Federal Govt extends curfew for four weeks [Nation]
The federal government has announced the extension of the second phase of the eased lockdown for four weeks.
Part of the extended protocols is the 10pm to 4am curfew imposed on the country in June.
The extension was announced on Thursday by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic Boss Mustapha in Abuja.
The ongoing second phase was initiated on June 2, having been previously extended twice due to observed disregard by Nigerians.
National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, explained that most of the guidelines pertaining to non-pharmaceutical interventions, would remain except for some minor adjustments where required.
Mustapha said the federal government, through the task force would engage more with the states and council areas to improve community sensitisation.
“For the past nine weeks (precisely from 2nd June, 2020), we have been running the phase two of the eased lockdown which has witnessed two extensions. These extensions were necessitated by observed lack of compliance with prescribed measures, dangers associated with community spread infections and the need to strengthen critical areas of the Response Strategy for effectiveness.
“After due consideration of the recommendations, Mr. President approved the following: maintaining the current phase of the National Response to COVID-19 for another four weeks in line with the modifications reflected in the Report;
“Partnering with States and Local Governments to improve community sensitisation and engagement to the COVID-19 response; mandating State authorities and the FCT, to enforce non-pharmaceutical guidelines, primarily the use of face masks in public appearance and places;
“Encouraging State Governments to collaborate with Local Government Authorities to intensify necessary measures such as contact tracing, grassroots mobilisation and risk communication; and strengthening of collaboration with other mandate groups at Federal/State levels to harmonise the country’s COVID-19 response, on the short, medium and long-term basis”, he said.
Speaking further, Mustapha added: “Domestically, in the last month, the number of States with over 1000 confirmed cases increased from four to 10 and the FCT. While Nigeria has conducted 43 per cent more tests in July than was done in June, the positivity rate has also decreased – showing the progress made in access to testing.
“Likewise, our case management efforts have also seen a reduction in the fatality rate from 1.9% in June to 1.7 per cent in July. Community transmission is increasing, as reflected in the fact that 536 Local Government Areas – 69 per cent of the total – have reported a COVID-19 case”, he said.
Dr Aliyu, provided details of what the third extension of the second phase of the eased lockdown would look like.
He said the specifics of the extended phase would include, among others, the maintaining the previously imposed 10pm to 4am curfew across the country; maintaining restrictions on mass gatherings, with particularly emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable among the population.
He said government businesses, meetings and other interactions would continue to be mostly done virtually, stating categorically that official trips and other government and public service transactions requiring traveling would remain suspended until further notice.
Schools remain closed, except for those writing exit examinations, which conducts must strictly adhere to issued guidelines and instructions. Also, the guidelines for worship places, businesses and recreation centres remain as earlier instructed in the last extension.
“Visiting of hospitalised patients remains limited to immediate family and we continue to recommend a maximum of 20 people including close family members when it comes to attendance or funerals and other essential gathering such as weddings that cannot be changed.
“So these are the main changes, most of them are minor adjustments and as I said earlier, we are continuing with the current phase 2 of the response”, Aliyu said.
House of Assembly crisis throws Edo into turmoil [Nation]
There were drama and intrigues on Thursday as 17 members of the Edo State House of Assembly removed Speaker Francis Okiye and his Deputy Roland Asoro.
The removal of the loyalists of Governor Godwin Obaseki, is a culmination of more than one year of bitter power-play which began with the inauguration of only 10 of the 24- members-elect in the night of June 17, 2019.
Efforts to get the governor to issue another proclamation to allow peace to reign failed. Even the intervention of the National Assembly did not persuade Obaseki.
Obaseki insisted that the 14 lawmakers-elect, loyal to former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, did not present themselves to be sworn in.
They stayed away from legislative activities while asking Obaseki to issue a fresh proclamation letter for their inauguration.
But there was a twist yesterday when the 14 lawmakers-elect were inaugurated at an undisclosed location in Benin and elected Victor Edoror (as Speaker after unanimously removing Okiye at an “emergency plenary session”.
They were joined by three former pro-Obaseki lawmakers who declined to follow Obaseki to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pledged their support for APC candidate Osagie Ize-Iyamu. This makes it 17 members.
Emmanuel Agbaje was elected the deputy Speaker.
The new speaker, in his inaugural address, said the Seventh Assembly would focus on its legislative duties.
He called for unity, saying there was no victor, no vanquished.
Edoror urged Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu; Commissioner of Police Babatunde Kokumo and other security chiefs to eject the thugs that invaded the Assembly complex so that today’s plenary session can hold.
They visited the police commissioner after their sitting.
The lawmakers had tried to gain access to the House of Assembly on Ring Road, Benin City, at about 9 am, but the Assembly had been besieged by security agencies and protesters. The pro-Obaseki protesters chanted solidarity songs.
As the 14 lawmakers-elect could not access the House, having been blocked off by the protesters, they left.
The governor and his deputy came to the complex and condemned an alleged bid to take over the House by force.
Moments after addressing reporters, carpenters climbed the building and began removing the roof. The symbolic mace on top of the complex was removed.
Okiye said the complex was under renovation and that the presence of security operatives at the entrance scared the contractor and workers away.
Outside, trucks dropped four heaps of gravel, granite and sand right in front of the Assembly complex.
Addressing reporters at the Assembly complex, Obaseki said he would always protect the legislature.
He said: “I want to assure you that as the Governor of Edo State, I will do all within my constitutional powers to protect the sovereignty of the legislative arm of government.
“Nigeria is governed by laws and the constitution of the country. Mr President has always insisted that we must follow the rule of law and do things according to the law. Nobody in this country is above the constitution.
Addressing Okiye, he said: “Mr. Speaker, go about your normal duties the way you should and the way the constitution prescribes.
“For us as the executive, we owe you the entire instrument available to us constitutionally to protect you and to protect the state.”
Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu said the government would not allow other members of the Assembly whose seat had been declared vacant to take over the House.
He said the 14 lawmakers-elect were yet to be validly inaugurated, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to save the Assembly from being destabilised.
Okiye said he and his colleagues would do everything to protect the Assembly’s sanctity.
He said: “I am happy His Excellency is here. We were inundated with various rumours and all kinds of threat calls last (Wednesday) night.
Gunmen kill 21 in Kaduna villages [Nation]
Gunmen killed 21 people in Wednesday night attacks on four Kaduna State villages, the Police confirmed on Thursday.
An unspecified number of houses were burnt by the marauders, including one belonging to a dead colonel.
Police spokesman Muhammad Jalige said three people were injured.
The attacks were followed by the killings that have been going on in the southern part of the state.
The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) disagreed with the police on the figure of the dead and on the number of villages attacked.
A statement by its spokesman Luka Binniyat claimed that 33 villagers died and that five communities and not four were attacked..
The group said: “Last night (Wednesday) 33 Atyap natives, who were among hundreds of thousands of already starving indigenes under a 24-hour curfew, were killed in Atyap villages in Atyap chiefdom, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area in Southern part of Kaduna by Fulani militia.
“Prior to now, they were all shutdown with fierce armed military men patrolling and enforcing the 24-hour curfew. But when the gunmen struck, they were not on the ground.
“Four Atyap youths from Majuju, and Kibori villages who went to farm under the curfew were arrested by soldiers after being thoroughly beaten and handed over to the Police who whisked them to SCID, Kaduna. They have been denied bail since 26th June, 2020.
“Last night, around 11 pm, truck-loads of armed Fulani militia made their way through military checkpoints under the curfew and stormed Apiashyim and Kibori villages. They laid siege to Apyaishyim, killing, looting and burning houses. In the wake of the cruelty, they left six people dead, and 20 houses burnt.
“In nearby Kibori village, seven persons were killed by the marauding, pampered Fulani militia.
“Around 12 am, they struck Atakmawei sleeping community and carried out another carnage after which 12 persons were killed and 10 houses burnt.
“They also went to Apyiako and killed three people, and burnt homes, including the home of late Col. Bobai Ishaku, among others.
“At the same time, Magamiya village was also attacked and five people killed and seven houses burnt. The attackers operated between 11 pm and 4 am this (Thursday) morning before they left unchallenged.”
The group accused Governor Nasir El-Rufai of “tying up our law-abiding people under an irrational, protracted curfew which is obviously intended to cause maximum harm to our communities.”
A source the attackers of the villages operated unchallenged, having taken advantage of an all-night rain.
The source said: “It rained all through the night in the area and the attackers had unchallenged operations from around 10 pm Wednesday which entered early hours of Thursday(yesterday).
“By the time they were done, 22 bodies were recovered at about 12pm today (Thursday) but we are still conducting searches. They also burnt several houses.”
FG okays gradual resumption of international [Sun]
- Civil servants on GL1-12 to resume work
The Federal Government has announced the retention of phased two eased lockdown protocols in order to control transmission of COVID-19 pandemic.
Chairman of Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 pandemic and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, made the announcement at yesterday’s briefing.
He said it was important to ensure that restrictions are not completely relaxed in order to control transmission of the virus.
However, he announced major changes in the revised guidelines to include gradual re-opening of international air flights and rail transportation within established parameters, granting permission to exit classes to resume ahead of examinations, allowing civil servants from Grade Level 12 to resume work and opening recreational parks for supervised exercises.
The Federal Government had banned international flights in March as parts of measures to check the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking yesterday, Sani Aliyu, national coordinator of PTF asked aviation authorities and airline operators to begin the process for the resumption of international flights.
“For international travel, we have made recommendations to the aviation industry to commence the process for opening international airports provided all existing international and local prevention guidelines and COVID-19 are in place.”
Aliyu said passengers for international flights would arrive three hours before departure time.
“We have modified the advice with the regards to arrival for flights: Passengers arriving at the airports for domestic flights advice to arrive at least one and a half hours before their flight, and three hours before international flights where these restart,” he said.
Domestic flights resumed operation on July 8 after a three-month ban as a result of the pandemic.
The SGF said assessment has revealed that despite the guidelines, there was increased non-compliance with non-pharmaceutical prevention measures, lack of enforcement of necessary guidelines issued to preserve lives, insufficient engagement by some states with the national response and a lingering concern about the gap between identified cases and the actual burden of disease and apathy, fatigue and disbelief combining to challenge public enlightenment, compliance and behaviour change.
The SGF said: “To address these challenges and continue improving our National Response to eventually win the fight against the pandemic, the PTF reached the conclusion that for Nigeria, it is important to ensure that restrictions are not completely relaxed in order to control transmission. It is also important that at this Community Transmission Phase of the pandemic, sub-national governments step up to take more responsibilities by owning the response.
“To sustain gains already made, therefore, the PTF recommended to the President, the retention of the current phase of the response with minor changes to address economic, socio-political and health concerns. These measures are further outlined in the guidelines to be elaborated upon by the National Coordinator.
“It is however important to inform you that the major changes being proposed are aimed at achieving the following:
Gradual re-opening of international air flights within established parameters;
Re-opening of rail transportation within established parameters;
Granting permission to exit classes to resume ahead of examinations; Allowing civil servants from Grade Level 12 to resume work; and Opening recreational parks for supervised exercises.
“After due consideration of the recommendations, Mr. President approved the following: Maintaining the current phase of the National Response to COVID-19 for another four weeks in line with the modifications reflected in the Report, partnering with states and local governments to improve community sensitisation and engagement to the COVID-19 response, mandating State authorities and the FCT to enforce non-pharmaceutical guidelines, primarily the use of face masks in public appearance and places, encouraging state governments to collaborate with local government authorities to intensify necessary measures such as contact tracing, grassroots mobilisation and risk communication and Strengthening of collaboration with other mandate groups at Federal/State levels to harmonise the country’s COVID-19 response, on the short, medium and long-term basis.”
CACOVID flags off N23bn food palliatives distribution for 10m Nigerians [Sun]
The private sector led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) yesterday formally announced the flag-off of a nationwide distribution of multi-billion naira food palliative and other relief items to mitigate the adverse effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic on vulnerable Nigerians. The food relief materials for which the private sector operators are spending about N23 billion, will cover 1.7 million families amounting to about 10 million people across the 774 local governments in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory.
CACOVID Administrator and CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), Zouera Youssoufou, told newsmen in Lagos that the food distribution is the next phase in the line of actions mapped out by the coalition to partner government in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and relieve the vulnerable people of the burden posed by the outbreak of the disease.
Zouera disclosed that with the announcement in Lagos, the Coalition has divided the nation into the six geo-political zones and the distribution was being flagged-off simultaneously in states such as Adamawa, Yobe, Ekiti Ogun, delta, Edo, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Plateau, and Nasarawa.
The offer of food palliatives is coming on the heels CACOVID’s donations, of medical equipment in some instances, to state governments to strengthen their response capacity and outright building of isolation facilities in about 38 centres in the country, for which the Coalition had spent about N15 billion, to help ease off the pressure on the states and Federal Government in their responses to the Pandemic.
CACOVID has also helped to reinforce the testing capacity of the NCDC with the donation of over 300,000 test kits and PPEs just as the Coalition is primed to commence the third and final phase of its COVID-19 response plan.
We can’t wear mask in church –Okotie [Sun]
Members of the Household of God Church will not resume service next Sunday despite the re-opening of churches by the Lagos state government, Shepherd Superintendent of the Oregun, Lagos-based church, Rev. Chris Okotie has said.
In a 28-minute broadcast sent via Whatsapp to church members, Okotie said although he accepted the imperatives of the safety precautions to contain the spread of the COVID- 19, the wearing of masks or face shield was unacceptable to him.
Lagos Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced that worship centres would re-open from Friday, August 7 and Sunday, August 9, but with worshippers expected to observe all standard safety guidelines, including social distancing, wearing of face masks or shield and washing of hands. Attendance was also pegged at 50 per cent capacity for each worship centre.
But citing various Bible references, Okotie said for Christians to wear any type of mask or face shield to church was to reintroduce the veil which was torn the moment Jesus Christ died on the cross.
He said with the tearing of the veil, there was no longer separation between God and his people, warning that wearing of masks would reverse the order, which was unacceptable.
He said he did not initially discuss the mask in his broadcast on the COVID-19 mystery because he was waiting for its full manifestation, adding that he decided to speak out now because the mask was now graduating into a face shield, which was a veil.
“When a man is standing before God in church wearing a shield or mask, he is denying the finished work of the cross,” he said, adding that most Christians do not understand the implications, thinking it is just a medical requirement.”
International flights to resume in weeks –FG [Punch]
The Federal Government on Thursday said the airports would be reopened to international flights in weeks and not in months.
When international flights eventually resume, passengers are expected to arrive the airport three hours before their flights.
The government said the prolonged ban on international travels was not punitive but mainly to keep Nigerians across the country safe from the spread of COVID-19.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this in Abuja while answering questions at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
He said, “On the question about the reopening of the airports, I will like to use this medium to reiterate and to be consistent with what we’ve been saying. I want people to understand that this is not purely an aviation function.
“It also has to do with our health and is so huge that it made Mr President in his wisdom to set up the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. This is in the interest of the nation.”
The minister said operators in the civil aviation sector had wanted to open the airports a long time ago in order to return to business and halt the loss of revenue.
Sirika said the ban on international flights had warranted the mass sacking of workers in the aviation sector and non-payment of salaries by airlines.
He said, “So we really want to open. But we can’t open alone, for within the space where we operate we’ve got all kinds of people there in the airports.
“We’ve got immigration, police, Customs, civil defense, port health, etc, and so the PTF has set up a technical committee to come up with a date when everybody will be happy to start.”
The minister added, “So we will open as soon as all of us are happy to open. And I want to adopt what the coordinator has said; it will be in weeks rather than in months.”
Sirika urged Nigerians not to blame any government official for the ban on international flights. Rather the blame should be on COVID-19, he said.
“We feel your pain. We know that this closure of airports has separated families and friends, denied people access to hospitals abroad, schools, businesses, etc. We feel this pain,” he said.
He insisted that the prolonged ban on international flights was not on purpose but was to ensure that Nigerians remained safe and healthy.
The PTF National Coordinator said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and other agencies, as well as airlines, should commence the process for the resumption of international flights.
According to Aliyu, passengers would arrive three hours before flights when the country’s airspace finally reopens for international operations.
“We have modified the protocol for passenger arrivals at the airports. Domestic passengers arriving at the airports are advised to arrive one hour before their flights and three hours before international flights – when this restarts.”
He said there may be additional infrastructure for some of the airports.
“Hopefully in weeks but not months,” he added.
FG retains curfew, extends eased lockdown by four weeks [Punch]
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has approved the extension of the current phase of the national response to COVID-19 by another four weeks.
The implication is that all the guidelines put in place to curtail further spread of the virus under the second phase of the eased lockdown which started on June 1 will remain in force with slight modifications to address the economic, socio-political and health concerns as contained in the latest report by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
The Chairman of the task force, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, disclosed this at the briefing of the task force in Abuja on Thursday.
Within the next four weeks, Mustapha said state governments and authorities of the Federal Capital Territory would be mandated to enforce non-pharmaceutical measures and intensify measures such as contract tracing.
The SGF said, “After due consideration of the recommendations, Mr President approved the following: maintaining the current phase of the national response to COVID-19 for another four weeks in line with the modifications reflected in the report.
“He approved the partnering states and local governments to improve community sensitisation and engagement to the COVID-19 response; and mandating state authorities and the FCT to enforce non-pharmaceutical guidelines, primarily the use of face masks in public appearance and places.
“The President approved that state governments should be encouraged to collaborate with local government authorities to intensify necessary measures such as contact tracing, grass-roots mobilisation and risk communication; and strengthening of collaboration with other mandate groups at federal/state levels to harmonise the country’s COVID-19 response, on the short, medium and long-term basis.”
He said the recommendations made to the President had been borne out of diligent evaluation of the situation in Nigeria as well as regional and global experiences.
Mustapha said the major changes being proposed were aimed at achieving the gradual re-opening of international air flights within established parameters; re-opening of rail transport within established parameters; granting permission to exit classes to resume ahead of examinations; allowing civil servants from Grade Level 12 to resume work; and opening recreational parks for supervised exercises.
Giving further details on the modified guidelines, the PTF National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, said the 10pm to 4am curfew would remain in place nationwide as bars, gyms and cinemas would remain closed.
He said the guidelines issued for worship centres also remained the same.
“Visiting of hospitalised patients remain limited to immediate family. And we continue to recommend a maximum of 20 people including family members when it comes to attendance of funerals and other essential gatherings such as gatherings that cannot be changed,” he said.
He also said schools would remain closed except for graduating classes.
Aliyu said, “However, schools must comply with the six recommended steps and required measures issued by the Federal Ministry of Education and which is available online.
“For government and other corporate offices, we are now extending work hours to the normal official hours from Monday to Friday with the mandatory use of non-medical face masks.
“We encourage work at home policy for civil/public servants below the Grade Level 12.”
The national coordinator said the National Youth Service Corps had been advised “to start planning ahead of resumption in future phases but not within the current phase of the response”.
He noted that while banks had been advised to begin full operations, they were advised to reduce banking hall occupancy by customers to 50 per cent and occupancy of their offices to 75 per cent.
Aliyu said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control was also working towards deploying technology to make results of COVID-19 tests available online.
He said, “The NCDC will continue to work, I am sure, with NCC (the Nigeria Communications Commission) and other parts of the IT industry. A very good example is working towards people accessing their results online. You have a COVID test done, you no longer have to rely on being phoned. It will allow persons to just log on and you will be given a number through your phone and you can access your own results.”
Aliyu again ruled out COVID-19 testing for students and schoolchildren as preconditions to resume classes.
Meanwhile, Mustapha said 8,000 Nigerians have so far been evacuated from abroad since the outbreak of coronavirus.
NUPENG, PENGASSAN fume over petrol price hike [Punch]
- Pricing regulator remains silent, operators seek clarity
As more marketers raised the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) on Thursday, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria have voiced their opposition to the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector when the country is still relying on imports for refined products.
The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency had yet to issue its guiding retail petrol price for the month of Thursday, leaving operators confused.
Following the sharp drop in crude oil prices which led to the reduction in the pump price of petrol in March, the PPPRA had said it would advise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and oil marketing companies on the monthly guiding retail price at which the product shall be sold across the country.
In July, the agency announced a new price band of N140.80 to N143.80 per litre, up from N121.50 to N123.50 per litre in June.
Although it released the ex-depot price for the commodity on Tuesday, the PPPRA had since remained silent as regards the guiding retail price for the month.
It increased the ex-depot price by N6 to N138.62/litre for the month, a development that prompted marketers to hike the pump price of the product to between N148 and N150/litre.
The Chairman, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, 11Plc, Tunji Oyebanji, told one of our correspondents that some members of the association had increased petrol price to N148-N148.80 per litre.
He said marketers had interpreted PPPRA’s silence to mean that they should go ahead to fix the price themselves.
“There is a need for some clarity. If we are to fix the price of the product, we should be told so. There is a lot of confusion and people are not clear as to the direction. All we have is silence,” he added.
When contacted to get the PPPRA’s comment on the development, its spokesperson, Kimchi Apollo, again did not answer phone calls on Thursday.
Apollo had told one of our correspondents on Monday that the agency had yet to complete its work on a new pump price for petrol.
The General Secretary, NUPENG, Mr Afolabi Olawale, said any form of deregulation based on the importation of petroleum products would not help Nigerians.
He said, “Our position is that we don’t support any form of deregulation that is based on importation. We support deregulation that is based on local refining of products.
“If we are refining in the country, a lot of costs will be taken away and Nigerians will be able to benefit. But as long as we are not refining, Nigerians will keep experiencing an increase in fuel prices if crude oil price continues to rise.
“Nigerians are suffering; the country is in a dire situation, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Things are hard, and we add a higher cost of transportation to it; it is going to be a very terrible period for Nigerians.”
The National Public Relations Officer, PENGASSAN, said the Federal Government should ensure that the nation’s refineries “are fully commercialised using the Nigeria LNG model.”
Petrol stations in Abuja and neighbouring states of Nasarawa and Niger on Thursday adjusted their pumps upwards as they dispensed the product at between N148 to N149 per litre.
The two filling stations in front of the headquarters of the NNPC, Conoil and Total, for instance, moved up their petrol prices to N148.7/litre and 148.8/litre respectively on Thursday.
The South West chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, on Thursday, directed all its members in the zone to increase the pump price of PMS to N150 per litre.
IPMAN South West Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Dele Tajudeen, who spoke with journalists in Abeokuta, said the directive became necessary in order to avert the planned shutdown of the filling stations across the zone.
While berating the PPPRA for what he described as “policy inconsistency”, Tajudeen lamented that the PPPRA’s new depot price had subjected IPMAN members to a serious dilemma.
IPMAN, Rivers State chapter, on Thursday, bemoaned the state of the nation’s refineries, saying the first refinery built in 1965 in Port Harcourt had not functioned for 22 years.
The Chairman, IPMAN in Rivers State, Dr Obele Ngechu, stated this in Port Harcourt on Thursday while reacting to the new ex-depot price of petrol.
He said, “For 17 years now, Kaduna refinery is not working. Two years now, Warri refinery is not working. For three years now, the new Port Harcourt refinery is not working; and for 22 years, the first Nigerian refinery is not working.
“Information reaching us now is that the monthly allocation of crude oil for local refining for these four refineries are still being giving to them till tomorrow and they are selling it in dollars.”
We Are Aware Of Al-Qaeda Threat, Military Tells US [Leadership]
The Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria yesterday told the United States of America (USA) that it was not oblivious of the potency of the infiltration of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda terrorists into the West African sub-region.
According to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), it was the Nigerian military that initially raised the alarm over the movement of terrorists from the Middle East to West Africa.
It said that the warning by United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM) over the infiltration of the terrorists groups was a call for the Nigerian troops to sustain the ongoing onslaught against the Boko Haram terrorists and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The DHQ noted that this was not the first time such an alarm was raised, adding that the military was aware of the development.
The coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, stated this during the weekly update on Armed Forces of Nigeria operations across the country at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
The US Africa Command had warned Nigeria that the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda terror groups were exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to gradually take over the West African region after losing ground in Syria, Iraq and the Middle East.
The commander, US Special Operations Command, Africa, Major General Dagvin RM Anderson, warned that the extremists were already deploying several strategies to silently re-establish themselves in the region and expand further in the entire continent without drawing attention.
He revealed that the Al-Qaeda sect has already expanded in Mali and had moved into northern Burkina Faso, where they attacked infrastructure, took out local governance and security forces, and are now controlling the local economy and exert their control over the population.
“And we’re seeing them continue to move further south in Burkina Faso towards those littoral nations in the Gulf of Guinea, and also further west towards Senegal and West Africa. So that’s a concern to us as we watch them continue to move throughout the region,” Anderson had said.
But noting the readiness of the Nigerian military against such threats, General Enenche said “Will I call it an advice or our attention being drawn to the fact that terrorists from other zones are coming here? I think it would be good for us to be keeping records of events as they unfold.
“For me, this is not the first time they are raising such an alarm. The alarm is as old as maybe five or 10 years ago and the Armed Forces and the country are conscious of it.
“When the conflict in Libya was declared officially that it ended, which did not end, what happened? It was we, our NIA, State Security Services and all that raised the information that these people are moving. Have we not captured foreigners among the people that have been terrorising us in this country?
“So, it is just like a call to keep doing what we are doing. So, the general public should know that the security agencies are on top of that one”.
Enenche added that some terrorists from a neighbouring country were recently captured in Niger State, an indication that the nation’s Armed Forces are alive to their responsibilities.
He, therefore, asked the general public not to despair as America’s alert was not new, even as he said all strategies were in place to check the terrorists.
The military spokesman continued: “Why do we have ISAWP here now; was ISWAP indigenous to Nigeria? No! So, it is just like telling you the obvious and I want to take it like an advice to continue to ensure you have measures in place to continue checking them.
“When it came out, a lot of people read the headlines but I went into the details presented. It was not specific like saying ‘you people should put effort to continue to contain them’ because pressure is put on them in other areas, and they would increase their influx. It’s just like a wake-up call, which is readily welcome.
“All the security agencies have that at the back of their plan and they factor it in implementation. The general public should not be afraid of that at all. It’s not a new thing; it’s already in our schedule of activity”.
CACOVID Flags Off N23bn Food Palliatives Distribution For 1.7m Households [Leadership]
Nigeria’s Private Sector led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) yesterday announced the flag-off of a nationwide distribution of N23 billion food palliative and other relief items to mitigate the adverse effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic on vulnerable Nigerians.
The relief materials for which the private sector operators are spending about N23 billion, will cover 1.7 families amounting to about 10 million people across the 774 local government areas in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
CACOVID administrator and CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), Zouera Youssoufou told newsmen in Lagos that the food distribution is the next phase in the line of actions mapped out by the coalition to partner the government in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and relieve the vulnerable people of the burden posed by the outbreak of the disease.
Zouera disclosed that with the announcement in Lagos, the coalition has divided the nation into the six geo-political zones and the distribution was being flagged off simultaneously in states such as Adamawa, Yobe, Ekiti Ogun, Delta, Edo, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Plateau, and Nasarawa.
She explained that CACOVID has donated medical equipment in some instances to state governments to strengthen their response capacity and outright building of isolation facilities in about 38 centres in the country for which the coalition had spent about N15 billion to help ease off the pressure on the states and federal government in their responses to the pandemic.
According to her: “CACOVID has also helped to reinforce the testing capacity of the NCDC with the donation of over 300,000 test kits and PPEs just as the coalition is primed to commence the third and final phase of its COVID-19 response plan.”
She displayed some of the food items that each family that would benefit from the palliatives in various quantities, Rice, Pasta, Garri, Maize, Semo, noodles, salt and Sugar.
According to her:“CACOVID has since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic been committed to providing relief packages to the most vulnerable. The coalition’s primary focus was to aid the federal government in the fight against COVID-19.
Edo Crisis Deepens As Factional Speaker Emerges [Leadership]
The crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly heightened yesterday as lawmakers on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced Hon. Victor Edoror (Esan Central) as the new Speaker.
The APC lawmakers who are loyalists of former national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, took the decision at an emergency plenary in an undisclosed location where they also impeached Hon. Frank Okiye as speaker and Roland Asoro as deputy speaker. They also nullified all previous actions taken by the 7th Assembly.
These moves came less than 24 hours after former deputy speaker, Hon. Yekini Idiaye, who declared his support for the APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, was impeached at a plenary presided over by Okiye.
The factional speaker emerged after Hon. Sunday Aghedo (Ovia South West) moved a motion which was signed by other members, calling for Okiye’s removal. The motion was said to have being seconded by Hon. Ohio Ezomo (Owan West).
Also, the motion nominating Edoror as speaker was moved by Hon. Washington Osifo (Uhunmwonde constituency) and was seconded by Hon. Eric Okaka (Owan East constituency). In the absence of further nominations, he was elected as speaker.
Hon Chris Okaeben (Oredo West constituency) moved the motion that got Hon Emma Agbaje (Akoko-Edo II) who acted as Speaker ex tempore, elected as deputy speaker.
Before the emergence of the factional speaker, 12 of the 14 members who were not sworn in last year took their oath of office which was administered by the deputy clerk, Mr. Tom Efezokhae. The oath taking effectively made the 12 legislators of the state.
Seventeen members attended the plenary at the end of which Hon. Ohio moved for adjournment as the speaker announced that plenary will resume today.
Edoror’s emergence came months after Okiye was inaugurated as the speaker by Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Okiye’s emergence had sparked outrage in some sections of the state as Obaseki failed to inaugurate some duly-elected members of the assembly.