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Nigeria’s Confirmed Coronavirus Cases Rise to 46
Nigeria announced two new cases of COVD-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 46, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has disclosed.
The two cases were reported in Lagos and Osun.
This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Osun State.
According to the NCDC, both cases were detected in travellers who returned to Nigeria in the last seven days.
The public health agency, on its Twitter handle, said that “as at 07:00 am 25th March, there are 46 confirmed cases of COVID19 in Nigeria, two have been discharged with one death”.
Break down
Based on the newly confirmed cases, Lagos State still has the highest number of confirmed cases in the country.
As at the time of reporting, Lagos has recorded 30 cases, FCT – 8, Ogun – 3, Ekiti, Oyo, Edo and Osun have one each.
So far, most of the infected people are those who have recently returned to the country from high risk countries.
Outbreak
The government has intensified contact tracing to track those who might have been in contact with the infected people, some of whom have already found and tested positive to the virus.
Among the people who have tested positive to the disease in Nigeria are government officials, administrators among others. These include Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is currently on self isolation after reports he might have met with some of the infected officials.
Many other top officials have also commenced self isolation.
The Order of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for the arrest of Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and granted by Justice Emeka Nwite on the 31st of January, 2024, has been set aside, today, 25th April, 2024.
Justice Emeka Nwite had on January 31 ordered Ehie’s arrest in connection with the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly on October 30, 2023.
The police, in the charges, alleged that Ehie and five others masterminded the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly amid a plot to impeach Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The five others are Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter, alias Rambo.
Justice Emeka Nwite while reading the ruling setting aside the order given by the court against Eddison Ehie declaring him wanted and granting an order of arrest said it as now becoming a mere academic exercise.
The judge further granted same to the 2nd-5th Defendant/Applicant in same suit.
Eddison Ehie had a team of representation including Falana SAN, Wole Oladoye SAN, Dr Bimpe Ajegbomogun and Barr. Asmau Yakubu
Though Ehie’s name was mentioned in the counts, he was not listed among the defendants.
He said, “He was never invited by the police for anything. All that he saw was that they filed a charge; they mentioned his name in four out of seven charges for murder and arson.”
Aladedoye also argued that it was strange that the Inspector-General of Police left all the courts in Rivers State, where the alleged offences were committed, to file an application before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“Your Lordship has no jurisdiction to entertain the matter here, “Aladedoye said.
Counsel for the other defendants, Femi Falana (SAN), said the crime his clients were alleged to have committed were state offences.
In the application it was stated that “What is disclosed are state offences; it is our submission that this court cannot exercise any jurisdiction in state offences without the fiat of the Attorney General of Rivers State.”
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that the now embattled former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, withdrew $720,000 from the State government’s account to pay his child’s school fee.
The EFCC boss disclosed this to journalists in Abuja.
The former governor was last week declared wanted by the commission for alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
EFCC operatives, during the period, stormed Bello’s residence in Abuja to arrest him, but were stopped by his security aides.
Two courts of coordinate jurisdiction also issued conflicting rulings on the matter. While the Kogi State High Court in Lokoja restrained the EFCC from arresting the former governor, the Federal High Court gave the commission the go-ahead to arrest Bello preparatory to his arraignment for alleged fraud.
Olukoyede said: “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House.
“In a poor State like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?
“I didn’t initiate the case; I inherited the case file. I called for the file, and I said there are issues here.
“On my own, I called him, which I am not supposed to do, just to honour him as an immediate past governor. ‘Sir, there are issues. I’ve seen this case file. Can you just come let us clarify these issues?
“He said, ‘Ha! Thank you, my brother. I know, but I can’t come. There’s one lady that has surrounded EFCC with over 100 people to come and embarrass me and intimidate me.
“I said if that is the issue, I’m going to pass you through my own gate, and you will come to my floor. We will accord you that respect. I will invite my operatives; they will interrogate and interview you in my own office. What could be more honourable than that to allay the fear?
“You know what he said: ‘Thank you, sir, but can’t they come to my village? “
The National Coordinator, Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), CSP Okuwobi Olabisi, has congratulated Nigerian Chess Master Tunde Onakoya for his world record-breaking chess marathon campaign at the Times Square in New York, the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), has learnt.
The POCACOV boss took to her X handle to offer her congratulatory messages, while encouraging the youths to emulate Onakoya’s fighting spirit. She emphasized that cultism can never put anyone on the world map, only innovation and creativity. She applauded the victory more as it occurred on a day dedicated creativity and innovation.
She wrote, “POCACOV congratulates the Nigerian rave of the moment, Tunde Onakoya @Tunde_OD on setting a new world chess record and being exemplary to other Nigerian youth on resilience, innovation and creativity at the world centre stage.
“I wish to congratulate and identify with you today being 21st of April; which is the World Innovation and Creativity Day!
“Cultism and criminalities can’t attract both local and international accolades to no one! Say No to Cultism and Say Yes to Creativity and Innovation, and be a champion like Tunde Onakoya.”
She added, “I use the World Day for Innovation and Creativity to congratulate the Champion of the Guinness World Chess marathon.
“I also admonish Nigerian youth to shun cultism and criminality while urging them to emulate the new world champion by being resilient, innovative and creative. Note that belonging to cultism and engaging in crimes can never attract accolades to no one.”
