INSTANT NEWS

The Lagos State Government has confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in a secondary boarding school on the mainland.

Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Health, made the announcement in a statement Friday night.

A member of the school’s staff was confirmed positive to COVID-19 on the 2nd of November.

Contact tracing has revealed that a student and four contacts of the staff member are positive to COVID-19.

Abayomi noted that the staff fell ill for a few days and received first aid at the school clinic.

She subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday 2nd of November at the Lagos State Biobank.

The Lagos State COVID-19 Incident Command System through the Emergency Operation Center is investigating the incident.

“We would like to assure members of the public and stakeholders of the school that the situation is completely under control. Steps are being taken to contain the spread within the school and reduce exposure to the outside community. All parents are being contacted first through the PTA and a family zoom call is being arranged to further allay their fears.

“It is important to note that COVID-19 presents with very mild symptoms in children and teenagers, compared to other age groups. However, there is the risk of infected children transmitting the disease to adults who they interact with daily and who may be at higher risk of severe disease and death.

“Members of the Emergency Operation Center Lagos, NCDC and our counterparts in the Ministry of Education have been deployed in the school to provide strategic interventions and support. These include psychosocial support, infection prevention control, medical monitoring and risk communication experts to further enlighten affected people”, the statement read.

It added that COVID-19 is still active, adding that everyone must strive to prioritize the safety of all, including students and teachers.

The commissioner appealed to residents to adhere strictly to prevention protocols and guidelines issued by the government.

Citizens were asked to call the 08000EKOMED or 08000356633 toll-free line, if they notice any sign or symptoms of COVID19, which include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue or loss of taste or smell.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday approved the nomination of Hon. Kamal Ayinde Bayewu, a former aspirant for Lagos West senatorial district and former Chairman of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government as Chairman of the state Local Government Service Commission.

Also appointed as members of the commission are Hakeem Adisa Bamgbola, former Chairman of Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Taofeek Abiodun Adaranijo, a former chairman of Orile Agege LCDA.
Other members of the commission appointed by the Governor are Ahmed Seriki and Engineer Biodun Orekoya.

In a statement released by the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, stated that Sanwo-Olu’s approval of the new nominees, which was in accordance with the provisions of relevant State Laws, was consequent upon the expiration of the tenure of office of the former Commission Chairman and members, to whom he expressed Government’s deep appreciation for the services rendered to the State.

The statement noted that the newly nominated chairman and members, whose appointments is subject to the confirmation of the Lagos State House of Assembly, had been considered based on their sterling credentials, integrity and depth of experience in local government administration.

GENEVA (3 November 2020) – The Nigerian government must set up a credible, independent inquiry into the recent illegal killings of at least 12 peaceful by soldiers, UN human rights experts* said today.

"Since 2005, UN Special Rapporteurs have repeatedly raised the issue of police killings and impunity with the Nigerian government," the experts said. "We have had 15 years of government promises, but nothing has changed.

"Governments come and go, but police brutality is as intractable as ever. Nigerians need justice."

Excessive use of force during peaceful assemblies is always unacceptable, the experts said, but the shootings at Lekki toll plaza in Lagos on 20 October were "especially disturbing because demonstrators were precisely calling for accountability for previous police brutality."

Nigerians have taken to the streets across the country since 8 October to protest rights violations reportedly committed by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

"What is particularly disturbing is that the authorities said they had disbanded the SARS and agreed to the protestors other demands, including investigations," the experts said. "But they immediately announced the formation of another similar unit and have not ended the excessive use of force."

Protestors have been met with water cannons, tear gas and live ammunition. Hundreds have been injured and an unknown number killed. In addition, security services have allegedly arrested and beaten protestors, and armed individuals have attacked others.

The fact that in the Lekki toll plaza incident CCTV cameras and lights were apparently switched off shortly before soldiers opened fire on the peaceful protestors indicates "a disturbing level of premeditation," the experts said.

Systematic police brutality and use of excessive force against peaceful protesters must be independently and impartially investigated and the perpetrators brought to the justice, the human rights experts said.

In addition to setting up an independent inquiry, authorities must clarify why the military was deployed and who gave the order, the experts said. "Any investigation must aim to identify lines of responsibility, deliver accountability and justice, provide remedies and reparations, and recommend structural and systemic changes," they said.

The experts also called on the government to release the reports of previous investigations into human rights violations by the security forces. These include the 2019 report by the National Human Rights Commission report on SARS and the 2018 report by the Presidential Investigation Panel to Review Compliance of the Armed Forces with Human Rights Obligations and Rules of Engagement ("PIP").

"The authorities have promised for years to address human rights violations by the security forces," said the experts. "Hundreds of victims and relatives of those who died have testified and sent petitions, but they never received any remedy, not even the acknowledgement that their rights were violated. It is crucial that the government releases all these reports to the public before they start new investigations."

The experts have written directly to the Nigerian government, stressing that "it is high time that concrete action is taken to properly look into all incidents and that structural changes be made to prevent any re-occurrence."

Two alleged robbers set ablaze at Upper Sakponba, Benin.

Two young men accused of being armed robbers were set ablaze by an angry mob at Upper Sakponba area of Benin City.

Watch the video below:

Frank Lampard has confirmed that Christian Pulisic won’t be fit to feature against Rennes tomorrow but has cooled any concerns that the American’s injury is serious.

Pulisic was pulled out of the starting line-up at Burnley after feeling some sensation in his hamstring while warming up at Turf Moor, with Timo Werner coming in as a substitute.

However, Lampard confirmed at his pre-match press conference that the forward hasn’t suffered a serious injury, although will sit out tomorrow’s Champions League tie with Rennes, and offered an update via Zoom to the media.

‘Christian had a scan yesterday, which showed a very minor injury to his hamstring,’ Lampard stated in a statement via Chelsea official website. It’s very minor, which is good, and he’s already back outside. He won’t be fit for tomorrow’s game but we will see after that. It’s a relief for the injury to be on the small side, of course, and it felt that way to Christian. He made the right decision to pull out against Burnley. We are pleased it’s not a serious injury and we hope to have him back very soon, because he’s an important player for us. Muscle injuries are things you have to be careful with and some players who play on the edge and have speed could be more susceptible to them. We are looking at ways to manage Christian, we are all working in the same direction on that front. We all know the talent he has and he’s a very important player for us.’

A Nigerian man who identifies as Celestocalculus on Twitter has recounted how he was almost robbed by traffic robbers who attacked him at Ijora area of Lagos.

According to Celestcalculus, the robbers were incapable of removing anything from the car as he got out of the situation before it got worse.

He tweeted;

”Attempted traffic robbery at Ijora. Lagos gave me a very warm welcome.
Got home unscathed & they didn’t succeed in taking my phone, after breaking both my side glass. Their crazy met an even crazier crazy. Thankfully I somehow got out of the situation before it got worse.
Stuck in traffic & wasn’t sure if I was going the right direction, so I pulled out my phone to check the map. Wrong move. Almost immediately, I noticed 2 boys hovering on bot sides of my car. I quickly threw the phone under my seat & quickly worked out a strategy not to get hurt.”

See her post below:

Nigerian music sensation, Tiwa Savage has revealed how she attempted suicide twice after she suffered depression over racist comments while in London.

The mother of one disclosed this in a recent Black Box interview with BBNaija host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu on ‘Bounce Live Radio’.

According to her, she attempted to take her own life as a result of the bullying she received as a black kid in London.

Tiwa Savage disclosed she moved to London with her mother at the age of 10. She also said her strong Nigerian accent at the time was mocked by her classmates in school.

In her words, “I was teased so bad. They used to call me ‘African girl’, ‘Foo foo’, ‘Your food smells’ and so on. It was terrible. It was so bad that I literally tried to kill myself two times. I was really depressed.”

Watch the video below:-

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday arraigned a 35-year-old man, Azeez Moshood, before a Federal High Court in Lagos, for trafficking Cannabis.

The prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Sept. 20.

He said that the defendant was arrested on a tip-off on the Lekki-Ajah highway in Lagos while transporting the Cannabis Sativa, weighing 546.4 kg.

The prosecutor said that hemp is a restricted drug similar to Cocaine and Heroine LSD, and listed in the NDLEA schedule as a banned substance.

The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

Delivering Judgement, Justice Maureen Onyetenu granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10 million, with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must be civil servants of grade-level 16, and adjourned the case until Feb. 17 and Feb. 18, 2021, for trial, NAN reports.

Popular Nigerian actress, Mercy Aigbe, has turned heads on social media after sharing a photo of her with a bald head and tribal marks all over her face.

The 42-year-old single mother of two said on her Instagram page as she shared the photos that the her new look was for a movie she starred and urged her fans to be on the look out for the movie because of the investment she made into the project.

Captioning the picture, Mercy wrote;

“Happy New Week! I can’t wait for y’all to see my new movie J.B.O ( Jaguda.Baba.Ole ) ….. A @magdiva_films fully powered by @adekazproductions ….. this one is madht and you will over love it”

See Photo Below:

Founder of the Citadel Global Church, Tunde Bakare, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari may end up not leaving any legacy behind after ruling Nigeria as a military and democratically elected President.

Bakare, Buhari’s running mate for the 2011 presidential election, charged the President to work hard on the legacy that would outlive him.

The cleric said though Buhari still has enough time to rewrite his name on the sands of time, he is surrounded by a group of bad councillors.

Pastor Bakare, however, noted that said Buhari can make a difference only if God delivers him from the “bad counsels” and “bad counsellors” around him.

He alleged that bad advisers have prevented the President from seeing and acting on the realities in Nigerian streets.

Bakare said this while featuring as a guest on the Arise Television morning show.

“One of the things I pray for President Buhari is that God should deliver him from wicked counsels and counsellors who tell him life is sweet and that everything is going fine but without giving him the reports from the streets,”

He said.

“In 2015, it seemed as if we had a long time. But, four years had gone and we are into the second year of second term administration which is going to end soon. Time is going and anyone who is thinking of legacy is the best time to go into action – maybe two, or three things which people may see and say in the days of President Buhari, Nigeria took a giant trip in these three areas.

Without that, it will just be like he came twice – first as military head of state and second as democratically elected president without much being ascribed to him as the achievement of his administration.

President Buhari still has enough time to leave behind an enduring legacy. He can still do a lot between 2021 and 2022 because 2020 is already running out.”

The new police unit called Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT) on Monday began its training with over 400 personnel at the Police Mobile College in Eggon, Nasarawa State.

Present at the training ground was the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, and other officials who came to inspect the training exercise.

In his opening remark, the Minister said he was happy with the progress the personnel was making and charged them to be good role models of the society.

Petr Cech has said he is “100 per cent ready” to help Chelsea if he is called up, after he was included in their Premier League squad.

Cech, who won four Premier League titles and the Champions League at Stamford Bridge, was a shock inclusion in Frank Lampard’s 25-man squad for the 2020/2021 season.

The 38-year-old announced his retirement at the end of the 2018/2019 season and returned to Chelsea as a technical and performance advisor.

However, Cech has been training with first-team goalkeepers Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga and says he is ready to step in if called upon this season.

He told Telefoot:

“It’s true that it would have been a professional error to do this if I wasn’t at Premier League level, but that’s not the way we work here. I know I’m 100 per cent ready to help if needs be. I’m fit, and with the two months of training, I’ve seen I have the same quality. Furthermore, I rested for a year without playing football. It really gave me energy, my body recovered after playing 20 years as a professional. If the circumstances put me on the pitch, I’m ready.”

Ordinarily, most Nigerian music doesn’t trend more than a month. Maximum, two months.

In the case of Wizkid’s “Made In Lagos” Album, it won’t exceed a week due to the current happenings in the country. Nigerians attention has been diverted, as everyone is busy fighting for the betterment of  the country. For this reason, MIL is gonna die a natural death within a week.

DO YOU AGREE? Wizkid’s Made In Lagos Album, Won’t Trend More Than A Week

Drop your comment below

Group of elderly pensioners were seen sitting on plastic chairs on major road in Calabar, Cross River State and singing “all we are saying, give us pension” as they demand payment of their pension.

Pensioners in Cross River State have taken to the streets to protest the non-payment of their benefits to them by the state government since 2014.

The pensioners, who were local government workers, blocked the Murtala Mohammed Highway in Calabar metropolis as they arranged chairs and sat on the two lanes of the road.

They also chanted songs and carried placards as they asked Governor Ben Ayade to pay them their pensions.

It was gathered that the pensioners were among those the state government announced to have been dead.

It was gathered that some retirees, who have not been paid since 2014, have concluded plans to drag Ayade to the National Industrial Court in Calabar.

The decision was reached after a series of protests to Ayade’s office yielded no positive result.

The pension being owed by the state government was put at over N35bn.

On the 2nd of November 2020, 72 new confirmed cases and 1 death was recorded in Nigeria.

Till date, 62964 cases have been confirmed, 58790 cases have been discharged and 1146 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The 111 new cases are reported from 8 states- Lagos (49), FCT (30), Rivers (11), Plateau (10), Ogun (4), Kaduna (3), Oyo (3), Osun (1).

A multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, continues to coordinate the national response activities.

8 Nigerians were arrested in Egypt in early October for protesting without a permit. They were carrying out the Egyptian leg of the #EndSARS protest.

The Nigerian Embassy in Cairo intervened in order to secure their release, but the Egyptian authorities have since discovered that 7 of them do not have residency permit and therefore they are going to deport them.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa @abikedabiri said:

Update on the 8 Nigerians detained in Cairo for protesting without a permit 7 of them are to be deported to Nigeria for for lack of resident permits.The only one that has Residency will get final clearance from the Minister of Interior

After signing an undertaking not go against laws of Egypt. The Nigerian mission in Egypt is still appealing for leniency on behalf of the seven slated for deportation

See the post below:

The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, (AMEN), Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari government to apologise to Nigerians.

The outspoken Catholic priest is angry at Buhari for failing to address the numerous challenges facing the country which resulted in the End SARS protests across the country.

Mbaka, who had always thrown his weight behind President Buhari, expressed his anger when he addressed congregants at this year’s All Saint’s Mass in Enugu on Sunday.

The cleric also alleged that security agents killed several End SARS protesters in Enugu State and their bodies thrown into the Onyeama Valley.

Mbaka called on the President to apologise to Nigerians for leadership errors of his administration and that of past governments.

“The present government needs to apologise, and they should also apologise for the errors of past governments. It is not a case of #EndSARS or Biafra,” he said.

“God is telling these leaders today, that they are wicked maggots, wicked hooligans and that they should know that this world is not our home. They should understand this fact.”

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has given 12 hours to looters to return their loot or houses containing such goods will be demolished.

The governor, who made a broadcast Tuesday evening amid a 24-hour curfew he imposed earlier on Sunday following looting of government and private warehouses by thugs who went wild in the guise of End SARS protests, said the havoc done by the thugs especially mass looting around the state capital, Yola, was horrendous.

He said, “I am giving a 12 hour ultimatum (6:00 pm – 6:00 am) to the hoodlums to return whatever they looted from public and private warehouses and homes to the nearest Police Station and traditional rulers’ houses (from the ward to the district level), whichever is nearest to them.

“This ultimatum will expire at 6:00 am on Wednesday, 28th – October, 2020, after which I will sign an Executive Order for a house-to-house search to commence by 7:00 am of the same day.

“Part of the provision of the order is a sanction that will attract withdrawal of C of O and if necessary, demolition of every house that habours any of the stolen properties. Law abiding citizens should cooperate with the security agencies to ensure this is enforced to the letter.”

He said he had received briefings of what had happened since Sunday morning, and listed places that were affected.

“With shock, we received the report of attacks on the Customs Office, Road Safety, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NEMA office, COVID-19 Isolation Centre at Kofare, North East Commodity Association (NECAS) Kofare, public and private warehouses in Demsawo, Nyako Quarters, opposite airport, behind Zenith Bank, Bakin Kogi, Mayanka, Upper Benue, AADP, LEA, Yola South, Red Cross opposite FMC, Aliyu Mustafa College; Dr. Belel’s workshop, private farms, etc,” Fintiri said.

He reiterated that although his government was still taking stock, to the best of his knowledge so far, the extent of loot and damages to properties of government and private entities is immense.

“The loss is materially colossal but more enormous is the loss of moral values driven by greedy criminal urge to steal. We condemn in strong terms the outright demonstration of brigandage as barbaric, criminal and a recipe for anarchy,” the governor said.

He apologized to all Adamawa people for the acts of the hoodlums, saying, “As a Government, we take full responsibility for all the hardship attendant upon by the curfew era on decent and hardworking citizens.

“The other two categories of people I greatly owe apologies to are the vulnerable especially at the 21 LGAs who would have been the beneficiaries of the looted goods but were denied because of the activities of the hoodlums; and the owners of the private warehouses, shops and properties looted. I truly feel your pain.”

He assured that the reprieve which the state had had from the hoodlums since Monday afternoon would be sustained.

He said, “As a responsible government, we cannot fold our hands while criminals are trying to take over our society. We are working round the clock to ensure that peace is returned to our society. Working with the security agencies, we have activated the necessary instrument for a return to normalcy and arrest of the looters.”

He disclosed that so far 155 suspects are in police custody while nine Vehicles and 12 tricycles loaded with loot have also been impounded.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has called on Muslims in the State to use the celebration of Eid-el-Maulud to promote religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence.

The governor made this known on Wednesday in Port Harcourt in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kelvin Ebiri.

The celebration of Eid-el- Maulud marks the birth of Prophet Mohammed.

According to Wike, his administration will continue to promote religious tolerance among residents of the state.

He advised Muslim faithful to imbibe the virtues of love, peace, communal living and honesty, which were qualities of Prophet Mohammed, NAN reports.

The governor, while wishing Muslim faithful a wonderful Eid-el-Maulud, urged them to always pray for the government and people of Rivers State.

The Nigeria minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed again, calls for regulation of social media. That includes Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

In his word, Lai Mohammed said,

“Social media will destroy us if we don’t regulate it. The recent #ENDSARS war was fought on social media. They mobilised using social media. The war today revolves around two things. Smartphones and data and these young men don’t even watch television or listen to the radio or read newspapers”

Now this is funny, same time, annoying. The Nigerian government has seen the power of social media. They have seen how the Truth spread freely without restrictions and they are pained because they can’t control social media like the TV stations and newspaper we have in this country

The government are calling for social media to be regulated because they’re scared of how fast their bad deeds can be exposed via social media.

According to “Lie” Mohammed,

“China reached her apex when she regulated her Social media, so Nigeria should follow same steps”.

This Lie Mohammed talks trash always.

Copy and paste government. Clowns!

They only pick the part that benefit them. Why didn’t they pick the part where China beheaded corrupt leaders. Yeye people.

By the way, how are they going to regulate social media in the first place? How possible is that?