Headlines
Nigeria Coronavirus Cases Now 22, 020 with 649 New Infections
Nigeria’s tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 22,020 on Wednesday as 649 new infections were announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Nine deaths were recorded from the virus on Wednesday bringing the total number of confirmed deaths from the virus to 542.
The health agency in a tweet Wednesday night said the new cases were reported in 22 states.
These are Lagos, Oyo, Plateau, Delta, Abia, Kaduna, Ogun, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Enugu, Niger, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Osun, Bauchi, Anambra, Gombe, Sokoto, Imo and Kano.
All the reporting states already had at least a case of the virus.
As of Tuesday, 35 states and the FCT have recorded at least a case of the disease. Only one state, Cross River, is yet to report any case of the virus.
In the last one week, states like Oyo, Delta, Ogun have been reporting increasing numbers of infections daily.
Lagos recorded the highest daily figure of the infection on Monday, and remains the epicentre for the disease in the country.
Also, Oyo state reported its highest confirmed case yet, since the beginning of the outbreak.
Meanwhile, states like Kogi, Jigawa and Taraba have not reported any new case in over one week.
The 649 new cases are reported from 14 states: Lagos – 250, Oyo – 100, Plateau – 40, Delta – 40, Abia – 28, Kaduna – 27, Ogun – 22, Edo – 20, Akwa Ibom – 18, Kwara – 17, FCT – 17, Enugu – 14, Niger – 13, Adamawa – 13, Bayelsa – 7, Osun – 6, Bauchi – 6, Anambra – 4, Gombe – 3, Sokoto – 2, Imo – 1 and Kano – 1
NCDC said “till date, 22, 020 cases have been confirmed, 7,613 cases have been discharged and 542 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.”
A breakdown of the 22, 020 confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 9, 323 cases, followed by FCT – 1,207, Kano – 1,191, Oyo – 1,155, Rivers – 930, Edo – 817, Ogun – 721, Kaduna – 635, Delta – 609, Bauchi – 488, Gombe – 482, Borno – 477, Katsina – 434, Jigawa – 317, Ebonyi – 264, Plateau – 293, Imo – 247, Abia – 280, Nasarawa – 193, Kwara – 217, Sokoto – 140, Ondo – 162, Bayelsa – 184, Enugu – 174, Zamfara – 76, Kebbi – 67, Osun – 73, Anambra – 70, Niger – 79, Yobe – 56, Osun – 67,Akwa Ibom – 83, Adamawa – 58, Benue – 47, Ekiti – 35, Taraba – 18, Taraba – 18, and Kogi – 3.
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria is ready to work with other nations to build a resilient, equitable, and sustainable world for all.
Tinubu spoke in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on the second day of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
The president spoke on the topic, “From Climate Imperatives into Economic Prosperity: Bridging Africa with the Global Energy Future.”
He declared that no single nation could walk the road to sustainability alone, stressing that global interconnectedness demand collective action, knowledge sharing, and mutual support.
According to Tinubu, “The fight against climate change is not merely an environmental necessity but a global economic opportunity to reshape the trajectory of our continent and the global energy landscape.
“As leaders, stakeholders and citizens of our planet, we stand at a critical juncture in human history. To succeed, we must innovate, collaborate and act decisively as one global community.”
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, Tinubu assured the audience that the Nigerian government had developed actionable programmes in line with global expectations, bearing in mind Nigeria’s economic and political expectations.
He said, “We have embraced a vision of sustainability that aligns with global aspirations while addressing local realities. Our efforts are anchored on three pillars: Energy Transition, Climate Resilience, and Sustainable Development.
“My administration recognises the importance of reducing carbon emissions and a just transition to clean and renewable energy, promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 13-count criminal charge against the Chairman, Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko and a former Managing Director of First Bank, Olabisi Onasanya for allegedly obtaining the sum of N12.3billion from First Bank.
They are to be arraigned on Monday, January 20, 2025, before Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
They will be arraigned alongside, a former member of the board of directors of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Soji Akintayo and a company linked to Otudeko, named Anchorage Leisure Ltd.
All four were listed as defendants in the suit filed by an EFCC prosecutor, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala on January 16, 2025.
According to the EFCC, the four committed the fraud in tranches of N5.2billion, N6.2billion, N6.150billion, N1.5billion and N500million, between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos.
In proof of the charge against the defendants, the EFCC intends to call representatives of First Bank including Cecelia Majekodunmi, Ola Michael Aderogba, Abiodun Olatunji, Raymond Eze, Abiodun Odunbola and Adeeyo David all of whom are expected to give evidence of the fraudulent misrepresentation of the Defendants and tender relevant documents.
The EFCC will also rely on the testimonies of representatives of Central Bank of Nigeria, representatives of Stallion Nigeria Limited and representatives of V-tech Dynamics Ltd.
Also included in the EFCC’s list of witnesses are one Farida Abubakar and Adaeze Nwakoby.
According to the Commission, the offences contravene Section 8(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and were punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
Count 1 of the charge says that Chief Oba Otudeko, Stephen Olabisi Onasanya, Soji Akintayo and Anchorage Leisure Limited between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to obtain the sum of N12,300,000,000.00 (Twelve Billion, Three Hundred Million Naira Only),from First Bank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied * for by V- Tech Dynamic Links Limited and Stallion Nigeria Limited, which representation you know to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
In Count 2, it was alleged that the defendants, on or about 26th day of November, 2013 in Lagos, “obtained the sum of N5.2 Billion from First Bank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for by V Tech Dynamic Links Limited which representation you know to be false.”
The 3rd count claims that the defendants, between 2013 and 2014 in Lagos, obtained N6.2 Billion from First Bank Limited on the pretence that the said sum represented credit facilities applied for and disbursed to Stallion Nigeria Limited, which representation you know to be false.”
County 4 reads, that you, Chief Oba Otudeko, Stephen Olabisi Onasanya, Soji Akintayo and Anchorage Leisure Limited on or about 26th day of November 2013 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to use the total sum of N6,150,000,000,.00 (Six Billion, One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only.), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: Obtaining by False Pretence and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 18(a), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
Count 5 accuses Chief Oba Otudeko, Stephen Olabisi Onasanya, Soji Akintayo and Anchorage Leisure Limited on or about 11th day of December, 2013 in Lagos, procured Honeywell Flour Mills Plc to retain the sum of N1.5 billion, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: Obtaining by False Pretence and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
