The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced five new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) on Sunday taking the total to 323.
“Five new cases of COVID-19 have been reported as follows: two in Lagos, two in Kwara and one in Katsina.
“As at 09:10 pm 12th April there are 323 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria.
“Eighty five have been discharged with 10 deaths There are 19 states with confirmed cases in Nigeria.
The total lockdown order by the Kwara Government has commenced with strict enforcement by security operatives to curtail the spread of Coronavirus infection among residents.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent, who monitored the commencement of the order around 6.45 p.m in Illorin, reports that men and officers of the Nigeria Police barricaded major roads in Ilorin metropolis.
A visit by the correspondent around Ilorin metropolis revealed that Unity Road, ‘A’ Division, Muritala Muhammed Road, Offa Garage Roundabout extended to Olunlade among other places were barricaded.
NAN reports that barely 30 minutes into the exercise, the major streets in the Ilorin were deserted for fear of arrest by security agents.
NAN learnt that there was a combined team of the men and officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Nigeria Immigration Service, Man ‘O’ War and the police enforcing the order as at the time of filing this report.
The state government on Thursday, announced a total lockdown of vehicular, movement of people and all businesses from 6 p.m. on Friday.
The restriction order however, allowed banks, pharmacies and foodstuff traders to open for business only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 10 a.m and 2 p.m.
In a renewed bid to curtail the spread of COVID-19, Kwara state government on Thursday announced a total lockdown on the state for 14 days.
This is exactly 48 hours after the state took a similar step in Offa, Offa local government.
The state added that the total shutdown is necessary to flatten the curve of transmission of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
The government said violators of the pronouncement may face prosecution in line with the state regulations on the pandemic — except vehicles carrying goods and services such as food and drugs and categories earlier exempted in a recent address by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The administration also commended Abuja and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for their technical supports, including recently helping to strengthen government’s response team and training of its LGA disease surveillance and notification officers (DSNOs) on COVID-19 preparedness, response and surveillance.
“The government hereby bans all vehicular movements, including private and commercial vehicles, from 6p.m. tomorrow, Friday 10 April, 2020,” stat Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Technical Committee on COVID-19, Kayode Alabi said at a news briefing in Ilorin, the state capital.
“The only exceptions are commercial trucks carrying goods and services who would operate with absolute respect for social distancing and other COVID-19 safety protocols. All kinds of shops, bars, pubs, and markets are hereby shut until further notice. Markets, where foods and medications are sold, will open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, between 10 a.m. and 2p.m.
“Contractors working on government projects are allowed to proceed to work with no more than 20 workers on site at one time.”
He said previous restrictions remain and would be enforced.
Commending the Federal Government and the WHO, Alabi said the NCDC has sent down a crack team of experts to strengthen its capabilities to combat the spread of the virus.
“Th government also commends the World Health Organisation for the recent training of our health officials across the 16 local government areas on community-level COVID preparedness, response and surveillance. All our LGA Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) are now back in their localities to do a step down training for community informants and focal persons,” he said.
Alabi also expressed strong disapproval of the alleged stigmatisation of COVID-19 patients or other persons and communities on account of their contacts with any patient.
He warned that anyone caught doing so may be prosecuted in line with the regulation and relevant laws.
Said he: “The government is dismayed by reports of some people stigmatising the families, relations and acquaintances of persons who have tested positive for COVID-19. This development is not only unhealthy but it is in fact inimical to the efforts to trace contacts and flatten the curve of transmission of the virus.
“As was aptly observed by His Excellency in his live press briefing of Tuesday April 8, the government repeats clearly that contracting COVID-19 is neither a death sentence nor a crime. Anyone who has contracted it is a victim of an unknown enemy. They are not villains to be stigmatised. Just anyone can be victim of the deadly virus. All the patients and their families are persons to be catered for at this time. This is a tough time for them and nobody will be allowed to add to their worries!
“We state also that the government has carefully refused to mention the names of patients or their families. It has accorded the patients and their families all the rights, privileges and confidentiality due to them under relevant laws and ethics. The government will not hesitate to prosecute anyone found guilty of stigmatising patients and communities, or robbing them of their dignity. We warn that sharing of the picture of any COVID-19 patient qualifies as a crime and government will treat the despicable characters behind it as suspected criminals going forward.
“We assure the public that everything is being done to prevent community transmission and there is no use destroying years of community peace and relationships in the guise of identifying (COVID-19) contacts, whether primary or secondary. The cases at the isolation centre are stable and without any symptoms, and are getting the right care and support every step of the way.
“Fellow Kwarans, we repeat that this is no time to panic. Please stay calm. The Government will do everything to keep you safe. But we also need you to play your own role. Stay at home. Keep social distancing. Avoid crowd. Prioritise personal hygiene. And please do not spread unverified news. Once again, we pray for all those infected to get well soon. We assure them of getting the best care possible. We also thank all our healthcare givers for their priceless contribution to humanity. We are grateful to all of you and we urge you to do your best for us at this time and always.”
No fewer than eight people lost their lives in multiple accidents involving six petrol tankers and a car at Oloru-Kanbi in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accident occurred when the tankers, heading to the NNPC depot at Oke-Oyi in Ilorin had a head-on collision with three others returning from the depot.
The three tankers one of which loaded with Diesel had a head-on coalition with the other three coming from Jenna also in Moro local government area of the state.
There was also a private car, badly impacted in the accident by the tankers.
A combined team of officers and men from the fire service, Police and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were promptly drafted to the scene of the accident for the rescue operation.
Alhaji Abdulwaheed lyanda-Yakub, Director Kwara State Fire Service, who spoke to NAN at the scene of the incident, said 12 people died in the multiple accidents.
Iyanda-Yakub said that most of the dead persons were tanker drivers.
According to him, two other victims were on the danger list and receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UlTH).
He said the remains of the dead have been deposited at the morgue of the hospital.
But the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Kwara, Mr Jonathan Owoade, told confirmed to NAN only eight persons dead in the multiple accidents.
Owoade attributed the cause of the accidents to wrongful overtaking and non-adherence to traffic rules by drivers.
The University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) on Monday announced the suspension of Prof. Alakija Salami as a Senior Consultant from the hospital.
The management said in a statement signed by Mr David Odaibo, the Director of Administration of UITH, that the suspension was as a result of alleged unethical conduct in the admission, management and eventual release of the corpse of a suspected COVID-19 patient.
Odaibo stated that the patient died in the hospital on April 3.
UITH accused Salami of allegedly concealing the travel history of the deceased.
It alleged that Salami, a specialist in infectious diseases, brought the patient and told the hospital that the patient only has history of abdominal discomfort and stooling, following ingestion of rotten pineapples.
According to Odaibo, the patient was then admitted and managed as a case of ‘food poisoning’ and the patient later died in the early hours of the following day.
The Kwara State Government on Wednesday banned commercial vehicles, Okada and motor bike operators in the state.
The state also announced the closure all mosques, churches and markets effective today (Thursday).
It also announced the ban on all social functions and engagements.
State Deputy Governor, who is the Chair Technical Committee on Covid-19, Mr. Kayode Alabi told reporters in Ilorin, state capital.
He said that the development is aimed at protecting the lives of the residents of the state.
Alabi said that government would put security arrangement on ground so as to ensure the compliance of the order in the state.
He added that “the lockdown of the state would curb any invasion of unsuspected members of the public that may likely invading the state through commercial operators from the neighbouring states of the federation.”
The governor said that “fast food operators in the state should do take-away of their foods and avoid any customers to sit down to eat in their business premises henceforth”.
Alabi said that government would not rest on its oars to make the state free of the pandemic.
He urged Kwarans to cooperate with the government in the task of curtailing the spread of the pandemic in the state.
He dispelled insinuation about Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq’s self-isolation.
Alabi said that “I want to say emphatically that, our governor is not in isolation and he is hale and hearty.”
…Gov. Abdulrazaq issues stern warnings to school heads
West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has blacklisted no fewer than 165 schools in Kwara state for alleged involvement malpractices in 2019 WAEC.
The examinations were held between 8th April and 31st May, 2019. The development — the worst in the history of the state — affected 122 public secondary schools and 43 private schools, each fined N250,000, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said.
“This administration is sad to note that WAEC has derecognised 165 schools in Kwara because of widespread cases of cheating in the 2019 senior secondary certificate examination in which some top education officials and parents were implicated. This is very unfortunate and this administration will not hesitate to sanction any school heads or officials that ever engage in such conduct in the future,” Rafiu Ajakaye, chief press secretary to the Governor, said in a statement on Thursday.
“The administration also urges parents to desist from encouraging cheating in the examination. We call on Kwarans to expose this cancer. As a result of such incidents of aiding and abetting of examination malpractices, this administration will now have to pay N30.5m of scarce public resources to get the necessary approval for the affected public schools to host WAEC examinations in the future. This is avoidable. Examination malpractice constitutes some of the worst hindrance to a bright future because it negates the time tested principles of hard work, diligence, and thirst for knowledge and excellence.”
The statement said such unhealthy trend and other shortcomings in the sector explain why the government is organising an education summit in the first quarter of 2020 to discuss all the issues affecting the sector and come up with practicable roadmap and reform options.
Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq has accused his predecessor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, of selling 110 government properties, including the house meant for the deputy governor.
The governor said this on Monday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Rock.
Accusing his predecessor of mismanaging resources of the state, Abdulrasaq said his deputy now lives in a rented apartment.
“What we met was that, they have sold virtually about 110 government properties including the deputy governor’s residence, our deputy governor is staying in rented accommodation, they just shared everything,” he said.
“It’s so painful, we have to develop alternative means of generating revenue and that is why we have to be enterprising in the way we do our things. I came to see the president to wish him good tidings for the new year and also with a shopping list because our state is in dire streaks. When we got in, there was a total collapse in the state start from education. Our four colleges of education were on strike for a year.
“The government was owing teachers about N750 million. Thank God we have been able to clear that. Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) had blacklisted Kwara state since 2013. So, it shows you that there had not been any investment in the education sector.
“But we have been able to clear the liabilities. We paid UBEC N450 million which was misappropriated by the previous administration. We are good to go with UBEC. We need federal intervention, we need federal help. UNICEF has left Kwara, we are lagging behind in everything. We have to pay close to a billion in counterpart funding which the previous administration had not paid. Funding for polio, roll back malaria.”
He said when he took over, there was no running water anywhere, but within two months, his government had fixed the problem.
He also said the state’s civil service has been clearing backlog of debts because his predecessor stopped paying full salary since 2013.
The governor had in January ordered the demolition of Saraki political home known as Ile Arugbo in Ilorin, the state capital. The development had heightened the crisis between the governor and former Senate President Bukola Saraki who is Ahmed’s political benefactor.
A Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin and presided over by Justice Abiodun Adebara, has fixed January 15 for the hearing of the motion on notice filed by Asa Investments Limited, challenging the revocation of a property of the late Second Republic Senate Leader, Dr Olusola Saraki.
Recall that the Kwara State Government on December 27 revoked Plots 1, 3 and 5 near Civil Service Clinic, Ilofa Street, Ilorin land, occupied by Asa Investment Limited owned by the late Saraki.
Before the revocation, the land had a building called Ile Arugbo (old people’s home). Old people visited the home occasionally to receive gifts and support from the Saraki family.
The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Kwara State House of Assembly, Kwara State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Director General, Kwara Bureau of Lands and the Inspector-General of Police are the defendants in the suit.
The court also, upon the receipt of an ex parte motion and the supporting affidavit dated and filed on January 2, and after listening to the claimant’s (Asa Investments Limited) counsel, Mr A.A. Ibrahim, restrained the defendants and anyone acting on their behalf from further demolishing or destroying the property.
“Upon a motion ex parte and the supporting affidavit dated and filed on the 2nd day of January, 2020; after listening to Mr A.A. Ibrahim, counsel for the claimant/applicant and after a careful perusal of 25-paragraph affidavit and the attached exhibits in support of the motion ex parte, it is hereby ordered that:
“The defendants, either by themselves, their officers, servants, agents, privies, or successor in title or any person howsoever claiming in trust for the defendants, are hereby restrained from further demolishing or further destroying the alleged property of the claimant/applicant known and described as Plots 1,3 and 5 with TPS/MISC.129A and Survey Plan No.KWSH927 and Land/G1071 situate, lying and being beside Civil Service Clinic, along Ilofa Road, G.R.A, Ilorin, Kwara State, on which the claimant has a building, popularly known as Ile Arugbo( old people’s home), the subject matter of the substantive suit, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“The defendants, either by themselves, their officers, servants, agents, privies, successor in title or any person howsoever claiming in trust for them, are hereby restrained from entering with the intention to construct, build, erect, or commencing any building/structures on Plot 1,3 and 5 with TPS/ MISC.129A and Survey Plan No.KWSH927 and Land/ G1071 situate, lying and being beside Civil Service Clinic, along Ilofa Road, G.R.A, Ilorin, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“The motion on notice is hereby scheduled for hearing against Wednesday 15-01-2020. Application granted in part as per the above orders; given at Ilorin under the seal of the court and the hand of the presiding judge this 6th day of January, 2020,” the court order read.