (4) National 

Stadia across the country. 

The affected stadia are the 

Moshood Abiola National 

Stadium, Abuja, Ahmadu Bello 

Stadium, Kaduna, Liberty 

Stadium, Ibadan and National 

Statdium, Surulere-Lagos. The 

facilities listed will not be available 

till further notice. 

While urging the general public 

to stay calm and safe by practising 

good personal hygiene and keeping 

social distance, the Ministry 

assures citizens that the Federal 

Government through the Ministry 

of Health, Nigeria’s Centre for 

Disease Control (NCDC) and other 

relevant agencies are putting 

necessary measures in place to 

ensure the elimination of the 

Pandemic in Nigeria. 

Development, Sunday Dare, in 

Abuja. 

However, following the current 

trend of events arising from the 

Covid-19 scourge, the panel has 

temporarily suspended its 

activities, including submission of 

its final report. 

Man Utd want 

Osimhen 

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar 

Solskjaer’s “priority” in the summer is 

Lille striker Victor Osimhen, claims a report. 

Nigeria striker Osimhen, 21, has scored 18 

goals in 38 appearances for Lille this season 

after joining from Belgian outfit Charleroi last 

summer. 

Such form saw him linked with Liverpool 

and Tottenham in the January transfer 

window; the Reds had reportedly been tracking 

the 21-year-old extensively throughout the first 

half of the season. 

Now though French publication Le10 Sport 

claim United have locked on to the forward 

and looking to strike a deal in the summer, 

which could see them pair Osimhen with loan 

star Odion Ighalo. 

Solskjaer is keen to make Ighalo’s loan 

permanent and the French source report that 

United feel Osimhen has “all the qualities” to 

succeed in the Premier League. 

Solskjaer, who is also believed to be watching 

developments regarding Pierre-Emerick 

Aubameyang’s future, could face competition 

from Real Madrid, who are also keen on the 

Lille man. 

Ighalo set for permanent Man U move 

Cristiano Ronaldo and his agent 

Jorge Mendes will finance 

three intensive care units for 

patients suffering from 

coronavirus at hospitals in Lisbon 

and Porto – with the donation 

worth £1million. 

The Portugal captain and 

Ndidi, Collins among top 6 interceptors in Europe 

Leicester City midfielder Wilfred 

Ndidi and Paderborn left-back 

Jamilu Collins have cracked a list 

of top six interceptors (per game) 

in the big five European Leagues 

consisting of English Premier 

League, French Ligue 1, German 

Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and 

Spanish La Liga. 

According to statistics sourced 

from Whoscored.com, only Diego 

Rico (Bournemouth), Omar 

Mascarell (Schalke 04) and 

Theodor Gebre Selassie (Werder 

Bremen) have averaged more 

•Ndidi 

•Osimhen 

Nigerian has impressed during his 

loan spell, prompting Solskjaer to 

bring Ighalo to the club as a 

permanent option upfront. 

The United boss said: “He has 

qualities we saw in him that we 

needed. And we will still need those 

qualities next season — so let’s see 

what we will do.” 

Ronaldo, Mendes donation to help 

fight coronavirus worth £1M 

This change in work plan has 

also been approved by the NFF 

leadership. 

The panel also assured members 

of the football family its findings 

and recommendations would be 

submitted as soon as the current 

health challenge is under control. 

interceptions per game than the 

Foxes number 25 this season. 

Ndidi is Nigeria’s best 

performer, averaging 2.7 

interceptions per game to place 

first ahead of international 

teammate Collins who is sixth (2.6 

interceptions) overall in the 

ranking. 

The Nath Boys product racked 

up season-high five interceptions 

in Premier League matches against 

Burnley, Newcastle United and 

Wolverhampton Wanderers, and 

had zero interceptions against 

West Ham and Crystal Palace. 

•Collins 

Mendes have been in contact with 

the hospitals already and are 

planning to equip two wards in 

Santa Maria hospital in Lisbon 

and one in Santo Antonio in Porto. 

Wards in Santa Maria will come 

with ten beds and ventilators while 

the wing in Santo Antonio will 

have fifteen beds and ventilators. 

The chairman of the Santa 

Maria board of director has 

confirmed the donation, while 

Santo Antonio hospital have also 

revealed that the duo are helping 

out too. 

Daniel Ferro, president of Santa 

Maria, thanked the pair: ‘We were 

contacted by Jorge Mendes, who 

volunteered with Cristiano 

Ronaldo to finance two intensive 

care units for critical patients 

suffering from COVID-19. 

‘There are fans, monitors, 

infusion pumps, beds ... all the 

equipment that constitutes an 

intensive care unit equipped to 

provide care to a COVID-19 

patient.’ 

It has been confirmed that the 

monetary value of the donations 

from the pair will top £1m.



Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

Across 

1 Applaud (4) 

3 Appreciative (8) 

9 Marionettes (7) 

10 Synthetic fabric (5) 

11 Extensive area of land (5) 

12 Sheen (6) 

14 Servile follower (6) 

16 Small quake (6) 

19 Dried grape (6) 

21 Worship (5) 

24 “The waste Land” poet (5) 

25 Watered down (7) 

26 Meant (8) 

27 Merely (4) 

Down 

1 Upper-case letter (8) 

2 First Greek letter (5) 

4 Outcome (6) 

5 Melodies (5) 

6 Pivot (7) 

7 Come down to earth (4) 

8 Middle (6) 

13 Amiable (8) 

15 Old war vehicle (7) 

17 Actually (6) 

18 Keyed up (2,4) 

20 Old Nick (5) 

22 Many times (5) 

23 Abominable snowman (4) 

How to Play Sudoku 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the 

same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top 

to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains 

number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice 

in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just 

plain logic and your imagination. 

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